While this is a baby monitor that most parents can afford, don’t let the low price tag fool you. VTech designed the DM221 Safe & Sound digital audio monitor to maximize security while minimizing background noise. This combination produces a baby monitor that gives parents, grandparents, babysitters and other caregivers exactly what they need: clear sound transmissions that aren’t easily intercepted by eavesdroppers or interference.
Other features worth mentioning right from the beginning are the talk back feature and the 1,000-feet radius. Talk back allows you to push a button and transmit your voice into your baby’s room, allowing you to soothe a cranky baby back to sleep without getting up from your warm bed in the middle of the night. The radius is noteworthy in this price range and allows you to remain productive in your home or even outside the home without losing contact with your baby or toddler.
VTech DM221 Safe & Sound Features
Digital | Sound Lights Alert |
Dect 6.0 Technology | Vibration Alert |
1000 ft. Range | Rechargeable Batteries |
Night Light | Low Battery Warning |
Two Way Talk-Back | Out of Range Warning |
Voice Activation | Parent Unit Finder |
Volume Control | Belt Clip |
What Makes the VTech DM221 Safe & Sound Monitor Recommendable?
That brief introduction to this audio VTech baby monitor may have you intrigued, but it’s time for a more in-depth look at the features that make this monitor worth recommending to parents.
1. Dual Communication Capability
Basic audio baby monitors transmit sound from the baby’s room to the parent’s receiver, but the Safe & Sound monitor also transmits sound from the parent unit into a speaker in the baby’s room. This talk back feature makes it easier to soothe small babies so that they sleep longer, but it also extends the life of your monitor.
You can easily use this monitor to have conversations with your baby as they grow into the toddler years and spend more time playing in their room or a playroom. Imagine calling a young child to dinner without leaving the kitchen. It’s possible with a two-way communication baby monitor like this one.
2. Night Light
Many baby monitors now have night lights, but you can turn this one off and on through the handheld receiver. The light is just one more resource to keep your baby more comfortable so that they sleep longer.
3. Notification Lights and Vibrations
Five lights conveniently located on the parent’s handheld receiver help you determine whether you need to give your baby some attention or not. The lights remain off when the room is silent and all light up together when loud noise is detected. Two, three or four lights notify you of varying degrees of noise. This is a visual way to determine whether what you hear through the monitor is worth responding to at any moment. You can also switch it to vibration if you don’t want to hear every noise your baby makes.
4. DECT 6.0 Technology
This may look highly technical, but it all comes down to eliminating white noise in the background so that you hear your baby’s sounds more clearly. Sound transmission is crisp and easy to make out, and you don’t have to put up with the sound of static when the room is silent.
5. Secure Connection
Featuring a 256-bit encryption system, this is one of the more secure baby monitors on the market right now. This monitor isn’t likely to pick up interference from your Wi-Fi or other monitors in nearby homes, and you can rest assured that your transmissions are secured and stay within your home.
6. Trustworthy Rechargeable Battery
The rechargeable batteries that come with this audio baby monitor allow you to communicate with your baby for up to 18 hours straight. You should get at least 8 hours of continuous use, but it can be more toward 18 hours if you use the monitor conservatively. This is adequate for a full night of coverage and is more than enough to cover naptime.
7. Impressive Range
You can venture up to 1,000 feet away from your baby’s room without losing contact through the monitor. This is perfect for parents with larger homes, but it also allows you to sit outside on the porch or run the trash to the curb without missing important transmissions from your baby’s room.
8. Durability
The lock-shaped devices in this system are cute, but their durability is even more impressive. These are sturdy monitors that don’t break easily, so you don’t have to panic if your receiver falls off a table or other accidents happen.
What’s the Catch?
Every product with an impressive list of features comes with potential downfalls that you have to keep in mind when comparing products. One of the biggest complaints about the VTech DM221 Safe & Sound Digital audio monitor is the volume output. If you walk too far away from the receiver, you may find that the sound becomes too low to hear clearly.
Many parents also note the lack of temperature readout on this monitor. This is a feature that many monitors are starting to offer, but those monitors are also a bit higher in price. For the price range of this monitor, the features that are offered are quite impressive. There are higher-priced and more advanced monitors on the market if you want to invest in those added touches of modern technology.