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Philips SCD589 DECT Digital

Discontinued

Reviewed

April 2008

by ConsumerSearch

Pros

No interference from other electronics
Sensitivity
Intercom function
Remote temperature monitor

Cons

Expensive
Volume could be higher
Battery life

Our Analysis
Specs

The Philips SCD589 DECT Digital gets excellent scores in independent tests and near-perfect ratings in owner-written reviews as the best baby monitor overall. in no small part because it operates on the less common 1.9 GHz frequency. In short, the Philips monitor promises less interference from other household electronics, and no chance of accidental eavesdropping by neighbors who also own baby monitors. However, the Philips monitor is expensive. If you've had trouble with other monitors, experts say the Philips DECT is the best you can buy.

Consumer Reports includes the Philips SCD589 DECT Digital in its latest review of baby monitors. The ratings at Consumer Reports are based on the results of laboratory testing and, in the case of baby monitors, each model is scored for convenience, sensitivity, interference and battery life. The baby-gear book "Baby Bargains" also has a good section on baby monitors, but authors Denise and Alan fields discuss the Philips line in general rather than the SCD589 in particular. For user reviews, Amazon.com and similar sites have enough posts on this model to provide a good sense of how owners find it compares to other baby monitors.

Our Sources

1. ConsumerReports.org

Consumer Reports includes 11 audio and three video monitors in this report, ranking them according to how well they perform in laboratory testing. The Philips Digital SCD589 is included here, with ratings for convenience, sensitivity, interference and battery life along with an overall score.

Review: Ratings: Baby Monitors, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, April 2007

2. Baby Bargains

Denise and Alan Fields include a review of Philips baby monitors in this edition of their baby gear book. The SCD589 isn't mentioned specifically, but the similar SCD590 is discussed and rated.

Review: Baby Monitors, Denise Fields and Alan Fields, 7th Edition, 2007

3. Amazon.com

Amazon.com is a good source of owner-written reviews of baby gear. The Philips SCD589 does very well here, earning mostly perfect scores in about 75 reviews. Many customers mention this monitor's clarity and lack of static, and several say they appreciate the intercom function and remote temperature monitoring.

Review: Philips SCD 589 Digital Baby Monitor, Contributors to Amazon.com

4. Epinions.com

There are several reviews of the Philips baby monitor on Epinions. Posts here are quite thorough, and the Epinions format, which requires users to list both pros and cons, lends some extra balance.

Review: Philips LCD Digital Baby Monitor with DECT, Contributors to Epinions.com

5. ConsumerGuide.com

The SCD589 gets near-perfect scores in what ConsumerGuide.com calls its "expert review." The breakdown of ratings is somewhat useful, but it's unclear how products are chosen for review or what, if any, testing has been done.

Review: Expert Review: Philips DECT Baby Monitor SCD589, Editors of ConsumerGuide.com, Aug. 1, 2007

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