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The best baby bouncers

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Saundra LathamApr 23, 2020, 00:44 IST

The best baby bouncers — Babies find bouncing incredibly soothing, and a baby bouncer can be a real lifesaver when you need a break.
The Fisher-Price Deluxe Bouncer is the best bouncer for providing a safe, comfy, reasonably priced place for your baby to stay contained, entertained, and — if you're lucky — drift off to dreamland.
Bouncers are one of those pieces of baby gear that mystify expectant parents. Aren't they just another place to plunk a baby? And are they really worth the money? My answers: Yes, and probably. If you have a unicorn baby who is content to lie peacefully in his or her crib while you sneak away for a shower, move along. If your baby is, well, a normal baby who would prefer to be in your arms all the time, then a bouncer will give you the best shot at a little freedom.
To make our picks, we considered thousands of parent reviews on major retail sites, as well as my own experience using bouncers to contain my two young sons. Our favorite bouncers include a plush pick to lull small babies to sleep, a sleeker bouncer that offers a better perch for alert babies, a futuristic pick that's smartphone-friendly, a budget-friendly bouncer that converts to a rocker, and a swing-bouncer combo.
Here are the best baby bouncers:
Best overall: Fisher-Price Deluxe Bouncer
Best minimalist baby bouncer: BabyBjorn Bouncer Balance Soft
Best high-end baby bouncer: 4moms mamaRoo Baby Bouncer
Best on a budget: Fisher-Price Infant to Toddler Rocker
Best all-in-one bouncer: Ingenuity ConvertMe Swing-2-Seat
Prices and links are current as of 4/22/20. We also added a selection of related buying guides.
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The best all-in-one-bouncer

The best all-in-one-bouncer — Ingenuity
The Ingenuity ConvertMe Swing-2-Seat combines two pieces of gear, a bouncer and a swing, and even folds up for easier storage.
Bouncer? Swing? Some babies only like one or the other, so boost your chances of success with a two-in-one model like the Ingenuity ConvertMe Swing-2-Seat. As its name suggests, it has five swing speeds, or it can be locked into a stationary position for use as a vibrating bouncer. Despite the dual functions, the footprint is roughly the same as a traditional bouncy seat, so it won't take up too much space. And, blessedly, it's quiet in swing mode, unlike other models.
The ConvertMe packs a lot of features into a relatively small package. It has eight songs, three nature sounds, volume control (this is a great feature, trust me), a toy bar, and machine-washable fabric. The swing has a timer, and the whole contraption folds fairly flat for storage or travel. Pregnancy & Newborn loves the dual function — why have two pieces of baby gear when you only need one? — and the relatively neutral color scheme.
On the downside, the ConvertMe doesn't have a lot of power as a swing, and the weight capacity of 20 pounds is on the low side — big babies could outgrow it relatively quickly. It only takes batteries (common for a bouncer, but many swings these days can be plugged in) and some say the infant head pillow doesn't actually offer enough support.
Even so, it's a great deal as a two-for-one swing and bouncer.
Pros: Functions as both bouncer and swing, vibrates, folds flat, machine washable, neutral color scheme, several songs and nature sounds
Cons: Lower weight limit, limited swing power, requires batteries for both swinging and vibration

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The best on a budget

The best on a budget — Fisher Price
The Fisher-Price Infant to Toddler Rocker is easy on the wallet and can even give your young child a cozy spot to sit after those baby days are over.
A bouncer is, first and foremost, a glorified baby holder. If you're looking for a tried-and-true model that won't force you to overspend, the Fisher-Price Infant to Toddler Rocker is colorful, interactive, and perhaps best of all, useful for longer than a few months, which is great if you need to justify plunking down money for yet another piece of baby gear.
Looks-wise, the Infant to Toddler Rocker is the kind of baby gear your mama warned you about: loud, garish, and festooned in bright colors and plastic toys. But if you can get past that, as Baby Bargains notes, it's light enough to move easily from room to room, and it has a musical toy bar and a vibration mode (stock up on batteries).
The fabric is machine-washable, and it has two positions: upright or reclined. There is a three-point harness. And because it converts to a toddler rocker that accommodates children up to 40 pounds, it may be one of the few pieces of baby gear you're still using when you have a 2- or 3-year-old instead of an infant.
Where does this little rocker fall short? Well, for one, it's not quite as plush as other bouncy seats, so a more discriminating baby may not take that epic nap you're pining for. And it does seem flimsier than some of our other picks. Regardless, for this price, it's a great deal.
Pros: Converts to toddler rocker, high weight capacity, machine washable, vibrates, lightweight
Cons: Garish colors, somewhat flimsy, not as padded as other bouncers, requires batteries for vibration

The best high-end bouncer

The best high-end bouncer — 4Moms
The high-design 4moms mamaRoo can wiggle, jiggle and bounce your baby, play any song, and recline to any position – all while you control it from the couch with your phone.
The 4moms mamaRoo blurs the lines between swings and bouncers, but I am adamant that it is, in fact, a bouncer. This modern contraption — it has "futuristic good looks," according to Baby List — features five motions: car ride, kangaroo, tree swing, rock-a-bye, and wave. All are meant to mimic how parents bounce and sway to soothe their babies.
The mamaRoo is packed with features. Aside from offering five different motions beyond typical bouncing and vibration, it's Bluetooth-compatible, letting you control it from your iOS or Android smartphone. There are four soothing sounds and an MP3 plug-in — if your baby is like mine was and will only fall asleep to "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles, you're in luck — and the seat has an infinite recline ranging from upright to nearly flat. Not enough? There are also high-contrast toy balls dangling from the top and a removable, machine-washable cover. It has a 25-pound weight limit.
Before you fork over your hard-earned cash, note that the mamaRoo might be one of the most polarizing pieces of baby gear on the market. Many love it, but there are also plenty who say their babies simply aren't impressed — a concern echoed by testers at Baby Gear Lab. Others say the sound quality is low and the seat isn't cozy enough, but you can upgrade to a pricier plush version, too.
Though experts at Baby Bargains love it, even they acknowledge that due to its steep price, "this might be a great gift from the grandparents." That way, if your kiddo hates it, you won't feel too bad using it as a very expensive laundry basket for dirty onesies.
Pros: Five unique motions, sleek look, compatible with smartphones, MP3 plug-in, high-contrast toy balls, machine-washable cover
Cons: Pricey, low sound quality, seat isn't very plush, some babies simply dislike it

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The best minimalist baby bouncer

The best minimalist baby bouncer — BabyBjorn
The BabyBjorn Bouncer Balance Soft is a comfy spot for rest and play, folds flat, and won't assault your eyes and ears with cartoon animals or loud music.
If you're adamant that you can have a baby without cluttering your living room with hunks of garish baby gear, the BabyBjorn Bouncer Balance Soft is going to be your best friend. I had a previous version of this BabyBjorn bouncer, the no-longer-produced BabySitter Balance, partially for aesthetics, and partially because it turned out to have a longer lifespan than the Fisher-Price Deluxe Bouncer.
The BabyBjorn is pricey, yes, but there are a lot of reasons many parents shell out for it. First, you can continue to use it as a toddler chair because it holds up to roughly 29 pounds — you just have to reverse the fabric. Second, it's lightweight and folds flat, making it easy to toss in the trunk (I recall taking it to a condo at the beach, and several times to grandma's house).
It also has three positions at different inclines, so it's useful not only for quick naps, but as a place for an alert baby to take in their surroundings. As Baby Gear Lab notes, it offers a lot of support for babies' heads, necks, and backs, so it's especially great for babies with reflux who need more of an incline. Finally, it's available in several fabrics, including cotton, a cotton-jersey blend, or breathable mesh, all of which are machine-washable and Oeko-Tex certified to be free from harmful substances.
Downsides, other than price: The BabyBjorn is completely baby- or parent-powered. It bounces, but you (or your kicking baby) supply the motion. So if your baby will only nap when bounced, say goodbye to that shower you'd been hoping to take since there's no automatic vibration. There are also no soothing sounds or stimulating toys — that is, unless you shell out even more for a wooden toy bar.
Pros: Converts to toddler chair, folds flat, minimalist look, three sleeping/sitting positions, several machine-washable fabric options
Cons: Pricey, no vibration, no songs or sounds, toy bar costs extra

The best overall

The best overall — Fisher-Price
The Fisher-Price Deluxe Bouncer provides the coziest possible place for your baby to rest or take a nap while you attempt to get something done.
The Fisher-Price Deluxe Bouncer was one of the MVPs of our wide-ranging baby gear collection. With its ultra-cozy fabric and cushy insert, it offers a restful place for even the smallest babies, and it's light enough to tote anywhere in the house that you need a spot for a little one to hang out close by.
The Deluxe Bouncer has hanging stuffed toys, but in my experience, the plush, muted pastel fabrics, non-irritating nature sounds, lullabies, and vibrations made it better as a place for a quick snooze than playtime. As Alpha Mom notes, "it's the Lazy Boy of bouncers." It also comes with a harness (you can't be too careful) and a removable newborn insert that supports and cradles babies even when they're in that impossibly-small phase.
Thankfully, all of the fabric is machine washable – a must for cleaning up after the latest diaper blowout – and we found the wide, grippy base stable and gentle on our hardwood floors.
The biggest downfall of the Deluxe Bouncer is one that befalls most bouncers. After about three or four months, most babies "wake up," become more observant, and want to lounge in a spot where they can take in all the action. So even though this bouncer allows babies as big as 25 pounds, it doesn't have a more upright position that will make it entertaining as they grow, and the hanging plushies aren't super stimulating. As with most vibrating bouncers, you'll need batteries, and lots of them.
Pros: Very plush fabric, removable newborn insert, machine washable, lightweight, several songs and sounds, vibrations
Cons: Toys aren't very stimulating, no upright position, may lose its appeal after a few months, requires batteries for vibration

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