HALO Bassinest Essentia Review
Pros: Mesh breathability, swivel versatility, easy access to baby bedside
Cons: Spot clean only, hard to move from room to room
Manufacturer: HALO
The Skinny
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 This Product
HALO Bassinest Essentia | |||||
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| Awards |  | | |  | |
| Price | $240.00 List $199.99 at Amazon - 17% off | $290.00 List | $200.00 List $191.37 at Amazon - 4% off | $150.00 List $169.99 at Amazon | $100.00 List Check Price at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Mesh breathability, swivel versatility, easy access to baby bedside | Natural materials available, adjustable height, easy to reach baby | Quick setup, portable, easy access to baby | Mesh breathability, budget-friendly, bedside capable | Budget- friendly, versatile, better mattress |
| Cons | Spot clean only, hard to move from room to room | Expensive, hard to move | Has some flex in the frame | Hard to move, unstable mattress, poor eco-health | Harder to use, some breathability concerns with corner fabric |
| Bottom Line | Great for c-section moms and parents who'd like a safer alternative to co-sleeping | Easy access to baby in a quality wood co-sleeper that looks great | Our favorite bassinet for most people works well as either a co-sleeper and a stand-alone option | Hard to use option that is hard to move from room to room | Inexpensive, versatile option good for travel and bassinet |
| Rating Categories | HALO Bassinest Esse... | babybay Bedside Sle... | Beside Me Dreamer | Fisher-Price Soothi... | Pack 'n Play On the Go |
| Ease Of Use (35%) | |||||
| Breathability (25%) | |||||
| Sleep Surface (20%) | |||||
| Quality (15%) | |||||
| Eco Health (5%) | |||||
| Specs | HALO Bassinest Esse... | babybay Bedside Sle... | Beside Me Dreamer | Fisher-Price Soothi... | Pack 'n Play On the Go |
| Assembled Weight | 33 lbs | 28.6 lbs | 17.5 lbs | 22.3 lbs | 22.8 lbs |
| Open Dimensions | 36.9"H x 45.3"L (base) 33.8" (bassinet) x 21.8"W (bassinet) | 37.1"H x 36"L x 20.7"W | 26"-30.5"H x 39"L x 27"W | 28.3'H x 36.2"L x 22.4"W | 28.8"H x 41.1"L x 28.6"W |
| Age/Height/Weight Limit | 5 Months or 20 lbs Discontinue Use When Infant: Pushes Up On Hands And Knees, Pulls Up, Rolls Over, Sit Unassisted, Can Move Out Of The Security Of The Walled Sleep Area |
5 Months Discontinue Use When Infant: Pushes Up On Hands And Knees Discontinue As An Attachable Baby Bed When Infant: Rolls Over Or Pulls Up To A Kneeling, Sitting Or Standing Position |
5 Months or 20 lbs Discontinue Use When Infant: Pushes Up On Hands And Knees |
20 lbs Discontinue Use When Infant: Pushes Up On Hands And Knees |
15 lbs Discontinue Use When Infant: Pushes Up On Hands And Knees |
| Product Care | Sheet: Machine Wash Base and Mattress: Spot Clean |
Wipe Down | Machine Wash | Mattress Cover: Machine Wash Frame and Mat: Spot Clean |
Spot Clean |
| Bassinet Mattress Height Above Floor | 26.5"-33" | 3"-27" Adult Mattress Height 10"-31" |
14" - 19" Adult Mattress Height 18.5"-24" |
17.6" | 19.7" |
| Special Features | Rotates 360 Degrees, Sidewall Lowers | Made From Solid Wood | Foldable | Calming Sway Motion, Optional Lock-Out to Minimize Swaying Motion | Travel Crib Accessory |
| Modes | Bassinet Bedside Sleeper |
Bedside Sleeper | Bedside Sleeper Bassinet |
Bassinet | Portable |
| Chemical Flame Retardant Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not Specified | Not Specified |
| Portable Design | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Wheels | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Mesh Sides | Yes - Full | Wood Slats | Yes - Full | Yes - Full | Partial - Fabric on Ends |
| Included Accessories | Fitted Sheet | None | Sheet | Deluxe Overhead Mobile, Light Projection Unit, Music and Sounds Unit, Calming Vibrations | Features on certain models: Toy Bar, Storage Bag, Fitted Sheet |
| Available Accessories | Fitted Sheet, Mattress Pad, Mobile Sleepy Owl, Mobile Whimsical Birds, Storage Caddy, Newborn Insert | Classic Mattress, Cooling Comfort Mattress, Eco-Organic Mattress, Cloud Comfort Mattress, Cooling Comfort Jersey Sheet, Snuggle Comfort Terry Sheet, Dry Comfort Mattress Protector, Classic Comfort Mattress Pad with Cotton Cover, Cooling Comfort Mattress Pad with Dry Comfort Mattress Protector, Organic Comfort Mattress Pad with Dry Comfort Mattress Protector, Cloud Comfort Mattress Pad with Dry Comfort Mattress Protector, babybay Organic Babynest, babybay Patterned Babynest, babybay Solid Colored Babynest, Bassinet Conversion Kit, Rolling Casters, Canopy Holder, Organic Canopy, Patterned Canopy, Solid Colored Canopy, Bed Frame Anchor, babycare Organizer | Waterproof Fitted Sheet | None | None |
| Set Up Time | 27:10:00 | 39:14:00 | 6:50 | 13:20 | 5:02 |
| Materials | Polyester Fiber, Polyester Fiber Batting, Polyurethane Foam | Beechwood, Water-Based Finishes, CFC Polyurethane Foam | Polyester, Polyester Fiber Batting | Polyester Fiber Batting. Polyurethane Foam | Polyester Fiber , Polyurethane Foam |
Our Analysis and Test Results
In 1991, Bill and Cathy Schmid lost their daughter, Haley, to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). After the loss, Bill began researching the latest medical information and recommendations for safe sleeping environments for babies to help other families avoid the same tragedy. As an engineer, Bill became devoted to creating new ways to limit sleep risks. With the loose fabric risk in mind, he started HALO Innovations and developed the SleepSack Wearable Blanket. The SleepSack is sleeveless and worn over pajamas replacing blankets and other bedding. The HALO SleepSack is the nation's bestselling wearable blanket and is used in hospitals nationwide. As an advocate for safe sleep, HALO continues to use innovation to create safer products, including their Swivel Sleeper bassinet that lets parents sleep close to baby while reducing the risks of bed-sharing.
Performance Comparison
Ease of Use
The HALO came in close to average for ease of use.
This metric includes the features and functionality you will encounter in everyday use of your bassinet.
Accessibility
This bassinet is one of the best options for accessibility. The bottom of the stand can slide under your bed, and the height is adjustable to fit your preference.
If that isn't enough, it swivels 360 degrees, so it is accessible both from the bed and a standing position. The side dips down slightly for better access to your baby when lying down. This dip makes it an excellent choice for C-sections mothers who will want to avoid getting out of bed or lifting baby while standing. The height also easily adjusts to match the parent bed.
Portability/Mobility
This product weighs 33 lbs, measures 36.9"H x 45.3"L (base) 33.8" (bassinet) x 21.8"W (bassinet), and has no wheels. This weight and size make it heavy and awkward to move regularly, so you'll want to set it up where you plan to use it and leave it there. It also isn't good for travel, but it doesn't claim to be, nor does it need to be.
Additional Features
The Essentia model only comes with storage caddies on each end of the bassinet. For additional features, HALO has three other variations of the Bassinest, with a wide variety of included options from baby soother centers to waterproof mattress pads.
Ease of Setup
It took about 27 minutes to set this bassinet up for use and unpacking the parts consumed almost half of that time. The assembly itself requires attaching the legs to the base and connecting the sidewalls and clicking in the bassinet. It looks much worse than it is and is relatively easy to put together.
Cleaning
Unlike the BabyBjorn Cradle with machine-washable fabric and mattress, this product allows spot cleaning only, including the mesh and bedding. The bed and frame wipe clean without a hassle, but a blowout or spit-up on the mesh will be a more significant undertaking.
Breathability
The HALO earned an excellent score for breathability.
This product has mesh side walls with two seven inch panels of fabric, one at the head and one at the foot of the bassinet. This design is similar to the BabyBjorn Cradle, which has two four-inch panels. There is also an additional strip of fabric in the middle of one side. Both the mesh and fabric are taut and do not appear as though they would impede or limit breathability.
Sleep Surface
The HALO has a superb sleeping surface. It earned one of the highest scores in the metric.
The mattress on the HALO is .8 inches thick where the maximum allowed is 1 inch. This mattress is the firmest in the group with the least amount of compression in our tests. This perk will keep baby comfortable while still providing a safe and stable place for them to sleep.
This limited compression could translate to potentially better support for little bodies. The bassinet is very stable and has a tiny tilt when you press on the sidebars. The side is designed to do this and doesn't impact the bassinet's overall stability.
The mattress pad fits snuggly inside the bassinet frame, and we are unable to get many fingers in the crack compared to the competition.
Quality
The HALO earned an outstanding score for quality. It is one of the best in the group and stands out with very few bassinets earning a higher quality score at a lower price.
This product has a stable design with sturdy metal legs that allow for tilting and swiveling without concern. It also has smooth edges, taut mesh, and no imperfections with apparent attention to detail. The overall fit and finish are simple, functional, and clean.
Eco-Health
The HALO earned score for eco-health, which is slightly below the high of 6 for the group. Thanks to the use of polyurethane foam in all of the bassinets, none performed that well in this metric.
This product is JPMA certified and conforms to ASTM F2906-11, ASTM F2194-12a, CPSC, Health Canada, SOR/2010-261 (Canada). HALO describes the materials used in this bassinet as:
"The polyurethane foam mattress pad and fabrics used in the Bassinest Swivel Sleeper do not contain any toxic flame retardants. Additionally, all the plastic and paints used on the Bassinest are lead, phthalate, and BPA free. The Bassinest is independently tested and certified to meet all Consumer Product Safety Administration and California chemical standards for flame retardants."
This bassinet earned points for the lack of flame retardants, but the foam type and lack of third-party certifications hurt it in the end.
Manufacturer Video
— Juliet Spurrier, MD and Wendy Schmitz