Top Picks for Bassinets in 2026
Our three favorite bassinets checked all the boxes for safety and value—and had standout features our testers appreciated
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When it comes to convenience, safety, and proximity for late-night feedings and diaper changes, a bassinet is a smart buy, especially in the early months. Bassinets allow for room-sharing (as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics) and ease of access to your baby—especially crucial if you’ve had a cesarean section, which may make bending over a crib rail or play yard wall more difficult. Many models swivel and rotate, have a flexible wall for bedside access, or are height-adjustable so you can easily reach your infant. Some “smart” or soothing bassinets even have built-in features like vibration, music or sounds, rocking, or cameras for monitoring baby activity.
Bassinets tend to have a relatively short lifespan, however. When your baby reaches the bassinet’s weight limit (which can vary by model, but is typically around 20 pounds) or starts to push up on all fours (which tends to happen around 6 months), you’ll need to graduate to a crib. But using a bassinet can also help with the transition to a crib, because your baby will already be used to their own sleep space.
Top Picks for Baby: See more top performers in cribs, high chairs, diapers, infant car seats, convertible car seats, all-in-one car seats, strollers, lightweight strollers, double strollers, and travel systems.
Joan Muratore, the engineer who leads Consumer Reports’ testing of bassinets for our ratings and Top Picks, says that even given the short-term utility of a bassinet, “the convenience and comfort of having your baby right in your bedroom, or nearby in your kitchen or living room while you do other things, makes it a worthwhile purchase.”
When choosing a bassinet, safety is a top priority, which is why Muratore uses the federal safety standard as a blueprint, assessing the stability of the bassinet, mattress firmness and fit, bassinet sidewall height, and whether the sleep surface is level.
But a bassinet should also be simple to use and well-designed. Muratore’s team also looks for:
• How easy the bassinet is to assemble
• Features like motion, sound, lights, or automated soothing
• Convenience, including ease of lifting or carrying the bassinet, storage, cleaning, and maintenance (including whether the sheet and fabric are machine-washable)
• Design and safety, including breathability, adjustable frame height, accessibility of the baby within the bassinet, extra accessibility features, and how travel-ready or packable the bassinet is
Consumer Reports tested over 30 bassinets from brands, including Chicco, Halo, Newton, Snoo, and Uppababy to find the best. The three models that impress our testers the most are our Top Picks for Bassinets for 2026.
CR’s Top Pick for bassinets, below, is the highest-rated widely available model from our rigorous lab tests. We’ve also designated a value pick for bassinets that offers a great test score for a good price. And because not all families’ needs are the same, our expert pick is for families that want a smart bassinet with automated soothing features, at a price they can afford.
Top Pick: Maxi-Cosi Iora Bedside Bassinet
Graphic: Consumer Reports, Manufacturers Graphic: Consumer Reports, Manufacturers
There’s a lot to love about our top pick for the second year running, the Maxi-Cosi Iora Bedside Bassinet. To put it plainly: It’s simple, sturdy, and safe, and it receives top scores in our testing. Another highlight: The Iora bassinet is both vertically and horizontally adjustable. “It can slide closer toward you when used bedside,” Muratore says, and if one or both parents are tall, “the height adjustment feature is again a plus,” she says. We couldn’t find any performance or design flaws in our testing.
Other features our testers like include the following:
• It folds down easily for travel or storage—without tools
• It packs up into the included travel bag for a visit to see friends and family
• A large storage basket underneath keeps essentials within reach
• The sheet, mattress, and travel bag are all machine-washable
Our testers’ value pick in bassinets for 2026 is exceptionally lightweight and portable, but is still awash in features. Our expert pick is a great choice for families that want a smart bassinet at a relatively budget-friendly price. Depending on your family’s needs and budget, one of these bassinets might be right for you.
