Can’t decide whether to go for SNOO or HALO bassinet? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! One of the main concerns of new parents is keeping their baby right next to them, especially at night. You want to ensure they are getting enough comfortable sleep, and that you are close enough to attend to their needs as soon as possible.
That’s when a bassinet comes in handy. But with many products available on the market, which will you choose?
To help you decide, we’re reviewing two of the famous baby sleepers: the SNOO Smart Sleeper and HALO BassiNest Swivel Sleeper. So read on to learn more about these products—their features, differences, and similarities.
Why Do You Need a Bassinet?
If you’re a new parent, you might have questioned the use of a bassinet. Is it necessary, you might ask, especially if you’re already eyeing a crib or you have other options?
The answer is no. You are not required to place your little bub in a bassinet.
But they can make life easier.
Whether you’re looking to use it as a bed-side crib or for daytime naps, a bassinet can make your first few crucial months of parenting easier by providing convenience, ease of use, and portability—features that you’d be thankful for.
What is a bassinet?
A bassinet is a bed specifically made for infants and younger babies. It is one of the most talked-about baby sleeping options.
Compared to a crib, the former is more compact in size. It is usually designed with fixed legs and lower sides, making it easier for parents to lean over when they put the baby in.
For easy access, parents commonly place their baby sleeper right next to their bed. On average, you can use your bassinet until your baby is four months old.
Now, let’s get right to the main topic: our SNOO vs HALO comparison!
SNOO Smart Sleeper Bassinet
Known as the world’s safest and smartest baby bed, this SNOO Baby Bassinet and Sleeper by Happiest Baby is parents’ favorite.
It was created by Dr. Harvey Karp, an American pediatrician who also wrote the Happiest Baby on the Block. He is renowned as a “baby whisperer” in the parenting world due to his expertise in sleep and child development.
What to expect from SNOO Smart Sleeper
Some babies have a hard time falling asleep and getting back to sleep. But with this robotic bassinet, you don’t have to worry about it anymore. It has soothing features and provides comfort and safety for your baby.
But this product is NOT JUST for your baby.
Sleep deprivation is common for parents who have newborns. So you’d probably grab any chance you have for additional hours of sleep. This smart sleeper also promises parents more sleep. A need that affects your mental and physical health.
Boosts baby’s sleep with sound and motion
The smart sleeper offers your baby additional hours of sleep per night with its rocking motion and sound. It basically imitates the calming sensations in the womb. There are different levels of white noise and motion, so you can customize them.
And if your baby wakes up and starts to cry, no need to get up. With the SNOO Bassinet, you’re assured your little one will get back to sleep in just a minute. Because this bassinet can detect crying and automatically adjust its rocking movement speed and white noise based on the baby’s fussing.
Comes with an app
The SNOO smart sleeper comes with a mobile app where you can adjust the settings for motions and white noise. It also gives you a daily sleep report which can help you monitor your little one’s sleep patterns.
Not only that, you’ll receive parenting tips from none other than the man behind this bassinet, Dr. Harvey Karp.
Safe for babies
Claimed to be the world’s safest baby bed, SNOO Smart Sleeper is designed to keep your baby sleeping on their back, which is the safest sleeping position according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. It has secure swaddling that prevents the baby from rolling to a dangerous position during their sleep.
The bassinet was specially made for newborns and babies up to six months old. This bassinet is safety tested for the US market.
Longer period of use
Unlike other bassinets, which have an average recommended use from birth until four months old, this smart sleeper bassinet can be used until your baby is six months old, or when they can already get on their hands and knees.
Has sleep sack
You don’t have to worry about swaddling your baby with a blanket, your little one can get in pretty quickly with the SNOO sack!
This baby bed comes with three attachable sleep sacks of different sizes—small, medium, large—that are made from organic material. The SNOO has built-in hooks where you can attach the sleep sack. That way, you can prevent your newborn from rolling in their sleep.
Take note though that the SNOO is only compatible with sleep sacks from their own brand.
Comfortable and water-resistant material
The SNOO Bassinet, as well as its sheet, are made of 100% organic cotton making them GOTS-certified. This means more comfort for your baby in their sleep.
You also don’t have to worry about spills; the mattress and cover are both water-resistant.
HALO BassiNest Swivel Sleeper
Another beloved bassinet by parents is the HALO BassiNest Swivel Sleeper. It is marketed by HALO as the most favorite baby bed for close and safe sleep.
What can you expect from HALO BassiNest?
This BassiNest from HALO is the one and only bassinet that swivels 360º. It keeps your newborn close to you which allows essential bonding.
The BassiNest has three models: Essentia, Premiere, and Luxe. All series feature 360-degree swivel motion.
Great for mothers with C-sections
With BassiNest, moving your baby close is easier, thanks to its 360º swivel. This design is especially helpful for moms who are recovering from childbirth or C-sections. But really, just for any parent who’s looking for a safer co-sleeping alternative.
It has a lowering bedside wall that gently springs back into position. This feature allows you to get your baby out without the need to stand up. You can also adjust the bassinet’s height from 22 inches to 34 inches to fit your bed. And since it can swivel, it moves smoothly when you need to get into and out of bed.
Breathable mesh
You’d also love the fact that this bassinet has mesh siding. So even if a baby presses their head and face against the side of the baby bed, you’re assured that they won’t suffocate because of the breathable mesh sidewalls.
Convenient
The BassiNest has two storage pockets where you can put your baby’s essentials. Parents love having their little one’s necessities within arm’s reach especially when they need them in the middle of the night.
For extra convenience, the mattress and machine-washable sheet are also waterproof.
More comfort for baby
What we love most about this BassiNest is it offers not just safety, but also a relaxing environment for your little one. It has soothing sounds and gentle vibrations that allow the baby to sleep comfortably at your side.
It also comes with an amber night light and amber floor light which give a peaceful vibe. As for the controls, vibration has two speeds and sounds have four types: heartbeat, white noise, babbling brook, and rainforest. All of them auto-shut down after 30 minutes.
Ideal for small spaces
You don’t need wide space to use this bassinet from HALO. Since you can tuck the base legs under the bed, it only requires 32 inches of clearance from the wall.
At a Glance: Similarities and Differences of Snoo and Halo
Both the SNOO Smart Bassinet and HALO Bassinets are designed to provide comfort and safety for babies and convenience for parents. Although they have some similarities, they have features that differentiate one from the other. These could serve as the deciding factors when making a decision of which product to go to.
Let’s compare these two.
What are the available models?
You don’t really have many options with SNOO Bassinet, unlike HALO. SNOO has one model only and it comes with one color too.
As for the Bassinest, HALO released three versions of it. These are Essentia, Premiere, and Luxe. Depending on your budget and the features you want, you can choose any of these bassinets.
Here’s a quick overview of the difference between the HALO Series:
- Essentia Series – no vibration or sounds
- Premiere Series – has nightlight, vibration, and sounds
- Luxe Series – features a removable bed, as well as motions and sounds
What are the soothing features?
As mentioned in the individual reviews, both options have great soothing features. They help babies calm down and fall asleep through its soothing sounds, motion, or vibration features.
However, there’s a key difference between their soothing features.
The SNOO Smart Sleeper can detect fussiness and adjust its motion and sound to help the baby back to sleep. The rocking motion also moves all night.
HALO, on the other hand, needs manual adjustment for vibration and sound. And it automatically shuts off after 30 minutes.
We think the SNOO Smart Sleeper has the edge because of its next-level soothing features.
Which is safer?
In terms of safety, both bassinets adhere to strict safety standards. They are both designed to keep your little one safe all night long and improve their sleep.
Both HALO Bassinest and SNOO Smart Sleeper offer a firm base that reduces the risk of falling. Aside from that, both products have mesh walls that improve the circulation of air inside the bassinet.
Meaning, it prevents your little one from suffocation.Meeting breathability and flammability standards, it also reduces the risk of overheating, which in turn, reduces the risk of SIDS.
In terms of materials, SNOO and HALO bassinets’ are both free from non-toxic materials and so, deemed safe for babies.
As you can see, both smart bassinets have top-notch safety features.
But if your decision will be entirely based on this feature, you’d most likely want to go with SNOO bassinet. This smart sleeper guarantees that your baby is in a supine position, which is the safest sleeping position, and keeps them from rolling to the stomach.
How about their sizes and portability?
You may want to take note that both of these smart bassinets are heavier compared to traditional bassinets. But between the two, the SNOO bassinet weighs more.
In terms of height, SNOO has non-adjustable legs and stands 31 inches tall. On the other hand, HALO has an overall height of 36 inches at its lowest point and you can adjust the base for a few inches.
For bed exteriors, both products don’t differ much. But you can say that HALO is larger and bulkier due to its bigger base which is 45″ x 45″. The SNOO Smart Bassinet has 35.8″ x 19″ dimensions when assembled.
Between the two smart bassinets, HALO is less portable due to its long base legs. It doesn’t have wheels too. So don’t be surprised if it may not fit some doorways. Don’t worry though, you can still detach the bed from the base if you need to move the bassinet to a different room.
Unlike HALO, SNOO is more portable because it is narrower. And though it doesn’t have wheels, the legs are detachable making the product more portable.
For the weight, the SNOO bassinet weighs 38 pounds while BassiNest is just around 30 pounds.
What’s the age or weight limit?
Baby sleepers have different age/weight limits. For instance, HALO BassiNest can accommodate babies up to five months or until they are 20 pounds.
On the other hand, you can use the SNOO Smart until your baby is six months old or until they weigh 25 pounds.
You should always take this into consideration when choosing the bassinet for your little one as this is for their safety as well.
Designed for co-sleepers?
Designed for co-sleeping in mind, HALO BassiNest is the best choice for co-sleepers due to its full rotation and wide height adjustment range. Not to mention, its bedside wall lowers for easy access.
The SNOO, however, is not designed for co-sleeping. No rotation, height adjustment, nor lowering bedside wall. It’s only meant as a standalone baby sleeper.
So if you’re looking for flexible co-sleepers on the market, your best option is HALO.
Can they be cleaned easily?
Having babies can be really messy, so one factor to consider when looking for a baby sleeper is its ease of cleaning.
Both HALO BassiNest and SNOO Smart Sleeper can be cleaned easily. You can effortlessly remove the fabric and mattress when cleaning them. The foam mattresses from both products are also waterproof.
To clean the mesh walls, you can just use a damp cloth, warm water, and baby-safe cleaners to wipe them clean. For tough stains, a steam cleaner could also be used. Just be careful not to let the water get inside.
You can also just machine wash the sheets and sacks from HALO and SNOO as they are machine washable.
What are their costs?
The biggest difference between SNOO and HALO bassinets is price.
We won’t sugarcoat it; the SNOO is expensive, It’s more pricey compared to HALO’s BassiNest and the most expensive bassinet available on the market.
So What’s the Verdict?
For a quick recap:
- SNOO Smart Sleeper is a complete sleep solution that is unmatched in terms of safety and soothing features. However, it costs more.
- HALO BassiNest Swivel Sleeper is designed for co-sleepers that puts a premium on the accessibility of parents.
We definitely approve and recommend both products. But our goal for this article is not to answer which bassinet is better rather find the sleep solution that best suits your budget, lifestyle, and most importantly, needs. Now that you know the products’ key similarities and differences, we would leave the final decision to you.
We just hope that with this guide, you can now make an informed decision in buying or renting a smart bassinet.
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