The 5 Best Baby Monitors, Tested & Recommended by Parents

Name: Owlet Dream Duo 2
Brand: owlet
Price: 399 USD

Whether you’re team wifi or no way

Author image: Candace Davison, PureWow executive editor

By Candace Davison

•

Published May 29, 2024

Additional reporting by

Rachel Bowie

PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and some items may be gifted to us. Additionally, PureWow may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here.

the best baby monitors editors have tested, from nanit to infant optics

Nanit/Owlet/Infant Optics

Ask any parent which baby monitor to buy, and you’re likely to be met with, “I’ll tell you which ones to avoid.” At least, that was the overwhelming response I got when I polled every mom, dad and babysitter I knew.

“My house is a graveyard of failed baby monitors,” admits PureWow Executive Editor Alexia Dellner, who oversees our family content and product testing for our upcoming Happy Baby Awards. I knew the feeling: When my daughter was born, I tried three different buzzy brands mom influencers raved about, only to wind up using a Nest cam or the Dormi app most often.

But it’s been five years since then, technology has come a long way, and so I challenged PureWow parents to help me find the best baby monitor on the planet, getting brutally honest about what they liked and didn’t like. Here’s what exceeded expectations.

The Best Baby Monitors at a Glance

Best Overall Baby Monitor

Nanit Pro

$268 at Amazon

Best Budget-Friendly Baby Monitor

Babysense Maxview Baby Monitor

$160 at Amazon

Best Audio-Only Baby Monitor

Motorola PIP12 Travel Baby Monitor

$50 at Target

Best Video Monitor without Wifi-Connectivity

Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro

$200 at Amazon

Best Wearable + Baby Monitor Combo

Owlet Dream Duo 2

$399 at Amazon

How I Chose the Best Baby Monitors

After polling and interviewing more than a dozen parents for their recommendations—and the brands they warned against—I reached out to publicists and scoured the market for brands that weren’t mentioned. I cross-referenced both with available reviews, resulting in a short list of devices that were revered for their reliable connection, easy setup, affordability, picture and audio quality (if video was available) and the overall peace of mind they provided parents.

The Best Baby Monitors of 2024, Tested & Reviewed

nanit

Best Overall Baby Monitor

1. Nanit Pro

What I Like:

High quality video and audio
Ability to monitor baby remotely
Interesting sleep insights

What I Don't Like:

Pricey
Have to pay extra to change monitor setup (floor mount vs. wall mount vs. flex)

nanit

Value: 17/20
Functionality: 20/20
Audio/Video Quality: 19/20
Aesthetics: 20/20
Peace of Mind Factor: 19/20

TOTAL: 95/100

I’ll be honest: I heavily scrutinized this monitor. Is it the best simply because one publication deemed it so, then parents clamored for it and created a snowball of hype? No—several parents who owned multiple monitors all told me this was the most reliable device, with the best audio and video quality around. (The footage is so clear, in fact, that Dellner says she can zoom in and see whether her daughter’s eyes are open or closed…in the dark.) Beyond that, it’s easy to install, with options for a floor mount, flex stand or wall mount to suit your nursery setup.

What also sets Nanit apart is how the brand continually studies families’ needs and babies’ sleep patterns and updates its app accordingly. You can receive alerts, for example, if your baby is standing in the crib for more than five seconds and the company has enhanced its cry detection capabilities, so it can help you better determine whether that noise you heard was your child stirring or your robot vacuum whirring to life.

Need more convincing? Here’s Dellner’s full review of the Nanit Pro.

FAST FACTS

Is it wifi-enabled? Yes
Does it stream video? Yes

$268 at Amazon

$399 at Bloomingdale’s

babysense

Best Budget-Friendly Baby Monitor

2. Babysense Maxview Baby Monitor

What I Like:

Split-screen option for pairing multiple cameras
No hacking risks

What I Don't Like:

Slight lag in audio at times
Lights on camera may disturb baby

babysense

Value: 19/20
Functionality: 17/20
Audio/Video Quality: 17/20
Aesthetics: 19/20
Peace of Mind Factor: 19/20

TOTAL: 91/100

There’s a lot to love about Babysense, beyond its relative affordability: The HD (1080p) video appears on a 5.5-inch screen, so you can easily see what’s going on, you can connect up to four cameras to the parent device (great for monitoring multiple kids at once) and the two-way audio lets you soothe your baby—or play white noise or programmed lullabies—remotely. But what offered parents the greatest peace of mind was that its 355-degree camera can’t connect to the internet, so there’s no chance of hacking. “It doesn’t have a million features, but I like that it’s straightforward,” says PureWow Director of Special Projects and Branded Content Rachel Gulmi, adding that she loves how long-lasting the battery is, how reliable the connection has been and that setup took less than five minutes, max.

FAST FACTS

Is it wifi-enabled? No
Does it stream video? Yes

$160 at Amazon

motorola

Best Audio-Only Baby Monitor

3. Motorola PIP12 Travel Baby Monitor

What I Like:

Easy to use
Magnets keep devices together when not in use
Can use as walkie talkies when kids get older

What I Don't Like:

Somewhat pricey for audio-only device

motorola

Value: 17/20
Functionality: 19/20
Audio/Video Quality: 18/20
Aesthetics: 19/20
Peace of Mind Factor: 18/20

TOTAL: 91/100

For the on-the-go parent, the Motorola PIP12 is a must-pack. The device takes up less space than a makeup bag, and its two speakers are magnetic, so you can easily keep them together (not to mention they come with a water-resistant carrying case). The audio quality is crystal clear, and you can charge the device and set it up without having to look at the instructions; even my five-year-old could figure it out.

While at first I thought I’d miss the video component, I soon realized the audio cues were far more important to me. In fact, even with clear video monitors, I found that I’d analyze my baby’s restlessness more, and be more apt to barge into the room to check on him than using audio alone.

Also, in today’s era of buying products that only include charging cables, I appreciated that the PIP12 included the outlet blocks, so I didn’t have to choose between powering up my phone or the monitor. Plus, since it’s audio only, it lasts for days while charged (up to 10 hours of active use), so I could spend a long weekend away without needing to plug it in.

FAST FACTS

Is it wifi-enabled? No
Does it stream video? No

$50 at Amazon

$50 at Target

infant optics

Best Video Monitor without Wifi-Connectivity

4. Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro

What I Like:

Pair up to four cameras to the monitor
Clear picture
Excellent zoom
Remote thermometer

What I Don't Like:

Some reviewers say it picks up too much background noise

infant optics

Value: 19/20
Functionality: 18/20
Audio/Video Quality: 19/20
Aesthetics: 19/20
Peace of Mind Factor: 19/20

TOTAL: 94/100

Another closed-circuit camera option, the Infant Optics provides peace of mind against hacking, but where it really shines is its crisp video—courtesy of a 720p camera you can pan, tilt and zoom up to 6x to capture every angle—and how incredibly easy it is to use. Since you don’t have to log into a network or connect to the internet “it makes for a perfect travel monitor—all you need to do is plug it in,” Gulmi explains. “One of the features I really like, especially in the summer, is the remote thermometer. It shows the temperature of the room, and if it gets above a certain degree it turns red and an alarm goes off. I also love that you can keep the monitor on silent but still know if sound is coming from the room because there's a noise-activated LED bar on the side.”

After 2 ½ years’ use, Gulmi reports that this monitor is still going strong—and has yet to have any issues with it. That alone makes it a winner in our book.

FAST FACTS

Is it wifi-enabled? No
Does it stream video? Yes

$200 at Amazon

$200 at Target

owlet

Best Wearable + Baby Monitor Combo

5. Owlet Dream Duo 2

What I Like:

Tracks oxygen and pulse rate
1080p video
130-degree, wide-angle camera view

What I Don't Like:

Sock can shift, cueing the alarm
Pricey

owlet

Value: 17/20
Functionality: 18/20
Video/Audio Quality: 19/20
Aesthetics: 19/20
Peace of Mind Factor: 19/20

TOTAL: 92/100

Even when you aren’t waking up every few hours to care for a newborn, the moments when you can sleep can be difficult to do so. For added peace of mind, there’s the Owlet Dream Duo 2. It takes keeping watch over your newborn to the next level. Simply slip the Dream Sock—a wrap of sorts—on your infant’s foot and it will automatically sync with the app, providing you with detailed information about everything from your baby’s heart rate to their oxygen levels throughout the night. (It's also been cleared by the FDA.)

But that’s not all: This WiFi-connected monitor offers a clear picture of your baby wherever you are and pings you the minute it recognizes a sign of distress. (To that end, it’s still worth following the American Academy of Pediatrics’ guide to safe sleep and isn’t meant to be a substitute for that.)

In testing, I will note that the Dream Sock can provide the occasional false alarm. Over the course of nearly a year's use, there were three to four nights when the sock must have come somewhat loose, resulting in the distress lullaby to start playing—cue me frantically bolting out of bed. However, the general peace of mind it gave me in those bleary-eyed, early days of parenting, when the threat of SIDS can be nerve-wracking, offset those rare occurrences. (To that end, a 2017 study of 5,125 parents found that 94 percent of parents experienced better sleep—and 96 percent reported less anxiety—while using the Dream Sock.)

FAST FACTS

Is it wifi-enabled? Yes
Does it stream video? Yes

$399 at Amazon

What to Look for in a Baby Monitor:

Audio quality: Do reviewers report issues with lag, connectivity or static?
Wifi connectivity: This is great for monitoring at a farther distance, but there are concerns of hacking. Check the manufacturer: What security safeguards have they put in place—such as data encryption—to ensure your footage is protected?
Video clarity and camera angles: Does it offer an expanded view, or even adjustable, 360-degree views? Can you adjust the camera angle remotely? How clear is the picture (look for 720p or higher), and what is the night vision like? Does it use infrared LEDs so you can see better in the dark?
Camera lights: The most overlooked feature, in our experience, was lights on the camera itself. They seem helpful, both to guide you in a dark room and to capture better video, but many testers reported they woke their restless babies up, causing more frustration than good.
Split screen: Can you connect multiple cameras to the parent device—be it an app or screen—so you can watch multiple angles (or kids in two different rooms/areas) at once?
Battery life: How long does the parent device last on a single charge? Can you get through naptime and bedtime without needing to recharge?
Peace-of-mind features: Does it monitor breathing? What about a temperature sensor? Is there two-way talk, so you can soothe your baby without having to enter the room?
Range: How far away is your baby’s room from your living room, kitchen, backyard or basement? Think about the distance you’ll need as you check the monitor that interests you.

What’s the Best Overall Baby Monitor?

The Nanit Pro is PureWow’s pick for best overall baby monitor. It earned rave reviews from three different families who tested it, outperforming every other monitor parents tried. While it’s pricey, its ease of use, reliable performance and extensive stats—from sleep data to customizable alerts—make it an excellent choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do You Need a Baby Monitor?

A baby monitor provides peace of mind for parents, but it’s more of a nice-to-have than an absolute necessity, particularly if you live in a smaller space. (Some of our testers, who live in apartments, say they can often hear their baby cry out from another room just as well as the monitor they tried.) To that end, the Mayo Clinic says that if your baby is healthy and your pediatrician hasn’t recommended heart/oxygen monitoring, you don’t necessarily need a monitor.

What Other Brands Did You Consider for This Test?

Chillax, Miku, Dormi, Safety1st, Eufy, Vtech, BoiFun and Phillips were all reviewed by parents, though they didn’t score high enough in our 2024 tests to become one of our recommendations at the moment. Editors continually test new products, and I’ll update this story as new brands/models are reviewed—if they make the cut in terms of video/audio quality, reliability and overall performance.

Candace Davison

VP of editorial content

Oversees home, food and commerce articles
Author of two cookbooks and has contributed recipes to three others
Named one of 2023's Outstanding Young Alumni at the University of South Florida, where she studied mass communications and business

read full bio

Rachel Bowie

Senior Director, Special Projects and Royals

Writes and produces family, fashion, wellness, relationships, money and royals content
Podcast co-host and published author with a book about the British Royal Family
Studied sociology at Wheaton College and received a masters degree in journalism from Emerson College

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