5 Expensive Baby Items You Can Buy Secondhand or Rent
Skip the splurge—these pricey baby items are perfect to rent or buy secondhand and still get the best.
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When you’re building your baby registry or buying the things you’ll need, like a stroller or car seat, you’ll quickly realize that baby products aren’t cheap. In fact, your budget can quickly move into the thousand-dollar range once you’ve factored in the essentials. This is especially true if you’re eyeing more luxury, high-end brands that rarely go on sale and hover on the spendier side of the price point spectrum.
Here’s the good news: you actually can save money on more expensive baby products in two ways—by grabbing them secondhand (you can also register for secondhand items) or renting them. For items that you’ll want to keep for a while, buying a gently used version can save you hundreds (without skimping the quality). If you're building your baby registry, you can also let your gift givers know you’re open to receiving an item secondhand by simply toggling the option next to the product.
And for the products that you’ll only use for a few months, like a smart bassinet, you can rent them and return them when you’re done.
Not all expensive baby products are suitable for renting or grabbing secondhand, but plenty are, and we’ve broken it all down for you.
Bassinets: Rent or Buy Secondhand
Happiest Baby Snoo Smart Sleeper Bassinet
From $1,186.50You can find a bassinet for under $200, like the Baby Delight Bedside Sleeper, that our users voted one of their favorite baby products in our annual survey. Other bassinets like the SNOO or the Newton Baby Bassinet are pricier, but can either be rented or purchased secondhand. And since you only use a bassinet for a short time, you can easily send it back once your baby is ready to graduate to a crib (instead of trying to store it or sell it).
Where to Rent the SNOO
Happiest Baby offers a rental option for the SNOO directly from their website. It costs $159 a day, starting from the day you receive it, which works out to be cheaper than purchasing the SNOO if you use it just for the first 6 months (which is the most common timeframe). It comes with 2 new SNOO sacks, 1 sheet, 1 new mattress with a water resistant cover, access to the Happiest Baby premium app features and access to a sleep consultant.
What to consider:
If you’re buying a bassinet secondhand, we recommend purchasing a new mattress for it, rather than using the one it comes with.
Smart Monitors: Buy Secondhand
Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor and Floor Stand - White
From $259.00In the last decade, the smart baby gear category has grown to include an array of advanced baby monitors and wearables like the Nanit or Owlet that can monitor their heart rate and sleeping stats. But, like other techy categories, baby tech is expensive. Thankfully, tech tends to hold up over time and is safe to be purchased secondhand.
What to consider:
Just like your cell phone or computer, tech systems can change and become outdated over time. If you’re opting for secondhand, make sure you go for an option that has the latest hardware and software.
Strollers and Stroller Wagons: Buy Secondhand
Some strollers and stroller wagons can cost over $1000, but if you have your heart set on a spendy set of wheels, you can still make that happen without tapping out your budget. According to our gear editor and CPST Jen LaBracio, strollers are safe to purchase secondhand and you can save hundreds of dollars by doing so. Keep in mind that we’re only referring to strollers and wagons, not car seats, as it’s safest to purchase those brand new.
What to consider:
For safety, LaBracio recommends making sure the stroller you choose was made in or after 2015 because it's the year the US Consumer Product Safety Commission put new standards into place that require strollers to meet new federal safety requirements. Also, test out the features like brakes, clasps, wheels and suspension, to make sure it’s in working condition.
Baby Carriers: Buy Secondhand
You can find a quality baby carrier for under $100, like our pick for best affordable structured carrier, the Infantino Flip, which is under $40. But if you have an expensive carrier like the Artipoppe at the tippity top of your wishlist, you’ll spend close to $400. To shave a few dollars off of that price point, you can purchase a used one on Facebook Marketplace, eBay or from a local parent who is ready to part with theirs. And even if you want one that’s not as pricey as $400, you can still opt for secondhand and bring the price down by quite a bit.
What to consider:
Baby carriers, particularly trendy ones, hold their resale value, so even with used options, the price point may not be super low (though still more affordable than a brand-new option).
High Chairs: Buy Secondhand
Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair² - Oak Natural
From $319.20Similar to baby carriers, high chair prices can really run the gamut. But for options like the Tripp Trapp, which costs close to $500, it’s worth considering opting for secondhand.
What to consider:
More expensive high chairs tend to have additional pieces that you can purchase separately to get the full use out of them. If you’re buying it secondhand, check to see if those extras come with it and if not, factor that into the overall price (if you think you’ll want to use them at some point).
And remember, you can let your gift givers know that you're interested in receiving secondhand and gently used items by toggling the Open to Secondhand button in your registry.
