In this Woom 1 balance bike review, I’ll dive into whether spending a bit more money on my toddler’s bike truly made a difference. Did she enjoy it more? Did she learn to ride faster (or better)? I’ll also address some commonly asked questions and give my ultimate verdict: Is the Woom 1 truly the best balance bike on the market?

Come along for the whole ride or skip to what matters most to you:

• What is a balance bike?
• Choosing a balance bike
  • Woom safety
  • Woom 1 size
  • Toddler enjoyment
  • Versatility
• Woom 1 vs. competitors
• The verdict: the awesome and the wish-it-were-different
• Pricing and where to buy
• Technical bike stuff and other FAQs
• Wrapping up

Please note: Fathercraft is reader supported, meaning if you click a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Read more about our disclosures and how we approach these reviews in our policies.

What is a balance bike and why should I get one?

I’m Tim, by the way—friend of Fathercraft, dad to the best toddler around, and Chattanoogan who spends as much time as possible outside. As a family, we make it a big priority to make the outdoors fun, engaging, and exciting for our toddler, Fia. So, we’ve had our eyes on a balance bike since she started wobbling across the living room for just that reason.

If you’ve never heard of a balance bike, you’re not alone. When my wife and I were talking about getting our daughter her first bike, the iconic image of pushing her down the driveway (feet on the pedals and training wheels flanking the side) popped straight into my head. But as we looked more into it, it was clear that a balance bike, which doesn’t have peddles or training wheels, was the way to go. 

Why? As it turns out, learning to pedal is the easiest part of riding a bike. So, a balance bike focuses on the challenging part first, which is (you guessed it) balance. By mastering balance first, your child builds confidence in their ability to ride while feeling unstable. Then, once your child has mastered the fundamentals of two wheels, add in the pedals! 

So, that’s it. No pedals. No training wheels. Just two normal-bicycle-sized wheels, a pair of tennies, and the open road (editor’s note: and a helmet, because we’re all about making safety cool here at Fathercraft).

Choosing a balance bike

After deciding that a balance bike was the way to go, it was time to figure out which bike was best. It had to score well in a few categories:

• Safety: I’m a firm believer in the let-them-do-it-themselves approach. But I also want to make sure they-do-it-themselves safely. As bike accidents are sure to happen, we needed our bike to have safety features resulting in less booboos and more woohoos!
• Size: Fia is on the smaller side for her age but also has less risk aversion than your average toddler. We wanted a bike that would fit her size and energy now but could also grow with her. We also needed the bike to be light enough to carry. Toddlers have a lot of strengths, but endurance isn’t one of them.
• Easy assembly: We are a family of movers. My wife and I both work and parent full time so there is not a lot of time for us to figure out how to assemble a dinner much less a 20-piece bike. I like to think I’m handy, but mechanical engineering was never my strong suit. The easier the assembly, the better.
• Toddler enjoyment: Maybe one of the most important factors… Our kid needed to actually enjoy the bike.
• Versatility: There is rarely a weekend where we aren’t going on a hike, playing at a park, camping, or visiting friends and family. We wanted a bike that could handle all our activities with ease. We’ve gotta be able to go from asphalt to gravel to dirt road to grass to gravel again and back to asphalt one last time.

So, how did the Woom balance bike perform in these areas? Let’s find out.

Woom safety features

It’s tough to beat a Woom bike’s safety features. Their bikes designed for children under 6 all come standard with a turn limiter designed to reduce crashes caused by overturning. Each bike also comes with rear brakes designed to fit into a child’s small hands.

Size 

Falling into the lowest size and age categories, we were deciding between the Woom 1 (weighing in at 6.6 lbs, 12″ and made for children ages 1.5-3.5 years old and 31-40’’ tall) and the Woom 1 PLUS (weighing in at 9.5 lbs, 14’’ and designed for children 3-4.5 years old measured 37-43’’ tall). Fia comes in at 2.5 years old and approximately 36’’ (measuring toddlers is difficult), so we opted for the smaller and lighter Woom 1. Out of the 7 color options (two of which are gradient) we settled on purple haze.

Woom also has options. The company carries a variety of bikes in a plethora of sizes from which to choose—the Woom 1 all the way up to the Woom 6—and four different lines (ORIGINAL, OFF & OFF AIR, UP, and NOW). Whatever your wants and needs, Woom has you covered with bikes for kids aged 1.5 to 14! 

Woom assembly

Right from delivery, we loved the Woom 1. It came in reasonably sized packaging which was easy to hide so our daughter wouldn’t see it when she got home from preschool.

The bike itself came mostly preassembled except for the handlebars made to attach by using a 4mm hex key (the small wrench they always provide) to tighten onto the stem. I wanted to go get my bike tool, but decided the tiny tool was good enough for this job. The seat was easily adjustable, and I was able to make my best estimation at where it would land before measuring. When my estimation was wrong, adjusting the seat was a cinch.

Toddler enjoyment

Fia’s face lit up when she saw her new bike! Armed with her excitement and a mantra given to her by this morning’s Daniel Tiger episode, Fia gave three Grrs, fastened her Elsa helmet, swung her leg over the easy clearance, step-through, lightweight frame, mounted the easy-adjustable seat, and pushed her 12” pneumatic tires into action. After a couple of false starts, a handful of seat adjustments, one solid test of the turn limiter, and dad’s personal check of the braking system, Fia was off on an adventure in the front yard. 

We’ll talk about this a bit more in the final verdict, but she learned quickly, too. We were a bit surprised by how often she fell at first, but after a few days, she was cruising. Stay tuned for a video of her terrifying her grandfather by flying down the driveway.

Versatility 

Our Woom 1 balance bike has carved out its own personal spot in our trunk on all family outings. A local Oktoberfest, a trip to the park, and even a camping trip. No matter the surface, be it bike path, gravel, or dirt, the Woom handled the terrain with ease. And even when she decided she was done riding halfway across a bridge, we didn’t mind carrying the bike since it was so lightweight.

Woom 1 vs. competitors 

How does our Woom 1 review stack up against other bikes and trikes? Fathercraft has tried two less expensive alternatives. My wife and I have first-hand experience with the Besrey Elfintrike—a grow-with-you bike we got off Amazon. And, fellow friend of Fathercraft, Matt, tried and reviewed the Strider Bike. We’ll briefly cover each below. 

Woom 1 vs. Elfintrike ($69)

The Woom 1 wasn’t our first bike. Before Fia was ready to take on two wheels, we bought a small tricycle, which could be converted into a balance bike. While nifty, she outgrew it quicker than we had anticipated, and we never actually got to try out the balance bike phase. When we went to replace it, the Woom 1 had all the comforts it didn’t. A comfier seat, ergonomic handlebars, air-inflated wheels, and hand brakes. And while it was more expensive, we thought it was worth the investment. It’s also worth noting that Fia consistently asks for the Woom instead of the Elfintrike and has seemed to get more enjoyment out of the former.

Woom 1 vs. Strider Bike ($109) 

Fathercraft also tested and reviewed the Strider bike, a quality balance bike sold at a lower price point. Matt only had good things to say about this bike: it’s lightweight without feeling cheap, easy for his toddler to use, and he admitted it looks “really cool.”

The Strider bike is ultimately a solid option, but it’s missing some of the safety features boasted by Woom, like the turn limiter and hand brake. And, although both bikes were easy to assemble, Woom has two pieces and Strider had four. 

Which one should you choose? It might depend on how seriously you take biking. The Woom definitely has an extra touch that competitors don’t have. If that’s worth the extra money, the Woom might be for you.

The Verdict: Is the Woom 1 balance bike truly the best? 

So far… yes. What was most impressive was the speed at which Fia was able to develop skill at riding! Her first time on the Woom 1 was a little shaky. Although it wasn’t her first time on wheels, it was her first time trying to balance. Yet, within the first week of having the bike, she was picking up both feet and gliding with ease across our driveway! It was so exciting seeing her be so proud of riding her very own bike.

• Looking for more toddler toys that foster independence? Check out our Lovevery play kit review.

The Awesome

The safety features are a nice touch: Does she know how to use the hand brake? Truthfully, no. But we like that we can introduce it to her. Plus, we believe the turn limiter helps her when she’s barreling down small hills.

Assembly is a breeze: You can’t even really call it assembly. It’s more “stick the handlebars on and go.”

It’s easy to carry or pack in the car: Because it’s so lightweight, we don’t have to worry about her running out of steam. And, it takes up permanent residence in our car, so that she can ride during any and all of our adventures.

Our toddler is crushing it: See video above. No further explanation required.

Just kidding, we’ll provide a bit more information. It actually did take her some time to get the hang of it. She fell a lot at first, but she kept going, and now she’s, well… terrifying her grandparents (and her mom). But we’re all psyched to see how this translates as she gets older and starts using pedals.

This wish-it-were-different

Lifespan: We love the Woom 1—and we wish we could love it longer. Because our daughter is on the smaller side for a 2-year-old, we went with the smallest bike. In a year or so, she’ll likely need something closer to the Woom 1 Plus.

Price: We would indeed be remiss if we did not mention the price point. Ringing up at $249, the Woom 1 skews to the more expensive side of the budget. Some might be wondering if the bang is worth the buck—and for good reason. In our opinion, if you want to see your child enjoy learning and riding a bike with a sense of independence, the Woom 1 is absolutely worth the price. If you think the idea of bike riding is interesting but don’t have a heavy investment into it at the moment, the Woom 1 might not be for you.

Pricing and where to buy

It’s easiest to purchase the Woom 1 directly from their website. That’s the quickest way to see the different color and size options—plus, they offer a no-questions-asked, 30-day return guarantee for a full refund if something doesn’t work for you (but only if you purchase from their site).

As far as we can tell, you can’t purchase a Woom on Amazon. But, you can find it at different outdoor retailers, like REI.

Currently, the Woom 1 is priced at $249, unless you get a fancy ombre color, which raises the price to $259. The Woom 1 Plus, which is sized for slightly older toddlers (3 and older), starts at $299.

Woom 1 “technical bike stuff” and more FAQs

What is the Woom 1 bike’s geometry?

The Woom 1 has:

• 12″ tires
• 18.7″ handlebar height
• 68-degree steering angle
• 10.4″ minimum seat height
• 14.4″ maximum seat height

I’ll offer that my daughter fits onto the bike quite well (better than she fits on the Elfintrike). It simply seams as if it was designed for her.

How do I teach my child how to ride a balance bike?

You don’t. Your job is to provide the right tools (a helmet and a bike), the right environment (a flat surface to start), and some encouragement. You might find that your child is a bit clumsy on the bike at first, but with practice, they start intuitively figuring out how to balance.

How much does the Woom 1 weigh?

The Woom 1 weighs 6.6 pounds. That’s less than my daughter weighed when she was born.

Is Woom an American company?

Woom was founded in a garage in Vienna, Austria. It now has a corporate office and several dealers in the United States, but most of its production occurs at partner facilities around the world.

Wrapping up

Hey, we’re Fathercraft! We invite you to explore more. We review stuff for parents —everything from baby and newborn essentials to books and toys. And, we make stuff that makes parenting even more awesome, like a men’s diaper bag and an online course for expecting dads.

• If you prefer to watch your reviews, there’s a video review right below. Then, you can skim the written review for more details.
• If you prefer to read your reviews, scroll past the video, and you’ll find our written review.

Editor’s note: Fathercraft is reader-supported, meaning, at no cost to you, we may earn a commission if you buy after clicking an affiliate link. Learn more.

Colugo, like us, was founded by a dad who wasn’t able to find the products he was looking for after becoming a parent. We strongly relate to this, so we decided to check out the Colugo Compact Stroller. In this review, we chat about benefits to a compact stroller, how easy it is to break down, accessories, what we loved, and what we wish could be different.

• Looking for our Colugo Carrier review? It’s right over here!

Our Colugo Compact Stroller Review

A compact stroller is (you guessed it) smaller than a full-sized stroller, and is likely to be lighter on features than its bigger, heavier brethren.

Compact strollers are great in a few scenarios:

• If you’re living in a city, where you’re likely to have a smaller living space
• If you travel with your baby on airplanes
• If you’ve got a smaller car with a smaller trunk
• If you’re looking for a second stroller for travel

Compact strollers aren’t likely to be good for:

• Infants (the Colugo Compact, as an example, recommends babies be 6 months old). But, they released “The Infant Kit” – a $95 add-on that turns the Colugo stroller into an infant-ready “bassinet” type stroller. We haven’t personally tested this accessory, but we love the idea of not having to buy a whole separate infant stroller.
• Jogging (most compact strollers lack the suspension and big wheels that make for a good jogging stroller)

Alright, now that we understand a bit more about compact strollers, let’s talk about the Colugo Compact Stroller.

Colugo Compact Stroller stats

The Colugo Compact stroller is designed with urban & on-the-go parents in mind. It’s lightweight (just 16 pounds), it folds and unfolds with one hand in (according to Colugo) 2 seconds or (according to Fathercraft) in 3 seconds. Either way, it’s fast and doable while holding a baby in your other hand. Once folded, the stroller is just 17” x 24” x 10” and features a carry strap that allows you to carry it like a (somewhat bulky and hard) messenger bag.

It’s also designed to fit into an overhead bin on a plane, and it comes with a carry bag. Though we tested it in the suburbs of St. Louis, we could certainly imagine a New York mom or dad navigating subways and taxis with ease.

The next thing we noticed about the Colugo was its handling. We did some testing in a crowded Sunday morning farmer’s market and wove through the crowd with ease and a shockingly smooth ride and balanced feel.

Colugo also does a great job with its canopy—it’s UPF 50+ rated, easy to manipulate, and large enough to provide good coverage. You can unzip it to provide even more coverage.

The canopy also has a “peek-a-boo” cover for playing the namesake game, or just quietly gazing at your adorable little one.

Accessories

The Rain cover (included with stroller)

The rain cover was included in the base stroller price (it’s often sold by other companies as a separate, and pricey, accessory) and was really easy to put on without needing the instructions. It covered the whole stroller and was pretty roomy for the kid inside.

The carry bag (included with stroller)

The carry bag, also included with the stroller, was a nice to have, not super easy to get stroller in b/c it was tight. It’s worth noting that the diaper backpack won’t fit in carry bag with the stroller.

We’ve seen other stroller models you can roll behind you like a rolling suitcase, but we don’t think that was the use-case Colugo was going for, and we’re not sure just how necessary that is–why not just put your kid in the stroller and push her?

The cupholder

If you’re seen any of our other stroller reviews, you might know we’re not fans of stroller companies that don’t include cupholders with the base model. I mean come on, parents need coffee 24×7. Fortunately, Colugo includes theirs with the Compact at no extra charge.

The diaper tote (sold separately)

Colugo’s diaper tote is a small, no-frills (but thoughtfully designed) tote designed to hold the essentials for your baby (diapers, wipes, a bottle, and a few other things of your choice, which gets its own insulated pocket). The tote does not include a changing pad. Shameless plug, if you’re looking for a more, we here at Fathercraft make a bigger, full-featured diaper bag.

The organizer

Out of the box, the Colugo stroller doesn’t have any zippered pockets. The On The Go Organizer is a new product (we haven’t tested it yet) that attaches to the handle of the stroller, adding 2 cupholders and 3 zippered pockets. Like other Colugo products, it’s waterproof & machine washable, which we appreciate knowing how gross anything like this can get. It also converts into a fanny pack or cross-body bag, so you can take valuables with you, and rock that oh-so-cool fanny pack look if you want.

The cozy

The Cozy basically turns the stroller into a mini-sleeping bag for your kid for cold days. It’s got a polar fleece lining on the inside and is water-resistant on the outside for Sex-in-the-City-type sprays of water from taxis. And yes, it too is machine washable.

Plus, crucially, the stroller can still fold flat with it attached.

Alrighty. Let’s jump into what’s awesome, what we wish was different, and our final verdict.

The awesome

Size, weight, and ease of carrying/manipulation

The Colugo, when folded, is small. It sort of accordion-collapses in thirds, into a relatively neat brick of stroller. Whether you’re carrying it over your shoulder, putting it in your trunk, or storing it in your small apartment, small is much appreciated. It’s worth noting that just because a stroller is labeled as compact, that doesn’t mean it’ll fold up super small. We’ve got an UPPAbaby compact stroller that’s folds in half, but is still a solid 45 inches tall when folded.

The size, combined with the carry strap placement and the three-second, one-handed fold makes the Colugo super easy to carry around, lift in and out of the trunk of a car, onto an airplane, or wherever your adventures take you.

Colugo has some nice animations of this folding and storage on their website here.

Maneuverability, ride, and build quality

As we mentioned above, the Colugo stroller has a surprisingly smooth ride and feels well-balanced, making one-handed turns a breeze.

This is due in part to a balanced design, and in part to the wheels, which are puncture-proof but also not the hard-plastic versions you’ll find on other compact strollers like the Colugo competitor Mountain Buggy Nano.

Finally, the Colugo looks and feels well-built. It’s got curb appeal (and with its variety of designs, you can match your style), and is solidly-built despite the lightweight design.

100-day trial

We love that you can try out the stroller at home (or wherever it is you take your kids) for 100 days. If you decide it’s not for you, you can send it back risk-free.

Machine washable, removable inserts

As we noted above, baby gear gets gross. You will (trust us) let your kid eat in the stroller eventually. And crumbs and food packet gunk will get everywhere. So machine-washable removable inserts are a key selling point you’ll thank us for pointing out.

The wish it was different

Straps & buckling/harness system

The straps and buckling system on the Colugo Compact received an upgrade in the second generation model. While the straps are still a bit flimsy and made of the same generic canvas-y material you’ll find you’d find on cheaper products, they do have shoulder padding, but are a bit on the harder end of things to tighten or loosen. We’re delighted that Colugo brought the magnetic buckling system from its the Colugo baby carrier to the Compact Stroller. It still takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it works well—magnets in the buckle help with final alignment and security.

Seat-back design

In order to achieve its extremely compact fold, the seat back on the Colugo stroller can bend in half. This can (and did once during testing) result in your child pulling himself forward into an awkward position. But, this just happened once and is another common complaint of the sector of compact strollers that fold like this.

We also felt the Colugo could stand for mesh sides we’ve seen on some other compacts vs its very open design–when it’s in the upright position there’s not a lot of side wall.

A lack of built-in frills

Out of the box, the Colugo is fairly no-frills. (Again, this is true of many compact strollers.)

Final verdict: is the Colugo Compact worth it?

Overall, the Colugo Compact Stroller is our top choice in the compact stroller category. And for parents who live in small or urban spaces, we think the Colugo could easily be your one and only stroller (assuming you purchase the Infant Kit).

The combination of design, size, features, buying experience and price are unmatched. And, while there are some quirks and small annoyances (we haven’t found a stroller that doesn’t have these), we feel like these are heavily outweighed by an overall excellent product at a great price. Which is why the Colugo Compact was our pick for best compact in 2022.

Where to buy & pricing

Colugo started as a direct-to-consumer brand (meaning you could only purchase Colugo products online through their store), but now you can find Colugo at mass retailers like Target, Walmart, and Amazon.

But, if you want the 100-day trial, you’ll need to purchase directly from the Colugo website:

• The Compact stroller is available as a standalone item (with rain cover and carry bag included) for $295.

Optional accessories pricing:

• Infant Adaptor Kit – $95
• Cozy cold weather cover (sleeping bag might be a more accurate description, this thing is warm and delightfully puffy) – $95
• Diaper Tote – $95
• Organizer/cupholder – $45

That’s all for this review! Want to see the full list of items that made the cut for our baby essentials list that the Colugo stroller and carrier are a part of? Head on over here to see the full list.

Still got strollers on the brain? Well, then, check out all of our stroller reviews.

Editor’s note: This review was originally published as just the video in January, 2019, but was updated with a full review in February, 2019, and updated with a review of the second generation compact in January, 2022. It was updated once more in January 2024 with new information about where and how to buy Colugo items.

So, ARE you ready to be a dad? 

Take a look at our checklist of broader questions to help you assess your mental readiness and your lifestyle. Then, you can the Am I Ready to be a Dad quiz, which has been recently updated to ask you knowledge-based questions like should your baby have water? Or, what’s a wake window? If you take the quiz, there’s an opportunity to include your email at the end, so we can send you some free resources (you can also, of course, choose not to tell us your email… we get it).

Ready to dive in? Here are the five checklist items at a glance.

• Am I responsible?
• Am I financially stable?
• Am I ready for a change?
• Am I selfless?
• Am I supported?

Just here for the free quiz and info? That’s here, near the bottom of this article.

Am I responsible?

Becoming a parent is one of the biggest (or the biggest) responsibilities a guy can have. You are responsible for raising your child to become a functioning member of society. You have to equip them with the tools to succeed in life. You are the primary male role model in their life. Your role in your child’s development can not be understated. For example, according to a study by the American Association of Pediatrics, a father’s “involvement in play with preschoolers predicted decreased externalizing and internalizing behavior problems and enhanced social competence.” Basically, when fathers were involved in their kid’s lives, the kids were more successful in life. You make a huge difference in the life of your child. 

Are you ready for that responsibility?

Probably not. No one is ready for that big of a responsibility all at one time. But you can work to become more responsible until your child is born. Here are a few ways you can help yourself get ready to be a father:

Be disciplined in something

Wake up at the same time every day, exercise consistently, eat right, read every day, etc. Pick something and force yourself to do it every day. Being disciplined is a great skill that you can grow, and it will come in handy when you are a new dad.

Get a pet

Having a pet that requires you for everything is a great way to force you to be more responsible. Much like a baby, your pet needs you for food, potty time, play time, etc. A pet forces you to think outside of yourself and focus some of your attention on it.

Stop procrastinating

This is a big one. With a baby, things need to be done/prepped on time. Imagine you are at home alone with your child. You get a text that you need to meet your partner at the store. This used to be so simple. But now… Do you have the car seat ready to go? Do you have the diaper bag? Does the diaper bag actually have diapers in it? A change of clothes just in case? Does the baby need to be changed before you leave? Did you empty the diaper genie earlier, or are you going to have to put the dirty diaper somewhere else? Did you let your car get down to “2 miles to empty” because you thought the next time you got in you’d be going straight to the gas station? This list of questions could spell disaster if you procrastinate on your responsibilities. 

• Woah, that’s a lot of stuff. Need help with preparing for a baby? We’ve got you with this essentials checklist.

Being a parent is an immense responsibility. Make sure you’re ready!

Am I financially stable?

Part of being a responsible father is being able to provide for your child. Your household (however it looks—single dad, both parents work, stay-at-home parent) needs to be able to put a roof over the head and food in the belly of your child. 

Obviously, financial stability looks different to everyone. Do you need to be making 6-figures and have a million dollars in a 401k in order to be ready for a baby? Of course not. But, having stable income, being financially responsible, and prioritizing your child is crucial. I’ll just be honest here—having a baby is expensive. Check out our article on how to budget for a baby if you’d like to see how expensive a newborn can be. Here are some considerations about being financially responsible:

• Job/Career: Do you have a job that pays irregularly? Can you see your job/position being eliminated in a moment’s notice? Do you travel erratically for your job? These are all things that might have been perfectly fine when you were single or without a child, but these don’t spell s-t-a-b-l-e. 
• Spending: Do you spend more than you make? Do you buy whatever you want, whenever you want because you own a credit card(s)? Things might need to change. Take time to reflect on how you spend your money, and what monthly expenses come with a newborn (again, check out this article).
• Saving: Have you viewed saving money as something you’ll do when you’re older? Well, if a baby is on the way, that time is now. Being able to shell out some cash for an unexpected expense with your child is something you need to prioritize. Want your child to go to college? That process of saving can start from the time your little one is born.

Being financially stable is a big part in taking that next step toward being the best father you can be. Shouldering the responsibility of providing for your child is not only necessary, but honorable. It’s why you see all of the dad memes about dads being cheap or thrifty. A great father prioritizes their family’s well being. 

Am I ready for a change?

Are you ready for the lifestyle change becoming a parent brings?

Because there’s no way around it—your life as a dad will look different from your life now. How drastic of a change depends on the person. 

When we told people that a baby was on the way, nearly all of the feedback went something like this: 

“Congratulations!”

“That’s so exciting!”

“I’m so happy for you guys!”

Followed by:

“Get ready for a lot of long nights!”

“Say goodbye to your social life!”

“I hope you can function on no sleep!”

“Everything is about to change!…Everything”

“I hope you don’t mind lots of crying!”

Notice a trend? We did. After the excitement of the news of a baby, the following responses were almost all negative. How sad is that!? The only thing people could think to say was how miserable having a baby was? What did we get ourselves into??

So, does your life change? Absolutely it does! But….what does that really mean? Here are a few examples of lifestyle choices that might need to be adjusted when the little one comes around:

• Leaving at 4pm for happy hour at the bar with your friends to “catch up”…until 2am
• Heading straight from work to the gym to workout…for 3 hours…every single day…
• Spur of the moment road trip 4 states away to visit that one friend from college
• Realizing your true calling to be a drummer and practicing through all hours of the night
• Finding a briefcase, driving across the country to Aspen to return it, finding out it’s full of cash, spending all of it, realizing it was actually ransom money, replacing the cash with IOU’s and somehow making it out alive…So you’re telling me there’s a chance!?

Aside from some of the more drastic examples, you are the one that can determine how much your life changes. For example, my wife and I love going camping (some might call it ‘glamping’). Set up the camper, spend the weekend relaxing, hiking, swimming, cornhole, etc. Did we decide to put that on hold until our baby was ‘old enough’ to go? Nope! My son Micah made his first camping trip when he was 5 weeks old. You know yourself, your baby and your situation better than anyone. You decide how much things change when the little one comes around.

Am I selfless?

Humans are selfish. Even the most selfless person you know is selfish—they are just better at getting over that trait. Becoming a father doesn’t mean you can never have selfish moments (it’s important to take care of yourself!), but it’s not all about YOU anymore.

You learn this lesson on a different scale when you get married. You don’t just think about YOU anymore; there is someone else in the picture. Maybe you used to spend a Saturday sleeping in, playing video games, watching football then ending the night out with your buds. With a spouse in the picture, that Saturday looks different. But, you still find a way to carve out some YOU time.

When a baby comes along, you have to be willing to potentially sacrifice more of that YOU time. Baby goes down for a nap, so you start a project. Oops! The baby woke up early—you’re back on dad duty. You sit down to eat those freshly grilled steaks (perfect when they’re nice and hot). Oops! Baby just spit up all over the place, and while you’re cleaning them up they have a blowout. 20 minutes later, those perfect steaks are no longer hot-off-the-grill. It’s the 4th quarter, your team is on a 2-minute drive, trailing by 4, needs a touchdown to win, just got into the redzone, and…baby woke themselves up crying, and they need dad to help them go back down.

Ask yourself: Am I ready to be the father my kids need me to be? Note: this isn’t to say that you never have any time to yourself again. Kids are different —some have perfect sleep schedules and you get tons of time to do your own thing. BUT, it’s important to know that you need to be prepared to sacrifice some YOU time to be “on” for your child.

Am I supported?

Having support when raising a child is crucial to that child’s development. What does that look like? It’s not just about the parents. It’s about close family members, friends, neighbors, teachers, etc. that interact with your child. 

Check out this study from the National Institutes of Health, which looks into parental roles in childhood development. “We conclude that while children do better, on average, living with two biological married parents, the advantages of two-parent families are not shared equally by all.” What does this mean? Well, a child that has mom and dad at home generally has a better chance at life (better in school, less likely to struggle with substance abuse, etc.). BUT—what if mom and dad are always fighting? What if mom and dad have a terrible relationship? Is that child better off than a single mom/dad?

A rocky, shaky, more bad days than good type of relationship doesn’t magically get fixed when a baby comes around. Sleep deprivation and stress don’t exactly make a struggling relationship better. Working to have a strong relationship before the baby comes is critical! Your child needs to see a healthy relationship as they grow up. This sets the stage for them to succeed in life.

Do you have family, friends or neighbors that can give you support? Having a trusted group of people that can help you out on a moment’s notice makes a world of difference. What is your plan when you get held up at work and someone needs to pick up Baby from the sitter? Baby is sick and needs to stay home, but your boss needs you to come in? You want to go on a “date” (what’s that, again?) and need someone to babysit? Having a system of support makes life so much easier when the baby comes. 

When it comes to friends, it’s said that if you say ‘no’ enough times, the invitations stop coming. Your friends will understand that your life is changing when the baby comes. But make sure you still have time to get out (take your baby!) and do things with your friends. Saying ‘no’ to every single invite will eventually land you with zero invites. Make it a priority to continue putting yourself out there and spending time with friends and family.

Take our “Am I ready to be a dad” quiz!

Think you’re ready to become a father? Test your knowledge with our quiz and stay tuned for some resources to help you prepare to be the best parent you can be.

So, are you ready to be a parent?

Having a baby is the best thing ever! If you feel like you aren’t ready, that’s totally normal. Like I mentioned, people probably only tell you about how hard having a newborn is. And, it can be a trying time. But it’s totally worth it. It’s hard to be ‘ready’ to be a dad until you are actually holding your child in your arms. Can you ever be completely ‘ready’ for something you’ve never experienced? No! But you can start to practice some of the tenets of what it takes to become a great dad before the baby comes.

On the other hand, rumors of increased anxiety, false alarms, and an ominous FDA letter in 2021 might leave parents hesitant to include the Owlet on their registry. 

So, what’s the verdict? In this Owlet review, we give the full story, including why we stopped recommending the product in 2021 and why – after retesting the product this year – we might just be recommending it again.

Read on to learn more about:

• The Owlet FDA Letter
• What is the Owlet Dream Sock?
• The Owlet Cam 2
• Our Owlet Review
• The Verdict
• Pricing and Where to Buy 
• Frequently Asked Questions

But first, let’s address the elephant in the room – Did Owlet receive an FDA letter? And why?

Was the Owlet discontinued?

In late 2021, Owlet received a warning letter from the FDA regarding the misclassification of its Smart Sock as a medical device. It’s worth noting this warning had to do with the company’s marketing, not the actual performance of this product, but at the time, it raised a lot of parents’ concerns – for us at Fathercraft included (we take our baby tech very seriously). In response, Owlet changed the Smart Sock to the Dream Sock. Before testing the freshly named Dream Sock, we stopped recommending the product to our readers, despite an initial positive review from Fathercraft. Now, we’ve had the chance to re-test Owlet’s Dream Sock, along with the Owlet Cam 2, so we’re here with a new review. What is the Dream Sock? How is it different? Is it worth the relatively hefty price tag? Read on to find out.

Please note Fathercraft is reader-supported, meaning, at no cost to you, we may earn a commission if you buy after clicking an affiliate link. Learn more.

What is the Owlet Dream Sock?

The Dream Sock — formerly known as a “smart sock” — isn’t literally a sock. It’s a fabric contraption that wraps around your baby’s foot to hold a sensor in place against her skin. The soft fabric fits snuggly so it doesn’t slip off with middle of the night tosses and turns, but since you choose the right size for your baby and use velcro to put it in place, it’s not uncomfortably tight either. The Owlet uses “PPG technology” – the kind of tech found in other wearables that detect things like heart rate – to track “sleep quality indicators.” These indicators include:

• Heart rate
• Average oxygen level
• Movement
• Wakings

While measuring these indicators, the Owlet will notify parents via lights and sounds if their baby’s “comfort or sleep quality changes.”

The Owlet Dream Sock vs. the Owlet Smart Sock

If you’re thinking that the Dream Sock sounds awfully similar to the discontinued Smart Sock, you would be correct. So, what changed? There are two key differences. The first is that the Owlet Dream sock is advertised to measure sleep quality. If there is a concern with sleep quality,  you will get alerted. While parents may still find this beneficial (after all, indicators like heart rate are still factored into Owlet’s sleep quality readings), Owlet no longer claims to provide medical alerts with the Dream Sock (for that, you’ll need the FDA-cleared, prescription-only, Owlet BabySat – more on that later).

The second key change is the addition of “predictive sleep technology.” Owlet’s app will give parents information about wake windows and when their baby should sleep next (if you’ve never had a baby, let us be the first to tell you: knowing when your baby should sleep isn’t as intuitive as it sounds). 

So, is the Owlet Dream Sock still worth it, even after the changes? We’re in a bit of a baby shortage here at Fathercraft, so we enlisted our friends Jon and Andrew – and their newborn, Gordy –  to find out.

Unboxing

The full Owlet Smart Sock package costs $299.99. Owlet also offers a payment plan with Affirm, so you can slowly pay off the device with payments as low as $25 per month. Additionally, Owlet offers a 30-day Peace of Mind Guarantee. So if there is anything you do not like about the product in the first 30 days after purchasing it, you can return it — plenty of time to understand if the product meets your needs.

Here’s what comes in the box:

• One Dream Sock sensor
• Four fabric socks (fitting babies from 5-30 pounds, up until about 18 months)
• One wireless charging base
• Access to the Dream app and predictive sleep technology

You can also choose to order a Sock Plus, which fits children up until 5 years of age. 

Oh, and you can select from 4 different colors when ordering the sock, just in case you want your baby to be monitored in style.

Setup

Setting up the Owlet is fairly straightforward. You download the iOS or Android app to your phone or tablet, which guides you through the setup process and connecting the Owlet base station to your home wifi network (required for the Owlet app to function).

Answer a few basic questions about your child, set your preferred range, and you’re good to go.

The sensor slides easily into the sock, and you choose the sock size that best fits your child at any given time. Here’s the “sock” and sensor. The sensor slides in through the slit in the sock

Note: For setup, both the Owlet device and your phone or tablet need to be connected on a 2.4GHz network. Once you’re initially connected, you can move your phone or tablet back to a 5GHz or hidden network (this means the Owlet works with a dual-band monitor). If this all sounds like gibberish, you can check your Wifi’s name; if it doesn’t have a “5G” next to it, or if there’s a version without the “5G” next to it, you’re in the clear. Most devices only connect to 2.4GHz, so if you’ve had luck in the past, you should be able to connect your Owlet.

The Owlet sensor connects to the base station (which is designed to go in the parents’ bedroom) via Bluetooth, and has a range of about 100 feet.

Owlet phone app

The base station allows you to quickly see your baby is ok with its light ring that displays different colors for different kinds of alerts, but for more details, head to the phone app.

In the Owlet app, which is available for iOS and Android, you’ll see your baby’s heart rate & blood oxygen levels, base station status, and battery level. You’ll also be able to view sleep history and trends, Owlet’s analysis of sleep quality, and predictive sleep information (i.e., when your baby is due for their next rest).The app will also serve as your parent unit if you’re using the Owlet Cam or Owlet Cam 2, Owlet’s companion video baby monitor (more on that below).

What about the Owlet Cam?

By itself, the sock doesn’t provide audio or video. So, Owlet now has two options for video monitors to purchase if you’d like to be able to hear and see your baby (which many parents do):

• The Owlet Cam, released in 2019
• The Owlet Cam 2, released in 2022 

At Fathercraft, we’ve now tested both of these cameras. We found the original 2019 Owlet Cam pretty bare-bones from a feature perspective (especially when compared to something like the Nanit Plus—our review here), but it has a high-quality camera, great night vision, and the ability to turn the Owlet into the complete package. Both Owlet Cams also include 2-way talk, motion & sound alerts, and background audio (meaning you’ll be able to hear your baby while doing other stuff on your phone when this feature is activated). As a spoiler, Andrew and Jon found the Owlet Cam 2 to be “the most rock-solid piece of tech” they’ve had. In addition to everything listed above, it also features cry notifications, the ability to save and share video clips, and new exclusive color options.

Owlet Monitor Duo

The Owlet Monitor Duo isn’t some completely different product, it’s just the Dream Sock and Cam sold as a bundle. The Owlet Cam 2 is $159 as a standalone item, or you can buy it in a package with the Dream Sock for a discounted package total of $399. You can also save a few dollars by getting the original Dream Duo package (Owlet Dream Sock + original cam) for $369. One nice thing about purchasing this way is that it makes the complete package HSA/FSA eligible, if you’ve got one of those.

Our latest Owlet review

Let’s get to the information you’ve been waiting for – do we recommend this product? 

Fathercraft has tested the Owlet twice. In 2020, our friends Paige and Todd tried the old Smart Sock for 3 months – and they were impressed. Their newborn, Miller, was in the NICU and came home with supplemental oxygen. They found the Owlet to be reliable and it gave them a peace of mind with continued monitoring. They also were able to confirm its accuracy, because while he was still on the supplemental oxygen, they had to complete medical-grade home oxygen tests. This meant that they got to compare the Owlet’s results directly to the medical-grade, professional oxygen test administered by a nurse. It was accurate to the professional oxygen test within a few percentage points every single time. They also mentioned they were able to monitor Miller closely when attempting a (nurse-approved) trip up a mountain – the Owlet helped them see that Miller was starting to struggle, and they came back down. You can watch our original review below:

 Of course, in 2021, Owlet received that FDA letter — and we stopped recommending it until we could try out the re-branded sock. 

Now, our friends Andrew and Jon have tested both the Owlet Dream Sock and the Owlet Cam 2. They’ve been testing since they brought their newborn home back in early 2023, and they are continuing to use the sock now (8 months later, at the time of writing) — so, they like it.

We’ll get into “the awesome” and the “wish it were different,” but, generally speaking, both Andrew and Jon said they feel much better with the sock than without it. While both of them recognize that “billions of babies have survived without the sock,” they felt the Owlet Duo was the best thing for them monitor-wise, and they noted how they realized they had more monitoring on their newborn the first night home than they did at the hospital.

Does the Owlet increase anxiety?

Since our initial review, the medical community has expressed some concern over the Owlet sock. Despite Owlet’s claim that 96% of Owlet owners report more peace of mind when using the Owlet, some medical professionals warn that the Owlet could increase anxiety, especially with reports of “false alarms.” Additionally, some medical professionals find the Owlet unnecessary, claiming many babies that young don’t need the Owlet’s level of monitoring. However, Jon is a doctor, and he emphasized he’d rather have the Owlet than not have it – and that false alarms (which were rare) weren’t as scary with the camera. 

Ultimately, baby sleep is anxiety-inducing for many parents, and for some – like Jon and Andrew – the extra monitoring helps more than it hurts (by the way,  we cover safe sleep practices and SIDS/SUID risk-reduction here.)

So, what specifically have our Fathercraft friends liked so much about the Owlet? 

The awesome

The phone alerts: These were instant, giving them confidence that they could get to their baby as soon as he started to show any signs of distress.

Travel: The Owlet sock is easy to travel with, which makes a huge difference, especially if you’ll be changing elevations 

The Dream Sock Fit: The Dream Sock fit great and didn’t bother Gordy or Miller.

Accuracy: When Todd and Paige saw that their sock’s readings matched the medical grade readings, they were sold. Similarly, Andrew and Jon never felt that false-alarms were an issue (and they trusted it more than other smart technology, like the Cradlewise). The Duo Package: Andrew and Jon loved the complete monitoring made available through having both the Owlet Cam 2 and the Dream Sock. When an alarm sounded, they could quickly see what was going on (for example, they could see that Gordy was awake and putting himself back to sleep).

The ‘wish it were different’

Metric History Glitches: After about a month, Andrew and Jon suddenly couldn’t see history for some metrics. 

It’s a Little Pricey: In our original review, Paige and Todd mentioned that they felt they still needed video monitoring. And Jon and Andrew definitely enjoyed having the Owlet Cam – but purchasing a video monitor after spending the $299 on the sock can get pretty dang pricey. 

Hotels and the Cam: The Owlet Cam 2 can’t connect to open wifi networks; so, although the sock travels well, the cam doesn’t work in hotels. This is to keep the connection secure from hackers, so – while potentially inconvenient – you may decide you’re okay with this.  

Scares: The sock alerts parents if it stops monitoring. Although this type of false alarm was pretty rare, Andrew and Jon admitted it could get scary for some people (Note: The light ring displays a different color when the sock stops monitoring due to a technical issue, which may help with this). 

Changing Sock Sizes/Dream Sock Plus: The sock fit great for Gordy until he outgrew the smaller sock. When he started using the larger sock, it fit a little big for a few weeks. 

The ultimate Owlet Sock verdict — Is the Owlet worth it?

After using the Owlet Duo for 8 months, Jon and Andrew agree with our original reviewers – the peace of mind provided by the Owlet is worth the hefty price tag. No product is perfect, but they both felt better having the Owlet despite any of the “wish it were different” considerations. 

To wrap up, let’s dive into some frequently asked questions about the Owlet Smart Sock.

Pricing and where to buy

For fast, free shipping and the company’s 30-night guarantee (plus occasional special offers—Owlet is offering a free leopard-print sock set with purchase of a Sock or Duo at the time of this writing), shop Owlet on the company’s website.

• The Owlet Dream Sock is available for $299. (HSA/FSA eligible)

• The Owlet Monitor Duo (Sock + Cam 2) is available for $399 (HSA/FSA eligible)

• The Owlet Cam 2 is available for $159. (Not HSA/FSA eligible)

Alternatively, you can also purchase the Dream Duo 2 on Amazon, with price varying by color, or the Dream Sock by itself (on sale for $234 at the time of writing).

Additional questions

Do pediatricians recommend Owlet? 

Like we discussed earlier, some medical professionals are hesitant to recommend the Owlet (or flat-out don’t recommend it at all, due to increased anxiety). However, some of this tension has been resolved with the FDA-Cleared Owlet BabySat, which requires a prescription and provides alerts based on oxygen saturation and pulse ranges set by physicians. 

Do you need WiFi for the Owlet?

The Smart Sock connects to the base via Bluetooth, meaning it can function without wifi, which is nice in case your wifi stops working or your phone battery dies. However, to connect the base station to your phone so you can get notifications on your phone, you’ll need to connect it to your home wifi network.

You will also need wifi for the camera if you choose to purchase it. 

What is the range of the Owlet?

The Owlet sock and base have normal Bluetooth range, meaning about 100 feet. If your base station is connected to wifi, you can receive alerts and monitor your baby via the smartphone app anywhere you’re connected to wifi or have a cellular connection (if enabled).

How long do the Owlet batteries last?

The sock’s battery will last for 16 hours on a full charge (which takes 90 minutes), and you can get an 8 hour charge in 20 minutes. Then you’ll need to recharge it, and you’ll need to get in the habit of dropping the sock’s monitor into the base station for charging when you remove it from your child.

How do you clean the Owlet Smart Sock?

To clean the Smart Sock, all you will need to do is remove the sock sensor, hand wash in lukewarm water and mild detergent, and hang dry.

Can you use an FSA/HSA account to pay for Owlet?

You sure can, at least for purchase of the Smart Sock or the Smart Sock & Cam bundle. Purchasing the Cam by itself is not HSA/FSA eligible, as monitors that are eligible have to include a breathing/movement monitoring component.

What is PPG Technology? 

PPG stands for Photoplethysmography, and it is a non-invasive technology that detects volumetric changes in blood circulation. It’s used in many wearables – like your Apple Watch – to detect heart rate. Owlet uses PPG tech in its sensor to detect pulse. 

What’s next?

Thanks so much for reading! Looking for more? You can:

Check out our in-depth baby gear buying guide here

Or, browse our free resources for new and expecting parents here.

Editor’s Note: This review was originally published in November 2018, but was updated in November 2019 to include new information on Owlet Cam & additional details and FAQs, and then updated again in December, 2020 to include info on the Smart Sock 3. Finally, it was updated in September 2023 to include Jon and Andrew’s thoughts on the Dream Sock and Cam 2, with a minor editorial update in January 2024. We truly have been on quite the journey with Owlet.

Because the Lovevery Play Kits are exactly that—a box that comes to your house every 2-3 months full of age-appropriate toys for your little one. We had the same question, so we tested the kits twice over the span of a few years. In this Lovevery review, we go over our experience with an infant box (“The Looker”) and a toddler box (“The Analyst”). We’ll also help you understand what your options are for purchasing boxes (if you decide this is for you), while we give you a bit of info about what makes Lovevery awesome and, well… not awesome.

Read the whole review for the full experience (dad jokes included), or skip to what you need:

• What’s in the box?
  • The Lovevery Analyst Kit (for toddlers)
  • The Lovevery Looker Kit (for babies)
• Subscription and pricing
• The awesome and the wish-it-were-different
• FAQs

Please note: Fathercraft is reader supported, meaning if you click a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Read more about our disclosures and how we approach these reviews in our policies.

What’s in the box? The magic behind Lovevery Play Kits

Let’s start with some basics. This is a subscription box for babies and toddlers, starting with newborns and going up all the way up through 60 months (aka 4 years old… we’re not being annoying, we’re just following their lead. They break it down by month because they offer multiple boxes within each year).

Lovevery prides itself in making toys that “make parents feel confident.” Those toys are based on developmental research, designed to not just keep your little one’s attention but also help them learn. It’s a bold promise. Let’s see if they deliver on it.

The specs of the toys you’ll get certainly make you think so:

• Every piece of wood in the box is sustainably sourced from FSC-compliant sources.
• All fabrics are soft and natural organic cotton, no added ingredients.
• All products in the kits meet or exceed global safety standards for their age.
• All kits are shippped carbon-neutral, so you can feel good about the planet while your little one plays.

Meanwhile, the company’s research advisors make you feel confident they might just know what they’re doing.

Choosing the right one is nice and simple. Enter your little one’s birthday directly on the site, and you’ll get presented with a personalized plan for the boxes you receive based on their age.

Taking a look at the toddler play kits

Our most recent Lovevery review featured one of the toddler boxes, so we’ll start there. You can watch our overview of “The Analyst” box below:

The Analyst is a play kit designed for toddlers aged 46-48 months (an older three-year-old). Kits for three-year-olds arrive every three months at $120 per kit, containing more in-depth, STEM-focused activities. This one contained:

• A Montessori sensory box
• Color theory puzzle
• Sewing kit
• Pattern match parts and boat set
• Visual recipe cards and measuring cups
• Storybook introducing fractions

If this all sounds a bit too intense, it’s worth noting the guidebook heavily emphasizes these toys are meant to simply introduce concepts to kids. And, kids are welcome to play with the toys however they want (if you watched the video, you saw a shot of Calvin playing with the box itself).

Overall, the toys were engaging and I felt like my kid was learning something (I learned something too, with the recipe cards: patience). We’ll get into the details of what we loved and didn’t love a bit later. For now, here are the the other toddler boxes you can get:

• The Babbler Play Kit, for months 13 through 15
• The Adventurer Play Kit, for months 16 through 18
• The Realist Play Kit, for months 19 through 21
• The Companion Play Kit, for months 22 through 24
• The Helper Play Kit, for months 25 through 27
• The Enthusiast Play Kit, for months 28 through 30
• The Investigator Play Kit, for months 31 through 33
• The Free Spirit Play Kit, for months 34 through 36
• The Observer Play Kit, for months 37 through 39
• The Storyteller Play Kit, for months 40 through 42
• The Problem Solver Play Kit, for months 43 through 45
• The Analyst Play Kit, for months 46 through 48 (the one we tried here!)
• The Connector Play Kit, for months 49 through 51
• The Examiner Play Kit, for months 52 through 54
• The Persister Play Kit, for months 55-57
• The Planner Play Kit, for months 58 through 60

That’s a long list. If your eyes glazed over, here’s the main point: Lovevery has something developmentally appropriate for your toddler from the time they turn 1 until they turn 5 years old.

But what about the infants? Glad you asked.

A closer look at the baby play kits

We also reviewed “The Looker,” a Lovevery baby kit. You can watch the “unboxing” below, but a fair warning first: We tested this kit when I had a child young enough to play with it, which situated us in the heart of the pandemic. And, well… you can tell. A quick overview of the baby box is written below as well if you’re trying to avoid being reminded of that time in your life.

This kit contained toys designed to catch a very tiny human’s even tinier attention span, like:

• A reversible, wooden mobile with black and white on one side and colors on the other
• Black and white card sets (8 cards total) with a card holder
• A silicone rattle with a removable ball
• A book of lullaby lyrics
• Scratch mittens with black and white patterns
• A booklet with information about how to introduce the items to your baby

At the time of reviewing, the box also contained a coffee mug for the parents, which was a nice touch.

The Looker Kit is one of six possible kits in this “Baby Play Kits” group:

• The Looker Play Kit, for 0 to 12 weeks.
• The Charmer Play Kit, for months 3 and 4.
• The Senser Play Kit, for months 5 and 6.
• The Inspector Play Kit, for months 7 and 8.
• The Explorer Play Kit, for months 9 and 10.
• The Thinker Play Kit, for months 11 and 12.

And just like that, your baby is a year old. Happy birthday!

As you can probably tell by these names, every kit has a specific theme that’s designed to match your baby’s developmental skills at that age. For instance, everything in the Looker is black and white (the contrast is good for tiny ones). By the time they get to the Thinker, they’re ready to start developing some imagination and fine motor skills.

What you need to know about Lovevery’s subscription pricing

In these boxes, you keep what you get. No loaning or shipping toys back when the next box comes. You also get a 100% money back guarantee, which is helpful if your baby or toddler just doesn’t want to touch the toys.

That’s helpful, because buckle up: This subscription adventure can get a little expensive.

Depending on the age of your child, your Lovevery kits can cost anything between $80 and $120 per kit. You can save a little bit of money by paying ahead for three or four kits at a time (for example, if you pay for four toddler kits up front, your total is $432, saving you $48).

The silver lining here is that through the process, Lovevery is completely transparent. Once you enter your little one’s age, you get to a page that outlines exactly what boxes you will receive and when, with a price for each. You can cancel at any time, so even if you’re about to get six boxes over the course of a year, you can decide you’re done after three of them. 

Still, it’s a little confusing. And it’s definitely expensive. Is that investment worth it? Well, why don’t you just ask to skip ahead to the next section, where we dig into our official review of the Lovevery toy kits.

Our Lovevery review verdict: the awesome and the wish-it-were-different

The awesome

• It’s a natural draw. Maybe the most important question: Did my kid like the box? Calvin was drawn to it as a baby, and he enjoyed it again at three. This boosted my confidence that the boxes are developmentally appropriate and engaging. Win-win for all parties involved.
• It’s got the quality. No cheap plastic or worries that anything will fall apart. Every part of the toys you get feels sturdy and ready for those little hands. (And teeth. And feet. Don’t ask.)
• It’s a learning experience. Every box you get has a theme, but it doesn’t end there. The toys inside are built for your kid to learn and develop, not just clutter up their room or the living room.
• It’s repeat enjoyment. Each of the toddler boxes includes different paths of getting to the same end goal. Plus, your little rascal can figure out how the toys make sense together, not just on their own. Pretty neat.
• It has a road map. Yes, literally a map that walks you through how to use every single toy in the box. Given the number of toys per play kit, that helps quite a bit in guiding parents through the learning experience.
• It takes the thinking out of toys. No worries about whether that thing you’re buying is actually age-appropriate. No research needed to see if it’s good for them. You go in knowing that the box you receive is well-suited for that little prince or princess.
• It has a guarantee. You can get your money back if you or your little one don’t like it. Just make sure you don’t lose any of the little pieces before you return it.

The wish it were different

• It’s a little overwhelming. When you first open a kit, there’s a lot to take in. I was trying to take my time, but Calvin just wanted to dive in. That was not only confusing, but it also resulted in a bit of a mess of fluffy balls. Long story.
• It’s still a bunch of new toys. If you’re already worried about the clutter, this adds a steady stream of new toys coming into your home. Yes, they’re beneficial, probably more so than that gift from the third cousin. But they still need their space, when many babies just don’t need a ton of toys.
• It’s expensive. If you can afford it, the benefits are great. But you’re already spend bunches on diapers, baby food, and more. This adds a cool $40 per month to that potentially tight household budget.
• You don’t unbox in order. Maybe that’s a little nit-picky. But as you might have noticed in the above videos, our unboxing resulted in a bit of confusion because the roadmap didn’t match the toys we were getting out at first. That can get confusing.
• Long-term enjoyment. After the initial unboxing, I had to intentionally take the Analyst kit out and prompt my three-year-old to play with it. And with a new box every few months, you’re not necessarily expecting years of committed play.

The verdict

Gotta be honest: It’s mostly a good one. For us, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives, and you can’t help but feel good when you see your little one playing or developing right in front of your eyes. They grow up so fast.

Beyond the sentimental value, these play kits actually serve a very important function. They give you age-appropriate, simple, learning-based toys that are not easy to find. And they do so without requiring lots of research or worry that you’re choosing the right thing. 

By the end of each kit, you’ll be surprised how well the toys educate not just your baby, but you as well. You have to weigh the cost, but it gets a thumbs up from us.

Where to buy Lovevery

Lovevery only sells its products directly on its website, but that’s probably the best place to buy them anyway as when you buy there you’ll enjoy the best pricing, free shipping on orders over $75, and everything you buy is backed by the company’s guarantee.

Just the FAQs about Lovevery Play Kits

So we’ve seen some questions about these play kits online. Let’s answer them. Just the FAQs, baby.

Is Lovevery a Montessori product?

Short answer? Yes. Lovevery advertises itself clearly as a maker of Montessori-based toys. The development team includes at least one explicit Montessori expert, along with a psychologist, occupational therapist, and more. The toys you’ll get in the box match up directly with the Montessori principles of active participation, developmental focus, and limited choices.

• Curious about other Montessori products? Check out our Stokke high chair review.

Are Montessori toys better than ‘regular’ options?

That’s just, like, your opinion, man. Better is in the eye of the beholder, but there are some definite advantages to Montessori toys that are worth highlighting:

• They make your child an active participant, requiring their exploration and their own decisions. Active learning tends to work well in the developmental process.
• They offer limited choices. That might sound counterintuitive, but the Montessori philosophy suggests that it’s a good thing. Too many choices means getting overwhelmed, and results in being unable to focus. Calvin’s surprisingly long attention span with one of these boxes is a perfect example of that philosophy in action.

Where are Lovevery toys made?

Look hard enough, and you may find the Made in China label. The company will tell you that the products are designed in Idaho and California, but the manufacturing still happens overseas. That said, Lovevery does say that the manufacturing facility focuses n sustainably-harvested wood toys, sharing the company’s core values. All products are inspected by Lovevery in the U.S. before they find their way into mailboxes.

Can you buy Lovevery toys separately?

Yes and no. You cannot buy the toys available in a play kit separately, because they’re designed to make sense together and for a specific age group. It’s one of those “whole greater than the sum of its parts” things.

That said, Lovevery sells other products on its website that aren’t a part of the play kits. You can find a block set, a play gym, and a few other items like a tunnel (hint, kids looooove tunnels as soon as they can crawl through at about 8 months) and a “pull pup” that follow the same general concept as the boxes. Not a big selection, but worth a browse.

They also offer four different course packs:

• The potty learning course pack
• The new sibling course pack
• The food before 1 course pack
• The tummy time course pack

(Psst… we also know someone else who offers parenting courses! It’s totally not us… okay, it’s us).

Wrapping up & what’s next

Thanks for checking out our review!

And, if you made it this far, chances are you’ll like some of our other stuff. Learn more about Fathercraft here, or check out our recommendations for essential gear for babies here.

Here at Fathercraft, we’ve rounded up a curated list of our favorite Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals for expecting parents and new parents, and parents of young kids. We’ve personally pulled together the best deals from products we’ve tested, reviewed, or are top-rated. You’ll find Black Friday baby monitor deals, Cyber Monday baby deals, strollers, smart cribs, feeding supplies and more baby gear sales!

Editor’s note: Fathercraft is reader-supported, meaning, at no cost to you, we may earn a commission if you buy after clicking an affiliate link. Learn more.

So, here we go, the best Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals of 2023: scan through ’em all or here they are, broken down by category:

• Best Black Friday/Cyber Monday baby monitor deals
  • Nanit Black Friday sale
• Crib and bassinet Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals
  • Snoo Black Friday sale
  • Cradlewise Black Friday sale
• Stroller Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals
• Even more deals — breast pumps, toys, gifts for dads, and more …

The best Black Friday baby monitor deals of 2023

30% off site wide for the Nanit Black Friday sale

Our all-time favorite baby monitor, the Nanit Pro is on sale for Black Friday & Cyber Monday, with their best deal ever. Get 30% off site wide, starting 11/20 during the Nanit Black Friday sale. BUT, you can get early access to the sale starting Friday, 11/17 using code MAGIC30 right here.

Shop The Nanit Pro (**note: Nanit has a preview bundles sale live now**)

Save up to $122 on an Owlet package

We recently re-reviewed the Owlet, with all of the upgrades they’ve made, and were quite impressed.

For 2023 Black Friday, you can save up to $122 on Owlet — on their Dream Duo 2 Sock/Camera package, $100 of the first-generation Dream 1 Sock and Cam, and $60 off an Owlet Cam.

Shop Owlet Black Friday. (Sale starts 11/20.)

Up to $90 off a Cubo Ai Baby Monitor for Black Friday

Cubo is one of our favorite baby monitors in the less expensive category. They’re innovative and constantly improving. For Black Friday, you can save $30 off a wall-mounted Cubo, or $70 off a Cubo bundle with 3 different stand options. Plus, add an additional $20 to your savings when you use code CUBOCRAFT at checkout. Head on over to Cubo’s website and be sure to enter CUBOCRAFT when you check out.

Crib and Bassinet Black Friday / Cyber Monday deals 2023

Snoo Black Friday sale and Happiest Baby Early Cyber Monday Deals

Happiest Baby, makers of The Snoo smart bassinet, are starting their Black Friday sale on 11/16. Use this link for 30% off SNOO, and up to 60% off site wide. It doesn’t go lower than this, folks.

First, you can save 30% on a Snoo during the Snoo Black Friday 2023 sale. The Snoo hardly ever goes on sale, and this is the most its ever discounted. So, if you’re thinking about buying one, now’s the time, right over here. Even with the discount, Snoo can be expensive, so renting is still a good option, you can learn more about renting here.

You can get up to 60% off Snoo accessories, too: leg lifters, sheet bundles, and Sleepea bundles (the last one is for standalone swaddling), plus great deals on other Happiest Baby products.

Shop the Snoo Black Friday sale (live now!)

Up to $700 (35%) off Cradlewise Black Friday sale

Cradlewise is the relatively new kid on the block when it comes to smart cribs. Similar to the Snoo, it uses a combination of motion and white noise to soothe your baby. There are some big differences though—the Snoo’s “wings” prevent your baby from rolling over when sleeping, and are designed to ensure your baby remains on her back, which is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics as the safest sleep position. Cradlewise focuses on a more traditional firm mattress plus ventilated crib sides for safety, and has some interesting features Snoo does not, such as a built in baby monitor and a larger size, which can accommodate your child for up to 2 years (vs 6 months for the Snoo).

For this year’s Black Friday sale, Cradlewise is offering up to $700 off retail price. The sale will be live from 11/17 – 11/29. But, if you head over to the Cradlewise site you can sign up for early access to the sale starting now.

20% off a Newton crib mattress

Netwon Baby’s crib mattress is designed to be ultra safe (it’s ‘breathe-through’, meaning, according to the company, if your baby rolls onto her stomach she should be able to breathe through the mattress), plus it’s lightweight, hypoallergenic, machine-washable, and holds up for years — and is comfortable enough to transition to a toddler mattress and beyond.

Newton’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale allows save 20% on a Newton mattress and site wide. Head over to the Newton site, wait for the pop up, and you can get access starting now.

Shop Newton mattress and save 20%

Stroller deals

20% off everything at Colugo

Colugo makes our favorite compact stroller—the Colugo Compact. And, they just released their new full-size stroller The One. We haven’t tested it yet, but we’re big Colugo fans around here.

Shop Colugo, get 20% off starting 11/20.

Mockingbird’s first-ever Black Friday sale

In the past, Mockingbird, which makes our favorite single-to-double stroller (because, let’s face it, you’re probably not just going to have one kid), hasn’t had a Black Friday sale. That changes this year.

You can grab a Mockingbird stroller for $50 off here starting 11/21.

Even more Black Friday baby gear deals for 2023

Save $200 on the Fathercraft Dad-to-Be Bundle

Our own Black Friday sale is officially on! You can save on The Fathercraft Bag, our dad bag, Father’s Ed — our flagship online video course for expecting dads, and the Better Baby Sleep Bootcamp — our online class on better baby sleep. Or, you can get everything in one package perfect for the expecting dad: the Fathercraft Dad-to-Be bundle. When you get the bundle, you’ll also get 3 bonuses. And just for Black Friday, get a Happiest Baby Snoobie white noise machine ($69.95 value).

Shop the Fathercraft Dad-to-Be Bundle.

25% off the Willow wearable breast pump

A former Time Magazine Invention of the Year winner, our reviewers loved just how handy (or handsfree, that is) Willow Pump was. Basically, it allowed them to do just about anything while pumping, and did it quietly and in a spill proof manner.

Shop Willow Pump and get 25% off

Read our Willow Pump review

Save big on Molekule Air Purifiers

Why an air purifier on a list of the best baby gear deals for Black Friday? Well, with wildfires, increased pollution, and everything else going on in the world, indoor air quality is becoming an increased concern. Plus, you know, babies can be kind of stinky. We recently reviewed the Molekule Air Mini+. Spoiler alert, it’s awesome.

For Black Friday/Cyber Monday, you can save 25% on all of Molekule’s purifiers, including the Air Mini+.

Save on Kiwi Crates (and Koala Crates, and … all of them)

Kiwi Crate was the original subscription box service for little kids. And, it’s still one of the absolute best. Thoughtfully-designed, includes fun, educational cartoons, and mind-expanding projects that will keep your little one busy for a long time.

KiwiCo has two sales that are live right now—you can use code GIFT to get 20% off a 3, 6, or 12 month subscription, or to get your first box for just $4.95.

Shop Kiwi Crate, save up to 30%

Save $30 on a Lovevery Play Kit Subscription

Lovevery’s Montessori-inspired subscription toy kits contain high-quality toys that take the guesswork out of choosing brain-friendly toy for your baby or toddler. You’ll get a new kit every 3 months full of well-made toys.

Through 11/28, get $30 off a subscription play kit boxes with code FUN30.

Shop Lovevery and save

And, that’s a wrap! There are tons of Black Friday/Cyber Monday baby deals out there for new parents and parents-to-be, but there’s also tons of stuff you just don’t need for your baby, so, we’re sticking to the best of the best.

If you’re overwhelmed by all of the baby gear out there, you can see our full list of what actually constitutes essential gear for babies here.

And, continue the search for that perfect new dad gift right here.

At Fathercraft, we decided to find out with this in-depth Cradlewise review.  We tested the smart bassinet + crib combo for over a year with two different families. As the technology evolved, so did our verdict.

Read on to go with us on our Cradlewise journey. We’ll cover: 

• An introduction to the two families who tested Cradlewise
• Unboxing, setup, and daily use
• Jon and Andrew’s Cradlewise review, recapped (From last year; includes some technical issues they had, many of which have been resolved)
• Mark and Marian’s Cradlewise review (Most recent)
• Our ultimate verdict, including:
  • Does the Cradlewise work?
  • Did the technology improve?
• More to know about Cradlewise
• Pricing and where to buy
• Cradlewise vs. Snoo
• Wrapping up

That’s a lot of info. Feel free to click the links to jump to what you want to see most, or read straight through for the full experience, jokes and all.

Editor’s note: Fathercraft is reader-supported, meaning, at no cost to you, we may earn a commission if you buy after clicking an affiliate link. Also, our testers received a free Cradlewise in order to complete this review. Learn more.

Two families, two verdicts 

If you’re going to invest some serious cash into a baby sleep product (let’s be honest: At $1,999, the Cradlewise is a pricey item), it’s helpful to know as much as you can about it—the good and the bad. 

That’s why you’ll meet two families in this review: 

• Andrew and Jon (fun fact: Jon was my college roommate for 4 years, and we’ve now coincidentally but happily lived in the same city twice): They tested the Cradlewise with Gordy, their baby, in October 2022 and ultimately found the technology had some serious room for improvement.
• Mark (my brother and fellow Fathercraft team member) and Marian: They entered the picture a year later, in October 2023, to see how the software improved over time. 

Spoiler alert: Cradlewise put in work, and Mark and Marian’s experience has been vastly different from Jon and Andrew’s. To help you get a full picture, we give you both reviews. First, you’ll get the lowdown on assembly and setup. Then, we’ll recap Jon and Andrew’s review from a year ago before Mark and Marian help us dive into how Cradlewise has improved, how it stacks up against its competitors now, and our ultimate verdict. 

As you read, we hope the opinions of two families will help you evaluate your own family’s unique needs, so that you can best decide if Cradlewise fits into your lifestyle or not.

Cradlewise: Unboxing, setup, and daily use 

Unboxing

The first thing you’ll notice about Cradlewise is how big and heavy it is. The box arrives with one of those “team lift” labels on it, and it’s not kidding. Be careful carrying this box around, especially if you’re pregnant. Get help from a partner and maybe a friend.

Aside from the literal maneuvering of the box, unboxing is a pleasant and well-thought-out experience. Parts and boxes are well-labeled, and you’ll find some fun baby facts and affirmations sprinkled throughout that are a nice touch. Unboxing provides a peek into product quality and aesthetics, too

You’ll also find that the Cradlewise is heavy for a reason—it’s built with high-quality materials that have a premium feel to them. It’s also heavy because of how big it is (more in a sec). And, finally, it’s a good-looking contraption that’ll fit nicely in a modern nursery (or parents’ room, where the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends your baby sleep for at least the first 6 months).

Assembling Cradlewise

Cradlewise setup and assembly involves two big steps:

1. Assembling the physical product 
2. Setting up the mobile app

Assembling the crib involves a lot of steps. Like, the instruction booklet has a spine number of steps. But, while it takes a while to put together, the assembly instructions are actually helpful. It’s kind of like putting together a piece of Ikea furniture, except that the instruction booklet includes written instructions in addition to diagrams. It also makes sense that assembly involves a lot of steps as 1) Cradlewise, as noted, is big, and was designed to pack down into a box for transport and, 2) your first assembly starts with the crib and then adds the bassinet as an “overlay,” so you’re essentially setting up both products (and that baby monitor).

One-person assembly is perfectly possible, though there are a couple of steps where two would be nice (one unskilled laborer to hold stuff while the other uses an Allen wrench).

Mark remarked (see what we did there?) that Cradlewise is one of those companies that thinks of everything. It seems like they truly care about the parents they serve. And this held true during assembly for both families. For example, Cradlewise includes a screwdriver that caused Jon to remark, “We have a new screwdriver! And it’s nicer than any of the ones we have here …” There are extra parts, but they come in a plastic bag clearly labeled, “spare parts.”

Just a couple of steps involved trial and error/futzing around with stuff, such as inserting bolts into the mesh tensioners.

Cradlewise App setup

Setting up the Cradlewise app should feel familiar if you own any smart-home type gadgets already. Download the iOS or Android app, connect the device to your internet, register your Cradlewise, and complete a few in-app setup type steps.

A few key features of Cradlewise

Quickly (and if you know this already, jump ahead), what does Cradlewise do, again? 

Bassinet/Crib in one. The core structure of a Cradlewise is a crib … and a bassinet. The ‘bassinet’ is an insert that is placed on top of the assembled crib, and kind of floats, suspended. Why? Your back, friend. Picking up babies from a crib requires bending way down. Your baby can use a bassinet until they’ve reached the stage where it’s conceivable they could pull themselves up over the side and fall out. Your back will thank you.

Editor’s Note: This is also helpful for anyone recovering from a c-section.

Bouncing. This is where things get interesting. That whole crib structure? It literally bounces up and down, mimicking the bounce that every parent quickly learns as a soothing technique (it’s soothing because that’s how it feels to Baby in the womb).

Side note: In a video on their site, Cradlewise shows a parent bouncing on an exercise ball, which we’ve not tried but is a good idea … because babies seem to know immediately if you go from standing up and bouncing them to sitting down and trying to mimic this motion while sitting. Sorry. Pretty sure it’s because of the whole womb thing (Are we saying womb too much yet?).

Video baby monitor. Built into the crib (it’s on the arc of wood that sits over where your baby’s head will be) is a video/audio baby monitor. This provides a bird’s eye view of your baby, which has been popularized recently by monitors like Nanit since it provides a much clearer view than a monitor that sits on a dresser and attempts to peer through the crib’s bars to see your baby.

White Noise. Doesn’t need much of an explanation, but built-in speakers play (you guessed it) white noise. You can choose from a library or bring your own.

Sleep analytics. Cradlewise uses data from its camera to determine what stage of sleep/alertness your baby is in, and tracks this data through the course of a night or nap.

Using the Cradlewise

To use Cradlewise, you simply put your baby in the bassinet or crib (all safe sleep practices apply: snugly-fitting pajamas/sleep sack, on her back, nothing else in the crib with her) and start bouncing if you wish. To start bouncing, push the button on top of the wood arc, or use the Cradlewise mobile app. You can push and hold the button to stop bouncing or use the app.

Within the app, you can do other things, too—use the monitor, turn on white noise, control bouncing intensity, and view sleep analytics.

Recapping Jon and Andrew’s Cradlewise review (October 2022) 

When we first enlisted some friends of Fathercraft to review the Cradlewise bassinet/crib combo in 2022, they had a few issues with the product. Before we get into those, it’s wroth noting the Cradlewise technically worked (meaning, it soothed their infant). Here’s Gordy’s first time using the Cradlewise:

But, they had problems with the software that ultimately left them less-than-psyched. We’ve recapped these issues below:

• Glitches and software/hardware issues: Jon and Andrew were frustrated with the amount of times their camera froze during testing. They also received a lot of software updates that would temporarily cause Cradlewise to stop working.

(Editor’s Note: According to Cradlewise, they push biweekly updates that aren’t supposed to interrupt the bassinet/crib’s functionality)

• Automatic soothing based on “early wakeup signs” didn’t work well: The Cradlewise camera is built to detect “early wakeup signs” and soothe your baby back to sleep. However, their baby moved a lot when sleeping and Cradlewise often mistakenly registered him as awake. 
• Settings aren’t saved across devices: At the time of testing, Cradlewise settings couldn’t be saved across Jon and Andrew’s devices. 
• Mobile app interface left room to be desired: There were a few inconveniences Jon and Andrew found with the mobile app that they both felt could be improved with updates

So, what happened after that? At Fathercraft, our original verdict was that Cradlewise wasn’t worth the cost unless you were okay with being an “early adopter” who would need to sort through some of the tech issues. 

However, it’s been a year, and as with any technology, things improved over time. To get an idea of just how much Cradlewise improved on its offering, we re-tested it with a new family: Mark, Marian, and their newborn son, Henry. 

Mark and Marian’s Cradlewise review (October/November 2023) 

How did Cradlewise fare a year later? We asked Mark and Marian to test the Cradlewise to see how much the technology changed and whether or not it was for the better. 

Keep reading to learn more about why, but in a few words: They loved (and continue to love) the Cradlewise. So, let’s start with “the awesome.” 

The awesome

Cradlewise’s bouncing worked 

When I asked Mark and Marian the dreaded question (“Are you getting any sleep?”), I was surprised by how enthusiastically Mark said yes. 

Their baby is just two weeks old, and so I wondered if they just had a sleepy kid on their hands. But Mark was able to show me the data. The dark blue is deep sleep, the light blue/purple is fidgety, and the yellow is awake. The dots on the right side represent the times the Cradlewise was able to successfully “soothe” their baby back to sleep:

“Hot dang,” Mark added after showing me this screenshot. “This is a great example of how much extra sleep that can give you.” Hot dang, indeed, Mark.

There’s real merit to the integration of crib, baby monitor, and white noise

Mark and Marian found the integration of the three key elements of the modern baby’s sleep setup — a safe crib, white noise, and monitoring — together in one package to be really nice. No need for three separate systems. 

They also didn’t feel the need for something like an Owlet. This preference will vary by family, but Mark and Marian felt they had enough monitoring with the Cradlewise system. 

Safety 

Cradlewise doesn’t make any official claims about safety, but Mark noted he felt like the extra sleep he and his wife received because of the Cradlewise helped prevent accidentally falling asleep in bed with their baby. Of course, there’s no way to know if this would have happened without the Cradlewise, but Mark mentioned that he enjoyed the extra peace of mind. 

Versatility, longevity & aesthetics

The lifespan of the Cradlewise is a huge plus. Many of the things we buy as parents just don’t have a useful lifespan that’s comparatively that long—sometimes it feels like you’re using that cute onesie you got at your baby shower for a few weeks before it’s too small on your ‘little one’. This is also a downside of Snoo. 

Cradlewise, by contrast, with its two-year useful life, is a breath of fresh air in this department. And, with the integrated, removable bassinet, you’re getting a bassinet when it’s useful that transitions to a crib in a few minutes when it’s time to make the switch.

Finally, this is undeniably a good-looking piece of baby gear. It’s right at home in the modern nursery (and parents’ room at first).

Quick shameless plug: If you’re looking for another product with a long lifespan and a cool aesthetic, we’ve got you. Check out the Fathercraft diaper bag, designed to be versatile enough to grow with your kids, and cool enough that you can rock it anywhere.

The people  

Mark mentioned they are just overall impressed with the people behind Cradlewise. From assembly to the actual direction of the motion of the Cradlewise (up and down, mimicking what they experienced in the womb), it seems like they thought of everything and genuinely care.  

The wish-it-were different 

Unlike our first review, Mark had an admittedly difficult time coming up with a downside to Cradlewise. Finally, he settled on…

Amount of alerts

Mark said he receives a “TON” of alerts. He also mentioned this doesn’t really bother him, because as “anxious new parents,” he and Marian almost welcomed them. However, Jon and Andrew also received a lot of alerts, and they didn’t really want them.

Lack of a physical button for white noise 

The Cradlewise has a button on the crib to turn the motion on and off but he mentioned it’d be nice to turn the white noise off without using the app (yeah, this is nit-picky; there just weren’t many problems. 

Lack of a light

The one thing sleep item Mark felt was missing? A light. 

It’s not that a baby necessarily needs it. But it’s helpful for those middle-of-the-night diaper changes (Cradlewise can do a lot, but it can’t change a diaper). 

Price 

There’s no way around it: Cradlewise is pricey. Even so, Mark said a combination of a few things made this worth it:

1. He and Marian got more sleep “directly as a result of Cradlewise”
2. Longevity: Because it’s a bassinet and crib, you could end up using it for a few years
3. Multiple products in one: You’re not buying a white noise machine and baby monitor on top of the bassinet and crib

So what’s the ultimate verdict? 

Our ultimate verdict: Is Cradlewise worth it?

After asking two different families to test the Cradlewise, our ultimate verdict depends on the answers to two questions:

1. Does it work?
2. Did the technology improve since our first review?

Our answer is a resounding “yes” to both. Here’s a bit more detail:

Does the Cradlewise work?

We mentioned this already but it’s worth stating again: Mark felt the Cradlewise “directly” impacted the amount of sleep he and Marian got — and the data backed it up. 

Did the technology improve?

Jon and Andrew raised a few issues with the technology. Here’s how those issues improved over time:

• Glitches and software/hardware issues: Fixed
  • Mark and Marian have experienced precisely zero glitches and/or updates that impacted Cradlewise’s functionality 
• Automatic soothing based on “early wakeup signs” didn’t work well: Depends
  • Mark and Marian didn’t have this issue, but this might be one of those things that varies based on how active your baby is. 
• Settings aren’t saved across devices: Fixed
  • You can now “Add a caregiver,” which allows settings to save across devices. Mark and Marian use both of their phones, plus an iPad. Mark mentioned that if you update a setting, you have to re-launch the app to have it update across other devices, but that wasn’t a big deal to them. 

• Mobile app interface left room to be desired: Continuous improvement
  • Cradlewise has made continuous updates to their interface and, according to the company, a larger update that will improve overall user experience is coming soon (we’ll update this review again when that happens)

We’re pretty impressed by how hard Cradlewise worked to improve their technology, and our ultimate verdict is a positive one: We’d buy this again. 

If you’re still on the fence about price, this is what Mark had to say about it:

“If you’re going to invest in one pricier baby item, a bassinet or a crib is what I’d recommend. Your baby spends so much time there, it’s worth the investment. 

But if you’re still undecided beyond that, keep reading. Because this is Fathercraft, and when we review a product, we obsess over it. Here are a few more things that are good to know, plus how the Cradlewise stacked up against the Snoo for us. 

More good things to know about Cradlewise

Since we go deep on our reviews here at Fathercraft, here are a few more things you might consider.

Weight. Cradlewise is very heavy. Especially compared to Snoo. This, of course, makes sense since it’s so much bigger, and not that big a deal unless you think you’re going to move it back and forth for naps and bedtimes or travel with it. This is a put it in a spot and move it when it’s time to transition to the nursery type of heavy.

Moving Cradlewise might require resetting it. According to Cradlewise, you may need to recalibrate your settings when you transition from the bassinet to a crib. Additionally, if you move the bassinet to an area with a different noise level (e.g., from your bedroom to the living room where your family keeps congregating to see the new precious bundle of joy), you will likely need to recalibrate. In between the above mentioned weight and the recalibration, this is not something you buy for portability.

Cradlewise caused some sort of interference with The Owlet Smart Sock.  Jon and Andrew used the  Owlet Smart Sock and Cam. When he was in Cradlewise, the Owlet Sock base station had to be moved closer to him to prevent this interference.

However, as noted Mark and Marian didn’t use the Owlet and didn’t feel they needed it. So, this is where you insert your family’s unique needs to make a purchasing decision that’s best for you.

Pricing and where to buy

Cradlewise has an interesting pricing model—the further out you order it, the cheaper it gets. So, planning ahead saves you money. Base pricing is $1,999, and you can save up to $300 by ordering far enough in advance—ordering 6 months ahead of time saves you the full $300, it steps down from $1,999 in $50 increments each month. And, when we checked, the earliest ship date was 1.5 months out, so, this isn’t currently a last-second purchase decision.

Cradlewise is currently only available directly from the Cradlewise website.

Cradlewise vs. Snoo

The Snoo has been around for 7+ years now. And you can tell that the Cradlewise team studied it, and tried to improve on some of the “issues” or shortcomings the Snoo has. Issues are in quotes here because some of these, while notable, are actually features of the Snoo—yes, it can be annoying to clip your baby in each time, this is exactly what prevents your baby from rolling over. If you ask the folks over at Happiest Baby, they’d undoubtedly tell you their white noise and rocking motions are the best, therefore you don’t need to switch them up.

With that in mind, here are some of the things Cradlewise attempts to improve upon or change from the Snoo, with varying degrees of success:

• Snoo has no built in baby monitor, Cradlewise does 
• Snoo has precisely one white noise setting, Cradlweise allows you to change the sound, and even play your own tracks
• Snoo uses a back and forth rocking motion, Cradlewise uses a bouncing motion
• To use Snoo, you need to clip your baby in. Cradlewise, like any normal crib or bassinet, you just place your baby in
• The Snoo is pretty small, which means your baby will grow out of it quickly. Happiest Baby advertises 6 months, Gordy, a bigger baby, grew out of the Snoo in 4.

So, how do Snoo and Cradlewise stack up? Let’s review key differences

Rollover safety. The Snoo is the only baby sleeper product on the market that’s designed to physically prevent your baby from rolling from her back to her front. Therefore, it’s the gold standard (and, quite literally received FDA De Novo approval for safely keeping sleeping babies on their back). Kinda hard to beat that.

Though, as many billions of babies have been kept safe the old-fashioned way—by being placed on their back to sleep with a firm mattress, fitted crib sheets, and a crib free of toys and blankets, it’s worth noting for the many parents that can afford neither the Snoo nor any other smart bassinet that doing these things is safely putting your baby to sleep. Cradlewise is in that regard like a traditional crib—it uses a firm mattress, fitted sheets, and breathable mesh sides to keep your baby safe when sleeping.

All that said, Jon and Andrew said they felt safer when Gordy was sleeping in the Snoo, especially when he started trying to roll from back to front. Mark and Marian were satisfied with the Cradlewise.

Ease of putting your baby in and taking him out. Edge also goes to Cradlewise here. There’s no clipping in (again, note Snoo’s clipping is a feature). But also, Cradlewise is literally both taller (in bassinet mode) and bigger. With the Snoo, especially if your baby falls asleep in your arms, guiding him into the Snoo can feel like a high-stakes game of operation. With Cradlewise, your target is bigger and your back will thank you for less bending over.

Ease of cleaning. Cradlewise has the edge here—its mesh sides are removable (though that takes some doing), so in the event of a disaster (yes, you may experience projectile vomiting as a parent, exorcism not required), you can wash all the pieces of Cradlewise more thoroughly, vs the Snoo, which requires spot cleaning for the sides.

White noise flexibility and options. Again, Cradlwise wins here — white noise volume is adjustable, you can choose from several options (including playing your own music through its speakers). Again, we’d call out that the makers of Snoo are pretty confident they’ve developed the world’s best white noise option for babies, but that’s up to you to decide.

Sleep tracking reliability. Both Snoo and Cradlewise claim to be able to track the amount your baby sleeps. And, at least in Gordy’s case, both were wildly inaccurate. Jon and Andrew found their Owlet baby monitor to be much more accurate in this department. Mark and Marian reported that the Cradlewise would sometimes start tracking sleep a bit earlier than when Henry actually fell asleep, but they weren’t bothered by this.

Read (and watch) our full Snoo bassinet review.

By the way, if you’re interested what Cradlewise has to say on the matter, here’s how they compare themselves to other smart bassinets.

The overall lesson? All babies are different. Snoo and Cradlewise technology both had a hard time tracking Gordy’s (Jon and Andrew’s baby) sleep. But Mark and Marian have had an easier time.

Who are Cradlewise competitors?

While the Snoo is Cradlewise’s most well-known competitor, others include the Halo BassiNest, the Graco Sense2Snooze, and the 4Moms Mamaroo Sleep bassinet. We’d note these others are quite a bit less expensive, and not on par with either Cradlewise or Snoo from a features or a build quality perspective.

Wrapping up

I wasn’t kidding when I say we go deep on baby gear reviews Hopefully, that was helpful as you think about your baby’s futuristic sleeping arrangements. While you’re here, hi, we’re Fathercraft. In addition to reviewing products, we create cool stuff for new parents, and have a YouTube channel full of parenting-related videos.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally posted on May 4, 2023, and was updated on August 9, 2023. Then, it was updated again with Mark and Marian’s review on November 21, 2023.

In this Stokke review, I’ll go over:

• What makes the Stokke unique
• Assembly
• Size and features
• Pricing and where to buy
• Is the Stokke worth it?
• FAQs

I’m Matt, by the way. I’m a high school band teacher based in Ohio, a dad of two, and a self-appointed high chair tester. Before writing this review, I tested the Stokke Tripp Trapp for two months with my youngest kid, who was six months old when we began testing. Keep reading and you’ll also hear about my three-year-old, who was very helpful (wink) when assembling the chair.

Please note: Fathercraft is reader supported, meaning if you click a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Read more about our disclosures and how we approach these reviews in our policies.

What makes the Stokke high chair unique?  

You’ll find there are about as many high chairs as there are presidential candidates before the primaries (and as much variety!)

• Wondering what else you need to feed your baby? We’ve got a new baby checklist for that.

From huge, cumbersome high chairs that could hold up in a zombie apocalypse to portable seats that might make you question your child’s safety (like when you load something into the back of your truck, give it a shake, and say “eh, that’s probably not going anywhere”), the options are endless. If you’re here, you likely know this. And you know finding the high chair that’s right for your family and living space is important. So, without further ado… What is it about a Tripp Trapp that’s so different? 

The Tripp Trapp connection

Stokke (the company that makes the Tripp Trapp) is a Norwegian brand whose mission is to “support parents and caregivers as they support their children to grow up confidently.” They’re known for making high chairs and strollers that support physical development and connection, featuring designs that bring the child closer to their parents (in the literal, “this seat is physically closer to my face” kind of way).

So, one of the first things you’ll likely notice about the Tripp Trapp is that it doesn’t look like your typical high chair. It was designed by Peter Opsvik, credited as “the designer who set a new standard for sitting.” We’ll get into this later, but its design makes it a lot easier to bring your child closer to the table. 

The Stokke cool factor 

In addition to being kind of fun to say, the Stokke Tripp Trapp is pretty freaking cool and — dare we say — fancy. If you’re looking for sophistication points, you should know this chair is on display in a permanent exhibit in the MOMA. I told you: It’s fancy. 

… Which also means it’s sort of a big-ticket item, especially for a high chair, coming in at $319. So, how does the functionality, safety features, and general fanciness of the Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair stack up against its price? Let’s find out. 

Assembling the Tripp Trapp high chair

Spoiler Alert: I like the Tripp Trapp, but assembly is one of my first knocks on this high chair. The instructions have precisely 0 words  — just pictures (which are fairly vague).  I believe most people can figure these out, but if I didn’t have experience putting together various baby-related things, I might be lost and looking for a YouTube video tutorial.  

To make things more complicated, my 3-year-old now wants to help me assemble everything, which is awesome. Unless, of course, there are 12 bolts and washers and various other small pieces that can easily be misplaced. While I love the help, the constant worry that I’d lose something was unnerving. I didn’t expect there to be so many pieces for a high chair.

We’ll get to this part later, but, like I said, I really do like this chair. It’s sturdy and reliable. But the downside is that the assembly takes some time and focus. In fact, while putting this chair together I inadvertently skipped a step — something I didn’t realize until the end, and the chair wouldn’t fit together correctly. This was very annoying because I had to deconstruct the chair back to the step I missed. I’m not blaming anyone, but a certain 3 year old might have distracted me with his cuteness.

Stokke high chair size and features

A version of the Tripp Trapp high chair has been around since 1972, and its design was inspired by Opsvik’s growing child, who outgrew a high chair but wasn’t big enough to use an adult chair. The Tripp Trapp is designed not only to grow with your child but also to help them find an “ideal” sitting position, which — as noted by Stokke — means they’re able to shift and move using the adjustable footplate. 

So, what does this mean for size and features? 

Size

We loved the size and stature of the Tripp Trapp. Practically, the Stokke high chair does a great job of finding the middle ground between a bulky high chair and a tiny portable one. Our previous high chair was like a throne that took up more room than a small car. This one only stands 32.5 inches tall and 18 inches wide. The floor space is 18 x 22.4 in. This becomes important because, as we’ll discuss, the chair pushes right up to your dining room table. 

Features

One of the most notable features of the Stokke high chair is its lack of a tray. You read that right — this high chair is intended to be pushed right up to your table. Stokke sells a tray separately, but we just set our baby in the chair and put his food on our dinner table. 

According to Stokke, this is to help foster a sense of connection. But we liked this feature because, when the chair is not in use, we can leave it at the table without worrying about tripping over it. It’s nice to be able to leave the high chair out whenever we need it.

The Tripp Trapp also features an adjustable seat height and footplate height. These two components work independently, which allows babies/kids of all heights to be comfortable in the chair. By itself, Stokke is designed the chair to accommodate children from 6 months to 3 years (they even claim the chair can safely hold an adult weighing up to 242 lbs!). But you can also add a Tripp Trapp newborn attachment and cover to safely cradle your newborn at the table or a Tripp Trapp baby set which provides extra support for a young infant learning to sit.

Honestly, for our 6-month-old, we decided to just leave the footplate off entirely. His little legs barely reach over the seat anyway, so I decided to neglect that step. If I had an older child sitting in this high chair (18 months or so), I’d probably put the footplate back on for them.

Colors and More Tripp Trapp Customizations

The Tripp Trapp chair comes in 17 different colors/wood stains, and you can customize it online with different colors and accessories, like storage bins and cushions (!). The material used is Beech Wood, and it does a great job of cleaning up after messy meals. The high chair also features a 5-point harness to keep the little ones safe.

Pricing, where to buy, and extras 

You can get the Tripp Trapp directly from the Stokke website, which gives you the advantage of customizing the chair, or you can purchase it on Amazon. 

Pricing for the Tripp Trapp on Stokke’s website currently looks like this:

• Tripp Trapp high chair + baby set with a five-point harness: $319
  • Includes the Tripp Trapp high chair and a seat with a five-point harness so that your child can start using the chair at 6 months
• Tripp Trapp high chair + newborn set:
  • Includes the Tripp Trapp chair and a newborn attachment which cradles your infant until they begin to sit independently 
• Tripp Trapp chair
  • Just the Tripp Trapp chair, with no baby seat 

If you purchase directly from Stokke, you have the option to customize your chair. This could be a good option if you want a custom color or if you’d like to include both the baby seat and the newborn set. 

You can also purchase on Amazon:

• Tripp Trapp high chair + baby seat with high point harness

If you have Amazon Prime, purchasing on Amazon might get you faster shipping. 

Stokke Extras

If you customize your chair on Stokke’s site, you might notice a variety of optional add-ons like storage and cushions. At the time of writing, you can purchase the following accessories in a variety of colors:

• Seat cushion
• Tray
• Baby cushion
• Glider set
• Storage bin
• Newborn seat cover

Oh, and if you’re a Disney family? Stokke just released a Disney collection including Mickey-themed cushions for the Tripp Trapp. 

Is the Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair Worth It? 

We’ve used this high chair for over 2 months now.  Compared to the only other high chair we’ve had, I like this one much better!  It is very convenient in a few different ways.  First, it matches our table and other chairs pretty well (obviously something that I [my wife] care a great deal about).  It actually almost looks like it came with our kitchen table/chair set. 

Second, its size is great for our kitchen space.  It can scoot up very close to the table which is great for the baby when eating, but also for our 3-year-old when he wants to run around and around. He doesn’t have to worry about dodging the high chair.  

Third, and most importantly: Our baby loves it.  It’s supportive, comfortable enough that he likes sitting in it, and it’s safe.  We’ve had zero “close call” moments with the chair almost tipping or him almost falling out.  

This chair is also lightweight enough that, if we had to (we haven’t yet) transport it to another house we could do so easily.  The weight also makes it super easy to move around when not in use, and the floor needs to be cleaned up from all of the food splatter.

The Awesome

Style: Of course, there’s the cool factor. How often can you say that your baby’ furniture is featured in the MOMA? Not all that often, I’d bet. 

Safety: The Tripp Trapp is sturdy and well-made. I felt safe with our son in it, especially with the baby set attachment. If you need extra support, they also sell gliders to make the chair more stable. 

Size/Weight: Sure, the chair is cool, but the size and weight of this chair are what really stood out to me. I really liked that the Tripp Trapp was big enough to feel sturdy but small and light enough to fit well in our kitchen. It moves easily (but only when we want it to move). This makes clean-up a lot easier. 

Level of Baby Enjoyment: The most important question for me: Does my son enjoy it? And he does!

Lifespan: The adjustable height and footplates, along with the different attachments, means this chair can grow with your child during all of their younger years. This is a plus for me, considering its price tag. 

The Wish-It-Were-Different

Assembly: Ease of assembly was on par with convincing a toddler that broccoli is delicious (that’s… not easy). Some words in the instruction manual would be helpful.  

Price: There are ultimately much cheaper high chairs out there. You have to decide how much you value what Stokke brings to the table (pun intended). 

Final Verdict

After reviewing the Stokke, would I buy it again?  I would say absolutely! I was pretty stoked on Stokke. It has been a great addition to our dinner table. It’s compact, safe, and my son loves sitting in it and joining in on the mealtime fun.

Stokke High Chair FAQs: 

Is the Stokke Chair Montessori-friendly?

We don’t claim to be Montessori experts at Fathercraft, but the short answer is yes. Because of the way the Tripp Trapp fosters connection at the dinner table and enables independence as the child grows, the chair tops a variety of “best montessori” chair lists. 

Curious about other Montessori-inspired products? Check out our Lovevery play kit review. 

Can a baby sleep in the Stokke Chair?

According to Stokke’s website, no. A baby should sleep on their back in a bassinet or crib. 

Where is the Stokke Tripp Trapp made? 

The Tripp Trapp is made in Europe, using wood found in Central Europe. (and according to this Reddit board, it’s quite popular there). 

How long can my child use the Tripp Trapp? 

Your child can use the Tripp Trapp from 6 months until 3 years old.

Want to see other Fathercraft reviews?

Thanks for checking out our review!

And, if you made it this far, chances are you’ll like some of our other stuff. Learn more about Fathercraft here, or check out our recommendations for essential gear for babies here.

Finally, we’ll answer the big questions: Is the Snoo bassinet worth its hefty price tag? And, how can you get the Snoo cheaper?

Without further ado, we give you the following:

• A video review of the Snoo
• How does the Snoo work?
• Magic Snoo moments and… Not-so-magic moments
• Snoo Guilt: Is it a thing?
• The official verdict
• Pricing
• Optional add-ons and new products
• The rental program
• Certified Pre-Loved Snoos
• FAQs
• Snoo vs. Cradlewise (and other bassinets)
• A second couple’s review

Editor’s note: Since every baby is different, we tested the Snoo multiple times with different families to ensure we give you the most transparent and honest review possible. As a disclaimer, Fathercraft is reader-supported, meaning, at no cost to you, we may earn a commission if you buy after clicking an affiliate link. Learn more about how we operate and how we never guarantee a positive review in exchange for product.

To start, here’s our 5-minute video review of the Snoo

What is the Snoo, and how does it work?

The Snoo is like an ordinary bassinet (a small crib-like structure that allows your baby to sleep next to your bed for the first 6 months of life), except it’s equipped with sound sensors, wifi, speakers that deliver varying types of white noise, and a robotic motor that rocks your baby at different levels of intensity in response to any noise (from the baby) the sensors detect. Oh, and a swaddle and strap system designed to keep your baby from rolling over.

The Snoo bassinet is a collaboration between Dr. Harvey Karp (famous to some parents as the guy whose Happiest Baby on the Block book and videos recommend the “5 S’s” of calming your baby – these are quite effective by the way) and Yves Behar, a renowned industrial designer whose clients include Sodastream, Dyson, and Herman Miller office furniture to name a few.

The result of this collaboration is what Happiest Baby calls “the safest baby bed ever made” and “like a night nurse* for around $7 per night”.

It works like this: You swaddle your baby with the Snoo Sack that comes with the bassinet. The Snoo Sack has “wings” – clips that attach your baby to the sides of the Snoo sleeper so she can’t roll over (nearly all experts believe healthy babies should sleep on their back to reduce the risk of SIDS and SUID.) Once your baby is strapped in, the Snoo gently rocks your baby and plays white noise through its integrated speakers. This gentle motion and white noise continue all night unless your baby gets upset. If this happens, Snoo recognizes crying with its sensors and attempts to calm your baby with several levels of greater intensity – both in white noise and rocking. Ideally, your baby is calmed and goes back to sleep without you having to lift a finger … or, more importantly, get out of bed.

Happiest Baby notes that you’ll still need to feed your baby (hopefully this is a bit obvious) and that sometimes your child just needs to be comforted by a human, have their diaper changed, be given a pacifier, etc. But, the Snoo should robotically take care of the rest.

At this point, if you’re a parent who has experienced just how tired you can be taking care of a newborn, you’re thinking “Woah.” Or something to that effect. Perhaps with more profanity. If you’re not, it’s because you’re some lucky bastard whose partner did nearly all the work. I’m not judging, I’m one of them – and I was still tired a lot during this phase. You’re also experiencing some degree of serious skepticism. Perhaps some discomfort, confusion, and other mixed emotions thrown in there, too.

We weren’t sure how to feel about the Snoo either. But keep reading, and we’ll give you all the details — the awesome, the “wish it were different,” and even the outright weird.

*If you’re not familiar, a night nurse is a caretaker who comes over to your house at night and keeps an eye on your baby all night, calming them when needed, feeding them, etc. Pretty sweet, if you’ve got some serious cash.

Our Snoo review: The awesome, the ‘wish it were different’ and a verdict

Because this was such a big-ticket, profoundly-different-than-the-alternative item, I’ve included full notes from our 30 day trial at the end of this post — as well as a review from a second couple. I’m an information junkie, so I would have found this useful before purchasing. But not everyone is, so if you just want the good, the bad, and the verdict, here you go:

The awesome (Does the Snoo work?):

The magic moments: There were a number of moments during the course of our testing when I thought, “holy cow if it weren’t for the Snoo, I couldn’t be doing X, because I’d be walking around trying to rock Ruby to sleep in my arms.” For me, “X” was:

• Working from home when she was fussy and clearly needed a nap but wouldn’t have gone down without the Snoo
• Spending time with my wife in the evening

Yeah, but … how do you know the Snoo worked? This was an easy one—we spent time without the Snoo before and after, and also took a trip in the middle of our testing. And, yeah … it was the Snoo that did the magic trick of calming Ruby and improving her sleep.

The safety measures: Happiest Baby markets the Snoo as “the safest baby bed ever made” due to the fact it keeps sleeping babies on their backs, the safest position for most (your baby should be sleeping on her back unless you discuss with your doctor). I felt deeply comforted by this fact, and this allowed me to relax more and rest easier — I’m one of those parents who went into kids’ rooms multiple times a night to make sure they were still breathing. You just might find you’re one of those, too.

An extra layer of assurance was added in 2023, when the Snoo received “De Novo” FDA approval for keeping sleeping babies safely positioned on their back (“de novo” approval simply means the Snoo is the first device deemed effective in solving this problem, with no prior solution offered from the medical field).

The Snoo Sack (swaddle): The swaddle is pretty amazing. In fact, I was inspired enough to leave the following Snoo sack review on Happiest Baby’s website, and it’s not hyperbole:

 “As a dad who is utterly hopeless attempting to swaddle with a blanket and still struggles to get it right with the other velcro/zipper swaddling solutions I’ve tried, the Snoo Sack makes me feel like a pro! I’m able to get my daughter in it incredibly quickly, she feels secure, looks happy, and doesn’t escape within minutes like she does with other swaddling solutions. Just awesome!”

If a Snoo isn’t in the cards for you, fear not—Happiest Baby sells the swaddle separately as The Sleepea. You can find our review of that here.

Integrated white noise: If you believe in using white noise to help babies sleep, and you’ve had a baby, you probably know finding something to deliver consistent, not annoying, white noise for a 12- hour period is actually something of a challenge. So I very much appreciated the Snoo’s built-in speakers. While this isn’t exclusive to the Snoo — other smart bassinets have since copied this feature (more discussion on this, including Snoo vs. Cradewise and Mamaroo later) — Snoo does it extremely well.

The customer service: I contacted Happiest Baby a number of times during testing, on questions ranging from, “Isn’t Ruby going to get cold in a swaddle with mesh?” (nope, parents tend to overdress babies, and here’s how to check if you’re worried – touch her ear) to “the app isn’t working, help?” (they’ve since improved the app experience dramatically) to “the rocking at the beginning seems too vigorous” (It probably isn’t — these folks are pros, and thousands of babies have now used a Snoo. But an option for less vigorous rocking is now available via software update – how cool is that? I’d like to think we had a hand in changing this). In all cases, customer service was outstanding. Fast, thorough, and went well beyond my expectations for knowledge and general helpfulness of customer service folks.

The cool factor: Snoo has a serious cool factor. I felt the same feelings I felt as a relatively early adopter of the first iPhone (only maybe in dad form …)

The 30-day risk-free guarantee: With something this expensive, and this new, there can be a lot of angst about purchase. But, Happiest Baby includes a 30-day “worry free” guarantee, meaning if you don’t love the Snoo within the first 30 days of receiving it, you can return it for a full refund (they’ll even pay shipping on the way back).

The wish it were different:

Price: The Snoo costs $1,695. Yep, you read that right, $1,695 for a baby bed. (Before you give up, be sure to check out details of the Snoo rental program or the certified pre-loved purchasing option below.) 

The price of a brand new Snoo is by far the biggest downside I came up with after extensive testing. So, a couple of considerations when it comes to price:

Lack of portability: The Snoo is quite heavy and big. We took a weekend car trip during our testing and didn’t bother putting the Snoo in the car for this reason. The company’s sleep expert did point out to me that babies using Snoo do fine when away from it for up to a week, especially if you use the same white noise sounds (available on Apple Music) and the Snoo swaddle while you travel (this keeps things relatively consistent for the baby during travel).

Only one swaddle of each size, one fitted sheet: The Snoo comes with one small, one medium, and one large swaddle (called a Snoo Sack), and one fitted sheet. Extras are available from the website but are $38 each. [Update: the price of additional Snoo sacks has been lowered to $34.95, a small but nice gesture, and fitted sheets are now just $38.50 for a 3 pack or $19.95 for one] If your child spits up/throws at all and gets the swaddle size they’re using dirty, you’ll need extras/need to do daily laundry. But, probably worth noting, multiple swaddles are something you’d probably buy without a Snoo, and most aren’t that much cheaper than Snoo Sacks … so technically this isn’t an extra cost. Plus, as I mentioned above the Snoo Sack was definitely the best of the many I’ve tried.

The things to note (also known as “the weird”):

Snoo Guilt: When using the Snoo, I found myself feeling rather guilty sometimes in two scenarios

1) When I put Ruby in the Snoo when she was fussy and clearly tired

2) When the Snoo calmed an upset Ruby. I was letting a machine calm my kid. Was that my job as a parent? Was I missing out on critical bonding moments?

I’m confident Happiest Baby would tell me that the Snoo was helping Ruby get much-needed rest, and helping me and my wife get a much-needed break. I tend to agree with them – get rest and be a better parent during the day – but I still felt guilty on occasion. And, I wasn’t alone – other Snoo reviews I read mentioned similar feelings.

Wifi Shielding and Blue Light Emission (For those of you who think about weird things, like me): I am rather paranoid about exposing my kids to radiation from cell phones and wifi, so I worried about the fact the Snoo had wifi built in. But then I read that the Snoo has a built-in metal shield to protect the baby from any potential radiation. This was one of those, “wow, they thought of everything” moments for me that made me feel even more confident about the attention to detail on the product as a whole. Another of those moments came later when I saw Happiest Baby released “low legs” for the Snoo – designed to lower the Snoo for parents with platform beds who wanted to be able to see their baby without needing to fully sit up – a small but convenient touch (also capped off by an adorable dachshund in their picture of the legs).

I’m also obsessed with removing light (particularly blue light) from our bedroom to try and achieve the ‘sleep in total darkness’ thing, so the blue LED ring surrounding the power button annoyed me, particularly because it’s kind of bright.

Severe Congestion/Elevating the Snoo: If you’ve been reading this and wondering, “if this guy liked this thing so much, why didn’t he keep it? Well, here’s your answer. Ruby suffered from severe nasal congestion during our trial (in addition to some complications early on, we live in Denver, she was born in the winter) and as a result, two things happened: 1) frequent middle-of-the-night clearing of nasal passages – more on that soon – and 2) shifting Ruby from the Snoo to the Rock n’ Play. If you’re not familiar, a Rock ‘n Play elevates a child’s head. NOTE: most experts recommend most babies sleep flat, this happened before the Rock ‘n Play recall that occurred in mid-2019. We felt guilty using a Rock ‘n Play for extended periods of sleep, though did get the go-ahead from our doctor’s office. Ruby seemed to breathe easier with her head elevated in the Rock ‘n Play vs. flat in the Snoo. This is probably a rare problem – we live in Denver and when traveling to Phoenix for a weekend this problem magically disappeared, we presume with lower altitude. When I spoke with Snoo’s sleep expert about this he noted they were working on an insert for elevating, and in the meantime, we could try putting tuna cans under the two legs near Ruby’s head. Unfortunately, this didn’t seem to dramatically help congestion, though the idea of using tuna cans to elevate a (at the time) $1,200 bassinet was pretty amusing. 

[Update] Those inserts the sleep expert mentioned are now here in the form of Snoo Leg Lifters. They elevate two of the Snoo’s legs (the ones closest to your baby’s head) to create a slight angle and relieve congestion.

The verdict … Is the Snoo worth it?

First of all, if one or more of these things is true:

1. Can spend $1,695 on something your child will use for 6 months and feel fiscally responsible (or feel comfortable renting/getting a certified pre-loved Snoo)
2. Have a particularly fussy baby or a poor sleeper
3. Desperately need more sleep, or, perhaps more importantly, have a partner who badly needs more sleep

…You should get a Snoo, hands down. It is just 100% worth it. The Snoo will almost without question save you time by helping your baby fall asleep faster without human intervention, help you get more sleep by helping your baby sleep more, and make you feel like you’ve given your child the safest possible sleeping environment you can, which is a great feeling. 

If you:

1. Aren’t getting a Snoo for a newborn (your baby will stay in the Snoo only 6 months)
2. Have a baby who already sleeps extremely well
3. Know that $1,695 will cause financial strain
4. Aren’t planning on having multiple kids

Or some combination of the above, it’s a bit of a tougher call. Clearly, parents have survived for millennia without a motorized bassinet – you can too.

If your baby is much older than a newborn, your time with the Snoo is going to be shortened, especially by the time it arrives and your baby fully transitions to the point you both enjoy the full benefit.

If your baby is already a pro sleeper, you may not notice the benefits of the Snoo (other than safety benefits) all that often. Happiest Baby does point out that many babies who are at first great sleepers go through a period of “sleep regression,” during which they have a much more difficult time getting to sleep and staying asleep, and that those babies benefit from the Snoo. Can vouch firsthand for the concept of a sleep regression.

They also point out that most babies sleep better swaddled, but the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn’t recommend swaddling a baby for sleep once the baby can roll over as it may increase SIDS and SUID risk. Since the Snoo’s wings physically prevent a baby from rolling over while sleeping in the Snoo, it allows babies who are capable of rolling over to remain swaddled for sleep until they’re 6 months old, thus improving sleep.

So our overall verdict? This is a badass product. If you can afford it without financial strain, you should buy it – price is the only real downside to this product based on our testing. The Snoo also includes a 30-day money back guarantee if it’s something you feel like you need to try for yourself before committing to. And, as we’ve mentioned, If $1,695 is too much, check out the alternative options below.

You also don’t need to take our word for it – there are over 2,900+ reviews from verified buyers on Happiest Baby’s website including a star rating and text reviews, which are interesting to read.

Pricing, Extras, Certified Pre-Loved Snoos, & Rental Program

Pricing

The Snoo’s price is $1,695. For that, you get everything you need to use the Snoo:

• The Snoo itself
• A mattress with fitted organic cotton sheet
• 3 Snoo Sacks in small, medium, and large – the right sizes to fit your baby as long as they’ll be in the Snoo.
• Access to Happiest Baby’s sleep consultants, 7 days per week.

Add-Ons

Happiest Baby continues to add new products and extras to their collection, which can come in handy — whether you need something functional or something whimsical (although sort of expensive). In between white noise, decorative giraffes, mosquito nets, you can almost totally Snoo-ify your nursery (yes, that’s a word we just made up).

A complete list of current optional extras includes the following:

Extra Snoo Sacks – $34.95, or $73.40 for a pack of 3.

Extra sheets (3 pack) – $38.50

“The Big Bundle” (an extra Sack of each size and two additional sheets) – currently listed at $94.10

Leg lifters (to elevate the two legs closest to the baby’s head if congestion is an issue) – $19.95

Low legs (lower height of the Snoo for easy peeking in if you have a platform bed) – $64.95

SNOO Zoo Giraffe (for a “touch of whimsy and sense of wonder) – $495

Shoo Mosquito Net (for keeping out insects and apparently also cats) – $79

SNOObie Smart Soother (white noise machine) – $41.97

SNOObear 3-in-1 White Noise Lovey (a teddy bear with white noise capabilities) – $59.95

Sky Mobile (a mobile that can securely attach to the Snoo or hang from the ceiling) – $89.95

Lola Convertible Crib – $795

The Snoo rental program

The other reason we didn’t keep the Snoo at the end of our trial period? Price. Like many families having a baby, we weren’t exactly rolling in dough. And, so paired with Ruby’s congestion preventing her from using the Snoo some of the time, the price was a deal-breaker. I really wish Snoo rental had been an option at the time—we would have definitely used it.

The Snoo rental program allows you to (wait for it …) rent the Snoo. There’s no doubt the Snoo is a pricey item, so the rental program was designed to make it more accessible to those without large baby budgets who were also in need of a safe baby bed and extra sleep.

The rental program works like this:

1. Head to the Snoo website and select the rental option
2. Choose your delivery date (you can select any date up to 6 months out, perfect if your baby isn’t born yet, you can just have it arrive a few days before your due date)
3. You’ll pay for the first month of your rental plus a $99.50 cleaning & reconditioning fee up front (shipping is free to you!)
4. Each month thereafter that you keep the Snoo, your card will automatically be charged

1. When you’re ready to return it, send the Snoo back to Happiest Baby in its original box (return shipping is $59.50). Definitely keep the box, this thing is a beast to ship without it!
2. You’ll get a refund for any unused days in your final month

Snoo rental pricing

Right now, the basic Snoo rental program is priced at $159 per month month, with a minimum rental period of 1 month. You’ll pay $258 up front (one month + the reconditioning fee).

Every Snoo rental includes everything you need to use the Snoo—the mattress, an organic fitted sheet, and 2 sleep sacks. All of this is yours to keep after your rental is over.

Another nice benefit of the rental program) is that there’s no commitment beyond the first month. So, use it for 3 months, decide you’ve had enough, and send it back. In that scenario, you’ll pay $576.50.

You’ll find all the rental program details here on Happiest Baby’s site.

Certified Pre-Loved Snoo

Not sure that you want to fork over $1,695 for the Snoo, but still think you might want to keep it?

You can now purchase a certified pre-loved Snoo directly from Happiest Baby for $1,195, saving $500. The pre-loved Snoo comes with a 1-year warranty, all new accessories, and a safety & quality inspection. To make sure your Snoo is ready for you, Happiest Baby:

• Vaccums with a high-powered vaccuum
• Sanitizes with eco-friendly, non-toxic, hospital grade sterilization products
• Steams with a hypo-allergenic formula
• Tests all levels of motion, safety clips, and sounds

If you’d like to save money, but need the Snoo for the long-haul (a great option if you’re planning on multiple children) the certified pre-loved Snoo might be for you.

Rent, Buy, or Buy Used?

As you’ll see by the math above, if you’ve got just one kid who’ll use the Snoo, and especially if you might not want to use the Snoo for the full 6 months (if your baby is already born, or you just don’t think 6 months is necessary — and we think you’ll certainly get value out of 3 months in the Snoo based on our experience), renting the Snoo will save you some serious cash.

If you plan on having multiple kids, or have a friend who might borrow/share the cost of the Snoo (or maybe buy you a really nice bottle of wine) after your first kid, giving it a good home before a potential second kid, outright purchasing the Snoo will save you money in the long term — especially if you opt for the pre-loved version.

Snoo frequently asked questions

Here are some things we get asked a lot from readers and prospective buyers/renters:

Is the Snoo safe?

Snoo is marketed as “the safest baby bed ever made”, and for good reason: its design keeps your baby on her back, the safest sleep position according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Snoo Sack promotes a healthy hip position and prevents material from covering a baby’s mouth and nose.

Is the Snoo safe for newborns?

Newborns are tiny, fragile creatures. So it’s natural to wonder if the Snoo, with its automated jiggling of your baby and white noise levels, is safe for newborn babies. But, Snoo was designed to be used from day one, and extensively tested for newborn safety. It’s also been around for 5+ years and been safely used by thousands and thousands of families

Is the Snoo FDA approved?

In April 2023, the Snoo received “De Novo” FDA approval for keeping babies safely positioned on their backs. This basically means that, while the Snoo is not a medical device, it provides a solution to a problem that previously did not have one (i.e., there was no way for parents to physically prevent their babies from rolling over). Although there is no evidence to support that the Snoo directly reduces a baby’s risk of SIDS, Snoo’s FDA press release notes that two-thirds of SUIDS deaths occur while a baby is sleeping on their stomach, which the Snoo prevents.

Why is the Snoo controversial?

If you’ve heard the Snoo talked about as “controversial,” it’s likely because of one of these reasons:

1. “Snoo Guilt,” which we addressed earlier. Some parents might feel guilty letting the Snoo help them, but we’d remind those parents that we all need help, and we should take it where we can get it.
2. Some people worry that swaddling a baby up to six months of age (and keeping him on his back) might harm his development, but Happiest Baby notes that no studies have shown this to be true. They note that cultures that use extended swaddling show no impact on development; instead, they mention tummy time as the more important factor.

How long can my baby sleep in the Snoo?

The Snoo is designed for babies up to 6 month old, 25 pounds or less, who cannot yet get up on hands and knees, so whichever of these milestones occurs first means its time for your baby to move to a crib. For most babies, this is around 4-6 months.

Should my baby nap in the Snoo?

Yep. Snoo should be used for naps in addition to nighttime. You’ll likely see your baby’s naps are longer with Snoo than without it. So, it’s possible for Snoo to be your baby’s only sleep spot for a while. That said, if you miss a nap or travel, totally fine.

Does the Snoo ever stop moving?

The Snoo’s baseline level (what your baby will experience most of the time) includes a gentle rocking motion that keeps your baby moving all night long—this is part of the program designed to maximize sleep. You can turn this off with “weaning mode” via the mobile app.

Does the Snoo make noise all night?

Yes, the Snoo’s baseline level (what your baby will experience most of the time), does include a low level of white noise, which is part of the program designed to improve your baby’s sleep.

Does the Snoo automatically turn off?

If your baby begins to cry, the Snoo cycles through increasing levels of white noise and rocking, designed to calm your baby. However, sometimes your baby just needs human interaction (or a feed), so Snoo automatically turns off after a few minutes, signaling it’s time for you to go assist your child.

Where is the Snoo available?

The Snoo is currently available in the United States and in England/the UK. It’s available on Happiest Baby’s website and on Amazon.

Can you use breathing monitoring monitors like Nanit or Miku with the Snoo?

Since the Snoo employs constant, gentle motion to help your baby sleep, and monitors like Nanit and Miku rely on computer vision to notice the movement of your baby’s chest to determine that breathing is going on, the two aren’t compatible. That said, we’d note that you’ll use a baby monitor for years, you’ll use the Snoo for a maximum of 6 months, so we don’t necessarily recommend choosing your baby monitor based on this.

Snoo vs. Other Bassinets

At this point, a variety of alternative bassinets are available. So, how does the Snoo stack up?

Snoo vs Cradlewise

The Cradlewise is one of the only other smart bassinets we feel has the potential to truly compete with the Snoo, using motion and white noise to lull your child to sleep and sensors and video to detect wake-ups. However, in our Cradlewise review, we found that it doesn’t quite deliver yet, with functionality issues frustrating our testers. Both reviewers said they’d rather purchase the Snoo plus an Owlet Sock (you can read our Owlet Dream Sock review here). That said, a big advantage to Cradlewise over the Snoo is longevity — whereas the Snoo can be used for a maximum of 6 months, Cradlewise can be used for up to two years, meaning you’re getting a lot more bang for your (potentially even more expensive) buck — Cradlewise costs between $1,399 and $1,999 — the further out you order one, the more money you save. We also think that as their app improves, their potential to be competitive will grow.

Snoo vs 4Moms Mamaroo Sleep — which is better?

The 4Moms Mamaroo Sleep might look similar to the Snoo, have some of the same benefits (moves your baby, built in white noise) and cost you a whole lot less (The Mamaroo Sleep is currently $449.99), but in reality, it doesn’t really compare. Primary differences? The Mamaroo Sleep doesn’t strap your baby into the bassinet, therefore it doesn’t prevent rollovers, a major benefit of the Snoo. Additionally, the Mamaroo Sleep isn’t “smart” in that you can set a timer on the motion patterns (you can choose from 5) but they don’t respond to your baby’s cry, they’re just on or off.

Snoo vs Graco Sense2Snooze

The Graco Sense2Snooze took a cue from the Snoo’s cry detection technology, and can start its vibration when it hears your baby cries. But, this is about where the comparison ends. Again, as with the Mamaroo Sleep, the Sense2Snooze is missing the Snoo’s key feature — the clips that connect your baby to the Snoo and prevent rollovers AND prevent your baby from being moved around the bassinet by the vibration. Again, really not a comparable product.

Snoo vs Halo Bassinet

The Halo Bassinet looks pretty sleek, and has some nice features like the ability to rotate and raise and lower its bed height. But don’t let those fool you—this is not a Snoo competitor. The Halo (like the rest of the competition) lacks the ability to clip your baby to the bassinet bed, thus it doesn’t stop your baby from rolling over. And while it does feature white noise options and vibration, these aren’t ‘smart’ — they’ don’t adjust to your baby’s cries. Additionally, Halo is only designed for babies up to 15 lbs (vs 25 for Snoo), meaning its useful life is going to be pretty darn short.

A second Snoo review: Liz & Arys

With a product like the Snoo, you might want to hear what multiple people thought. So, our Snoo review features two reviews! Here are thoughts from thoughts from Friends of Fathercraft Liz & Arys.

Liz and Arys used their Snoo for 4 months and found it helpful to say the least.  They loved the technology that came with the Snoo. The fact that it would turn on motion and white noise in response to their baby crying was so helpful and worked to put her back to sleep many times without anyone ever having to go in the room. Amazing! 

They kept the motion set to “limited” the entire time they used the Snoo and felt that was enough motion for a tiny baby.  

Liz and Arys also appreciated being able to see how long their baby was sleeping, because life with a newborn is a bit hectic.  It was easy to forget what time she actually fell asleep and woke up.  

The Sleep Sack was also a bonus that came with the Snoo.  Baby Aviana loved being swaddled, so the Snoo Sleep Sack, which acts as a swaddle prevented her from getting her arms out during naps and at night.  She had a hard time sleeping anywhere other than the Snoo, so they rented a Snoo when they were on vacation for consistency.  Liz said she thinks their trip would have been much less enjoyable without the Snoo.  

Liz said the transition out of the Snoo wasn’t terrible, but they stopped using it when Aviana was 4 months old because she was rolling over and their doctor said she should not be swaddled anymore.  She does still rely on white noise for sleeping, but how many babies don’t need that?  

The Snoo has a very sleek appearance, and they appreciated that it looked nice anywhere they went with it.  They liked the look of the Snoo and said it was easy to assemble.  

Liz and Arys did not use the Snoo for their firstborn. If you have a “good sleeper,” the Snoo might just get the baby used to “luxuries” that he or she will then need to be weaned off of.

Liz definitely thinks they all benefited from extra hours of sleep that the Snoo provided – what family with a newborn doesn’t want that?  She does suggest renting a Snoo before purchasing, or even renting for the 4-6 months that you use it.  She rented hers while on vacation and thought it was definitely worth the cost.  

Finally, Liz and Arys think that the price of the Snoo is justified because the technology is so advanced and it helped them get some much wanted extra sleep with a newborn baby.

The Awesome

The Technology – The Snoo automatically turns on white noise or motion based on sensors that detect if your baby is making noise. This allows the parents to hopefully not even enter the baby’s room unless necessary. 

The Snoo app also records the baby’s sleep. This allows sleepy parents to easily access the baby’s sleep patterns. 

The Swaddle – many babies love being swaddled as newborns. The Snoo comes with a sleep sack that clips into the bassinet so that babies don’t become escape artists. 

The Appearance – the Snoo has a sleek and modern design that becomes an accessory in most rooms.  It fit nicely in the space Liz and Arys used it in.

Easy Assembly – Liz reported that the Snoo was very easy to put together.

Option to Rent – the Snoo has a hefty price tag, and you can only use it until your baby can roll over (typically about 4-6 months).  Liz and Arys rented a Snoo and found that well worth it while on vacation. On the Happiest Baby web site, the Snoo rental is $159 per month plus a reconditioning fee—check the Happiest Baby site for special offers on rentals—they do pop up.  

The ‘Wish it Were Different’ … was the Snoo worth it for Liz and Arys?

The Price – The Snoo costs almost $1,700.  While Liz said the technology makes the Snoo worth the cost, she also said she never would have even considered the Snoo for her firstborn who slept well.  She said despite the cost, she wouldn’t change anything about the Snoo or the app.

The Verdict

The Snoo is totally worth it if your baby has any issues sleeping, but it’s probably best to rent and make sure it helps. You will only use the Snoo for 4-6 months anyways, so renting for the entire time is probably the way to go no matter what – unless of course you’re planning on a house full of children!

Find more information on Snoo rentals, including the current “Newborn Special” right here.

Wrapping up, additional photos & full notes

Hopefully that was helpful as you consider the Snoo! We’ve included some additional photos of the Snoo below, as well as the notes I took as we were testing it out.

Based on what we saw firsthand of the Snoo, plus the positive reviews elsewhere (we’ve also got a friend of Fathercraft testing the Snoo for us right now–she, too, loved it), we’ve added the Snoo to our newborn essentials list, which covers all the stuff you need for your newborn, plus a few splurge to make your life easier items like the Snoo.

Before we dive into the additional photos & notes, an editor’s note: this post was first published in March 2017 but has been updated with more relevant details and updates to the Snoo over time and republished several times, most recently in April 2022.

Additional Photos

Notes from the journey

Below are the notes I took along the way on what we observed, how we felt, etc. I’ve edited them for clarity.

Pre-Delivery

• Sticker shock

• Ordering process very much like interacting with a modern tech company. Mobile ordering worked well, well-designed emails

• Disappointed b/c the website noted if I ordered before noon PST it’d be shipped that day, it didn’t ship until the following day

• Nice series of well-timed emails preparing me for Snoo delivery – setup and use emails came on the day the Snoo arrived

• As someone who likes to read lots about products before I buy them, I found myself wanting more. Snoo has a list of questions from prospective customers and answers in the reviews section, but it wasn’t very robust. A bit more information lived in blog posts, but this wasn’t obviously accessible
• Most of the 3rd party sites I found when searching for Snoo reviews were actually just press the company received when launching

Day 1 (12/30/16)

Unboxing and Setup

• Very easy to put together. Loved the fact no tools were required. Legs snapped in with a very satisfying click and the double hand-tightened bolts made me feel like they were very secure

• The unboxing experience felt much more like unboxing a new iPad or MacBook than a standard piece of baby equipment

• Only trouble was trying to get the power cord to stay in the small channel along a leg
• Really heavy

First Night

• Jamee remarked the sack’s straightjacket like effect and the all-white design made it look like Ruby was in some sort of institution when we laid her down in the Snoo

• Actually turning it on was quite easy to do, just the push of a button. Ruby started to cry and the Snoo cycled up through higher levels of rocking and white noise, which sound like rain, a vacuum cleaner, and a washing machine at higher levels

• This was noticeable but didn’t prevent me from falling asleep

• The rocking is quite vigorous. Ruby’s head rocked back and forth in a manner that was close to alarming at higher levels of intensity. Jamee asked if I was certain the Snoo knew how old Ruby was and was rocking an appropriate amount

• The 3rd level of Snoo’s white noise/rocking combo calmed Ruby and stopped her crying and she slept for a while in the Snoo but seemed more restless than she has in her Rock ’n Play, which has been her previous bed. This certainly could be a familiarity thing and since I’d read Snoo’s tips for transitioning to the Snoo (can take a few days for babies to get used to, up to a week for older babies) it made me less anxious the Snoo wasn’t going to work
• After about an hour and a half in the Snoo and another feeding, we decided to resume Snoo training the next day during naps and returned Ruby to her Rock ’n Play due to restlessness in the Snoo

Day 2

First nap

• Put Ruby in the Snoo Sack when she was getting tired after some play, rocked her to sleep in our arms and put her in the Snoo. The transition went well and Ruby slept peacefully for about 45 minutes while the Snoo gently rocked her.

• I realized after the initial “purple” level the Snoo’s rocking slows down and white noise quiets down as it transitions to a “sleep” level marked by a blue light. Rocking and white noise continues at some low level the whole time Snoo is on.
• At 45 minutes, Ruby got hungry and the Snoo cycled through its levels as she started to cry. I decided to pull her out before it went through the full cycle since I knew she was hungry

Day 4

First full night in the Snoo

• Successfully used Snoo to calm down Ruby when nothing else was working, get ourselves 15 precious minutes to eat dinner
• Pulled Ruby out of the Snoo around midnight when it wasn’t calming her down, but then was able to put her back in. Pretty much a normal night, Jamee was too tired to give her thoughts but I slept well

Day 5

• Ruby got fussy after being in the Snoo before we went to bed and wasn’t calmed by increased motion and white noise. Pulled her out, which instantly calmed her and tried again.

• Repeated this process several times. She seemed to be having gas pains and seemed to be calmed when her head was elevated, which we accomplished by holding her and putting her in the Rock ’n Play. It was hard to tell whether the Rock ’n Play was actually better at keeping her calm during the gas pains, we alternated between Rock ’n Play and Snoo throughout the night.
• Note here: it’s really hard to tell with kids whether one thing is working better as you can’t try both simultaneously

Day 7

• Ruby fell asleep in my arms the early evening for a nap and I thought about sticking her in the Snoo, but then thought about the extra few seconds it would take to stick her in the Snoo Sack and then the Snoo, and that she might wake up, and ended up just using the Rock ’n Play

• Peacefully down at night in the Snoo, a few minutes later she vomited all over the Snoo Sack, mattress, and through the mesh onto the floor. Since there were only one small sleep sack and one fitted sheet, we put her back in directly on the mattress and in the medium sleep sack, which seemed to fit fine.

• Really, only one sheet and one sack of each size? Price of extras felt exorbitant

• Down awake in the Snoo
• Jamee read about Snoo winning awards as we lay in bed after the incident

Day 10

• Put Ruby down in the Snoo. About 15 minutes later I was reading out loud when she got fussy. We decided to get see if the Snoo could calm her. She cried for the first 2 levels (2 minutes). At the 3rd level, she calmed and then went to sleep. Wow. I would have had to get out of bed to rock her in my arms for who knows how long if it hadn’t been for the Snoo.

Day 11

• Ruby was fussy when we got her ready for bed and in a Snoo Sack for the evening around 10:15. Jamee suggested I put her in the Snoo instead of trying to rock her calm/to sleep. I did. She calmed pretty darn quickly. Woah, that was pretty sweet. Almost made me feel guilty.
• 15 minutes later, fussy again, calmed at orange level.

Day 14

• Calmed Ruby in my arms before bed and put her in the Snoo. She got fussy upon being put down but calmed as the Snoo went up a few levels

Day 15

• Snoo app updates. Pretty cool to have a baby bed that gets smarter with software, just like your iPhone or a Tesla

Day 18

• Had discussions with Jamee about just how useful this thing really was. On the downside, it didn’t work when Ruby had stomach pains. However, at other times when Ruby was tired but just seemed to want to be carried around, we put her in the Snoo and it gently rocked her while she was calm and went to sleep. We started to realize this probably saved us 30 minutes a night of walking her around while she fell asleep

Day 20

• The Snoo was a huge help today while working from home. It was clear Ruby was getting tired but wouldn’t sleep in the Rock ’n Play and was fussy even when I held her. Put her in the Snoo for two naps and she conked right out both times.

Day 21

• Experiment day.

• Put Ruby down for a nap in her crib while she was asleep. She woke herself up by vomiting, put her back down after a change of clothes and she went back to sleep in the crib
• We tried again at night. Ruby was fussy in her crib. After about 5 minutes Jamee asked, I wonder what would happen if we put her in the Snoo. Would she calm down right away? I wholeheartedly agreed. We did and she calmed instantly, even though she was still awake. Jamee, “this is how they hook you. What wouldn’t you pay for your child’s happiness?” Me, “and your own” Jamee, “it’s win-win”

Day 23

• another experiment with putting Ruby down in the crib for the night. She’s fussy and we give up after approximately 5 minutes, put her in the Snoo, and find she’s perfectly calm and goes to sleep
• We begin to wonder if Ruby is addicted to the Snoo. Is this now just her comfortable place?

Day 24

• Time to make a decision.  

• Here are some things we consider: 1) The Snoo absolutely calms Ruby and puts her to sleep in the evening and for naps. 2) We have no way of knowing whether, if we hadn’t gotten a Snoo, whether Ruby would have trained herself to fall asleep in the crib just as she did in the Snoo, 3)The Snoo has absolutely saved us some evenings of walking her around while she falls asleep, 4) Unless you have twins, you can’t really run an experiment on your baby to see how effective something is or isn’t. Even with twins, small sample size, 5) Other than her congestion and stomach pains, Ruby seems to be a good sleeper. There haven’t been any instances where Ruby woke up in the middle of the night (other than to feed) and the Snoo calmed her back to sleep. 6) Ruby’s reflux (we assume it’s that) is causing her to be majorly congested at night. We end up trying to clear her nose 1x per night, and also finds that she seems to breathe easier in the Rock ’n Play so we end up transferring her there with frequency. This makes the Snoo less useful, though we’d both rather have her sleeping flat if possible. 7) There have definitely been some ‘miracle/night-nurse moments in the evening as we were getting ready for bed where Ruby was fussy and only calm when we walked her around, we got exhausted, tried the Snoo, and she calmed right down as if we were holding her and walking 8) our first daughter was an excellent sleeper. Maybe Ruby would be too without the Snoo? (She didn’t start out that way, but maybe she just needed time?)
• We determine the only way to really determine how effective this thing is to put her back into the crib for a period of 7-10 days. This should give her enough time to get used to the crib – it took almost a week for her to adjust from Rock ’n Play —> Snoo

Day 25

• I email the Snoo people and tell them we need to return the Snoo as our 30-day trial period is almost up, the reflux/transfer bit, and that we’re not fully convinced this thing is “night nurse” level
• They email me back right away with a very nice message saying that they’re very sorry to hear the Snoo hasn’t lived up to expectations, are happy to process my return, but before they do would I want to talk to their Sleep Expert who has 30 years of experience

Day 31

• After getting back from a long weekend where Ruby was in the rock n play (lack of portability), we put Ruby in the crib. She lets out the occasional annoyed squawk for about 20 minutes while falling asleep, but does go to sleep without interference from us

Day 32

• Ruby is relatively alert when bedtime rolls around, and we rock her to sleep in our arms for a total of about 15 minutes. While I’m doing my portion of this, I think “I am basically a human Snoo” and ask myself questions like, “is this time when I’m bonding with my daughter, and therefore something I *should* be doing? / as a busy parent, should I not have to feel guilty about doing this rocking for me?”, “What would I rather be doing? What do I have to do?”, “If I spend this amount of time each night for the next 4.5 months, how much time will that be? And what would the Snoo be worth on a per-minute basis to save my time?”

• About half an hour later, Ruby starts to be unsettled and crying a bit. We give it a couple of minutes then I go in there, hold her while walking her around and walking for about 5 minutes. Put her back and she goes down again
• Middle of the night snot clearing. Out Ruby down in the crib after and she got fussy. Had to pick her up and rock her for 5 min. Wanted to attribute not being able to fall asleep after this to rocking, not sure if this is fair – Ruby was fussy again, got fed, was congested, I put her in rock n play

Editor’s Note: this post was originally published in 2017, but we’ve updated it numerous times along the way with new information and a new review. It was last revised in April 2023.

The Miku baby monitor is a wifi monitor that tracks your baby’s sleeping and breathing patterns. It’s in the same family as other wifi monitors we’ve reviewed, like the Nanit Pro, and the Lollipop Cam. So, how does it stack up? Let’s dive in.

Please note: we received a free Miku from the manufacturer as they were interested in our review. We don’t guarantee positive reviews in exchange for free products, and always disclose free products. Also, Fathercraft is reader supported, meaning we may earn a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. More here.

A review of the Miku Pro smart baby monitor

You know the phrase “sleep like a baby?” Well, there’s a reason people say that. It’s because when babies are asleep, like, really asleep, it can be hard to tell if they’re actually breathing. They’re so still, and their chest is so small, that figuring out if they need help or are busy having sweet dreams is enough to make any parent get up and check on them every 20 minutes, or as we like to say, slowly lose their mind.

Enter smart baby monitors, like the Miku Pro baby monitor, that not only alert you when your baby is crying or fussy but also let you monitor your baby’s breathing.

If you prefer your reviews in video form, here’s our video review of the Miku Pro. If not, keep scrolling.

The Miku Pro smart baby monitor (this is the second version of Miku’s baby monitor, and a major upgrade over the Miku Original) connects to your smartphone and has military-grade technology that tracks your baby’s breathing and movements just using the camera and software so you don’t need to worry about wires or wearables. All you need to do is mount the Miku baby monitor camera above your baby’s crib, then download their smartphone app. It’s supposed to be a breeze to set up and use.

We put it to the test.

What is the Miku smart baby monitor?

Miku, like many of the more recent baby monitor companies to join the scene, notes that the company is made up of moms and dads who understand the panic parents undergo when it comes to getting their babies to sleep and making sure they stay safe while they sleep. And, we agree, if you’re designing something to used by parents, get parents’ perspective on it. So, good work Miku. The company also touts its “military engineers” as providing next-level tech. But, all of other baby monitors we’ve reviewed have their own spin on this talking point.

Speaking of the military, all active-duty military, veterans, retired military, and military spouses get an automatic 10 percent discount. First responders, including police, firefighters, and EMT also get a 10 percent discount, available on Miku’s website.

Back to the monitor. Like other baby monitors, the Miku consists of a child unit—a camera with a speaker and microphone, and a parent unit. In the case of the Miku Pro, the parent unit is an app that you download on your smartphone (both iOS and Android apps are available). You can also download the app on your iPad or Android tablet, though note the app isn’t natively designed for a tablet (it’ll be small).

Note that while anyone who is going to be using your Miku monitor (like babysitters, grandparents, etc.) will need to download the app on their own device, you can control who gets access privileges from your app. This provides enhanced security so that only the people you grant access to can actually get access to the Miku camera. It’s also really handy when you have a babysitter or the in-laws watching your baby.

Here’s a rundown of the tech involved in the Miku smart baby monitor:

The Miku camera

Like most other cameras in the new class of wifi baby monitors, Miku works with a bird’s-eye view, so you’ll need to mount the Miku camera to the wall above your baby’s crib. The Miku camera also houses what Miku calls “SensorFusion technology“. This is what captures your baby’s breathing, sound, and movement patterns without a wearable device (our other top pick for a wifi monitor that monitors breathing is the Nanit (our Nanit Pro review here, using their tech requires a special ‘belly band’ or sleepwear with a geometric pattern on it that helps the camera pick up movement.

Mounting the camera

You can still use the Miku monitor if it’s not attached to a wall. The support page says that as long as the monitor is six feet away from your baby and out of reach of your baby (obviously), it should still work. But, for optimal performance, the Miku baby monitor should be mounted to your wall. If you have drywall walls you won’t even need a drill—everything you’ll need to mount your Miku camera to drywall is included in the package along with your monitor.

If you have another type of wall, such as concrete, brick, plaster, or sheetrock (like me), you will need a drill. Miku includes mounting supplies for other types of walls in the box, so you shouldn’t need to go out and buy anything else. However, if you’re like me and hate drilling holes into sheetrock but still want the monitor mounted, you might want to get crafty and make your own baby monitor stand. You can check out what I did around minute 4:30 on this video review of the Miku smart baby monitor (though be sure to make sure cords are kept at least 3 feet from your baby).

One downside of doing a DIY mounting stand, aside from the whole DIY thing, is that you might end up with a longways view instead of a wide view, and it’s harder to get a perfect view of your baby if you go this route. There are ways around it, like mounting it to the wall as intended or setting it up without a stand, but It’s something to be aware of.

Camera image quality

Bird’s-eye view is perhaps the most critical component to a great picture of what’s going on in your baby’s crib. The next most important factor is the quality of the image that you see. The original Miku smart baby monitor had an HD imaging at 720p, the Pro version is now full 1080p. Also like other video monitors, the Miku camera has night vision, so you can see what your baby is doing in the night when she’s fussing or making noises. In testing, we found the Miku Pro’s image quality to be quite strong and a major upgrade over the original, but, particularly in the dark with night vision turned on, not quite as good as Nanit Pro.

While we find excellent image quality to be a big benefit in a baby monitor, there’s certainly a point of diminishing returns past a certain point, and Miku does get the job done. Sure, you need to be able to see your baby, but do you really need crystal clear imaging? For a lot of parents, monitoring your baby’s movements and breathing is a lot more important than watching your baby sleep through a camera.

Audio

Hearing your baby and being able to speak to your baby might be more important to you than being able to see your baby in high definition.

One issue we have with the Miku baby monitor is that the two-way communication feature has a 15-second timer. As I mention in my video review, this can make it really hard to get through my power ballads as I lull my son back to sleep. The 15-second timer can be annoying, but it isn’t necessarily a deal breaker.

The camera also has a white noise option. Now, if your baby is really into trippy sci-fi noises, then Miku has you covered—there are some deeply weird “white noise” options on the Miku. But, there’s also the classic “white noise”. And, your baby will be able to enjoy sci-fi ambiance through speakers that might begin his or her path to audiophile—Miku makes a big deal about “dual Ole Wolff speakers” which, we admit, without being audiophiles ourselves, do sound pretty darn good, even if they also seem somewhat unnecessary.

The Miku smart baby monitor app

You and anyone who you authorize as a user can view your baby and keep track of her movements and actions through the Miku app, which you’ll download on your smartphone. At this point in time, the Miku app only works on smartphones. You can also use the app on an Android tablet or iPad, but the app isn’t native to tablets (it’ll be small on you screen).

Miku has done a ton of work upgrading its app over the years, and deserves a most-improved award in the baby monitor space — early versions of the app were buggy and the user interface was overwhelming. Not so in 2023.

Here’s a look at what’s inside.

Analytics

The analytics tab in the app has seen a major overhaul of late that makes it remarkably more useful. Within the analytics tab, you get an overview of daytime and nighttime sleep summaries, and an overall analysis of your baby’s sleep at night. Within the activities tab you can scroll through video recordings detailing sleep activity like movement, sound, and non-movement.

And, critically, all of Miku’s analytics features are available without a subscription — a major selling point vs other monitors (it seems like just about every baby monitor out there has a subscription these days). And, to be clear, Miku does have a subscription too, called Care+, it’s just not required for any of the core features of the app. More on Care+ in a bit.

Here are some of the things the Miku smart baby monitor tracks:

• Activity
• Movement
• Sound
• Sleeping pattern
• Breathing pattern
• Temperature and humidity
• Ambient light

Alerts

As we’ve discussed in other reviews of monitors that use a smartphone as the parent unit, there are a few nuances you’ll want to be aware of and differences from traditional baby monitors that have a dedicated parent unit.

First, you’ll need to have your smartphone in a state in which you’re able to hear and see your baby. Meaning, you can’t use airplane mode or Do Not Disturb. You’ll need to allow notifications from the Miku App and adjust those to your liking.

In addition, you’ll need to enable “background audio”, which is the setting that allows the Miku app to control your phone’s speakers even if your phone screen is off, or you’re using another app. With background audio turned on, you’ll be able to hear your baby crying while you scroll dance vids on TikTok during nap time.

Care+

Miku introduced Care+ in 2022, presumably because just about every wifi baby monitor on the planet has a subscription. But, two things we’ll note:

1. Miku did an honorable job keeping the core features of the monitor free — it’s 100% functional without Care+, so you aren’t going to feel forced to buy it to access something you need (though that won’t stop them from trying to convince you).
2. Care+ includes some useful stuff — weekly emails with sleep tips from experts based on your baby’s age, trend tracking for temperature, sleep quality, and more, and unlimited video storage.

Now that you’ve got an understanding of what the Miku baby monitor is all about, let’s jump into our thoughts.

The awesome, the wish it were different, and a verdict

The awesome

Technology. Miku is a pioneer in baby tech, using military-grade technology in their baby monitor that can track your baby’s movements and breathing without wearables. This is huge for parents who don’t want to worry about things attached to their baby or pads under their baby to track movements and breathing while they’re asleep or in their crib.

Miku’s proprietary technology is called SensorFusion, and it combines image and video processing, RADAR, and other tech to allow tracking without wearables.

Sound output on the monitor. Miku has two high tech speakers, so any sound that comes out of it sounds really good. Your baby will be able to hear you loud and clear, and your voice will sound natural instead of tinny, like with other monitors.

Security. The Miku baby monitor has 256-bit encryption, which puts it on par with other high-end monitors like the Nanit. What makes Miku unique is that every Miku monitor comes with a physical, tamper-proof chip that protects your personal encryption keys, even if someone physically gets their hands on your monitor. Necessary? Probably not. Sounds cool? Yep.

The wish it were different

Time to connect to video feed. The original Miku could take 10-15 seconds to load the video feed once you opened the app. As you’ll soon learn, 10 second can be an eternity in parenting. The Miku Pro and regular app updates have dramatically reduced this load time. It’s still not as quite as fast as the Nanit, but much improved.

15-second timer for communication. The 15-second timer feels pretty short and can be disruptive if you need more than 15 seconds to communicate with your baby.

Price. No getting around it—this is an expensive baby monitor. The Miku Pro starts at $399, but you can easily see yourself wanting a floor stand ($99) and perhaps a Care+ subscription ($99/year) … and, yeah, that’s a lot. To Miku’s credit, they’ve kept all their core functionality out of the subscription, and the base model does include a wall mounting kit, so you can certainly get away without those two items.

The verdict

The Miku smart baby monitor is more expensive than other monitors, but when you consider the technology involved in it, the price seems more reasonable. Plus, there aren’t any membership or subscription fees to use core services. You pay once and then have access to the app plus upgrades as they come. If you want a breathing monitor that doesn’t involve a wearable device, then you’ll want to seriously consider the Miku smart baby monitor.

Miku Pro Baby Monitor vs. Nanit Pro Baby Monitor

It’s no secret that we love the Nanit Plus baby monitor (it’s our pick for best baby monitor of 2023), but Miku gives the Nanit a run for its money in a few ways. Here’s a quick comparison of how the two monitors stack up side-by-side.

Aesthetics: They both look great. We give this one to Miku because of its sleek design. It will look good in any room or nursery.

Video quality: Miku Pro and Nanit Pro both upgraded to 1080p and were big improvements over their predecessor models and resulted in more clear and detailed night vision. Nanit Pro still wins with a slight edge in video quality.

Sound quality: With its two high tech speakers, the sound that comes out of the Miku is clear. Unlike the Nanit Pro, which sounds more like you’re in a big room that echoes, the Miku sounds natural. So the Miku wins for sound output of the monitor (what your baby hears). However, when it comes to the app (what you hear), Nanit Pro is the clear winner. Nanit wins for sound output of the app.

White noise: Both baby monitors could use an upgrade here. Nanit wins mostly because we just don’t like the dystopian-type white noise options on the Miku.

Security: Both Miku and Nanit have 256-bit encryption. Miku stores encryption keys inside the physical tamper-proof chip so if it’s stolen or if you sold/gave away your monitor, the encryption key can’t be accessed. Nanit stores their encryption keys using a software-based system. Because we aren’t security experts, we aren’t going to make a claim on which one is safer for you.

App UX: Both apps are straightforward and clean, but the Nanit app provides more useful functionality like sleep coaching. The settings tab on the Nanit gives you more control over customizing features like crib position and security positions and bandwidth settings. The Nanit also has an insights package for you to make use of your data. Until another monitor can provide this level of support, the Nanit Pro will continue to have this as their ace in the hole to trump all wifi monitors. The award for app UX goes to Nanit.

We hope that was helpful for determining whether the Miku smart baby monitor is right for you. And if you’re looking for a monitor with a lot of potential, Miku’s got that.

To explore our picks for best baby monitor, and how we think about what’s important in baby monitors, head over here.

Pricing & where to buy

The Miku isn’t cheap—it’s $399 for everything you need to set up and use the monitor.

Miku is available on Amazon, but the place to buy is the company’s website, for a couple of reasons:

• You can see all of the company’s options, including bundles.
• Accessories including extra power supply (if you want to leave one at grandma’s, a floor stand, and more.
• Occasional sales and deals, definitely worth keeping an eye out for.

Final thing to note on price … Miku is HSA/FSA eligible due to its technology. If you have access to this as an option with your healthcare plan, you can buy the Miku with pre-tax money, which can make a big difference.

What’s next?

Hopefully that helps your decision about the Miku!

To see all of our baby monitor reviews and get more insights on how to select a baby monitor, head right over here …