Owlet Dream Duo Monitoring System (Gen 3) Review

Expected Reliability

The Owlet expected reliability is relatively high. It is hard to test this as we'd need a baby in distress, but we do run tests trying to trick the monitor, and we research online reviews extensively for more firsthand experience.

While we did not have any trouble during testing, parents complain that connectivity between the sock and base station can be unpredictable. They also didn't like that blood oxygen doesn't trigger an alert until its blelow 80%. Some parents struggled to get the sock on correctly to capture information, while others reported it worked well at first and is now a “nightmare.”

Upon analysis, it looks like most complaints stem from users moving the base station farther from the sock than they should, resulting in spotty connectivity. The base station is best placed in the nursery where it can do its job. The app on your phone should handle the heavy lifting over WiFi to send alerts and monitor. This should reduce interruptions to monitoring and increase reliability. We didn't find many false alarms where the monitor alerted that a child needed attention, but didn't.

Set Up

Set up requires WiFi and Bluetooth. The WiFi needs to be password-protected, and the camera will only work on 2.4GHz. The app requires setting up an account, and some features require a subscription.

The app must be paired with the base station and the camera. The sock must be paired with the base station. They have a video in the app that walks you through the process, but this is not the right option for those who prefer a plug-and-play experience. There is no manual, which is eco-friendly but still annoying.

The camera should be placed 36 inches from the top of the mattress, and they provide cord protectors to help protect against strangulation. The instructions say it can take several tries to pair the sock with the base station in the app, and we didn't succeed until our third try. This felt absurd.

You need to charge the sock and have the base station plugged in in the nursery, as they use Bluetooth to connect to one another, and the range isn't huge. Depending on how you use your phone during the day, you'll need to remember to set up alerts at night and never use the “do not disturb” mode, as it will block alerts.

Ease of Use

The Owlet is relatively easy to use, but it does require an app, and those who loathe apps might struggle with daily use. Knowing how to set up alerts and notifications within your phone's operating system is a must, and not everyone is comfortable with that. It all feels like a lot to juggle for a year's worth of vitals tracking.

We appreciated the detailed walk-through of setting up the sock and base station, which made it much easier to understand the base station's color changes and how to pair the parts. The app has a nice layout with all the metrics on the monitoring screen. It even tracks the sock's battery life.

The sock itself is easy to put on a calm baby, but trickier if your little one is upset or excited. A wearable isn't a deal breaker, but it is one more thing to remember, and putting a sock on a sleeping baby could risk waking them, so we imagine some nights parents might throw in the towel and not bother.

We don't think it is the best for regular travel, and the use of WiFi means you might not be able to connect to public WiFi, such as that found in hotels. Owlet claims you can travel with the sock, base station, and your phone, but it is hard to say if that is worth the effort, and troubleshooting before you go is a must.

Monitoring Capabilities

The Owlet monitors more things than just about any other option we tested, making it a go-to for anyone who thrives on lots of information. That being said, if more information gives you anxiety, this is not the monitor for you.

Alerts

The Owlet primarily focuses on alerts related to the vitals it tracks. The base station handles most of the alerts and is best placed in the baby's room, as it needs a Bluetooth connection to the sock, which can get spotty the further apart the two devices are.

Alerts also come through on your phone, and you can snooze any prompt for 60 seconds with a short press on the base station or in the app. The base station has color alerts for sock placement issues, out-of-range sock, normal readings, and the baby might be experiencing discomfort.

The Owlet base station glows red when there is a health-related alert.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

A green glow means the sock is properly connected and working.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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There is an adjustable volume range for camera information, such as cry detection, motion detection, and room comfort, but you can't change the sock's sensitivity or the alerts it triggers. Both the connected smartphone and base station will vibrate when alerts happen.

We still worry that the alert might not wake a parent who is sleeping deeply. It doesn't have a sense of urgency, despite the high-pitched beep-beep-beep. For some parents, it will be all they need; for others, it could go unnoticed.

As with most of the apps we recommend, use caution when changing settings, as you might accidentally turn off alerts or make them silent by adjusting settings you assume are unrelated.

Electromagnetic Field (EMF)

We measured the EMF at the sock since this is the monitoring component closest to the baby. In our tests, the reading averaged 0.77 V/m.

While it is lower than many of the cameras we tested, it is higher than some other wearables. And it was one of the highest in the group.

Should You Buy the Owlet?

There are reasons to buy the Owlet, and for what it is, we like it. If your goal is to track vitals and watch life-like videos from home and away, we think it handles these tasks with ease. But it costs a lot and does a lot, we aren't sure that most parents need. We worry that all this data will create anxiety. It isn't a medical device, and we worry it will be treated as such. We think there is some truth to the idea that too much information isn't always good. For some parents, the Owlet will hit the sweet spot by easing their fears and providing peace of mind when they need it most, helping them get better sleep. For others, it could create bad habits of over-analyzing numbers and trends, and sleep could become elusive as you watch the numbers fluctuate in what is likely a totally normal fashion. So, while we do think the Owlet is good at what it does, for some parents, an alternative movement monitor with fewer features could be a smarter solution that saves money and provides peace of mind.

What Other Movement Monitor Should You Consider?

The Nanit Smart System with Floor Stand tracks motion that indicates breathing. It uses a wearable band, and the option we bought includes an easy-to-set-up floor stand. This monitor can provide the much-desired peace of mind for your baby's well-being without overwhelming you with information that can potentially unnecessarily increase anxiety. We bought the hybrid version that includes a parent unit, making it even more versatile. The downsides are that it is also expensive, and the camera is stationary, like the Owlet. If you want to save some money, avoid a wearable, or want a remote camera for a larger field of view, the Babysense True Sleep Movement is the better buy. It uses mattress sensor pads, is pretty reliable, and when your little one outgrows the pads, you still have a great, dedicated video monitor, all for hundreds of dollars less than the Owlet or the Nanit.

Manufacturer Video