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Welcome to Skimm Tested, where we put products to the test and then give them a report card. (Check out all of our tried-and-tested faves here.)
The assignment…
To see if Eufy’s baby monitor ($169) is worth the price tag. In a market overrun with options, does this baby camera-monitor combo provide a clear and reliable view of your baby’s room?
Straight A’s in…
Picture quality. The view is sharp, and night mode is excellent. The 5-inch monitor allows you to pan and tilt the camera so you can pretty much see the entire room. You probably won’t need it, but there’s also a zoom function.
Battery life. It’ll last you all day (up to 30 hours) if you leave it on sleep mode (when the monitor goes dark after a certain amount of time; we set it to five minutes) and then turn it off when you’re not using it. Pro tip: Keep it plugged in overnight so you don’t have to charge it during the day.
Sound alert. If your baby makes a noise, you can choose to get a sound alert on the monitor, even if the volume is all the way down (and the monitor is in sleep mode). You choose the threshold. For example, do you want an alert if your baby whines or only if they scream at the top of their lungs? This comes in handy if you’re farther away (or in the shower) and not constantly looking or listening to the monitor.
Connectivity. We never had issues losing connection to the camera. The monitor has great range via a wireless connection that doesn’t require WiFi (a plus). You can get a clear livestream from separate floors in your home. (We’ve used it in the backyard — just depends on how far you get from the camera).
Room for growth…
Camera light. This is minor, but we found that the small light at the bottom of the camera was a little bright since it faces the crib. We covered it up with black electrical tape and haven’t thought about it since.
Lack of crib mount. The only option for this version is to mount the camera on the wall.
Plays well with…
Parents who are looking for an easy tech option and want to keep a watchful eye on their little one.
People who don’t want to spend more time on their phones. There's no app required.
People concerned about WiFi monitors getting hacked.
Gets extra credit for…
The simple setup. You just need to plug in the camera and turn on the monitor to set it up. The settings are self-explanatory. Once the monitor links with the camera, you won’t have to connect again, even if you unplug the camera.
Durability. Our tester has a 21-month-old who loves to play with the monitor’s antenna, and it’s been dropped who knows how many times. Spoiler alert: It still works.
Value. This is one of the higher-priced baby cameras out there, but it’s worth the investment if you want a reliable option that will last. Bonus: If you have a second baby, you can connect a new camera to the same monitor.
How we did our homework…
Our parenting writer has been using Eufy’s baby camera and monitor daily since her son was born nearly two years ago. She’s even traveled with the camera and monitor when visiting family.
Footnotes…
Has night vision and two-way audio
Can play five lullabies to induce sleep
Not for parents who want to access their baby camera while away from the house. The livestream only works on the monitor, not your phone or any app.
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