Choosing the best baby bathtub for your family is surprisingly personal. Parents can consider a number of factors, including the space they have in their home (or bathroom), parent mobility issues, as well as the convenience of how best to bathe infants.
“For safety reasons, babies are slippery when they’re wet, so a secure surface is very important to me,” says Shannon Willett, a mother-of-two and parenting guru on TikTok, reviews baby products online.
The best baby bathtubs provide a stable, accessible bathing station for your new baby.
Image: Forbes / Photos: Retailers
In addition to safety, portability was a priority for Willett and her husband when they first started looking for a carrycot for their oldest child two years ago. Your baby would be using a guest bathroom so the tub had to be stowed away when not in use. After a long search, the couple landed on the Oxo Tot Splash and Store Tub, which they also use with their second baby.
Like Willett, you want to choose a bathing facility that best suits your family. I’ve compiled this list of the best baby bathtubs for various preferences based on parenting critic recommendations, best-seller lists, my experience as a mom of two young children, and safety standards. (See these product recommendations for more infant bathing best practices from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which oversees baby tubs, among other things).
This tub’s unique backrest design allows babies to sit upright while bathing. Parents have found that it is not the best for newborns as they cannot sit up easily. However, the size and shape are suitable for babies up to 12 months. Lightweight for countertop use, the tub also features a drain for easy emptying for parents. The simple lines and lack of crevices make cleaning easy, and the handle doubles as a hook for easier storage in crowded bathrooms.
Amazon
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Fisher Price Whale of a Tub
Adorable and functional, the whale tail on this baby bath tub is actually a booster seat for smaller babies that can be removed as they grow. The tub also has a drain and the infant insert includes a padded headrest. Unlike some other baby baths, this one doesn’t fold for storage, but it’s small enough to fit in some sinks. Take a closer look at the dimensions if this is important to you.
This origami-style foldable foam tub fits most sinks. The best thing about the Puj Tub is that it folds flat and can be hung on the wall for those who don’t have a lot of storage space. This design element also means the Puj can drip dry without ever going moldy. Our parenting editor used this simple tub in the kitchen sink of her Brooklyn apartment and loved its simplicity and shallow storage. “I had big babies, so we didn’t get to use this tub for long, but it was so ideal for our tiny city apartment and pantry,” says Rose Gordon Sala, baby and children’s gear editor at Forbes Vetted. “It’s made of foam, so it feels a bit flimsy, but it offers just the right amount of support and padding, and packs away easily afterwards.”
Made in the USA
Amazon
The First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe carrycot for newborns to toddlers
Newborns can wriggle and make bathing really scary, but the baby hammock in this tub securely cradles them to keep them in place. The sling itself can be washed together with other baby items. The tub also gets bonus points for accessibility as it can be used in an average sized tub or placed in a sink. As baby grows, remove the sling for a slightly reclined bath for your older baby, or have them sit on the more upright side of the tub. Amazon customers gave the tub a mostly positive rating of 4.7 out of 5 and almost 25,000 reviews.
Goal
Angelcare baby bath support
This non-slip bath seat is an affordable option for parents who want to keep baby reclined while bathing. The seat features a BPA-free mesh that wicks water to prevent mold growth. It’s also easy to clean and dry in the tub itself, and it includes a hook to hang it out of the way for storage. It holds babies up to 20 pounds and fits in many sinks.
Goal
OXO Tot Splash and Store Bathtub
Although the Splash and Store folds up for storage, it’s certainly not flimsy. The tub narrows at one end where newborns can be safely placed for bathing and expands to a larger space ideal for toddlers. With drains on both sides, parents can easily empty the tub even with their toddler in the tub. This tub is on the more expensive end of the baby bathtub spectrum, but parents say it’s worth it. “All the water drains really easily and efficiently,” says Willett.
Made in the USA
Amazon
Primo EuroBath 2-tier baby bath
The two-sided design of the Primo EuroBath includes a reclining seat for newborns on one side and an upright seat for toddlers on the other side. It’s sturdy and slightly larger than some of our other picks, making it a good fit for older or larger babies too. It can carry babies up to 30 pounds. With BPA-free and phthalate-free polypropylene, the whole thing is also recyclable. Cleaning takes just a quick and easy wipe. Keep in mind that it’s a bit bulkier than some options and doesn’t fold for storage.
Amazon
Blooming bath lotus
In-sink baby baths can be ideal for parents recovering from cesareans or with back problems as they reduce the amount you have to bend over. The Blooming Bath Lotus is made from soft polyester that snuggles babies in sinks. Cleaning is a little unorthodox, but perhaps ideal. Simply rinse the petal or select the delicate cycle on your washing machine, then toss in the tumble dryer (or air dry) for 15 minutes, eliminating the possibility of mold growth. The Bath Lotus is best suited for babies under 6 months and under 25 pounds.
How we picked the best baby bathtubs
As a journalist and mother of two young children, including a young baby, I researched this story with interest, first looking for safety considerations and guidelines, and then considering the attributes of the baby bath tub that parents value most, including a supportive structure, portability, and shelf life . as well as products that can pull double duty. I spoke to Willet to get her opinion as a product critic, and also researched best-selling baby bathtubs, analyzed customer reviews, and noted the dimensions, features, and materials of those tubs before compiling this list. I’ve also considered which tubs work best in certain households or with certain age groups.
Preferably Safety Practices for Use baby baths
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) published its guidelines on baby bath tub safety back in 2017, warning that the biggest risk to infants is drowning if left unattended.
“Young children can easily drown, even in small amounts of water,” the CPSC report says.
To that end, the CPSC has established several rules to ensure parents protect their babies.
Never leave a baby alone in the tub. Always.
Keep children at arm’s length while bathing and take them with you if you must leave.
Do not leave babies in the care of small children.
learn CPR.
When buying a carrycot, the commission also recommends buying brand new rather than used, so you know the carrycot is up to the latest standards and in good condition.
