When you put the baby down for a nap, it can be hard not worrying about her every few seconds. Having a quality video baby monitor can help give you peace of mind by letting you check on her without disrupting her sleep. These devices have come along way in the past few years. Many baby monitors like the Infant Optics DXR-8, include night vision, temperature sensors, and two-way communication. We've gathered the best options on the market to help you find one for your needs.
Best Overall: Infant Optics DXR-8
There's a reason why this is such a popular seller on Amazon. This standalone baby monitor doesn't require a Wi-Fi connection to work properly so you can use it regardless of your internet signal. It also comes with three different lenses: normal, zoom, or wide-angle. This way, you can choose the viewing option you like best for your setup. I love the 180-degree viewing area, which makes it so you can see more of the baby's room.
It operates wirelessly using a 12-hour battery and has a 700-foot range, so you can take the monitor with you around the house instead of being stuck in one area. When it gets dark, the camera employs infrared night vision for a relatively clear view of your child. When baby wakes, you can use the two-way communication to talk with baby and reassure her if she's upset. It includes temperature sensors so you can detect if the room is too hot or too cold.
As with most products, there are some things that I don't like as much. For one thing, the screen is only 3.5-inches wide. This isn't terrible as I've seen smaller options, but it's nicer when you don't have to squint as much to see details. A 5-inch screen would have been more helpful. And of course, this isn't the cheapest option on the market. You'll need to pay a decent amount for this setup, but it's an excellent baby monitor system.
Best Budget: Campark Baby Monitor
If you're looking for a baby camera and monitor duo that doesn't cost a fortune, then you should consider the Campark Baby Monitor. It has the most extended range of any baby monitor we looked at with the ability to work up to 1000 feet away from the camera. That way, you can move the monitor around with you around your home. Just note that the battery only lasts five hours at a time so you'll need to make sure you charge it in between uses.
As with more expensive options, this device includes night vision and temperature sensors so you can check on the baby at all times to make sure she is safe and comfortable. The device even includes a few lullabies to help your child fall asleep. If you hear the baby moving around, you can talk to her and listen as she talks back.
Since this is an inexpensive camera and monitor set, you expect there to be a few catches. The biggest downside to this option is that the screen is really small, only 2.4 inches. That's a lot smaller than many other options out there. Still, if you don't mind the small screen, this is a great, inexpensive baby monitor for you.
Best Video Quality: Eufy Video Baby Monitor
I love the look of this baby monitor as it gives you a five-inch LCD screen and includes simple-yet-helpful buttons right on the monitor. To provide you with an idea for how big this is, five-inches is an average smartphone screen size and is larger-than-average for most baby monitor displays. When in use, the monitor lasts seven hours before needing a recharge. You can make it last up to 17 hours if you put it in power-saving mode. With that kind of life, you should be able to monitor the baby for all of his naps without the battery dying on you.
Though the monitor does work wirelessly, it only has a range of up to 460-feet. This means you won't be able to move as far away from the camera and still see what's happening on the display as you would with some other baby monitors. Video quality is a respectable 720p, which could be better, but it is by no means terrible. When it gets dark, the camera will switch to night vision so you can continue to check on the baby. It even has temperature sensors to help you know if the room is too warm or too cold for a little boy.
Something I like with this unit is that it comes with a wall mount. However, it only works in a corner. If your baby's room isn't set up a certain way, it might be challenging to use. It also includes an alert system that notifies you if your child's crying gets louder than a volume you specify. When he's fussy or talkative, you'll easily be able to communicate with him using the built-in microphone and speaker.
Best Value: Dragon Touch DT50
While this baby monitor isn't the cheapest unit in our list, it's super inexpensive given the features it offers. You can connect up to four cameras to the monitor and switch between them. This is perfect for those who have multiple children or for those who want to keep an eye on the dog, as well. This device employs infrared night vision to give you a clear view of your baby in the dark. The temperature sensors also help you to know if the room is too cold or too hot for the baby.
Since it has a long battery life, lasting up to seven hours with the monitor always on, and up to the 1000-foot range, you can easily take this monitor with you around the home and still be able to check the camera feed. If you're looking to save battery life, change it so the monitor only turns on when it detects loud noises. The best part is that you get to set how loud the sound needs to be for you to get an alert. That way, you'll only get notified if the baby is really upset rather than every time she makes noises in her sleep.
You'll be able to use the microphone and speaker to communicate with your child and have them talk back. There are even several lullabies on the device, which you can use to help your child fall to sleep. I love this device overall, but my biggest gripe is with the screen size. The dinky 2.4-inch display allows the monitor to be nice and compact overall, but it would be nicer if the display were a bit larger.
Best Battery Life: VAVA VA-IH006
On average, baby monitors tend to last anywhere from three to eight hours in display mode before running out of juice. In comparison, this one boasts being able to last up to 12 hours in display mode and 24 hours when the display is off. That means it's less likely to die on you when you want to use it wirelessly. I love the five-inch display as it is larger than average and supplies 720p video quality for a better view of baby. When night falls the camera automatically switches to night vision mode in clear infrared greyscale. You can connect four cameras total to the monitor and alternate between feeds.
In addition to offering a long battery life, the range for the monitor is quite liberating. You can be 480 feet to up to 900 feet away from the cameras and the monitors will still work. That way you don't have to be glued to one area in order to check up on your child. As with many other baby monitors, this one offers thermal sensors for checking room temperature and includes two-way audio so you can communicate with your baby.
My biggest complaint about this device isn't huge, but it is something that can be frustrating. There is no dedicated mute button nor dedicated volume buttons on the monitor. If you want to turn down the volume, you'll have to go into the menus and turn the sound down that way. All in all, this is an impressive device that would be a good fit for any home.
Best Two Pack: Motorola MBP36XL-2
This is the perfect option for those who have more than one small child or who simply want a camera set up in the playroom as well as the nursery. The five-inch monitor is larger than average for a baby monitor and it allows for split-screen viewing. It's perfect for keeping an eye on your sleeping baby as well as checking on your playing toddler in another room. The monitor can be used up to 1000 feet away from the cameras, allowing you to take care of things around the house with the small screen in tow.
These cameras are equipped with a small library of five lullabies to help relax your baby. When it gets dark the cameras utilize infrared night vision to give you a decent view. If baby wakes up upset, you can use the two-way talk feature to reassure her. Many users state that these cameras feel super zoomed in when at their regular setting. If you plan on buying these, you'll just need to make sure you have the space needed to accommodate that intense zoom.
The battery life of the monitor in display mode is only about three hours, which is much lower than most other options out there. You'll need to make sure to recharge the monitor after each use if you want it to work every time you need it. Something I like about this monitor is that it has an LED sound indicator at the top of the monitor. It's another way of letting you know if baby is upset or something is wrong. As with many other baby monitors, this one also lets you know the temperature of baby's room, so you can make thermostat changes if necessary to keep baby comfy.
Best Budget Pick for Smartphones: Lefun Baby monitor
If you'd rather just find something super inexpensive than this is the baby monitor for you. Even though it's inexpensive, It allows you to check up on your child from your smartphone or even talk with them using the built-in speaker and microphone. It records when it detects motion, and you can view live feeds 24/7. The video quality is 720p, which gives decent clarity. When the room gets dark, the camera will switch to night vision so you can continue to monitor your child.
Since this is an inexpensive camera, it won't be surprising to find that it lacks several features that you'd find in other baby monitors. The app doesn't allow you to set up noise detection alerts, so you'll need to monitor your child closely to see if they have awoken. There's also no temperature sensors, which means you'll have to check the baby's comfort level the old-fashioned way.
I love that in addition to saving videos on the cloud, this camera allows you to save videos locally. It's compatible with micro SD cards and can hold up to 128GB. Just keep in mind that since this device uses the internet to function, the videos or loading times can be laggy sometimes. Overall this shouldn't be a serious problem, but it can be annoying when it happens.
Rock-a-bye Baby
Why you can trust Android Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
If you're looking for a way to check on baby when you aren't in the same room, a baby monitor is the best way to do so. Especially if you don't want to risk disturbing her nap. The best baby monitors provide clear night vision, wireless monitors, extended ranges, and two-way talk without being too expensive.
We highly recommend getting the Infant Optics Baby Monitor as the monitor provides long, 12-hour battery life and can operate up to 700 feet away from the camera. This setup also gives you two-way communication, temperature sensors, and comes with the three different lenses so you can get the view you want.
Credits
Rebecca Spear loves keeping up-to-date with the latest and greatest electronics. She is a life-long gamer and a writer who has written hundreds of online articles over the past four years. On any given day you'll find her drawing with her Wacom tablet, playing video games, or reading a good book.
