Meal times with a baby can be chaotic. And I’m not talking about actually feeding the baby. I’m talking about the parent just trying to put fork to their mouth. Because when you’ve got a baby demanding your attention (read: to be held), it makes eating impossible.

Enter: The baby bouncer.

Excellent for entertaining baby, allowing you to catch a shower, or just put your little one down for a few minutes to take a breather (before your kiddo can be entertained with toddler or baby toys.)

The Top 10 Best Baby Bouncers in 2021

#1: BABYBJORN Bouncer Balance Soft
#2: Bright Starts Playful Pinwheels
#3: Fisher-Price Auto Rock ‘n Play
#4: Graco Little Lounger
#5: Tiny Love Take Along Baby Bouncer
#6: Graco Duet Rocker
#7: Disney Musical Baby Bouncer
#8: Stokke Steps Bouncer
#9: Vee Vee By Valco Baby
#10: Bloom Coco Go 3-in-1

But first, before we get into it…

But Do I Really Need a Baby Bouncer?

We found our bouncer to be a necessity, not only for us, but for our baby. Poppy loved hers.
Bouncers do roughly million other things too that make a parent’s life easier, like:

1. Occupy your baby during your meal time.
2. Gently exercise your baby to help them grow stronger.
3. Entertain your baby forever! (so you can shower, do some laundry, or make a call).
4. Soothe your baby when they cry for no apparent reason.
5. Keep your baby upright when they have reflux.

And the list probably goes on and on, but we’re sold so we stopped there. And now that you are too, what makes the best baby bouncer?! Well, I’m glad you asked…

What to Look for in the Best Baby Bouncer

Depending on the manufacturer, different baby bouncers will have different features that offer varying levels of functionality. We’ve compared all these features so you can get the best one without all the hassle.

The most important features to consider are:

Portability: A lightweight, easy-to-move, and easy to store baby bouncer is key. Because no one wants to install a permanent fixture or erect a heavy, bulky, playground-swing-set-looking thing in their living room (and if you did, I feel sorry for you). Small, strong, compact, versatile, you get the point.

Comfort: Pick a well-padded baby bouncer with a soft and cuddly seat material and make sure it has no prickly seams that can irritate baby’s sensitive skin. On the flip side, avoid bouncers with heavily padded seats. They won’t be able to offer proper support for your baby.

Seat incline: An adjustable seat incline feature means you can use your bouncer for longer without donating it or buying something new. Newborns are naturally more comfortable when reclined while older toddlers prefer to sit upright.

Cleaning care: You know it and I know it—babies are mess bombs waiting to explode. Drool, spit up (ahem, vomit!), pee and poop. It all might happen in the bouncer. So plan ahead and get something that cleans up easy. That usually means machine washable fabrics that can be taken off the bouncer frame and thrown in the wash, a waterproof fabric that’s easily wiped down.

With these features in mind, we rounded up the top 10 baby bouncers that will make your life easier, and entertain your baby for hours.

When it comes to baby gear, sometimes keeping it pays off.

Take Babyjorn’s Bouncer Balance for instance. It does everything you need it to in a simple, clean, compact, and lightweight design. It’s hands down the best baby bouncer we could find.

It offers excellent support and has four adjustable seat settings that are perfect for rest or play. It’s also one of the few baby bouncers with a shelf life as long as 2 years old (most others last up to 6 months) making it a more useful purchase in the long run.

And if you like to travel as much as we do, you’ll definitely appreciate the compact design—it folds flat and doesn’t take up too much whether you’re on the go or storing it.

#2
Bright Starts Playful Pinwheels

The Playful Pinwheels baby bouncer is the pick of the bunch if you’re on a tight budget. It’s super affordable and loaded with ton of features usually found on more expensive units. It’s got a toy bar (which can easily be removed with one hand), it vibrates, has a built-in seat belt, and it folds down nice and compact.

#3
Fisher-Price Auto Rock ‘n Play

The Fisher-Price Auto Rock combines relaxing music and sound effects with a comfy incline to help soothe your baby whether it’s playtime or naptime.

This budget pick has all the standard baby bouncer features including hands-free rocking motion at the push of a button, 12 songs and nature sounds, two rocking speeds, and a linkable clacker toy.

It’s a great product and you’ll love the super cute floral confetti color.

#4
Graco Little Lounger

The best thing about the Graco Little Lounger is that it doesn’t make you choose between a baby bouncer and a stationary vibrating lounger. It’s both. You can use the rocking seat mode to gently calm your baby.

Then, flip down the rock locks to use the vibrating lounger with a 2-speed vibration feature.

The cute toy bar will keep your baby entertained and the seat can be positioned in multiple recline positions for your baby’s comfort.

#5
Tiny Love Take Along Baby Bouncer

Weighing less than 5 pounds, this baby bouncer is not only simple and effective but also incredibly easy to fold up. You’ll be able to fit this bouncer into a standard suitcase and still have room left for all the travel gear you need.

No assembly is required with the Tiny Love bouncer making it a perfect companion for both indoor and outdoor use.

They’ve even thrown in a bonus carry bag to sweeten the deal.

#6
Graco Duet Rocker

We give the Graco Duet bouncer a big thumbs up for providing a bunch of terrific options. You can choose between using the rocking motion with two-speed vibration to soothe your baby or flip it into a stationary vibrating lounge seat.

Putting in removable head and body supports was also ingenious. This helps to keep your baby comfortable until they’re able to gain control of their necks.

The Graco also features a multi-position recline, a bonus travel tote – makes it easier to carry your Graco with you on the go, and a toy bar with two soft toys.

#7
Disney Musical Baby Bouncer

This fully assembled baby bouncer doesn’t have a lot going for it but it features a comfy infant headrest and can be used from birth up to 25lbs.

During one of your baby’s fussy spells, the gentle vibrations and preloaded songs are especially helpful. Just like the two fun toys above the harness.

My biggest gripe with the Disney Bouncer is that it seems overpriced if you compare it to other feature-rich baby bouncers on this list like the Playful Pinwheel.

#8
Stokke Steps Bouncer

This is the only bouncer on our list that features a gentle cradle movement that mimics a mom’s cuddle. The baby seat is softly cushioned and comfortable but it looks too padded for my liking.

I agree, a well-padded seat on a bouncer helps to keep your baby snug but if the padding is too much, it won’t offer proper support.

#9
Vee Vee By Valco Baby

One thing about the serenity baby bouncer that stands out is the mesh fabric used on the bouncer seat. This makes it breathable and a good fit for a hot summer day. Besides that, all the other features are pretty basic.

#10
Bloom Coco Go 3-in-1

If your baby has sensitive skin or you worry about the harmful chemicals they come into contact with, the Bloom Coco is a good buy. The seat is covered with plush organic cotton which is gentle on sensitive skin.

The design is tastefully done but the frame doesn’t look sturdy enough to support a lot of weight – especially if you have a fast grower on your hands.

To find the best baby bouncer for you and your family, consider how much you’re willing to spend and the space where you’ll be using your bouncer most of the time.

Do you want a product that’s easy to tote around? Or something with more features, instead? Whichever one you settle on, a baby bouncer is a great helping hand during your baby’s earliest days.