For new parents, nothing is more important than keeping your baby safe and secure. Having a baby is the most wonderful and yet the scariest experience of a lifetime, and all moms and dads go through the same thing – Checking on your sleeping baby every few minutes just to make sure they are breathing. This can be especially true when your baby is asleep in their nursery or playing and you are in another room of the house. Baby monitors have been around since walkie-talkie technology was invented, as a way for parents to keep track of their little ones and hear their cries from any room in the house.
These days, the technology involved in baby monitors is much more advanced. You will find two way talk features and crystal clear sound monitoring in just about every baby monitor on the market, but there are also digital video baby monitors that feature wireless viewing, HD video, and remote camera control. This kind of monitoring is especially comforting for working moms and dads or any parents who want to keep an eye on their kids while they go out on a date night.
If you do not need a video monitor in your nursery, you can also get a less expensive sound-only monitor. These have also become very advanced in recent years and can track things like the temperature in the room as well as your baby’s movements. Sound monitors also often come with special features such as night lights and lullaby music.
This list is your guide to the best baby monitors on the market in 2017. I have included monitors that will fit any price range and that have a whole range of features to choose from, from the most basic to the most advanced and everything in between. Whether you are shopping for yourself or for a gift, you will definitely find the right fit here!
1. Infant Optics DXR-8 Video Baby Monitor with Interchangeable Optical Lens
The Infant Optics DXR-8 is the #1 best seller on Amazon in baby monitors. It is a high quality, highly reviewed monitor with over 3,000 five-star customer reviews. Features include night vision, wireless portability with a six to ten hour battery life, remote pan and tilt control so you can look around the baby’s entire room, USB charging and sound activated LEDs so that you will be alerted to your baby’s cry even with the volume turned down low.
The camera itself comes with three interchangeable lenses – Normal, Zoom, or Wide Angle, that you can switch out at your preference. The hand held screen is a large 3.5 inches and it also includes a two-way talk feature so that you can talk to your baby through the monitor. The unit also monitors the temperature in your nursery. If you want to station more than one camera in the nursery, you can buy extra camera units here for $89.70 each.
Price: $167.09 with free shipping
Buy the Infant Optics DXR-8 here.
Watch a review video here.
Pros:
- There are no “beeping” alerts (low battery, out of range) to wake you or baby up in the night
- Includes three interchangeable lenses – Regular, Zoom and Wide Angle
- LCD screen is larger than most monitors at 3.5 inches wide
Cons:
- Purchasing extra camera units can get expensive
- Reviewers have had issues with the charging port breaking prematurely (Note: The manufacturer has responded to this and fixed the issue in 2015 and newer models)
- Some reviewers had issues with the signal losing strength and being interrupted by walls, televisions, etc.
Find more Infant Optics DXR-8 information and reviews here.
2. Motorola MBP855CONNECT Portable 5-Inch Screen Video Baby Monitor with Wi-Fi
The Motorola MBP855CONNECT is one of the best baby monitors on the market in 2018. This monitor has all of the features that have become standard – two way talk, remote pan and tilt, night vision – as well as being the absolute best quality since it is from a great brand, Motorla. This monitor has a whole list of extra features that make it easy to use, convenient, and great for both parents and babies. This system has a 5″ screen with touch controls, and an innovative, wireless camera design that allows you to move the camera from room to room. This is an awesome feature because you may want to put baby down for a nap in their nursery, in your bedroom, or leave them to play in another room of the house, and it is a huge hassle to move cameras that have to be wired-in. Another great feature is the Wifi connectivity. This monitor is compatible with a smartphone app that allows you to view your baby from anywhere, whether you are at home or not. This is awesome for date nights or any time you have a babysitter. You can also purchase additional cameras if you want to have one permanently in multiple rooms. If you want to record videos, you can insert an SD card into the monitor.
Price: $198.99 with free shipping
Buy the Motorola MBP855CONNECT here.
Watch a review video here.
Pros:
- Easy to use Wifi smartphone viewing
- You can purchase additional cameras (up to four)
- Camera is wireless and can be moved from room to room
Cons:
- Camera must be charged in order to move between rooms
- Extra cameras are relatively expensive
- Some reviewers found it to be less intuitive to use than other systems
Find more Motorola MBP855CONNECT information and reviews here.
3. VTech DM222 Digital Audio Baby Monitor with Glow-on-Ceiling Night Light and One Parent Unit
If you are looking for an audio-only baby monitoring system, the VTech DM222 is a great choice. It is not your plain old walkie-talkie type of baby monitor, but has some really cool features that you won’t find in other systems. There is of course a two-way talk back intercom, so that you and your baby can hear each other clearly from different rooms of the house. The parent unit has a 5-level sound indicator, which visually shows the sound levels in the nursery so that you can monitor your infant even with the sound muted. The parent unit can cover 1,000 feet with no obstructions, or 150 feet indoors and through walls.
The coolest feature of this system is that the baby unit includes a night light that projects stars and moon images onto the ceiling, and even plays a lullaby for your little one. You can adjust the angle of the projection to allow for the best view for your baby no matter where the unit is in their room. You can either purchase this system with one parent unit or two.
Price: $54.90 to $99.99 depending on the number of parent units.
Buy the VTech DM222 here.
Watch a video of the stars and planets night light projection here.
Pros:
- Less expensive than video monitors
- Includes a stars and moon night light and lullaby player
- Has all standard features such as two-way talk and visual sound monitoring
Cons:
- Does not include video features or night vision
- The operating range decreases significantly indoors
- Does not include a temperature sensor
Find more VTech DM222 information and reviews here.
4. Summer Infant WIDE VIEW 2.0 Digital Color Video Baby Monitor
This system from Summer Infant allows you to see more of your baby’s nursery than any other. The wide angle camera and 5″ flat screen LCD monitor give you 4x more viewing area than standard baby monitors. This can be a huge comfort to parents in another room of the house, especially with mobile babies and toddlers who do not always stay in their crib! This system also features a small night light to help soothe your baby to sleep and help with the night vision feature on the camera. You can also remotely zoom for a closer look.
Price: $114 to $178.93 depending on if you choose one or two cameras
Buy the Summer Infant WIDE VIEW here.
Watch a review video here.
Pros:
- Extra wide view of nursery
- Large 5″ flat screen monitor
- Night vision and remote zoom feature
Cons:
- No wifi monitoring
- No pan and tilt
- Some babies might not like the night light
Find more Summer Infant WIDE VIEW information and reviews here.
5. Summer Infant In View Digital Color Video Baby Monitor
If you want a less expensive video baby monitor and you do not need Wifi or web viewing capabilities, the In View baby monitor from Summer Infant would work perfectly. This system includes many of the features we have outlined above, which have become standard for video monitoring systems, such as sound activated LEDs, night vision, and low battery/out of range indicators.
This monitor also has a few features that set it apart from the pack. First of all, the screen is huge. At five inches, it is twice the size of most baby monitors. This gives you a more detailed view of your infant when you are not right there next to them. There is also a digital zoom feature, so you can zoom in on their sweet face any time you want without disturbing their rest.
You can purchase between one and four cameras when you buy the In View system, so you can monitor multiple rooms or multiple kids at once.
Price: $99 to $317.99 with free shipping, depending on how many cameras you choose
Buy the Summer Infant In View here.
Watch a manufacturer’s video here.
Pros:
- Has a much larger view screen than other systems
- Less expensive than other digital video monitors
- Features remote panning and zooming as well as night vision
Cons:
- Including multiple cameras can get expensive quickly
- There is no Wifi or web viewing capability
- Reviewers mentioned a low battery life and choppy video quality
Find more Summer Infant In View information and reviews here.
6. Amcrest IP2M-841 ProHD 1080P WiFi IP Security Camera
When shopping for a video monitoring system for your nursery, you are not limited to cameras made specifically as baby monitors. Home security cameras make a great option as well, and do not take much more technical knowledge to set up and use than your typical baby monitor. This camera from Amcrest features HD video, recording and playback, easy Wifi setup and wireless viewing from your smartphone, tablet or computer. As you would expect on a home security camera, it features Intelligent Motion Alerts, which come in handy when baby is sleeping.
Just like most baby monitors, this video system has a 90 degree view angle, remote pan and tilt, remote digital zoom and LED night vision. It even has a two-way audio feature so that you can hear and sooth your baby when you are in another room or away from home.
Price: $81.99 with free shipping (18 percent off MSRP)
Buy the Amcrest IP2M-841 here.
Watch a demo and review video here.
Pros:
- Camera is sleek and modern and includes Wifi viewing from smartphones, tablets or comuters
- Features night vision and remote camera controls (pan, tilt, zoom)
- Two way talk allows you to hear and talk to your baby remotely
Cons:
- Night vision is only up to 38 feet, vs. other models which go up to 98 feet
- Cloud video storage can get expensive if you want to store your recorded video
- Customers have had issues with the PC and Android software
Find more Amcrest IP2M-841 information and reviews here.
7. Philips Avent DECT Baby Monitor with Temperature Sensor and Night Mode
Here is another sound-only baby monitor that picks up every little noise your baby makes and alerts you to their cries, so that you can let them sleep without having to check in every few minutes. This system uses DECT technology, which is a completely private and secure connection, guaranteeing zero interference and total privacy. There is no risk of neighbors accidentally tuning in to your monitoring frequency.
This unit features a two-way talk back system. The range is 330 meters, so you can use this monitor all over the house without worrying about going out of range. The nursery unit features a customizable temperature sensor with a vibration alert, as well as a night light and optional lullabies that you can play for your infant.
Price: $113.29 with free shipping
Buy the Philips Avent DECT Baby Monitor here.
Watch a review video here.
Pros:
- Includes a talk back system and long operating range of 330 meters
- Baby unit has optional night light and lullabies
- Also includes a temperature sensor with vibrating alerts
Cons:
- Relatively expensive for a sound-only system
- Some reviewers have had issues with the parent unit losing battery life quickly
- Some reviewers had issues with the baby unit losing signal repeatedly
Find more Philips Avent DECT information and reviews here.
8. Yada Tiny Traveler Matte Black 4.3″ Digital Wireless Baby Monitor
The Yada Tiny Traveler is unique on this list because it is meant for use in your car. When you are driving with a baby, the safest place for the car seat to be is in the back seat facing towards the rear of the car. Unfortunately, this means you cannot see her face, which can be worrying to parents since we like to keep an eye on our little ones at all times! You can use mirrors to see your baby through the rear view mirror, but this is still not the safest option because it can take your eyes off the road for too long, especially at night. The Yada Tiny Traveler allows you to take just a quick glance to your dashboard to easily and clearly see your baby or toddler.
This baby monitor system comes with a 4.3″ display screen and a camera that can be mounted on a window, or on the headrest of one of the front seats (there are two mounting options for different headrests). The camera is wireless and runs on 12v power. It also features night vision so you do not have to have lights on in the car to see your child at night.
Price: $163.60 and free shipping
Buy the Yada Tiny Traveler here.
Watch an installation guide video here.
Pros:
- Allows for easy monitoring of babies in rear facing car seats
- The camera transmits wirelessly and the system includes a large screen size
- Features night vision for easy night time viewing
Cons:
- You can only use one camera
- Requires two 12v car outlets to power the camera and the view screen
- Reviewers have had issues with using the suction cup mounts
Find more Yada Tiny Traveler information and reviews here.
9. Motorola CONNECT Digital Video Baby Monitor
Motorola is one of the most trusted brands in electronics, and their CONNECT baby monitor is a great choice for new parents. The system comes with either one or two cameras to be installed in the nursery or in two kids’ rooms, and a monitor that comes in either a 3.5″ display size or a larger 4.3″ display. The hand held parent unit has easy con LED sound indicator strip running along the top of the screen.
The camera also features remote viewing on any device that can display 720p, so it does not necessarily have to be on a smart phone, tablet or computer. You can even record video inside of the app and take image snapshots – Perfect for capturing those adorable sleepy moments! And of course, this unit also includes remote pan, tilt and zoom control as well as two-way talk between the parent and baby units. You can choose one or two cameras when you check out,and if you need more you can purchase additional cameras for $140.97 each.
Price: $168.98 to $289.99 depending on what size screen and how many cameras you choose
Buy the Motorola CONNECT here.
Watch an in depth review video here.
Pros:
- You can customize your system with multiple
- You can choose between two display sizes
- Features include remote Wifi viewing, video recording and image screen shots, remote camera control and two-way communication
Cons:
- The system gets expensive compared to other monitors when you add multiple cameras and a large screen size
- The larger screen size only comes with one camera included, so additional cameras have to be purchased separately
- Reviewers had issues with radio frequency interference
Find more Motorola CONNECT information and reviews here.
10. Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor
Baby monitors are great for keeping track of your child using visual and audio devices, but something that they often leave out is the baby’s movements. Keeping track of your baby’s movements is a good way to tell if they are secure, safe and content because a sleeping baby will often start squirming a few minutes before they get to the point where they wake themselves up and start fussing or crying. It is great to be able to catch these signals before your baby becomes distressed.
With this system from Angelcare, you can monitor both the movements and noises of your baby from any room in the house. Also, it is normal for babies to move around a bit every few seconds while they sleep, and no movement at all can be an early detector of any problems. The movement sensor pad is placed under the crib mattress and sounds an alarm if no movement is detected after 20 seconds. The parent unit has a full color digital to splay that tells you the sound level, temperature, and all of your various settings. The baby unit also includes a gentle night light.
Price: $70 with free shipping
Buy the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor here.
Watch a review video here.
Pros:
- Monitors baby’s movements wit automatic alerts
- Less expensive than most other options
- Includes two-way communication, night light and temperature sensors
Cons:
- Does not have a video monitor
- Automatic alarm can get irritating if your baby is very mobile
- Reviewers mentioned some issues with static and interference
Find more Angelcare information and reviews here.
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