The best baby monitors play an important part in helping both you and your baby to sleep soundly. But which one to choose? We've tested a range of monitors - including smart monitors and wearables - to bring you this roundup of the best baby monitors to buy in 2023.
A baby monitor is one of the most important pieces of baby kit you could buy, right up there with the best pram or the best car seat. From tracking your baby's sleep pattern to monitoring their movement and breathing, they aren’t just useful for keeping an eye on sleeping newborns either - many parents continue using a baby monitor during the toddler years when they're useful for keeping tabs on youngsters when they climb out of bed in the middle of the night.
Whether you use one to watch your little one sleep (bliss...), to listen out for the signs that they’re stirring from a nap, or for reassurance that all is well, the best baby monitors act like an extra pair of eyes and ears, helping to take a little of the mental load away from mums and dads.
Best baby monitors at-a-glance
- Best baby monitor overall: VTech RM7767HD
- Best premium buy: Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor & Floor Stand
- Best movement monitor: Angelcare Ac327 3-in-1 Monitor
- Best for image quality: Kodak Cherish C525 Video Baby Monitor
- Best wearable baby monitor: Owlet Baby Monitor Duo
The best baby monitors
Packed with useful features that we'd expect on a premium monitor - including colour night vision, temperature monitoring, and tilt, zoom, and 360° pan functionality - yet significantly cheaper than many smart monitors, this is our pick of the best baby monitor to buy in 2023.
Buy it if: You want a smart baby monitor that you can access via your phone. 'I like the fact that it comes with a smart app that I can access on my phone,' says our tester. 'It gives you free live remote access to the camera so I can keep a close eye on Logan at all times - even when I'm out and he's with a babysitter.' It also has adjustable tilt, zoom, and 360° pan functionality, so you won't miss a thing during naps or at night.
Don't buy it if: You want to spend less time on your phone and you're not really into smart gadgets. You do have the option to use the parent unit with this monitor if you would prefer not to use your phone to view footage from your baby's room but there's little point choosing a smart monitor if you're not likely to use the smartphone functionality - you're better off with a simpler model that you access via the parent unit.
Read our full VTech RM7767HD Smart 7-inch Video Baby Monitor review
The Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor is an expensive option so it won't appeal to everyone but it's one of the best baby monitors you can buy if you're looking for a premium smart monitor with an array of features that you won't find on less expensive devices.
Buy it if: You're happy to download an app and pair the camera with your smartphone, where you'll be able to view high-res images and video footage. It's also a good choice if you like the idea of your partner or perhaps the baby's grandparents being able to view the camera too, as you can add multiple users but it's data encrypted for security.
Don't buy it if: You're not interested in analysing your child's data and just want a simple baby monitor. 'The insights on how well your baby has slept and for how long could be very useful if you're trying to establish a good sleep routine,' says our tester. 'The app also tracks developmental milestones - including baby's height - and collates all the information in a digital scrapbook. This could be lovely to look back on as it's hard to remember much when you're sleep-deprived in the early days.'
Read our full Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor review
We've named this the best budget baby monitor you can buy. For significantly less cash than other monitors, it comes with everything you need to keep tabs on your baby - plus the addition of a reliable movement sensor for further peace of mind.
Buy it if: Tracking your baby's breathing is important to you but you'd rather not attach a wearable device to your baby. The movement sensor can be placed under the cot mattress and tracks your baby’s chest as it rises and falls, as well as every wriggle and turn so you know how your baby is sleeping at all times. The alarm on the parent unit sounds after 20 seconds of no movement, and our tester reported zero false alarms.
Don't buy it if: Super-sharp high-resolution camera footage is your number one priority - other monitors do that better, although this one does a more than adequate job of giving you a clear picture of your baby in real time. The zoom and pan camera gives a good view of your baby and the large full-colour LCD display on the parent unit has easy-to-use touch controls.
Read our full Angelcare Ac327 3-in-1 Baby Movement Monitor review
With the ability to view video footage of your baby on both the five-inch parent unit and on a smart app on your phone or tablet, this monitor has rechargeable batteries and WiFi connectivity so you can use it freely around the house or take it with you on holiday.
Buy it if: Picture quality is your priority. ‘As it’s made by Kodak we expected the image to be great quality and it was, particularly at night due to infrared night vision,’ says our tester. ‘Additionally, you can take photos using the app, which is a nice feature when your little one is sleeping in a funny position and you want to capture the moment.’
Don't buy it if: You're not likely to use the tilt, pan, and zoom functionality as these features make this monitor stand out from others, along with the vox function - which lets you talk to your baby from another room - and is 'invaluable' according to our tester. 'The ability to turn down the sensitivity setting means you aren’t disturbed every time your child moves or if they are a noisy sleeper - which Oli most definitely is,' she says.
Read our full Kodak Cherish C525 Video Baby Monitor review
The Owlet Monitor Duo+ combines the Smart Sock - which your baby wears while sleeping - and the new Owlet Cam which tracks your child's heart rate, oxygen level, and sleep trends with HD video.
Buy it if: You're happy for your baby to wear the sock provided and don't mind running the monitor via an app on your phone. The camera then needs to be positioned at the optimum height so you can see your baby clearly. Finally, you need to download the Owlet Care app and link your smartphone to the camera.
Don't buy it if: You're not an avid phone user - unlike our tester. 'It's really handy having the dedicated Owlet app on my phone and I like the fact that it will send you notifications if it detects movement or sound,' she says. 'This is useful when my phone is on mute. I found the sock readings really interesting and I think it would be really useful if you have a poorly baby as you can see the heart rate and oxygen levels clearly.'
Read our full Owlet Duo Smart Sock + Cam review
