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A blonde toddler sleeping in a bed with a pillow. Credit: Getty Images/Ute Grabowsky

The Best Baby Audio Monitors of 2023

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

A blonde toddler sleeping in a bed with a pillow. Credit: Getty Images/Ute Grabowsky

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Editor's Choice Product image of VTech DM221
Best Overall

VTech DM221

The VTech DM221 easily covers up to 1,000 square feet. It also has a helpful vibrate function that activates when the baby cries. Read More

Pros

  • 1,000-square-foot range
  • Vibrate function
  • Nightlight

Cons

  • More expensive than most
Editor's Choice Product image of VTech DM111
Best Value

VTech DM111

Although the VTech DM111 doesn't come with rechargeable batteries, it performs as well as similar models, and at a much lower price. Read More

Pros

  • 1,000-square-foot range
  • Affordable

Cons

  • No rechargeable batteries
Product image of Motorola PIP11
Best Features

Motorola PIP11

The Motorola PIP11 offers a good array of features including a nightlight and a room temperature monitor. Read More

Pros

  • LCD screen with backlight
  • Many included features

Cons

  • Short battery life
  • More expensive than most
Product image of Motorola MBP163 Connect
Best Smart Audio Monitor

Motorola MBP163 Connect

The Motorola MBP163 Connect can send real-time notifications to a smartphone when it detects sound. Read More

Pros

  • Smartphone capabilities
  • Small footprint
  • Multiple additional features

Cons

  • Requires smartphone or tablet
Product image of Philips Avent DECT SCD502/10

Philips Avent DECT SCD502/10

The Philips Avent DECT SCD502 has up to 900 feet of range, and the batteries can last a full 24 hours. Read More

Pros

  • Good battery life
  • Good range
  • Nightlight

Cons

  • No room temperature sensor

As the many parents at Reviewed will tell you, having a quality, dependable baby monitor is essential. While many parents will default to a video baby monitor, even an entry-level option will run you at least $100. And with dozens of video baby monitors available, including smart monitors and monitors that measure breathing, it can be difficult to know which baby monitor is right for your particular needs.

There are plenty of reasons to opt for an audio-only baby monitor, from reasonable price points to monitor range to age of your kids. If you've decided on an audio baby monitor, we highly recommend the VTech Safe & Sound DM221 (available at Amazon for $38.86) . It's available with either one or two parent units (the parent unit runs off either a wall outlet or rechargeable batteries), and it has the best combination of build quality, features, and range.

Editor's Note:
The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.
A VTech Safe & Sound DM221 baby audio monitor, base and receiver, on a glass tabletop.
Credit: Reviewed.com / TJ Donegan

The best baby audio monitor we've tested is the VTech Safe & Sound DM221.

Best Overall
VTech Safe & Sound DM221

Though it's only slightly more expensive than our best value choice, the VTech DM221 had by far the best combination of design, build and sound quality, features, and a long range. It excels as a traditional monitor, and easily covered over 1,000 square feet in our range tests, with no drop-offs anywhere.

For extra features, the parent unit has a rechargeable battery, a helpful LCD display, and a belt clip, while the baby unit has a nightlight. But our favorite feature was the vibrate function; with this setting, the parent unit will vibrate when the baby starts crying, rather than broadcast the audio. This way one parent can handle the 4 a.m. feeding while the other (hopefully) gets some much-needed shuteye. The DM221 is also available for purchase as the DM221-2 which includes two parent units, which can be helpful if you want to keep one stationary and one portable.

Pros

  • 1,000-square-foot range

  • Vibrate function

  • Nightlight

Cons

  • More expensive than most

The VTech Safe & Sound DM111 baby audio monitor against a light and dark pink background.
Credit: Reviewed/Amazon

The VTech DM111 is a basic monitor with a great range and a great price.

Best Value
VTech Safe & Sound DM111

If you just need a no-nonsense baby monitor without all—or any—of the bells and whistles, this entry-level VTech is the way to go. The DM111 did as well as the higher-end DM221 in our range tests, and you can generally find it for around $20.

The biggest knock here is the parent unit does not come with rechargeable batteries, instead relying on either a wall outlet or AAAs for portability. But if you just need something to keep tabs on your baby in the middle of the night and don't mind picking up your own rechargeable AAAs, this is the best, cheapest option.

Pros

  • 1,000-square-foot range

  • Affordable

Cons

  • No rechargeable batteries

A Motorola PIP11 baby audio monitor, base and baby units, against a peach/orange background.
Credit: Reviewed/Amazon

The Motorola PIP11 has an LCD screen with backlight, a nightlight, a temperature monitor and more.

Best Features
Motorola PIP11

Motorola’s PIP11 audio baby monitor uses secure DECT technology, the same technology used in cordless telephones, to provide up to 1000-feet of range, and has a black and white LCD screen with backlight on the parent unit. The parent unit includes rechargeable AAA batteries and has a battery life of up to 10 hours.

The baby monitor portion of this setup includes a nightlight, a temperature monitor, a two-way talk function and can even play lullabies. Both units have visual LED lights to show if they’re powered on, or out of range, and the parent unit includes a sound detection alert light to show when the noise sensing microphone picks up sounds (even if the audio is switched off on the parent unit).

Pros

  • LCD screen with backlight

  • Many included features

Cons

  • Short battery life

  • More expensive than most

The Motorola MBP163 Connect audio baby monitor and smartphone with app against a green background.
Credit: Reviewed/Amazon

The Motorola MBP163 Connect is one of the few audio baby monitors that connects to a smartphone app.

Best Smart Audio Monitor
Motorola MBP163 Connect

Motorola’s MBP163 Connect is a little different from the other baby audio monitors on this list because it syncs to a smartphone or tablet to provide audio monitoring and real-time notifications. The device itself is a small, 5-by-3-by-1.75 inch dome that can also act as a nightlight, with seven colors, or play soothing sounds, lullabies and audiobooks.

It comes preloaded with 10 sounds and 10 audiobooks, and more can be downloaded through the Hubble app or you can create personalized audio recordings. The Hubble app will also track your kiddos' sleeping patterns, and allows multiple Connect devices to sync to one smartphone.

The system also provides two-way talk and is wireless so it can be placed in a variety of locations. It uses a rechargeable lithium ion battery, and is wireless when charged so it can be placed anywhere—at least anywhere the Wi-Fi is good enough to transmit.

Pros

  • Smartphone capabilities

  • Small footprint

  • Multiple additional features

Cons

  • Requires smartphone or tablet

Product image of Philips Avent DECT SCD502/10
Philips Avent DECT SCD502/10

The slim Philips Avent SCD502 has one of the longest operating times of the monitors on this list, with the company claiming the parent unit can run for up to 24 hours on a set of AA batteries (it can also be plugged into an outlet). Like most baby audio monitors, it uses DECT technology to connect the two units, making it difficult—but not impossible—to hack.

It has a range of 900 feet, is water resistant and also offers a Smart ECO mode for efficient energy use. It has some of the features available on other units: the base unit has a comfort nightlight and two-way talk back, while the parent unit has LEDs to signal sound visually even when the device is muted. However, it doesn’t have a temperature sensor or play lullabies or other sounds.

Pros

  • Good battery life

  • Good range

  • Nightlight

Cons

  • No room temperature sensor

What To Know About Baby Monitors

All baby monitors work in more or less the same way: a stationary base unit in your child's room sends audio (or video) to a parent unit that stays with a caretaker. When your baby moves or makes noise, you are alerted via the parent unit so you can soothe, feed, change, shush or rock your babe back to bed.

Most baby units plug into a wall outlet, while most parent units can either plug into a wall or run off a rechargeable battery.

Though there are tons of other features to consider—like battery life and range—the core function of a baby audio monitor is to help alert you quickly if your child is awake or making noise. When we pick our favorites, we focus on that core feature first and foremost.

Audio monitors are affordable and generally effective at letting you know if your kid is awake and making lots of noise, but having video can have huge benefits.

Modern baby monitors go far beyond just streaming audio or video, and many can do all sorts of neat tricks. Some feature room temperature monitoring, some feature air quality sensors, and many offer things like night vision, lullabies, and white noise that you can activate remotely. Many of these also have two-way talk functionality so you can talk to your baby through the baby unit. It’s worth taking time to know what bells and whistles make sense for you and which don’t seem as important—for example, many parents say they don’t use the two way talk function on their devices while others say the included nightlight was a much appreciated add-on.

Meet the testers

TJ Donegan

TJ Donegan

Former Director, Content Development

@TJDonegan

TJ is the former Director of Content Development at Reviewed. He is a Massachusetts native and has covered electronics, cameras, TVs, smartphones, parenting, and more for Reviewed. He is from the self-styled "Cranberry Capitol of the World," which is, in fact, a real thing.

See all of TJ Donegan's reviews
Sarah Kovac

Sarah Kovac

Editor, Accessibility

@thesarahkovac

Sarah Kovac is an award-winning author and accessibility editor for Reviewed. Previously, she worked with a multitude of outlets such as Wirecutter, TIME, PCMag, Prevention, The Atlantic, Reviews.com, CNN, GOOD, Upworthy, Mom.me, and SheKnows.

See all of Sarah Kovac's reviews
Nadine Jolie Courtney

Nadine Jolie Courtney

Contributor

@nadinecourtney

Nadine Jolie Courtney is a freelance writer based in Santa Monica, California. A former magazine editor, her work has appeared in Town & Country, Vogue, Oprah, Good Housekeeping, and Angeleno, among many other outlets. A graduate of Barnard College, she is the author of four books, including Romancing the Throne and All-American Muslim Girl, a Kirkus Best YA Book of 2019. Find her on Instagram @nadinejoliecourtney.

See all of Nadine Jolie Courtney's reviews

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