Graco Ultra Clear II 49MHZ Baby Monitor Review.
"Very impressed" 2007-08-15
By Kay
Excellent little monitors. I've had no problem with static despite the number of electrical appliances running in and around my house. The sound is very clear and I rarely have to turn the volume up higher than the minimum. The light meter is very accurate and defines between baby noise and other noise (radio, fan etc.) well. I've read complaints about this model that you can't mute the sound completely which is true, but I don't know why you'd want to do that anyway, you might as well not bother having a monitor if you're not going to listen to it. Amazingly for such quality it's one of the lowest priced monitor sets on the market even at full price, and can often be found on sale so you really can't beat it.
Edited to add: Units seem very durable. I have dropped one of the units several times while using it as a portable and it still works fine, the battery cover has stayed in place and the casing hasn't chipped or cracked. Note: I've seen these priced at anything up to $100 from independent retailers. Be careful and shop around as they should sell for around $30.
"So far... really good!" 2008-01-14
By Chanie9 (Chicago, IL)
I had a Fisher-Price monitor that I bought for my daughter five years ago, and it finally started failing (we had it on pretty much 24/7 for 5 years). I decided to buy a new one and found this Graco one with really good reviews and at a great price. It is really quiet! At first I was afraid it wasn't working because I couldn't hear my 7-month-old baby, so I tested it by having someone stay in a different room while I went and scratched the main unit and it was working just fine. I guess I was so used to the static I heard for years, that this incredibly quiet monitor really surprised me.
The main unit has a nightlight that stays on for 15 minutes. I really haven't used it much, but I guess that if you need a little extra light at night for an emergency (i.e. change a quick diaper or find a pacifier that fell on the floor) it would come handy.
I really recommend this product.
"So far, so good..... and pleased!" 2007-02-27
By A. K. Sauter (Indiana)
I bought this monitor for use with my new grandson. Granted, he is only 2 months old, and have not had a lot of time to use it, but I have used it, and it's appears to be a very good monitor for the price. I don't have a problem with static. It has a volume control on each handset, so you can control "too much noise." It is very clear, so you will get extra noise if it is turned up too much. Just turn the volume down a little and you will be fine.
I especially like the fact that it has the lighted scale that runs across the top, to let you know new noise (baby noise), versus "just" noise. One light will appear when the baby is just slightly grunting, then the louder he/she gets, the more the lights appear. By the time it's all lighting up, you're already there! Bottom line on the volume, if you're sleeping in the other room, you will hear the baby on this monitor, without having to turn it up completely and won't have to hear extra noise "static." Which is not really static, but just a hum from the monitor, because it's set to high.
The only downside to this monitor, in my opinion, is that the adapters for the handsets are not designed to work with the main unit. The baby is not always in the exact same place when he falls asleep or is just in his swing. So I have to move the main unit to go where he goes, which would be easier if I could plug it into one of the handset adapters. The main unit also does not run on batteries if need be.
But all together, this is an excellent monitor, at a good price. You just have to get familiar with it's ablilty to pick up sound, and adjust the volume on the handsets accordingly.
"Baby Monitor Review" 2007-09-16
By Svetlana Jacobs
Excellent buy for the money, provides both the sound signal and flashing lights when baby is crying. Receivers also make noise when the main unit gets unplugged - good safety feature. Easy to operate.
"BEST MONITOR" 2008-07-16
By dealhunter (OH)
I have tried several monitors over the years, having six kids. This one is my favorite. I like that I can have one monitor on the first floor and one in my bedroom and can have them both on at the same time and hear the baby from both. The sound is clear, no static and the volume can be turned up fairly loud so if your house is as loud as mine can sometimes get, you can still hear sounds coming from baby's room over the noise on the first floor.
I would recommend this and would buy again.
By Kay
Excellent little monitors. I've had no problem with static despite the number of electrical appliances running in and around my house. The sound is very clear and I rarely have to turn the volume up higher than the minimum. The light meter is very accurate and defines between baby noise and other noise (radio, fan etc.) well. I've read complaints about this model that you can't mute the sound completely which is true, but I don't know why you'd want to do that anyway, you might as well not bother having a monitor if you're not going to listen to it. Amazingly for such quality it's one of the lowest priced monitor sets on the market even at full price, and can often be found on sale so you really can't beat it.
Edited to add: Units seem very durable. I have dropped one of the units several times while using it as a portable and it still works fine, the battery cover has stayed in place and the casing hasn't chipped or cracked. Note: I've seen these priced at anything up to $100 from independent retailers. Be careful and shop around as they should sell for around $30.
By Chanie9 (Chicago, IL)
I had a Fisher-Price monitor that I bought for my daughter five years ago, and it finally started failing (we had it on pretty much 24/7 for 5 years). I decided to buy a new one and found this Graco one with really good reviews and at a great price. It is really quiet! At first I was afraid it wasn't working because I couldn't hear my 7-month-old baby, so I tested it by having someone stay in a different room while I went and scratched the main unit and it was working just fine. I guess I was so used to the static I heard for years, that this incredibly quiet monitor really surprised me.
The main unit has a nightlight that stays on for 15 minutes. I really haven't used it much, but I guess that if you need a little extra light at night for an emergency (i.e. change a quick diaper or find a pacifier that fell on the floor) it would come handy.
I really recommend this product.
By A. K. Sauter (Indiana)
I bought this monitor for use with my new grandson. Granted, he is only 2 months old, and have not had a lot of time to use it, but I have used it, and it's appears to be a very good monitor for the price. I don't have a problem with static. It has a volume control on each handset, so you can control "too much noise." It is very clear, so you will get extra noise if it is turned up too much. Just turn the volume down a little and you will be fine.
I especially like the fact that it has the lighted scale that runs across the top, to let you know new noise (baby noise), versus "just" noise. One light will appear when the baby is just slightly grunting, then the louder he/she gets, the more the lights appear. By the time it's all lighting up, you're already there! Bottom line on the volume, if you're sleeping in the other room, you will hear the baby on this monitor, without having to turn it up completely and won't have to hear extra noise "static." Which is not really static, but just a hum from the monitor, because it's set to high.
The only downside to this monitor, in my opinion, is that the adapters for the handsets are not designed to work with the main unit. The baby is not always in the exact same place when he falls asleep or is just in his swing. So I have to move the main unit to go where he goes, which would be easier if I could plug it into one of the handset adapters. The main unit also does not run on batteries if need be.
But all together, this is an excellent monitor, at a good price. You just have to get familiar with it's ablilty to pick up sound, and adjust the volume on the handsets accordingly.
By Svetlana Jacobs
Excellent buy for the money, provides both the sound signal and flashing lights when baby is crying. Receivers also make noise when the main unit gets unplugged - good safety feature. Easy to operate.
By dealhunter (OH)
I have tried several monitors over the years, having six kids. This one is my favorite. I like that I can have one monitor on the first floor and one in my bedroom and can have them both on at the same time and hear the baby from both. The sound is clear, no static and the volume can be turned up fairly loud so if your house is as loud as mine can sometimes get, you can still hear sounds coming from baby's room over the noise on the first floor.
I would recommend this and would buy again.
