As a new parent, you need a lot of gear, and near the top of that list is your baby’s bassinet. Providing a safe, secure, and comfortable place for your baby to rest, a bassinet quickly becomes one of your most-used pieces of furniture. And if you’re a parent on the go, you’ll want a way to bring all this utility with you.
In this article, we’re checking out our favorite travel bassinets. We’ll examine each choice and then give you a buying guide to help you make the best choice for you.
Why a Travel Bassinet?
Bassinets give your baby a safe and comfortable spot to rest, play, and sleep. Babies have special sleeping requirements. They need a sleeping environment without potential choking or suffocation risks, which is why bassinets do not include loose blankets and always have a firm sleeping surface. It is about more than comfort – it’s about safety!
But, as any new parent knows, babies need a lot of rest, so an at-home bassinet won’t always be enough. If you don’t want to give up your adventurous lifestyle, you’ll want a travel bassinet. A travel bassinet offers the comfort and safety of a normal bassinet but can be packed up and brought on the go. Travel bassinets offer various levels of portability, functionality, and design.
Product Reviews
In this section, we’ll be examining our travel bassinets, so you can make the best choice for your baby.
AIMSAMS Portable Travel Bassinet
Product Overview
The Munchkin Fold ‘N Go Travel Bassinet is a convenient, simple choice for you to consider. It’s one of the most “minimal” designs on our list but gets the job done quite well.
The bassinet has portability as a major emphasis. It folds up quickly and easily into a small, compact design. There’s a carrying handle for easy transport, and it weighs under three pounds. When it’s time to set up, you simply unfold it and lock the Safe-T-Lock system into place. It sits directly on the ground, so you just need to be sure you pick a spacious, flat patch of ground.
The Fold N’ Go was also designed to be comfortable for any infant, from newborn to 15 pounds. The mattress surface is firm, with a fitted sheet to eliminate suffocation worries. The mattress pad is also water-resistant if you happen to be on a slightly damp patch of ground (although it’s not waterproof for extended periods). The mattress pad uses breathable fabric, and the mesh side-walling makes sure that your baby receives ample airflow.
This bassinet shows that you don’t need a complicated design or an abundance of features. It’s sleek, easily portable, and very comfortable. It’s also quite affordable. If you want an easy option, this one is tough to beat.
Pros
- Easy to fold up and carry (under three pounds)
- Firm mattress pad and fitted sheets
- Breathable fabric and side-walling
- Very affordable
Cons
- Doesn’t include a stand
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a bassinet with a laser focus on functional design, this is the one for you. It has everything you need to keep your baby safe and comfortable, with none of the bells and whistles of more expensive models. When it comes to a portable product, that’s all you need. It’s a lightweight bassinet that is easy to set up, fold down, and carry with you wherever you go. For the price, it’s one of the top options on our list.
besrey 3-in-1 Portable Baby Bassinet
Product Overview
The besrey 3-in-1 Portable Baby Bassinet sports a unique design, which is immediately evident with the easy assembly. But this convenient design is more than just a gimmick – it provides a stable, safe, comfortable, and fun environment for your baby.
This steel-frame and polyester fabric bassinet is easy to pack up and travel with. It folds up vertically and compactly for easy carrying. It easily unfolds into a rocking mode, a sleeper mode, and a shorter feet mode, depending on your needs at the time.
There’s a firm, comfortable mattress specially designed one-inch thick for your baby made from cotton and totally breathable. There’s also an overhead canopy that allows air to flow to keep your baby cool while keeping out mosquitoes and bugs.
Pros
- Portable, functional design
- Overhead canopy to protect from bugs and sun
- Airy and cool
- Firm, comfortable, safe sleeping surface
Cons
- Slightly heavier than many portable bassinets
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a portable bassinet for rest and play, then it’s tough to beat the besrey 3-in-1 Portable Baby Bassinet. besrey is a brand with a reputation for making quality baby products, and this basinet is no exception. It’s sturdy, portable, and functional. It’s easy to set up anywhere and allows your baby to alternate between rest and play. You’ll appreciate the canopy on sunny or buggy days. While slightly heavier than competing bassinets, it’s not a huge issue, and we think it’s a trade-off worth making.
Beberoad Love Baby Travel Bassinet
Product Overview
Here’s another very simple portable baby lounger. The Beberaod Love Baby Travel Bassinet sports a minimal design with an emphasis on portability and your baby’s comfort.
The bassinet itself is firm and comfortable, with 8” safety sidewalls. The sidewalls keep the baby safe while giving you easy access to playtime. Its minimal design also makes it a great bassinet for co-sleeping. Equipped with a canopy and mosquito net, it has good airflow and protects baby against bug bites.
This bassinet folds up and collapses flat quickly for easy travel and comes with a storage bag for easy transport. The fit is a little tight, and the travel bag won’t have much leftover space with the bassinet inside. We wish the bag was just a little bit bigger.
The bassinet also includes a removable mosquito canopy. The canopy is adjustable to provide full or semi-coverage. We do wish the canopy provided a bit more sun protection though.
Pros
- Simple, minimal, comfortable design
- Attachable mosquito canopy
- Great for co-sleeping
- Machine washable covers
Cons
- Tight fit into carrying bag
Bottom Line
Here’s another minimal baby bassinet that we like. With its fold-and-go design, it remains highly portable due to its simplistic nature. It features a comfortable sleeping surface and reliable sidewalls to keep the baby safe and comfortable. It’s great for travel, at-home use, or co-sleeping. We wish the mosquito net provided a bit more sun protection, so be sure to find a relatively shady area for use.
AKME Portable Baby Bassinet
Product Overview
The AKME Portable Baby Bassinet is a hybrid bassinet and bedside sleeper with a reliable baby-friendly design. With its oversized mesh windows and zipper design, it makes taking care of your baby at the bedside easier. It’s one of the strongest options on our list.
First, let’s talk about this bassinet’s unique design. The premium construction is crafted with a high-strength, lightweight aluminum frame. There’s a strap system to keep everything secure to your bedframe. It folds up quickly and compactly into a storage bag for easy, lightweight travel.
The bassinet itself is also impressive. The sleeping surface is firm and comfortable for the baby, with a removable machine-washable cover. Safety is high with this option as AKME Bassinet performs more tests than most other brands in order to meet or exceed all safety standards set by the CPSC and ASTM.
We also like this bassinet’s modern, stylish look. Available in natural wood, gray or gray wood color options, it’s a fashion-forward choice for you and your baby!
Pros
- Rates high in reviews, especially for value and quality
- Firm, comfortable sleeping surface with secure sidewalls
- Machine washable cover
- Stylish design
Cons
- The storage bag is a bit large
Bottom Line
Here is one of the most unique travel options on our list. This bassinet folds up in no time and is easy to carry on trips. The bassinet is firm, safe, and comfortable, with high marks in value and quality. Even though the storage bag is a little on the bulky side, the overall package remains impressive and stands as one of the most functional travel bassinets on our list.
Best Rocking – Travel Bassinet ComfyBumpy
Product Overview
If you’re looking for a more comprehensive travel bassinet, this one from ComfyBumpy packs in the features. But do note that you sacrifice some portability for all these extra features.
The set includes a bassinet with standing legs, a bassinet mattress and fitted sheet, a mosquito net, and a carrying case. It’s a bit more extensive than the other bassinets on our list, but it’s unique in that it free-stands for easier access to the baby for playtime. Its legs let you rock the baby to sleep, or they lock in place if you don’t want to keep it stable.
The bassinet can also fold up into a carrying case, but the case is quite a bit bulkier than competing “travel” bassinets. The whole package weighs nearly 17 lbs., making it quite a bit heavier as well.
All this said, it depends on where your priorities lie. If you’re more focused on bringing a bassinet loaded with features, you’ll be happy with this one. The sleeping surface is firm and breathable and includes a fitted sheet and a machine-washable urine pad. The walls are breathable for ample airflow, and the overhead canopy keeps the bugs away.
Pros
- Decked out with all the features, and includes standing legs
- Comfortable sleeping surface with machine-washable urine pad
- Legs lock for rocking and stationary mode
- Folds up into travel bag – no tools required for assembly
Cons
- Much bulkier than most travel bassinets
- Weighs almost 17 lbs
Bottom Line
Travel bassinets, or travel products in general, need to make a fundamental trade-off between functionality and portability. The more features packed into the product, the less portable it tends to get. This product sits firmly in the extra-features category of these products. It contains a fully functional, standing bassinet, but it’s also bulky and heavy, so you have to decide carefully.
If you want a bassinet decked out with everything you need for home and away, the ComfyBumpy bassinet is a great choice.
MiClassic 2-in-1 Rock Bassinet
Product Overview
The MiClassic is another bassinet that aims for functionality over portability. That said, it can still fold down for transport from location to location.
The MiClassic is an impressive bassinet. Its standing legs can be toggled for rocking or stationary mode, depending on what your baby prefers. The bassinet itself is firm and comfortable, with breathable mesh walls for airflow.
The bassinet folds up quickly, with a pull-up handle to grip and pull the bassinet into a compact, portable package and a carrying handle for transport. But note that this bassinet is not as portable as other options on our list. It weighs in at over 18 lbs and doesn’t fold down nearly as compact as other models. If you want a fully functional standing bassinet on the go, it might be what you’re after, but it’s not as easy to transport.
Do note that the fitted sheets are not included. Additionally, the bassinet is only compatible with MiClassic printed fitted sheets. Other fitted sheets have not been designed to fit properly and might present serious safety issues for your baby.
Pros
- Functional, standing bassinet with rocking and stationary mode
- Firm surface and breathable walls
- Easy pull handle for folding design
- Fair price for what is offered
Cons
- Not nearly as portable as other options on our list
- Fitted sheets not included
Bottom Line
Similar to the bassinet directly above, this one sacrifices a great deal of portability for extra functionality. If you want a standing bassinet that you can use outdoors, this is a great choice. It does fold up for easy carrying, but it’s bulkier and heavier than competing options. You’ll have to decide whether the extra features are worth the dip in portability.
Graco Pack and Play
Product Overview
We’ll round out with the Graco Pack and Play. The last few options have were geared toward functionality while still offering portability. We aim for a well-rounded list that has something for everyone.
The Graco Pack and Play are decked out for sleep, rest, and play. The bassinet’s bed sits high off the ground, giving you easy access to the baby for playtime. The rest surface is firm and comfortable and even includes overhead plush toys for batting. The bassinet is fully removable if you want to put the baby directly on the ground or the bed. There are also lockable wheels for easy transport over short distances.
It features a one-pull handle for folding and folds down right into a compact carrying bag. But at 30 pounds, it’s not the most portable option around. However, if you want something with all the comforts of home and don’t mind the extra effort to fold and assemble, it’s a solid choice. And if that sounds like too much effort, check out more portable options above!
Pros
- Freestanding bassinet with breathable mesh walls
- Firm, comfortable, safe surface for baby
- Overhead plush toys for batting and dexterity
- Great price
Cons
- Not as portable as other options
- Weighs 30 pounds
Bottom Line
Portability vs. functionality has been a running theme in our list, so it’s appropriate that we end the list here. This option is perhaps the most full-fledged bassinet on our list and has everything needed for sleep, rest, and play. And while it does pack down into a convenient travel bag, it would likely be too heavy to carry around the entire day. It’s more suitable to pack into a car for day trips or vacations.
But wherever you land on the portable vs. functional spectrum, there’s something on our list for you! Check out all our options above, or read through our buyer’s guide below to make the best choice for you and your baby.
Buyer’s Guide
As you can see, even within the narrow category of travel bassinets, there are many options available. The bassinets feature various features and designs and varying degrees of portability. So with all these options, which should you choose for yourself?
With a product like this, it’s a good idea to first decide what you want in a bassinet. Use our factors below to decide the most important features for you, and it will make your decision much easier:
Portability vs. Functionality
A major trade-off not just in bassinets but any portable product is portability vs functionality. The more features you add to something, the less portable it tends to get. Therefore, when it comes to choosing a travel bassinet, you need to consider this trade-off carefully.
You can see in our above product list how this trade-off impacts a bassinet’s final design. Some bassinets are small, compact, and feature a minimalist design. These bassinets tend to weigh just a few pounds and can be folded down or disassembled for very easy transportation. On the other hand, these bassinets tend to lack many of the features seen in the less portable travel bassinets. Most notably, they cannot often stand on their own or rock the baby to sleep.
Bed Surface
There’s a temptation to think that a baby’s bed should be soft and comfortable. Any good bassinet must be firm and comfortable. Overly soft baby beds can present a suffocation risk, which is also why a bassinet needs to have fitted sheets. Any reliable brand (and all the bassinets above) is safe and comfortable for babies. If you still want your baby to sleep in bed with you, many of the above bassinets have been designed for co-sleeping.
But do take note of which bassinets feature removable sheets for easy washing. A removable, machine-washable fitted sheet makes your life a lot easier. Some bassinets allow you to throw the entire thing in the wash, and some are simply rub-to-clean. And if you’re planning to buy replacement sheets, make sure that they will fit snug and tight onto your bassinet, so your baby can’t loosen the sheets during sleep.
Rest and Play
Remember that a bassinet isn’t just a place for your baby to rest. It can also be a great place for them to play, and for you to spend time with them. Many bassinets feature hanging “batting” toys. These toys are fun shapes, colors, and materials, and help your child develop dexterity while keeping themselves entertained.
Many parents also find that it is easier to spend time with their baby with a standing bassinet, eliminating the need to fully bend over. But do note that free-standing bassinets require sizeable legs, which makes the device less portable. There are portable free-standing bassinets on our list, but they aren’t as portable as the other options.
Transformation & Carrying
There’s more to portability than simply a lightweight bassinet. You also want to consider how quickly you can transform the bassinet into its compact, portable form. Many bassinets on our list fold down in a matter of minutes (or seconds) and sport convenient carrying handles or bags or are wearable. Consider which design best matches your outdoor/travel needs. Remember, a few extra pounds can make a major difference if you plan to carry the bassinet for extended periods.
Price
Of course, this one’s a no-brainer! But remember not to consider price as an isolated factor. Consider how price relates to the quality of the unit you are purchasing. You don’t want to cheap out on a product if it doesn’t even offer what you’re looking for. Instead, try to decide what you want from the above factors, and then choose a price range you are comfortable with. From there, examine what’s available in your price range, and make a decision that suits you!
Conclusion
Thanks very much for checking out our guide to lightweight travel bassinets. As you can see, there are many options available within this category of baby products. Using our guide, we’re confident you can find something that makes you (and your baby) happy! Use our buyer’s guide to navigate our list above, and you’ll have the perfect travel bassinet for vacations, day trips, and more.