What You Actually Need for a Baby

Baby gear editor Kalee Thompson shares her tried-and-true tips for what new parents really need for a newborn (and what to skip), the most helpful gifts for expecting parents, and the gear you can safely buy used.

 

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Products we recommend:

• Great baby bouncer:  BabyBjörn Bouncer Balance Soft
• Good laundry detergent for baby clothes:  Tide Free & Gentle Liquid Laundry Detergent
• Car seats we recommend: Graco SnugRide SnugFit 35 DLX; Chicco KeyFit 35; Uppababy Aria.
• A good lightweight stroller: Uppababy Minu V2
• A polarizing bassinet: Snoo Smart Sleeper
• Kalee loves: Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug
• Use this site to check for recalls on products you may be buying used: CPSC.gov

 

Additional reading:

• Gifts For New Moms
• Is the $1,700 Snoo Smart Sleeper Bassinet Worth It? What to Know Before You Buy.
• The 4 Best Infant Car Seats of 2025
• The 6 Best Bassinets and Bedside Sleepers of 2025
• The 5 Best Full-Size Strollers of 2025
• The 2 Best Travel Strollers of 2025
• The Best Baby Carriers
• The 5 Best Baby Monitors of 2025
• The 2 Best Diaper Pails of 2025

 

 

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The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel.Engineering support from Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Efim Shapiro, Rowan Niemisto, Sophia Lanman, and Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.

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