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The Most Controversial Baby Products: Parents Love or Hate These 23 Items
The Most Controversial Baby Products: Parents Love or Hate These 23 Items

The Most Controversial Baby Products: Parents Love or Hate These 23 Items

Some parents swear by certain products. Others call them a waste. What side are you on?

author-Amylia Ryan
By Amylia Ryan
Fact Checked by Shannon Vestal Robson
Updated On
Updated On
Our editors independently test and curate products. If you make a purchase via our links we may earn a commission.

In This Article

Wipe Warmers
Diaper Pails
Bottle Warmers
Bottle Washers
Bottle Sterilizers
Changing Tables
Changing Pads
Cloth Diapers
Diaper Cream Spatulas
Nursing Pillows
Bassinet Stroller Attachments
Baby Swings
Silicone Manual Breast Pumps
Multi-Function Sound Machines
Electric Nail Files
Baby-Sized Hooded Towels
Smart Baby Monitors
Smart Bassinets
Wrap Carriers
Dishwasher Caddies
Playards
Diaper Caddies
Pacifiers

Baby gear advice can be polarizing. A certain product one parent swears by may be the exact same one another considers a total waste of money. We used one of our recent newsletter polls to get to the bottom of these controversial baby products, and asked Babylist parents which products they were told not to buy but loved anyway, and which “must-haves” they never actually needed. 

If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: what’s essential for one family might not be useful for another. Babylist parents prove that every baby (and every parent) is different. When in doubt, try to keep your registry flexible and see what works best for your unique routine.

In the meantime, read the juicy responses from Babylist parents about the baby products they absolutely love—or absolutely hate.

Wipe Warmers

Possibly the most debated baby item out there, some parents have deemed wipe warmers unnecessary—but plenty can’t imagine diaper changes without it. For many, warm wipes made nighttime changes calmer for baby and parent. “Everyone said don’t bother with wipe warmers—but let me tell you, it soothes baby during those nighttime changes,” said one parent in our poll. On the other hand, some parents found that it left their wipes dried out. One parent told us that even though a wipe warmer was recommended to them, they decided to skip it and found that they’re not missing out on anything.

Diaper Pails

Another hotly debated item, diaper pails typically see two opposing mindsets: some say “just use a trash can,” while plenty of others say it’s a game changer. Fans appreciate it for containing odors and keeping nursery life manageable. “I can’t imagine walking every dirty diaper to the kitchen trash, [and] a normal can just won’t contain the smell,” one poll response said. Others say it’s just an extra expense (especially with bag refills) and one more chore to maintain.

Bottle Warmers

Whether a bottle warmer is essential or expendable often depends on your baby’s temperature preferences—and your own patience. Some parents don’t mind just using a bowl of warm water to gently heat baby’s bottles, and some babies will take their formula or pumped milk cold. Yet some parents said it saved their sanity during those middle-of-the-night, bleary-eyed feedings when baby needs a warm bottle and the traditional method takes too long.

Bottle Washers

An automatic bottle washer is one of those products built solely to save parents time and energy, but not everyone’s sold on it. Some parents love the convenience; others say it’s just one more expensive machine and takes up a lot of countertop space.

Bottle Sterilizers

A bottle sterilizer can bring peace of mind in appliance form, especially for parents of preemies or babies with sensitive systems. “Our daughter ended up being premature, so we chose to sterilize frequently,” one Babylist parent said in our poll. Yet in the same vein as bottle washers, others found it redundant: “A boiling pot of water does the same thing and doesn’t take up extra space,” another poll responder said.

Changing Tables

Although they were told they wouldn’t need a separate piece of furniture dedicated solely to changing diapers, many parents ended up loving this so-called “non-essential.” For those with back pain or limited safe surfaces for baby, having a designated changing area felt like a win. For those who didn’t end up using one, a changing table was too bulky, took up too much valuable floor space or they could easily just change baby on a regular dresser or table with a changing pad—a bed could even work in a pinch instead.

Changing Pads

When it comes to providing a comfy space for diaper changes, some parents use a folded blanket or a padded surface like a bed or couch. But if your go-to changing area is a hard surface, then you might consider a changing pad to be indispensable. “We used it for every single diaper change at home—so easy to wipe clean,” said one parent in our poll. Changing pads are also preferred by some parents from a safety standpoint, especially ones that include straps to keep baby from rolling off an elevated surface. 

And although some parents said they went without a changing pad because the washable covers just create extra laundry, many can be quickly wiped clean with a damp cloth.

Cloth Diapers

Deciding between convenient and eco-conscious? According to parents we polled, cloth diapers are a love-it-or-leave-it item. Parents who embrace them say they save money in the long run, reduce waste and (sometimes) aren’t as steep of a learning curve as other people said they’d be. But they’re not for everyone—plenty of families prefer the time-saving and laundry-saving convenience of disposable diapers.

Diaper Cream Spatulas

For such a tiny gadget, diaper cream spatulas (also called butt spatulas) sure spark big opinions. Many parents love that it keeps their hands and nails clean and ensures a smooth cream application, while others dismiss it as just one more thing to wash. Whether genius or gimmick depends entirely on your tolerance for messy fingers.

Nursing Pillows

For nursing and bottle-feeding parents alike, nursing pillows can make feeding baby more comfortable (for everyone). But while some find them essential, others find them bulky, stiff or unnecessary—especially when some find a regular pillow can work just as well.

Bassinet Stroller Attachments

While bassinet attachments are recommended for safety if you’re wanting to use your stroller with a baby younger than six months old, it’s not the only option—if your stroller frame is compatible with your infant car seat, it’s also safe to have your baby stroll in their car seat (though it’s not considered a safe nap option). Still, some parents loved the convenience of giving their baby a safe nap spot while using the stroller, while others opted to forgo the stroller entirely and used a baby carrier instead.

If you love the idea of having a bassinet in your stroller but don’t want extra gear taking up space, you might consider a stroller with a lay-flat seat or a toddler seat that converts into a bassinet.

Baby Swings

Swings are another major love/hate item. Some parents credit them as an arm-saving (and sanity-saving) place to put baby down; others say their baby never took to it, or that a bouncer served the same purpose. Another parent mentioned in our poll that while their baby loved the swing as a place to settle down and prep for nap time, they (the parent) didn’t love that they couldn’t let baby stay in it for long, since swings aren’t safe for sleep—and transferring a sleepy baby out of their comfy spot is notoriously challenging.

Silicone Manual Breast Pumps

These pumps have a devoted fan base, but not everyone finds this style helpful. Some parents love the milk-saving simplicity, while others say it gets in the way if baby is nursing on the other side. One parent told us their “baby would kick it off or it easily knocked over,” which can be really frustrating if milk gets spilled. On the other hand, another parent said it allowed her to save way more breastmilk than other styles of milk catchers and was an indispensable part of building up a milk stash.

Multi-Function Sound Machines

Multi-function sound machines are another cult favorite baby product, loved by thousands of parents for their soft glow, soothing sounds and, in some cases, gentle animations—but not every baby needs all that. Parents either love the customizable ambiance or find all the extra features unnecessary when a more basic sound machine will do the trick.

Electric Nail Files

Trimming your baby’s tiny nails can be nerve-wracking, which makes an electric nail file a hero for some parents. But with the loud buzzing and vibration, it can seem like overkill for others. If you value precision and fear the clipper pinch, it’s a comfort tool; if not, traditional files do the job just fine.

Baby-Sized Hooded Towels

These tiny towels are designed with babies in mind (and make for adorable bath photos), but opinions are split. Some parents say they’re cozy and perfectly sized, while others argue they’re just an extra expense when regular towels work just as well.

Smart Baby Monitors

Smart monitors offer peace of mind for anxious nights—especially when baby is sick, as one parent shared—but others find that they cause more stress than comfort. “I was told it would cause more anxiety, but it’s been a positive product for me,” one parent said in our poll. For some, it’s reassurance; for others, information overload.

Smart Bassinets

A smart bassinet promises high-tech sleep with soothing motion and sound. For exhausted parents, it can feel like a lifesaver. For others, the cost and automation don’t outweigh a simpler solution, like a traditional bassinet or just rocking baby in their arms. Its usefulness often depends on how much you’re willing to outsource baby’s sleep routine.

Wrap Carriers

Babywearing is a game changer for many parents who appreciate having their hands free while still keeping baby close, but wrap carriers in particular can be intimidating to learn. Some parents found the learning curve to be worth it (or not as tough as they were led to believe), while others preferred the ease of structured carriers or strollers. It’s a product that works best when it fits your comfort level (and patience for tying).

Dishwasher Caddies

If you’re washing bottle parts, pacifiers and teethers often, a dishwasher caddy can feel like an organizational win. But for parents who handwash or don’t care for extra clutter, it’s just one more piece of plastic. Like many gadgets, it depends on what works best for your routine.

Playards

Playards can be a travel essential, or they can easily become a closet dweller. “We didn’t travel enough to need it and we never used it at home,” one parent said, while others loved the flexibility. If you’re short on trips (or space), it might be one to skip, but if you’re looking for a portable safe spot for baby that can be moved from room to room, a playard can really come in handy.

Diaper Caddies

For organized parents, the diaper caddy is a hero—everything you need, right where you need it. They’re also super portable, perfect for quick diaper changes no matter where you are in your home. On the other hand, some parents prefer to just have one designated space for diaper changes and can utilize dresser or changing table drawers.

Pacifiers

Pacifiers can be a lifesaver for some babies, whereas some babies never take to them. Whether or not pacifiers are worth it can entirely depend on your baby’s unique temperament and needs. Some parents even said that their baby loved pacifiers as a newborn, so they invested in bigger sizes for six months and up, only to have their baby suddenly reject pacifiers before getting to them. So maybe it’s a matter of whether or not to bulk buy; keep just a couple of pacifiers around, and don’t buy more until you’re sure baby will use them.

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