Choosing the right baby monitor system is all about personal preference. For some people, clarity and having zero interference is most important. For that crowd, the Philips baby monitor is highly recommended. This system also appeals to people who would like to have features such as lullabies, night lights, the ability to talk back to the baby through their handheld unit and temperature controls. There are probably better options if you are looking for multiple parental receivers or if you need something with baby monitor video capabilities, as this feature is not available with the Philips monitors.
One of the problems with some of the low-end monitors, like the Fisher-Price baby monitor, for instance, is interference. These monitors can pick up everything from cars and police sirens to cordless phone conversations and radio broadcasts. If that’s not bad enough, the static that comes through can make it really hard to discern your baby’s voice out of the chaos. Additionally, neighbors with the same baby monitor brand may even be able to hear your baby too! The Philips monitor is known as the first DECT baby monitor (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications), which ensures crystal-clear quality. There are over 60 secure channels that the monitor can tap into, unlike more primitive systems that just have one or two. Like other digital baby monitors (compared to analog), the Philips baby monitors have secure, encrypted connections so no one else can listen in.
Sometimes it can be terrifying to hear a sudden, shrill baby screech. Light indicators are a useful feature on the Philips baby monitor, which lets you keep the volume turned off but still see how loud your baby is yelling, depending on how many lights flash. To soothe your baby from a remote location, a Philips monitor let you speak to your baby through the parental unit, which functions like a walkie-talkie. You can also cue up five 30-second lullabies from your handheld unit or turn on a night light that projects little stars onto the wall.
There have been a few complaints about the Philips baby monitor on baby monitor reviews sites. One customer mentioned she finds the price tag expensive for a baby monitor system that only has one parental unit, not two. Several others have complained that the night-light feature is “totally useless” and that the volume is way too low, so you will only hear your baby once he or she is screaming. However, the most common complaint is with the battery charger. Not only is the battery life only about two hours, but there have been many reports of dysfunctional cradles that do not charge, of rechargeable batteries that fried and even of melted batteries! Most of these customers paid the full $200 and said they felt royally gypped.