We Tested 8 Cantilevered Bassinets for Tilting. Here’s Why Our Experts Don’t Recommend Them.

This isn’t the first time CR has investigated cantilevered bassinets due to safety concerns.

In 2024, CR published its evaluations of two specific models of cantilevered bassinets—the Ingenuity Dream & Grow Bedside Bassinet and the Halo BassiNest Flex Portable Bassinet—after finding numerous online complaints and reports to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the federal agency with oversight over children’s products including bassinets, that described babies rolling toward the side of the bassinet or onto their stomachs. According to incident reports from the agency’s public database SaferProducts.gov, at least two deaths have occurred in the Ingenuity Dream & Grow Bedside Bassinet: a 4-month-old boy in August 2019, and a 1-month-old girl in January 2022. In both cases, the babies were put down to sleep on their backs but were later found on their stomachs. CR’s own testing confirmed that both bassinets could tilt when weight was applied.

CR tested 8 cantilevered bassinets representing a range of brands and price points to see if the sleeping surface tilted when weight was applied. The goal was straightforward: When a baby is lying in the bassinet, does the sleeping surface stay level? That question matters because a bassinet can look perfectly flat when it’s empty, but behave differently when weight is added.

“Meeting the current safety standard is important, but it doesn’t necessarily answer every question about how a product performs during everyday use,” says Kapoor. The team reviewed incident data and reports submitted to the CPSC, along with information from ASTM discussions and CPSC staff about cantilevered bassinets. Those sources raised questions about whether cantilevered bassinets might behave differently from traditional four-legged designs, Kapoor says. CR then conducted its own testing “to better understand how these products perform, particularly with respect to how the sleep surface angle changes under a load.”

To simulate the weight of a baby, testers applied a standardized weighted load and measured the incline of the sleep surface on both sides. They also added weight to the center and tested the head-to-toe angle. The current federal standard sets a maximum head-to-toe inclination of 10 degrees and a maximum side-to-side, or lateral, inclination of 7 degrees, so CR used those as its benchmarks, but it’s important to note that Consumer Reports does not conduct compliance testing, and our results are not meant to be seen as such. Manufacturers, accredited testing labs, and the CPSC evaluate products for compliance, and no legal judgments can be made from CR’s findings. The results of our testing are meant to provide guidance on which products may have comparatively higher tilt angles, not to identify the point at which the tilting of the sleep surface will have measurable harmful health effects, or to assess compliance with a federal safety standard.

Think about what happens when you put a newborn on a slightly tilted surface. An adult might instinctively shift position, but a baby may not be able to. Head-to-toe inclines greater than 10 degrees can restrict a baby’s airflow, which is one reason a flat sleep surface is so important, and side-to-side angles could lead babies to roll.

"Bassinets and co-sleepers are designed for the youngest infants from newborns to three months of age," says pediatrician Ari Brown, MD, author of Baby 411 and Expecting 411. "These young babies have limited ability to protect themselves should they roll to their side or onto their face unintentionally. They do not possess the muscle strength or coordination to do so."

The Baby Safety Alliance (BSA), a trade group that represents the baby and children’s product industry, also notes that newborns have limited ability to reposition themselves in a bassinet, but that testing was done to inform the 7-degree maximum lateral tilt in the updated safety standard. According to Michael Dwyer, CAE, President of the Baby Safety Alliance, the key question is whether the degree of tilt causes a meaningful hazard for babies. 

In its April 2024 proposed rulemaking notice for updating the bassinet standard, the CPSC specifically noted that cantilevered bassinets with a side-to-side tilt of 7 degrees or less could still allow rolling before an infant was developmentally capable of rolling. CPSC testing found cantilevered bassinets associated with rollover incidents at tilt angles ranging from 1.2 to 7.1 degrees.

Muratore points out that standards establish minimum requirements; they don’t necessarily build in additional margins of safety. Passing a required test doesn’t mean a product has no potential weaknesses compared with another product. That’s especially important when a product’s design differs from the types of designs the standard was developed around.

“One reason we investigated these products is that current standards were largely developed around more traditional bassinet designs, while cantilevered bassinets have a different structure,” Kapoor says. “Our testing focused on whether the sleep surface angle changes as weight is applied in different locations.”

Singhose says the problem is that everyday use can introduce variables that parents wouldn’t necessarily think to test. “The casual user would have no way to determine which factors were coming into play,” he says.

According to BSA’s Dwyer, "Certified cantilevered bassinets undergo independent testing designed to assess stability under real-world loads and supports the updated ASTM F2194-25 standard, including its lateral-tilt requirements." 

CR’s testing, however, found variability in the angles, and our experts believe that a flat surface is the safest option for babies.

CR contacted the manufacturers of the bassinets included in this investigation and asked them to respond to our test findings, explain how they test their products for safety, and address consumer safety incident reports, if any. We heard back from five manufacturers, all of whom said their products were fully tested for compliance with the existing standard and passed, which CR does not dispute.

Angelbliss: The Angelbliss Electric Bassinet Bedside Sleeper demonstrated an average lateral tilt of 4.63 degrees on the unsupported side, among the largest in CR’s tests. Angelbliss provided a detailed response to CR’s questions and shared the results of their internal testing, which showed lateral inclines that varied depending on where weight was placed in the bassinet, similar to what CR observed in our tests. When the test weight was placed in the center of the bassinet or on the supported side, the lateral inclination angle was smaller than when weight was placed closer to the unsupported side. A spokesperson for Angelbliss told CR in a statement, “Angelbliss takes infant safety and buyer feedback seriously. Our internal engineering review found that the sleep surface’s lateral response varies depending on load position. We have identified three buyer feedback cases concerning perceived tilt that was greater than expected, and this feedback prompted an engineering review and structural optimization.” The company told CR that these optimizations affect all Angelbliss models manufactured on or after July 27, 2026. The model CR tested for this evaluation was manufactured in January 2026. Angelbliss told CR, “Preliminary internal QA checks show reduced lateral angles in the optimized configuration. These internal checks are not offered as a substitute for testing under the prescribed ASTM method, and we will continue to review verified test data, buyer feedback, and product performance.” 

Baby Delight: CR tested two versions of the Baby Delight Beside Me Dreamer Bassinet & Bedside Sleeper and observed tilting on the lateral freestanding side of 3.15 (for the Beside Me Dreamer Bassinet & Bedside Sleeper) and 4.58 degrees (for the Beside Me Dreamer Organic Bassinet & Bedside Sleeper). Baby Delight responded to CR’s questions and provided additional information about their own test results. A company spokesperson told CR, “Testing has been done both internally and by third-party laboratories…The maximum side-to-side tilt angle we’ve seen is just over 3 degrees, and the maximum head-to-toe tilt angle has never been over 1 degree; which are well within the ASTM F2194 requirements of ≤7 degrees lateral and 10 degrees head-to-toe.” 

Cowiewie: In CR’s tests of the Cowiewie 5-Position Adjustable Bassinet, the average lateral inclination of the freestanding side was 2.2 degrees, which is lower than 5 of the 8 cantilevered models we tested. A spokesperson for Cowiewie told CR, “Infant safety is Cowiewie’s highest priority,” and confirmed that their bassinet was tested by an independent, accredited third-party laboratory, as required by law. The company also shared its own independent lab testing results with CR. “All measured angles captured by both Consumer Reports and our third‐party laboratory remain within the allowable limits of ASTM F2194‐25. Observable tilt in itself does not constitute a safety hazard. Compliance is assessed against the angle limits defined within the ASTM standard.” 

Halo: The Halo BassiNest Swivel Sleeper Luxe had the smallest lateral tilt angle of any bassinet we tested, with a lateral ange of 1.02 degrees on the unsupported side and 0.25 on the side closest to the base. A spokesperson for Halo told CR, “We regularly test our products at CPSC accredited third party labs to ensure compliance with the CPSC and ASTM guidelines, including ASTM F2194-25, which allows for 7 degrees of lateral slope. That said, we design our products to meet higher safety standards than those created by industry experts and adopted by the CPSC. The slope data furnished by Consumer Reports appears to corroborate that approach.” CR’s observed tilt angle for the Halo BassiNest Swivel Sleeper Luxe is much less than the tilt our previous testing measured for the BassiNest Portable Bassinet. 

Halo said, “We stand behind the safety of BassiNest products when used in accordance with instructions and warnings. The safety of the families who use our products is very important to us, and we take any questions or concerns regarding product safety seriously.”

Kids2: The Ingenuity Dream & Grow Bedside Bassinet demonstrated an average lateral tilt of 3.52 degrees on the side farthest from the base support and 7.11 degrees on the opposite side. Kids2 disputed CR’s findings, saying, “Kids2’s top priority is the safety and well-being of the families who use our products. The Ingenuity Dream & Grow Bedside Bassinet has been independently tested by Intertek, a CPSC-Accredited laboratory, and meets all mandatory safety and performance requirements, including the mandatory standard for side-to-side tilt. We stand behind the safety and compliance of our bassinet and remain committed to meeting, and where possible exceeding, the rigorous safety standards designed to protect infants and their caregivers.”

Here are steps you can take to make sure your baby is sleeping in a safe space:

Check for recalls and incidents at SaferProducts.gov. You can check if a product has been recalled on the CPSC website or at Recalls.gov, and also check for any safety incidents at SaferProducts.gov. 

Follow assembly and setup directions to the letter. It’s important to make sure you’re using your bassinet exactly as directed by the manufacturer for safety. "[M]ake sure the bassinet is properly assembled, placed on a level surface, and used according to the manufacturer’s instructions," Dwyer says. 

Stop using the bassinet immediately if you notice instability, wobbling, or tilting. "Parents should discontinue use if it becomes damaged or exhibits unusual movement or instability," says Dwyer.

Look for lots of mesh. Muratore recommends choosing a bassinet with plenty of breathable mesh. “The more mesh, the better,” she says. Avoid models with sidewalls composed of a lot of solid fabric. And when the bassinet is in use, keep the mesh sides well clear of your own bed, mattress, and bedding.

Check the mattress fit. The bassinet mattress should fit snugly against the side walls, without gaps. Only use the mattress pad provided with your baby’s bassinet so that it fits properly with no gaps. 

Press on the sleep surface. It should feel firm, or even hard. “’Cushy’ is not a good thing in this situation!” Muratore says.

Pay attention to the base. A sturdy, level base is preferable. If you can see a bassinet in person before buying it, Muratore suggests pushing down on the sidewalls and gently nudging the stand to see how sturdy it feels.

Consider where and how you’ll use it. A height-adjustable model may make nighttime access easier if the bassinet sits beside your bed. Wheels can be useful if you plan to move it around the house.

Follow safe sleep basics.  Babies should always be placed on their backs to sleep on a firm, flat, non-inclined surface with only a fitted sheet. Keep blankets, pillows, toys, bumpers, loungers, and other soft items out of the bassinet. Do not use weighted sleep sacks, weighted blankets, or any weighted wearable clothing on your baby.

Transition your baby out of the bassinet as soon as they outgrow it. Babies should be moved out of their bassinet and into a crib by the time they’ve reached the product’s weight limit, which is typically 20 pounds, or once they’re rolling over or showing signs of pushing up on their hands and knees, which tends to be between 3 and 6 months of age. They should then use a larger sleeping space with a firm, flat mattress, like a crib or play yard.