VAVA Baby Monitor Review
I have to admit, I was skeptical. There aren’t many budget monitors out there that I find to be a good value for money. Sure, you can find plenty of cheap baby cameras online, but if the audio and video quality are bad, they aren’t very useful.
Well, I’m happy to report that this is far to be the case with the VAVA monitor. Quite the opposite actually. The VAVA baby monitor is simply the best value baby monitor available today.
In short, the audio and video quality are excellent. The signal range is great. The Camera and monitor are very well built and nicely designed. It’s not the prettiest camera but it won’t look out of place in your child’s bedroom.
If you’re looking for a simple and reliable baby monitor, you won’t go wrong with the VAVA camera. If you can stretch your budget and want extra features, I find the Nanit to be a more complete package with a nicer design, but it’s double the price.
Check my full review below to see why I liked the VAVA monitor so much and if it’s the right one for you.
Our Rating: 9.2/10
Price: $159.99 $179.99
Summary
We Like
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Excellent Plug & Play video quality in our testing
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Comes with all the essential features
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Great video quality
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The signal range is great
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Best value for money
We Don't Like
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No lullabies available
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Volume buttons on the parent monitor would be helpful
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The parent unit feels flimsy
Where to Buy It
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Alternatives
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The Bebcare Motion video monitor if you want a large 4.3-inch display and loads of safety features ($259.00 on Bebcare)
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The iBaby Care M7 if you want the next best Wifi baby monitor at a more affordable price with similar features minus the data-driven insights ($168.86 on Amazon).
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The Infant Optics DXR-8 is the best baby video monitor if you don’t need the Wifi connection ($165.99 on Amazon).
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The Angelcare AC517 if you want a more comprehensive package with breathing and movement monitoring and a larger display ($157.96 on Amazon).
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The Nanit Plus version if you want a HD high definition version of the Nanit ($224.00 on Amazon)
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The Lollipop baby monitor if you want a WiFi camera that has a unique physical design and a good quality camera ($149.00 on Amazon)
Overview VAVA Baby Monitor
Health & Safety
7.5/10
Audio Quality
7/10
Privacy
8/10
Video Quality
10/10
Range
10/10
Battery
7/10
Features VAVA Baby Monitor
Infrared Night Vision
YES
Play Lullabies
NO
Remote Zoom
YES
VOX
YES
Room temperature
YES
Night Lights
YES
Multiple Cameras
YES
Humidity
YES
Video Recording
YES
Two-Way Talk
YES
Remote Pan & Tilt
YES
Our Hands-on Review of the VAVA Baby Monitor
I felt confident with my VAVA camera as soon as I opened its box. The unpacking experience feels surprisingly premium for a budget baby monitor. It immediately feels like a quality product that was designed with care and attention.
That’s not something I say very often about a baby camera.
The VAVA works as soon as you plug in the camera and turn on the parent monitor. There is no complicated setup to do. The picture quality is excellent for a radio monitor at 720p and the 5” display is clear and sharp.
If I didn’t know its price, I would have thought that this was a more expensive baby monitor. I think that’s the best compliment we can give to VAVA.
It’s not all perfect, however. There are two things that I wish were there.
“The unpacking experience feels surprisingly premium for a budget baby monitor.”
Audio and Video quality
The sound and picture quality on the VAVA Baby Monitor are excellent. The video is clear and bright. The night time picture is very good too.
The baby camera comes with a 720p sensor that works well throughout the day and in low light conditions. The parent unit is a 5” monitor that’s perfectly suited to display the high-resolution picture.
The VAVA is a class apart when compared with all the other Plug & Play monitors that we’ve reviewed. The only other monitor that’s on par in terms of picture quality is the Bebcare Motion (we ranked it the best video baby monitor).
The VAVA baby monitor video quality
VAVA camera installation
Installing the baby camera is super easy. You can place it on a shelf or use a flexible tripod to easily find the right angle (I recommend this best-selling inexpensive option from Amazon that works with any camera). That’s about it.
You can get an extra wide-angle lens for the camera if you want, but I found the default lens to be just the right one to keep an eye on my baby’s crib. The wide-angle lens is helpful if you want a second camera to watch the entire room though. The extra lens cost just a few dollars, you can get it here.
You can also purchase additional cameras on Amazon if you want to keep an eye on more than one kid. It’s easy to add new cameras to the parent unit by just selecting the option on the monitor and pair them.
The VAVA Security and Privacy
Because VAVA’s baby monitor uses an encrypted FHSS radio signal, risks of hacking and security breach are minimal. It’s impossible for someone to hack into the monitor via your Wifi connection, they would need to be within signal range. They would also need to be able to decrypt the secured signal.
VAVA Health and Safety
The VAVA camera connects to its parent unit through a wireless 2.4 GHz FHSS connection. It means that an electromagnetic field (EMF) will be constantly emitted from the camera to the monitor in order for you to receive an audio and video feed. We recommend that you read our article on electromagnetic field if you want to understand what it means in terms of health and safety for your baby.
If you want the lowest EMF baby monitor that is the safest for your baby, we recommend the Bebcare Motion digital video baby monitor. Not only is it very safe, but it comes with the best video quality we have seen on a baby monitor.
Installing the VAVA baby unit was easy
VAVA BABY MONITOR: What's in the box
Wondering what’s in the box? Here’s everything that will be included in the standard Nanit package:
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1 x Baby monitor unit (the camera)
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1 x Power Adaptor
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1 x Wall mount base
You can also purchase the Nanit floor stand mount package if you don’t want to drill holes in your wall. Note that it won’t include the wall mount.
VAVA BABY MONITOR PRICE
Alternative Options
-
The Bebcare Motion video monitor if you want a large 4.3-inch display and loads of safety features ($259.00 on Bebcare)
-
The iBaby Care M7 if you want the next best Wifi baby monitor at a more affordable price with similar features minus the data-driven insights ($168.86 on Amazon).
-
The Infant Optics DXR-8 is the best baby video monitor if you don’t need the Wifi connection ($165.99 on Amazon).
-
The Angelcare AC517 if you want a more comprehensive package with breathing and movement monitoring and a larger display ($157.96 on Amazon).
-
The Nanit Plus version if you want a HD high definition version of the Nanit ($224.00 on Amazon)
-
The Lollipop baby monitor if you want a WiFi camera that has a unique physical design and a good quality camera ($149.00 on Amazon)
VAVA Baby Monitor: Most Frequently Asked Questions
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Question: What is the VAVA range?
Answer: The manufacturer says that the VAVA Baby Monitor signal comes with a range of 950ft. We tried the camera in different locations in real-life conditions (with walls and staircases separating the parent unit from the camera), and never experienced any signal issues.
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Question: Can I see more than one camera at a time in split-screen?
Answer: No. While you can add up to four cameras to one parent unit, you will be able to see only one camera at a time. The VAVA Baby Monitor does not have a split-screen mode.
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Question: Can the VAVA Baby Monitor be voice-activated?
Answer: No. The VAVA monitor does not have a VOX mode.
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Question: Can I speak to my baby through the camera?
Answer: Yes. When you use the two-way communication feature, your voice goes to the camera.
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Question: Can the VAVA extra camera be purchased separately?
Answer: Yes. You can use up to four cameras in total with your parent monitor.
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Question: Can I pair one camera with two receivers?
Answer: No. You can pair up to four cameras with one receiver, but not the other way around.
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Question: How is the VAVA temperature accuracy?
Answer: It was always accurate in our tests.
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Question: What is the VAVA baby monitor warranty?
Answer: The VAVA comes with a standard 30 days warranty. We recommend you contact VAVA if you experience an issue with your model after purchase. You can call them during normal office hours or email their customer support team.
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Question: What is VAVA’s customer service number?
Answer: If you’re calling from the US, you can contact VAVA by phone: 1-888-456-8468. You can also email their support team from anywhere in the world at support@vava.com or just visit their website. Their email support center should get back to you within 24 hours.
Model reviewed: VAVA Baby Monitor
Our rating: 9.2 / 10
Summary: The VAVA baby monitor is excellent. It’s the best baby camera under $150. It just lacks a few features, but nothing major. Check our review to see if it’s right for you.
Reviewed by: Emilia Hart
Last updated: August 29th, 2020
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