BT Audio 450 Lightshow review

BT Audio 450 is a cute, compact audio-only device with a very reasonable price tag. Our big tester (and her little tester) loved the monitor's light show and 18-strong lullaby collection.

It's not the absolute cheapest out there, but BT's monitor worked brilliantly and, for a budget offering, had plenty of extra features.

What's in the box?

Parent unit, audio monitor, two mains power adaptors, two rechargeable batteries and a user guide

Pros

• Good audio quality

• Talk-back function

• Soothing light show

• 18 lullabies in four categories

• Compact and lightweight

• Adjustable night light

Cons

• Temperature display wasn't always reliable

• Occasional static interference

Key features of the BT Audio Baby Monitor 450 Lightshow

• Talk-back function

• Light show

• Feed timer

• Temperature display

• Extensive lullaby offering

• 300 metre range with out of range alerts

What are the specs?

• 24.5 × 8.5 × 24.5cm

• 699g

How good is the audio on the BT Audio 450?

Overall, audio quality was very good. A little interference was experienced, and signal dropped slightly when taken outside our tester's house. Although the audio wasn't the absolute clearest, the monitor picked up every noise our tester's five-month-old made and was as good as many of its more expensive counterparts.

How good is the signal strength?

For the most part, our tester was happy with the signal strength indoors. Sometimes, the signal struggled to reach the end of the garden, but this wasn't a regular enough issue to cause concern.

Is the talk-back function any good?

The monitor’s talk-back function was a real plus for our tester. The feature meant she could soothe her baby without having to leave her second child. The talk-back signal quality was great, so our tester’s baby was able to hear our tester as clear as a bell every time.

How does the BT Audio 450 look?

The BT Audio 450 is one of the smaller baby monitors. You wouldn’t call it stylish – see the Babymoov Premium Care if you want something sleek – but it's pretty cute, with lilac accents and star and moon decoration.

How much does it weigh?

The monitor is very lightweight and portable, so it’s easy to carry from room to room or take with you for an overnight stay at the grandparents'.

Does the BT Audio 450 have any extra features?

For a budget monitor, the BT Audio 450 is packed with additional features. It has 18 songs in four categories (lullabies, nature, classical and white noise), so you’re not stuck with one or two songs on loop. Volume adjust was very sensitive and worked like a dream (no pun intended).

Our tester baby found the monitor's light display – which projects stars and moons onto the ceiling – very soothing. Three brightness levels came in handy on a sunnier day. You can set a timer on the light if needs be.

At times, the temperature display was a little hit and miss, so keep an eye on an existing thermometer just to be on the safe side.

There's a handy feed timer function which allows you to set a reminder when a feed is due. Our tester didn't require this but it's a useful extra that others don't always offer.

Do all these features mean it takes longer to set up?

It took our tester no time at all to set up the monitor. The instruction manual was easy to use and very comprehensive – but chances are you could work out how to use it intuitively by pressing the large illustrated buttons.

Is it easy to clean?

A quick wet wipe keeps the main body of the monitor spick and span, but the open spaces on the bottom can be a bit fiddly to clean.

Is the BT Audio 450 good value for money?

The BT Audio Baby Monitor 450 Lightshow ticked all the boxes for our tester and did better than some much more expensive models. Far from being basic and boring, its extra features proved popular with both our big and little tester, and really added to its value.

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All prices correct at time of publication