Couples who are active and on the go pre-baby want to continue pursuing their hobbies post-baby. Even though some parents fear that it is not possible to be constantly on the road with a little one, the reality is that if you really want to, there are many ways to make it comfortable for everyone.
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The best place to start is with a safe and portable baby bassinet or travel crib.
Traveling with an infant involves a lot of extra luggage and one extra item you have to consider is your baby’s bed. But not just any bed, you need a bed that will give you peace of mind in the middle of the night when the baby is fast asleep.
Whether you’re heading on a flight across the ocean, a night over at your in-laws, or a few days at the cottage you will need to bring along a crib for your little one.
Luckily, there are many portable baby bassinets to choose from, but how do you choose the right one? This is where I come in.
What you need is a portable, foldable bassinet that is lightweight, small, easy to set up, and most of all SAFE.
Travel bassinets function just like your home bassinet, but they are normally lighter and smaller for easy portability and you can fold them and store them easily.
We have put together a list of the 7 best portable bassinets for the active parent below. Let’s look at each of them in more detail.
MiClassic All mesh 2in1 Stationary & Rock Bassinet
Highlights of the MiClassic Bassinet
- The one-second open & fold system makes this travel bassinet super easy to transport.
- Breathable mesh ensures a cool, ventilated space to sleep in as well as great visibility from all sides.
- Removable, waterproof cover that can be cleaned easily.
- Optional rocking feature.
The MiClassic portable travel bassinet is our pick for the best portable bassinet overall.
Here’s why
It makes traveling with a baby super easy. Its compact design makes it ideal for travel. Once you arrive at your destination, you can unfold it in seconds and put your baby down for a nap.
When the baby wakes up, you can fold the bassinet up and stow it away. Thanks to the innovative open and fold system, it’s even more compact when folded so it won’t be in your way.
Solid mattress
The MiClassic bassinet has a mattress pad with a waterproof cover that is easy to clean.
The optional rocking feature is great for lulling your baby to sleep, especially if you are spending the night in a strange place. The rocking motion is soothing for babies and helps them to fall asleep. When you need the bassinet to remain motionless, you simply set the bassinet legs to the stationary position.
Comfier than others
This is a spacious portable bassinet that makes for comfortable sleeping space for the baby. This feature distinguishes this travel bassinet from other models that can look somewhat cramped.
The MiClassic stationary and rocking bassinet comes with see-through mesh sides that make it easy for you to see your baby. The mesh also ensures a cool sleeping space for the baby.
This folding travel bassinet comes with a handy carrying bag for stylish traveling.
Check out our full review of the MiClassic portable bassinet for more information.
Specifications of the MiClassic Bassinet
Brand/Model | MiClassic All mesh 2in1 Stationary & Rock Bassinet |
Weight | 18.96 lbs |
Weight limit | 33 lbs |
Dimensions | 37.4 x 23.8 x 11.02 inches |
Carry bag | Included |
Folds flat for travel | Yes |
Regulations and standards | CPSIA and CPSC approved |
Why we like the MiClassic portable bassinet
This is a spacious and sturdy bassinet that will provide a safe place for your baby to sleep for quite a few months.
We like it for traveling parents because it was designed with travel in mind. This folding cot is light to carry and folds up in seconds when not in use.
The breathable mesh surround contributes to the safety of the travel bassinet as it allows for good airflow while the baby is sleeping.
The optional rocking feature helps to soothe a baby to sleep. It can be very useful after a long day of hiking when you just want to sit back and relax by the campfire.
Our verdict
The MiClassic was designed with travel in mind. It’s compact and lightweight so you can move it easily.
What makes it a great travel bassinet, is the innovative open and fold mechanism that makes is super quick and easy to open up and use or fold up and store away. Parents rave about this feature of the MiClassic 2in1.
It’s a sturdy, spacious travel bassinet that provides a safe and comfortable space for your baby to sleep in when you are not sleeping at home. And you can put the bassinet to rock your baby gently to sleep.
If you are an active family who often sleeps away from home and you need a safe space for your baby to sleep in, put the MiClassic 2in1 high on your list of options.
Ingenuity Foldaway Rocking Bassinet
Highlights of the Ingenuity portable bassinet
- One-step fold motion makes it easy to transport or store
- Choice between stationary and rocking mode
- Spacious
- Comes with a fitted sheet
- Mesh sides provide ventilation and a cool sleeping environment
The Ingenuity foldaway rocking bassinet is a great travel companion.
What’s special about it?
The Ingenuity travel bassinet has a specially designed folding frame that collapses in seconds and folds out just as fast. This is just what you need when you have arrived at your destination and need to put your baby to sleep.
Breathable
The baby bassinet has breathable mesh panels at both ends. This helps to optimize the airflow in the bassinet. The mesh ends also mean you can always see your baby and he can, of course, see you which should put him at ease in a strange place.
Unlike other similar products on the market, the Ingenuity portable bassinet comes with its own fitted sheet so you don’t have to buy that separately.
Two modes
You can use the Ingenuity Foldaway bassinet in two modes, either set to rocking or stationary mode. In stationary mode, you can even change your baby’s diaper and when that is done, you can set the bassinet to rocking mode to help your baby drop off to sleep.
One great feature is the spacious size of the Ingenuity portable bassinet. It actually has quite a bit of room for your baby to grow into and will last a while. However, keep in mind that as soon as your baby can turn over by himself, he should no longer sleep in a bassinet.
Styles
The Ingenuity Foldaway Rocking bassinet comes in two beautiful styles: Fletcher and Wallace.
Although this is a folding cot that can easily be folded and unfolded, it is nonetheless a sturdy product that won’t let you down with regular use.
In addition to this comparison, we’ve also done a full review of the Ingenuity portable bassinet.
Specifications of the Ingenuity portable bassinet
Brand/Model | Ingenuity Foldaway Rocking Bassinet |
Weight | 18.34 lbs |
Weight limit | 15.4 lbs |
Dimensions | 37 x 23 x 28 inches |
Carry bag | No |
Folds flat for travel | Yes |
Why we like the Ingenuity Foldaway Bassinet
With this portable bassinet, you can easily travel with your baby. The Ingenuity bassinet is super easy to set up, taking only seconds to be ready for your baby to take a nap. And the next morning, when you are ready to do some more exploring, it also takes only seconds to fold up and stow away in your room or put it in the car.
The dual-mode use is a great feature of this portable bassinet. You can set it to rocking mode so the bassinet can put your baby gently to sleep, or you can use it in stationary mode when you want to change your baby’s diaper.
The breathable mesh at the side end of the bassinet is also a great feature. Many baby products these days are made using breathable mesh because of its many benefits. It is lightweight so it doesn’t add to the weight of the product; it breathes, so it allows air to ventilate, and it’s see-through for easy observation of your baby.
Our verdict
The Ingenuity Foldaway Rocking Bassinet is a great product for active families. It allows you to take your baby with you on your adventures, providing a safe and comfortable bed for your baby away from home.
This folding bassinet has everything you need in a travel bassinet. It’s lightweight and easy to move, and it is super easy to fold and unfold.
The bassinet provides roomy sleeping space for your child and you can set to rocking mode to help you put your baby to sleep.
If you are an active family that wants to keep traveling with a small baby in tow, then the Ingenuity Foldaway Rocking Bassinet is a great option for your family.
Dream On Me Traveler Portable Bassinet
Highlights of the Dream On Me Traveler bassinet
- Lightweight aluminum frame
- Snap-on legs
- Polyester foam fabric: soft and safe
- Detachable zipper cover
- Quick fold mechanism
- Comes with a travel bag
Portable as any
The Dream On Me portable bassinet is ultra-portable. It comes built with a lightweight aluminum frame and folds and stores easily. The legs snap on in a jiffy and then you just attach the basket compartment for you little sleeping beauty.
The whole bassinet folds up in a compact parcel that can be stored in the travel bag. The travel bag is a nice feature of this travel crib that the other bassinets on this list don’t come with. A travel bag helps keep the frame contained so it doesn’t open when moving it from one place to the next.
Well-thought-out cover
The Dream On Me travel crib material is made of a polyester foam fabric that is soft and comfortable.
Another outstanding feature of the Dream On Me portable bassinet that sets it apart from other similar products is the cover that unzips. This feature allows you to remove the cover completely and wash it separately for proper hygiene, something that other similar products don’t provide.
Great mattress
The Traveler portable bassinet comes with a padded mattress that is also removable and washable. You can also fold it up for storage. Don’t worry about your child making a mess – simply remove the mattress and wash it!
It also comes in five colorful designs: Berry, Cloud Grey, Starlight Blue, Twinkle Grey, and Fusion Coral.
Check out our review of the Dream on Me portable bassinet for more information.
Specifications of the Dream On Me bassinet
Brand/Model | Dream On Me Traveler Portable Bassinet |
Weight | 7.5 lbs |
Weight limit | 25 lbs |
Dimensions | 37 x 22 x 27 inches |
Carry bag | Yes |
Foldsflat for travel | Yes |
Why we like the Dream On Me portable bassinet
The Dream on Me traveler portable bassinet comes loaded with outstanding features.
It has a lightweight aluminum frame which makes it easy for anyone to carry. The assembly is also quick and easy for traveling families, even if you have to hold your baby on one hand.
The Dream On Me Traveler Portable Bassinet comes with a removable cover and a removable mattress. This allows parents to easily keep their baby’s sleeping bassinet clean and fresh.
This portable crib comes with a handy travel bag to keep everything in one place and easy to carry around.
On top of that, this is beautifully designed product that comes in lovely contemporary colors.
Our verdict
The Dream On Me Traveler bassinet is a great product for an active family. If you like to get away and want to take your baby with you, this product is for you. This travel bassinet provides your baby with a safe and comfortable sleeping spot.
For parents, it’s easy to assemble and dismantle. The mesh sides mean that you can constantly keep an eye on your baby and he can also relax because he can also see you through the mesh. The use of mesh also means that this little camping bed for your baby is cool and well ventilated.
The fact that you unzip the cover and remove the mattress to clean it is an outstanding feature of this product. Get yourself this great-looking portable bassinet and enjoy watching your baby sleep in it.
Chicco LullaGo
Highlights of the Chicco LullaGo Anywhere bassinet
- Folds down into a carry bag
- Flat and firm sleeping surface
- Made from zip-off and wash fabrics
- Metal legs snap in place
- Well-made, waterproof mattress
- Generous storage pocket
Simple & streamlined
Chicco Lullago is a simple portable bassinet that features a streamlined design focused solely on practicality.
It won’t dazzle anyone, nor will it be a conversation starter.
The “Anywhere” is part of the three-unit Lullago series from Chicco. It’s the most compact of the three and moderately priced.
The assembled weight is only 12 lbs, and the weight limit is at the sweet spot of 20 lbs.
Specifications of the Chicco LullaGo:
Brand/Model | Chicco LullaGo Anywhere |
Weight | 12 lbs |
Weight limit | 20 lbs |
Dimensions | 30 x 18 W x 28 inches |
Carry bag | Yes |
Folds flat for travel | Yes |
What we love about it
I have to admit, Chicco had a fan in me because I have always been a safety’ freak.’
Chicco puts its products through extensive testing to minimize the chances of faulty units slipping by.
And I’m not talking about random tests. I’m talking about real-life tests with babies taking part.
It’s this kind of standard that earned Chicco, their worldwide reputation as a reputable baby gear manufacturer.
In the portable bassinet arena, the Lulago series stand out as the most travel-friendly.
Delta Children EZ fold travel bassinet
Highlights of the Delta Children EZ fold
- Light, collapsible frame
- Convenient carry and storage bag
- Breathable mesh sides
- Features a removable canopy
- One of the most compact full-size bassinets
Comfy sleep area
If you’re going to skimp on the comfort and size of the sleeping space for the baby bassinet, making it portable will be much easier.
But making it full-size, comfy and still, travel-friendly is a whole other story.
Delta Children pulled it off with the EZ fold.
Specifications of the Delta Children EZ:
Brand/Model | Delta Children EZ Fold |
Weight | 13.3 lbs |
Weight limit | 15 lbs |
Dimensions | 20.7 x 26.8 x 20.5 inches |
Carry bag | Yes |
Folds flat for travel | Yes |
What we like about it
Our favorite aspect of the Delta EZ is the balance between the size of the sleeping space, comfort, and portability.
For a full-size baby bassinet, it’s also surprisingly easy to pop up into position and back down into the storage bag.
If you ask us, it’s an overlooked product and excellent value money.
Evenflo Loft Portable Baby Bassinet
Highlights of the Evenflo Loft
- Foldable design for easy setup
- Bluetooth speaker with music & sounds
- Soothing features – nightlight and temperature monitor
- Sturdy, durable frame
- Comes from a reputable brand
- Removable sheets are easy to clean
Predictable contender
As soon as I decided to put this guide together, I knew that the Evenflo Loft would find its way into the list of best portable bassinets. I’ve been reading raving reviews about it for years, most of them from parents who are into travel.
Brand/Model | Evenflo Loft portable bassinet |
Weight | 20 lbs |
Weight limit | 10 lbs |
Dimensions | 33.75 x 20.5 x 26.75 inches |
Carry bag | No |
Folds flat for travel | Yes |
What we liked most about it
The better question would be, what do all the owners love about it because it’s one of the highest-rated products overall.
It also ticks all the quality boxes needed for this category – weighs only 10 pounds and packs down to 20.5 x 4 x 26.75 inches.
In all the updates we’ve made to this guide, we’ve never seen its user satisfaction percentage fall below 85%.
If you know the industry, you’ll know that’s an impressive number – especially at that price point.
Finally, it’s a huge plus that it’s coming from a brand with a storied history closing in on one entire century.
Munchkin Brica Fold ’n Go Portable Bassinet
Highlights of the Munchkin Brica:
- Extremely lightweight, yet durable (under 3 pounds)
- Solid, tubular-steel locking frame
- Reliable 4-point locking
- Removable, high-quality mattress
- Machine washable sheets
- Smartly designed carry handle
- Mesh side panels for airflow
By far the lightest
Brica Fold’ n Go by Munchkin is a unique baby bassinet concept designed with one goal and one goal only, to be as light and as easy to carry as possible.
It’s not the most comfortable, and it has no ambitions of being your main bassinet, but for those unplanned trips to the store or a spontaneous picnic with friends, it’s a nifty little piece of baby gear.
Brand/Model | Evenflo Loft portable bassinet |
Weight | 15 lbs |
Weight limit | 2.45 lbs |
Dimensions | 30 x 11.75 x 21.25 inches |
Carry bag | No |
Folds flat for travel | Yes |
What we like about it
We love products like this – products from companies who find their narrow niche, decide on the one thing they plan to do with their product, and then overdeliver on the promise.
If there were an accurate way to assign value to how simpler a piece of gear can make a parent’s life, this Brica Fold’ n Go would be up there with the best.
It costs next to nothing and, for parents on the go; it seems like a must-have.
Reference info on choosing right
A folding travel bassinet is used as a portable baby bed for small infants. It’s made to be used as a portable baby bed, so it needs to be lightweight, easy to carry, and quick to set up without any hassle.
Light but strong
Above all, it must be sturdy, so you know it’s safe for your baby.
A folding portable bassinet works just like a regular bassinet, but it is usually much lighter and can be folded, so it’s easy to carry around.
Parents use their folding bassinets when they go on holiday, travel for a day or two, or sleep over with family or friends.
What to look out for when buying a folding bassinet for travel
A travel bassinet needs to be light. You want to carry it with you anywhere you go. Look out for travel bassinets that come with a travel bag. When the bassinet is folded up and in a travel bag it is less bulky and easy to carry with you.
Setting it up and down
You also want a bassinet that is easy to set up. You don’t want to arrive at your destination with a tired, crying baby that has to wait for his parents to set up his bed. The easier the bassinet is to set up, the better.
Materials
Look for a bassinet that is made of breathable mesh so your baby’s travel cot is well ventilated. Mesh also allows you to see through it to your baby so you can keep a constant eye on him.
You want your baby to sleep in a comfortable environment, so make sure you find a bassinet that is made of soft, baby-friendly fabric. You want a mattress and fitted sheet that can be removed and is machine washable. A cover that can unzip for this purpose is ideal.
Most importantly, make sure that the travel bassinet is sturdy so your baby will sleep safely in it.
Weight limit
The project of making a good bassinet of this type typically means cutting some corners in terms of durability and sturdiness.
And that’s fine, up to a point.
That point is the weight limit going too low. For the sake of clarity, 20 pounds is the sweet spot in terms of the weight limit.
Storage bag
It might seem like we’re splitting hair when we talk about the storage bag as an advantage, but it truly is.
A well-made storage bag is a must for long-term convenience on your trips.
Different kinds of folding travel bassinets
There are two kinds of travel bassinets, standalone travel bassinets and bassinets for in-bed sleeping.
Standalone travel bassinets are used on their own while bed-sharing bassinets can be put on the parent’s bed and the baby sleeps with them in his bassinet on their bed.
Go with standalone
Standalone bassinets provide babies with their own safe sleeping environment away from any disturbances like a sleeping parent rolling over on it or pushing it off the bed in his sleep.
We recommend you get yourself a standalone bassinet as they are the safest choice and safety is the first priority when it comes to babies.
Bed-sharing portable bassinets (co-sleeper)
Parents often decide to buy a bed-sharing unit (or a co-sleeper bassinet) because they believe that they will get a better night’s sleep when their baby is with them in the same bed.
A bed-sharing bassinet goes in the bed with the parents, but it gives babies their own space to sleep in.
We do not suggest any kind of bed-sharing or bed-sharing device because of the inherent dangers associated with it. For instance, an exhausted adult can easily roll onto a flimsy bassinet and land on the baby.
Recommended read: Travel Crib vs. Pack-n-play
Risks of a co-sleeper bassinet
Bed-sharing co-sleepers are banned in some countries including Canada. According to a National Post report, a 2013 analysis of 1,500 infant deaths published in BMJ Open, a journal of the British Medical Association, found a five-fold increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in infants who bed-share.
Recommended read: Can a baby sleep in a travel crib?
Conclusions & updates
We always recommend standalone portable bassinets to our readers because they are just safer. This applies to domestic bassinets for use in the home as well as travel bassinets.
The baby’s safety is the most crucial factor to consider when buying a bassinet of any kind.
We do our best to stay on top of things and update our guides regularly to make sure that the information you get here is fresh and relevant at all times. This is especially true for this category because it’s one of the most dynamic, fast-changing parts of the bassinet market.
The bottom line is you can rest assured that solid data and in-depth research back the recommendations you see here.
Paul is a passionate dad who founded Upside Dad to share his parenting journey with other new parents. He graduated from Concordia University and worked as a test engineer for over a decade. Paul loves dad jokes and craft beer.
Learn more about Paul and Upside Dad here.