What we love
With most video monitors, the camera can only be adjusted up and down, but the one on the Summer Infant Best View can also swivel from side to side – and almost 360 degrees at that. And you don’t even need to be in the room to make these adjustments, as the remote control function on the parent unit will do it all for you. There’s also a 2x zoom capacity, so you can home in on junior without entering the room.
With a range of up to 106.7m/350ft, you’ll be able to pick up images of your little one sound asleep from anywhere in the house – if you go out of range, a message will flash on the screen. During the day images will be in glorious colour while from a darkened room the automatic night vision gives black and white images.
Thanks to digital technology, there’s no need to worry about finding the right channel (the machine will do this for you) and privacy is assured. The LCD screen is only 15cm/2.5in, but as the picture is clear this isn’t a problem. The parent unit runs on rechargeable batteries (included), which last for up to 10 hours if not connected to the mains. There’s a belt clip for portability and LED lights to show to show if noise is being made (so you can turn the volume down).
The baby unit looks a little like a robot with its swivelling camera head. You can sit it on a tabletop or mount it to the wall if desired. This is just a camera with LED lights for night vision: there is no nightlight or temperature indicator.
The remote control camera is great, as it means you can pan, scan and zoom across the entire nursery from the comfort of your lounge – ideal if you have twins or siblings sharing a room, so you can keep an eye on both of them without the need for extra camera units (and you can check whether the cat’s sneaking in uninvited). The light indicators on the parent unit mean you can turn the volume down and avoid feedback. Setting up also takes less than five minutes. All this plus clear sound and vision puts the Summer Infant Best View Digital Video Monitor one step ahead of other video monitors.
What to watch out for
The screen is a bit small (though this helps portability), and although intended for use hand-held, the belt clip on the parent unit is a little bulky and awkward to use. The addition of a nightlight on the baby unit would have been welcome. It’s not ugly (in fact, the combination of robot plus walkie-talkie is quite cute), but the styling veers towards 1970s sci-fi (think Star Trek), which may not be your cup of tea. At almost £150, it’s not a cheap option.
Who is the Summer Infant Best View Digital Video Monitor best for?
Parents who want to keep a close eye and an ear on their little ones. Especially good for parents of twins or sharing siblings.
This is a very clever monitor, with its remote-controlled camera unit that can scan the entire room, and sound and vision are of good quality. A bigger screen would be welcome, as would a nightlight on the baby unit for the price.
