When shopping around for a baby monitor, you will find you have two primary choices. Keep in mind that baby monitors come in a large variety of colors, offer various features, sizes, and so on but as far as type, there are two types. First, you have the plug-in unit and second, the wireless monitor.
Many people will still go with a plug-in baby monitor but if we recommend you go with wireless for a number of reasons. For one thing, a wireless baby monitor provides you much more freedom and mobility. With this, you can easily and conveniently move about the house inside or outside. This type of flexibility is what most parents prefer. With the plug-in baby monitor style, you would be limited to where you could go.
One consideration for buying a baby monitor has to do with size. Too often, people will buy the biggest they can find, believing the bigger the monitor the better. Although the base unit could be large, you would probably prefer a smaller receiver, one that can be carried around and is not overly cumbersome. In fact, if you shop for portable baby monitors, most manufacturers include a belt clip along with the monitor purchase.
You will also find that wireless baby monitors come with an option of both audio and video. This way, you can hear the movement of the baby, as well as enjoy visual. For this, you would have a choice of colored or black and white. Keep in mind that while the colored systems are more elaborate and fun, they also cost more money. Of course, the quality of the picture produced will vary dramatically from one baby monitor to another. Therefore, we suggest you choose one with a low-light picture, which is affordable and sufficient.
Then, look for a baby monitor that offers good range. After all, you would not want to be limited to where you could go, which would defeat the purpose of getting the monitor in the first place. For the microphone, this needs to be ultra-sensitive. That way, even the smallest of sounds can be heard. Multiple channels on the monitor are also beneficial. With this, you would not hear interference of other things that use radio frequency. Finally, while not a necessity, you might consider a baby monitor that has a radio and/or alarm clock. With these features, you can rock the baby to music or keep track of time, saving you from buying additional equipment for the nursery.