If you’re on the lookout for a top-quality bassinet, you have probably come across the SNOO Smart Sleeper. Known for its meticulous design, the SNOO Smart Sleeper helps to improve the sleep of babies and, in turn, parents.
The SNOO uses cutting-edge technology and medical research to fine-tune your baby’s requirements during the night and help them go back to sleep.
Yes, the SNOO has some exceptional qualities such as helping to soothe your little one, so they quickly fall back into a deep slumber. However, with such a top-quality design comes an expensive price.
Now, we know that babies are not cheap! That is why you should never bypass an opportunity to find something to help your baby sleep better but at a more affordable price.
Luckily, there are some cheaper alternatives to the SNOO that work just as well! We understand you want the very best for your baby, but we also know that you need to watch the pennies.
Read on as we look at some affordable SNOO alternatives including some that you can rent, check out our review of the snoo rental.
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What Is A SNOO?
The SNOO is essentially a high-end bassinet. “What’s a bassinet?” we hear you say. Well, bassinets are great for helping babies sleep better in a safe place.
Also known as cradles or bassinettes, these comfortable “beds” are specifically made for babies from their birth up to the age of around four months. As for the SNOO, this takes bassinet to a whole new level.
SNOOS do everything you want! They can detect your baby’s cries and play white noise to help soothe them. These cradles also have built in swaddles to help strap down babies to prevent them rolling and potentially harming themselves.
Moreover, you can track your little one’s sleep thanks to an app to check their sleep cycle and pattern with their pediatrician.
But, as we mentioned, SNOOs come with a pretty hefty price tag. With that being said, let’s take a look at some affordable options that offer the same kind of features as the SNOO.
SNOO Alternatives
Most parents are looking for cheaper alternatives to cut back the high costs of having a baby. But, of course, you don’t want to cut back on quality.
Thankfully, we have found some top quality SNOO substitutes that will not burn a hole in your pocket!
But, we must say, bassinets don’t get much better than the SNOO. Although pricey, we believe they are worth every penny. However, they are not for everyone so let’s explore some other options for you.
HALO BassiNest Swivel Sleeper, Bedside Bassinet
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Halo’s smart bassinet is packed with useful features that will assist you and help your baby get a good night’s sleep. This bassinet is designed for the optimum sleeping experience, with warm amber night illumination, two vibration levels, and four white noise options to soothe your infant back to sleep.
The Halo bassinet is among the few bassinets on the market with a 360-degrees swivel and lowering walls. This means it is simple to position and access just next to your bed. This function is extremely beneficial for easy nursing, C-section recovery, and anyone with mobility concerns.
Moreover, this bassinet may easily be removed from its pedestal for transportation and multi-purpose use. A Newborn Insert can also be used to provide extra cushion for extremely young babies.
Pros
- Best for C Section moms having one of the best accessibility with the pull-down sides and a fully adjustable height.
- You can easily pop the baby safely back into the flat surface to fall asleep once you have fed them.
- The 360 swivel means its accessible from all sides (the only bassinet with this feature).
Cons
- However, this is not a very portable bassinet and is quite bulky to move from room to room with no wheels on it, it weighs over 33lbs making it heavy and awkward.
The height of this bassinet can be changed from 24 inches to 34 inches, and, best of all, it’s a fantastic deal at a reasonable price.
Graco Sense2Snooze
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Next, we have the Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet which includes some of the same characteristics as the SNOO, but is less expensive.
The Sense2Snooze, like the SNOO, contains cry-sensing technology that adjusts the noise and movement to your baby’s crying.
The Graco bassinet also has two built-in wheels for easy movement about different rooms, making it an ideal SNOO substitute!
It can “rock” your baby to sleep at three varying speeds, so you don’t have to sit up all night!
Pros
- Soothing motions (three levels)
- 2 Speed vibration (low and high)
- White noise soothing sounds (10 songs and 10 sounds including nature sounds)
- Smart technology to start gentle rocking when it detects crying to help get baby back to sleep
- Parent mode will save your settings
Cons
- No arm’s reach sleeping
This smart bassinet is best for those who need to move the bassinet around from room to room as the built-in wheels make it very portable.
4moms mamaRoo Sleep Bassinet
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The mamaRoo bassinet has many of the same characteristics as the SNOO, but at a far smaller cost. This bassinet can cradle your baby in 25 various ways, with five distinct types of rocking motions at different speeds.
You’ll be able to discover a setting that will assist your baby’s sleep regardless of what mood he or she is in thanks to the wide range of options.
This bassinet also comes with four different white noise settings to encourage your infant to relax. All of these functions can be controlled directly from the bassinet or via the 4moms app on your phone.
A timer is also included in the app to assist you in teaching your infant a healthy sleep routine.
The bassinet design incorporates mesh walls for maximum airflow, a strong, flat, and smooth sleeping surface, and a height that may be adjusted. The bassinet is 34 inches long by 24 inches wide by 34.5 inches high (this grows to 39 inches high with extenders). Overall, it weighs 30 pounds.
Chicco Close To You 3-In-1 Bedside Bassinet
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Last, but certainly not least, is the Chicco Close to You 3-in-1 Bedside Bassinet.
Chicco’s bassinet is designed to keep your baby near to you for maximum safety. This bassinet is ideal for daytime and overnight usage, with a height adjustability of 9.5 inches.
It also has wheels that glide gently and easily wherever you move it. It’s not only a stylish bassinet; it’s also highly convenient.
The bassinet not only vibrates, it also plays music, and has a nightlight. It also serves as a changing station for the baby (we love this feature). This bassinet converts to a changing table in no time thanks to its height adjustment and fold-down mesh sides.
You won’t have to remember to engage the brake when you move it to a new spot either because it’s incorporated directly into the handle.
In addition to its smart bassinet capabilities, Chicco’s bassinet may be utilized immediately at your bedside, carried to different rooms with ease, or used as a changing station.
With this one, you definitely receive more value for your money. The bassinet is 33.5 inches long, 28 inches wide, and 46 inches high. And it weighs 33 pounds which isn’t too heavy to move.
Do I Need A SNOO?
Dr. Harvey Karp, author of The Happiest Baby on the Block and a physician, is behind the invention of the SNOO.
This high-end, smart bassinet sports a level surface and a lot of useful features that help your baby get to sleep better and remain asleep for longer, especially in those first few months.
The good news is that new parents have successfully cared for their kids and taught them to sleep for millennia without using devices such as the SNOO. So, that leaves the question – is a SNOO or any of its alternatives really needed? Well, they are certainly useful!
The SNOO is among the greatest bedside sleepers in the industry, especially with all the extra bells and whistles that comes with it. It has plenty of technology to assist your baby in falling asleep and, just as importantly, remain asleep.
The SNOO includes a swaddle that securely keeps your baby in position. It also features a built-in noise machine and movement sensors to detect whenever your baby wakes up during the night.
When your baby wakes up, the SNOO senses their cries and gets to work. It moves using soothing motions to lull your little one back to sleep.
This SNOO smart sleeper also includes a mobile app that allows you to monitor your baby’s sleep patterns throughout the course of their night.
This is the bassinet for you if you enjoy data and, of course, if you can afford it! If it’s a little too expensive, our alternatives are fantastic options too!
Yes, the SNOO and other similar bassinets can certainly help your baby get a good night’s sleep more easily.
But, as we said, countless generations have managed to cope without anything like these so forming healthy sleep patterns can be achieved without all of these features and data.
In Summary
If you’re looking for a bassinet to help your little one (and you) get a better night’s sleep, our alternatives to the costly SNOO can absolutely help.
While the SNOO remains the best on the market, our alternatives have been proven to help infants sleep more soundly and safely than your average cradle.
We hope this has helped you find the right bassinet for your precious baby and that you both get a good night’s sleep very soon.
This article was written by: Gian MIller – Full-Time Writer, Baby Whisperer & Dad of 3.
Gian spends a lot of his time writing. A self-proclaimed baby whisperer, Gian has been through it all with his own children and is passionate about sharing his hard-won wisdom with other parents. When he’s not writing or changing diapers, you can find him playing the guitar or watching baseball (or preferably both at the same time).
