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If you’re in a hurry and just want to find out what the best long range baby monitor is, I’d recommend the DBPOWER Digital Baby Monitor.
There is no shortage of things that you will need to buy when you have a baby. And when it comes to peace of mind, the right baby monitor is among the most important.
In this article, I am reviewing the best long range baby monitors, and in the end, I’ll choose the winner.
Here are the long range baby monitors I will be reviewing:
- VTech VM321 Video Baby Monitor
- Babysense Video Baby Monitor
- HelloBaby 3.2 Inch Video Baby Monitor
- DBPOWER Digital Baby Monitor
- VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitor
What Is A Long Range Baby Monitor?
Generally, baby monitors have a range of 600-1000 feet. So, anything near the upper end would be considered long range. For the purposes of this article, I only included baby monitors with a range of at least 900 feet.
Now, there is one important thing to mention about range. When manufacturers talk about range, they are really talking about open field range. In that context, if a baby monitor has a range of 1000 feet, it means that if you are in a wide open space, and there are no objects interfering, the monitor will work at a distance of up to 1000 feet.
Of course, in real life, you are probably using the baby monitor in your home. And there are things like walls, doors, and furniture that will get in the way. So, the actual range that you experience in real life will be lower than what is advertised. Still, the advertised range is useful in getting a directional estimate of what the actual range will be.
How To Find The Best Long Range Baby Monitor For You
There are a few things that you will want to consider when selecting a baby monitor. You should think about how much you are willing to spend since prices vary significantly. You should also think about what features, bells and whistles you really want (and which ones you absolutely need).
Finally, and most importantly, you should consider reliability. In my opinion, having a baby monitor that you trust outweighs everything else, and ultimately will provide you with the best peace of mind.
What To Spend On A Long Range Baby Monitor
As mentioned above, baby monitor prices vary quite a bit. You might find a decent monitor for twenty bucks, or should might shell out a few hundred for something higher end. In my experience, more expensive baby monitors aren’t necessarily better than more moderately priced options.
Generally speaking, expensive baby monitors come with more impressive bells and whistles, but they aren’t always more reliable. So, while a really expensive baby monitor might seem really cool, it may or may not be the right choice for you.
Baby Monitor Features, Bells & Whistles
When looking at a baby monitor, you should definitely consider the following:
- Range: You probably would’t be reading this post if you weren’t thinking about this already. But, I included it here anyway since it’s important.
- Battery Life: In my experience, I rarely need to have the monitor unplugged for more than a few hours. At night, I leave it plugged in and during the day, my kids don’t nap for more than a few hours at a time. That said, the longer the better, since it’s easy to forget to plug it in. Also, over time, the battery will not hold it’s charge as well. So, if the charge lasts for eight hours when it’s new, it might only last half as long after a couple years.
- Video/Audio: I like having a video baby monitor so that I can look to see how my little ones are doing when they make some noise or start to cry. It’s a personal choice though. Some people are fine with audio baby monitors. The reality is that you only tend to look at your monitor when your baby starts making noise anyway.
- Pan, Tilt, Zoom: You can adjust some baby monitors remotely, and others need to be adjusted manually. Imagine a scenario where you finally get your baby to go to sleep. Then, you leave the room only to realize that the camera isn’t facing the crib. You could go back in to adjust it but then you might wake the baby. Now, imagine that the camera can simply be adjusted remotely instead. Yup, that’s pretty cool.
- Infrared Night Vision: This is a key feature considering that you will mostly be monitoring your little one when he or she is sleeping.
- Screen Size: No need to get overly concerned about screen size but it’s something to check. Generally, smaller ones have a screen that’s a couple inches, and bigger ones maybe have a screen that’s 4-5 inches.
- Room Temperature: Having a monitor that can report the room temperature can be really useful if the heat/AC in your home doesn’t work equally well in every room. When we turned on the heat in our old home, our son’s nursery got considerably hotter than all of the other rooms. Our monitor saved us from overheating him on more than one occasion.
- Mountable: Think about where in the room you want to place your monitor (wall, shelf, etc.) and then make sure it can be mounted accordingly. My recommendation is to get one that can be mounted on a wall since that will give you a lot of flexibility.
- Two Way Communication: It can be really nice to be able to talk to your child from another room. At the very least, you can use this feature to let your little one know that you are on the way when he or she gets upset.
- Lullaby: You might get a monitor that plays lullabies to help put your baby to sleep some nights.
- Cord Length: This will have a big impact on where you are able to place the monitor within your nursery. If you get one with a short cord, be sure to get an extension cord as well.
My Top Long Range Baby Monitor Reviews
I have done a TON of research on the world of baby monitors, and come up with my top 5 below.
While I have mostly focused on video monitors, I did include one audio baby monitor on the list. A lot of people like to be able to see their baby, but some people prefer to go with the more affordable audio baby monitor option.
Even if you want a video baby monitor, audio monitors can make a great second baby monitor that you can use whenever you need a bit of extra long range. Or you might get one to take on trips, so you can leave your video baby monitor mounted at home.
VTech VM321 Video Baby Monitor
There is a lot to like about this video baby monitor, including the maximum range which comes in at 1000 feet.
This baby monitor comes with a 2.8 inch color screen, and comes equipped with infrared night vision as well. So, you will always be able to check and see just how your little one is doing.
This baby monitor also comes with a two way talk feature and an ability to play up to 5 different lullabies. Both of these features will allow you to provide some comfort to your baby even when you’re not in the same room.
The camera unit can be mounted on the wall, and is able to pan, title and zoom. So, you should be able to position it just right to get the view that you want.
Other features include a room temperature sensor, and an ability to monitor up to four different cameras.
One of the biggest complaints about this monitor is that after a year or two, the charging cable might start falling out on its own. This can be a little annoying, but the reality is that a lot of baby monitors have durability issues. All in all, this is fairly minor compared to the issues you might run into with other baby monitors as they wear out.
One other commonly reported issue is that the screen is too bright, even when set to the lowest brightness setting. Some parents resort to covering up the display on the parent unit at night, so that it doesn’t brighten up the room too much and keep them awake.
Some parents have also had difficulty in getting the monitor to pair up with the camera. This can be quite frustrating if it happens too frequently, especially at night.
All in all though, this is a good mid-price monitor that stands up quite well against more expensive options.
Pros
- Maximum range is 1000 feet (long range)
- Mid-priced option that provides good value
- 2.8 inch color screen
- Two way audio
- Night vision
Cons
- Minor durability issue reported with charging cord coming out after a year or two
- Screen is too bright
- Difficulty in pairing the baby monitor with the camera
Babysense Video Baby Monitor
This video baby monitor is an affordable option with a maximum range of 900 feet. This range is the minimum threshold for inclusion in our best long range category, but still quite good compared to the broader selection of baby monitors on the market.
One of the strongest features this baby monitor has to offer is its battery life. It can go up to 8 hours between charges. Better yet, it has an Eco mode that preserves battery life by shutting off the video until a sound is detected.
This baby monitor is capable of expanding to up to four cameras. In addition, it is able to run a 10 second loop, rotating between which camera view shows up on the monitor.
The screen size is a bit small, coming in at 2.4 inches. It is a color screen but some users report that the video quality is not great. Keep in mind though, you do necessarily need HD quality resolution to keep tabs on your child.
It allows for two way audio communication. So, you can interact with your little one even from a long range.
The power cord on the camera is fairly short. So, you are somewhat limited in where you can place it within your baby’s room. This actually can be a real problem, depending on where the outlets in the room are as it might prevent you from getting a good view of your baby. That said, this problem can be easily resolved with an extension cord.
Some users report difficulty in getting the monitor and camera to pair up.
Pros
- Excellent battery life, which is enhanced with Eco mode
- Sound activated when in Eco mode
- Monitor can be paired with up to four cameras and switch between them on a 10 second loop
- Maximum range is 900 feet
- Two way audio
Cons
- 2.4 inch screen is on the small side
- Power cord on the camera is short
- Some users experience difficulty getting the monitor to pair with the camera
HelloBaby 3.2 Inch Video Baby Monitor
As the name would suggest, this baby monitor has a fairly good 3.2 inch display. It also has a max range of 960 feet.
This is another affordable option that stacks up fairly well against more expensive competition.
It comes with infrared night vision as well as room temperature monitoring. Both of which will help you to make sure your baby is doing alright.
It also comes with two way talk and an ability to play up to 8 lullabies. With 8 lullabies, your baby will have a little more variety than most other baby monitors offer.
This video monitor has a VOX power saving mode, which shuts off video until a sound is detected. This an important power saving feature that extends battery life.
It can be mounted to a wall, and includes pan, tilt and zoom functionality. So, you should have no trouble getting the angle you’re looking for.
The biggest issue with this one is in durability. Some parents report that it wore out in less than a year. While baby monitors aren’t intended to last forever, it would be nice to get at least a couple of years out of them.
Video quality is a little on the fuzzy side as well, but this is more of a minor issue.
Pros
- Max range is 960 feet
- 3.2 inch display
- VOX power save mode extends battery life
- Two way talk
- Night vision
Cons
- Some parents have reported durability issues with devices wearing out in less than a year
- Picture quality can be a little fuzzy
DBPOWER Digital Baby Monitor
There is a lot to like about the DBPower Digital Baby Monitor. For starters, it boasts a 4.3 inch screen. This is the largest of any devices listed in this article, and the picture quality is quite crisp to boot. What’s more, the visible area that the camera captures is actually quite a bit wider than most other baby monitors.
In terms of long range, this baby monitor comes in at 1000 feet. So, you will be able to keep an eye on your child from a good distance away.
It comes with features like room temperature reading, two way communication, and has an ability to play lullabies.
It also comes with pan, tilt, zoom capabilities. However, this one stands out by allowing you to adjust the camera remotely using the monitor unit. This is actually a really helpful feature. I can’t tell you how many times I have put our kids down for the night, and then realized after leaving the room that the camera was pointed in the wrong direction. The last thing you want to do is to risk waking the baby by going back into the room to adjust the baby monitor.
In terms of battery life, this one claims it can go 9 hours between charges. Some users reports that it actually comes in a bit shorter, but generally it’s longer than what most people need.
Some parents report that it can be difficult to turn the screen off at times. In addition, the screen is relatively bright. This might mean that you end up covering the screen at night so it doesn’t brighten the room too much when you’re trying to sleep.
In addition, the cord on the camera is fairly short. So, you will be limited in terms of where you can mount the camera unless you get an extension cord.
Pros
- Maximum range is 1000 feet (long range)
- 4.3 inch screen with crisp picture quality
- Remote controlled pan, tilt and zoom
- Two way audio
Cons
- Screen is bright and can be difficult to turn off
- Camera power cord is fairly short
VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitor
I wanted to include at least one audio baby monitor on this list, and the VTech DM111 represents a great affordable option. A lot of parents will rely on a video baby monitor most of the time, but pick up an inexpensive audio baby monitor to provide some extra long range when they go outside or to a remote part of their home (i.e. basement).
This baby monitor has a 1000 foot range. So, you will be able to hear your baby from a pretty long range.
It also has a belt clip. So, if you are doing some household chores or moving between rooms, you won’t have to remember to bring the monitor with you.
The microphone provides crystal clear sound, so you will hear it if your little one cries. In fact, some parents believe the microphone is almost too good, and picks sounds even when their baby is just a little restless while sleeping.
It should be noted that while the other monitors on this list have rechargeable batteries, this one relies on alkaline batteries. It has also been known to go through batteries fairly quickly if heavily used.
Pros
- Maximum range is 1000 feet (long range)
- Belt clip adds an element of convenience
- Affordable
Cons
- Goes through batteries quickly
- Audio only
Final Thoughts
While there are a lot of good options on this list, in my opinion, the DBPOWER Digital Baby Monitor is the best long range option. It’s actually one of the best baby monitors in general. This video baby monitor has some of the most impressive features, and is also very well liked by people that own it.