Baby Monitor Review

Best reviews of baby monitors and video baby monitors

In the past, all baby monitors were analog, operating on the 49 MHz, 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz frequencies. Unless you lived in a remote area, these monitors were prone to interference and sometimes could pick up signals from other wireless devices, allowing people to eavesdrop on phone and CB radio conversations. While analog monitors are still the predominant type of baby monitor on the market, parents today have more choices.

Digital baby monitors, for instance, scramble a bandwidth's signal and do a better job of reducing interference. Digital monitors that operate on a less commonly used 1.9 GHz frequency (called DECT, or digitally enhanced cordless telecommunications) completely eliminate static, clicking and accidental eavesdropping. Other parents find that using an inexpensive app for their smartphones is an effective enough baby monitor for their needs.

Overall, we found the most extensive and comparative reviews of baby monitors at the parenting site Babble.com and in the latest edition of the book "Baby Bargains." The information contained within both sources is more objective and critical than that of many other reviewers. These two sources evaluate baby monitors with a clear methodology and deliver reviews that are not only insightful to a monitor's attributes, but also its flaws. Both sources judge baby monitors on range and reception. The one drawback to Babble.com's extensive guide is that it is somewhat dated; it hasn't been updated since early 2010. "Baby Bargains" newest edition discusses a dozen new models that were introduced to the market between late 2010 and 2011.

The authors of "Baby Bargains," Denise and Alan Fields, are parents and consumer advocates. They perform some testing and also use parent interviews to truly get a sense of how practical a monitor will be to parents in daily life. The parenting site Babble.com looks at monitors from a largely technical perspective, relaying information and comparing monitors based on their specifications and features, but also with some notes on practical performance.

We also found excellent reviews by two foreign review magazines, Australia's Choice and the U.K.'s Which? magazine (both of which are similar in format and content to ConsumerReports.org). Their tests are detailed and well done, but some of the baby monitors tested are not available in the United States. Still, each publication offers some helpful basic general information for those beginning the baby monitor shopping process.

ConsumerReports.org also offers a report on baby monitors. Several products are professionally tested and ranked, though reviews for individual models are not as detailed as those at other top sources. Still, this piece does provide an excellent buying guide and offers helpful shopping tips.

Reviews of baby monitors can also be found on retail sites. Amazon.com offers the most feedback, especially of new digital baby monitors. Though we found more reviews at Amazon.com, Target.com contributors were also thoughtful and detailed in their reviews. Since many parents have tried more than one baby monitor before finding one that works, these reviews are often comparative and highly critical. We also encountered insightful owner feedback at Sears.com, Walmart.com and ToysRUs.com.

Fisher-Price baby monitor: No longer the best

The Fisher-Price Sounds 'n Lights baby monitor (*Est. $30) has been around for a long time and is one of the least expensive baby monitors on the market. In years past, the Fisher-Price Sound 'n Lights was a top pick in reviews mainly because of its simplicity and low price. However, recent user ratings of this baby monitor at sites like Amazon.com are highly critical and list many issues from interference to poor construction. We found better reviews for the analog Sony BabyCall Nursery Monitor NTM-910 (*Est. $40). The Sony monitor's 27 channels make it possible to avoid much of the static, buzzing and clicking that are side effects of interference with other electronics.

Parents considering a video baby monitor should also be wary because many of these products receive even more criticism. ConsumerReports.org, for instance, provides rankings for just three video monitors, all of which receive poor overall rankings. The editors at ConsumerReports.org often cite frequent problems with static and durability. However, a few newer products from Summer Infant have since shown promise in more up-to-date reviews. Summer Infant, at last count, features 10 different video monitor models. The brand's Day & Night Handheld Color Video Monitor (*Est. $140) earns kudos as the best video monitor in one report, while its sister model the Slim & Secure Handheld Color Video Monitor (*Est. $200) tops ratings in another review.

It should be noted that in February 2011 Summer Infant recalled 1.7 million baby audio and video monitors after two infants died of strangulation due to the monitor's cord. The company reissued the products with additional warning labels, wall mounts and a safe installation guide -- reminding parents that monitors and cords should be placed at least three feet out of a child's reach. ConsumerReports.org editors also note that video monitors are not necessary for most parents' baby-monitoring needs – and that video monitors mainly serve to ease the fears of anxious parents. The MobiCam AV Wireless Audio/Video Monitoring System (*Est. $110) is highly regarded in a few reviews, but it gets middling to low reviews from hundreds of parents. There are frequent complaints about static and interference, though reviewers do appreciate the budget-friendly price. Parenting magazine selects the Fisher-Price Remote Control Musical Video Monitor (*Est. $180) as a top pick, but parent reviewers posting to Amazon.com and other sites say that the battery life renders this model virtually useless.