Smart Baby Gadgets for New Parents

We surveyed parents and scoped out the competition before naming the SNOO bassinet the best smart baby gadget.
Best smart bassinet
Snoo Smart Sleeper
SNOO Smart Sleeper
  • con
    Outgrown at 6 months
  • pro
    Prolongs sleep
  • pro
    Available for rent
Best baby monitor
new nanit baby monitor
Nanit Pro Camera
  • pro
    Works for years
  • pro
    Tracks breathing
  • pro
    Great night vision
Best formula dispenser
Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced Wi-Fi
  • con
    Outgrown at 12 months
  • pro
    Preps bottles in seconds
  • pro
    Fits all bottles
Best white noise machine
Hatch Rest Mini
  • pro
    Works for years
  • pro
    Plays 8 soothing sounds
  • pro
    App-controlled
Best baby tracker
Talli
  • pro
    Works for years
  • pro
    Tracks infinite events
  • pro
    Portable unit

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Every new parent wishes they could get more sleep, and the SNOO Smart Sleeper by Happiest Baby actually makes it possible. We surveyed and interviewed parents to confirm that the SNOO’s benefits aren’t just marketing hype—it’s really worth the money.

Other smart gadgets that make newborn life a little easier include a baby monitor that tracks breathing and movement, a formula dispenser that prepares a warm bottle in about 20 seconds, an app-controlled white noise machine, and a one-touch feeding and diaper change tracker.

We’ve explained all of their cool features—and recommended budget-friendly alternatives—below.



Compare the best smart baby gadgets

Product
Best for
Price
Smart integrations
Learn more
Read review
Snoo Smart SleeperSNOO Smart Sleeper
Best smart bassinetAmazon Alexa
new nanit baby monitorNanit Pro Camera
Best baby monitorNone
Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced Wi-Fi
Best smart formula dispenserNone
Hatch Rest Mini
Best white noise machineAmazon Alexa (with upgrade)
Talli
Best baby trackerAmazon Alexa

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

Best smart baby gadget reviews

1. Happiest Baby SNOO Smart Sleeper: Best baby bassinet

Best smart baby bassinet
Snoo Smart Sleeper

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The SNOO Smart Sleeper Baby Bassinet helps your baby sleep longer and gives you a break from constant late-night rocking. Just don’t panic at the price tag—you can rent one for a monthly fee.

pro
Pros
pro Responds to cries
pro Weans older babies off rocking
pro Rental program
pro Sleep reports
pro Easy setup
con
Cons
con Expensive

How the SNOO Smart Sleeper works

The SNOO rocks and plays white noise once it hears your baby fuss and cry. It rapidly increases the rocking motion up five levels until the baby stops crying and then gradually moves slower and slower. Happiest Baby—the makers of SNOO—recommend tending to your little one if they’re still crying one minute after the SNOO starts rocking.

You can customize the motions based on your baby’s preferences, and there are special modes for premature infants and 6-month-olds nearly ready for a crib.

“The SNOO bassinet was a 100% lifesaver.”

—Clara S., SafeWise product tester

Other Happiest Baby SNOO benefits

The SNOO features a breathable mesh design for good air circulation, special swaddle clips that keep your baby on their back, a quiet motor, and a waterproof mattress cover. It also comes with a smartphone app that lets you view sleep reports, adjust motion settings, and find out what the SNOO’s currently doing.

Save money by renting the SNOO or buying it used

It’s impractical for most parents to spend over $1,500 on a device that’s used for 6 months, but you can save some money by using SNOO’s rental program or scouring your local consignment shops and used listings.

If you do buy the SNOO full-price, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to resell it and get most of your money back once your baby outgrows it. Or you can keep it in the family for future babies since its motor supposedly lasts for over 10 million cycles.1 Just note that the warranty expires after 12 months and that you should always buy new swaddle sacks.

“My first baby I didn't have a SNOO and the second did. It was a game changer!”

—Sasha H., SafeWise product tester

What parents are saying about the SNOO

We talked to several parents who used the Happiest Baby SNOO Smart Sleeper, and they had mostly positive feedback.

“It definitely saved us from some sleepless nights,” said Clara S. “If my daughter made even a peep of sound, the SNOO would automatically start swaying, and if she didn't actually need to be fed or need her diaper to be changed, she would fall back asleep.”

Clara also praised the custom settings in the app and said it alerted her if her daughter actually needed hands-on attention.

Another SNOO user, Sasha H., also had good things to say about the app: “It showed me what happened through the night and allowed me to adjust the soothing remotely from my phone.”

Sasha liked the SNOO’s all-night responsive rocking, but she had some criticisms. “The higher-intensity movement did not actually soothe my baby at all,” she said, also noting that she couldn’t turn off the white noise—it always came on when the SNOO rocked.

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Budget alternative

We found only one other smart bassinet that automatically responds to your baby’s cries like the SNOO: the Graco Sense2Snooze. It retails for around $290, but it doesn’t come with a smartphone app for sleep reports or easy setting changes. Still, it’s a great money-saving option that could help you and your baby sleep better.  

2. Nanit Pro Camera: Best baby monitor

Best baby monitor
new nanit baby monitor

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The Nanit Pro Camera is a smart baby monitor that alerts you when your baby moves or makes noise. If you pair it with special branded sleepwear, the Nanit Pro Camera can also track your baby’s sleep and breathing patterns.

pro
Pros
pro Sleep-tracking app
pro Excellent night vision
pro Multiple logins for app
pro Unlimited viewing range
con
Cons
con Audio stream drains phone battery

The Nanit baby monitor mounts to the wall or to a floor stand. It records in 1080p HD and manages to capture clear footage in a dark room thanks to infrared night vision.

View live Nanit Pro Camera footage on your smartphone, Echo Show, or Kindle Fire, and hear a continuous audio stream even when the app’s running in the background. You can give multiple users access to the app to make babysitting a breeze, but two-factor authentication and encryption protect your info from everyone else.

Nanit Pro Camera also monitors movement

One of the reasons we love the Nanit Pro Camera is that it doubles as a movement monitor and sleep tracker. However, you’ll need special sheets, swaddles, and sleepwear, since each is printed with a design that the Nanit locks onto and measures throughout the night.

The whole ensemble can get expensive, but the idea is that it’s more comfortable for your baby than wearing a bulky health monitor.

Learn more in our full Nanit Pro review or check out alternatives in our roundup of the best baby monitors.

Light Bulb
Budget alternative

We like the VTech Video Baby Monitor for a low-tech, budget-friendly option. It retails for around $50.

3. Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced Wi-Fi: Best smart formula dispenser

Best smart formula dispenser

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The genius Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced Wi-Fi whips up a warm and perfectly portioned formula bottle in 20 to 30 seconds. Yes—seconds. And you can start the whole process from your phone so a bottle’s ready as soon as you get to the kitchen.

pro
Pros
pro Pre-program up to 4 bottles
pro 3 temperature settings
pro Fits all bottles
pro Sends error alerts to phone
pro BPA free
con
Cons
con May dispense less formula than expected—test before using

Forget about scooping powders, measuring water, whisking out clumps, and waiting eons for it to heat. The Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced Wi-Fi does all of that with precision and speed, and it works with all bottles and most formula brands.

The app takes convenience to the next level, allowing you to program five different bottles so that you can make different sizes or temperatures with one touch. A water-only bottle is also an option.

This smart baby gadget costs about $300, but it’s the only one we could find with a smartphone app. You can save about $100 by getting the app-less but slightly faster BabyEXO Formula Dispenser instead.

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What about smart breastmilk bottle warmers?

We wanted to recommend a smart bottle warmer for breastfed babies too, but there’s only one for sale—the Baby Brezza Safe + Smart Bottle Warmer—and its unimpressive app-based features do very little to simplify a parent's life.

Allow us to deviate from our “smart gadget” theme for a moment and recommend the sleep-deprived-parent-friendly First Years Night Cravings Bottle Warmer and Cooler. You can set up a bottle in advance and keep it cool for up to eight hours in the nursery, warm it within five minutes when the time comes, and get a completely silent, light-based notification when it’s ready to go.

4. Hatch Rest Mini: Best white noise machine for babies

Best white noise machine for babies

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The Hatch Rest Mini white noise machine plays eight soothing sounds—including rain, heartbeats, and ocean waves—to help with sleep training. You can control it from a smartphone app to adjust volume, sounds, and duration without entering the nursery and disturbing your little one.

pro
Pros
pro Multiple caretakers can use app
pro 60-day money-back guarantee
pro 1-year warranty
con
Cons
con Upgrade required for audio monitoring

Other Hatch white noise machines to consider

We like the Hatch Rest Mini because it’s simple and affordable, so you’re not paying for features that you’ll never use. But if your baby needs a little extra comfort at night, consider the Hatch Rest or Rest+. Both include a programmable nightlight to add another sleep cue to your little one’s repertoire, and the Rest+ doubles as an audio monitor and integrates with Amazon Alexa.

The Hatch Mini comes with a free trial of Hatch Sleep Membership for access to stories, classical music, and other sounds.

5. Talli: Best baby tracker

Best baby tracker

Tracking feedings, diaper changes, and sleep helps you monitor your baby’s health and stay ahead of fussiness. Talli makes it super easy to stay accurate and organized. No messy smartphone notes or lost pen-and-paper charts—just push a button or use your voice (with Alexa’s help) to log events.

pro
Pros
pro Easy-push buttons
pro 7 pre-set event buttons
pro Tons of customization options
pro Amazon Alexa integration
pro Second unit available
con
Cons
con Easy to misplace around the home

How to use the Talli baby tracker

Talli features eight event buttons:

  • Bottle
  • Solid food
  • Wet diaper
  • Dirty diaper
  • Sleep timer
  • Nursing timer
  • Pumping timer
  • Miscellaneous

If that still doesn’t seem like enough options, don’t worry—the app lets you add custom notes and settings. For example, you can indicate which breast you used for a nursing session, what type and amount of solid food your baby ate, and mark everything from tummy time to medications with the miscellaneous option.

Talli’s designed for convenience

Talli is about the size of a thermostat and can be mounted near the nursery door for easy event recording. Just slide it up and off its bracket to carry it with you around the house if that seems more convenient. You can also get a second Talli to keep elsewhere—including another caretaker’s home.

We love that the buttons are even large enough for you to press with your elbow if your hands are full or you’ve just dealt with a diaper.

And, yes, there’s a twin-friendly option too.

Light Bulb
Budget alternative

You can get a refurbished Talli tracker for about $70, which is $30 less than a brand-new one.

If you already have an Amazon Echo, you can enable the Baby Stats skill for free and track everything with your voice, but it’s not as caretaker-friendly as the Talli.

More smart baby gadgets we considered

You can really go hog-wild with smart baby gadgets if you love stats and convenience. Check out these other options for 21st-century parenting.

(There are still no diaper-changing robots. Sorry.)

Hatch Baby Grow Smart Pad and Scale: Best smart changing pad

There are more affordable baby scales on the market that track your infant’s weight in a smartphone app, but none of them seemed to offer enough stability or space to double as a changing pad like the Hatch Baby Grow Smart Pad.

We love this two-in-one design because it means you’ll frequently log your baby’s weight without even thinking about it, and all those data points make it easier to spot potentially concerning trends.

Withings Thermo: Best smart thermometer

The Withings Thermo Smart Temporal Thermometer is a contactless thermometer that measures body temperature near a forehead artery. It gives near-instant, accurate, and color-coded readings. The companion app saves temperature data for up to eight people, allowing you to share precise info with the pediatrician—even when you’re in a brain fog from staying up all night with a sick kiddo. 

Willow Wearable Breast Pump: Best app-controlled breast pump

The Willow Wearable Breast Pump is a wireless electronic breast pump that you can tuck into your bra. Once it’s in position, you don’t have to reach in again to fiddle with buttons and adjust settings—do all of that with the companion app instead. Plus, the Willow Pump is quiet, spill-proof, and covered by some insurance plans.

Final word

You don’t have to buy the latest-and-greatest smart baby gadgets to be a good parent or raise a healthy, happy baby. But these devices can sure make tending to a newborn a little easier—especially the SNOO Smart Sleeper.

How we reviewed the best smart baby gear

We surveyed parents to find out which smart baby products were worth the money. When researching products and narrowing down our final recommendations, we considered whether a product would save parents time and money. Convenience was paramount.

Sources

  1. Happiest Customer Care Team, Happiest Baby, “How Long Will SNOO Last?” October 2016. Accessed March 21, 2022.
Disclaimer

*Product prices and availability are accurate as of post date and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Safewise.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.

Cathy Habas
Written by
With over eight years of experience as a content writer, Cathy has a knack for untangling complex information. Her natural curiosity and ability to empathize help Cathy offer insightful, friendly advice. She believes in empowering readers who may not feel confident about a purchase, project, or topic. Cathy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Indiana University Southeast and began her professional writing career immediately after graduation. She is a certified Safe Sleep Ambassador and has contributed to sites like Safety.com, Reviews.com, Hunker, and Thumbtack. Cathy’s pride and joy is her Appaloosa “Chacos.” She also likes to crochet while watching stand-up comedy specials on Netflix.

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