If you want more than just what a basic audio-only monitor can give—a good, reliable smart baby monitor lets you watch, entertain, and soothe your little one, whether you’re home or away.
Baby monitors can be a set of extra eyes and ears that give you an eagle eye to monitor your child’s room, including temperature, any time of the day.
And we’re sure the Eufy SpaceView is well better and stands apart from every other monitor to get the job done. Its image and sound quality, battery life, user interaction, and signal range, as well as its pan and tilt motion, tend to be top-notch.
Here are the best smart video baby monitors to buy
1. The best baby monitor: Eufy SpaceView
Eufy is a newcomer in producing baby monitors. Still, the company has now released the SpaceView Baby Monitor. This fantastic monitoring system allows you to keep an eye on your little one within the house. However, if you want a device that will enable you to check in on your child while you’re out, you’ll need a Wi-Fi-enabled baby monitor like the Arlo.
The Eufy is pack with superior features, including everything about Infant Optics’ DXR-8, though it lacks the track record of the DXR-8. The SpaceView comes with better video and image quality, battery life of 15 hours, and good video signal range even if you carry it out to the street a bit. It’ll also let you know when your little one is crying and offer responsive pan and tilt than any other option currently available.
Pros:
- Good range.
- Easy to set up and operate.
- Mechanical pan and tilt.
- Sound-detection alerts
- Sharp HD video and image quality.
Cons:
- It can only be used in-house.
- No lullabies or recording capabilities.
- No motion detection.
2. Best video monitor: Infant Optics DXR-8 Smart Video Baby Monitor
The Infant Optics DXR-8 features a simple interface, good video and audio quality, and battery life. It was the best baby monitor before the Eufy SpaceView that’s intuitive and easy to navigate. Our only concern was concerning the issues maintaining a signal; however, almost every Amazon reviewer just loves this Baby Monitor.
The DXR-8 is a reliable, user-friendly video monitor that offers night mode, a temperature sensor, a two-way intercom, and a remote pan and tilt capability. This set this unit apart from some competitors. You can also remotely adjust the camera angle, and there’s also an $11 wide-angle lens sold separately. Plus, you don’t have to bother about plugging in—since it can sit on your nightstand for 8 to 12 hours with the display screen always on. But suppose you want a larger screen, longer battery life, and range. In that case, the Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro video baby monitor is an upgrade pick of the DXR-8.
Pros:
- High-quality night vision
- Long battery life
- Room temperature sensor
- Intuitive, user-friendly design
- Option to connect multiple cameras
Cons:
- Longer charging time
- Problems with signal range
3. Best monitor for sleep tracking: Nanit Smart Baby Monitor Camera
This smart baby monitor by Nanit is the best monitor system for tracking sleep—billed by the Nanit as “part baby monitor, part baby translator, part sleep guru,” and “the most superior baby monitor ever.” It comes with similar features as the Arlo, including an app that offers more analysis of your baby’s sleep and growth. At $210, it’s still cheaper compared to the Arlo but provides many data; you cannot actually put a price tag on it.
The new Nanit Plus tackles the initial model’s problems, like the absence of two-way audio. It brings fresh-handy functions like breathing monitoring besides. Nevertheless, it lacks the strong support and security of the Arlo app. However, its app is intuitive to use, and the device is also easy to set up and use. And it comes with loads of useful features, like room temperature and humidity monitors. To enjoy the full spectrum of possibility, you’ve to pay $50 per year; thankfully, you get a free one year of insights with your purchase. Overall, “it’s a good purchase for your child’s well-being and your own sanity.”
Pros:
- Excellent apps
- Quick and easy to set up
- Track sleep and breathing with video.
- Better sound and picture quality
Cons:
- Expensive
- Requires subscription after the first year
- Issues with connectivity on Wi-Fi enabled model
4. Best for flexibility and lullabies: Lollipop Smart Baby Camera
Suppose you want a compact, bendable, and sleek looking baby monitoring system that you can attach to the side of a crib or easily travel with. In that case, the Lollipop baby Wi-Fi monitor is the best option. The wireless monitor connects through a smartphone; all you need is the Lollipop app to manage its set of features such as lullabies, audio mode, and night vision. Plus, if you buy the Lollipop Sensor (sold separately), the device will even track temperature, moisture, and air quality info in your child’s room.
The Lollipop Smart Baby Camera is simply the most modern and attractive baby monitoring system available. It’s easily set up even for 8 years old. But what’s most valuable is its flexibility and ease to travel with. We also like that it can detect when a baby’s crying and with an infrared night vision so you can see clearly in the dark. This device works very well, but it still lacks some functions like zoom, pan, and tilt functions, and you have to spend extra to get some features you’ll find in the features Eufy SpaceView
Pros:
- Excellent value for money
- Modern and attractive design
- Flexible and bendable design (best for traveling)
- Audio and video quality is excellent.
- Distinguishes between cries and background noise
- An intuitive, user-friendly app that’s pack with tons of features.
Cons:
- Need fast Wi-Fi connection
- No Separate Display, (only smartphones)
- Need extra sensors to access features you’ll get for free with Eufy.
If you use and love Arlo gadgets, the Arlo Baby is an “all-in-one” baby monitor (“a super nanny”) that delivers crystal clear HD video—it uses motion and accurate sound detection to help keep a birds-eye view on your child from your smartphone or PC from anywhere. The Arlo Baby is a robust, sound security camera system with better app support and customer service than its rivals.
It is overload with user-friendly features, like fun multi-colored night light, the ability to play lullabies and (more importantly to us), sound and motion detection, and push and email alerts. The Arlo Baby is the only monitor we reviewed that offers free cloud storage for event-triggered video. And the only monitor to stream audio with a phone’s speaker while the app isn’t in the background. If you really want a premium monitor that offers everything, you need to monitor your little one from anywhere. The Arlo baby could be a logical option for your smart home monitoring setup.
Pros:
- Better battery life
- The versatility of mounting and placement options
- Impressive night-light and built-in white noise
- Work with Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit, and IFTTT.
- Excellent monitoring of air quality, temperature, and humidity readings
Cons:
- Cannot pan or tilt
- Some complaints about software issues.
- Briefly drops its connection.
6. Best budget baby monitor: VTech VM350
Like the other monitors we review, the VTech VM350 video baby monitor offers several capabilities you would need to keep a birds-eye view of your child’s crib, and it does so for less. The monitor seemed to have all the features you would need, including – lullabies, good night vision, and two-way audio, as well as a motion sensor. It also has a large screen (5-inch screen) and can reach a 1,000-foot range on open ground, which means you can use it within your home or even from the yard.
It includes a temperature sensor that indicates on the main unit—enabling you to know when to adjust the thermostat so your little one can be comfortable. We also like that the sound activation mode keeps the screen turned off but becomes active when it detects noise and saves battery. However, in some cases, the device can’t stay on when it’s plugged in, it frequently drops out of signal, and the parent unit battery only lasts around 4 hours. Nevertheless, the VTech VM350 is a simple primary, low-cost baby monitor that delivers good perfumers, so don’t expect the device to last more than a year.
Pros:
- Straightforward to install
- Good day and night video quality
- It has a good range and reliable transmission.
- Nine sound level indicators
Cons:
- It has concise battery life.
- Turn itself off even when fully charged.
- Can’t remotely trigger the lullabies
7. Best all-around home monitor: Nest Cam Indoor (As Baby Monitor)
If you already have a Nest Indoor Cam, give it a go before you buy anything else. The Nest Indoor Cam is not officially a baby monitor. Still, it’s more versatile and more adequate than a dedicated baby monitor. It has excellent image quality, incredibly sharp night vision, and the capability to check the video feed with your phone or tablet. At the same time, you’re home or when you leave the house. However, you can’t watch live footage with a phone while the app isn’t in the background like the Arlo.
Nest Cam is an all-around home protection device that keeps an eye on your little one (or on your nanny), especially when you can’t be at home. You can watch live streaming directly from your smartphone and even rewind to view activities that took place over the past 3 hours. It also senses motion and sound and alerts you on your phone or email when something is detected. However, we don’t like that you have to keep the app open and continuously running, especially if you want to use it overnight. But it’s handy for tracking nap and waking times, a feature you can’t find in the Arlo.
Read our full review of The Nest Cam Indoor
Pros:
- Sleek Look
- Straightforward setup.
- Sharp image detail.
- Amazing digital zoom.
- Integrated with Nest smart home system.
Cons:
- Added Cost for cloud storage.
- Limited notification capabilities.
No Separate Display
How we picked the best baby monitors
For this guide, we looked at the most essential features parent look for in a smart baby monitor and compare it with the options currently available on major online stores. We examined and went through sites like Pcmag, Wirecutter, and manufacturer websites. We narrowed down our checklist to 7 models based on numerous user reviews, useful features, and prices to determine the following selection criteria.
Here are some of the features we focused on
Range: We expect the monitors to rate 700 feet or greater. As long as coverage is adequate to maintain signal across the house or out on a driveway. The range is something to think about, especially if you live in an older home with thick plaster walls or a house with several floors. Or maybe you want a Wi-Fi model so you can watch your little one even from work.
Battery life: This decides just how long you can carry the monitor display around before needing to hook it up to charge. We recommend a monitor battery that can last overnight or at least 8-hours before having to plug it in to charge.
Video/audio quality: We want a high-definition screen that offers a clearer image—so you can view more even in the dark. While some monitor relies on a mobile app to stream audio but the quality of the video, in this case, depends on the size of the device. Also, we want the audio of all the monitors to be clear at the lowest volumes.
Monitor options: We prefer monitors that are comfortable, intuitive, sensitive controls and can, as a bonus, monitor the room’s temperature and your baby’s vitals.
Portability: Some cameras can be mount easily on a wall hook, nail while others can stand alone and travel away from home. Though it’s nonessential, we like a baby monitor that can pan and tilt remotely from the parent unit.
Baby Monitors can help you a lot, in addition to all the best tricks for bedtime!
