Best Bassinet for Travel: MiClassic All Mesh 2-in-1 Stationary & Rock Bassinet

If you have a trip to grandma’s house coming up, this quick folding bassinet is our recommendation. The MiClassic Bassinet is both affordable and easy to set up—perfect for a grandparent or caregiver. 

What We Liked

• All mesh sides. This allows for air flow, which we prefer over bassinets with solid sides or those draped with fabric. You can also see into the bassinet from a bed easier with mesh sides.

• Quick set up. We could set up and fold this bassinet in under a minute.

• Can rock or be stationary. Our testers loved the fact that base could be configured to rock the bassinet, which worked well.

• High weight limit. This bassinet works up to 33 lbs.—that means you can use it longer than the bassinet feature with most portable playpens, which are limited to just 15 lbs.

What Needs Work

• No lights, sounds or vibration. This is a simple bassinet that doesn’t have any bells or whistles.

• Large footprint. We measured this bassinet at 36″ long—yep, that’s three feet. And  it is just shy of two feet in width. If you only have a small space next to your bed, this may not work.

Best Portable Bassinet, Pet Proof: Dream On Me Karley Bassinet

If your budget is tight and you just need a simple bassinet without any bells and whistles, we’d recommend the Dream on Me Karley Bassinet. Here’s why:

What We Liked

• Canopy that zippers closed. If you’ve got cats or a nosey toddler, this bassinet has a canopy that keeps baby in and intruders out!

• Folds up for storage. We found this bassinet easy to set up and fold down for storage.

• Affordable.

What’s Needs Work

• Sheets may shrink. We washed the included sheet and noticed it shrank, forcing us to purchase another sheet as a replacement.

Best Portable Bassinet + Playard: Graco Pack ‘n Play On the Go Playard

We realize this pick is more than just a portable bassinet—in fact, you can only use the bassinet up to 15 lbs. After that, however, baby can sleep in the playard. And yes, this is safe sleep space that can substitute for a crib. Great for travel. Here’s more:

What We Liked:

• Easy to assemble. 

• Affordable. 

• Doubles as playard. Hence, there is more extended use.

• Tried and true. Graco is the category leader in playards—and they are tried and true.

What Needs Work

• Heavy. At 17 lbs, this playpen isn’t exactly light.

• Not as easy to fold as other bassinets recommended in this article.

• Too wide for some doorways.

 

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing baby gear, including bassinets, since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward safety, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Baby Bargains is your independent and unbiased source for expert baby gear reviews.