BabyBjörn Original, Mini, One and One Air review: Still the best?

Even non-parents have heard of BabyBjörn: the Swedish brand has been creating baby gear since 1961. Known for its carriers, bouncer chairs, and now high-chairs, travel cots and weaning gear, it’s a one-stop shop from newborn to toddlerhood. Until recently, it was the dominant brand across the UK and Scandinavia, however Ergobaby has nearly caught up, so BabyBjörn is having to constantly reinvent itself.

Which BabyBjorn is right for me?

As a result, there are now several carriers in the BabyBjörn range. The BabyBjörn Original was the neatest and most compact of the lot until the company recently launched the BabyBjörn Carrier Mini. Both are made from 100% cotton, fold up to fit into your changing bag and look great. Simple in design and available in several permeations of black, grey and white, the Original is designed to last from newborn up to one year old, while the Mini is softer and perfect for newborns. The Mini is only £9 more expensive than the Original but offers a tad more comfort for mother and baby. 

For anyone intending to carry his or her child past the first year and into toddlerhood, the BabyBjörn One weaves a cotton/polyester mix into a larger, more heavy-duty carrier that can also take a newborn without an insert, and adjusts after four months to support a growing child. Offering four holding positions, extra features include a breathable interior mesh to promote airflow, über-padded shoulder straps and a supportive waistbelt that sits on the hips like a backpack, to help you lug your not-so-little ones around.

But what if you like the idea of the BabyBjörn One, but would prefer something more lightweight? You’ll be wanting the BabyBjörn One Air, which, in silver, doesn’t look unlike something Apple might have designed. Designed to carry a newborn up to three years old, it has all the pros of the One but at a fraction of the weight: it’s made from a soft, breathable mesh material. If you’ve budgeted for a BabyBjörn One, it may feel like a luxury upgrade to fork out an extra £25 – but if you have a heavier baby and still want to carry them into toddlerhood, it may just save your back.

Features and design

Whichever one you go for, it’s easy to see why the BabyBjörn has such an avid following. The build quality is superb, and the reassuring amount of padding means that these look like very comfortable carriers to wear. The more practical aspects haven’t been forgotten, either: when the inevitable happens and your little one regurgitates their lunch over the Baby Bjorn, you can throw the carrier into the washing machine at 40c.

We found the BabyBjörn Original wasn’t perfect for myself or my husband. At first it seems snug and secure, but during longer walks the comfort soon begins to wane – we both found that it pressed down in the wrong places on our shoulders and upper back muscles. The thicker padding and wider straps of the BabyBjörn One and One Air offer a marked improvement in terms of wearer comfort – and also offer the ability to carry your child facing inwards, outwards and, like many rival carriers, on your back – but then you’d expect nothing less given the price premium. We often took hour-long walks with our 18lb 8oz baby strapped up tight and it only started to feel a little weighty towards the end of these trips. They look complicated to use but actually aren’t and can be easily fitted, adjusted and removed with just one hand. 

Verdict

It’s tough to criticise the brilliant build quality, nifty array of features and smart-looking design of the BabyBjörn carriers, and you can see why they’re the most popular on the market. The brand offers enough of a range to suit different demands, baby weights and styles and you do get what you pay for with a BabyBjörn. Our advice would be to go for a larger model sooner rather than later if you intend to carry your baby for long periods or as he gets bigger, to save you forking out twice. For comfort, the Ergobaby 360 remains the best all-round carrier but the BabyBjörn comes a close second.