Best baby monitor cameras for travel or the home

Whether you have a newborn or know someone who does, a good baby monitor can be both freeing and reassuring, helping keep an eye on the little ones as they rest.

But with so many to choose from with varying brands, capabilities and prices, it can be hard to know which work best in practice. So we put nine of the best baby cameras to the test across three different categories for travel or home. Here are the ones that delivered.

Price: £139.99

With a sturdy parent unit and two cameras for split-screen capabilities, the Babysense V43 performs impressively pretty much across the board. The parent unit is user-friendly with responsive buttons and a logical, well-labelled menu. The built-in lullabies are a little old-fashioned and tinny, and while it displays room temperature it does not show the time. The Babysense is wifi-free, making it safe from remote hackers. Its 300-metre wireless range means the parent unit, which can be used on battery or mains, can be taken outside ready for warmer months. Notably, none of these features waned or stalled when two cameras were connected during testing.

Settings for each camera can be tailored individually, and switching between camera feeds is almost instantaneous. Up to four cameras can be used with one parent unit with additional purchases. The battery lasts about 10 hours in eco-mode, which pauses sound and video on the parent unit if the camera detects no sound for 30 seconds. A spare or replacement battery costs £5.99.

The base of each camera has a pleasant orange night light, while the lens pans, swivels 360 degrees and zooms quickly and smoothly. The motor, while not silent, did not disturb a sleeping baby. Panning is controlled via the parent unit, meaning there is no need to fiddle with camera angles once initial setup is complete. The cameras can be wall-mounted using the screws and wall plugs included, but easily lifted away for travel purposes.

Verdict: A comprehensive package that offers genuine flexibility, with smooth panning, speedy connection and an impressive range without the need for wifi.