A Guide To Choosing The Best Baby Monitor

Posted by Megan Petchel & Julie Monson on Sep 09, 2021

Although they are not recommended to be used as a sole way of supervising your baby, monitors go a far way in making it easier to keep an eye on them and provide you with extra assurance that your baby’s sleep space is still safe. As mentioned in our “Are baby monitors safe to use” blog, there are a variety of different types of monitors available on the market, each with a slightly different purpose. They vary from audio only, to audio and visual as well as movement monitors and baby vital monitors.

At Precious Cargo, we have 6 different brands available for sale namely; Angelcare, BabyWombWorld, Kodak, VTech, Hubble and Snuza.

WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER WHEN LOOKING FOR A MONITOR?

The choice regarding the type of monitor you select is a personal one and should be made based on what will suit your needs best. There are however some things to take into consideration: ·

How much do you plan to spend on a monitor?
Monitors range from approximately R850-R4000
What type of visual and sound clarity would you require?
The choice of signal (i.e. analogue, digital or Wi-Fi monitor) as well as the resolution of the camera can impact the clarity of the picture and sound you receive on your parental unit. ·
What type of setting do you stay in?
Some houses have thicker walls which may result in signal difficulties.
If your house is large and/or double storey, the signal may not extend to both ends. ·
If you are wanting to use a Wi-Fi based monitor, is the speed and stability of connection consistent?
A stable and secure Wi-Fi network is needed to make sure you are able to access the camera at all times and reduce the chance of someone hacking your monitor. For more information on this, read our blog “Can my Wi-Fi monitor be hacked?”
Will you be travelling frequently and need a monitor which is more portable and does not rely on electricity? Certain monitors only use batteries and therefore do not require electricity which is helpful when travelling or during power cuts. For some monitors, the nursery unit relies on electricity. With load shedding, it is a good idea to invest in a power bank to keep your monitor on at all times.
How long do you want to monitor your baby for?
Are you planning on using it only for the first few months or the first few years?
Where will they be sleeping and napping?
If they are going to be sleeping in your room, you may not need an audio or visual monitor but rather want to be able to track their breathing motion. If your baby's bedroom is far from your living areas, you may not be able to hear your baby crying without the aid of a monitor.
Are there specific features you would like on the monitor?
Extra features such as night vision, room temperature or infant skin temperature are not necessarily standard features of all monitors.

ANGELCARE MONITORS

Angelcare offer a variety of monitoring options to best suit your needs.

At Precious Cargo three models are available with all of them including a SensAsure Movement Sensor Pad.

1. ANGELCARE SENSASURE MOVEMENT MONITOR AC027

The SensAsure movement monitor AC027 is a cordless monitor which detects the smallest of movements across the whole mattress. It is an ideal device for parents to use alongside any other monitor with the purpose of adding extra peace of mind by tracking movement. In addition to being used on its own, it is also effective when adding it to an existing breathing motion monitor which would be required should you have twins.

How does it work?

The SensAsure movement pad is fitted underneath your baby’s mattress on a solid surface. If the sensor does not detect movement for 15 seconds, a single beep tone will sound which is intended to rouse your baby. Should this not be effective, the main alarm consisting of continuous beeps will alert you at 20 seconds. The movement pad comes with 3 sensitivity settings: low, medium and high and can be adjusted to match your needs. ·

Advantages of the SensAsure Movement Pad:

Movement pad to monitor your baby's breathing.
Both the movement pad as well as the nursery unit are battery operated making it convenient to use during power outages.

Disadvantages of the SensAsure Movement Pad:

No video or sound monitor
The SensAsure movement monitor has the potential for false alarms if your baby accidentally rolls off the pad.
The SensAsure movement pad is not guaranteed to be accurate if there is any external movement or vibration. For example, if your Moses basket was on a rocking stand.

2. ANGELCARE SENSASURE MOVEMENT AND SOUND MONITOR AC127

Along with a SensAsure movement pad, the AC127 is a monitoring system comes with a sound monitor consisting of a nursery unit and a parent unit. This monitor allows two-way communication with your infant when you are in a different room. It also provides additional features such as room temperature indication on both the nursery and parent units. The parent unit operates on a lithium rechargeable battery which makes it convenient when moving from room to room as no electrical cables are needed.

How does it work?

By adding a sound monitor, you are able to hear any alarms through the parent unit wherever you are in the house. This also allows you to hear when your baby is fussing, crying or awake instead of having to quietly check without waking them. There is also the option of activating audio and visual indications using a tick sound and flashing light which alerts you to each breathing movement. This monitor makes use of the latest digital telecommunication technology known as DECT and transmits at 1.8GHz which assists in reducing the amount of interference.

If the VOX (voice operated exchange) setting is activated, the device will only transmit sound to the parent unit when it is detected. This helps save power as the transmission will stop if no sound has been picked up for 10 seconds. You are also able to adjust the sensitivity of the microphone by selecting one of four levels to determine what works best for you. If the VOX setting is deactivated, the device will pick up all sounds and continuously transmit them to the parent unit.

The nursery unit has a colour-changing light indicator to let you know if the room is too hot, too cold or at an appropriate temperature. The parent unit further adds to this by displaying the temperature of the room on the device.

Advantages of the sound monitor:

Movement pad to monitor your baby's breathing.
Audio monitor
Monitors room’s temperature

Disadvantages of the sound monitor:

No video monitor
The audio unit requires electricity and is unable to operate on batteries. A power bank can be used
The layout of your house can negatively affect the range of the monitors.

3. ANGELCARE DIGITAL BABY MOVEMENT MONITOR WITH VIDEO AC327

The AC327 digital baby movement monitor combines the SensAsure movement monitor with video monitoring. Along with the benefits from the SensAsure movement pad and audio monitor, this system also allows you to view your baby on a 10cm colour LCD screen. Choosing this monitor also allows you the option of adding an additional nursery unit and sensor pad (AC017) should there be more than one child in the nursery.

How does it work?

A camera included in the nursery unit makes use of infrared-night vision to provide you with a clear video picture of your baby on the portable parent unit. In order to do this, it uses a secure 2.4GHz digital transmission which also assists in reducing the amount of interference.

Advantages of the video monitor:

Movement pad to monitor your baby's breathing.
Video and sound monitor
The monitor allows you to zoom, pan and tilt the view
Night vision

Disadvantages of the video monitor:

The nursery unit requires electricity and is unable to operate on batteries. A power bank is required
The layout of your house can negatively affect the range of the monitors.
Unable to pan and tilt the actual camera
Unable to access the monitor via wifi or your phone
Unable to record and store footage and images

KODAK CHERISH 525P MONITOR

The CHERISH C525P camera provides tilt, pan and zoom options so you can keep an eye on your baby from the 13cm HD Screen. It has a Hi-res Camera with brilliant screen display, two-way audio so you can hear and speak to your baby, infrared night-vision, remote zoom, and a long range. Please note that the Wifi app no longer works.

How does it work?

The Kodak Cherish video baby monitor connects to the parent unit via Bluetooth or WiFi with crystal clear HD video and audio. The choice of connectivity method is dependent on the arrangement of the devices in the building. However, it is noteworthy to mention that the WiFi router mode is the more suitable option for extending the units' distance.

You can link additional Kodak C125 cameras to the parent unit, and view them on a split screen simultaneously.

Advantages of Kodak Cherish 525P

Up to 220m range and out of range indicator ·
Two-way talk: Listen and respond to your child ·
Tilt, pan, and zoom features from the parent unit to control the viewfinder on your monitor ·
Smart Notifications that will help you monitor your baby’s room temperature ·
Infrared video night vision delivers a clear HD video even when the lights are off ·
Soothing lullabies and white noise: ·
Cloud and SD card recording ability ·
Take beautiful photographs of your baby with crystal clear HD image in the light and dark
360 degree room view

Disadvantages of The Kodak 525P ·

No breathing/ movement pad
The Kodak Smart Home App no longer works, and you can no longer use the camera via your smart phone.

babywombworld monitors

BabyWombWorld offers four different monitors, all of which are stocked at Precious Cargo. These monitors offer audio and video capabilities with the choice of using a parent unit or your smart device to view. The BabyWombWorld monitors differ in that they do not have a movement monitor component to them.

1. BABYWOMBWORLD VIDEO BABY MONITOR BWW603

The BabyWombWorld video monitor BWW603 allows you to clearly see and hear your baby on an 8cm (3.2") colour LCD screen. This monitor allows two-way communication with your baby when you are in a different room. as well as. It also provides additional features such as room temperature indication on the parent unit and the ability to play 8 different lullabies. The parent unit operates using a rechargeable battery which makes it convenient when moving from room to room.

How does it work?

A camera mounted to a wall in the nursery makes use of infrared-night vision to provide you with a clear video of your baby on the portable parent unit. This is achieved using 2.4GHz digital transmission which also assists in reducing the amount of interference. The camera can be manually tilted 60° or rotated 360° to help you find the best view of your infant.

The video baby monitor comes with a VOX function which you can enable or disable. If the VOX setting is activated, the device will only transmit sound to the parent unit when it is detected. This helps your parent unit last longer as it saves power. If the VOX setting is deactivated, the device will pick up all sounds and continuously transmit them to the parent unit.

Advantages of The BabyWombWorld Video Monitor:

Audio and video monitor
Infrared night vision
The long-distance signal gives clear video and audio that will cover most big double story South African houses.
Monitors room’s temperature
Two-way talk back feature
8 built in lullabies

Disadvantages of The BabyWombWorld Video Monitor:

No movement / breathing pad
The camera requires you to manually move it and therefore may make it difficult to see your baby if they have moved out of range.

2. BABYWOMBWORLD 3.2" ROTATING VIDEO BABY MONITOR BWW802

The BabyWombWorld rotating video monitor is a rotating video baby monitor with audio and night vision and a 3.2" parent unit screen. It features a 2.4 GHz Wireless Baby Monitor, so you’ll be able to hear and see your baby clearly with the large colour LCD display and high- resolution digital video streaming. The camera can be manually tilted 60°or rotated 360° for the perfect view and the Iinfrared night vision switches on automatically in low light allowing you to keep a close eye on your baby overnight.

How does it work?

The long-distance bluetooth signal gives clear video and audio that will cover most big double story South African houses. The parent unit is portable on battery power (cable and plug free), so you can relax in another room or in the garden without the need to keep checking. When using the optional VOX (sound activated) function the battery life is even longer. Both units also have mains adaptors for always-on operation and charging.

Advantages of The BabyWombWorld Rotating Video Camera:

You are able to remotely reposition the camera which can be tilted 60°or rotated 360° for the perfect view ·
Long-distance signal
Energy saving on VOX mode.
Room temperature is displayed on the parent unit, so you can be sure your baby isn’t too hot or too cold.
Two-way talk back and lullaby feature to soothe your baby
320 * 240 pixels display on the parent unit

Disadvantages of The BabyWombWorld Nanny Camera:

The nursery unit requires a power bank to work during load shedding

3. BABYWOMBWORLD WI-FI VIDEO BABY MONITOR AND NANNY CAMERA WITH SOUND BWW360

The Babywombworld WiFi Video Baby Monitor and Nanny Camera BWW360 allows you to monitor your baby wherever you are. You can watch, listen and talk to your baby via the Wi-Fi connection to your nanny cam using our iPhone, Android, Windows device, tablet or PC.

How does it work?

The BWW360 has easy Plug and Play Setup using a wireless network or cable. It requires a Wi-Fi network with internet in order for you to access videos remotely. After downloading the app onto your smart device, a QR code is used to link the camera and your device. The camera must be within 10m of the Wi-Fi router to work.

Advantages of The BabyWombWorld BWW360:

It has 2 MP lens which provides high quality HD images and recording at day and night
Two-way audio allows you to listen and talk back to your baby
Alarm video push technology alerts you when activity is detected
Remote camera movement allows you to pan 355 degrees and Tilt 90 degrees
Support mobile view from anywhere (IOS and Android)
Video footage can be recorded on an SD card (not included) or using cloud storage (additional cost). ·
There is no limit on the number of cameras you can add to the app.

Disadvantages of The BabyWombWorld Nanny Camera:

The camera requires a stable Wi-Fi and internet connection in order to work.
Have a look at our “Can a Wi-Fi Monitor be Hacked blog?” to ensure your monitor is safe.

VTECH VM2251 SOUND & VIDEO BABY MONITOR

VTech VM2251 a compact video monitor with a 2.4-inch colour screen. The monitor has two-way talk, a temperature sensor, and sound sensitive lights, which light up more the louder the sound your baby makes. The camera has night vision and digital zoom to help you get a closer view of your baby.

The baby unit needs to be plugged into the wall and the parent unit can either be powered by mains or the supplied rechargeable battery. The monitor saves energy by muting the sound when it falls below a certain level and turning the screen off when no sound is detected.

Advantages of VTech VM2251

The range is good when you’re inside the house. It has an out-of-range alarm which sounds if you stray too far from the baby unit.
The battery in the parent unit lasts around five hours
5 level volume range that allows you to turn it up to a loud level
Four infrared LEDs and a low-lux camera automatically detect dim light, providing clear video even in dark rooms.
Talk-back intercom system
Indoor range - up to 50m; Outdoor range - up to 300m

Disadvantages of VTech VM2251

Smaller screen
Unable to pan and tilt

SNUZA MONITORS

This proudly South-African company has 3 types of monitors on the market, namely the HeroMD, Go and Pico 2, all of which are available at Precious Cargo. These compact and portable devices measure your baby’s abdominal movements and alert you should it detect a problem. They do not provide audio or visual monitoring.

How do they work?

This small device attaches to your baby’s nappy with an ultra-sensitive, soft and flexible tip which rests on their tummy. The delicate medical grade silicon tip tracks your baby’s breathing motion. Should the monitor not detect movement for more than 15-20 seconds or if it notes less than 8 movements in a minute, the device will alert you

1. THE SNUZA HERO MD:

The Snuza Hero MD is the first medically certified breathing monitor in Europe and has been proven to detect periods of apnoea. This device needs to be calibrated by placing it on a flat surface before use each time. Should your baby stop breathing for 15 seconds, the device will vibrate in an attempt to wake your baby up. If this does not work and breathing has not resumed, an alarm will sound at 20 seconds. You will also be alerted if your baby has 3 episodes of not breathing for 15 seconds. A dual-tone warning is sounded if your baby’s breathing rate drops below 8 times a minute.

2. THE SNUZA PICO 2:

The Snuza Pico 2 has the added benefit of sharing information to an app on your phone. In addition to tracking abdominal movements and alerting you should breathing not be detected after 15 seconds, this device also allows you to monitor your baby’s breathing rate, skin temperature, the position they are in, battery level and notify you of any falls. As with the HeroMD, the Pico 2 will first vibrate to rouse your baby before sounding an alarm at 20 seconds.

3. THE SNUZA GO!:

The Go is Snuza’s basic and most affordable movement monitoring device. Unlike the other 2 monitors, the Go! does not vibrate to awaken your baby. Instead an alarm is sounded immediately at either 15, 18 or 20 seconds as selected by you. The Go! will also warn you if less than 8 abdominal movements are picked up in a minute.

Advantages of the Snuza monitors:

Snuza devices are ideal for traveling and using when there is load shedding as they are completely wireless and operate using a battery.
They are compact and light which makes them comfortable for your baby to wear. ·
There are no small or removable parts which minimizes any choking hazards.

Disadvantages of the Snuza monitors:

The device is less accurate and more prone to false alarms when your baby starts moving and rolling as the tip may lose contact with their tummy.
The Pico 2 requires a secure and continuous bluetooth connection to your phone. Difficulties with maintaining this connection have been reported. Check compatibility with your phone before purchasing

Read our article on Snuza monitors here