The Best Baby Bath in Australia for 2022
Or how to have a legit excuse for crafting bubble beards.
Things that are surprisingly slippery: soap in the shower, a polished wood floor and a wet baby. Make bath time fun and stress-free by containing baby in their own bath. The best baby bath is pretty simple: it lets you bathe baby in a smaller space than a full bath. It’s easy to clean, drain and move around. Ideally, it’s not too tricky to store and allows you to be kind to your back by avoiding bending over. Here are our picks for Australia’s best baby bath, chosen from hours of virtual window shopping.
How we picked
Although you’ll find the best baby bath in Australia here, what you won’t find is the best baby bath seat. Why? Because we’re not convinced they’re 100% safe - babies have drowned using bath aids and bath seats. Bath aids and bath seats can give parents confidence that they’re able to leave baby unsupervised, even for just a few short moments - like to answer a call or pop into the next room to grab something they’ve forgotten.
But drowning can happen so quickly, in really shallow water - a few cms is all it takes. Bath seats can tip over, baby can slip or roll off, or they can get trapped underneath or alongside it. CHOICE, Australia’s leading consumer advocacy group, goes as far as to “recommend that you keep [this] dangerous product out of your home and away from your children”.
With that cleared up, here’s how we found the best baby bathtub for a splashing good time. We started with ProductReview.com.au, Australia’s first consumer opinion website. This gave us some good options of baby baths that Aussies use and love.
We widened our search by looking internationally, seeing what parents overseas reckon are the best baths. We could then narrow down our list, ensuring we had a great range of budgets and types (bucket baths vs larger contoured baths vs simple ones) to suit all Aussie babies and parents.
There you have it - the 7 best baby baths in Australia.
The best bucket baby bath
The Tummy Tub takes a different approach to bathing baby - rather than bath-shaped, it’s bucket-shaped. You lower baby in gently, pop them in a seated position and let them relax. Designed by a mum and a midwife, the Tummy Tub replicates the feel of the safe and warm environment of mum’s womb. This makes it a good pick for the best baby bath for a newborn.
From the hundreds of reviews we read, it seems like most babies find the Tummy Tub very relaxing. Plus, because baby is upright and not lying on their back, it’s a good choice for colicky babies or ones with reflux.
Easy to use, you simply fill it to the water-level mark (13cm from the bottom). Lots of Aussies on ProductReview.com.au rave about how it's great for water-saving as it doesn’t need much to fill it. It’s also easy to carry and empty and good for your back because you don't need to bend over it.
It gets around 4 stars on ProductReview.com.au, where it’s currently the most popular baby bath. It comes in 4 colours and is made of durable and easy clean BPA-free plastic. You can pick it up for around $50.
The best for growing with baby
One of the arguments against a baby bath is that baby is going to grow out of it, quickly. To which the OK Baby Onda bath says HA. Because the Onda grows with your baby. It reckons it’ll last from newborn all the way through until 3 years old. That’s thanks to the 2 in-built positions. On 1 side, there’s a recline for 0-6 months. On the other, there’s a seat for 6 months and beyond. The seat holds baby snugly under the armpits and between the legs for no-slip support. The seat features non-slip rubber too, to keep them safely in place. It’s also got a built-in thermometer, shelves to hold stuff and a plug for quick and easy drainage.
The payoff? It’s large and bulky which makes it difficult to store. It’s popular on ProductReview.com.au where it gets 5 stars. It has a RRP of around $80 though you should be able to get your hands on it for less than that.
The best value baby bath
Turns out IKEA’s not just about the smart flat-pack furniture life. They do pretty great baby products too (we rate their high chair), like their LÄTTSAM bath. As you’d expect for a budget baby bath, there aren’t many features.
This BPA-free plastic baby bath has slide protectors underneath so it stays where you put it. It’s got soft anti-slip protection in the bottom so baby doesn’t slide around. Soft sides means baby (or you) won’t get hurt as you lean across it.
It costs just $15 and has a handful of reviews on ProductReview.com.au where Aussies give it over 4 stars. Note there’s no hole to drain the bath so you’ll need to pick it up and turn it over to get the water out. Which is what you might expect from a $15 bath.
The best for storing away
As much as baby might love a bath, the reality is they’re not in it 24/7 (them wrinkled fingers though). Which means you need somewhere to store the bath. Enter the Stokke Flexi Bath V2, what we reckon is an excellent space saver. That’s because it folds flat when you’re not using it. As well as saving valuable space, you can take it travelling too. We’re not surprised by Stokke’s clever design - we love their Tripp Trapp chair too.
Lightweight and portable, it’s got a non-slip base and a heat sensitive plug. Stokke is keen to stress this isn’t a thermometer. It changes colour as the water warms up. Stokke reckons the Flexi Bath should take baby up to 4 years.
Transparent, it comes in 4 colours and has a RRP around $70. The older version of the Flexi Bath gets around 3 stars on ProductReview.com.au. One Aussie loves it and another says the silicone split after they stored it for an extended period.
I, Cosier editor and co-founder Sarah (hi!), used the older version of the Flexi Bath for our baby and loved it. I loved being able to move the bath to the height we needed (the kitchen benchtop). I thought it was a generous size, so easy to clean and dry, and easy to drain once done. We even managed to sell it when we were done, it was in such good condition.
The best looking baby bath
Who says bathtime has to be boring? Not Skip Hop! Meet their Moby Bathtub with Sling, an adorable whale shaped bath, complete with starfish plug. Although we’re big fans of its looks, it’s actually super practical too.
That’s because it grows with baby through 3 stages, thanks to its smart sling. Stage 1 is full support for newborns (0-3 months). Stage 2 is seated support for older babies (3-6 months). Stage 3 is removing the sling (6 months+). Simply roll up the sling to move through these different stages, until you remove it.
It’s got a non-slip bottom and a swivel hook so you can hang it on the showerhead or behind a door. It’ll set you back around $100
The best for splashing about
Everyone knows the best thing about baths is splashing (right?). If you agree, the Primo EuroBath is a good choice - it’s got plenty of room for moving and splashing about. Primo reckons it’s one of the largest baby baths on the market. It’s about 90cm long x 53cm wide x 22cm deep. So, you’re going to need a lot of space to store this. (Although you can hang it on a wall or door hook.)
Size aside, it’s contoured to fit different ages and stages. On 1 side, your newborn to 6 month old can be supported in a reclining position under their arms and back and between their legs. On the other side, your sitting 6 month old + will have their back supported plus have a ‘baby stopper’ between their legs to stop them slipping into the water.
It has a plug plus 2 storage shelves. It’s compatible with a bath stand if you want to raise it up. You can get your hands on one for around $55.
The best for supporting local
Love N Care has been 100% Australian owned since 1984. If supporting local is important to you, we reckon their Deluxe Bath Tub is a great choice. This large contoured bath tub is designed for stability. It comes with a plug and a hose for quick, easy draining.
You can use it with a stand to help protect your back (this is sold separately). You should be able to get your hands on it for around $50. It has over 4 stars on ProductReview.com.au with most Aussies commenting about the good size and the quality.
Features to consider
The biggest thing to consider with a baby bath is safety. Even if they’re in their own snug baby bath, not in the big bath or shower, you need to stay with your baby at all times. Bring everything you need to wherever you’re bathing them. Try to leave your phone on silent or out of the room so you’re not distracted by it. Babies can drown quickly, in very little water. By always keeping your hands and eyes on baby, you can all enjoy a safe, relaxing splash.
Here are some other considerations.
Non-slip bottom
Babies are slippery when wet. A non-slip bottom gives some extra support and security.
Plug and drainage
A plug makes it easy to empty the bath. Without one, you’ll need to tip the bath over which can be hard work on your back.
Weight
Some baths, especially the larger ones, can be quite heavy, even before you add water. Make sure it’s lightweight and easy to move around. This is especially important if you’re using the bath on a benchtop and need to lift it up and down.
Storage
If space is an issue, a large bathtub that you can’t fold down might not be right for you. Large awkward baths need large spaces to store them. Consider spending more for a fold flat bath that tucks away nicely when you’re not using it. Or look for somewhere you can attach a hook so you can hang it on the wall.
Age range
Most baths will tell you how long you can expect them to last. Some of the larger ones will last for a few years, which is ideal if you have a bath-free home. Some of the contoured baths that have different sides for different ages grow with your baby. These tend to be larger, bulkier baths which need decent storage space.
What you get if you spend more
The most expensive baby bath on our list is the Skip Hop Moby, which is around $100. For that, you’re getting cute looks and a bath that grows with your baby. What else can you expect if you splash more cash?
A matching stand
Some baths are compatible with a stand. The most expensive baths will come with a stand. Stands are great for avoiding sore backs as you don't need to bend down. This makes them great for mums recovering from labour.
Storage shelf
The most affordable baby baths are basically a rectangular plastic box. Pay more and you might get in-built storage shelves for soap and shampoo.
Multi-position
You’ll need to pay extra for a bath that offers different positions for your growing baby. These baths typically start with a reclined position for a newborn, before progressing to slightly more upright and then seated positions. This extends the life of the bath. But the downside is their size and bulkiness.
Built-in tech
Some baths have built-in tech, like thermometers. This lets you see the water temperature without needing to shell out for a separate thermometer. We even found 1 that had in-built scales. This is handy for premmies or any baby that requires regular weighing - combine it with a soothing bath and hopefully it’s easier. (However, it was so poorly reviewed we didn’t think it was worth including.)
Sources
- ‘Best Baby Bath Seats / Stands’, ProductReview.com.au
- ‘Ten things not to buy your kids,’ CHOICE
