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Bassinets are a cozy little haven where your newborn drifts off to dreamland, and you finally catch some sleep yourself—if all goes well, of course. With so many bassinets on the market, from feature-packed wonders to minimalist marvels, how do you choose the best fit for your tiny slumberer? In this guide, I’ll delve into the world of bassinets, exploring key features, expert input, must-have considerations, and top picks for various needs and budgets.
If you’re looking for a bassinet for an apartment or a small nursery, look no further than the SnuzPod4 Bedside Crib. It has a gentle reflux incline option, rocking stand and seven height settings to fit a range of adult beds. It’s compact and lightweight, so you can easily take it from room to room. Plus, it is JPMA-certified, stylishly-designed, and made from sustainably-sourced wood.
The SnuzPod4 is a useful bedside crib with impressive features that is praised for its compact size, safety certifications, and comfortable design.
For twins, finding a bassinet that works well is its own special project. We love this swivel iteration that allows you to keep your twins close and safe while still providing them with their own sleep spaces. It has a space-saving design, rotates 360 degrees, and features breathable mesh walls for airflow.
Offering 360-degree swivel, separate sleep spaces, and soothing features, the Halo BassiNest Twin Sleeper is a win for twins.
For twins, finding a bassinet that works well is its own special project. We love this swivel iteration that allows you to keep your twins close and safe while still providing them with their own sleep spaces. It has a space-saving design, rotates 360 degrees, and features breathable mesh walls for airflow.
It’s not budget-friendly, but this luxe bassinet allows you to customize your look to match a range of decors. Available in seven bassinet styles—such as tufted in varied hues, beautiful prints, or a marble-look option—and four elegant base options, you can choose the one that suits your home best. Made with water-repellent fabric and compliant with EU safety regulations, this bassinet is sturdy and pretty enough to be used in every part of your house.
If you want your baby to snooze in style in a bassinet that will look stellar in any room of the house, this is the perfect one to choose.
The Journey Convertible Bassinet is the ideal solution when you want to buy a single sleeping spot for your baby’s changing needs. The versatile design allows you to convert it from a bassinet to a portable bed without using any tools. It’s also compact, so it’s perfect for apartment dwellers. This affordable two-in-one comes with a nightlight, vibration, and sleepy sounds including calming nature noises, as well as a convenient storage basket to keep all your baby essentials.
This bassinet is ideal for lulling little ones to sleep at home or on the go.
If your baby prefers to sleep next to you (or on you, as mine does), this bedside bassinet is the next best thing. Reviewers love that it’s lightweight, adjustable, and easy to move. This minimally-chic bassinet features a breathable and washable mattress that also boasts the largest-in-class sleep surface for longer use as your baby grows.
This bassinet prioritizes safety and comfort.
With hundreds of almost-five-star ratings on Amazon, this mid-priced co-sleeper bassinet provides peace of mind to those parents whose babies need proximity come nightfall. This product offers two modes, a bassinet bedside sleeper and freestanding baby bassinet, plus four breathable mesh sides for maximum visibility into baby’s status. The detachable side panel folds down, so you can easily access your baby for feeding or snuggling at night. It features adjustable legs to fit snug against all sizes of beds and comes with lots of storage space to keep baby items organized.
For parents prioritizing safe co-sleeping with excellent visibility and versatility, the Arm's Reach Clear-Vue Co-Sleeper Bassinet provides a well-reviewed solution that converts to a standalone bassinet and portable sleeper.
Available in nine different prints to coordinate with any decor, this small, portable bassinet is fully sustainable and responsibly designed. Surprisingly chic despite being constructed of corrugated cardboard, it folds up flat, so it’s easy to travel with. I personally tested this one out and found it surprisingly cozy for my son. I loved how it folded down flat so it was ideal for taking to grandma’s for a visit. This smart and on-the-go bassinet makes ideal baby gifts like baby bibs or a stylish diaper bag for upcoming baby showers.
This inexpensive, sustainable bassinet is the perfect choice if you find you want a second bassinet for another floor or room of your home or for travel.
This is my overall favorite of the category. Consider me a convert to the cult of Snoo! When nothing else would get my baby to sleep, the Snoo would work every time. Though it’s expensive, when you consider the difference it makes with regard to your baby’s (and your own) sleep, it’s money well spent. If you don’t want to lay out the cash for a Snoo outright, you can also rent one. Since your baby will only be in a bassinet the first few months of his or her life, that’s a smart way to do it. It also looks sleek and is easy to assemble on your own. I say this as a person who calls a task rabbit for embarrassing simple tasks. It comes with three hip-safe sleep sack swaddles and five levels of sound and motion to automatically sense when baby is fussing and soothes little one back to sleep automatically letting you grab a few more hours of much-needed sleep.
Offering a 30-day free trial and claiming to boost sleep up to one to two plus hours per night, the Snoo boasts a cult following for a reason and clocks in as our personal favorite of the list.
Looking for a budget-friendly sleep setup for your little one? Priced at under $70, the Dream On Me Karley Bassinet is a fabulous one to try. Offering exceptional value without compromising functionality, this bassinet provides practicality and comfort. It received 4.5 stars on Amazon for a reason. Available in 13 colors, the affordable bassinet has a lightweight aluminum frame that’s super easy to move from room to room. Reviewers say it’s very portable and stable, and the zip mesh canopy allows for outdoor use, too!
The Dream On Me Karley Bassinet offers a spacious, super portable, and highly affordable sleeping nook for your baby that’s breathable.
If you want your baby sleeping on organic bedding, just as you do, this is the bassinet for you. Fourth Trimester Retreat’s Director of Operations Katie Billinglsey recommends this bassinet for C-section moms in particular. ”The Halo Bassinest is height adjustable, swivels over the bed for an easier reach, and has a side that can be depressed to remove baby without compromising safety,” she says. “This bassinet is non-toxic and has an option for an organic mattress. It also provides vibration and white noise to soothe your little.”
With its built-in soothing features to help your baby drift off to dreamland, this is a great choice for many parents.
If your baby is fussy in the evenings, you’ll love this unique bassinet, which features innovative technology that can automatically turn on at the sound of your baby's cry at a nice price. The technology triggers the accompanying mobile which features 10 different songs, a soft-glow night light, and five speed levels of vibration to help calm baby for a peaceful return to sleep. Which will help you get some sleep, too. I also appreciate it’s easy to clean with a machine-washable sheet, and wipeable materials.
This bassinet offers the bells and whistles of more expensive iterations (music, vibration) at under $200.
Traveling with a baby isn’t easy, but this portable bassinet takes some of the pressure off. Lightweight and compact, it’s ideal for everything from road trips to hotels. Plus, its breathable mesh construction ensures excellent airflow, while the easy assembly and folding make it simple to set up. This baby sleeper is cradle-sized: about 30% bigger than a typical bassinet but smaller than a crib. Ideal for infants and newborn stage.
I like that it’s made from sustainable pine and finished with non-toxic paint and free of lead, phthalates, and formaldehyde.
With a simple design, this lightweight bassinet makes it easy to take along on trips to help your baby sleep anywhere.
This is a three-in-one option that converts from a bassinet to a crib and then to a toddler bed. Says Billingsley, “It is sturdy, beautifully designed, and will move with you through many stages of your baby’s early life. The bassinet wheels make it easy to move from room to room, and it’s non-toxic and sustainably built. It also comes in two colors to match a variety of room aesthetics. Though it’s somewhat pricey, you get three items with a single purchase.
With lockable wheels, you can move this versatile bassinet from room to room, in addition to transforming it from a bassinet to a crib to a toddler bed.
This bassinet offers a sleek, modern aesthetic for under $500. Adaptable and adorable, it offers five parent-inspired motions (like car ride, kangaroo, and tree swing), five speeds and four white noise options to help soothe and comfort your baby. There’s an accompanying app to help you get the motion and speed settings right, in addition to a timer for when you don’t want to disturb your baby while he or she is snoozing. For such a cool, high-tech bassinet it's surprisingly easy to assemble.
The 4Moms MamaRoo Sleep Bassinet combines comfort like breathable mesh, and adjustable height with smart features like app control and sleep system integration.
This is vital for all baby products, from high chairs and cribs, to bassinets. Ensure the bassinet meets current safety standards and has sturdy construction. Jennifer Leonardo, who leads the Children's Safety Network at Education Development Center says The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that parents and caregivers should ensure that the bottom of the cradle or bassinet is well supported to prevent its collapse. “The cradle or bassinet should also have a wide base so it won’t tip over even if someone bumps it and, if it has folding legs, parents should make certain that they’re locked straight whenever it is being used,” she says. For more information, check out healthychildren.org. “Make sure your bassinet meets current safety standards and be knowledgeable of the weight and age limits. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is a good resource when considering bassinets,” she adds. One thing to keep in mind is that most bassinets are only designed for use until your baby is about four to six months old and weigh about 15 pounds, though each bassinet brand and sku has its own weight limit. This can occur even within a single brand, so ensure that you check the manufacturer’s weight limits for your specific bassinet. Happiest Baby (the manufacturer of the Snoo), for example, recommends moving your baby out of the Snoo by the time they’re five to six months old. Your baby should not be able to roll over yet or push up on their hands and knees if he or she is sleeping in a bassinet. After this age, weight, and developmental milestone your baby should transition to a crib.
Consider your nursery space and how you plan to use the bassinet. Do you need it to be easily movable for room-to-room monitoring? Opt for a compact, lightweight design with lockable wheels if portability is important.
Choose a comfortable crib mattress with proper support and breathability. Consider adjustable features like mattress height for versatility and convenience as your baby grows. Additional features like soothing sounds or vibration can be a bonus. You want to ensure the mattress is both firm and flat—fitting snugly against the sides of the bassinet to prevent gaps, as those can be a suffocation risk.
Bassinets come in a variety of price ranges and styles. Determine your budget and choose a design that complements your nursery decor and personal preferences. Safety and functionality should always take priority over aesthetics, however.
As a new mom to a six week-old baby boy, I personally tested out several of the bassinets on this list. I also researched the best-reviewed bassinets, looking for those rated 4.6 or higher, in addition to tapping experts in the field for their input and advice. I specifically looked at:
Except in the cases of budget- and travel-friendly iterations, I focused on bassinets that offer added value, from motion and sound options to adjustable heights.
I selected the best bassinets by testing a few out myself by having my baby sleep in them, but I also called on the help and assistance of the experts mentioned in this article. I also talked to fellow moms to find out what they like most.
I selected bassinets that are available at big box retailers, on Amazon, or on a direct-to-consumer site for ease of shopping.
Babies are typically safe in bassinets for the first few months of life, Leonardo says. “Once babies begin to roll over they are no longer safe in bassinets. Caregivers should check all weight and age limits for the bassinet they are using,” she adds. After they’re five months old or about 20 pounds, your baby should transition to a full crib.
Yes, it’s perfectly fine to leave a newborn baby awake in a bassinet. Allowing newborns some awake time in their bassinet or crib helps with their development. Why? While newborns sleep a lot, they also need periods of being awake to engage with their surroundings and develop important skills.
No, it is not too early, Leonardo says. “Many babies will transition to cribs after the first few months of life.”
“Not checking Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines, not using the bassinet in accordance with age and weight limits and not following safe sleep guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics,” says Leonardo.
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