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Looking for a great rocker to soothe the saddest baby? We researched over 50 potential contenders before choosing 9 products to purchase and test for our hunt for the best baby rockers available today. Each competitor was tested hand-on with real babies for ease of use and features to help you find the right rocker for your little one. Whether you want something for soothing calm or a product to keep your baby entertained, there is something for everyone in this lineup of top products.
Safety Alert
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has published a warning concerning some Fisher-Price infant rockers and other gear (similar to baby rockers, bouncers, or swings) with more than a 10-degree incline. The CPSC advises that babies should never sleep in these products, and you should always monitor your baby when using the gear. Your baby should be restrained according to the product's instructions, and no bedding should be used. If your baby falls asleep in a rocker, bouncer, or swing, transfer them to a safe sleeping surface that's flat and firm, like a crib, bassinet, or play yard.
Editor's Note: We assessed this review on April 22, 2022, to ensure product availability and viability of the current selection.
Power: AC Adapter or Batteries | Use Range: Birth-25 lbs
Rocks and swings
Engaging mobile
Recline adjusts
Larger footprint
Louder motor
The Fisher-Price Cradle 'n Swing rocks, swings, and provides various features, more than most competitors. These include a mirror bottom mobile, music selection, and recline swinging in different directions. We appreciate that you can choose from swinging that moves side-to-side or front to back, and we feel the ability to turn the mobile on or off is useful depending on your baby's mood or need for stimulation. This product has a 5-point harness and works until little ones begin to crawl.
This rocker swing is large and fills more space than the competition, making it a potentially poor choice if your space is limited. Also, it isn't portable, so if you want something to stash in the car to take to Grandma's, you should probably consider something else. Those minor issues aside, we believe products like this are underrated, and most parents and babies will find some benefit by including this kind of option in their baby gear lineup.
Rocking is easy and fun in the Cradle 'n Swing by Fisher-Price.
The Maxi-Cosi Kori 2-In-1 Rocker is a straightforward rocker that is big on style and quality. This rocker has stylish wood accents and high-end materials than much of the plastic competition, and we love the way it looks. It folds flat for travel or storage and comes preassembled. The frame fabric is removable and can be washed in the machine giving it a leg up on the competition for cleanup. We like the cozy seat and that there is a kickstand to keep it stationary if you want to feed your little one or they don't like the motion.
This straightforward baby rocker might not be stimulating enough for gregarious babies who need more to settle. It also doesn't have any electric power, so it depends on a parent or the baby to make it move, which could be rough if you're trying to multi-task. Overall, we love what the Maxi-Cosi offers and what it doesn't, making it an excellent choice for younger babies and those who prefer a less is more approach to parenting.
Power: AC Adapter & Batteries | Use Range: 5.5-25 lbs
Smaller footprint
Cozy seating
Gliding motion
Lower quality
Somewhat useless infant insert
The smaller Graco Glider Lite LX is a compact rocking swing great for smaller spaces or anywhere where floor space is limited. We appreciate the deep, cozy cradle-like baby seat and 5-point harness and think the toy bar is just enough to keep little ones engaged without overstimulation when you are hoping for relaxation. Unlike a typical rocker, this option offers a smooth gliding motion, and babies in our tests enjoyed the experience with smiles and calmness all around.
The timer setting on this rocker is not intuitive, so you'll be reading the manual more than once, especially if you don't use it often. Also, it only offers one path of motion, which some babies may not find inspiring. However, if you need a compact solution for rocking the good life and require more features than a basic rocker, then the Glider Lite should make it to your shortlist of options.
The Graco Glider is an economic solution to your rocking needs.
If you hope rocking leads to sleeping, then the Fisher-Price Rock with Me Bassinet is the potential baby rocker for you. This bassinet can rock or sit motionlessly, and it has mesh sides, a mirror, and an attached toy for subtle interactive play. We like the simplicity of this rocker and that it folds in half for easy stowing or travel in the trunk. This bassinet provides a safe place for napping wherever you need to be, and we think babies will appreciate the manual rocking for peacefully slipping into slumberland.
This rocker has a larger fold than the smaller competition, but it still manages travel better than the full-scale swings. It also has a shorter lifespan as it isn't designed for older babies. However, if your goal is an occasional alternate safe sleeping location, this is the only option in our review designed with sleeping potential, and we believe it's the solution many parents are looking for.
If you want to rock and sleep, this Fisher-Price bassinet has what you need.
Power: AC Adapter & Batteries | Use Range: Swing 5.5-30 lbs/Rocker 5.5-25 lbs
Versatile uses
Higher quality
Louder
Larger footprint
The Graco DuetSoothe can rock and swing, bringing you two products in one. The rocker with optional vibration can detach from the frame for easy movement from room to room, and the swing offers six speeds, songs, and nature sounds. The Duet has a soft theme appearance and should go nicely with most nursery or home decor, making it a stylish option that isn't an eyesore.
This product is a better rocker than a swing with a seat that lacks the deep, cozy feel of other swinging competitors. The non-moving mobile is somewhat dull and not as engaging as some of the competition, and it would be better if it moved or had a mirror. Despite these minor concerns, the Graco DuetSoothe is a good choice for parents who can't decide between a rocker or a swing. With multiple uses and the ability to easily move the rocker wherever you go, we think multi-tasking parents will love what it has to offer.
Graco's DuetSoothe functions as either a stand-along rocker with battery-operated vibration mode or as a full-size swing with mobile.
The Summer 2-in-1 Bouncer & Rocker Duo is a small rocker and bouncer that folds flat for storage or travel. This straightforward rocker includes a toy bar with two toys and the ability to vibrate on its own. We like the more straightforward design that avoids overstimulating, and testers enjoyed the ability to switch between rocking, bouncing, and vibration quickly.
This rocker isn't the highest quality, and the harness is difficult to tighten for smaller babies. It also has a short, somewhat choppy bounce and rocking motion that may not be the best fit for all babies. However, we think this fold-flat choice might be a potential fit for those who want a versatile option without buying multiple products to save money or space.
As baby becomes more aware of their surroundings, they will want to interact by touching, tasting, and watching.
The 4moms mamaRoo 4 is a unique rocker and swing that does everything differently than the competition. This futuristic-looking product has an egg shape and unique movement options dictated by using a Bluetooth-connected app you access from your tablet or smartphone.
This product has a high learning curve that could take time to figure out and master. Also, the movement isn't always soothing and can shift to a more herky-jerky feel. Overall, we think this rocker is more than anyone needs or likely wants. It is harder to use, and we aren't convinced that the higher price is worth the final product. In our tests, babies were just as content with products half the price with more straightforward start-up directions than this option. However, if money is no object and you love all things high-tech and want your nursery to reflect this love, then the mamaRoo 4 might be the one for you.
The Fisher-Price Circus Celebration is a brightly colored rocker and bouncer combination that provides interactive batting toys on a removable toy bar and the ability to vibrate. This compact chair has manual rocking, and a kickstand can keep the product still if bouncing and vibration are more your little one's speed. This rocker has a wallet-friendly price and fun look.
This product is exceptionally stimulating with its bright colors to hard plastic clacking toys. It's designed to engage and stimulate instead of lulling peace. Given that this product is similar to other Fisher-Price products with a safety alert from the CPSC, a result of reported infant deaths while using the products, we don't recommend this contender.
The Fisher-Price Circus is a high stimulation product with bright colors clanking batt toys and more.
The Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler Rocker is a rocker your little one can later use as a chair later in toddlerhood. This simple plastic chair has a removable toy bar, dual rocker runners, and a padded machine washable cover. It is smaller and has potential for use past the baby stage.
This rocker has lower quality and no standout features or design elements for modern-day expectations. More importantly, it is featured in a safety warning from the CPSC due to reported infant deaths while using it and similar Fisher-Price products. Therefore, we don't recommend this contender and suggest you consider a different option.
The Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler Rocker provides a basic rocker with longterm potential.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Finding a great rocker to entertain or soothe your awake little one can make life easier for new parents.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Why You Should Trust Us
Several BabyGearLab experts contributed to this rocker review with a combined experience of 18 years of testing baby products. This review is led by Wendy Schmitz, Senior Review Editor and mother of 2. Wendy reviewed test results and provided analysis for ranking and award winners. Bob Wofford, Senior Review Analyst and father of 7, we instrumental in product assembly, testing, and analysis of test data. Abriah Wofford, a Senior Review Editor, helped with product selection, testing, and photography. Each competitor was tested with similar options and compared against the competition for ease of use, assembly, and features to determine which options outperformed the rest.
Analysis and Test Results
We purchased and tested the best rockers on the market to determine which options are the best for every baby-centered goal.
Reminder
You should supervise your little one in any device using the instructions to properly restrain your child. If your little one falls asleep, they should immediately be transferred to a flat and firm sleep surface (like a crib mattress, play yard, or bassinet) for safety to avoid potential positional asphyxiation.
The Graco Glider Lite LX has a deeper seat, keeping baby more snuggled.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
Harried and sleep-deprived parents need options that are easy to use and straightforward. Trust us; you'll want a rocker that works with little input from your brain and body when your infant has kept you up all night. We looked for options with simple user manuals, intuitive interfaces, and thoughtful designs that parents can quickly decipher or instinctively know.
Some of the products come already assembled, like the born free rocker and bouncer.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The 4moms mamaRoo 4 is by far the most complicated option in this lineup, with an associated app you download and a high-tech design and feel that could have you staying awake reading a user manual instead of sleeping when your little one drifts off. There are also products with a small section of buttons that allow you to choose swinging speed and direction, music or other sounds, and sometimes even mobiles that move. The Fisher-Price Cradle 'n Swing and the Graco Glider Lite LX are good examples of this type of product. Not hard, but sometimes not obvious; we think most parents will dial in the details on these feature-full products in short order.
The mobile on the Fisher-Price Cradle 'n Swing is one of the best in the bunch thanks to its fun patterns and mirrored underside.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Features
Your rocker goals will influence the kinds of features you'll want and what you might be willing to accept. If your goal is a simple soother to lull your infant into peaceful bliss, fewer literal bells and whistles might be what you want. But, if your little one has a personality that loves extra stimulation for distraction from a potential crying fit, then a rocker that sings, swings, vibrates, and does your taxes (we wish) might be a better fit.
The buttons on the Graco Glider LX are made of a rubbery material that makes no sound when pressed.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
In our experience, we often find that less is better when entertaining and calming little ones. While it might be nice to feel like you have versatile or exciting options, these entertainers often go unused in the real world, as babies often prefer simplicity over excess stimulation and complication. The Fisher-Price Cradle 'n Swing has lots of features with a mirrored bottom twirling mobile, music and other sounds, and the ability to change the swinging positions and speeds. You can also remove the cover and wash it in the machine, which, trust us, is a priceless feature you'll use frequently. This competitor includes more features than the average option, but it keeps things subdued by limiting the bright colors and lights. Finding the best balance of useful features your baby will respond to and simplicity can depend on your parenting style, goals, and your baby's personality and needs.
The rocker bassinet is a unique option that allows for safe sleeping as well as soothing rocking action.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Conclusion
Choosing the right rocker to entertain, distract, and soothe your little one can be the difference between getting a much-needed break or feeling overwhelmed with an unengaging option and a crabby baby. We selected the top rockers for testing to bring you the information you need to choose the right rocker for your baby and wallet. No matter your goals, we think this group includes an option that can meet your needs.
BabyGearLab was founded by a Pediatrician Mom with a mission to provide a reliable, independent, source of information to new parents. Our experts have tested thousands of baby and kids products to share key performance, health, and safety findings. We spend tens of thousands of dollars crash testing car seats to inform our ratings. And, we combine our review work with gobs of expert parenting advice. To assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing by people who care.
