Babymoov Simply Care baby monitor review

It’s called ‘Digital Green’ technology and it doesn’t produce any electromagnetic waves as it goes through electrical circuits. None of Babymoov’s range of baby monitors exceeds a transmission power of 10 mW. Babymoov are so confident in the quality of their products they offer a lifetime warranty on them.

According to the company its monitors still give the same performance level as digital technology with clear sound and no interference. But you’ll have the additional ‘benefit’ of low emission power levels.

It’s worth nothing here though, that radio waves and infa-red rays from devices such as baby monitors and Wi-Fi routers have not been linked to health risks or ever been called dangerous.

In fact, the intensity of a Wi-Fi signal (around 100,000 times less intense than a microwave) is considered by the scientific community to be too low to worry about.

And the output from a baby monitor is even lower, so there’s no need to throw out all of your electronics or wrap your house up in tin foil.

Testing the Babymoov Simply Care baby monitor with my three-month-old baby boy Ellis was always going to be interesting, as he refuses to sleep in the daytime.

I was hoping the Babymoov Simply Care Monitor would give me the freedom to let him sleep by himself upstairs in our bedroom so I could get on with exciting things - like housework downstairs.

The monitor is analogue so it’s not particularly fancy. And unlike other digital monitors in the same price range it doesn’t come with any extras, such as a nightlight or temperature display.

But I’ll admit, the fact that it transmits on a lower power of emission does give me extra peace of mind. Especially as I’d read somewhere that babies absorb 60% more electromagnetic waves than adults. And even though scientists may say electronic emissions from Wi-Fi , mobile and radio waves and such are too low to worry about, I’m still concerned about exposing Ellis to the waves.

You can buy the Babymoov Simply Care at House of Fraser or Amazon.

How does the Babymoov Simply Care baby monitor operate?

Usually when it comes to operating gadgets I leave it to my other half to set things up and read the instructions.

Thankfully there isn’t much to the Babymoov Simply Care Monitor so I didn’t have to wade through loads of instructions and it’s pretty intuitive.

The transmitter and receiver both have two channels and there’s a voice activation setting that’s great for saving on the battery power. The hardest part was figuring out which was the transmitter and which was the receiver. In case you’re in any doubt there are pictures on each to point you in the right direction.

At 300 metres the sound range isn’t as far as some of the other monitors on the market, so you wouldn’t for example be able to use it outside. But as I live in a flat in London, and don’t have a garden, this wasn’t an issue for me.

What’s the sound quality like?

Although it uses low emission power levels I was impressed that there wasn’t much by way of interference.

The only time interference became a problem was when I switched the receiver on at full volume and I was quite close to the transmitter.

Compared to other monitors I’ve tried in the past, like the Tommy Tippee Closer to Nature DECT Sound baby monitor, the sound quality isn’t as good in terms of clarity.

With the Babymoov Simply Care Monitor I couldn’t always differentiate between whether Ellis was crying, making noise or just having a chat with himself.

What about background noise?

Getting Ellis to sleep often proves tricky but playing white noise - his favourite is an airplane cabin - sometimes works. The Babymoov Simply Care Monitor does pick it up in the background, possibly because the white noise device isplaced quite close to it.

But once I adjusted the volume and turned it down a little the monitor couldn’t pick it up any more. I also tested it out with my partner. He went into the bedroom and whispered something to me but the receiver didn’t pick it up.

Does the voice activation feature work?

Yes, it does. Each monitor uses four AAA batteries so I really like that the voice activation feature saves power. And it kicks in every time Ellis cries or makes a noise.

So how long do batteries last in this monitor?

The monitor uses a fair amount of batteries, eight AAA in total #gulp.

After taking the batteries out of various appliances I just about had enough to get it working. Almost as soon as I’d put the batteries in and started using the monitor the low battery indicator changed to a green/amber light, which meant the batteries were running low.

So I decided to buy some rechargeable batteries to be on the safe side. There is also the option to use the mains to power the monitor but the adaptor isn’t included so you’d need to buy it separately.

How portable is it?

Very, the Babymoov Simply Care Monitor has a handy clip so you can attach it to your clothes while you walk around the house. Or, if you prefer, you can always just carry it as it’s quite light.

Would you recommend the Babymoov Simply Care Monitor?

Yes. If like me you can’t be bothered with gadgets that have lots of fancy, and often irrelevant functions, this is perfect.

It’s so easy to use and it does what it says on the tin, lets you know you’re baby is awake. And because it uses low power emission you don’t need to worry as much about exposing your little one to harmful digital waves – one less thing to feel guilty about!

Is it value for money?

Yes, at £29.99 it’s a bargain! But you do get what you pay for in that the functionality is basic. Saying that, all I wanted this monitor to do was tell me when Ellis was asleep and it suited my purpose fine.

What’s in the box?

• Transmitter
• Receiver

Any additional extras?

• No

Made for Mums verdict?

The Babymoov Simply Care Monitor is stylish, even if it is not the swankiest of monitors on the market.

But if you’re on a budget, or concerned about exposing your little ones to digital waves, it’s just the thing.

Read more:

• Buyer's guide to baby monitors
• 10 of the best baby monitors
• 7 of the best co-sleepers