baby monitor with screen showing sleeping baby and hand on keyboard blurred in foreground

Baby Monitor Buying Guide

By Allen St. John
Senior Home & Tech Writer

Updated November 3, 2023

If you have a baby in the house, a baby monitor can provide you with peace of mind. The device allows you to see and hear your sleeping child. And you can do this without opening the bedroom door, which for many infants can be an automatic wake-up call.

Most baby monitors have a camera and mic that stay in the baby’s room, although there are some audio-only models on the market.

Many baby monitors use infrared technology to show you what’s going on when the baby’s room is dark. Many models also allow for two-way communication, so you can talk to your child through the monitor or even play a lullaby. And most allow you to buy a second camera so that if you have more than two children to watch, you can monitor them both on the same screen.

Consumer Reports has tested baby monitors from brands including Nanit, Owlet, Vava, VTech, and others. While you can buy monitors at a wide range of prices, from under $100 to as much as $400, our testers find little correlation between cost and performance. You can buy a CR Recommended video baby monitor for as little as $70.

Types of Baby Monitors

There are two main types of video baby monitors: those that come with a separate display unit, and others that send the image to a smartphone. There are benefits and trade-offs with both types.

Models that use your smartphone as the display are convenient because many of us carry our phones around at all times. If you’re out on a date night or at work, you can check in on your baby directly instead of asking the caregiver for a report.
Baby monitors that come with a separate display unit have an advantage when it comes to security. The video feed stays local, in your home. That means the feed is less likely to get hacked—something that has happened from time to time, though it’s rare. And the manufacturer can’t access the video and other information that can be gleaned from the device either.

While we test all baby monitors on factors including ease of use and the quality of the video feed, we put internet-connected baby monitors through additional evaluations because of these potential privacy and security risks. Most baby monitors tested by CR receive middling marks for security (safety against potential hacking) and privacy (how the companies collect and handle data from the devices).

To evaluate security, our testers use the same protocol that we employ for wireless security cameras. The most common security problems we have found include less-than-secure log-in rules, meaning the devices don’t all require complex passwords, or multifactor authentication that keeps your device safe if someone gains access to your password. On the privacy front, only some of the manufacturers provide clear information in the user documentation on how they collect and use data, and how long they keep it.

If you do opt for the convenience of a smartphone-connected device, here are some easy steps you can take to make it more secure.

Use a complex password. Some baby monitors allow you to use a short, six-character password, but our privacy experts urge you to use at least eight characters, with a mix of letters, numbers, and other characters.
Enable multifactor authentication. This feature should really be standard on any important connected device or online account. MFA can prevent someone who gets your password from logging in to your account. Once you’ve set it up, you’ll also be alerted if someone with your credentials tries to log in from a new device.
Routinely update the device’s firmware. Some baby monitors perform automatic updates while other models require you to do it manually. If you buy a model without automatic updates, our experts suggest that you check for and perform firmware updates once a month to keep on top of security fixes and enhancements.

Features to Look For

HD screen resolution: Most models have color cameras (and screens, for the nonsmartphone models). Resolution ranges from a grainy 320p to a high-definition 1080p, but our testers find that even the low-res models are adequate to see what your child is doing.

Two-way talk: Most baby monitors feature two-way communication that allows you to not only hear a baby’s noises but also talk back in a way that might reassure the youngster. Some models can even play a lullaby.

Multiple cameras: Most baby monitor manufacturers will sell you additional cameras that can feed the same display, which can be useful if you have more than one small child.

Temperature sensors: While most modern baby monitors report on the temperature in the child’s room, some also add a humidity reading, which might be useful, say, if you’re running a humidifier or a vaporizer in a sick child’s room.

Volume control: This is a feature you’ll use a lot, so check to make sure it’s easy to access. Our testers note that a physical control is much easier to use than a menu that you access by clicking through multiple screens.

Sound and lights: Many receivers have lights that turn on when your baby makes a sound. When a child cries more loudly, the warning lights get brighter. This is helpful if you’ve placed the receiver in a noisy room or if you’ve turned the volume down to take a phone call.

Night vision: Many audio/video monitors have a night vision feature, using an infrared setting on the camera so that you can see your baby on the monitor in a dark room (albeit in black and white).

Out-of-range indicator: This feature lets you know that you’ve reached the monitor’s range limit, which can vary according to your home’s size, construction materials, and other factors.

Shopping Tips

Think about how you’re likely to use your monitor before you buy it. Some parents are reassured by hearing every sound and seeing every movement. Others find close surveillance to be nerve-wracking. Having a monitor should make life easier, not create a constant source of worry. You might even find that you don’t really need a monitor at all, especially if your home is small.

Consider your home and lifestyle. Think about the size of your home and your daily routine when deciding which brand and model to buy. If you’ll be making calls during nap time, for example, you might want to turn down the volume on the display. In that case, look for monitors with easily visible warning lights that let you know when your baby is awake. If you live in a large house, you might want a monitor that comes with two receivers rather than one, so you can hear the baby no matter where you are.
Check the return policy. Before buying a baby monitor or adding one to your registry, be sure you can return or exchange it if the device doesn’t meet your expectations. If you receive a monitor as a baby shower gift, try it before the retailer’s return period ends, and keep the gift receipt along with the original packaging.

Using a Baby Monitor Safely

Some parents, hoping for a better view of their sleeping child, may inadvertently install the device in an unsafe way.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says at least seven children have died since 2002 in the U.S. after being strangled by monitor cords. Some of them were as young as 6 months old. The CPSC warns parents never to put a baby monitor in a baby’s crib or mount it on the crib rails. And most important, make sure electrical cords are at least 3 feet away from the crib to reduce strangulation risk. Some baby monitors come with a plastic conduit that can help secure the cord.

Some manufacturers claim their models can track a baby’s breathing or movements and send a smartphone alert in case of trouble. Consumer Reports doesn’t evaluate these functions. If you think your child has a condition that warrants medical monitoring, talk with your pediatrician.