5 Best Baby Swings of 2023

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.

The Graco Duetsoothe Swing + Rocker’s variable swing directions are key: You can spin the seat 180 degrees, meaning your baby can swing from side-to-side facing either direction, or from front-to-back. Read More

The swing only moves from front-to-back, though it was stable and nicely compact which makes it easier to move throughout the house. Read More

This comforting side-to-side swing includes a mirror beneath its mobile , but it's obtrusive and two models broke during teting. Read More

While there’s a lot of variability available in this option, it’s also completely parent-operated. Read More

The swing only moves front-to-back, and it’s difficult to reach in if you want to grab your baby or move them to their crib. Read More

Updated May 18, 2023

If your baby is fussing during the dreaded witching hour, or during those moments when you desperately need to do laundry, cook dinner, or eat a snack, a baby swing can feel like a lifesaver. There are dozens of swings out there, some battery operated, some electric, some that swing side-to-side and others that swing front-to-back, and still others with bluetooth-enabled features and fancy toy bars. But in the end, all those fancy features don’t matter much. What does matter: That the swing calms your fussy baby and gives you a moment of respite when you need it.

We researched the most popular baby swings to find the number one option for most parents of babies, from newborns to 6-month olds. We looked for swings that were well-built and durable, contained important safety features, and offered a range of swing-direction options. In the end, we landed on the Graco Duetsoothe Swing + Rocker (available at Amazon for $189.97) as the best overall. It lets your baby swing front-to-back or side-to-side, the seat converts easily into a rocker, it’s built with sturdy materials, and the extra features—including a mobile and music—are useful but subtle.

The Graco DuetSooth is our pick for Best Baby Swing.

Because every baby has a different preference when it comes to swings, the Graco Duetsoothe Swing + Rocker’s variable swing directions are key. You can spin the seat 180 degrees, meaning your baby can swing from side-to-side facing either direction, or from front-to-back. Overall, we think this swing is likely to soothe your baby, no matter their swinging preferences.

The Duetsoothe is a bulky 34 inches wide and 43 inches tall, but its lean look and grey coloring make it visibly less obtrusive than many of the other swings we tested. You can remove the seat and use it as a stand-alone rocker, which gives you a portable place to set your baby anywhere in the house. Note that the rocker itself is not electronic (the full swing can be plugged in or operated using D batteries), so you may have to walk by and kick it occasionally to keep your baby moving.

The Duetsoothe contains many useful and fun features: a mobile with three stuffed bears, 10 subtle classical music songs (and a range of volumes), white noise in the form of five nature soundtracks, and a two-speed, battery-operated vibration setting. This was also one of the quietest swings we tested—unlike many of the other models, the motor didn’t make loud noises and there was no back-and-forth clicking sound. And it slows down when you reach in to touch your baby or remove them from the swing, then speeds up again once you’ve removed your hands.

The DuetSoothe is also made with high-quality materials, which suggests that you could use this swing for quite some time, and also that it’s still a good purchase even if it’s been used by another family. The seat—which was fairly recumbent—has a 5-point harness and a padded headrest. It contains an infant insert, and can be used for babies from 5.5 to 30 pounds. (Note that the weight limit on the stand-alone rocker is only 18 pounds.) You can easily remove the seat pad (which is attached via elastic loops and straps) and machine wash it in cold water on a delicate cycle, but the brand recommends air drying the pad after you do so.

A few downsides: The DuetSooth swings at six speeds, but we found that anything over the 4th speed was too fast and risked rolling our baby from side to side, as well as hitting other things in the room because of the swing’s width. It was also fairly difficult to build; after 30 minutes, we abandoned the tough-to-decipher manual and headed to YouTube. And even when it’s detached from the swing, the rocker is bulky and tough to take in the car; if you’re planning to carry a swing with you to multiple locations, you’ll want to pick something else.

The DuetSoothe had nearly 2,000 reviews on Amazon at the time of this writing, with an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. Most of the reviews are positive, but some users complain about a clicking noise that develops after using the swing for a month or more, which is likely a motor issue. We didn’t have this problem but swings are notorious for developing motor problems, so we recommend reaching out to Graco and asking for replacement parts if that issue happens in your home.

Variable swing directions

Comfortable

High quality materials

Can also be used as a rocker

Tough to build

Not portable

Large size

Like our top pick, the Glider LX was tough to assemble; we again ended up abandoning the manual for a YouTube tutorial. The swing only moves from front-to-back, though it was stable and nicely compact which makes it easier to move throughout the house compared to many of the other options we tested; it doesn’t fold, though, so you can’t pack it into the car. There are white noise and music options, and a toy bar, too. Overall, this swing was a just-fine experience, but it’s lack of variable swing directions made it a less-appealing contender.

Magical for soothing babies

Great add-ons

Responsive to caregiver’s motion

Wide frame

Variable quality

Kid-centric look

This swing, which comes in several versions including the Snugabunny and most recent Snow Leopard, has a huge, supportive following online—and we can see why: Compared to the other swings we tested, our baby was most comfortable in this side-to-side swing. It magically calmed him down no matter his mood, and he loved staring at the mirror beneath the mobile. The Cradle n’ Swing slows down when you reach in to pick the baby up, and it offers music and a mobile. While loud, we thought this would be our favorite option—until it broke. We tested two versions of this swing: the first had a broken motor within a week; the second arrived broken and wouldn’t swing at all. It’s also obtrusive—both in look and size—making it a tough option for parents who don’t have a lot of space at home.

This issue of poor materials is sadly common online; if you get a swing that works, you’ll likely be happy with it, despite its wide frame and very kid-oriented color scheme. But if you get a swing that’s broken, or if the motor dies quickly, your only option is to try to replace the parts or to macgyver a fix using DIY methods, which are plentiful on YouTube.

Comforting to baby

Mobile includes mirror

Breaks often

Doesn't fit well in small spaces

The SwingPod Travel Swaddle Swing is a swaddle with handles; you put the baby inside, wrap them up using velcro panels, then grab the handles and swing them like a purse, back and forth, side to side. While there’s a lot of variabilities available in this option, it’s also completely parent-operated. It doesn’t give you a break and our baby felt constricted rather than soothed. It’s also only recommended for babies up to 15 pounds. On the plus side, it’s inexpensive.

Portable

Inexpensive

Requires parental energy

Constricting for baby

The Ingenuity ConvertMe felt cheaper than the other swings we tested. It’s battery-operated, plus the seat isn’t the most comfortable. (It is a simple piece of fabric stretched over a frame.) The swing only moves front-to-back, and it’s difficult to reach in if you want to grab your baby or move them to their crib. A few bonuses: This swing converts into a seat for children up to 20 pounds and it’s fairly slim, compared to most other options. But we think the cheaper-feeling materials are a dealbreaker.

Converts to a chair for older children

Slim profile

Portable

Cheaper materials

Only moves in one direction

Uncomfortable seat

Yes, infant swings are convenient for naps. But the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued several warnings about leaving your child in a swing, bouncer, or similar device, which has been tied to head-and-neck related emergency room visits. They also recommend limiting time in a swing to 15 minutes twice per day, to prevent babies’ still-soft heads from flattening (which can happen when they sit or lie in the same reclining positions for too long).

Based on this, we looked for swings that were stable. We didn’t want a swing that made us worried our baby could fall out, nor did we want a swing that felt liable to break. We also chose swings with safety harnesses and infant inserts for smaller babies.

The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews, and more.

Jenni Gritters

Contributor

Jenni Gritters is a journalist with a decade of experience working on parenting, retail, and psychology-focused stories.

You can find her bylines in Reviewed, the Wall Street Journal, Wirecutter, Forbes and beyond.

She typically covers products in the home, health, parenting and outdoor spaces, and has two children ages 1 and 3. When Jenni isn't writing, you can find her hiking in the Central Oregon mountains, where she lives.

Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.