Rock Your Little One Off to Sleep With These Best Tested Baby Swings

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Babies get fussy — it's a fact of life. Sometimes, after you've cradled, fed, shushed, and changed them, your baby (and you) just need a change — and that's exactly where baby swings come in.

Baby swings keep your baby in motion, and more times than not, help them settle down, which gives you that couple of minutes to take a breather that you very much need. They're also a great place to park your tot when you're cooking, working out, and so on. But there are a few things you should think about when you're shopping for one of these miracle contraptions — as they all have different features to best suit your baby's needs.

They are a wonderful registry item, just enough to feel like a grand gift, but not so grand that it's something that many people would normally need to split. Plus, they're not hard to wrap thanks to the regular box they come in.

The Best Baby Swings

• Best Overall: 4Moma Mamaroo

• Lightest: Maxi-Cosi Cassia

• Editor Favorite: Ingenuity InLighten

• Most Versatile: Munchkin Swing

• For Extended Use: Nuna Leaf Grow

• Best Budget: Graco Simple Sway

• Smallest Footprint: Baby Jogger Rocker

What to Consider

Because there are so many types of baby swings on the market, there’s a fair amount to consider when you’re buying one. I’ve narrowed it down to a few factors that can guide you to the right swing for your family, and those are: where and how you’ll be using it, the cost, and how it’s cleaned.

Use

This is hands-down the most important factor in buying a baby swing. The biggest factor is considering if you want it to be portable, meaning, will you be moving it from room to room, house to house? If that's the case, you'll want something light without electricity, like the Nuna Leaf Grow. If you're planning on setting it up somewhere convenient for supervision and leaving it there, you can go with a heavier, higher-tech model like the 4Moms Mamaroo.

Where will you be using it? How much space do you have? Some of these swings can get pretty bulky, like the Graco Simple Sway, while others, like the Munchkin, are pretty compact.

Cost

Like all things baby, these things can get pretty pricey. Generally, they cost between $100 and $300 — and with baby swings, you get what you pay for. The higher-end swings generally look better, have more functions, are made with higher-quality fabrics, and are much more durable. The less-expensive portable swings or traditional swings are great as well, but the aesthetics are simply not there, and they're made with less durable materials.

Cleanability

We love a machine-washable cover on a baby swing. Babies are prone to all sorts of leakage, and hand washing all of that is not anyone's idea of a good time. Some are easier to remove than others (looking at you, Nuna Leaf Grow) Some are easier to remove than others. You should be aware that absolutely none of the covers can be put in the dryer, as much as we would like to do so.

How We Chose

I spoke with moms, grandparents, and manufacturers to find the best, most reliable swings available. I have assembled, installed, and tested each swing on this list. These are all highly rated for comfort, convenience, and how well, and how quickly babies relax once they're in them.|

There's a baby swing for every family on this list, no matter the features or aesthetic you're seeking.

A Note About Safety

These baby swings are a wonderful invention and can be a real sanity saver. However, they're not designed for sleeping, and should only be used under supervision. Also, babies who cannot yet hold their heads up should be in the flattest recline position. The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends checking on your baby frequently when they're in the swing.

MamaRoo Multi-Motion Baby Swing

This is my go-to shower gift for close friends. It's basically magic. The 4Moms MamaRoo is a swaying and rocking smart swing that works with a motion that mimics how you would soothe your own baby when you stand and shift back and forth with them on your shoulder. It has five different motions, five different speeds, plays four soothing sounds, and it has Bluetooth capability, so if none of the sounds are your baby's cup of tea, you can play your own.

It can also be controlled via the 4Moms app, easily allowing parents to change the rocking pattern or the sound. And yes, you can connect it to Alexa or Google. "Hey Alexa, rock my baby," only sounds slightly-less weird than "Hey Google, sway my child."

The recline is super easy to adjust, as is the 5-point harness.

Cassia Baby Swing

There's really nothing that Maxi Cosi makes that I don't love. They just hit it out of the park every time. If you want to watch your baby go from an angry political pundit to a pacifist hippie in T-20 seconds get yourself the Maxi Cosi. When I say, "watch," I mean it. The swing has a 360º turn, so you never need to move your swing base, just the body of it so that you can keep an eye on your sweet baby. If you have to move the base, it's one of the lightest at 10 pounds.

The swing itself has two different recline positions, five swing speeds, and 10 melodies, all controllable by the panel at the top. If you're wondering, "Can I strap a baby in here while a toddler is on my other hip whacking their sippy up into my back and grinding Cheerios into my hair?" The answer is yes. I can say that you absolutely can.

InLighten Baby Swing

More than one mom, including my editor, told me that this swing is just the bee’s knees. It swings in three different directions, has a fun light show feature, 16 songs and three nature sounds, two recline positions, a timer, and it’s conveniently powered by a USB cord.

Joana Mascioli, our deputy editor, says “My little one loved this swing as a newborn,” and “It has great features like soothing lights, a mobile, and multiple sound options (you can even play your music with its built-in aux cord!) It folds up easily for storage when it’s not in use and as different inserts to grow with your baby, too.”

Bluetooth Enabled Lightweight Baby Swing

Part swing, part bounce seat, part gift from the heavens, this slightly more affordable sway chair from Munchkin has quickly become a user favorite.

It's light, portable, and collapses for easy storage. It also mimics the gentle sway of a mother's arms and has Bluetooth connectivity. Everyone I have spoken with who has this says that it's a game-changer. They also love that it's powered with an A/C cord, so you never need to worry about charging it. Very few high-tech baby swings are this versatile. Munchkin is leading the pack with this model.

Leaf Grow Baby Seat with Toy Bar

I love this baby swing because it is not electric or battery-operated. It sways gently with the baby's movement or if gently nudged. As the name says, it also grows with the child, having a weight limit of 130 pounds. That means my 14-year-old kid could take out the insert and sit in it to play Xbox.

It's meant to be a comfy seat for a long time, and it is. It has multiple recline positions, a fixed or rocking stage, and an easy-to-remove toy bar — it's low-tech at its finest.

The one drawback is that while it is a machine-washable cover, getting that puppy off is a feat in patience.

Simple Sway Baby Swing

If you’re looking for an affordable, easy-to-love swing, look no further, you have found the holy grail of affordable baby swings.

Yes, it’s a bit basic, but that doesn’t mean that babies don’t love it. Babies love Tupperware, okay sometimes we just play the hits.

It has two vibration settings and six swing speeds, and the cover is machine washable but a pain to remove and reinstall.

If you’re not sure about a swing, or even if you want to buy a second swing for Grandma’s place or your back porch, you can’t go wrong with this one. One drawback is that it is battery-operated, which many parents don’t love.

City Sway Rocker Baby Swing

This is another fold-away bouncer and rocker combination, but lower tech. It manually rocks and bounces and has a vibrating pad that's battery-operated. The cover is easy to remove and machine washable — plus, the sweet mobile is removable.

It's light and compact, making it super portable. The three-position recline makes the whole thing that much better because the lowest position is almost prone.

Parents love not only the portability of it but also how breathable the fabric is. There's no sweaty swamp baby with this rocker.

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