The Snuza Go is an affordable portable option that is good for travel. This option is the least expensive wearable we reviewed, and it has a simple user interface we like. This monitor attaches directly to your baby's diaper and senses movement through a soft, flexible sensor that touches the infant's abdomen. It has no parent unit and relies on an in nursery, audible alarm from the monitor. This product requires no initial setup or crib modification and is ready to use right out of the box, assuming the battery hasn't died. While this monitor is good for travel and less expensive than other wearables, reviewers did experience more false alarms than most, and many users received new monitors with dead batteries. This unit isn't as reliable for older more mobile babies as it loses contact with the abdomen during sleep, but it can work well for younger babies. If you want a parent unit or a monitor that doesn't alert inside the nursery, then you should look elsewhere. If price and portability are your primary concern, the Go is a great option.
Snuza Go Review
Pros: Portable, affordable, simple, no EMF
Cons: False alarms, no parent unit, difficult to attach, alarm could be scary
Manufacturer: Snuza
The Skinny
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Snuza Go and the Snuza Hero are small, portable movement detecting monitors, manufactured by Biosentronics cc., out of South Africa. Snuza has been designing and producing baby movement monitors since 2007. Using bio-sensory technology, they alert parents when the baby's movement has stopped indicating breathing may have also stopped. Snuza was the first baby technology company to launch a successful portable baby movement monitor, and they are currently the largest selling portable baby movement monitor in the world.
Performance Comparison
The Snuza Go performed well compared to the competition we used in our hands-on test period.
Reliability
The Go has some trouble with reliability and couldn't match that of the mattress sensor pad monitors. We experienced more false alarms with the monitors that attached to the diaper than the mattress sensor pad as it can and does become dislodged from the baby's stomach which prevents it from working properly. Online reviewers report similar results. When used on infants that are unable to roll over, generally less than 6 months of age, we had very few false alarms. Once an infant is able to roll, false alarms became more frequent. Attaching the unit directly to the diaper under a one-piece sleeper reduced the incidence of false alarms, but they were still frequent enough to be disruptive and you now have to remove clothing to turn off the monitor and alarm.
This monitor can be programmed to alert at different time intervals without movement. We like this feature because it allows the user to set their own threshold for a time period with no movement. An optional audio tick feature will sound with each movement, letting you know that the monitor is working and the infant is moving. Some users may like this feature, but the noise can be disturbing and upsetting to infant trying to sleep.
Ease Of Use
The design of the Go is simple, but using it can be a challenge. The Go is ready to use straight out of the box. It does not require any crib modifications or setup like an under the mattress monitor. This wearable has two buttons including the "on/off" and "function" selections. It has indicator alert lights for status or low battery. The Go requires the user to attach the monitor to the diaper or clothing every time the infant goes down for a nap. We found it to be inconvenient to attach the monitor to the diaper because it often means removing clothing to get to the diaper. The company states that a thin layer of clothing may be between the sensor and the abdomen, but we found that anything between the sensor and the skin increased the incidence of false alarms. The best way to use the Go is to attach it to the diaper and turn it on before the infant falls asleep. If you wait until your child is asleep, you run the risk of awakening them while clipping the monitor to the diaper. If there is clothing over the unit, then you cannot access the on/off button, see the indicator lights, and the alarm will be harder to hear.
Portability
This monitor is very pack-able and travel-friendly making it one of the most portable products we considered. The Go comes with a hard plastic case so you can carry it in your pocket or diaper bag, and it only takes up about as much space as a pacifier. Unlike the sensor pad units we tested, you can use it in any stationary napping location (it will not work in a moving car seat or stroller). For parents who travel extensively, or whose children sleep in multiple different places, this is an excellent option.
Electromagnetic Field (EMF)
The Go didn't emit any EMF (Volts/meter) in our tests with readings identical to the ambient EMF. In our opinion, this makes the Go preferable to the Monbaby Smart Button with EMF readings of 2.3 V/m and the Owlet Smart Sock 2 with a reading greater than 6 V/m.
Other Versions
- The Snuza Hero is similar to the Go but offers a vibration feature that wakes baby gently to encourage movement instead of a loud alarm. While the Hero can give off an audible alarm if baby doesn't respond to the vibration we like the idea that there is a way to avoid the audible alarm and unnecessary upset that often comes with a loud alarm in the middle of the night.
— Juliet Spurrier, MD and BabyGearLab Review Team