The Best baby monitors Buying Guide
How to Choose the Right Baby Monitors: A Simple Guide to Home Surveillance
As parents, we all feel anxious when separated from our children.That’s why many families consider purchasing a baby monitor to help provide peace of mind.
Baby monitors can capture wide areas, automatically detect motion and sound, record footage, and let you instantly check recorded scenes on your smartphone.
With built-in speakers and microphones enabling two-way communication, these devices help you stay connected even when apart from your little ones. Let’s explore what factors to consider when choosing the right baby monitor for your family.
Chapter 1.
baby monitor Uses and Functions
Purpose and Key Features
IP cameras, commonly known as baby monitors, are home surveillance devices that are easy to install and use. Through real-time monitoring and motion/sound detection features, you can instantly check what’s happening in your home even when you’re away. Let’s explore their main uses and key features.
1. baby monitor Uses
Functions as baby monitor, pet camera, and elderly care camera
Not suitable for outdoor use
Baby monitors are gaining popularity because they allow you to monitor your home situation in real-time at an affordable price point (starting around $50). They’re actively used for childcare, pet monitoring, and elderly care. These devices are particularly helpful when:
1) Your child has started sleep training or is with a caregiver
2) You want to check if your pet is anxious when alone or playing well
3) You’re concerned about elderly parents living alone who may be hard to reach
Less Stable Connectivity
Most models lack dust and water resistance, making them unsuitable for outdoor surveillance use.
If you need outdoor monitoring, purchase a proven durable model with proper waterproof and dustproof features.
2. baby monitor Key Features
Real-time monitoring available
Motion and sound detection with notifications
Two-way communication through microphone and speaker
Basic Function: Real-Time Monitoring Remote monitoring of home situations
You can check camera footage in real-time and capture screenshots or record videos through the app.
Motion Detection, Sound Detection with Notifications
vent-based recording similar to dashcams
When motion or sound is detected, the baby monitor recognizes this and sends notifications to your phone, recording the footage for later viewing. This is convenient for checking what happened to your child or pet during moments when you were away or briefly looked away.
Some models can detect baby crying and send alerts. Note that models with cry detection may not have general sound detection, so verify which features are included.
While cry detection models reduce unnecessary notifications by not alerting to all sounds, they might occasionally miss crying sounds, which can cause anxiety. If you don’t want to miss any sounds, choose a model with sound detection; if you prefer fewer notifications, opt for one with cry detection.
Built-in Speaker and Microphone
Real-time Two-way Communication
Baby monitors come with built-in speakers and microphones enabling two-way communication. This is useful when you need to talk to children who don’t have phones yet or want to let pets hear your voice.
However, there’s usually a delay between speaking and audio playback, so communication isn’t as smooth as phone calls.
Chapter 2.
baby monitor Security
Security Features / Anti-Hacking Tips
Any internet-connected device can be a target for hacking. Since baby monitors connect to the internet, security is paramount. Let’s explore how to verify if a product maintains good security.
1. Security Features
Uses AES-128 or higher encryption standard
Blocking external user access is advantageous
Most products use AES-128 or higher encryption algorithms
Almost all products use the AES algorithm, an encryption method designated as a standard by the U.S. government. (The numbers after AES – 128, 192, 256 – indicate encryption key length; higher numbers mean harder to crack.)
Methods blocking external user access are easier to manage
Some products require identity verification for registration
While products offer various security features beyond encryption standards, the most manageable ones block unauthorized external access and let users set access permissions.
Some products use a master system that prevents login from any device except those with master privileges, and some require identity verification during registration to enhance security.
Check if app and firmware updates occur regularly
Hackers continuously discover security vulnerabilities to exploit. When vulnerabilities are found, quick updates are crucial for patching them. Choose products that receive regular app and firmware updates to address vulnerabilities.
2. Anti-Hacking Tips
Complete prevention is difficult as hacking evolves
Following IP camera security guidelines is crucial
Due to their internet connectivity, baby monitors can’t be completely immune to hacking. It’s essential to follow the security guidelines recommended by cybersecurity experts.
Change the IP camera administrator password
According to law enforcement, most users remain vulnerable to hacking because they don’t change the default ID and password.
Recent products require users to create their own accounts and passwords for registration, making this practice automatic. Simply changing the admin password can protect against the most common hacking threats.
Keep software and firmware updated
Security is an ongoing battle against vulnerabilities. Regular updates are necessary to patch these vulnerabilities. When buying a product, verify that it receives regular security updates.
Turn off or cover when not in use
When you’re at home or don’t need remote access, minimize privacy exposure by turning off the camera. Using a smart plug or covering the lens with cloth or a cover are good options.
Chapter 3.
baby monitor Image Quality
Resolution, Viewing Angle, Night Vision
1. Resolution
Most products are FHD/QHD quality
FHD is sufficient for indoor use
Higher pixel count (higher resolution) means more detailed and clearer images
Camera images consist of countless tiny dots, each called a pixel. Resolution refers to how many pixels make up an image – the higher the resolution, the more detailed and clearer the image can be.
Most baby monitors are FHD/QHD grade
FHD is sufficient for indoor use
Most current baby monitors come with FHD (about 2 million pixels) or QHD (about 3 million pixels) resolution.
For indoor use as a baby monitor or pet camera, FHD resolution is sufficient for monitoring your child’s or pet’s movements. (While not recommended due to rare waterproof/dustproof designs) If you need to install it outdoors or at your entrance to identify faces or license plates, consider a QHD model.
2. Viewing Angle & Rotation Function
Viewing angle is the image range captured by the lens
Most are 100-110º, with 140º being high-end
Viewing angle is the lens’s image capture range
Wider angles mean fewer blind spots
Viewing angle refers to the range of image a lens can capture, typically meaning horizontal rather than vertical angle. Wider angles allow for recording with fewer blind spots, which is more convenient.
Most products are 100-110º
140º models are currently top-tier
Most baby monitors on the market have a 100-110º viewing angle. When installed at a 45º angle on the ceiling or room edges, this is sufficient to capture the entire space without blind spots, except for directly in front of the camera.
However, wider angles are better when installing in the center of a room or monitoring outdoors. Models with around 140º viewing angles are currently the widest available.
Rotation (angle adjustment) function supplements viewing angle
Adjustable angle ranges are similar across products
Products with remote angle adjustment can rotate the camera up, down, left, and right. This rotation feature is essential when monitoring mobile children or pets who might move out of frame.
It’s also recommended for central room installations or when monitoring large spaces like entrances or outdoors where limited viewing angles might feel restrictive.
Most products can adjust about 355º horizontally and 90-110º vertically, with little variation between products, so checking for rotation capability is more important than specific rotation angles.
3. Night Vision
Most products have night mode
Check for automatic switching function
Night vision uses infrared lamps
Most products include night mode
Baby monitors capture night vision by using infrared lamps to illuminate objects and capturing the reflected light through a night filter into the image sensor. Because it uses infrared, footage appears in black and white.
Night mode is particularly useful for sleep training or monitoring pets (especially cats) at night. Most baby monitors currently on the market support night mode.
Check for day/night automatic switching
Day/night auto-switching uses a light sensor to automatically switch to night mode in low light conditions. While most products include this feature, it’s good to verify before purchase.
Dimmer infrared lamps are more practical
Check brightness through product reviews
An unexpectedly important factor when using as a baby monitor is the infrared lamp brightness. In dark environments, bright infrared lights might keep children awake as they stare at the light.
Since infrared lamp brightness isn’t usually specified in product details, check product reviews before purchasing, especially if using for sleep training.
Chapter 4.
Usability
App Convenience / Storage Methods / Additional Features
1. App Usability
Most important element for convenient baby monitor use
The most noticeable app feature difference is playback speed control for recorded videos
All operations are done through the app
Must verify for convenient use
Baby monitors require app control for all functions including angle adjustment, video recording, screen capture, two-way communication, notification settings, motion detection, and sound detection settings, so checking app usability is essential.
Products with playback speed control are definitely more convenient
Among various app features, the most noticeable difference is whether you can play recorded videos at different speeds.
While fast playback is essential for quickly reviewing footage, surprisingly many products lack this feature. If you plan to use continuous recording (rather than event-based recording triggered by motion or sound), choose a product with playback speed control for convenience due to longer footage length.
Detection sensitivity and schedule settings reduce unnecessary notifications
When detection mode is activated, frequent notifications from small movements or sounds can be annoying.
Sensitivity settings allow you to adjust motion and sound detection thresholds to prevent excessive notifications. (Finding the right settings takes some trial and error.) Schedule settings are also convenient to avoid notifications when you’re at home.
Motion detection zone and privacy zone settings are useful
When the camera captures a TV in the living room, it may trigger constant motion notifications. If notifications come too frequently even for tiny movements, users tend to turn them off completely. Being able to designate areas to ignore motion detection makes the system more practical.
Privacy zone settings are also useful, allowing you to create virtual masks for sensitive areas like bathrooms.
Recommended to check usability through App Store and Play Store reviews
Since app operation is crucial, check both product reviews and app reviews to verify needed features and user-friendliness. Some products have high ratings but their apps have low ratings due to bugs.
2. Storage Methods
Divided into microSD card and cloud storage
microSD cards (128GB) cost around $10-12
Cloud storage costs $4-6 monthly
Baby monitors can only be used for real-time monitoring without storage space. Recording triggered by motion or sound requires storage space, available in two formats:
1) microSD card inserted into the camera slot
2) Online cloud storage. Some products support one method, while others support both.
MicroSD card inserted into camera slot
Requires camera power for footage viewing
Convenient if old footage auto-deletes
MicroSD cards insert into dedicated slots, with maximum supported capacity varying by product, typically up to 128GB. With continuous recording, 128GB stores about 7-20 days of footage. 128GB microSD cards cost around $10-12. The camera must be powered on to view recordings through the app.
For convenience, verify if the product can automatically delete old footage when storage is full to make room for new recordings. Without this feature, new footage won’t record when storage is full, requiring manual formatting through the app.
Cloud storage method
Plans vary by storage duration
Cloud storage is convenient as it requires no separate storage management. You can view recordings even when the camera is off. However, most cloud features require monthly subscription fees. Prices vary based on number of cameras and storage duration, with basic plans costing about $4-6 monthly.
3. Additional Features
Other additional features are optional based on needs
| Additional Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Split-screen multi-view | View multiple camera screens in split view |
| Status LED on/off | Ability to turn status LED on and off |
| Temperature and humidity monitoring | Temperature and humidity can be checked through sensors |
| Remote power control | Remote camera power On/off |
| Privacy mode | Remote camera operation stop |
If you’re sensitive to small lights, check if status LEDs can be turned off. If you frequently power off the camera due to hacking concerns, choose a product with remote power control or privacy mode to block recording. Consider other additional features based on your specific needs.
