Homiee 720P Wireless Video Baby Monitor review

Features such as high-definition imaging, night vision, two-way audio, lullabies, and a temperature sensor are similar to those offered by other monitors on the market, although its fun and futuristic ‘robot’ design makes it look quite different.

Although the Homiee sits in the higher price bracket (similar to other premium competitors, including the Babymoov Yoo-Travel (£139.99 on Amazon) and the Philips AVENT Digital Video Baby Monitor SCD620 (£175.90 on Amazon), its high-quality features and design make it a very good option for those looking for a solid and reliable video monitor.

Tested by:

Dominic tested the Homiee Wireless Video Baby Monitor with his newborn daughter, Lulu, in London.

What were your first impressions of the Homiee Video Baby Monitor?

I liked its futuristic yet simple robot-like design and its large, high-definition screen – in fact, its 5″ rechargeable LCD screen is larger than those on other monitors you can buy.

How easy was the monitor to set up?

It was very simple and quick. The Homiee arrived and was assembled and ready to use within minutes. The user manual had very clear instructions, but it was mostly a case of plugging it in! The leads even had handy stickers, which showed me which lead belonged to which device. In addition, the monitor and camera didn’t even need to be paired – it comes with this already done.

What features does the Homiee Video Baby Monitor offer?

It offers high-definition pictures and night vision, two-way audio, five lullabies, a temperature sensor and alarm, and a sound detector.

Is it Wi-Fi-enabled?

No. It’s important to note that the Homiee Video monitor does not work on Wi-Fi – unlike some of its competitors. Instead, the monitor and camera are connected wirelessly. This suited us perfectly as it means we don’t have to worry about digital security and privacy. However, the lack of a convenient smartphone app means you’re very much reliant on the monitor.

Is it easy to get the Homiee Video Baby Monitor in the right position?

It depends on the bedroom as you need a ledge to put it on. We live in a small flat in London, and with our daughter sleeping in our bedroom for the first few months, space is limited. We didn’t have a usable ledge to position the camera. Putting it on the windowsill would have meant using books and/or boxes to prop the camera up for the best view of the Moses basket, but this felt a bit precarious, so we dismissed that idea.

We considered buying a universal video monitor holder that attaches to a cot, but with its unique design I don’t think the camera would have worked. In the end, the only option was to buy and install a separate shelf for it. This has worked very well, but having to go to such lengths was a bit annoying. Other buyers may not have the same issues, however.

How easy is it to use?

Very. The settings for the monitor are very limited so there’s not much to get your head around. I read the instruction manual, had a 10-minute play with the settings, got everything as I wanted it, and haven’t gone back to the settings since. For reference, the setting controls relate to the camera, sound detection, temperature alarm, lullabies, sleep mode and a settings button.

Is the camera on the Homiee Video Monitor adjustable?

Yes, very. It rotates by 360 degrees horizontally, and tilts by more than 100 degrees, which gave us with brilliant flexibility. I was able to remotely move the camera from the monitor console to give me the best view of my daughter in the bedroom. Although our daughter usually sleeps in her Moses basket, we can count on the video camera to spot her when we leave her in the Sleepyhead Deluxe+ on our bed.

What is the picture like on the Homiee Video Baby Monitor?

Great. The high-definition (1280 x 720 resolution) imaging on the 5’’ screen is crisp and vivid, so we get a clear view of our daughter when she’s in a different room. Even the Ewan the Sheep that’s attached to our daughter’s Moses basket is perfectly clear on screen!

The Homiee’s clever design means it can move to provide images from many different perspectives. Its ability to pan, tilt and zoom helps to get the best view (although there are only two zoom settings, which is a bit disappointing). When our daughter starts to move around a bit more, and goes into a bigger cot, I suspect this feature will be really handy.

When you use the zoom and night-vision feature, the picture quality becomes slightly grainy, but I think this is to be expected, and it didn’t impact on the usability of the monitor.

How do you rate the night-vision feature?

This is particularly good, providing high-quality imaging with a reach of approximately five metres. It will be very useful for long winter nights.

Can the Homiee Video Baby Monitor watch more than one baby?

Yes, up to 4 cameras can be connected to the monitor for multiple babies. As we only have one baby, we didn’t test this feature, but it sounds useful.

How does the sound detector work?

The monitor includes an alarm, which makes a beeping sound when there are any sounds (cries!) detected. Parents can configure how loud the cries need to be before the alarm is triggered. As new parents, we put it at its most sensitive setting for extra reassurance.

However, a significant criticism about the detector is that its sensitivity is not very consistent. For instance, on occasion, there is a slight delay between when we hear our daughter cry through the audio feature and when the alarm is activated.

Sometimes the delay is quite a few seconds. And there are other times when the alarm is triggered by the front door closing or if one of us walks down the corridor. I find this particularly disconcerting, and it’s easily my biggest criticism of the monitor.

What is the sound quality like on the Homiee Video Baby Monitor and is there a talk-back function?

The sound quality is very good. When our daughter cries, we never miss it and I have not had any issues with sound. As our daughter is still very young, my wife and I tested the ‘talk’ feature. It was very clear, which sometimes led to some funny interactions when one of us was in the bedroom with our baby and the other was watching from afar!

Was there any background noise when using the Homiee Video Baby Monitor?

I didn’t notice any. That said, the bedroom where our daughter sleeps is relatively quiet.

Was there any interference?

We didn’t experience any. The quality has been exceptional and has exceeded expectations.

Does the Homiee Video Baby Monitor have a voice-activation function?

No.

What did you think of the different sounds?

We’re currently trying to establish sleep triggers for our daughter, but we’ve been using white noise rather than lullabies and this is not included in the system. We listened to the songs, but found the sound quality quite tinny and mechanical, and not particularly soft or soothing. As a result, I can’t see us using them. However, from a user point of view, they are very easy to play from the monitor console.

What kind of range does the Homiee Video Baby Monitor claim to have, and does the reality match up?

The website claims the connection has a range of up to 300m in open space. As we live in a small flat with thick walls, I wasn’t able to test this claim, but I was very pleased when the monitor worked from our garden office, which is approximately 25 metres from our bedroom. The range was great for us, and the monitor worked a treat when we were outside in the garden while our newborn slept in the front room.

Tell us about the temperature indicator.

As a new parent I find this helps me decide how to dress my daughter for naps and bedtime. When we tested the accuracy of the sensor by comparing readings with another thermometer in the bedroom, they were consistent, which is reassuring.

The monitor also has a temperature alarm, which sounds useful, but we haven’t been able to test that (fortunately!). Having said that, we used the monitor on the hottest day ever recorded in the UK and the alarm didn’t go off, so I’ve no idea how hot or cold it needs to be to set it off!

Does the Homiee Video Baby Monitor operate on mains or battery?

The Homiee operates on the mains only. The company claims the monitor has a battery life of 4 hours when continuously monitoring, but for us it’s only lasted 2.5-3 hours. This is one of the few downsides of the monitor as I would have hoped for longer battery life. The company says the battery lasts 7 hours in power-saving mode, but we can’t see the point of this mode as we would want the screen on all the time.

The limited battery life means we have to check whether it’s fully charged when we want to use it, and if it isn’t, if there is enough power for how long we’ll be using it. If not, we have to consider if there are power sockets close enough to where we want to use it (for example, in the garden). One good aspect is that it has a loud and repetitive low-battery alarm, so you always know when it needs charging.

What are your favourite features of this monitor?

Its range, its fantastic imaging and night-vision capabilities, its sound alerts (despite my consistency concerns, outlined above), and its flexibility in terms of the camera mobility.

However, despite having lots of features, one thing that’s missing – compared with other monitors in the market – is a breathing monitor. This didn’t particularly bother us as our daughter has no known breathing issues, but it may be a consideration for other parents.

Plus, for all the good things, I feel that some of the features are a waste of time. For example, the “short cut” (a button that takes you back to the screen – it’s pretty simple without it) and the “sleep” button (puts the monitor in ‘sleep’ mode; sounds useful but we’ve either had the monitor on or turned it off). Instead, I’d prefer to have better zooming functionality and a breathing monitor.

What’s in the box?

• Camera
• Monitor
• Power adapters (x2)
• Micro USB power cables
• User manual
• Welcome card

Who would the Homiee Video Baby Monitor be best for?

The Homiee is a great video monitor that would be useful for any parent. As new parents, we found its useful features – from its high-quality imaging to its sound detection – helped put our minds at ease when we brought our new baby daughter home and if we were in a different room from her while she slept. I can see us using the monitor for years to come – definitely for as long as SIDS is a concern. In addition, I think it’ll be very helpful when our daughter moves into her own bedroom in a few months’ time.

Is the Homiee Video Baby Monitor value for money?

The Homiee is comparable with similar multi-featured monitors on the market. I think it is good value for money as it should last us a few years.

Would you recommend it?

Yes, it’s a high-quality video system with multiple useful features that will give parents peace of mind when not in the same room as their baby.

Where can I buy the Homiee Video Baby Monitor?

It's available from Amazon.

MadeForMums verdict:

The Homiee Video monitor is a very practical and useful device for us as new parents. In fact, it’s quickly become an essential item. Although it’s not the cheapest monitor available, I would happily recommend it to those looking for a high-quality video monitoring system.

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