In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician

Snuza Hero SE Review

Reliable clip-style wearable with a unique vibration stimulus and portable design
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snuza hero se movement monitor review
The Snuza products are some of the easiest to use with limited features and settings.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $130 List
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Manufacturer:   Snuza
By Juliet Spurrier, MD and BabyGearLab Review Team  ⋅  Feb 6, 2023
79
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#1 of 7
  • Expected Reliability - 25% 8.7
  • Set-up - 20% 9.3
  • Ease of Use - 20% 8.8
  • Monitoring Cababilities - 20% 5.8
  • Alerts - 15% 6.6

The Skinny

The Snuza Hero SE is a small, portable top-ranking movement monitor that attaches to the baby's diaper and senses movement via a sensor that contacts the abdomen. It has a unique vibration stimulus designed to rouse the baby from a deep sleep and encourage movement without needing a loud in-nursery alarm. In addition to the vibration feature, the monitor will alarm if it doesn't detect motion after a set amount of time. The Hero may not be the best choice for parents who want additional information from an app-enabled monitor or a parent unit. It is also somewhat more expensive than similar options that lack the vibration feature. However, for the price and the convenience of portability, we think the Hero SE is an excellent choice for the vibration feature alone and think most parents will agree.
REASONS TO BUY
Portable
Simple
Vibration stimulus
No EMF
REASONS TO AVOID
No parent unit
Harder to attach
Shorter battery life
To ensure you stay connected to your little one and will hear the alarm of the Snuza should it go off, consider pairing this monitor with a top-ranking sound monitor or favorite video baby monitor.

Editor's Note: We performed an update on this review on February 6, 2023, as part of a complete reset to our new movement monitor review.

Compare to Similar Products

 
snuza hero se movement monitor review
This Product
Snuza Hero SE
Awards Editors' Choice Award Best Value Award Top Pick Award   
Price $130 List
$129.99 at Amazon
$75 List
$89.99 at Amazon
$200 List
$199.99 at Amazon
$100 List
$84.99 at Amazon
$130 List
$127.50 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
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Pros Portable, simple, vibration stimulus, no EMFBudget-friendly, portable, app-connectivity and alarmAlert color-coded base station, decent reliability, WiFi connectivity, parent unit alerts, positioning informationPortable, wearable, fewer false alarms, vibration rousing featureAlarm and lights, 2 sensor pads, no cords
Cons No parent unit, harder to attach, shorter battery lifeBluetooth limited range, short battery life, requires a smartphoneRange issues, some false alarms, requires a smartphone, only pairs to one phoneLoud nursery-only alarm, hard to attach to sleeping baby, only monitors one thingNursery alarm, no parent unit, no sensitivity adjustment
Bottom Line Reliable clip-style wearable with a unique vibration stimulus and portable designA simple option that only requires a sensor and a smartphone that works fairly well despite a shorter battery lifeA button wearable that is a WiFi connection and pairs with your smart device and base station, but only pairs with one phonePortable simplicity and vibration rousing make it an interesting option that is often on saleStraightforward option with two sensor pads but no parent device or adjustable sensor sensitivity
Rating Categories Snuza Hero SE Monbaby Smart Butto... Sense-U Baby v3 Levana Oma Sense Babysense 7
Expected Reliability (25%)
8.7
5.9
7.3
8.1
8.2
Set-up (20%)
9.3
8.2
7.3
9.2
6.4
Ease of Use (20%)
8.8
8.3
7.8
8.3
6.3
Monitoring Cababilities (20%)
5.8
7.5
6.8
5.8
5.5
Alerts (15%)
6.6
7.3
7.9
4.1
3.3
Specs Snuza Hero SE Monbaby Smart Butto... Sense-U Baby v3 Levana Oma Sense Babysense 7
Sensor Type Wearable Wearable Wearable Wearable Sensor Pad
Parent Unit No Smartphone Smartphone No No
Monitoring Type Movement Movement, Position, Activity Movement, Position, Activity Movement Movement
EMF (at baby) No increase above ambient 2.5 2.5 .2 (lower than ambient) 1.1
Recommended Age Not Listed Not Listed roll-over alarm is for babies up to 6 months 0-6mo 0-12mo
Adjustable Sensitivity No No No No No
Wireless Mobility Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Baby Alert Yes No No Yes Yes
Warranty 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year

Our Analysis and Test Results

Snuza has been creating baby movement monitors since 2007, using bio-sensory technology. The Snuza brand monitors aim to alert parents of incidents where the movement has stopped indicating breathing has also likely stopped. They are the first baby tech operation to market a genuinely portable movement-style monitor and a portable infant breathing monitor. Snuza is comprised of individuals to create products that can speak for babies when they are alone in their crib and unable to breathe. Snuza monitors are manufactured by Biosentronics cc., based in South Africa, and are the largest-selling mobile baby movement monitor globally.

Performance Comparison



snuza hero se movement monitor review - the hero is not as reliable as the mattress sensor pads as it can...
The Hero is not as reliable as the mattress sensor pads as it can shift away from baby's abdomen making it unable to sense the bay's movement.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Expected Reliability


In our testing and research, wearable monitors are more reliable than mattress sensor pads. This unit has one of the highest expected reliabilities in the test group, and we think the vibration features help negate any downside to an in-nursery alarm. In our testing, the Snuza did not have any false alarms. From our research, there are few reports of reliability concerns.


In our research, false alarms were minimal with children under six months of age. Incidents increase once babies start moving and rolling as the sensor can be displaced from the abdomen causing false alarms. A one-piece sleeper with the sensor in direct contact with the abdomen can reduce false alarms, but it makes the monitor more challenging to turn on or off, covers the indicator lights, and muffles the alarm sound. The Hero has an audible "tick" with every movement, which is designed to provide peace of mind to parents (if you can't see the indicator light).

snuza hero se movement monitor review - the setup for the snuza is battery installation, turning it on, and...
The setup for the Snuza is battery installation, turning it on, and clipping it to the diaper.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Set Up


This monitor comes ready for use with the battery installed, though many remark that the batteries were dead in their new monitors. The monitor has no setup required and works simply by turning it on and attaching it to your baby's diaper.


snuza hero se movement monitor review - the hero has a clip on the back for attaching to baby's diaper.
The Hero has a clip on the back for attaching to baby's diaper.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ease of Use


Thanks to the vibration stimulus feature, it has a slightly more complicated interface. While it isn't hard to attach to your baby's diaper, it can be hard to do with a sleeping baby. You'll need to make it part of your routine to clip it on before your baby falls asleep.

snuza hero se movement monitor review - the snuza hero comes with a hard carry case that makes it ready for...
The Snuza Hero comes with a hard carry case that makes it ready for travel with no other components necessary.
Credit: Micah James

The Hero is small enough to be stashed in the diaper bag and has a hard case to protect the sensor. You can use it in any stationary location where it is safe for the baby to nap with no modification necessary, making it an excellent choice for parents who travel or babies who spend a significant amount of time away from home.

snuza hero se movement monitor review - the snuza hero is one of the easiest movement monitors to use.
The Snuza Hero is one of the easiest movement monitors to use.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Monitoring Capabilities


The Snuza only monitors movement that indicates breathing. It does not offer position monitoring or other features like sound or video. While this might not meet the needs of all parents, others may be looking for a straightforward movement monitor for the first 6-9 months of babyhood to pair with their favorite or chosen video or sound monitor.

snuza hero se movement monitor review - the snuza hero attached to the diaper under a one-piece sleeper...
The Snuza Hero attached to the diaper under a one-piece sleeper. While this helps it stay in place, it muffles the sound, hides the alert lights and makes turning it off and on more difficult.
Credit: Curtis Smith

Alerts


The Hero has a vibration stimulus feature that emits a gentle vibration when 15 seconds without movement is detected. The vibration is designed to stimulate little ones out of deeper sleep and encourage movement/breathing without fully awakening them or causing crying from a loud in-nursery alarm. If the monitor detects movement following the vibration, the alarm will not sound. If three vibration stimulus incidents occur, a "rouse warning" (one beep every 2 seconds) will sound to alert the parent. The rouse warning only works in its preset programmed mode, but you can turn it off. This functionality is similar to the other diaper clip in this review.

snuza hero se movement monitor review
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Electro Magnetic Field (EMF)


In our tests, the Hero didn't emit any EMF (Volts/meter) over the ambient room EMF. This EMF makes it a preferable wearable monitor to much of the other wearable competition, some of which have excessive EMF readings (in our opinion).


Should You Buy the Snuza Hero?


The Hero is a great portable option because of the unique vibration feature that helps stimulate little ones into moving before the audible alarm sounds. We love this feature as it can help prevent unnecessarily upsetting little ones deep in sleep with a loud alarm. If you want to avoid loud false alarms, this is the one for you. Pair it with a video or sound monitor from our best baby monitor review to see and hear more of the in-nursery action.

What Other Movement Monitor Should You Consider?


The Levana Oma Sense is a similar device with a slightly lower score in testing. It has a similar vibration feature to the Snuza but generally a lower price. Alternatively, if portability is less of a concern and you want a longer lifespan or more functionality and a one-and-done product, the Nanit Pro Complete Set Monitoring System. The Nanit is a video/sound/movement monitor with a wearable breathing band. It provides more information and alerts than most parents need, but it is one to consider if you want to monitor it all.

Manufacturer Video



Juliet Spurrier, MD and BabyGearLab Review Team
 

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