Updated on 6 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.
Beyond the classic baby monitor, the camera allows you to see your baby, whether he or she makes noise or not.
It may be interesting to take a closer look at the camera fixing system.
In order for the image to be as clear as possible, attention must be paid to the resolution (minimum 720p).
The child unit is always connected to the mains, but the parent unit should be able to move around the house with you.
Some models can act as a nightlight and play lullabies on demand.
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
With its flexible and mobile fixing system, this connected 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 mid-range Best budget Mid-range alternative Philips Avent SCD833 Hellobaby HB65 Lollipop Smart Baby 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. 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 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 See the price on Amazon £ 166.00 on Amazon
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How did we do the test?
In order to test the video baby monitors, we first took a look at their display (quality, size, visibility…) as well as 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.).
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 in a room without light with the curtain drawn, 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 your video baby monitor?
Apart from the classic baby monitor with a light and/or sound indicator when the baby cries, the camera allows you to see your baby, whether he or she is making noise or not, and to keep an eye on the quality of his or her sleeping environment remotely. And to help you in your choice, here are some criteria to consider:
- The type of transmission: almost all video baby monitors nowadays are equipped with FHSS technology, which ensures that images and sounds remain clear without interference. The signal uses a wide frequency spectrum and automatically changes the transmission channel. Some newer models are now connected to your smartphone via a dedicated app and a Wi-Fi connection, but this system is frequently criticized for its cyber security. So it is not a choice to be made lightly.
- The camera: while some are fixed, others can be rotated and/or tilted, either manual or motorised, to adjust the viewing angle. It is also worth taking a closer look at the camera’s fixing system to ensure that it is compatible with the use you intend to make of it. Finally, it is sometimes possible to connect several cameras to the same parent unit, which is useful for monitoring several children simultaneously.
- The image: apart from the size of the screen, which is rarely larger than 5″, it is above all the quality of the image that is important. To ensure that the image is as sharp as possible, attention must be paid to the resolution, which is usually around 720p. It is also important that the camera has good infrared vision for night surveillance.
- The battery life: the child unit is almost always plugged into the mains as it is often installed in a fixed location, but the parent unit should be able to be mobile and follow you to different rooms in the house. For this, it is important that the battery can last for several hours before needing to be recharged. Be aware that this is the parameter that tends to deteriorate the most in the long term.
- The range: depending on the size of your home or how you use your baby monitor (for example on holiday), it is worth knowing how far the child unit can transmit.
- Additional features: many video baby monitors are equipped with temperature sensors, and sometimes humidity sensors. Some models can act as a nightlight and play lullabies on demand. Most also allow the parent to communicate with the baby remotely, via a built-in microphone. Finally, connected models take technology a step further and now offer historical data on your child’s sleep, as well as image capture and/or recording.
Other video baby monitors we recommend
Babymoov Yoo See (£129.99 upon publication): a well-known model that convinced us less. With its small 2.4″ screen, this affordable baby monitor uses FHSS technology for transmission. However, according to our tests, this transmission is very limited indoors if you have thicker walls (or ceiling), allowing you to move away from only 5 to 8 m maximum. However, the VOX function worked well and there is the possibility to adjust the sensitivity of the sensor on 3 levels. The device also has a microphone so you can talk to your baby from a distance, but the sound quality can be improved on both the child and parent units. However, the picture quality was good, even with the x2 zoom.
Eufy SpaceView (£179.99 upon publication): larger screen and all-round visibility. This baby monitor has a large 5″ colour screen, offering good image quality both day and night thanks to the automatic infrared night vision. Another advantage is that you can monitor your child from different parts of the room thanks to the motorised tilt and rotation of the camera. Among the many settings (both sound and image), the parent unit’s voice-activated standby feature is also particularly interesting, as it allows the device to have a total battery life of 17 hours. It is a pity that there is a white LED on the front of the camera that lights up the room at night…
Other video baby monitors we tested
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
