Hatch Rest+ Review

Ann Weiss and her husband, Dave, believe technology can improve lives. As entrepreneurs at heart, their passion for helping people led them to create Hatch, starting with products specifically for babies before branching out to adults. Their experience with their first baby and insomnia, in general, inspired them to create Rest and Rest+. Since being featured on "Shark Tank" in 2016, the company has grown into a leader in restorative sleep products.

Performance Comparison

Sound Clarity

The Hatch Rest+ isn't super impressive for a sound monitor, but it gets the job done despite lacking sound-specific features. This product does not have sound activation or microphone sensitivity adjustment but still manages relatively impressive sound filtering technology keeping a quiet monitor quiet unless your baby is crying.

However, for sound quality, this product isn't the best or the worst in the group, with a score that manages to be just below average. The Hatch Rest+ has a maximum dB output of 96.3 in our tests which is better than most of the competition. Unfortunately, the sound it emits isn't impressive at higher volumes. It wasn't until the sounds dropped below 75dB that we could decipher what was said in the nursery. You will be able to hear your baby crying, but if the noises are more subtle or super loud, the details could be lost. This monitor is never totally quiet, but the features let you turn it down low enough for most parents to sleep. Of course, if you use the sound machine or lullaby features, you will hear those through your device.

Ease of Use

The Hatch Rest+ is one of the easier options to use in our best sound monitor review, which is surprising given the more involved setup and app-enabled user interface. While we doubt your average grandparent will love this unit, we think most tech-savvy parents accustomed to utilizing their smartphones will have no trouble with this setup or application.

This monitor automatically connects to your phone as soon as you open the Hatch sleep app, as long as you are in range and the product is on. This is far superior to products that require linking or syncing to start. You can manually sync the Hatch to your phone if it doesn't connect after setting up an account. The app automatically registers your Hatch, which is a nice feature if you have problems.

The app is intuitive and straightforward if you are familiar with smartphone apps. We were able to set up programs and nightlight/sound schedules easily. The touch ring on the top of the Hatch allows you to toggle through your pre-programmed settings, and there are buttons on the bottom for volume and brightness control. One of the best advantages is that all features can be operated from the parent device and outside the nursery.

Range

The Hatch Rest+ is a WiFi option that requires this technology to work. The upside is this typically extends the range past where most dedicated monitors can go.

The Hatch Rest+ has a better than average range in our tests but will depend entirely on the WiFi range in your home. It should work wherever you have a WiFi connection.

Battery Life

The Hatch Rest+ battery life is long enough, with 13 hours in our tests. While this is plenty to make it through the night should the electricity go out, it isn't on par with some of the competition.

Depending on your use of this option, your battery life will be affected. Using the sound machine and nightlight will decrease your overall battery life over using it as a monitor alone. The manufacturer writes that the battery is not intended for frequent or all-night use and is designed as a backup or for shorter nap times.

Features

The Hatch Rest+ has some fun features for little ones, but none are helpful for a sound monitor. So depending on your goals, the available features may be exciting or disappointing. While we'd like to see a sound activation or microphone sensitivity adjustment, it didn't offer either, instead choosing to focus on soothing features for little ones like sound and light.

• Nightlight with infinite colors and brightness levels
• Sound machine
• Lullabies
• Ok to wake clock for toddlers
• Talk to baby
• Clock
• Remote capabilities
• Alexa capable

EMF

The Hatch offers one of the lowest EMF readings in the group, with a reading of 0.43 V/m at a distance of 6 ft. This result is even more impressive than it might be with an ordinary monitor because it uses WiFi, which often increases the production of EMF.

If you want even lower levels near your little one, we recommend placing the Hatch as far from the crib as possible to still be effective. Given that it is also a nightlight and sound machine, this might not be as far as some of the competition as you'll want your little one to be able to see and hear everything the Hatch has to offer for soothing.

Should You Buy the Hatch Rest+?

If you are looking for a stylish app-enabled or WiFi-driven monitor, Hatch might be the one for you. This product has night lights, lullabies, a sound machine, and more. While it isn't the best for sound clarity, it isn't the worst either and could be all you need if features are your main goal. We think this is a cool option for those who love app-assisted products, and little ones will love the sounds and colors for soothing entertainment.

What Other Sound Monitor Should You Consider?

The Hatch + is more complicated than a standard sound monitor with WiFI and App control; it could be more than you need or want. If simplicity or a tight budget is the goal for you, the VTech DM221 is likely a better choice because it has a straightforward setup and user interface. It is one of the highest-rated in the review and very reasonably priced.

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