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Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet Review: A More Portable and Affordable Snoo Alternative

Our parent tester loves this smart bassinet. It's travel-friendly, customizable and won't break the bank.

Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet Review: A More Portable and Affordable Snoo Alternative

Merchant

Smart technology has undoubtedly made our lives more manageable as parents. One of the most coveted smart products in recent years is the Snoo Smart Sleeper Bassinet. My daughter, Carlin, slept in one from the day we brought her home from the hospital until she was over three months old. She rarely woke up at night, and if she did, the Snoo lulled her right back into a deep slumber.

When we decided to take an extended trip to our vacation home on the other side of the country, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to rent another one or ship our Snoo. Babies are expensive enough as it is. After running the numbers and doing some research, I decided to take a chance and purchase the Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet for our trip.

I was genuinely surprised at what a fantastic find it was. Not only is the Fisher-Price bassinet the least expensive smart bassinet on the market, but it’s also a fraction of the price of the Snoo. Here’s my honest Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet review, including how it differs from the Snoo.

What is the Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet?

The Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet is a smart bassinet that responds to your child with soothing vibrations, music and lights. It connects to an easy-to-use Bluetooth app, allowing you to control all the settings for a truly customized sleep experience. This bassinet is designed for babies who weigh up to 20 pounds and cannot push up on their hands and knees or pull up unassisted.

While some reviewers call it a "Snoo Dupe," it doesn't have all the features of the Snoo. But, at just $129, it's a much more affordable option (the Snoo retails at approximately $1,700). It's worthwhile if you're willing to sacrifice some of the more advanced features of the Snoo.

Features of the Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet

Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet Amanda Lauren

Comfort

Like more expensive bassinets, the Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet features mesh sides for maximum breathability. While it comes with one sheet, it fits most standard bassinet sheets. It also has a firm mattress, which is ideal for infant sleep. The soothing vibrations made it an extra comfortable sleeping and napping environment for my infant daughter, who rarely woke up during the night for the 10 weeks we used it.

Durability

This product was definitely built to last. The legs and basket feel strong and sturdy. When we were finished using it for the summer, we stored it in a bedroom closet. When we came back 9 months later,  I was astounded that it still looked brand new. I was surprised to find that the mesh didn’t look yellow or worn, and the vinyl edges hadn’t cracked. It's not a one-and-done bassinet and can 100% be used for multiple children over time.

Soothing modes

The bassinet has built-in sensors that respond to the baby’s cries and motions like the Snoo. The main difference is that the Luminate Bassinet responds with sounds, lights and vibrations instead of motion. Keep in mind that you may need to explore all the various settings, but it’s not too difficult to find a combination that will help your infant fall asleep and stay asleep.

There are three modes to choose from. Mode 1 responds with vibrations and the ambient sound of your choice. Mode 2 starts with Fisher-Price’s Ready, Settle, Sleep playlist to help your child fall asleep on their own. While it will respond to the baby’s cries with sounds and vibrations, there is a delay to give your child time to self-soothe.

Mode 3 doesn’t include vibrations; it simply plays Fisher-Price’s Ready, Settle, Sleep playlist. This mode is best for parents who are getting ready to transition their child to a crib or find their little one doesn't find the vibrations soothing. We used a combination of Mode 1 and turning the vibrations on high with a separate sound machine.

Each mode has three different stages. The first stage plays the sounds, while the second stage is designed to soothe a crying or fussy baby with increasing sounds and vibrations. Once baby calms down, it returns to the first stage. If the second stage isn’t helping your baby fall asleep (they could be hungry or have a wet diaper), it goes into the third stage, which stops all soothing mechanisms and sends a notification to the app to check on your baby.

Preset and customizable playlists

The Ready, Settle, Sleep playlist is designed to help your baby fall asleep and stay asleep. It was designed with the help of sleep experts. The bassinet offers a choice of white noise, rain and other nature sounds, but you can also create your own playlist in the app.

Crib light and motion-sensing floor light

The Luminate Bassinet features a crib light and a motion-sensing floor light, which is convenient for parents coming into the room to check on the baby or leave the room to go to bed themselves. This way, you don’t need to use your phone’s flashlight or risk waking the baby by turning on a stronger light.

However, I wasn’t personally a fan of this feature. The light was a little too sensitive (it would turn on if I rolled over in bed) and a bit brighter than I would have preferred. However, you can easily turn it off.

Smart device compatibility

The app is intuitive and easily connects to the bassinet. It takes just a few taps to change any of the settings. Can’t find your phone? There’s an additional control panel on the bassinet.

One underrated feature is the notification that your child is awake and cannot be soothed back to sleep.  So, if you don’t have a camera or are using it when visiting friends and family, you may find this built-in feature very useful. We didn’t have a camera when we used it and didn’t feel like we needed one at all. This is yet another reason why the Luminate Bassinet is such a fantastic value buy.

Cleanability

From blowouts to spit-up—it was easy to clean the bassinet with regular baby wipes. The vinyl accents are also easy to wipe down. The mattress also comes with a removable cover that you could wash in the sink in the event of a particularly treacherous blowout. It also comes with a standard white, machine-washable bassinet sheet. However, you may want to buy an extra sheet or two that’s perhaps a bit more decorative.

Baby Carlin in Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet Amanda Lauren

Is the Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet safe?

The Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet is JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association) certified. This means that the product meets the minimum safety requirements set forth by the government as well as additional requirements set by the JPMA. To achieve this certification, a sample is tested at an independent laboratory for safety, performance and functionality.

As of October 2024, there have been no recalls or safety alerts issued for the Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet. So, as long as it is properly assembled and you follow the usage directions, you can be assured that your baby should not experience any safety issues.

How easy was it to install the Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet?

Installing the Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet is easy enough for even the most tired parent. While the instruction manual says it takes 20 minutes, you can probably do it in about half that time, even if you don’t consider yourself the best at assembling products.

While many baby products seem to require professional assembly, if you’ve ever assembled a table or high chair, you will have no trouble with this. Four legs snap in, as well as four posts to support the basket, each secured with one screw. It’s nearly impossible to make a mistake.

Traveling with the Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet

Although the Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet is not specifically designed for travel, you can easily remove the legs and store this bassinet in the trunk of an SUV or sedan for road trips, vacations and visits to grandparents. Weighing 20 pounds, it's light enough that most moms recovering from childbirth can manage it without much assistance.

Keep in mind that the bassinet needs to be plugged in for all the features to work. So ensure there is easy access to an outlet because the cord isn’t very long. However, you could use an extension cord if needed.

Final verdict

If you’re looking for a bassinet with all the bells and whistles at a price that won’t make you cry like a baby startled out of deep slumber, get the Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet. The vibration system is a smart tool that can help your baby learn to self-soothe, which means extra sleep for mom and dad, too. Better yet, because it includes a sound machine, you don’t necessarily need to tote around an additional one if you’re using it on a long trip.

Pros

  • Excellent price
  • Stylish aesthetic
  • Built-in sound machine
  • Easy to assemble and clean
  • Travel-friendly
  • Smart crib that responds to baby’s cries
  • Can help baby self-soothe

Cons

  • Angeled legs can be a bit of a tripping or toe-stubbing hazard for adults
  • The 60-day warranty from the date of purchase seems a little short
  • The floor light is a bit too bright

Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet

Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet Merchant

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