Buyer's Guide 2024: Baby Gear

Baby on the way? Read our 2024 Buyer's Guide for Baby Gear to learn about the latest, greatest smart gear for new parents! You're sure to find something for your own nursery, or the perfect baby shower gift.

Note

Product prices were accurate at the time of publication but may have changed since then.

Hatch Rest+ 2nd gen ($89.99)

The Rest+ is a smart night light/alarm clock that benefits each stage of your baby’s development. In the early days, you can use it for the soothing white noise and customizable night light. As your baby grows, the alarm clock and smart light features help teach healthy sleep habits. The Rest+ is controlled through the companion app and with a touch sensitive metal ring on the top of the light. To get the most out of the sleep training features, I recommend subscribing to the Hatch+ app ($4.99/month) which offers a huge range of white noise and lighting options.

MamaRoo Multi-Motion Baby Swing ($269.99)

There are a million baby swings out there, but the MamaRoo is consistently ranked as the top one. It attempts to mimic natural movements with a unique rocking system and settings such
as “car ride” and “rock-a-bye.” The MamaRoo is customizable from the companion app, with rocking types, speeds, and music options. My favorite feature is the “Find a Roo,” which has you rock your iPhone (like you would your baby) and then recommends the settings that closest matches your own rocking technique.

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Tiny Traveler Classic Wireless ($239.99)

Modern infant car seats face backward. This means you can’t see your baby while you’re driving. When you’re the only one in the car, it can be really frustrating to have no idea what’s going on back there. The Tiny Traveler is a baby monitor for your car so you can ensure your baby is safe and happy while driving responsibly. The monitor has a camera that mounts to the seat facing the car seat and a monitor that suctions to your front windshield. It has a clear image even in low light and works both wirelessly and while plugged in.

Nanit Pro Baby Monitor ($299)

Nanit baby monitor syncs with the companion iPhone app to allow you to view your baby from anywhere. It uses AI to detect movement and alerts you via push notification when your baby stirs so that you can swoop in before they start crying. The monitor comes with a band your baby can wear while sleeping to detect their breathing without any wires or monitors. You can also get a custom set of crib sheets, which the camera uses to measure your baby’s growth and save memories. My daughter is full of smiles early in the morning, and I’ve captured some adorable photos.

SNOO Smart Sleeper Bassinet ($1,695.00)

The SNOO is a smart bassinet that uses rocking and soothing sounds to mimic a “womb-like” environment to lull your baby to sleep. It automatically detects when your baby is fussing during the night and calms them without you having to get up. There is a companion iPhone app that allows you to control the bassinet from bed and gives you metrics on how your baby slept. It may seem like a lot of money to spend on a bassinet, but it’s hard to put a price on extra sleep. While most parents swear by the SNOO, some babies don’t take to it.

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Author Details

David Averbach's picture

Author Details

David Averbach

David Averbach is the CEO and Publisher of iPhone Life. In the last 13 years, he has shared his Apple expertise on multiple industry panels, was awarded FOLIO magazine’s 2014 media industry’s innovators 20 in Their 20s, taught classes for our premium subscribers, and co-hosted over 200 episodes of the iPhone Life Podcast. A lifelong Apple fan, David would be lost without his MacBook Pro, iPhone, iPad Pro, Apple Watch HomePod, Apple TV, and AirPods. In his free time, David enjoys optimizing his smart home setup, savoring a good cup of coffee, and traveling.