The report card
- Detection & false alarms30% of score8.0
Alarms on no breath for 20 seconds or under 8 breaths a minute, and self-tests at every switch-on.
- Medical certification20% of score9.4
Class IIb medical device and named in The Lullaby Trust's CONI guidance.
- Set-up & everyday use15% of score6.8
Straightforward, but with no warning if you forget to switch it on.
- Alarm & parent alerts15% of score6.2
A loud 80dB siren at the cot, with no parent unit.
- Value & running costs20% of score6.8
Fair at around £100, but the BM-03 is better value if the gap is small.
The full review
The BM-02 is the long-serving original from Jablotron's Nanny range, and it's still on sale alongside the BM-03. The basics are the same: a sensor pad under the mattress, wired to a control unit, with an 80dB alarm if there's no breath for 20 seconds or breathing slows to fewer than eight breaths a minute. It's a certified Class IIb medical device, suitable from 1kg, and it runs a functionality test every time it's switched on.
It's also one of the monitors named in The Lullaby Trust's CONI guidance, and it has a long track record with UK parents: Amazon owners describe it as reassuring, easy to set up and audible throughout the house, and say it works in both Moses baskets and cots.
What it lacks are the BM-03's thoughtful extras. There's no Switch Guard to warn you if you've laid your baby down without switching the monitor on (or lifted them out and left it running), and no room temperature alert, night light or pad lifespan warning. Nanny quotes an average battery life of around six months.
As the older model, stock can be patchy, and prices vary from around £100 to £130. At the lower end it's a sound, certified monitor; nearer the top, the BM-03 is the better buy.
Pros and cons
What I like
- Certified Class IIb medical device, suitable from 1kg
- Alarms on stopped or slowed breathing
- Self-tests every time you switch it on
- Owners find it reassuring and easy to set up
What I don't
- Lacks the BM-03's Switch Guard and extras
- The alarm only sounds at the cot
- Older model, so stock can be patchy
Key specs
- Type
- Under-mattress sensor pad with cot-side control unit
- Alarms
- No breath for 20 seconds, or under 8 breaths a minute
- Certification
- Class IIb medical device
- Suitable from
- 1kg
- Battery life
- Around 6 months on average
- Siren
- 80dB
- Sensor pad
- Up to 305 x 500 x 15mm
Head-to-heads
What I read
This is a research-led review. These are the main sources behind the scores, alongside patterns in verified owner reviews. How I review.