Updated on 3 March 2023
This comparison is certified 100% impartial and follows our selection process.
Philips Avent SCD833
With its 2.7” colour display, infrared camera, parent unit with a 10-hour battery life and good audio quality, this video baby monitor offers great value for money.
Using FHSS digital technology to limit interference, this baby monitor offers good sound and video quality. Its Eco mode allows you to activate the transmission only when your baby makes noise (with sensor sensitivity adjustment), extending the battery life of the parent unit up to 10 hours. In addition, the two-way transmission allows you to talk to your baby remotely, but also to start one of the 5 lullabies (with 3 listening volumes) to try to calm him/her before you arrive. During our tests, we did not quite understand the difference between the Eco and VOX modes, but they both worked well. We liked the ease of use and the reliability of the connection, even with several thick walls between the two units (or at 20 m from the camera which was inside and the monitor in the garden). The image and sound quality remained very good in all circumstances (even in night vision). The only small criticism we have is that the camera is only manually adjustable. And if you are looking for a simpler model, without any additional features, the SCD503 model from the same range is perfect for you.
Analogue, digital or with a camera, the baby monitor is useful for keeping an eye on your baby remotely. The outdoor range is typically 300 m and the indoor range is 50 m. The minimum acceptable battery life should be a full night's use (8 hours). Most parents opt for a battery-powered device so they can take it anywhere. Audio quality is an essential criterion for properly identifying noise, even at low volumes. The integrated microphone in the parent unit allows you to reassure your child remotely if necessary. The nightlight feature of the child unit is an interesting but not essential bonus.
Babymoov Simply Care
This model offers the best value for money in this selection. Simple, but effective, it has a reliable VOX mode, 2 transmission channels and clear audio quality.
During our tests, we liked this audio baby monitor for its simplicity of use. Indeed, it has the fewest buttons, which makes it a very basic model to take with you everywhere. Despite this, it still has a VOX mode which proved to be effective. The sound was clear enough, even at a distance of more than 20 m outdoors and at about 15 m indoors with several thick walls between the 2 units. The brand has provided 2 transmission channels and a clip to attach the parent unit to the belt which stays in place if you do not move too much. The parent unit has worked both on mains and on batteries (3x AAA not included). Note that the volume can be adjusted or turned off and that there is also a visual alarm (via small LEDs) that lights up according to the noise level in the child’s room.
Babymoov Handy Care A014304
This practical audio baby monitor has a nightlight that can be adjusted to 5 levels and remotely. The child’s volume has 5 levels and the parent’s volume can be changed to 3 levels or switched off.
We appreciated this model, which is quite intuitive to use, for its good quality/price ratio, its good general operation and its small additional parameters. Indeed, despite its reasonable price, it includes a Sleep mode (similar to the VOX function and which worked well during our tests) and an Eco mode which allows you to suppress the waves when baby is sleeping. In addition to this, we found its moon-shaped nightlight to be super cute and very practical as it can be set to 5 levels of intensity and turned on/off via the parent unit. There are also 5 volume settings on the child unit and 3 on the parent unit, which ensure good audio quality with clear sound. The walkie talkie enabled us to communicate well with the child unit. The FHSS transmission was very good, even indoors at a distance of 15 metres with one, two, three or more thick walls between the two units. The only reproach we have is that there is no outlet, but only cables, which is a little less practical.
Hellobaby HB65
Despite its decent price, this model has various additional features, such as a 360° adjustable camera in addition to a 3.2” screen with a good level of detail and sufficient range indoors.
During our tests, we found this video baby monitor to be very practical as we were able to move the 360° camera remotely using the arrows on the parent unit. It is possible to zoom in x2 and the image quality remained very good. The night vision also offered a good level of detail and the display on the screen was unobstructed at all angles of vision. As far as sound is concerned, we were pleasantly surprised by its quality. Of course, it is not Dolby Atmos, but it is clear and audible enough to be understood properly if you need to reassure your child. We would also like to point out the presence of various useful additional features such as the VOX mode which worked very well (with the 2 levels of crying sensor), the 8 different musics (which can be looped), the temperature sensor on the parent unit and the various settings (volume and brightness). For this price, we did not expect much regarding the range, but this baby monitor still surprised us by keeping a very good signal despite the presence of several thick walls between the 2 units.
Lollipop Smart Baby Camera
With its flexible and mobile fixing system, this connected video baby monitor allows you to monitor your child via a dedicated application, and to store your recordings for seven days.
The camera is attached to a silicone handle that fits just about anywhere (provided you can figure out how to make it fit properly). Connected to your phone, it alerts you with a notification when it detects your baby crying (with a mention of the decibels), but can also warn you when your baby crosses a predefined virtual boundary in the camera’s field of view. During our tests, these two features were effective. With 720p resolution and infrared night vision, we found the image quality to be exceptional compared to other models we tested. However, it is true that its use by application is less instinctive than the ready-to-use models with 2 units. Here, it took us a little time to find out where the different functions were. Once we had found them, we appreciated the presence of the 6 musics, 6 white noises and the various clips recorded in the application. However, as with the Philips Avent SCD833, the connection was good outdoors (at 20m with only one wall between our phone and the camera), but not so good indoors (with more than one wall between the two units).
Our selection
Our choice, Best high-end Best budget Best mid-range Mid-range alternative High-end alternative Philips Avent SCD833 Babymoov Simply Care Babymoov Handy Care A014304 Hellobaby HB65 Lollipop Smart Baby Camera With its 2.7'' colour display, infrared camera, parent unit with a 10-hour battery life and good audio quality, this video baby monitor offers great value for money. This model offers the best value for money in this selection. Simple, but effective, it has a reliable VOX mode, 2 transmission channels and clear audio quality. This practical audio baby monitor has a nightlight that can be adjusted to 5 levels and remotely. The child's volume has 5 levels and the parent's volume can be changed to 3 levels or switched off. Despite its decent price, this model has various additional features, such as a 360° adjustable camera in addition to a 3.2'' screen with a good level of detail and sufficient range indoors. With its flexible and mobile fixing system, this connected video baby monitor allows you to monitor your child via a dedicated application, and to store your recordings for seven days. See the price on Amazon £ 39.95 on Amazon £ 59.95 on Amazon See the price on Amazon £ 166.00 on Amazon
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How did we do the test?
In order to test the baby monitors, we first took a look at their general practicality (child unit that stands up well, presence of a stand on the parent unit, instinctive use, possibility of orienting the camera remotely or physically, etc.) as well as their display when there was one (quality, size, visibility…).
Then we checked their operation and tested their functionalities. We judged their sound quality (on units where there was an intercom), the VOX feature (which only turns on the parent unit when a noise is detected), the quality of the night vision for models with video, the quality of the musics where there was some, etc. Finally, we tested their range in an old house with thick walls (garden/room next to the garden, ground floor/1st floor, adjoining rooms and rooms further away).
How to choose a baby monitor?
Choosing the right baby monitor is essential for a good night’s sleep. But among the multitude of models available on the market, how to distinguish between those of real quality, and the essential from the accessory?
First of all, it is necessary to know the three main types of baby monitors currently available:
- Analogue baby monitors: generally compact and easy to carry, they work like a walkie-talkie by emitting radio waves. But because they are subject to interference, they are less and less available on the market.
- Digital baby monitors: they are made up of various technologies for a clear, secure and interference-free transmission. We distinguish between DECT technology, which operates via a pin allowing it to be connected directly to the baby unit, CARE technology, which reduces the radiation emitted by 98% without affecting the sound quality, and FHSS technology, which combines the two previous technologies but regularly changes channel to avoid any risk of interference.
- Camera baby monitors: these baby monitors add a visual to the sound transmission. Some are even compatible with several cameras, for simultaneous monitoring of several rooms in the house. More and more models now also connect to your smartphone or tablet, sometimes even leaving out the traditional parental unit.
Whichever type of device you decide to buy, it is essential to consider the following criteria before buying one:
- Range: it is important that your baby monitor can follow you anywhere in your home or even garden. However, a distinction must be made between the range outdoors and indoors, as the signal decreases with the thickness of the walls. Most of the current devices have an outdoor range of 300 m, and an indoor range of 50 m.
- Expandability: if you plan to have several children or to have your baby sleep in different places (for example, the bedroom and the playpen), it may be worth considering a model that can accommodate several baby units. However, you should ensure that the model offers a gradation in transmission priority (with the parent unit playing the highest volume – usually associated with greater urgency).
- Battery life: most parents prefer a battery-powered unit, so that they can take it everywhere. It is therefore important to check the life of this battery, as well as its duration over the long term. Ideally, you should use it for at least 8 hours, so that you can use it all night.
- Audio quality: it is important to be able to correctly identify small noises, even at low volume. To do this, the model must avoid constant background noise (or at least have an eco-mode where only baby’s crying triggers an alert).
- Material quality: the time will soon come when your child will be irremediably attracted to his baby monitor. Check that it is capable of withstanding at least small drops or bites.
- Additional features : features such as a musical or lighted nightlight are generally unnecessary, as parents usually opt for a separate nightlight and/or white noise plush toy. However, other features such as the parent microphone, which allows the parent to talk to the child to reassure him or her, and the temperature indicator are, in our opinion, useful.
Other baby monitors we recommend
VTech Owl BM2300 (£83.40 upon publication): A super cute model with 3 different alerts. Solid and practical, this baby monitor has 3 types of alert (visual, sound and vibrating) to ensure you do not miss your baby’s cries. A standby mode allows you to reduce wave emissions to zero. Using DECT technology, it ensures a clear sound (even for lullabies) and no interference as our tests have shown. The parent unit has a microphone which ensures a good audible sound. We found it very easy to use with its backlit display and the belt clip held better than most other models we tested.
Alecto DBX-85 ECO (£77.92 upon publication): A good and practical model, but ageing. In addition to the basic features common to all models in this price range, the Alecto offers 4 ECO modes, the most intense of which allows for guaranteed wave-free operation, increasing its battery life. The Alecto also has a number of useful extras, such as a temperature display, a nightlight mode and the possibility of playing 5 lullabies. Of all the models tested, it has the longest cable at 2.8m. Despite the good sound quality, we still heard a slight recurring white noise in the background. This slightly spoils the overall comfort of use.
UrbanHello REMI (£127.18 upon publication): A connected and evolving audio model. Very playful, this 4-in-1 babyphone offers a very complete range of functions, but above all is perfectly progressive (up to 10 years). Thus, in wake-up mode, its little smiling or sleeping face tells your child whether it is time to get up or not. Connected to REMI via an application, your smartphone becomes the parental unit. In addition to an audible and/or vibrating signal, you receive a notification if the set sound level is exceeded. During our tests, we were only a little disappointed by its connection which was not the best when we had several thick walls between REMI and our smartphone.
Other baby monitors we tested
Badabulle Baby Online (£24.37 upon publication): A little less interesting than the Babymoov Simply Care, this model fits a little less well because of its lightweight construction. We also criticise the poor design of the belt clip, which makes changing the batteries more complicated.
Philips Avent SCD503 (£24.37 upon publication): We have little to complain about with this model which works perfectly (even at 20 m indoors with several thick walls between the 2 units). We simply preferred it to other baby monitors that include more features for a similar price.
Babymoov Easy Care A014015 (£49.99 upon publication): We found this model perfectible, both in terms of transmission and sound quality. There was a lot of crackling in reception and we found it a pity that the (rather bright) night light was constantly on in VOX mode.
Babymoov Expert Care (£69.95 upon publication): Unfortunately, we heard far too much unpleasant white noise with this model and it gets much worse as the distance between the two units increases (several walls and about 15 metres).
Babymoov Premium Care (£89.95 upon publication): In our tests, we found that the audio quality of this model was simply not up to the task, especially considering its price. In addition, there is only one plug for 2 cables, which is not very practical.
Babymoov Yoo See (£129.99 upon publication): This camera baby monitor has caused us some connection problems. In addition, the smaller display and improvable sound quality diminish the price/performance ratio compared to other models.
Babymoov YOO Moov A014417 (£143.84 upon publication): While this model seemed interesting, it was less effective in terms of sound in practice. Indeed, we found the volume much too low (even at maximum volume) on the part with the screen for the parent and on the camera for the child.
Translated by Selectos
