Angelcare began in 1997. They offer a variety of sound, video, and movement products for monitoring babies. The company is located in Canada, the USA, the UK, Europe, and Asia. Angelcare tries to provide peace of mind by helping parents keep tabs on their baby’s comfort and well-being. 

Performance Comparison

The Angelcare AC403 replaces the AC401 we have reviewed in years past. The new model continues to impress with similar features and functionality, but the single sensor pad is disappointing and the sound is only subpar.

Reliability

The AC403 is a sensor pad style of movement monitor that did not have false alarms during our testing after we set the sensitivity level. This adjustment feature can help parents find the best level for their nursery and mattress. We suspect being able to make this adjustment is why we didn’t experience any false alarms. Parents should avoid placing the product and crib near any device that could cause false alarms by creating vibration or movement like a heater, air filter, or white noise maker.

The AC403 seems to be one of the most reliable products we reviewed, but some online users have reported false alarms once their baby is old enough to roll into areas not covered by the sensors. We acknowledge that this is definitely possible, but as indicated on several movement product websites, babies that can roll and move have usually developed enough to avoid the issues that lead to lack of breathing during sleep which makes the need for movement monitoring significantly decreased. Depending on your little one and your mattress, you may or may not experience this problem as your baby ages.

We like that the AC403 has AC power and a battery backup. This feature is unique amongst the units we reviewed. Having both energy resources means parents can sleep soundly knowing they have coverage for the night.

A parent unit is a unique component in movement monitors with most of the competition alerting only in the nursery to rouse the baby as you race to turn off the alarm. Pairing a movement product with a sound or video monitor can solve this problem, but it is far more convenient to have a single parent unit that does it all. The inclusion of a dedicated parent unit means you will get immediate alerts, have regular feedback on what is happening in baby’s room, and you can potentially avoid the loud false alarms that can distress a peacefully sleeping little one. A parent unit provides alerts in your location instead of inside the nursery. It gives you constant contact with your baby’s room and you avoid loud in-nursery alarms found in some of the competition. Also, one product instead of two is simpler and you don’t need to remember to turn on two products every night.

Ease of Use

This monitor is fairly straightforward once you familiarize yourself with the features and setup process. Angelcare suppliesuseful user videos in case you get stuck or need an assist. Initially, we found the parent unit somewhat confusing, but once you have the unit set, there isn’t much to consider on a day-to-day basis.

The difficulty we experienced with the parent unit is due to the impressive amount of customization during initial setup. Once we familiarized ourselves with the parent unit, it wasn’t a problem. You need to wait to turn the movement monitor on until after little ones are in bed, and you need to turn it offbefore you take your child out of bed. This process prevents the alarm from going off after it senses no movement with no child in the bed.

Set Up

Set up of the AC403 sensor pad is similar to any sensor pad monitor including the Babysense 7. The surface under the mattress must be firm with minimal flex to avoid false alarms and for the unit to function properly. Angelcare has a potential accessory wooden board you can use if your crib doesn’t have a firm surface for the mattress to sit on. The sensor pad is placed under the mattress and the wires from the pad are routed to the nursery unit. Be sure to route the wires out of baby’s reach to avoid potential injury or death related to strangulation. Angelcare recommends placing the nursery unit at least 39″ from the crib.

Portability

The AC403 is not easy to transport making it a poor choice if you want to travel with it. It has multiple parts and requires more time to set up and a somewhat specialized crib and mattress set up. On the upside, most parents feel less worried about monitoring little ones because you are usually sharing a room.

Electromagnetic Field (EMF)

The AC403 did not register any EMF (Volts/meter) in our tests. These results make it ideal compared to other products that do have EMF. Some of the wearable movement products we tested emit high levels of EMF and in our opinion, are not good choices given the sensitivity of an infant’s developing systems.

Accessories

For the AC403 to work properly, there must be a hard surface under the crib mattress. While many cribs already have a hard surface in their design, Angelcare offers a board accessory, Angelcare Wooden Board for Monitors, suitable for a standard crib if your crib does not have a hard surface.

Other Versions

Angelcare offers a variety of movement monitor options. Some of these products feature sound or video capabilities. Some even have wireless features with touchscreen options!

• If you are considering a video and movement monitor, the Angelcare AC517 is a possible contender that includes a fancy touchscreen. This product is more expensive than other Angelcare products, but some parents will be impressed by the technology of this choice.