Is it worth getting a second hand BT150?

[DeeDee77]

Hi mums and fellow mums-to be!

I'm expecting my first DC in Dec, so am new to the world of baby-paraphenalia! I'm looking for some advice about baby monitors and hope you can advise me.

I'm looking for something quite straightforward and basic - don't really think I need the fancy pressure pads or video screens etc (although willing to be pursuaded!). Several of my close friends have recommended the BT150 and said it is excellent, very reliable and gets the job done without too much fuss. However, it appears to have been discontinued and a newer model BT250 is now available in it's place. I have read a few online reviews about the BT250 and to be honest it just doesn't sound as good (poor battery life, shorter range etc). Boo!

My question is should I...

• get a second hand BT150 from eBay (i.e. how long do these things last for?!)?
  
• take a punt on the BT250?
  
• get something totally different instead?
  

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[jkklpu]

Firstly, think through whether you need a monitor at all. With all my 3dcs I've lived in very up-and-down houses, ie the main rooms where I'd be if the baby was in bed were often 2 storeys below the bedroom. And yet I'd always hear them pretty much straight away.

Tbh, your baby may well take a while before s/he is asleep for any length of time in a cot upstairs when you're not in the same room, so I'd say it's not something to spend money on now until you see how things go.

And, really, even if you do decide to buy one, don't spend loads on lots of features beyond basic sound transmission - lots of scope to waste a fortune on something totally unnecessary.

[DeeDee77]

Hmm, interesting point. I just assumed that I would need one, but as you can see I've not really got a clue!!

They can be pretty expensive and all singing all dancing - if I do get one my gut feeling was that a basic one would suffice.

[UntamedShrew]

Yes. We had a 150 and it was brilliant until when DD3 was born and a few days later I dropped it on the floor only for DC2 to trike over it, crushing it to smithereens.

I had no complaints with it, did the job very well so I cried when it broke

dH bought a 250 to replace it, assuming it'd be an even better version of the 150. Oh how wrong we were. I hate everything about it.

[DeeDee77]

Ok you've confirmed my doubts about the BT250! That one is out of the equation!