In a nutshell

This is an efficient and no-nonsense monitor. It doesn’t have a lot of fancy extra features, but it also doesn’t have any of the irritating quirks and funny little ways of many of its competitors.

What we tested

  • Ease of use
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Sound and/or picture quality
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Signal range
    A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.
  • Design
    A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.
  • Durability
    A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.
  • Worth the money
    A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.
Overall Rating
A star rating of 4.6 out of 5.

Pros

  • Good clear picture (especially in the daytime), really easy to set up, at-a-glance traffic light temperature display

Cons

  • Slightly weird feedback sounds, baby unit only works on mains power

Using a baby digital video monitor should be child's play, and in the case of the Summer Secure Sleep Digital Video Monitor with Temp, it certainly was.

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The Secure Sleep Digital Video Monitor with Temp comes from Summer, formerly known as Summer Infant. Summer has around seven monitors to its name, from audio to video to digital. This monitor goes by a few names – on Summer Infant’s own site it’s “Secure Sleep Digital Video Monitor with Temp”. But at Mothercare or Kiddicare, for example, you’ll find it called “SecureSleep Handheld Colour Video Monitor”.

The Secure Sleep Digital Video Monitor with Temp features a colour 4.5cm high definition LCD screen on the parent unit, automatic night vision, and a large disc-like temperature display, so you can ensure the nursery is at the right temp. This display changes colour to warn if it’s too hot (red light), too cold (a blue light), or spot on (yellow light).

This digital monitor automatically switches between more than 100 channels to locate the best connection.

To test how easy the Summer Infant Secure Sleep Digital Video Monitor with Temp was to set up, I recruited Ally, 10, and Rowan, 7, to help get it up and running. I’ve been trying out a few, and within minutes Ally and Rowan declared that it was the best one yet. And in terms of ease of use, the boys (without reference to the instructions) set it up within five minutes.

Actually, I had to agree with them that it was the best one yet. In terms of keeping tabs on their 7-month-old brother Cormac, I love this monitor. Summer Infant says it provides peace of mind for parents, and as it delivers on every level, I’d say it probably does.

But what the older boys really liked was the fact that halfway between the parent and the baby units you get an eerie kind of feedback that makes voices sound very Dr Who!

What we love

On the Summer Infant Secure Sleep Digital Video Monitor with Temp, the picture and sound are clear, especially when viewing a room in daylight.

The 4.5cm screen claims to be high definition and it’s certainly possible to see what Cormac is up to. The temperature reading is very simple and uses a traffic light colour coding system.

To save energy the screen can be turned off at the touch of a button and the parent unit has a stable flip out stand.

What to watch for

When heading upstairs to deal with a wailing baby Cormac, his voice sounds most peculiar while you can still hear the parent unit.

The temperature element obviously reads where it sits in the camera not in the cot and as we have it hanging on a nail on an external wall it reads a couple of degrees cooler than the bit where our baby is sleeping, but we’ve got used to this and adjust accordingly.

The camera (baby) unit only works on the mains, which might limit where it can be fixed although the cable is fairly long.

Who is the Summer Secure Sleep Digital Video Monitor with Temp for?

Parents who want a no-nonsense digital option that allows them to keep visual tabs on their baby.

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MadeForMums verdict

The Summer Secure Sleep Digital Video Monitor with Temp is a really solid, easy-to-use monitor that doesn’t mess about. The at-a-glance temperature display is a handy additional, and as long as you don’t mind your baby occasionally sounding like an alien from outer space, this fuss-free option is a worthy choice.

Product Specifications

Product
BrandSummer Infant
ModelSecure Sleep Digital Video Monitor with Temp
Price£109.99
Signal typeDigital
Features
Video screenYes
Movement sensor padNo
Range outdoors100m
Number of channels100
Sound level indicator lightsYes
Two-way talkbackNo
Night lightNo
Room temperature displayYes
Soothing lullabiesNo
Power supplyBattery and mains
Power supplyMains
Features
  • 4.5cm high definition LCD screen
  • Automatic night vision
  • Automatically locates channel
  • Belt clip
  • Power on indicator
  • Colour temperature gauge
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