Baby Monitor 2015

September 8, 2015 7:27 AM

Looking for baby monitor suggestions. Specs inside.

Hi everyone, this Q is brief since I've got a sleeping infant in my arms :P

We're looking for
- audio/video (would take just audio if we have to)
- NO wifi (no foscam scares)
- good at screening out white noise (we have a Dohm white noise generator in the baby's room)
- enough range to reach main floor (baby's room is upstairs)
- $100-$150 ish (Canada prices, amazon.ca availability)

Otherwise we're really not picky just don't want to buy a piece of junk!

Thanks everyone.

posted by St. Peepsburg to Home & Garden (10 answers total)

Best answer: We went with the Levana Astra which would come in around the top of your budget (CND). Baby Grr is just over a month old and the monitor has been great for us.

It has a sleep feature where the sound and video only come on when the noise level crosses a certain threshold which has worked perfectly with our white noise. Also have had no issues on range from basement to nursery on second floor.

Sorry I can't find you a link right now. We got it at Babies r Us though.
posted by MandaSayGrr at 7:38 AM on September 8, 2015

Best answer: I really loved my AngelCare monitor. We had the audio-only version, but it was really clear, really reliable, had great range, and was the kind that just recharged in a dock that you dropped it into so no plugging/unplugging. I see they do have a video monitor, and while I can't speak to that in particular, I really highly recommend AngelCare.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 8:06 AM on September 8, 2015

I would also recommend AngelCare. Our audio unit has been great through 3.5 years and two kids. The screen on the remote unit got fritzy after a while, but we have a tendancy to drop it a LOT so there you go. The transmitter has a fine sensitivity adjustment and doubles as a night light.
posted by selfnoise at 9:12 AM on September 8, 2015

I had a lot of the same concerns you list, and I went with the Infant Optics DXR-8. It's been one of the best baby purchases I've made!

Retail is more than your budget, but I bought an open box item (Amazon warehouse deals) for about $125 usd. Plus I've seen used ones go for under $100 on eBay quite often, if that's an option for you.

I went with Infant Optics in part because of the reviews praising their customer service, and I can vouch for that as well. My camera unit ended up having some faulty internal thing which made everything blurry, but after emailing the company, they sent me a brand new camera with no hassle at all. I was worried that since I'd bought an open box item they might not be so accommodating, but as soon as I sent them proof of shipment (tracking #), they sent a new unit out before even receiving the old one back. I did have to pay return shipping for the faulty one (you'll see some Amazon reviewers complain about this) but it was $5 or so and I figured it was a small price to pay considering the amount I saved over buying a brand new unit.

I've also heard good things about the DXR-5, which looks to have better presence on Amazon.ca.
posted by snowleopard at 9:43 AM on September 8, 2015

We, too, have the AngelCare* monitor that rabbitrabbit links to. We've been generally happy with it (although, just like selfnoise, we've had trouble with the screen on the remote crapping out). We actually just bought a second version of that one because of a new kid that will be sleeping in a new room. I actually would have probably bought this cheaper VTech one if it were up to me, but my wife really liked the temperature indication, which the VTech doesn't have.

We use a FosCam camera like this one for video in addition to the AngelCare audio. Depending on how tech savvy you are, it's not hard to only make it work on the local WiFi network inside your house. Memail me if you want a little guidance on this.

*I have real mixed feelings about giving money to Angelcare, given the fact that they make money hand over fist by appealing to parents' fears on SIDS - selling them motion-sensing mats which have been shown to not reduce SIDS deaths, but just to freak out parents. However, their audio monitor is very good.
posted by Betelgeuse at 10:05 AM on September 8, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I love our Philips Avent DECT audio monitor. No interference from cell phones, radios, etc. No Wifi. It isn't always "on" so there's no constant buzz/hum keeping you up. The speakers come on when it detects noise, and you can adjust the sensor (if you so choose) to screen out little squeaks and wiggles. Long battery life. And it's only $70 on Amazon! FYI - if this applies to you, Toys R Us price matches Amazon.
posted by pecanpies at 10:44 AM on September 8, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: We have the Infant Optics DXR-5, which is much cheaper now than the DXR-8. When we bought it, it was the high-end model. It's OK. Not the best quality, but it has an IR camera that does video in complete darkness (black and white; becomes full color if there's enough light), and a noise-activated mode so that it isn't always on. For a while, we used to get interference with our WiFi when it was on, because it shared the 2.4 GHz band. Now that we use a newer Airport Extreme (5/2.4 GHz), I haven't noticed an issue.

We also have an audio-only Philips Avent DECT which lists as discontinued, because there are newer models. That has an adjustable sensitivity threshold for noise activation, which works well with a white noise generator.

Depending on whether you want audio only or audio+video, I'd say both of the above are ... eh, fine. Remember, you'll only use it for a few years, not for life.
posted by RedOrGreen at 11:09 AM on September 8, 2015

Best answer: We had this one from Levana, and it made our wifi unusable. If I had it to do again, I would pay really close attention to any Amazon reviews that mention wifi issues.

Which I guess is not a specific recommendation, but I hope it will be helpful advice anyway. Good luck!
posted by Adridne at 11:34 AM on September 8, 2015

We bought the Motorola MBP33 for our now one-year-old, and I love it. I would buy another one if this one died. It meets all your requirements:

• audio + video
• does not use wifi, so it does not interfere with Roku after baby goes to bed (and no foscam issues)
• we also have a Dohm and the monitor doesn't register the white noise much, especially if they're on opposite sides of the room
• our baby's room is on the second floor and we can use the receiver anywhere in the house and even outside (to a limited amount)
• seems like the price is right (though I think they have a new version now with zoom & pan/tilt)

The infrared camera is much better than I thought it could be. Our baby's room is pitch black, and I used to obsessively watch my baby's breathing when he was first sleeping alone at night. Yes, I said I would watch him breathing- the rise and fall of his chest.
I was particularly concerned about wifi interference when researching, and this doesn't use wifi so there's no problem there.

My one complaint (so far) is that the receiver doesn't have great battery life, but it lasts for the evening between baby bedtime and my bedtime. It has to be charged each night, but it stays on and running while charging, so I just plug it in before bed and it's fine.
posted by aabbbiee at 2:24 PM on September 8, 2015

Response by poster: Thanks everyone, very helpful input! in the end we went with levana Astra because the two camera model is available at Costco. I would have loved the Motorola or infant optics but the U.S./Canada pricing difference is quite substantial!

aabbbiee - no judgement here, we need a monitor for basically the same reason :P
posted by St. Peepsburg at 8:03 PM on September 8, 2015