7 Best Audio Baby Monitors in 2023: The Ultimate Buying Guide
When worrying about their baby’s whereabouts and safety, new parents can become paranoid. To assist you in making the best decision, here is our list of the top audio baby monitors. Having a child does not require you to sacrifice your personal life. Without constantly having to keep an eye on them, you may enjoy doing the things you prefer. You can stay informed if your baby needs you by using an audio baby monitor. If you’re balancing work and home duties along with a newborn, it lets you catch up on some much-needed sleep.
These baby monitors come equipped with practical features including volume control, vibration, and silent mode options. Some people can record your baby’s vital signs. Choosing the best audio baby monitor might be difficult because there are so many options available. Therefore, look through our selection to get a monitor that can make your life easier.
Benefits Of Audio Baby Monitors
Tracking baby’s rest and sleep
Parents can tell if their infant is awake, cooing to itself, or sleeping thanks to the audio monitor. The optimal amount of time for babies to sleep is between 12 and 14 hours, and the monitor makes it easier for parents to monitor their sleeping patterns without disturbing their little ones.
Sleep for parents
Parents can sleep better knowing they can respond to their infant anytime needed once they know they can hear their baby’s cries on the monitor. A parent who has had enough sleep will always be better able to care for their child.
Safety
A baby monitor makes sure that you can hear your child as soon as they fall or hit their head. When your baby is in any form of discomfort, you may respond to them right away. Some even keep an eye on your baby’s breathing and heartbeat and can notify you if your child hasn’t moved in a while.
Convenient
First off, setting up an audio monitor is incredibly simple and convenient. Second, you won’t need to frequently go to your baby’s room to check on them because you can always hear them even though you might not be able to see them. Thirdly, you don’t need to always look at a video screen because you can hear your kid.
Are audio only baby monitors safe?
Audio-only baby monitors are generally considered safe to use, but as with any device that transmits audio and/or video signals, there are some potential security and privacy concerns to be aware of.
Audio-only monitors use a radio frequency (RF) signal to transmit the sound from your baby’s room to the monitor. While this type of signal is generally safe and secure, it’s possible for a third party to potentially intercept the signal and listen in on the audio feed from your baby’s room. To minimize this risk, it’s important to choose a monitor with secure RF technology and to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for using the device securely.
Additionally, it’s important to consider the privacy implications of using a baby monitor. If you’re using a monitor that connects to a network, it’s important to make sure that it’s secure and to take steps to protect your privacy, such as password-protecting the device and keeping the network secure.
In general, audio-only baby monitors are a safe and reliable way to keep an ear on your baby, but it’s important to be aware of potential security and privacy concerns and to take steps to minimize those risks.
Can audio baby monitors hacked?
Yes, it is possible for audio baby monitors to be hacked, although the likelihood of this happening depends on a number of factors.
Audio baby monitors typically use a radio frequency (RF) signal to transmit the audio from the baby’s room to the monitor. This type of signal can be intercepted by a third party if they have the right equipment and know-how, allowing them to listen in on the audio feed from your baby’s room.
To minimize the risk of hacking, it’s important to choose a baby monitor that uses secure RF technology and to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for using the device securely. For example, using a baby monitor with a secure, encrypted connection and changing the default password to a strong, unique password can help to reduce the risk of hacking.
Additionally, it’s important to keep your home network secure, as this can help to prevent unauthorized access to your baby monitor. This might include using strong passwords, updating your network’s firmware regularly, and keeping your network free from malware and other security threats.
Overall, while it’s possible for audio baby monitors to be hacked, taking steps to secure the device and your home network can help to reduce the risk of this happening.
7 Best Audio Baby Monitors
Best For Crystal Clear Sound: VTech DM221 Audio Baby Monitor
With this product, you can transmit audio across a distance of around 1000 feet without worrying about distracting background noises. The baby unit contains a calming night light that you can turn on or off. It also shuts off automatically after 15 minutes if there is no sound. The monitor can be configured to pick up any sounds in your baby’s room or even just sounds loud enough to be heard. Additionally, it has a 2-way intercom that allows you to talk to your kid at any time, as well as a sound indicator with 5 levels of volume shown by LED lights. To keep an eye on your child at all times, you can run the parent unit either on AC power or a rechargeable Ni-MH battery. Click this video for additional details about the product.
Pros
- 6.0 DECT technology
- Lightweight
- Includes a belt clip
- Battery life of 16 hours
- Very clear audio
Cons
- The child device is not battery-operated.
Related: 11 Best Split-Screen Baby Monitor Reviews And Buying Guide
Best Alexa-Enabled: Hatch Baby Sound Machine And Audio Monitor
This multipurpose device was expertly designed and combines the capabilities of a sound generator, baby monitor, clock, and night light. The night light has a selection of colors to pick from while comforting your baby, and the sound machine plays a variety of lullabies and white noise to put your baby to sleep. They learn about time and the idea of routines thanks to the LED clock and alarm. You can talk on the phone while keeping an eye on your infant with the audio monitor. One of the greatest ways to watch over your beautiful child while also calming and consoling them with the other characteristics is to use this method. To find out more about the product, watch this video.
Pros
- Protective and private for safety
- Alexa-enabled
- Infant lock
- Good battery backup
- Able to be managed anywhere
- Adjustable brightness, color, and sound
Cons
- The 2-way radio’s sound transmission could seem a little slow to certain people.
Related: 7 Best Baby Breathing Monitors
Best Night-Friendly Mode: Philips Avent Dect Audio Baby Monitor
This baby monitor, which uses DECT technology, has a long range of up to 1000 feet and enables optimal two-way communication with your child without any disruption or sound interference. Additionally, it has a nightlight for your baby’s comfort and can play 5 different melodies to help them fall asleep. Even from your own room, you can keep an eye on the temperature in your baby’s room and receive an alert if it changes. The infant won’t be disturbed because to its creative nighttime-friendly mode, which mutes the lights and sounds. Additionally, it has a special eco mode that extends battery life by lowering radio transmissions. With this practical baby monitor, you can rest easy. Check out this video for more details on the product.
Pros
- 18-hour working period
- Docking station for charging effectively
- No additional devices’ interference
- Private and safe connection
Cons
- Some people might find the parent unit’s blue light, which flickers, disconcerting.
Related: 11 Best Long-Range Baby Monitors
Best Secure Connection: HelloBaby Two-Way Audio Baby Monitor
With its DECT 6.0 technology, which enables clear and uninterrupted transmission over a distance of 1000 feet so that you can continuously monitor your kid, this product promises you peace of mind. With its five graphic LED light bars, you may chat to your baby in your room to calm it down while also keeping an eye on the noise level in their room even while it is muted. You can control the temperature of your baby’s nursery from your own room thanks to an added feature. These compact, lightweight portable devices have a battery life of up to 18 hours and may be used anywhere. Additionally, it has a calming nightlight and can play lullabies, which makes it quite practical.
Pros
- A private, secure connection
- Flawless transmission
- Powered by batteries
- Reduces background noise
Cons
- The product does not come with a battery.
Related: 15 Best Baby Monitors With Night Vision
Best Vibration Mode: Time Flys Digital Audio Baby Monitor
This adorable owl-shaped audio baby monitor, which has 36 channels and ensures that you have a clear, uninterrupted signal to watch your baby, makes taking care of your child easier. The parent unit has an LCD screen with an option of 8 lullabies to soothe your baby to sleep, a temperature sensor that shows the temperature in your baby’s room that you may manage. The night light can be used to calm your baby while you talk to them in both directions. Parents can be warned if their child needs attention by employing either the vibration mode or the acoustics alternately. Ni-HM batteries are also included in the parent unit so you never lose contact with your child.
Pros
- Movable belt buckle
- Includes a low battery alarm
- When out of range, an alarm sounds.
- Included are two sets of rechargeable AAA batteries.
Cons
- The nightlight could be too bright for certain people.
Best Radiation-Free: Babysense Original Baby Movement Monitor
This baby monitor, which is incredibly sensitive, has two sensor pads that cover the entire crib, may be positioned below the mattress, and will quickly alert you if your child does not move within a predetermined amount of time. This device, which is perfectly safe because it never makes direct contact with your kid, can detect even the smallest movements. It is very simple to install, doesn’t have any exposed cables, and doesn’t radiate any radiation. It runs on common AA home batteries, which have a six-month lifespan. Since no other home appliances are interfering, the transmission is always uninterrupted and clear. With the knowledge that your child is always safe, you may go about your work.
Pros
- Non-WiFi
- Hack-resistant monitor
- Less chance of false alarms
- HSA/FSA-approved
Cons
- Only suitable for infants up to the age of one year.
Best Lightweight: Motorola Comfort 10 Digital Audio Baby Monitor
You may be confident that there will be little to no background noise or interference thanks to the DECT 6.0 technology and 990-foot range. In order to ensure that you never lose contact with your child, it will quickly send out an alarm if you move out of range. Even your baby’s quietest sounds will be picked up thanks to the incredibly sensitive microphone, and the parent unit’s LED lights will show you how loud your baby is speaking. You can take the parent unit around the house thanks to its rechargeable battery, and it will inform you when the battery is becoming low. It guarantees that your infant is watched at all times.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Sleek style
- No electronic gadgets or other sources of interference
- Includes 1 AAA battery
Cons
- Does not allow you to communicate with your child via the parent unit
After reading our evaluation of the top 7 audio baby monitors, you should be aware of the characteristics to look for before making a purchase to ensure the safety and security of your beloved child.
What To Consider When Buying An Audio Baby Monitor
Analog or digital monitors
As the communication is not encrypted, analog monitors do not guarantee privacy and anyone can listen in. On the other side, digital monitors guarantee privacy. Because they are more expensive than analog monitors, WiFi router signals can occasionally interfere with digital monitor signals if they are operating on the same frequency. These make sure that the transmission is private, but they are more expensive, and if your wireless router and these devices are using the same frequency, you can have some interference. The advantages and disadvantages of each in terms of its unique features, battery life, and range must also be considered.
Sound quality
It’s a matter of preference whether an audio monitor has a silent mode or one that continuously emits sound. In either case, the sound quality needs to be crisp and clear, without any white noise or static to muddy up the sound of your child. Additionally, the microphone must be sensitive enough to pick up every sound your infant makes.
Alert styles
A built-in alert system is included with some audio monitors to help you focus. Some may have LED lights that flicker or a vibration mode if the parent unit’s volume is set to a low level. Some also have alarms that let you know when your battery is becoming low or if you are leaving the range of the device.
Safety
Safety is always the top priority when it comes to your infant. The cot shouldn’t have any wires or connections running along it, nor should it be put in an area where your kid may access it.
Other features
Some parents might opt for a model with lots of features so they can monitor their baby’s health. Some monitors can alert you if your baby hasn’t moved for a predetermined amount of time or check their respiration or heartbeat. This would be particularly important if your baby was a preemie or was ill and needed closer observation.
