Miku vs Snuza – Miku Smart Baby Monitor vs Snuza Pico 2
Parenting is full of firsts… and those first few weeks and months are some of the hardest and most stressful. A tool that can be a big help is a good baby monitor – a baby monitor can take some of the stress surrounding bed time and monitoring your baby overnight.
Especially the latest new smart baby monitors that can monitor breathing and heart rate!
Baby monitors have sure come a long way, and there are plenty to choose from… But, how do you decide which option is best for you and your family? The choice is overwhelming.
In this post, we compare the top leading baby monitors the Miku Smart Baby Monitor and the Snuza Pico 2.
You can also check out our post comparing the Owlet Smart Sock 3 and the Miku Smart Baby Monitor here.
Note: this blog post probably contains affiliate links, which means we may receive small commissions from purchases made through links in this post (at NO extra cost to you). You can read our full disclosure for more information.
TL:DR (too long, didn’t read)
Short on time? Ultimately, we decided that the Snuza Pico 2 was the best buy because of its affordability and portability. You can check it out here on Amazon.
- TL:DR (too long, didn’t read)
- Do I *Really* Need a baby monitor?
- Snuza Pico 2 Review
- Miku Smart Baby Monitor Review
- Miku Smart Baby Monitor Features
- How does the Miku Smart Baby Monitor Work?
- How does the Miku Smart Baby Monitor Charge?
- Miku Smart Baby Monitor PROS and CONS
- Why You Need a Smart Baby Monitor
- How to Choose Between the Miku Smart Baby Monitor and the Snuza Pico 2
- Smart Baby Monitor FAQ
Do I *Really* Need a baby monitor?
I mean, baby monitors have only been around for the last few decades. Is it really a must have item?
Baby monitors have progressed a long way from simple two-way radio, to live video to smart baby monitor tech that includes sensors to monitor sleep, breathing, hear rate, room temperature and humidity levels, plus tracking methods and apps to analyze and record your baby’s sleep patterns.
There’s no question that baby monitors are useful things to have. You can move around your house during the day more freely, knowing you won’t miss when baby wakes up and calls. And, while baby monitors can’t prevent SIDS, having a smart baby tech monitoring your baby all night is reassuring.
But which baby monitor is the best buy? Keep reading to learn more about the Snuza Pico 2 and the Miku Smart Baby Monitor and decide if these Smart Baby Monitors are the right fit for your family.
Snuza Pico 2 Review
The Snuza Pico 2 is a “baby movement monitor” consisting of a small wireless monitor that sits on your baby’s tummy, clipping to your baby’s diaper.
The Pico 2 monitors your baby’s abdominal motion and therefore breathing. It can also monitor your baby’s body temperature and sleeping position while recording data on your baby’s sleeping patterns.
The Snuza Pico 2 has a built in safety vibration that triggers if your baby stops breathing for 15 seconds. If baby breathing motions start again you aren’t notified. After three vibration/rouse events, the Rouse Warning will alert you that your baby’s breathing movements have stopped for 15 seconds three separate times.
If breathing stops for more than 20 seconds it sets off an alarm on the device and alerts you on an app on your smartphone.
There are two other Snuza devices:
- Snuza Go: The most affordable model with more minimal capabilities. It does not connect to a smartphone. It only has an audio alarm on the device and does not vibrate to rouse the baby. Many parents prefer this as the Go alarms immediately if it detects a pause in breathing.
- Snuza Hero: This is in between the Go and Pico 2 both price wise and capability wise. The Hero only monitors breathing movement and has no smartphone connectivity. It vibrates after 15 second of no breathing motion to rouse the baby and will alarm if no further breathing motion is detected.
Snuza Pico 2 Features
- Information sent from the device to your smart phone via Bluetooth
- Vibration feature that triggers if breathing motions are not detected for 15 seconds.
- Alarm sounds after 20 seconds of no breathing motions detected
- Monitors body temperature
- Records sleeping position (front, back etc)
How Snuza Pico 2 Works
This baby monitor works by monitoring baby’s breathing motions (up and down movement of the belly). If breathing motion stops for over 15 seconds, a vibration is triggered to rouse baby. If more than 3 sessions of vibration occur or if the motion stops for 20 seconds an alarm sounds on the device and through the smartphone app.
The Snuza Pico 2 is a cordless monitoring device. It comes with a charging case that plugs into the wall. One charge should last approximately 2 weeks.
Snuza Pico 2 Pros and Cons
Pros
- Simple to use and highly portable (great for travelling)
- Useful for children aged up to six years old
- Monitor up to four children through the smartphone app
- You receive notifications is your baby’s status changes – breathing motions, temperature or position changes.
Cons
- Older babies might try remove the monitor
- Can’t be used while co-sleeping or bedsharing
- Winter clothing can muffle the devices alarm
- May have bluetooth connectivity issues in larger homes
- Only one device can connect to the baby monitor at once.
Miku Smart Baby Monitor Review
The Miku Smart Baby Monitor is a contact-free option for your baby monitor needs – mounted to the wall, the camera watches your baby and can even monitor your baby’s breathing .
Miku Smart Baby Monitor Features
- High definition audio and visual (including night vision)
- Two-way talk capabilities (talk to your baby through the speakers)
- Monitors temperature and humidity of your baby’s room
- Monitors baby’s respiration rate
- Monitors baby’s heart rate
- Notifies you via the app if baby wakes up (you can choose what notifications and alarms you want)
- Plays white noise or lullabies.
- Constant updates to the Artificial Intelligence engine driving the Miku
- While you can mount Miku on the wall, you can also use it on a stand and even take it on holidays!
- High Security “Crypto-Chip” prevents hacking
How does the Miku Smart Baby Monitor Work?
The Miku Smart Baby Monitor collects data using their proprietary “SensorFusion technology.” From overhead the Miku Smart Baby Monitor uses optical sensing via radio waves and detects motion, breathing, audio, and nursery conditions.
This information, including your baby’s breathing RPM, heart rate, and amount of sleep, is then sent to an app on your smartphone.
How does the Miku Smart Baby Monitor Charge?
The Miku Smart Baby Monitor is not wireless – it runs while plugged into an electrical outlet. There are options for mounting the 5” x 2.8” unit on the wall or a stand.
Miku Smart Baby Monitor PROS and CONS
Pros
- No contact with baby needed
- You can choose what you get notified about
- 20 percent discount to students and teachers, nurses and military and first responders
Cons
- Not for sale outside of United States and Canada
- You must have a smartphone for the baby monitor to work
Why You Need a Smart Baby Monitor
Surely an audio or visual monitor is all you need? Well, it depends on your own personal level of worry.
Obviously, the more your baby monitor can do, the more expensive it will be. A simple audio/visual baby monitor might be the best choice for your family, or it may not!
You might want to purchase a smart baby monitor if:
- Baby naps a long way from where you do your daily activities (if your nursery is on a separate floor)
- You’re worried about baby and it’s keeping you awake at night
- You would like to see the data!
You might think about waiting on a smart baby monitor if:
- Your baby sleeps in the same room as you (and you’re not anxious)
- Baby naps close to where you do your daily activities
- You don’t want or need the information apps can give you
You can choose a audio or video monitor for basic monitoring of your baby. But, smart baby monitors like the Miku Smart Baby Monitor and the Snuza Pico 2 provide much more information that can help you feel secure and comforted when baby is asleep.
How to Choose Between the Miku Smart Baby Monitor and the Snuza Pico 2
Both of these baby monitors are excellent choices that provide vital monitoring of your newborn baby and can give you peace of mind. Here are some considerations you might want to keep in mind:
- Do I want a baby monitor that doesn’t always require a smartphone/WiFi? (Choose Snuza Pico 2)
- Would I prefer a wearable device? (Choose Snuza Pico 2)
- Would I use white noise/lullaby music? (Choose Miku Smart Baby Monitor)
- Do I want to use a baby monitor for several years? (Choose Snuza Pico 2)
- Do I want access to video capture for 30 days? (Choose Miku Smart Baby Monitor)
- Is a lower price preferred? (Choose Snuza Pico 2)
Smart Baby Monitor FAQ
Is it worth buying the Snuza Pico 2 or the Miku Smart Baby Monitor?
Parents who use smart baby monitors say that using their monitor is worth the peace of mind from having their baby constantly monitored while they are sleeping. If you feel you wouldn’t worry, or are sleeping baby beside you at night, you may prefer to use a simpler baby monitor for nap time.
Do pediatricians recommend the Snuza Pico 2 or the Miku Smart Baby Monitor?
The American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement regarding Smart Baby Monitors. It says, “There is no evidence that the use of infant home apnea monitors decreases the incidence of SIDS and should not be used routinely for this purpose; however, they might be of value for selected infants at risk for apnea or cardiovascular events after discharge.”
The AAP also says that a home apnea monitor may be needed and prescribed by a doctor if: Your baby needs home oxygen or your baby has serious breathing problems.
Can these baby monitors prevent SIDS?
No – smart Baby Monitors can only alert you to changes in your baby’s breathing or oxygen level, but they cannot definitively prevent SIDS.
Will these monitors tell you if baby stops breathing?
The Snuza Pico 2 will vibrate an attempt to rouse your baby if no breathing motions are detected for 15 seconds – if breathing motions are not detected for 20 seconds, or if there are 3 incidents of vibration attempts, an alarm will sound from the device and through your smartphone app.
The Miku Smart Baby Monitor sends an alert for sleep apnea pauses that are longer than 20 seconds.
The Final Word
While no baby monitor is perfect, the Miku Smart Baby Monitor and the Snuza Pico 2 can work as a companion to careful parenting and help reduce stress you might feel when your baby is sleeping.
While the Miku Smart Baby Monitor is an excellent choice of baby monitor if you prefer contact free monitoring, the Snuza Pico 2’s smaller price tag, easy set-up, and ability to use up to age six make it the clear winner in this Smart Baby Monitor comparison.
