HelloBaby HB32 Wireless Video Baby Monitor review

As any new parent knows, peace of mind is priceless - especially when it comes to keeping an eye on your little one while they sleep. That's why so many of us hunt long and hard for the perfect baby monitor. The HelloBaby Wireless Video Baby Monitor with Digital Camera (model HB32) is a popular choice for its affordability, ease of use, and essential features that cater to the needs of families.

With a 3.2-inch LCD screen, infrared night vision, temperature monitoring, and two-way talkback functionality, this monitor aims to provide reliable performance without the complexities of Wi-Fi connectivity. In this review, we'll delve into how the HelloBaby HB32 stands up to the demands of daily parenting, exploring its strengths and potential limitations to help you determine if it's the right fit for your family.​

Testing the HelloBaby HB32 Wireless Video Baby Monitor

My son is often cared for by his grandparents, so I was after a baby monitor that was simple and straightforward for them to use - this meant no wifi or app to grapple with. The HelloBaby HB32 appealed to me for its simplicity.

There's nothing to be done in terms of set-up, simply plug the camera in, turn the monitor on and the two find each other instantly. You can pair the monitor receiver with up to four cameras if you wish, handy if you have more than one child you want to monitor.

A big selling point of the HelloBaby HB32 is that it operates on wireless 2.4GHz FHSS technology, providing a secure, interference-free connection without relying on Wi-Fi, something my parents were grateful for in terms of simplicity but I also appreciated due to making the monitor less vulnerable to hacking.

The monitor has a transmission range of up to 300 meters in open space, though walls and interference may reduce that in typical household environments. We didn't have any problems with range when using the HB32 in our home.

The monitor has a 3.2-inch colour LCD screen, which, although it is on the smaller side for modern baby monitors, is adequate for keeping an eye on my baby. Likewise, the camera’s picture quality is actually pretty solid for a non-Wi-Fi model. It's a little grainy, but it's clear enough to see everything you need to. There's a 2x digital zoom which is handy to have, although this can sometimes feel a little too close than necessary.

For nighttime monitoring, the infrared night vision automatically activates in low light to provide a decent black-and-white image, so you can see baby even in complete darkness.

The monitor offers a two-way audio function, which enables you to speak to your baby through the monitor’s built-in speaker. While this may be useful for some parents in terms of offering comfort or reassurance without needing to enter the room, my son personally didn't really respond well to hearing our voices when he couldn't see us, so this wasn't a function we used often although when testing, we did find the speaker to be crisp.

The monitor also has the option of playing pre-installed lullabies, so you can soothe your little one with calming music from a distance. When in need of a little help to settle for a nap, we've often used the lullabies for my son and they can be just what he needs to lull him to sleep.

A nice touch is the temperature sensor that constantly displays the ambient room temperature on the parent unit, helping you ensure that your baby’s room remains within a comfortable and safe range. We found this to be in keeping with our Tommee Tippee GroEgg2 Room Thermometer.

I liked the VOX (voice-activated) mode, which puts the screen to sleep when it's quiet and automatically turns it back on when sound is detected. This energy-saving feature is really effective and particularly helpful at night when you don't want to turn the monitor off but equally don't want to waste battery.

It's worth noting that the camera does not offer remote pan or tilt functionality and needs to be adjusted manually to cover different viewing angles. I did find it frustrating not being able to turn the camera electronically, as it meant you had to manually go in and move the monitor if your baby moved out of shot, which can be time-consuming and potentially disturb the baby.

Final verdict

Overall, the HelloBaby HB32 Wireless Video Baby Monitor is a solid choice for parents seeking a straightforward, dependable way to monitor their baby without the need for Wi-Fi connectivity. It combines clear video, reliable audio, night vision, temperature monitoring, and a secure signal—all packed into a user-friendly design. My mum isn't the best with technology but she gets on really well with this monitor when caring for my son because of how straightforward it is.

While it lacks remote pan or tilt functionality, which may be a drawback for parents who want to adjust the camera angle without entering the room, this limitation is balanced by the system's overall ease of use, affordability, and practical features. For many families, especially those with smaller nursery setups, the manual camera adjustment may be a small compromise in an otherwise well-rounded baby monitor.

Emily Gilbert is the Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby and has written for the website and previously the magazine since 2015. First-time mum to Theodore, Emily writes about everything from the top baby products to pregnancy, fertility and maternal mental health. Specialising in product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases in the parenting industry.