The Best Baby Bouncers of 2025

Top pick

This streamlined, battery-free, baby-propelled bouncer offers a soothing seat for children from birth to toddlerhood. But it’s expensive, and its toy bar is a separate purchase.

The sturdy, battery-free BabyBjörn Bouncer Balance Soft is more responsive to a baby’s movement than any other bouncer we tested. At 4.8 pounds, it weighs less than competing models and is highly versatile despite its simple design. It has three positioning options in infant mode, and once an older baby can sit and stand without assistance, it converts to a seat for toddlers weighing up to 29 pounds, so you can use it for longer than most other models.

It’s expensive, but it has a good resale value. It also folds in half, so it’s easy to store or bring on a trip. Finally, it’s more sleek and attractive than some other baby gear.

Even younger babies can get it going. This is what sets the BabyBjörn bouncer apart from the competition. “I’ve tried other bouncers but this is the one and is worth the money!” writes one reviewer on Amazon. “Baby loves it and can self bounce even at 1.5 months.” Writer Rachael Rifkin’s 5-month-old was able to get the bouncer going with a swift leg kick or arm swing. It has a smooth, soothing bounce that many babies enjoy, and they seem content without the battery-powered vibrations and stimulations of other models.

It offers multiple positions. The BabyBjörn bouncer produces short, springy bounces in its most upright position, as well as longer, buoyant bounces in its two reclining positions. Newborns and younger babies weighing up to 15.5 pounds should use the most reclined position. Older babies who have head and neck strength and weigh up to 20 pounds can use the middle and most upright positions.

It’s streamlined and sturdy. This JPMA-certified bouncer has strips that keep its stable base from sliding around on wood and carpeted floors. The seat has no excess padding and supports the child’s head, neck, and back. We found it to be equally supportive for a smaller baby, despite the lack of an infant insert, and for an older baby near the top of the bouncer’s weight limit.

The seat cover is easy to clean. We put the BabyBjörn bouncer together in 30 seconds, simply by sliding its cover over the metal frame and securing two elastic loops at the base of the frame. To clean the bouncer, you just slide the seat cover back over the frame and toss it in the washing machine on warm, though you must air dry it afterward. Spot-cleaning the seat cover with warm water works reasonably well to remove spit-up and small amounts of solid food. The bouncer comes in around 10 colors; a few of them feature mesh material for an additional cost.

Its lightweight, portable design stows easily. Of all the models we tested, the BabyBjörn Bouncer Balance Soft was the easiest to adjust to its various angles of recline, including folding flat for storage or transport. To adjust it, you use one hand to lift a positioning lever located on the frame base and move it into the position you desire as you lift the backrest with your other hand. Converting this bouncer into a toddler seat is also simple.

It retains its value. Caregivers are quick to praise the BabyBjörn bouncer on parenting forums and other sites. Some say that the bouncer was the sole device that helped soothe their fussy baby; others credit it with helping their constipated child to poop. This positivity could be why it often appears on resale sites and in consignment stores. BabyBjörn offers a platform where you can trade in a used bouncer for cash or credit, depending on its condition.

BabyBjörn also sells the Bouncer Bliss, which is about the same price. The design of the two bouncers is the same; the only differences between them are the frame color and the material of the seat cover. We slightly prefer the material of the Bouncer Balance Soft, which features an easy-to-care for woven cover and a soft jersey seat. Extra seat covers for both models range from $85 to $100.

The BabyBjörn Bouncer Balance Soft has a limited lifetime warranty with proof of purchase.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

This bouncer costs more than most. That said, it can last you longer than other models because you can convert it to a child seat by switching the seat cover from the infant side to the toddler side. Jessica used this bouncer with both her now 3-year-old and 1-year-old, and Wirecutter editors have also reported using it for multiple children.

The toy bar is not included. Other models come with an included toy bar to help entertain babies. BabyBjörn’s toy bars cost an additional $45 to $60.