VTech BM2500

It’s ok.. but if you can afford to buy better than do! – -Overall range and coverage is ..okay.. could be better. -Audio & image is pretty average, there are better available for same or similar price. -Is the monitor reliable? Yes, I have been able to rely on it for the most part (will explain more further down). -Is the monitor is easy to set up? Yes. -Is the menu easy to navigate? Yeah reasonably.. … Read more

So I was able to sit outside with the parent handset and still have coverage, but I couldn’t go very far.

The audio, I have had no real issues with, I was unable to block out white noise coming through the parent handset, but I could hear baby making soft sounds like when waking up, and I could hear the fan or soft sound of our Lula Doll, and the loud cry/scream sounds of baby were very clear. The Image, I could see baby both in dark and light, however, the screen would flick black (no image) sometimes briefly & sometimes close to a minute.

I have been able to rely on this monitor for the most part, however as stated above, the flicking of the screen happened often, but also, the parent handset had to always be on charge, even from the day I purchased the monitor set, it never held charge, so at times when I thought I’d plugged it in properly but hadn’t I would often find baby had been crying and would check the monitor only to find it had gone flat, I find that unreliable.

The monitor is very easy to set up and pair, the menu at first was a bit confusing, but I managed to work it out quite quickly.

My overall experience and opinion is, this monitor is ok, but if you can afford to go better, I recommend spending that bit more.

I have just purchased a new baby monitor, same brand different model (the parent handset on the BM2500 was knocked off the counter accidentally and the screen cracked and we no longer have view of baby), since setting up the new baby monitor, already I have noticed a much clearer screen, much better audio and options to lessen the sounds in the background, the parent handset has the option to save power by turning video off and also the video can switch on for brief time frame of baby makes a sound. The was a $1 difference in cost between these monitors, so I would recommend going the BM2700 monitor (the new one I just purchased) over the BM2500.

Don’t waste you’re money – Battery life of parent unit is max 2-3 hours. Screen goes blank while trying to check on baby, doesn’t pick up noise until baby is screaming even when sensitivity is on the highest setting. Poor projection angle, can’t even see all of baby. Show details

Because parents can afford to waste money – The parent unit has been faulty from day 1 not picking up crying until baby is screaming so I hear him before the monitor most times also battery lasted maybe 20ish minutes so bought a replacement battery turns out the actual parent unit is faulty and won't fully charge the battery as the replacement worked for the first 2 hours then did the same… Read more

as the original unit constantly beeps through the night even while on charge.

Invest in a more proven brand if you have doubts the extra money is worth it.

There are better products out there – I do not understand why they felt the need to have the camera SO zoomed in. I pretty much need to mount it on the other side of the room to get enough of the cot into the screen. STUPIDEST IDEA EVER. The rechargeable battery on the parent unit only lasts about 30 minutes which is utter unhelpful.... Unless your kid is a chronic catnapper.. no thanks. So you pretty much need to keep it plugged in the whole time just to be safe.

Waste of money does not work – The audio cuts in and out and you can not hear when your baby cries then it will randomly work for a few seconds then cuts out again complete waste of money. Not reliable at all and the picture is horrible all pixilated and cant make anything out. DO NOT BUY THIS.

Do not even bother, worst monitor I’ve ever had – I don’t typically get on review spots to whinge about products but please let me help you spend your hard earned money elsewhere. The monitor is just the worst! For the good part, setting it up wasn’t too hard and the look of it is okay even though the picture is small and not the best. But the constant un-pairing and lack of reliability is more… Read more

than I can cope with. I followed all directions 100% and worked through the troubleshooting over and over. There is no technical fault, it is just a bad machine all around. Every single time I use it, it unpairs randomly and often wakes me at night beeping because it unpaired. The sound is not reliable and doesn’t always kick on when she wakes, even in constant pic mode with sensitivity turned all the way up. I am returning to Kmart-have had for 2 weeks. I will also advise them how terrible it is and they should re-think this being their only available baby monitor. Buy anything else, seriously. A cup connected to another cup with string would be better than this!

awful don't waste your money – The monitor turns on continually (like every 30-45secs) and crackles makes intermitted sounds and flashes a symbol to say we have no reception while beeping at us. When our baby is actually crying/making noise it doesn't turn on. Perhaps the most annoying thing we own. DO NOT BUY - you were warned! Spend the money and buy a better quality monitor.

Useless – Does not detect when the baby is making noise, I have it set to maximum noise sensitivity & I wake up to the sound of my toddlers scream through the walls before the monitor lights up & shows me baby, it's like not even having a monitor at all, total waste of money! I wish I could return it but I only located my receipt after targets 28 day return policy

Given to us a present, worked greater than what we expected – This baby monitor was given to my wife and i as a present and far exceeded our expectations. The camera quality was good enough to clearly see our baby, when she cried, we heard her. The only problem we found is the re-chargable battery that was supplied with unit, never fully charged,had to be pretty much plugged in when ever you needed it cause it will turn off, once flat. Manageable.

Totally useless – Bought this as as I wanted a monitor with both video and audio but at a reasonable price. Now totally regretting. Poor image quality and infrared camera just shows a blob where the baby is. Poor Audio, cuts in only after baby has been crying for a while. Range is pathetic and battery life limited.

Everything about this unit is wrong! – The audio keeps cutting in and out. Battery life on unit is poor also maximum 1hr if that! Cannot safely leave the house to hang out washing because I wouldn't know if my baby was crying or not. For the money it's not worth it. Very disappointed in this unit

pleasantly surprised – I read many bad reviews for this monitor and reluctantly purchased it because it was the only one at the time that I could afford or access. And it's not that bad at all. Yes, it has a very small screen. So I have mounted it up high on the wall, about 30cm lower than the ceiling (the highest that I can still reach the controls standing on a… Read more

chair). Now I can see the entire cot, and I can clearly see my baby both day and night. I can zoom in if needed, but I usually don't. The monitor comes able to be easily mounted. Mine is on two push pins, for minimal damage to the wall.

The image quality is about as good as what you would get from most monitors, especially at night. The display can be difficult to see in light or at certain angles however.

The sound quality is worse than on vtech's sound only device, it is quite tinny, but that isn't a problem for me as I rely mostly on what I can see (I am deaf).

I love that you can set it so the screen comes on when it detects sound (and you can adjust the level of sound sensitivity too). At night, I feel more confident that I will wake as the light from the screen is so bright, it always wakes me up, when often the sound would not. It also means you are more easily able to sleep as the light isn't always on.

There is a talk function and a lullaby function. The lullabies are actually not bad, although they are quite short (one bar of twinkle twinkle for example!)

It also shows you the temperature of your baby's room, which is extremely handy as our house gets hotter and colder than the min/max temperatures forecast for our area and our baby's room is also markedly different in temperature even to the room next to it. It takes some of the second guessing out of the equation and lets me know without having to get up, whether I need to go and put an extra layer on my baby.

I do wish it came with a stand. The overseas model identical to this one has a stand. At the moment I have it stuck in a wodge of blutak because it can be stood up but is constantly falling over.

Overall, I'm really happy with it. If we had another baby, I'd definitely get another, although I'd not try to see both on the one screen (you can do that), it's too small. I'd just take two parent monitors around with me.

Budget monitor average quality – The monitor does it’s job. Te image quality is very average but enough to see what is going on. Very narrow camera angle though so you need to really nail positioning and still when baby moves it can move out of sight in the screen if the camera stands pretty close to the cot. Sounds works OK, it’s just a bit delayed. Monitor was very easy to set… Read more

up and easy to use.

My problem is the battery. It doesn’t last longer than 2-3h and I have to charge it again even though I did the first charging according to the instruction provided. Very annoying.

it was a cheap one so I didn’t expect much. If not for the battery I would say you get what you pay for.

So unclear – The image quality is so poor that all I can see of my baby is a black blob for his head. I have no idea if he is asleep or awake from the image. The camera itself can only be angled up and down not left and right so if you actually fix it to a wall with the hook holes then it has to be perfectly in place and your baby has to be in the exact same spot in the cot. Really not happy with this monitor at all.

Awful. Don't buy! – This monitor is terrible. The sound stops working and doesnt reactivate when baby is crying and the screen goes black randomly, my daughter wears a breathing alarm and I wouldn't hear it if it alerted me that her breathing had stopped. I'll be getting my money back in the morning. Worst monitor ever.

Don’t buy it – The quality of this monitor is so poor we ended up getting a full refund and went and bought a more expensive brand which works so much better. The sound quality is so bad that my baby was crying and I could hear her from the next room before the monitor ever picked up anything. The picture quality is also terrible. You could barely make out what bubs was doing let alone recognising if they are awake or asleep.

Very durable, does everything it needs to do – We bought the monitor second hand and it does everything it needs to do. The picture quality is a little grainy but your still clearly able to see baby. Picks up sound in her room (can hear clock ticking) and alerts when baby makes sound fast enough.. My daughter has thrown the parent unit around the entire house, she has left it in a bucket of… Read more

water for however long, she quite often whacks it on the ground and it continues to work perfectly. I have been quite impressed. Range is ok without too many obstructions and can reach up to 100m. My daughter falls asleep instantly to the music it plays and that helps as a cue to sleep as well. Love that I can turn that on from the parent unit as well. Only negative I've had is the small screen, it has to be quite far away for it to be able to see the entire cot. Overall, does the job it needs to and has lasted well. Not too sure how old it is either.

Horrible – We bought this monitor while pregnant. When we used it, the camera is ordinary, the sound is distorted. The baby has to be crying hysterically before the camera will pick up the noise. I would not recommend this camera to anyone. It was a waste of 100 dollars that i wont get back.

Works when necessary – Camera vision is ordinary. Sometimes goes white & i cant see anything, very grainy. I keep parent unit plugged in. The sound doesn't come thru until baby's wailing quite loud which can actually be a good thing so you aren't woken up with every sound but not good if you have a newborn. Got it for an 8 month old and it works as we need it to but i… Read more

can actually hear him before the monitor goes off so i don't bother with it anymore. Good price for a camera unit.

Great budget monitor – First of all, the image quality isn't as clear as the box but it is clear enough to see your baby's eyes open, even on the infra-red. If you zoom and watch closely, you can even see your baby breathing and for me, that's clear enough. I wasn't expecting military grade night vision clarity for $89. The audio switches off if you have a constant… Read more

background noise (I have white noise on but it's not too loud), which means it only alerts you if baby makes a nose louder than it - for my baby that's squawking before fully crying. You do have to turn sensitivity on to max. It's easy to set up and baby unit is very light so it can go on the wall with the small command hooks, the cord is very long and the range is also very good. The camera only moves up and down but I have it up high and can see the entire cot so it works for me. My only gripe is the battery power - you do have to keep it plugged in at night to ensure it doesn't die, however this is pretty easy to remember. I find if you turn the screen off it lasts much longer and it will still alert you when baby starts crying and you can still periodically turn the screen on to check on bub. The lullaby and being able to speak to baby function is handy if that works for calming your baby. All in all, the monitor does exactly what it's supposed to do so I'm happy with it.

I'm happy with this – Was skeptical in buying a monitor and in the end we did anyway and chose this one. I always move the monitor so i can see my baby and since she always moves around little did i know i can manipulate the camera from the parent unit. Well obviously I didn't read the manual haha. But anyhow I like it so easy to use and plays music too.

Do not buy especially for newborn – for second monitor didn't wanna spend too much money. I thought I'll get something reasonable for my toddler and give my old oricom monitor to newborn. so I got vtech bm2500. I can not hear my toddler talking can not see clear at all even with good light. And battery dies middle of the night.My toddler had to scream then I could hear him. It is… Read more

horrible I returned straight away and got another oricom.

If you guys looking for a monitor do not buy vtech. Yes oricom expensive but worth it. Buy when its on special.

Especially for newborn horrible because you would like to see every move of your baby

Excellent, does what it says – Great monitor, we are very happy. I bought the cheapest audio and video monitor and it is very good. The range is great - used it on holiday over Aust day and it worked right up the back of a decent size garden, probably 30m from the bedroom. We borrowed a far more expensive monitor with less range. Image quality is fine, especially on IR mode. The only negative is poor battery life, but just use an extension cord if you are outside.

Honestly? I love it!! – After weeks spent reviewing video monitors within our budget I almost didn't buy it, but I am so glad I did! Honestly, I love this monitor. Yes there are a few features that need to be addressed and advertising needs to reflect the product more accurately but I definitely wouldn't change it if the offer came up. I have found out the two particular… Read more

features that keep getting bad reviews come down to user error. Firstly the monitor not picking up that the child is crying is due to people not adjusting the sensitivity, read the manual people. And secondly battery life. I'll explained below.

So, Cons:

• The picture quality advertised on the parent unit of the box is inaccurate. It is far from being that clear. But I can still see my child well in both the day and infrared views.

•The baby unit needs to be positioned far from the babies sleeping space to get a good view. In this case the image on the box is accurate but remember babies eventually roll and you want to see their whole sleeping space otherwise invest in a monitor with no camera.

•Adjustability of the baby unit is poor. Only offering back and forth movement it is extremely limiting depending on the space your installing it.

Now the Pros:

•It is affordable. Yes you get what you pay for but all considered, this is great for its value.

•Volume is excellent. We actually need to turn it down or else you can hear my baby from down the street with the monitor inside..... no joke!!

•The battery life is actually REALLY GOOD!! There are a lot of bad reviews on the battery life but here is the catch...... Your not meant to run around with the screen on all the time or of course it's going to drain it quickly

Piece of junk don't buy it – Video supposed to be colour. Led nightvision does not work screen goes either all black or white. Can only really see bub when light on? Does not do what it says on box taking back to Target for refund. Manufacturer should recall this junk after ready reviews seems its a dud.

Terrible terrible monitor ever – Charger cable snapped within a few months. I was told it is not covered by warranty because they think its a misuse. And then battery suddenly can't work at all after that. The quality is no good and video is pretty bad. And the signal is also not stable for no reason. Don't buy it.

Terrible monitor – This is a terrible monitor. The sound wouldn't activate even though the baby was screaming right next to it. Do not buy. The only time it might be of any use is if you need a prop for a play that looks kind of like a remote for a TV. But even then, there are better options for remote props. DO NOT BUY.

Does not work! – We had this monitor for about 2 months and then it stopped working. The sound would cut in and out and the battery would not hold charge. I sent it back to the manufacturer and was sent a replacement which had the exact same problems straight out of the box. The main concern is that the parent monitor does not make any sound when the baby is… Read more

crying. Which is the whole point in having a baby monitor!

Very disappointing. I will be buying a different monitor and spending more to hopefully get one that actually does what it says it will!

Cheap, Nasty quality! – Another snapped cable within 4 months! Poor quality. It does not pick up a babies cry until your baby is "really" crying in distress. Battery life span is less than 45min before it requires regarding even When charged all day. I wish I had my research. Do not buy & waste your money.

cheap...but you get what youbpay for sadly – Nice and cheap...i bought mine on ebay brand new for $85...sent it back to the manufacturer after using it once...the sound cuts in and out and often doesn't even work at all...whic defeats the purpose of the monitor. They replaced the parental unit saying it was faulty but i needed to expect some interruption in the sound....yeah not that much. I don't recommend this unit at all.

Do NOT buy – Charger cord snapped just like the previous feedback. Only had it for a few months. Sound quality too soft even when its on loudest setting. Both units had to be pretty close together to work, if take parent unit to backyard, it has no signal. Don't waste your money! There are better units out there.

Avoid – Charger cable snapped within a few months. Was told its not covered by warranty because its an accessory. Had to purchase a universal charger that did not work either. The quality overall is no good and video is pretty bad. Better spend your money is something better, of different brand.

Serves the purpose for a budget price – Bought this for $80 when it was on sale. I had it for 2 months now and it served the purpose of me buying it. Initially I bought it to keep an eye on bub when she is sleeping in her own room. Since bub is a very light sleeper, I don't want to open the door to see what she is up to because the slightest noise wakes her. This baby monitor allows me… Read more

to get an idea if she is awake or asleep, and so I don't have to go into her room unnecessarily.

PROS

- Video function allows you to check on bub, but it is certainly not the high resolution one for the price I paid for which I am alright with it. You will not be able to see bub's breathing, not that detail.

- Comes with lullabies which is great.

- Talk back function.

- Noise sensitivity adjustment is great, you can adjust it to a level that bub can wake you when she is in distress but doesn't go off with every single sound in the room.

- Video comes on automatically when noise level reaches a set threshold.

CONS

- Temperature sensor is not accurate, it is always 4 - 5 degrees above the actual value.

- Handheld battery life is very short, this is the biggest let down. However if you can put if back on charge when not in use.

Overall I am happy with the product for what I want it to do at a relatively budget price. If you want to monitor every single little detail of your baby then you should go for something more expensive.

If you are looking for a good baby monitor, this is not it – The VTech BM2500 has very few PROS and many CONS. PROS * It comes with video function * It's relatively cheap at around $130 * The video function somewhat works, in that if you have the baby in the exact position you can sometimes see it. *The night vision component of the video camera works most of the time. *It's light, so it can be… Read more

easily attached to the wall with stick-on hooks if you cannot drill into the wall or put in nails.

* It has a temperature display which works quite well.

* It uses DECT technology which is supposed to increase the security of the audio so people can't listen in.

*It has a function where you can talk through the parent receiver to the child monitor (we never had occasion to use this, so I'm not sure how well this works).

*It has multiple channels so that if there is interference on one channel you can switch channels.

CONS

* The audio does not reliably pick up sound - it often picks up random sounds (a passing car outside) but not baby sounds until the baby is crying; which of course is useless. The sound also cuts in and out giving parents sudden bursts of sound.

* The camera for the video component is hard to zoom in and out in order to focus on your baby's face, so unless you put your baby back in the exact spot, you might not be able to clearly see their face.

* The picture on the camera is grainy - nothing like the clear image on the box at all!

* The battery of the parent unit becomes flat quite quickly

* The camera sometimes randomly resets itself so you have to reset the positioning to see your baby on the parent monitor unit.

Overall, this baby monitor is not really worth the money as it does not do what it is supposed to which is to display the child's image clearly and to pick up the baby's voice whenever it stirs.