In-depth reviews guided by a Pediatrician

Arlo Baby Review

Good for long term use if you already own other Arlo products
Top Pick Award
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Price:   $200 List | $209 at Amazon
Pros:  Good visuals, lots of features, easy to use
Cons:  Sound could be better, harder setup
Manufacturer:   Arlo
By Wendy Schmitz, and BabyGearLab Review Team  ⋅  Aug 1, 2019
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81
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#5 of 16
  • Range - 20% 10
  • Sound Clarity - 20% 5
  • Video Quality - 30% 8
  • Ease of Use - 15% 8
  • Battery life - 10% 10
  • Features - 5% 9

The Skinny

The Arlo Baby is a high-end Wi-Fi monitor with cool baby-centric features. This monitor can be used for a nanny cam or security when your child outgrows the need for monitoring, making it great for long term use which is why we gave it a nod for being notable. This camera has cute bunny ears, internet range, battery use potential (the only one in this review!), and is easy to use. With an average price for a Wi-Fi monitor, this unit won't break the bank, but it is going to cost more than some of the competition. While we like the app for monitoring, we struggled to use it for setup and eventually switched to the computer for the initial connection. Less tech-savvy folks might consider this a deal-breaker, but if you start there, we think you'll be up and running without worries. We think most parents will be fond of the Arlo and its features. Also, parents who already own Arlo products will find it works on the same app as their other products, giving parents a one and done baby monitor/security system.

Compare to Similar Products

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Our Analysis and Test Results

The Arlo company is a camera monitoring company that takes security seriously with products for indoor, outdoor and baby monitoring. With battery-operated cameras, the Arlos are easy to install almost anywhere and give you peace of mind when and where you need it. The Arlo Baby is their only baby monitoring device and comes with a cute bunny outfit and air quality sensors not found on the other Arlo options.

Wi-Fi Monitor Tips

  • Buy your monitor from a retailer with an easy return policy in case your internet is not adequate for camera use.
  • Test your monitor immediately to ensure that it works well in your home.
  • We recommend that you use a separate device for baby monitoring so you can stay connected even if you get a phone call.
  • Always change the password it comes with. This practice makes it harder for hackers to take control of your monitor.

Performance Comparison


The Arlo Baby is a Wi-Fi monitor that works well especially in conjunction with other Arlo products.
The Arlo Baby is a Wi-Fi monitor that works well, especially in conjunction with other Arlo products.

Range


The Arlo will work anywhere you have internet capability. The camera connects to Wi-Fi as does the parent device you provide. While you can use your primary smartphone, we suggest using a secondary device to avoid conflicting phone calls that will stop monitoring. This makes the Arlo good for larger homes, homes with more than 4 walls or a lot of interference that could make using a dedicated camera difficult.

The decibel level for the sound relayed from the Arlo was tested for comparison to the competition.
The decibel level for the sound relayed from the Arlo was tested for comparison to the competition.

Audio / Visual


Sound is critical for a video monitor to work well as it is the sound of a baby crying that alerts parents to the need to look at the screen for more information. None of the Wi-Fi monitors offer the best sound, but the Arlo is slightly better than other high ranking Wi-Fi options in this review. Arlo has a maximum of 93 dB and the sound is always on with no adjustability beyond volume control. The overall sound is hollow without a significant range of tones but it still has reasonable clarity so you can tell what is happening in your baby's room.

The full view image for the Arlo is similar to real-life in both clarity and color.
Daylight images using the Arlo show relatively clear features on baby's face and the eye chart is readable.

Video quality for the Arlo is pretty good, not as good as some of the Wi-Fi competition. However, we suspect most parents will be beyond content with the visual images the Arlo transmits and they are better than all of the dedicated monitors we tested. The clarity of the images is good, but the color is slightly off from real life and while not so bad as to change the way things look or give the illusion of a sick baby, it is different.

With the main field of view for the Arlo the features are visible and the room looks similar to real life.
A zoomed-in image on the Arlo shows muddled features and an unreadable eye chart.

The night images are also nice with even light and no hot spots and enough clarity to see if the baby's eyes are open or closed.

The Sync button for Wi-Fi connection for the Arlo is located on the side of the camera.
The Arlo has a nightlight and sounds that can be initiated via the camera.

Ease of Use


The Arlo is easy enough to use losing a couple of points for a frustrating setup experience. In general, the Arlo has a user-friendly interface on its app and with a little practice, parents will have no trouble navigating the app and using the camera the way they hope. The app is pretty intuitive and most of what you need is on the main screen. The app continues to work even when minimized but will not work if you are on a phone call. Arlo continues to send alerts even when closed out of the app. The most alerts of any of the Wi-Fi monitors yet.

During setup, we struggled with getting a connection using the app and eventually gave up connecting the camera using our computer instead. We recommend parents start with setup on a computer before downloading and logging into the app on a different device to avoid a similar hassle.

Battery Life


The Arlo also performs well for battery life earning high marks for the battery life of the camera, something most monitors don't offer. The camera will work for up to 6 hours with regular use. The parent device battery life depends on the device you use and what else it is running in the background or what apps are simultaneously being used.

The Arlo Baby uses the same app as other Arlo products giving parents an opportunity to expand existing security systems. The app is user-friendly and relatively intuitive.
The Arlo Baby uses the same app as other Arlo products giving parents an opportunity to expand existing security systems. The app is user-friendly and relatively intuitive.

Features


The Arlo has more baby-centric features than many of the Wi-Fi monitors we reviewed that did not include movement monitoring features.

The Arlo Baby comes with mounting feet for table top setup.
The Arlo comes with a bunny hat to make it more interesting for baby and nursery-friendly.

  • Lullabies and white noise
  • Smart Multi-Colored Night Light
  • Two-way talk
  • Air sensors
  • Crying alerts
  • Motion and sound alerts
  • Go untethered (battery operable)
  • Works with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant

The Arlo EMF is the very low relative to the competition in this review making it a good choice for parents concerned with EMF exposure.
The Arlo EMF is the very low relative to the competition in this review making it a good choice for parents concerned with EMF exposure.

Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Levels


EMF is present in all Wi-Fi products and the Arlo is no different. We test each product to see how they compare to one another. With the potential for outside EMF influences, we aren't saying these values are absolute, only that each value was recorded under the same conditions for comparison purposes. When tested, the Arlo baby had an average of 0.75 V/m when placed 6 feet from the baby's head. This value is the lowest in the group making it a good option for anyone concerned about their baby's EMF exposure. Generally, EMF exposure decreases the further you get away from the monitor. Placing your camera as far away from your baby as possible without impacting performance is ideal.

The Arlo baby comes with a wall-mount plate.
The Arlo baby comes with a wall-mount plate.

Security/Privacy Concerns


Arlo offers additional information on how they handle security and privacy issues and technology.

Arlo states:
Being pro-active rather than re-active to emerging security issues is a fundamental belief at Arlo. Arlo strives to keep up-to-date on the latest security developments by working with both security researchers and partners. We appreciate the community's efforts in securing Arlo products.

To protect users, Arlo does not publicly announce security vulnerabilities until fixes are available. Once fixes are available, security updates are released automatically to all connected Arlo devices, Arlo mobile applications and Arlo Services.

Keep Your Monitor Safer

  • Always update the firmware, even with a new camera
  • Alter the monitor's default password immediately
  • Your password should be complex and include numerals and special characters and be at least 8-10 characters long
  • All passwords should be changed frequently
  • Limit the camera's field of view to only what you need
  • Unplug the monitor; don't just turn it off, as most Wi-Fi options can be turned on remotely

Manufacturer Video



— Wendy Schmitz, and BabyGearLab Review Team