Becoming a parent means entering a new world of stuff. Tiny babies come with a lot of baggage, literally and figuratively, and while we can’t help you decide what to name your little one or whether sleep training is right for your family, we can help you pick out a baby gadget you’re going to use a lot – the baby monitor.
Baby monitors are a product that parents and caregivers use on a daily (and nightly) basis. Their title is misleading since baby monitors are used well beyond the baby stage, with many parents keeping their baby monitor on hand during the toddler years as well. Finding the right baby monitor for your family can take a lot of research, which is where we come in. We’ve done the leg work so that you don’t have to.
Today’s Top Deals
We’ve previously covered the best baby gadgets and best baby monitors but wanted to dive even deeper into the subject. There are three styles of monitors, including WiFi-only monitors, hybrid monitors that can be live-streamed on an app or used with a parent monitor, and non-WiFi baby monitors. In this article, we have focused solely on non-WiFi baby monitors, which parents may prefer for several reasons.
Why Choose Non-WiFi Baby Monitors
There are a few reasons why parents and caregivers may want to choose non-WiFi baby monitors over a hybrid or WiFi-only monitor. Most importantly, non-wifi baby monitors protect your privacy, which is a huge benefit.
Security: By opting for a non-WiFi monitor, parents can rest assured that no one can hack into their personal feed. The monitors on our list feature a secure FHSS (Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum) wireless transmission, which means no one can see your baby, and the parent monitor is less likely to receive interference from other electronics in your home.
Price: Non-WiFi monitors tend to be priced lower than WiFi-only monitors and around the same price point or lower than hybrid monitors.
Portability: By not requiring a WiFi signal to work, these monitors are ideal for travel or for people who live in an area with a weak WiFi signal.
Ease of Use: Non-WiFi monitors have a plug-and-play setup that makes it simple and fast to plug in your baby’s camera and instantly start monitoring them. This is great for tired parents, as well as for grandparents who may not be technologically inclined. No apps are required for download, which also means that your phone battery isn’t being drained by streaming a video feed of your little one. Not using your phone to monitor your child also makes it easy to hand off the parent monitor to a babysitter or other caregiver.
The Best Non-WiFi Baby Monitors At A Glance
1. Best Overall: Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO – $199.00 at Infant Optics
2. Runner Up: Eufy Security SpaceView Pro – $169.99 at Eufy Life
3. Best Rechargeable Camera: Motorola VM36XL – $179.99 at Motorola
4. Best Video Screen: Papalook BM1 Baby Monitor – $129.99 at Amazon
5. Best For Travel: Infant Optics DXR-8 – $165.99 at Infant Optics
6. Best Range: Panasonic Baby Monitor – $149.95 at Panasonic
7. Best Big Screen Budget: Motorola VM75 – $119.99 at Motorola
8. Best For Multiples: Babysense 5” HD Split Screen Video Baby Monitor – $199.99 at Babysense
9. Best Budget Buy: ANMEATE Digital 2.4Ghz Wireless Video Monitor – $49.99 at Amazon
Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO
Best For: Parents with a healthy budget who are willing to spend a bit more to get a crystal-clear video picture and active noise reduction.
Why We Chose It: The Infant Optics DXR-8 has been a bestseller for years and the PRO version improves upon its predecessor by expanding its screen size, improving the sound and video quality, and making (mostly) smart changes, including the addition of physical volume controls on the parent monitor.
Buy: Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO $199.00
Buy: Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO $199.99
Going from the Infant Optics DRX-8 to the Infant Optics DRX-8 PRO was like when Dorothy went from black and white Kansas to full technicolor in Oz. The clarity made us audibly gasp. The PRO still has the same fast pan and tilt response, but now parents can get the full view of their child’s crib or playroom at once. The PRO turns on in about one second, the fastest of any of the monitors on our list. This is great news for any parent who hears their little one crying through the walls and suddenly realizes they forgot to turn the parent monitor on.
The PRO parent monitor has a few physical changes that we liked, including volume and brightness controls on the top that made it easy to quickly adjust both settings. The physical buttons make it easy so you can quickly dim the video feed and turn down the volume if the baby is crying so it doesn’t disturb a sleeping partner.
The Menu interface is also a step up, with colorful graphics that make customizing the monitor’s settings more straightforward.
The PRO also has a Zoom button, in place of the Shortcut function on the DXR-8, which makes it simple to quickly use the zoom function on your baby (the PRO also has a 3x optical zoom compared to 2x on the DXR-8). Both monitors feature two-way talk, but the PRO has again improved on the original by using 1000mW speakers and active noise reduction to help reduce background noise, like air conditioning units and noise machines.
There was also a change that we didn’t like. The PRO parent monitor has a DC-type connector, which is different from the DXR-8’s micro-USB connector. This can be a nuisance if you misplace the charger since most people have extra micro-USB connectors in their home but not DC-type connectors.
The PRO is a big step up in sound and video quality from the DXR-8, but we weren’t impressed that Infant Optics didn’t make it possible to interchange the cameras, a feature that would have been nice for existing customers who wanted to use their old DXR-8 as a secondary camera. Like the DXR-8, the PRO can also pair up to four cameras, but they have to be PRO-specific cameras.
The biggest con with the PRO was its price. At $200, it’s one of the most expensive baby monitors on our list. For that price, there are several hybrid models (check out our top picks here) that would also give customers a streaming option.
Pros:
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Large LCD screen
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Active noise reduction
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Zoom up to 3x (6x with additional optical lens)
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Physical volume and brightness buttons for added convenience
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984 foot range is an improvement from the original model
Cons:
Features/Specs:
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Range: 984 feet
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Screen size: 5″ LCD display
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Battery life: 6 hours continuous use, 10 hours on standby
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Zoom Options: Panning, tilting, and 3x zoom
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Number of cameras that can be paired: Up to four cameras
Eufy Security SpaceView Pro
Best For: Parents who want their parent monitor to have a large screen and extended battery life.
Why We Chose It: Eufy is well-known for its high-quality security cameras and their SpaceView Pro utilizes similar technology to deliver a baby monitor with a clear view, easy panning and tilting functions, and extended battery life for the parent monitor.
Buy: Eufy Spaceview Pro Baby Monitor $169.99
Buy: Eufy Security SpaceView Pro $135.99 (orig. $162.39) 16% OFF
Another excellent option that’s not as pricey as the Infant Optics DRX-8 PRO is the Eufy Security SpaceView Pro. Like the Infant Optics DRX-8 PRO, the SpaceView Pro turns on in about one second, with no lag time for the video.
The SpaceView also has a large 5” LCD screen and 720P HD display with all the typical features you would expect in a monitor, including sleep mode, timers, night vision, two-way talk, and the ability to pan 330 degrees and tilt 110 degrees. The Eufy parent monitor has an impressive battery life that will last up to 12 hours of regular use, including using the monitor with the video feed on.
The SpaceView Pro also has several features that aren’t found in every baby monitor. Parents can set sound alerts for movement, choose from different languages, and set timers and alarms.
The SpaceView Pro camera feels heavier than the other cameras on our list, which may only be an issue if you want to travel with the set. Even then, we’re talking ounces, so the difference is minimal.
The SpaceView Pro includes five lullabies that parents can play to help soothe little ones. While this may not be helpful for babies that only benefit from white or brown noise, it could be helpful for toddlers who are more interested in lullabies when dozing off.
We liked using the detached wide-angle lens that comes with the SpaceView Pro when monitoring an entire nursery or playroom since it did increase our viewing range. We could still zoom quite well with the lens on and ended up leaving the lens in place while testing the monitor.
Pros:
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Excellent battery life for parent monitor
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Includes five lullabies
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Comes with a 110-degree wide-angle lens
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No lag when turning on parent monitor
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Fast response time for panning and tilting
Cons:
Features/Specs:
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Range: 1000 feet
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Screen size: 5″ LCD display
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Battery life: 12 hours continuous use
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Zoom Options: Panning, tilting, and 2x zoom
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Number of cameras that can be paired: Up to four cameras
Motorola VM36XL
RECHARGEABLE CAMERA
Best For: Parents who want a reliable baby monitor with a camera that can be used wirelessly for short periods.
Why We Chose It: The Motorola VM36XL has many of the same standard features as other monitors on our list, but it stands out from the pack because of its 3-hour battery life on the camera, which allows parents to keep an eye on their little one even when their crib is not near an outlet.
Buy: Motorola VM36XL $149.99 (orig. $179.99) 17% OFF
The video quality on the Motorola VM36XL puts it squarely in the middle of the pack for us. The quality of video in a brightly lit room is excellent, and the monitor still provides a pretty detailed view in a dark room. The parent monitor has a 5″ TFT colour display with 480 x 272 resolution, which isn’t the best of all the monitors on our list, but it’s also not the worst.
The VM36XL has five soundscapes to choose from and the quality of the audio is good, but the sounds aren’t labeled on the parent monitor, so you’ll either have to remember which number you want or be able to hear inside the baby’s room. The VM36XL does have physical volume controls on the top of the parent monitor, which is a big plus. This is typically the feature parents want to access the fastest. For example, if your baby begins crying and you’re on a work call, or near a sleeping older child or partner, you can quickly turn down the volume.
The parent monitor also features an LED sound indicator, which is another big plus. The panning and tilting on the VM36XL are the most responsive of any of the monitors on our list, almost too responsive. Parents have to be careful they don’t whizz by their baby when moving the camera around the crib or playroom. But, we found too fast is better than too slow.
As with most monitors, the VM36XL can be paired with up to four cameras, but in addition to the patrol-mode multi-view feature, it also has a split-screen option that is great for keeping an eye on two kids at once. There are several alerts that parents can utilize or disable, including out-of-range alerts, low battery alerts, and room temperature alerts. The VM36XL also has an impressive range at almost 1,000 feet.
The biggest standout feature for the VM36XL is its camera. In addition to many of the standard features, including infrared night vision, two-way talk, and the ability to pan, tilt and zoom, the camera can also be used wirelessly. Thanks to a 1,200 mAh rechargeable battery with 3 hours of backup, the camera can be placed in an area that isn’t close to an outlet. Not only is this a great option for travel, but the VM36XL will also continue working for up to three hours in the event of a power outage.
One of the biggest issues with the VM36XL was its zoom, which leaves a lot to be desired. When we tested the zoom feature, the difference between the wide view and 2x zoom is negligible.
Pros:
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Camera can be used wirelessly for three hours
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Infrared night vision shows details even in dark room
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Physical volume button on top of parent monitor
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LED sound level indicator
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Split-screen viewing available for two video feeds
Cons:
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Not much difference between wide-angle and zoom view
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PTZ may move too quickly for some parents
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Soundscapes aren’t labeled
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Battery on parent monitor only lasts 5 hours on a single charge
Features/Specs:
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Range: 1000 feet
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Screen size: 5″ LCD display
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Battery life: 12 hours continuous use
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Zoom Options: Panning, tilting, and 2x zoom
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Number of cameras that can be paired: Up to four cameras
Papalook BM1 Baby Monitor
Best For: Parents who want exceptional video clarity with a few other features, including lullabies and two-way talk.
Why We Chose It: The Papalook BM1 Baby Monitor has one of the best video feeds of all the monitors on our list, rivaling many high-end WiFi monitors, like the Nanit. Its wide-angle lens and smooth panning and tilting make this a monitor that can be used to watch a sleeping baby and a playing toddler.
Buy: Papalook BM1 Baby Monitor $69.99 (orig. $139.99) 50% OFF
The video clarity of the BM1 grabbed us immediately, making it easy to see details even in the dark thanks to the parent monitors’ large HD 1080P LCD 5” screen. The BM1 has one of the clearest resolutions we’ve seen with non-WiFi baby monitors. It also has a 2x digital zoom and a wide angle lens that can also pan 355 degrees and tilt 160 degrees. The menu interface is easy to navigate and allows for customization.
In addition to its impressive video clarity, the BM1 has a handful of useful features, including two-way talk, sleep mode with only audio playing, and it can hold a TF card up to 256 GB. The parent monitor is thin and lightweight and although it’s a bit big to fit into a pocket, it’s still easy to carry from room to room.
There are a few issues with the BM1, including a loud voice that says “System starting up” every time the camera is turned on. We haven’t figured out how and if this can be disabled and it can be especially annoying if you’re plugging the camera in after your baby has fallen asleep.
We also found that after a few months of use, the battery on the parent monitor began to decline. This is the case for most baby monitors, but it did seem to happen faster with the BM1.
The parent monitor also resets the date and time every time it’s turned off, which makes this function feel useless. The BM1 also advertises that it’s able to be used with up to four cameras, but we were unable to pinpoint where to buy additional cameras.
Like the Eufy, the BM1 also comes with lullabies. Again, a nice feature, but we wish companies would include a white noise option if they’re going to add music.
Pros:
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Excellent video clarity
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8 lullaby options
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Child-friendly camera design
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Can be used with TF card up to 256 GB
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Pans 355 degrees and tilts 160 degrees
Cons:
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Unclear where to purchase additional cameras
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Declining battery life
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Longest lag time when turning on parent monitor
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Does not come with wall mounting hardware
Features/Specs:
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Range: 900 feet
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Screen size: 5″ LCD display
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Battery life: 10 hours continuous use, 15 hours on standby
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Zoom Options: Panning, tilting, and 2x zoom
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Number of cameras that can be paired: Up to four cameras
Infant Optics DXR-8
Best For: Parents who want a compact, affordable, and durable camera body and parent monitor.
Why We Chose It: The Infant Optics DXR-8 is one of the most awarded baby monitors and continues to top best-of lists thanks to its durability and smooth panning.
Buy: Infant Optics DXR-8 $165.99
Buy: Infant Optics DXR-8 $165.99
While we have pointed out the many ways that the Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO has improved upon its predecessor, the Infant Optics DXR-8 is still a viable option, especially for parents who want to spend a little less or want a parent monitor that is compact and ideal for travel.
The Infant Optics DXR-8 was the first camera I used with my oldest and it’s the Terminator of baby monitors. Infant Optics doesn’t advertise the DXR-8 as a monitor that can or should be dropped, but in my personal experience, it has been dropped A LOT and shows no signs of slowing down even after years of (ab)use.
The DXR-8 has several options that make it easy to find the right setting for any circumstances. It has the typical audio and video feed and users can also opt for sleep mode, which turns off the screen and keeps the audio on, thus saving battery. If a sound alerts the parents, they can then turn off the audio and watch the LED noise indicator (green – you’re good, red – loud noise, baby likely crying) to determine whether their baby requires attention. Both Infant Optics have this feature and it can be really helpful. Working from home and need to take a call? You can turn off the audio and screen but still monitor your little one by watching if the LED noise indicator lights up.
For keeping an eye on multiple kids or if you want to set up cameras in several rooms/homes, i.e. wall mounting a DXR-8 camera in baby’s room at home and baby’s room and grandma and grandpas’ house, the DXR-8 can accommodate up to four cameras.
The DXR-8 has interchangeable lenses, which we actually find to be its downfall. While it can zoom, it requires a second lens, which must be purchased separately, to get a wide-angle view. If you’re only looking for a monitor to keep an eye on baby while they sleep, this isn’t an issue. You’ll have a clear view of your little one and the DXR-8 has an impressive 100-degree tilt and 355-degree pan that makes it simple to look around the crib. There’s almost no delay with panning and tilting, which is rare for baby monitors. For parents who want a monitor that offers a wide shot of baby having solo playtime in their nursery, they’ll need to purchase a wide-angle lens.
Pros:
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Lightweight, compact monitor
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Pan and tilt functions are smooth and responsive
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Invisible IR night vision
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Sound activated LED bar
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Excellent battery life
Cons:
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Interchangeable lens means choosing between zoom or wide-angle
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Slight noise emitted when using the pan and tilt functions
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Video quality is not as sharp as other cameras
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700-foot range is the shortest on our list
Features/Specs:
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Range: 700 feet
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Screen size: 3.5” LCD display
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Battery life: 12 hours continuous use, 8 hours on standby
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Zoom Options: Panning, tilting, and 2x zoom
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Number of cameras that can be paired: Up to four cameras
Panasonic Baby Monitor
Best For: Parents who want a monitor with an extra-long range.
Why We Chose It: Panasonic is one of the most trusted names in tech. We like that the camera has an extended range and that the parent monitor has an LED sound indicator, a great feature for parents who want to monitor their baby even when the sound and audio are turned off.
Buy: Panasonic Baby Monitor $149.95
Buy: Panasonic Baby Monitor $149.95
Unlike most monitors on our list which have a range of between 700 to 1000 feet, the Panasonic boasts an impressive 1500-foot range, making it an excellent option for travel, large homes, or parents who like to be in their back or front yard while baby sleeps. We tested the Panasonic by walking down our street and while we’re not sure exactly how far we were from the camera, the Panasonic made it the furthest out of all the parent monitors on our list.
The Panasonic is a good option for sleeping and playing babies. The night vision camera delivers good quality images and the parent monitor has two-way talk and four arrows that allow for panning, tilting, and zooming.
The Panasonic allows users to customize alert sensitivity so that parents will be alerted to changes in sound, temperature, and movement. Parents can also add up to four cameras to the same monitor. We also like that the Panasonic has an LED noise indicator. That means even if the sound and video feed are off, parents can be alerted to their baby making noise by the LED light strip on the top of the parent monitor lighting up.
The sound quality isn’t amazing on the Panasonic and the included lullabies sounded a bit tinny, but we liked that the camera had a White Noise option, as well as other soundscapes like Vacuum, Ocean Wave, Heart Beat, and Rain.
When first using the Panasonic, customers must have a screwdriver on hand to unscrew the battery cover and place the battery unit inside the parent monitor. This is a small thing, but worth noting since the parent monitor will not work without the battery and the Panasonic is the only monitor we found that required a screwdriver.
The Panasonic has one of the smallest screens on our list with a 3.5” LCD screen. The parent monitor also has one of the shorter battery lives on our list, lasting up to five hours of continuous use or 13 hours on standby.
Pros:
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Excellent long-range connectivity up to 1500 feet
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Motion, temperature, and sound alerts can be customized
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LED sound indicator
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Soundscapes included
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Small size ideal for travel
Cons:
Features/Specs:
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Range: 1,500 feet
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Screen size: 3.5” LCD display
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Battery life: 5 hours continuous use, 13 hours on standby
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Zoom Options: Panning, tilting, and 2x zoom
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Number of cameras that can be paired: Up to four cameras
Motorola VM75
BEST BIG SCREEN BUDGET
Best For: Parents who want to save some money but still use a parent monitor with a large screen.
Why We Chose It: The VM75 has a large, 5″ LCD screen, an impressive 1,000-foot range, and can provide a split-screen view if used with two cameras.
Buy: Motorola VM75 $95.99 (orig. $119.99) 20% OFF
The Motorola VM75 offers a midpoint option for customers who want a large screen on their parent monitor but would like to keep the cost closer to $100. The VM75 has many standard features that parents will appreciate, including two-way talk, room temperature monitoring, and an impressive range of almost 1,000-feet.
We like that the VM75 has an LED sound indicator running along the side of the parent monitor, which as we’ve mentioned before is a useful feature. The VM75 displays the room temperature and battery life on the parent monitor, as well as signal strength.
The panning and tilting functions were pretty smooth and responsive, although they did not cover as wide an area as other monitors on our list. For parents who want a monitor they can hear from across the room, or across the house, the VM75 had one of the loudest speakers on our list.
Unfortunately, the controls on the VM75 parent monitor feel clunky and not intuitive. Accessing the volume and brightness controls requires remembering whether to use the up and down or side to side arrows, which is easy to forget. This is frustrating since these are controls parents will likely want to access quickly, for example, when baby cries and parents want to quickly turn down the volume before checking on their little one.
The VM75 does have soundscapes, including White Noise and Waves, but parents will likely have to adjust the volume on their parent monitor to avoid feedback. Like the VM36XL, the VM75 also has a battery life that is on the lower end, lasting 5 hours on continuous use and 13 hours on standby.
The video quality on the VM75 was its biggest issue. This image shows both the wide view and the 2x zoom in a room with overhead lights on and natural light from a window with the screen at its full brightness level. There was barely any noticeable difference when using the 2x zoom. It was easier to see in a darkened room, but not by much.
Although the VM75 left a lot to be desired in image quality, we included it because it does offer a large screen on the parent monitor and the ability to pair up to four cameras, while coming in at a price point that is significantly lower than most of the models on our list.
Pros:
Cons:
Features/Specs:
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Range: 1,000 feet
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Screen size: 5” LCD display
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Battery life: 5 hours continuous use, 13 hours on standby
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Zoom Options: Panning, tilting, and 2x zoom
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Number of cameras that can be paired: Up to four cameras
Babysense 5” HD Split Screen Video Baby Monitor
Best For: Parents who want to keep an eye on two kids at once or want to easily be able to monitor a sleeping area and play area without having to move one camera.
Why We Chose It: The upgraded 5” Babysense comes with two cameras and a convenient split-screen parent monitor that makes it easy to keep an eye on two children at once. It also has several useful features, including a nightlight camera base, 4x zoom, and a full 360-degree pan.
Buy: Babysense 5” HD Split Screen Video Baby Monitor $199.99
Buy: Babysense 5” HD Split Screen Video Baby Monitor $199.99 (orig. $239.99) 17% OFF
We weren’t able to physically test the Babysense, but kept it in our roundup because of its high ratings online and long list of useful features. All the monitors on our list can pair up to four cameras to the same parent monitor, but the Babysense HD combo makes it easy by including two cameras and a parent monitor with a split-screen. A great option for keeping an eye on twins or an older toddler and young baby, the Babysense enables parents to watch two spaces at once without having to toggle between views. Babysense also allows parents to either toggle back and forth on the audio when using the split-screen or set the monitor to automatically switch between the two audio feeds at regular intervals.
Like Infant Optics, Babysense has also upgraded its popular split-screen baby monitor for a bigger, clearer, and pricier alternative. The company offers a two-camera bundle with their 4.3” split-screen monitor for $149.99. The newer version has many of the same features, including two-way audio, a 960-foot range, and camera bases that double as nightlights with three levels of intensity. Both the new and old camera models can tilt 90 degrees and are the only cameras on our list that can pan 360 degrees (the Infant Optics and Papalook BM1 can pan 355 degrees, so they’re not far off).
The Babysense has improved on its zoom from 2x to 4x, giving it the best baseline zoom on our list (without using an extra lens). The HD cameras deliver a clear image even in the dark thanks to the Auto IR night vision and 720P parent monitor, which also displays the room temperature and battery level. The Babysense also includes lullabies as well as a white noise option, which can be helpful especially when parents are traveling and are trying to cut down on the number of gadgets they have to pack. The Babysense lasts for 12 hours while being continuously used thanks to its 4000mAh battery, which is one of the more sizeable battery times on our list.
As we mentioned, we weren’t able to physically test the Babysense, but many reviewers stated that mounting the Babysense cameras can be difficult because of their large base. Several reviewers also said the parent monitor feels somewhat flimsy and not as high-end as other parent monitors, although this doesn’t affect how it functions.
Pros:
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Includes two cameras
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Split-screen for a side-by-side view
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Camera base can be used as a nightlight
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Excellent zoom up to 4x
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Pan 360-degrees and tilt 90 degrees
Cons:
Features/Specs:
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Range: 960 feet
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Screen size: 5” LCD display
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Battery life: 12 hours continuous use and 20 hours on standby
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Zoom Options: Panning, tilting, and 4x zoom
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Number of cameras that can be paired: Up to four cameras
ANMEATE Digital 2.4Ghz Wireless Video Monitor
Best For: Parents who want to save money but don’t want to sacrifice a secure monitoring system.
Why We Chose It: The Anmeate is one of the most popular baby monitors available thanks to its low price point and impressive list of features. It doesn’t have the large parent monitor screen as other models on our list, but it still delivers a quality video feed and has helpful extras, including an LED sound indicator.
Buy: ANMEATE Digital 2.4Ghz Wireless Video Monitor $49.99 (orig. $79.99) 38% OFF
Although we weren’t able to physically test the Anmeate, we included this model because of its high ratings online and budget price point. For an ultra-affordable baby monitor that still packs plenty of bells and whistles, it’s tough to beat the Anmeate.
The small but mighty baby monitor comes with several features that rival its more expensive competitors. Customers can pair up to four cameras and set the parent monitor to scan through the views every 15 seconds. The Anmeate has a 960-foot range, temperature monitoring, two-way talk and four built-in lullabies. The Anmeate has an LED sound indicator, a feature we’ve talked about before as being extremely useful for parents who want to monitor their child even when the audio and video feed are turned off the parent monitor. The video quality may not be as high as the other monitors on our list, but the Anmeate still delivers Auto Infrared Night Vision.
There are cons to the Anmeate of course, but these should be taken with a grain of salt. At $49.99, the Anmeate is a fraction of the cost of other monitors on our list. Does it have a small screen, lower resolution video quality and a limited tilting function? Yes. Is it still a great camera for an affordable price? Also, yes.
The screen on the Anmeate is its biggest drawback at only 2.4”, but customers still have the option to zoom in on their little ones. The parent monitor has a 950mAh battery and only lasts up to 8 hours in Eco-mode, but again, this is still impressive for such an affordable monitor. The Anmeate can only pan manually (i.e., by physically moving the camera) and its tilt feature is limited to 60 degrees manually.
Pros:
Cons:
Features/Specs:
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Range: 960 feet
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Screen size: 2.4” LCD display
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Battery life: 8 hours in standby mode
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Zoom Options: Panning, tilting, and 2x zoom
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Number of cameras that can be paired: Up to four cameras
How We Chose the Best Non-WiFi Baby Monitors: About Our Testing Process
We tested seven of the nine monitors on our list for at least two weeks, comparing their features and seeing if they lived up to the claims made by each company. We tested them in two rooms with a baby (5-7 months) and a toddler (3.5 years old) to see how well the cameras could pick up changes in noise, temperature and when applicable, movement.
Camera Quality: This was the most important factor and we looked at the clarity of images both in bright rooms and dark rooms. We tested each camera in a completely blacked-out room to ensure we could still clearly see our baby and whether they were awake or asleep.
Audio Quality: After camera quality, audio was also a top priority, and we tested the monitors with a real sleeping (and crying) baby. We wanted to ensure that parents would be able to hear whether their child was in distress and if background noise, like sound machines, would be minimized.
Battery Life: While parents can likely keep their parent monitor plugged in overnight while baby is sleeping, we tested the battery life on the parent monitors as well to ensure parents and caregivers didn’t need to be close to an outlet at all times when using their baby monitor.
Ease of Use: Are the buttons on the parent monitor intuitive? Does the parent monitor turn on quickly?
Range: Would the parent monitor be out of range if we moved to the basement? The backyard?
Panning, Tilting and Zooming: Could the camera be set up to overlook an entire nursery and still zoom in close enough so that parents could also see their baby’s face when sleeping? Was it easy to pan and tilt the camera in order to see an exact location?
Features: We looked at the features of each monitor, including two-way talk, brightness settings, alarms, and add-ons, such as soundscapes.
Price: We looked at the video and audio quality of the baby monitors on our list and compared the value to their price.
Why Should You Trust Spy When Purchasing A Baby Monitor?
At SPY, we know gadgets. We’ve tested just about every lifestyle and household gadget there is, from security cameras to smart vacuums. We also know babies, with many of our writers raising little ones while testing all the best new baby gadgets available. We have tested several types of baby monitors, from WiFi-only models, to hybrids and of course, non-WiFi models. As parents and fans of all things tech, we are always on the lookout for the best new baby monitor that will help parents feel secure knowing they can keep an eye on their little one, while also getting some sleep themselves.
About the Author: Allison Bowsher
Allison Bowsher is a long-time contributor to SPY.com and as a mom often reviews parenting products. She has reviewed everything from baby monitors to folding kayaks, and has written about e-commerce for many years. Before joining SPY as a contributor, Allison spent four years as the Editor and head writer for Much.com (aka the Canadian MTV) and her work continues to focus on parenting and household goods as well as entertainment, fashion, travel and fitness. Her writing has been featured on E! Online, MTV, Etalk, Bustle, and CTV. Allison earned her Masters in Communication and Culture from York University. Allison spends most days running around after her children.
FAQs about Non-WiFi Baby Monitors
What is a parent monitor?
A baby monitor is a combination of a child-friendly security camera and a screen that allows parents and caregivers to monitor the baby. A parent monitor is a handheld device with a screen and controls and is sold with a baby camera. For WiFi-only baby monitors, no parent monitor is included. Instead, parents and caregivers use an app to turn their phones into a parent monitor.
Why is a monitor with a long-range important?
A monitor with a long-range helps parents keep an eye on their child if they have a large home or want to be outdoors, for example in a backyard, while the baby sleeps.
How many cameras can I add to one monitor?
All the baby monitors on our list allow for up to four cameras to be added and viewed by a single parent monitor. This is helpful if you have more than one child or want to set up a camera in multiple areas, such as a nursery and a living room.
Why do I need two-way talk?
Two-way talk allows parents to talk to a crying baby in an effort to calm them without physically going into the baby’s room. It’s also a useful feature for parents or caregivers to talk to each other when one person is with the baby. For example, you can tell your partner where the extra diapers are stored if they’re unable to find them during a diaper change.
If the baby is in a crib, why do I care about panning or tilting the camera?
Panning or tilting may not be useful when babies are small, but as they start to grow and move around in their crib, this feature can be very useful. Panning and tilting are also great when toddlers are playing independently and parents want to keep an eye on them as the little one moves around their room.
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