The Delta Children Deluxe Sweet Beginnings is an inexpensive, lower quality choice with questionable design choices. This bassinet has an overall flimsy feel akin to a child's toy crib, and the smaller wheels aren't the best for floor transitions. The Delta sleeping area is mostly fabric with only two panels of mesh which gives us concerns about breathability and the similarities to crib bumpers are hard to ignore. Given that crib bumpers are not recommended to help avoid potential SIDS risks, we don't think this design is a good choice for sleep gear. While the price may be right for many families, the Delta isn't as functional or versatile as the similarly priced Graco Pack 'n Play On the Go Bassinet that scored higher and has mesh sides.
Delta Children Deluxe Sweet Beginnings Review
Pros: Inexpensive, easy to move from room to room
Cons: Small wheels, flimsy construction, fabric limits breathability
Manufacturer: Delta Children
The Skinny
Compare to Similar Products
Our Analysis and Test Results
IN 1968, Louis Shamie Sr. founded Delta Children when he became a new parent. The Shamie family continue to uphold their grandfather's legacy by offering baby gear for affordable prices. In addition to their line of children's furniture and other baby gear, the Sahmie family own Simmons kids. The Delta company works with the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to develop industry standards for the production of safe children's gear.
Performance Comparison
The chart below includes the overall scores for the products tested in this review including the Delta Children Deluxe Sweet Beginnings (in blue).
The sections below include performance details on how the Delta compared to the competition during testing.
Ease of Use
Ease of use entails the critical features and functionality you use daily.
Accessiblity
The Delta is a reasonable height for the average bed with a depth that is more shallow than some of the competition. The footprint is on the small side so it should fit next to or near most master beds for a comfortable middle of the night access.
Portability/Mobility
This product isn't the best for travel as it requires disassembly. It is reasonably easy to move from room to room, however, with four wheels. The wheels are on the smaller side and look like they will have trouble over floor transitions and on thicker carpet. We feel like the wheels could easily break.
Additional Features
The Delta has a light and sound feature on the foot of the bassinet. The buttons are easy to operate and intuitive with icons and easy on/off pressing.
Ease of Setup
The Delta earned a 6 of 10 for ease of use. Setup of the Delta took over 32 minutes. It isn't particularly tricky, but there are a lot of parts and pieces to assemble. The screws for the base where the mattress sits need tightening three different times which is time-consuming.
Cleaning
The bassinet is spot clean only as the fabric isn't removable which will be a problem if baby spits up or has a blowout.
Breathability
The Delta earned a 2 of 10 for breathability. The inside of the bassinet is mostly thick fabric and padding similar to crib bumpers. Crib bumpers are a potential risk for SIDS, and the AAP recommends NOT using them near babies. This design gives us pause and concern over the breathability of this enclosure and the potential risks it could create if a baby were to get too close to the side with their face pressed against the fabric. While the risk may be low, it is hard to tell for sure, and it is certainly higher than the bassinets with mesh fabric or a traditional crib with vertical bars. The interior lining does have two 10" mesh panels on each side, but the outside of the sleeping area has a fabric skirt, which could inhibit clear breathing through the mesh and the panels assume that your baby's head will only be at a certain point in the sleeping area.
Sleep Surface
The Delta earned a 6 of 10 for the sleep surface. The mattress on the Delta earned the fourth highest score for compression indicating a stable and firm sleep surface that is unlikely to interfere with baby's comfort or health. The mattress fits the frame of the bassinet fairly well from side to side but has more than two fingers worth of space at the top and bottom if you push the edge even slightly. This give in the mattress hurt the overall sleep surface score, and we'd like to see the mattress fit the space with less of a potential gap.
Quality
The Delta earned a 2 of 10 for quality. This bassinet feels like something you would by for a doll. It is flimsy, has tiny wheels, and it isn't very stable. The metal legs are exposed, and it appears as though a baby could bump their head, and the fabric is loose and not very fitted to the frame or mattress. This base wiggles significantly in all directions and the materials and connection points are not tight or high quality.
This option more so than the competition feels as if it could easily topple over if a curious toddler were to grip the side and pull up for a peek at the baby. A similar falling incident could happen with bigger dogs or curious pets who might place their paws on the side. Use caution and arrange the bassinet, so it is less likely this can happen.
Eco-Health
The Delta earned a 6 of 10 for eco-health. While the website and users manual fail to include details about the materials used in the product, it is certified by JPMA and GreenGuard Gold. The Delta website also states:
Manufacturer Video
— Juliet Spurrier, MD and Wendy Schmitz
