Philips Avent Digital Video Monitor (SCD 603)

The first thing I learned when shopping for a new baby is that there are an overwhelming amount of choices! Seriously—a lot. Each and every product boasts its own unique feature,s so it can be hard to tell what you really need and what is just fluff. All those super cute Pinterest checklists I read told me I need like a thousand things for the new bundle of joy, so I spent nine months researching and reading, trying to figure out what I do and don’t need.

A baby monitor made the cut of must have items, and I was lucky to receive one from my grandma at my baby shower. I had been using that monitor for a few weeks when I was given the chance to review the Philips Avent Digital Video Monitor (SCD 603). The assembly was super easy, the instructions came with a quick guide, so I just followed the pictures and had it set up in a matter of minutes! The camera runs on wall outlet power, and the handheld monitor screen has a rechargeable battery. I plugged them in, and once the handheld monitor was charged, we were good to go.

The baby monitor camera works well in daylight and at night, thanks to infrared technology, and the audio is crystal clear. The monitor camera has two nice features that are icing on the cake. The camera itself illuminates like a night-light, and it also plays a choice of three lullabies. Both the nightlight and music feature are most effective in close range—the night-light output is very dim, and the music is very soft (there’s no volume control). I like that they’re not overpowering (it’s a night-light, not an overhead light, after all!), but you’ll want to position the camera relatively close to baby to make them worthwhile.

The camera does not have a zoom feature, so again, positioning the camera close to the baby is ideal. With the camera at about 8 feet away, I can see my baby move her arms and legs, but it’s hard to tell whether her eyes are open or closed.

The handheld screen is almost 2 ½ inches and has a kickstand that doubles as a clip, similar to a cell phone belt clip. It’s nerdy, sure, but it’s really is nice for when you have your hands full—which for me is pretty much all the time, thanks to my new sidekick! The handheld screen also has a battery-saving feature you can turn on, so it only turns the monitor screen on when it is activated by noise. With the TV on in the background, it would not pick up on that noise, but when baby would start to fuss (or when my dogs barked!), it would turn on. This feature definitely seems savvy, as I only had to charge the unit once in three weeks.

Here’s the bottom line: This monitor is great for use in small space or in a room that you can position the camera close to your baby. The audio and video are clear, and the whole thing is easy to set up and equally easy to use.

Price: $220
To buy: philips.us/avent