Tested by If you’re about to become a parent (or grandparent) for the first time – congratulations! To ensure your new bundle of joy has everything they need for the best possible start, the Good Housekeeping Institute has poked, prodded and pulled apart hundreds of the latest parenting products on the market, to help you make those crucial purchasing decisions without adding to the overwhelm.
From breast pumps to highchairs, carriers to bottle sterilisers, we’re here to help guide you, to ensure you buy the best for your family, whatever stage you’re at and whatever your budget.
Our experts have spent months in the lab examining the latest launches – developing thorough tests to really put each one through its paces, from pushchair assault courses to baby bottle assembly lines – and collating feedback from our panel of parents. Drumroll please for our winners...
How we test parenting products
We first ensured all products complied with UK safety standards. Then we assessed design and quality in our lab, testing each item as you would use them at home. We installed car seats and assessed how they swiveled, supported, and cleaned up. We donned baby carriers, assembled highchairs, and slathered on baby skincare products. We also asked our panel of parents (and babies) to try the products at home for a minimum of two weeks, before providing detailed feedback on ease of use, design, and, most importantly, performance.
Best pushchairs and strollers
Score: 93/100
With large wheels and good suspension, this pushchair guarantees a smooth ride. Choose the 12-piece travel-system bundle, including a carrycot and car seat (note, this wasn’t tested), or the chassis and seat (which folds flat for newborns). Our expert liked the magnetic harness, extendable hood and large basket. It’s quite heavy, but testers praised the ‘impressive’ build. A stylish, versatile pram.
Score: 92/100
Compact and stylish, the Bugaboo Butterfly impressed in on test with its super-fast fold, carry handle, shoulder strap and lightweight recycled aluminium frame. It’s practical, offering a roomy 8kg basket, recline, adjustable leg rest, and padded seat. Suitable from six months, it pairs with the Bugaboo Turtle Air car seat for use from newborn. The small wheels handle smooth surfaces well, but the single-height handle may not suit taller parents.
Score: 80/100
This affordable, front-facing stroller is suitable from birth (with a car seat) and includes a rain cover and cup holder. Its standout feature is the one-handed folding mechanism, plus it’s compact, lightweight and easy to carry. While the hard, non-adjustable handlebar and limited 2.5kg basket are drawbacks, puncture-proof swivel wheels and flip-flop-friendly brakes make this a top value choice.
READ OUR FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Best baby carriers
Score: 99/100
Designed for the first 12 months, this structured, yet simple design was easy to use and a doddle to switch between carers. There’s head support for when they’re snoozing, and the option of wearing baby facing inwards or out as they grow. It’s available in 20 colours and four machine-washable fabrics – with no colour fade reported in our lab tests – and comes with a reassuring 10-year guarantee.
Score: 99/100
Ergobaby’s machine washable carrier is super soft and snuggly. It’s suitable for use from 7lbs and adjusts as they grow, adapting to different-sized wearers, with a wide, padded belt and comfortable shoulder straps. As well as front and inward facing options, there’s an additional newborn configuration to ensure their hips, spine and head are all in the correct position. You can even breastfeed while wearing it once your confidence grows.
Score: 87/100
This well-priced carrier is perfect for occasional use and offers four positions for your baby. Once you've set it up, you put it on like a T-shirt – we found it easy to get baby in and out. It offers good spine support when your little one is facing in, though it's not quite as ergonomic when your baby is front-facing.
Best car seats
Score: 94/100
There’s no better car seat for baby's first year than Maxi-Cosi's Pebble 360 Pro2. When paired with the FamilyFix 360 Pro base, it rotates and slides right out of the door for easy access. It also reclines and fits various pushchair brands for a complete travel system. Made from recycled materials, it includes ‘ClimaFlow’ ventilation, and a large easy-open UPF 50+ hood. A worthy winner to transport your little one comfortably and safely.
Score: 84/100
A cost-effective, lightweight car seat for the first year, Graco’s SnugLite is simple to use, without the frills of some more expensive models. The SnugTurn rotating base makes it easy to get baby in and out, but the lack of recline means it’s better suited to shorter journeys. With adequate padding, a deep seat, good leg support and easy-to-wash covers, it ticks a lot of boxes for those on a budget.
We only test car seats that have passed the R-129 and i-Size safety regulations. Some of the seats have also passed additional safety tests. Note, we do not undertake our own crash test simulation.
Best breast pumps
Score: 97/100
Our at-home tester loved using this pump, and said they’d strongly recommend it to other first-timers. There are eight settings for letdown and expression modes, and two large collection chambers ready to catch every drop. While it’s slightly on the heavier side, it’s worth noting that if it runs out of charge, you can plug in and pump at the same time.
Score: 95/100
This sleek, dusty pink pump combines style and performance, with a clear LED display, 12 suction settings, and a massage mode for comfort. Its compact, wireless design fits snugly in a feeding bra, ensuring discretion while you’re on the move or working. Quiet and portable, the only drawback is the 2.5-hour charge time and the fact you can’t use it while charging.
Best sterilisers
Score: 97/100
Dr Brown’s winning model can sterilise and dry up to six bottles at once (you can also use it for breast pumps and dummies). It includes two HEPA filters for a year of bacteria-free filtration, and scored full marks for usability, design, and quality. With a 45-minute steam and dry cycle, it was a favourite among testers for efficiency and durability.
Score: 95/100
These travel-friendly sterilising tablets will transform any bowl or clean sink into a 99%-bacteria-free space in just 15 minutes; no rinsing required. Ideal for holidays or small spaces, they work well with the 5L Milton container (sold separately) and don’t need hot water or electricity. Testers praised their convenience and affordability.
Best highchairs
Score: 94/100
The original grow-with-your-child highchair allows your baby to join family meals from day one. It transitions from newborn nest to highchair and as they get older, they’ll be able to climb up onto the chair by themselves. Easy to assemble with online guidance, it comes in chic colours and can be personalised with your child’s name.
Score: 75/100
This budget-friendly, wipe-clean highchair is great value, with tool-free assembly and a stable base. You can add an inflatable cushion for extra comfort, and the lightweight design is easy to move around the house. While it lacks foot support, height adjustment, and may feel narrow for some, it’s a fab no-frills solution for happy mealtimes.
Best cots
Score: 93/100
This stylish, solid wood cot is easy to put together and can be bought with matching furniture. Our tester liked the three adjustable height options, which make it easy to reach your baby when they’re little, and the sides can be removed to transform it into a toddler bed. Requires an Obaby 140 x 70cm mattress, which is sold separately.
Score: 93/100
This also has three adjustable heights and can be transformed into a toddler bed – our tester praised the thoughtful design, which lets you make the head and footboards smaller to create a more grown-up bed. It needs a standard 140 x 70cm mattress, sold separately.
Best baby sleeping bags
Score: 98/100
A resounding hit with our panellists, this adjustable sleeping bag easily converts from 1 to 2.5 togs, making it a perfect year-round option. Made with soft, breathable cotton, it offers a snug top and spacious bottom for comfort. Mesh panels add ventilation, while a zip allows for easy nappy changes.
Score: 98/100
Can’t choose between a swaddle and a sleeping bag? Ergopouch’s clever two-in-one design offers both. Swaddle your newborn to calm their Moro reflex, then unsnap the side poppers after two to three months to free up their arms. Made with GOTS-certified soft cotton, it features a double-ended zip for quick nappy changes, thorough instructions, a thermometer and dressing tips – perfect for new parents.
Score: 98/100
Mori’s 1.5 tog sleeping bag is a versatile, year-round option for room temperatures between 18°C and 24°C. Designed for newborns to two-year-olds, it features adjustable armhole poppers for a snug, growing fit. Its standout feature is the back slot for a pushchair or car seat harness, allowing seamless transfers from pram to cot without waking your baby.
READ OUR FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Best baby skincare
Score: 92/100
This rich body cream excelled in our testing, earning a perfect 5/5 in the lab, where we used a corneometer to measure hydration levels. Enriched with coconut oil to lock in moisture, it left little ones' skin soft and supple, effectively erasing dry patches, according to our at-home testers. Parents also praised its easy-to-use pump design and the long-lasting, creamy coconut scent.
Score: 91/100
Co-founded by Emma Bunton, Kit & Kin offers a range of hypoallergenic baby products, free from parabens, silicones, dyes, and most common allergens. This baby shampoo and body wash features hydrating glycerine, aloe vera powder, and soothing marshmallow extract – which is great for babies with eczema-prone skin. Leaving hair soft, clean, and smooth, testers loved its smooth, spreadable texture, while the easy-to-dispense pump and light, fruity scent (free of synthetic fragrances) added to its appeal.
Score: 88/100
For a bath bursting with bubbles, we recommend Childs Farm. Parents praised how hydrated and soft their little ones’ skin felt after use, corroborating its claim of 12-hour hydration. Several testers also told us that a little goes a long way for creating long-lasting bubbles – pop!
Score: 86/100
Ensure this is in the nappy bag for a baby bottom as soft as silk. Weleda’s effective formula contains soothing calendula and chamomile to calm and restore the skin barrier, and our at-home testers were happy with how it reduced redness. Other occlusive ingredients include zinc oxide, lanolin and beeswax to help form a protective barrier on the skin. The hygienic tube packaging is also a major plus.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
Sally J. Hall is a parenting tester for the GHI, reviewing everything from bedside cribs and pushchairs to nappies. She has written extensively on pregnancy, birth and the health and development of both pregnant mums and their babies. She has in-depth knowledge of the parenting world, has tested thousands of products and is passionate about finding those that make parents’ lives easier.
Sally has worked on many major UK parenting titles and was previously editor of both Emma’s Diary and Bounty. With extensive contacts across the parenting industry, she published B Baby Magazine for eight years, which covered the private maternity market across the UK and is the author of books Plant Based Baby and Eco Baby.
Maria is our Beauty and Grooming Testing Manager, and since joining in mid-2022, she has managed the testing for mutiple categories including scalp scrubs, collagen supplements and retinol serums. In addition to her master's degree in chemical engineering and a diploma in cosmetic science, she recently received her MBA from the London College of Fashion, focusing on case studies within the beauty industry. Prior to joining the company, she worked within the global technical team at the Estee Lauder Companies for over six years, collaborating with the chemists and engineers to launch luxury beauty products at scale and to quality. She has also worked as a formulation scientist within the pharmaceutical industry and takes this evidence based approach into all her product testing.
