Summer Infant Peek Plus Internet Baby Monitor System {Review}

I have learned a lot about baby products over the last 5 years. There are some you need, some you want, and some that are just a waste. I have also learned a lot about the brands who make baby and toddler products, and Summer Infant is one of those brands I keep going back to. Many of my favorite products are from this great brand, like the SwaddleMe blankets, Ultimate Crib Sheets and the Best View monitor.

We were recently in the market for a video monitor for Bryce's room, and naturally, I turned to Summer Infant. I found out that they had just released a brand new video monitor with internet capabilities, and I was thrilled to try it out!

With the Peek Plus Baby Internet Monitor System you can enjoy peace of mind anywhere, anytime with the ability to view your baby on all your digital devices, including smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Peek Plus lets you view your baby in-home, using the included handheld monitor, as well as on the Internet, via a private and secure website. Peek Plus comes with a plug & play Internet gateway and a camera that are simple to set up and easy to use. A free, downloadable app is available for iPhone, Android and Blackberry. Exclusively at Babies R us.

We love trying out the latest and greatest technology, so my husband and I were both pretty excited to hook up the Peek Plus Internet Baby Monitor System in Bryce's room. Installation was simple. We first mounted the camera on the wall above his bed. We already had a camera in there, so we just used the same hole in the wall, but you can mount it anywhere you like, as long as it is at least 3 feet away from your child's crib or bed. You can also set it on a table or dresser that is at least 3 feet away.

Once the camera was installed, we then hooked the Internet Gateway to our router and turned the monitor on. The picture is great during the day, and the night vision allows for a good view at night. The touch sensitive control pad makes it easy to adjust the volume and brightness. When used as a regular video monitor, it works well.

This is no regular video monitor, though. This monitor allows you to check on your child from your computer, and even your smartphone. This feature is great for parents who may travel a lot and may just want to "peek" in on their little one.

The online set up was easy. It took a minute or two to enter some personal information and the serial number and activation code from the monitor, and our account was set up. Any time we want to peek in on Bryce, all we have to do is log in to the secure website, and there he is!

Do you have far-away family and friends? You can share your login information with them, and they can see your child(ren) too! Peek Plus allows up to three people to be logged into internet viewing at one time.

I know how hard it is to be away from my children while I work during the day, and I'm sure it is even harder for those moms and dads who travel for days at a time. This is a great way to be able to catch a glimpse of your little one(s) while you are away. Not only can you see them, you can hear them too!

You can also log in on your smart phone to sneak a peek of your little one. I downloaded the app (quickest download ever!) on my Android phone, and within seconds I was looking at my little man.

The Internet functionality of this monitor works very well, and we have not had any issues at all with it. I like the added security feature that will automatically logout after 10 minutes of inactivity.

If I were a first time mom with one child and had no experience with other video monitors, I would end this review right here and absolutely recommend this monitor. However, that is not the case. I have two kids, and I have tried out other video monitors, so for me, there are a few drawbacks to this monitor.

First, when we have both kids' monitors on at the same time, the Peek Plus does not work well. The audio and video is choppy, if it even works at all. Since Rylie's monitor is also a Summer Infant monitor, Brian submitted our issue via Summer's online customer service form. Within 2 hours he had a response back. Their response time was awesome, but unfortunately, their answer was not...

"Thank you for contacting Summer Infant. Unfortunately it is not advised to use two systems simultaneously, as you have noticed, they will interfere with each other. They both operate on a 2.4 GHz frequency."

So basically, we can only have one monitor on at a time if we want the Peek Plus to work properly. That just can't happen in my house since we have two kids.

Another drawback for me is the limited functionality of this monitor compared to Rylie's Best View monitor. (We have an older model than what is currently available.) With Rylie's monitor, I can pan around her entire room, and I can zoom in so close on her that I can actually see her breathing. The Peek Plus is a stationary monitor, with no zoom capabilities.

The Peek Plus monitor is also expensive. The suggested retail price is $349.99. At the time of this review, I found it on sale at Babies 'R Us for $297.49, which is still pretty high.

While I do think the internet viewing capabilities are awesome for parents who travel often, I think it is more of a novelty for parents who aren't away from home, and that novelty will eventually wear off. Other than to just test it all out, we have had no use for the internet viewing capabilities. I would personally rather have the pan and zoom functionality than the internet view. If Summer Infant could add those in to this camera, I might be willing to pay the high price for it.

Bottom line - if you travel often and want to catch a glimpse of your baby or child while you are away, and you are OK with the price tag, then I do recommend this monitor. The internet viewing is a great feature. However, if you are generally at home when your baby is sleeping, or if you have older kids like I do and would like to see more of their room than just their bed, save your money and go with one of the Summer Infant video monitors that has the pan and zoom functionality.

For more information on the Peek Plus Internet Baby Monitor System and other great baby and toddler products, visit Summer Infant online. You can also connect with Summer Infant on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the Peek Plus monitor at no cost, in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received.