Hi Mamas!!!
I am now looking to buy my 3rd "set" of monitors, for my ONLY child! aggghhh! I feel like we have always been very good with research and bought well reviewed monitors but they always have VERY short range, can't sit in garden with it on in my sons room as it keeps on cutting out, also lots of static noises... PLEASE PLEASE help I would like to make this my last monitor purchase....
Thank you so much in advance for your advice
I LOVE Philips Avent DECT monitors. I bought one with my first child (now 6) and then again when i had my second (now 2). there is no interference guaranteed. I have taken mine to my neighbors and sat there and once accidentally brought it 6 houses down and it still worked. It is pricier but for the price you've paid for 3 you can get 1. I also love it because you can set up the sensitivity. so you can hear every little thing in the room or set it to only go off when they cry. I tried 2 others for my 2nd baby before going back to Avent and it didn't come close. I don't think you can get it in the stores. I bought mine online. it also monitors the temperature in the room but i don't really use that feature.
I second the Philips Avent DECT monitor. We have had great success with ours (going on 2 years) and have received great support from the company as well. Best deal we found was on Amazon.
I have the Vtech Dect 6.0. I love it. It has fondly been dubbed "The Egg" because the portable part looks like an egg.
I've dropped it so many time that for awhile I thought I would have to buy a new on, nope keeps going. It's super clear and easy to use. It's great if you don't want to constantly to hear everything that is going on in the room you can turn down the sensitivity and it it will only send noise when the baby is crying. I have the sensitivity turned up all the way because I'm paranoid like that.
I have lived in SEVERAL different houses the past year and all will different levels of outside interferance, electrical wires everywhere, different square footage, I've gone outside and worked, gone to the garage where there is tons of thick concrete walls, I could still hear my son loud and very clear.
I really l like mine.
When I thought that this one was dying, I was very much planning on buying another one, I love it that much. Oh and I've had mine for about a year now.
I have a son with epilepsy.
We've been using the following intercoms from Radio Shack for a little over 7 years. (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2464775) They still work as they did when we first purchased them.
We never have trouble with static. The range is great. I'm able to take them all over the house and outside with no problems.
You are able to put an intercom in the child's room and press "Lock" which locks it in an always "on" position. Then you can continuously monitor the room. Another feature I like in our situation is that he can hit the "Talk" button at any time to call for help.
Initially, I was stuck in the "baby monitor" mode. When I started looking outside of an actual baby monitor, I found there are many versatile, reliable options.
I have the Sony Baby Call monitor and I love it.
I highly, wait strongly, urge you to get the angel care monitor.
http://www.angelcare-monitor.com/United-States/en/home
My cousin lost her son to SIDS, and the movement-sensor on this monitor would have let her know he had stopped breathing.
We used ours and then gave to a friend, and plan to get it back for our next one. It's pricey, but they are really worth it. Maybe you could donate it in a year or so when you're done with it! The monitor has a great range and is pretty non-static as well.
We have had the Summer Infant "Best View" for over a year now. Love it! Video is great, sound is almost too much. Love that I can move the camera around to follow my son as he never stays in one place while sleeping. I also love that it can zoom in so I can get a better view. I've taken it out in the yard to do yard work while he sleeps and it works fine.