Best buys · 6 picks

The new dad

Most baby gear is bought in a hurry, at full price, from a list someone else wrote. These are the few things that get used every single day, and the ones worth buying once. Anything that touches sleep or travel safety: follow the maker's instructions over any website, this one included.

The carrier

Ergobaby Omni 360

Works from newborn to toddler without an insert, carries on the front, hip or back, and spreads the weight across the hips. Two free hands is worth more than any gadget.

Buy it for
Walks, errands, and the evening when nothing else settles them.
Skip it if
You want a stretchy wrap for the first weeks only. It is softer, and cheaper.
What to look for, the cheaper option and the step up →
The sound machine

Hatch Rest

A sound machine and night light you control from your phone, so you are not walking into the room to change it. Later it becomes the time-to-rise light that ends the 5 a.m. negotiations.

Buy it for
Naps, nights, and a room that needs to stay dark.
Skip it if
You do not want another app. A basic white noise machine does the core job.
What to look for, the cheaper option and the step up →
The baby monitor

Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro

A dedicated screen that does not depend on Wi-Fi, an app or a subscription, so it works when the internet does not and nobody else can look in.

Buy it for
Anyone who wants a monitor that just works, every night.
Skip it if
You want to check in from work. You need a Wi-Fi camera for that.
What to look for, the cheaper option and the step up →
The stroller

UPPAbaby Vista

Expensive, and it grows with the family: a bassinet, a seat, and room to add a second child. It holds its resale value better than almost anything else on this list.

Buy it for
Daily walks, city pavements, a second child in the plan.
Skip it if
You have a small trunk. Look at a lighter compact stroller.
What to look for, the cheaper option and the step up →
The formula maker

Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced

Mixes powdered formula with warm water at the press of a button, which at 3 a.m. is worth every cent. Clean it as often as the maker says; it only works if you do.

Buy it for
Formula-fed babies, night feeds, parents taking turns.
Skip it if
You are breastfeeding, or you are fine with a kettle and a scoop.
What to look for, the cheaper option and the step up →
The diaper bag

A diaper backpack

A backpack rather than a shoulder bag, because you will carry it and a car seat at the same time. Look for a wipes pocket you can reach one-handed. This pick is a specification: whichever reputable one is cheapest today.

Buy it for
Days out, daycare runs, the dad who gets handed the bag.
Skip it if
You already have a good backpack. Add a changing pad and use that.
What to look for, the cheaper option and the step up →