10 of the best baby bouncer chairs, swings and rockers

To give you a more extensive view of each product, most of the products selected include feedback from our parent testers. This is a great way to know what the rocker, bouncer or swing is really like.

If you're looking for more ways to entertain and soothe your baby, take a look at our best activity mats and baby gyms. For when your baby is not in their bouncer, you can ensure they're playing safely in the best playpens for babies.

Safety note: Your baby should always be strapped in the chair with a harness and the chair must never be placed on a raised surface such as a table.

Best baby bouncers, swings and rockers at a glance

• Best bouncer for space-saving: BabyBjörn Bouncer Bliss, £210
• Best bouncer for folding away: Joie Dreamer Baby Bouncer, £70
• Best rocker for evolving with your child: Fisher-Price Infant to Toddler Rocker, £65
• Best rocker and bouncer for newborn comfort: Joie Sansa 2-in-1, £150
• Best value baby bouncer: BabaBing Float Baby Bouncer, £39.99
• Best rocker for calming babies: Grace All Ways Soother, £220
• Best rocker for style: Maxi-Cosi Kori, £99
• Best rocker for manual rocking: Nuna Leaf, £170
• Best for an elevated seat: Babymoov Swoon Air, £139.99
• Best bouncer for added technology: 4moms MamaRoo, £269.99

What’s the difference between a bouncer, a rocker and a swing chair?

Bouncer chairs are designed to be flexible so that they move (or bounce) slightly when you push down on the chair or when your baby kicks. This is a great way to encourage young babies to move and start using their leg muscles – they love the movement. Bouncers usually come with a toy bar or hanging mobile, which is ideal for keeping your baby entertained. As they often have an upright position, bouncers can also be used as a feeding seat as your child grows.

Rockers are usually quite sturdy and many have a curved or slanted base that allows you to rock the chair manually or using battery-powered motion. They often have different recline positions and rocking speeds. Rockers that run on battery or mains power may also offer white noise, nature sounds or melodies that can be played while the chair is rocking or stationary.

Swing chairs are similar to rockers, but are usually limited to a back and forth swinging motion, rather than rocking from side to side. Swings offer the ability to change the speed of the swing and may also feature sounds or nursery rhymes. The soothing swing movement helps to soothe babies, and many parents find it particularly helpful if their babies have colic or are very fretful.

You’ll find that some chairs are now a combination of more than one of the types – which is usually reflected in the price.

What to look for when buying a baby bouncer, rocker or swing chair

What features do you want or need? Baby chairs come in all shapes and sizes; from pared back comfy seat to all-singing and dancing gadgets and chairs that swing in different directions. If you choose a chair that has music, motion or vibration, you'll need to use batteries or buy one that plugs into the mains.

How much space does it take up? Some baby chairs have a seriously large floor space footprint, particularly for big swings and rockers. The bigger the chair, the less portable it will be – so think about which room it’s likely to live in (and potentially dominate). Also, most baby chairs don’t fold away compactly, so we’ve included dimensions for each chair so you can see if it’ll fit your space.

How easy is it to clean? Babies are messy – however much you try to keep them clean. And it means where they sit and lie can get dirty so check to see how easy the chair is to clean, whether you can remove the material and if it’s machine washable, or if it’s easy to wipe down.

When can my baby use a baby chair?

Most bouncers. rockers and swings are suitable from birth and some brands include a newborn insert or headrest for added padding and comfort.

For newborns, one of the main features should be a recline function that allows your baby to lie as flat as possible, as fully upright seats will not be suitable at this stage. "A lie-flat position helps the spine develop in the correct way," says Hannah Spink, Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapist at Bumble Be Physio in London. "In a lie-flat position, the hips will naturally turn into external rotation and abduction, which is the point where the hips are contained within the socket. If you force a baby to sit up then you could potentially compromise that position".

If the chair fully reclines to 180 degrees it’s suitable for short daytime naps but shouldn’t be used for overnight sleeping.

How much do I need to spend on a baby bouncer or rocker?

While you can pick up more basic models for under £100 and even some under £50, the majority of the chairs are £100+ with those in the £150-200 price bracket having an extensive range of movement, sound, entertainment and design features.

Here’s our pick of the best baby bouncer, swing and rocker chairs:

1. BabyBjörn Bouncer Bliss, £210

– Best for space-saving

Suitable from: Birth to 24 months (bouncer up to 9kg; chair up to 13kg) | Type: Manual bouncer | Dimensions: H89.5cm x W10cm x L39cm | Weight: 2.3kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes | Awards: Gold – Baby bouncer/swing/seat, MadeForMums Award 2021

If you're looking for something simple and unobtrusive that keeps your baby comfortable and can be easily moved around, check out the Bouncer Bliss. Available in 3 muted colours, it’s unassuming and has a pared-back design which MFM tester Laura was a fan of. “It comes in neutral colours and is sleek and super stylish, so it feels like an elegant piece of furniture,” she said. “Our old bouncer was quite garish and brightly coloured and I used to try and hide it away when it wasn’t in use.”

One of its main selling points is how light and portable it is, so you can easily move it from room to room or take it on holiday. It has a gentle natural rocking motion that is powered by your baby, so no need for batteries or power cords.

MFM home tester Claire liked the fact that it doesn’t take up a lot of space and said: “My baby seems to love it. My son has Down’s Syndrome and low muscle tone, so struggles with head control; this bouncer really supports him and he can bounce it easily by kicking his legs.”

The MFM home testers commented that the price point was high considering the chair doesn’t have a wide range of functions. However, they liked the fact that it can be used as a non-bouncer chair up to 13kg (approximately 2 years), which made it better value for money.

Pros: Lightweight, portable, sleek design
Cons: No toy bar, expensive given its simplicity

Available from: Baby Bjorn, Samuel Johnston, Amazon and John Lewis

2. Joie Dreamer Baby Bouncer, £70

– Best for folding away

Suitable from: Birth to 9kg (chair 9kg-15kg) | Type: Manual rocker with electronic sounds and vibrations | Dimensions: H72 x W46 x D68cm | Weight: 3.59kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes

The Joie Baby Dreamer is ultra slim and compact, it folds up for easy storage. The seat gently rocks and bounces as your baby moves. MFM home tester Charlie, mum of 5, used this bouncer with her son from birth, she complimented the fact that "the bouncer could be collapsed down flat so we could store it away if not being used and easily take it away with us when went on holiday or to visit friends and family".

It offers 3 different reclining positions and 2 adjustable leg rest comfort options. So, you should be able to find a position comfortable for your baby.

It has 2 speed soothing vibration options with 5 classical lullabies and 5 nature sounds to help calm and soothe your little one. MFM home tester Charlie liked "how the buttons for the sounds and other functions were covered by a material flap so were hidden and couldn't be touched by the baby".

This clever bouncer can be easily converted into a stationary seat too. The rotating toy bar which includes 2 toys for playtime entertainment is easily removable.

Another great thing about this bouncer? It's easy to clean with a removable, washable plush infant body support and seat pad.

To ensure your little one is securely in, there's a SoftTouch 3-point harness with a soft lower buckle cover.

As for design, the Joie Dreamer Baby Bouncer has a variety of options: petite city, starry night, fern, flowers forever and twinkle. For each style, the toys on the entertainment bar are designed to match.

Pros: Folds up and easy to store, machine-washable cover, plays music and vibrates
Cons: Manual rocker

Available from: Boots, Mamas & Papas and John Lewis

3. Fisher-Price Infant to Toddler Rocker, £65

– Best for evolving with your child

Suitable from: Birth to 18kg| Type: Manual rocker with electronic vibrations | Dimensions: H56 x W52 x D69cm | Weight: 3.08kg| Machine Washable Cover: Yes

This rocker evolves with your child. You can use it with your infant, all the way up to when they're a toddler.

MFM home tester Hollie, mum of 5 uses this rocker every day with her 12 month year old boys. "They are not sitting up yet due to developmental delays and quickly outgrew the normal style bouncers by about 6 months so I was forced to find something else and I wish I found this from birth, it's so sturdy and well made," said Hollie

In infancy, it starts out as a soothing rocker or stationary seat with two bat-at toys overhead. When your little one grows up into a toddler, you can remove the toy bar and convert the seat to a toddler chair.

This rocker aims to soothe your child with its deep comfy seat and reclining seat back, coupled with calming vibrations. If that's not good enough, it's easy to clean too, with a machine-washable seat pad.

Hollie said if there was one thing she could change about this rocker she "would have more reclining options, there's only 2 and there's not a a great difference in them. It would be nice to have the option to sit up a bit further and recline a bit further".

The Fisher-Price rocker claims to help your little one's gross motor skills with its overhead toys that encourage them to reach up and strengthen their muscles. It also could improve their sensory skills, with the soft fabrics, bright colours and and fun clacking sounds.

Compared to some of the other rockers and bouncers, this one is much brighter and perhaps less stylish for your house. However, there are a variety of different styles to choose from, all with different overhead toys to go with.

Pros: Can be used with toddlers, machine-washable,
Cons: Only 2 reclining options

Available from: Boots, Very and Argos

4. Joie Sansa 2in1, £150

– Best for newborn comfort

Suitable from: Birth to 13kg | Type: Manual and electronic rocker and vibrations | Dimensions: H71.5cm x W53.5cm x L77.5cm | Weight: 7kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes

This multi-purpose baby seat gives the choice of manual or automated movement to rock your child. It also has 3 recline positions, 2 vibration options, 5 songs and 5 white noise/nature sounds. With a good selection of rocking options and speeds – back and forth, side to side or a combination of both – you're likely to find a setting that's just right for your child.

MFM reviewers Iván and Sophie liked how comfortable the Sansa 2in1 was for their 4-month-old daughter Mila: “It comes with an infant insert and head support to ensure the smallest babies are comfortable and safely positioned.”

And for older kids a MFM user further added, “The different recline position are great as your baby gets bigger and wants to look around more. It lasted our little girl till she was around 8 months.”

While Iván and Sophie found the Sansa 2in1 a little tricky to assemble and the base quite heavy with a large footprint, the seat can be removed from the base unit for easier transportation. In addition, the chair can be battery or mains powered and the base has built-in speakers that have good sound quality with a decent volume range making this a great multi-functional rocker.

Pros: Multi-functional, newborn insert
Cons: Tricky to assemble, heavy base

Read our full MadeForMums review of the Joie Sansa 2in1

Available from: Boots, Mamas & Papas and John Lewis

5. BabaBing Float Baby Bouncer, £39.99

– Best for value

Suitable from: Birth to 9kgs or approx. 6 months| Type: Manual rocker| Dimensions: H5 x W50 x D52cm| Weight: 1Kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes

This stylish BabaBing bouncer naturally bounces your little one, responding to their movement. The adorable elephant design and soft bounce makes it a fantastic place for your baby to rest and play.

It's incredibly lightweight, weighing approximately only 1Kg, making it easy to transport and move around your home to wherever you need it.

With its 3-point safety harness, you can rest assured your child should not be able to fall out. The toy bar included will entertain your baby whilst they're in their bouncer with cute elephant toys for them to reach up and play with.

This bouncer is also perfect for wooden, laminate or tiles floors with its non-slip base.

MFM home tester Margarita used this bouncer with her baby and said, "I can say this was life saving so many times", she also appreciated that it is "not expensive and quite affordable".

If you're looking for a bouncer for your little one but don't want to pay a massive amount, this may be a great option for you.

Pros: Good value, overhead toys, lightweight
Cons: Manual rocker, only lasts for up to 9Kg or approx. 6 months

Available from: John Lewis and Amazon

6. Graco All Ways Soother, £220

– Best for calming babies

Suitable from: Birth to 9 months (up to 9kg) | Type: Electronic swing and manual rocker | Dimensions: H81cm x W65.2cm | Weight: 10kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes (cold water)

Graco All Ways Soother is a multi-functional seat with a range of options that are great if your baby gets bored easily or doesn’t like certain swinging modes or directions. The chair features 3 recline positions, 8 different swinging options, including in 2 directions, and 6 different speeds. In terms of entertainment, it has 10 melodies and nature sounds, as well as a hanging mobile with 2 soft toys.

MFM home tester and mum-of-3 Louise, fell in love with how easily her baby fell asleep in the All Ways Soother. “It’s excellent quality and exceeded my expectations in every way. It is a truly universal product that would suit any baby due to the variety of functions and setting controls available. I enjoy having it as much as my baby!”

But the base is large and cumbersome, so this seat might be too big for more compact spaces. However, this is remedied slightly by the fact that the seat can be removed and used as a lightweight standalone baby rocker.

Pros: Multi-functional swinging options
Cons: Large base, expensive

Available from: Online4Baby and Kiddies Kingdom

7. Maxi-Cosi Kori, £99

– Best for style

Suitable from: Birth to 9 months/9kg | Type: Manual rocker | Dimensions: H48cm x W42.5cm x D72cm | Weight: 2kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes

A sturdy rocker that doubles up as a chair, the Kori boasts a modern design with a neutral colour scheme. For parents who dislike bright childlike patterns and colours, this is the ideal seat to blend neatly into the background in most living rooms.

Its premium, pared-back design and supportive feel impressed our MFM Awards testers and judges. MFM tester Liz used the Kori with her 5-month-old son and found it is built to last. She said: “The design is beautiful, the colours are sophisticated and the materials are obviously high quality.”

This is a compact rocker that's light and folds flat, making it quick to put away and easy to transport or store. The Kori’s design is minimalistic and so it doesn’t have a toy bar or any other features to entertain your baby. However, where it does stand up is the comfort it provides; the seat is well padded, has a very comfortable 3-point harness for safety and 3 recline positions.

Liz added: “As a seat, this is great. My baby is clearly comfortable and the various reclining positions also make it versatile. As a rocker, however – this product is a bit too sturdy! The rocking motion is very limited, so don’t expect it to offer baby any option of independent rocking.”

MFM home tester Lisa uses the Maxi-Cosi Kori with her little girl. She also agreed that it's hard for her daughter to move herself and needs someone else to rock it for her, she went on to compliment the newborn insert ,"which is great for when the babies are tiny". Lisa also likes that "there's a catch/button at the back which allows you to adjust how reclined the seat is which is great as they get older".

Pros: Smart design, easy to store
Cons: Won’t rock independently, no toy bar

Read our full MadeForMums review of the Maxi-Cosi Kori

Available from: Mamas & Papas, Boots, Samuel Johnston and Baby Planet

8. Nuna Leaf, £170

– Best for battery-free rocking

Suitable for: Birth to 12+/60kg | Type: Manual rocker | Dimensions: H45xW71xL72cm | Weight: 4.5kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes

With the price point near the top end of the market, the Leaf's main selling points is its stylish design, battery-free rocking movement lasting for 2 minutes and huge weight limit.

The USP of the Leaf is its gentle side-to-side rocking motion and its reclined position, which aims to induce sleep and calm. However, if you want to keep baby entertained while in the seat you can purchase a separate hanging toy bar (£20).

MFM reviewer Daisy used the Leaf with her 12-week-old son and found it to be robust, although heavy to move around the house. However she added that “the sturdy nature of the device ensures peace of mind knowing it won’t topple over or baby won’t fall out.”

It also has several useful accessories that can be purchased separately, but if you did decide to buy them all, it pushes up the overall cost of this seat significantly. For example, parents who want their child to be rocked for longer periods can buy the Wind Leaf Rocker (£75). This is a mini motor that pushes the seat post, activating the chair’s swaying motion, and operates at 6 different speeds.

With many people taking a keen interest in eco-friendly products, one MFM user liked the Leaf for its environmental credentials: “When I found out conventional bouncy seats are often treated with a load of chemicals I felt a bit overwhelmed. Not only is this chair made with 100% certified organic cotton, it's machine washable and has a robust metal frame.”

Pros: Large weight limit, made with soft cotton
Cons: Bulky, need to purchase separate toy bar

Read our full MadeForMums review of the Nuna Leaf

Available from: Mamas & Papas, Boots, Samuel Johnston and John Lewis

9. Babymoov Swoon Air, £139.99

– Best for an elevated seat

Suitable from: Birth to 9kg | Type: Static seat | Dimensions: H95cm x W57cm x L72cm | Weight: 6kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes | Awards: Bronze – Baby bouncer/swing/seat, MadeForMums Award 2021

This height adjustable baby chair impressed our testers with its comfort and convenience, offering a solution to keep your baby at a safe and stable height while allowing them to interact with the rest of the family. You can adjust the height of the chair to 5 positions, which MFM tester and mum of 3 Nyasha said would be "great for parents/carers with mobility issues".

She added, "The adjustable height is very convenient and will make life easier for those who may have trouble bending down to floor level for a conventional bouncer (for example post c-section). By being elevated, it was nice for my son to be at the table with his siblings so he could join in/watch what they were doing."

It's worth noting that this product is more of a static seat, rather than a bouncer. Plus our testers found the wide star-shaped base meant it was better suited to staying in one place, rather than moving around the house.

Pros: Elevated height
Cons: Doesn't bounce, not easy to move

Available from: Amazon, Kiddies Kingdom and Babymoov

10. 4moms MamaRoo, £269.99

– Best for added technology

Suitable from: Birth to 9kg (or until your baby can sit up unaided) | Type: Electronic swing and bouncer | Dimensions: H86xW51xL61cm | Weight: 8kg | Machine Washable Cover: Yes

With its futuristic design, the MamaRoo baby swing calms your baby with some pretty cool tech and innovation. It offers a combination of 5 different swing movements, designed to mimic natural parent rocking and comforting – the seat swings side by side and gently bounces up and down.

The MamaRoo is also Bluetooth-enabled, which means that you can control the swing motion, speed and even sounds from your phone. And the sounds aren’t just the built-in ones, you can select your own music from your phone or mp3 plug-in – so you and your baby don’t have to keep listening to the same melodies over and over again.

It has a handy recline function where you use the slider mechanism on the back of the seat to adjust it from lying down to more of a seated position. These positions aren’t pre-set so you can choose what’s comfortable for your baby as MFM reviewer Rachel did: “The ingenious seat adjustment meant I could tip Evelyn back for a snooze and she’d be quite happy for fairly long periods.”

Rachel also found the MamaRoo quick and easy to assemble and to take apart, with its washable zip-off fabric cover. However, while the large footprint makes this chair very stable, it’s not that easy to move around the house unless dismantled.

It’s worth noting that our MFM reviewer did find the volume too low when using the MP3 player function. This was a particular issue when her daughter Evelyn was using the bouncer at high intensity, as the mechanism was quite noisy. Chemica, a MFM home tester agreed that "the sound settings weren't high enough". However, other than that Chemica used the bouncer with her 2 month son until he was 6 months and "really loved it".

Pros: Bluetooth or MP3 connection, easy to assemble and take down
Cons: Large size, very expensive, noisy bouncing mechanism

Read our full MadeForMums review of the 4moms MamaRoo

Available from: Very and Uber Kids

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