The report card
- Sound quality25% of score8.2
Clear DECT audio, with five sound level lights for when the volume is down.
- Range & reliability25% of score8.8
VTech quotes up to 75m indoors and 460m outdoors, the longest here, with an out-of-range alert.
- Battery & portability15% of score7.2
Portable parent unit with a belt clip and a low-battery alert.
- Useful extras15% of score8.8
Talk-back, temperature sensor, night light, ceiling projector, five lullabies and a vibration alert.
- Ease of use10% of score8.0
Straightforward, with a backlit 2-inch display, though there are more buttons than on basic models.
- Value10% of score9.0
Around £30 for the most complete feature set here.
The full review
The DM1212 is the audio monitor I'd recommend to most people. It uses DECT, so the baby unit talks directly to the parent unit with no internet involved, and VTech quotes a range of up to 75m indoors and 460m outdoors, with an alert if you wander out of range.
It's generous with extras for the price. The parent unit has a backlit 2-inch display, five sound level lights, talk-back and a vibration alert, and the baby unit adds a temperature sensor, a night light, a starry ceiling projector and five lullabies.
Is any of that essential? The range, the sound lights and the out-of-range alert are the parts that really matter; the projector and lullabies are pleasant extras. But at around £30 from John Lewis, you're getting the lot for not much more than a bare-bones model.
Pros and cons
What I like
- Long quoted range with an out-of-range alert
- Talk-back and vibration alert
- Temperature display
- Night light and ceiling projector
What I don't
- No phone alerts or listening away from home
- More buttons and features than some parents need
Key specs
- Technology
- DECT digital
- Range
- Up to 75m indoors, 460m outdoors
- Parent unit
- 2-inch backlit display, 5 sound level lights, belt clip
- Talk-back
- Yes
- Sensors
- Temperature
- Extras
- Night light, ceiling projector, 5 lullabies
- Alerts
- Vibration, out-of-range, low battery
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.