TruBliss Sweetli Calm Bassinet Review & Video

Your baby will sleep like an angel in this smart and adorable new bassinet from TruBliss.

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  By: Tali Ditye, Ph.D., Co-founder

  Updated: January 20, 2024

Mommyhood101 independently tests and curates baby gear to help you make informed decisions. If you buy products through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

The TruBliss Sweetli bassinet offers style, comfort, and a nice set of features for a very reasonable price. We put it to the test to ensure it has high quality, safety, and ease of use.

In our tests, we assembled it, tested the features, and tried it out for daytime naps and nighttime sleeping.

Is it one of the best bassinets on the market? Let's find out!

Full disclosure: TruBliss was generous enough to provide us with free samples of their bedside bassinet for testing, and we're very grateful (thank you!).

But we also found some small shortcomings that you might want to consider before purchasing.

As of this writing, the Sweetli Calm bassinet at Amazon, for about $170 depending on any discounts that might be available at the time of purchase.

TruBliss Sweetli Bassinet Review

Based on our hands-on reviews, we give the TruBliss Sweetli Calm bassinet a 4.1 out of 5 stars:

Sweetli Calm Bassinet

Overall Results

Most parents don't have time to read through this entire article, so here is a summary of what we found.

We were excited to get our hands on this awesome new bassinet, and we were pleasantly surprised by the following aspects:

✔️  Sturdy construction.
✔️  Firm sleeping surface.
✔️  Adorable styling.
✔️  Breathable mesh sides.
✔️  Adjustable canopy.
✔️  Smart cry detection.
✔️  Powered mobile.
✔️  Lullabies and vibration.
✔️  Night light.
✔️  Large storage basket.
✔️  Locking caster wheels.
✔️  True bedside fit (all mattress types).
✔️  Big storage basket.
✔️  Meets ASTM, CPSIA, CPSC standards.
✔️  Sheet included.
✔️  Use from birth to 18 pounds.

However, like with any review we write, we also had some little gripes worth mentioning:

❌  Very difficult assembly.
❌  No storage pockets.
❌  No adjustable height.

Overall, we think the Sweetli Calm bassinet is a good option for parents looking for an adorable bassinet with great features.

We only encountered a few limitations. First, the assembly was painfully difficult and took about 30 minutes. That's not unique to this bassinet, but it's definitely worth mentioning. Once you get it assembled, however, hopefully you'll never need to do it again!

Second, while there is a huge storage bin, there are no small pockets on the side for things like pacifiers or a spare diaper.

Finally, if you plan on using this as a bedside bassinet, you'll notice there is no adjustable height. We provide height specifications in our review so you can assess relative to your bed's height.

Save for those relatively minor setbacks, we think the Sweetli Calm bassinet offers a lot of bang for the buck and could be a great fit for your family!

About TruBliss

TruBliss is owned and operated by RBO, LLC, which is based in Exton, Pennsylvania.

RBO, LLC was established in 2014 and operates several baby brands including Little Partners and BK Furniture.

According to our research, they are located at 401 Gordon Drive, Suite 401A, in Exton, PA. The CEO is Ken Waldman, and the COO is David Swartz.

TruBliss appears to make several bassinets including the contemporary-styled Evi and Sova bassinets, and the traditionally-styled Journey and Sweetli.

Reviews of TruBliss bassinets are generally moderate to high, coming in around 4.0 out of 5 on average. The Sweetli Calm model has a 4.4/5.0 rating on BuyBuyBaby. 

Unboxing & Assembly

The Sweetli Calm bassinet comes in a large rectangular box that is similar to the size of a crib mattress.

Out of the box, the bassinet is disassembled into several pieces, nearly 20 of them to be exact.

They did include a small screwdriver to help with assembly, but the instruction manual leaves a little to be desired.

Some screws hold together several of the metal poles, and they can be very finicky and frustrating to successfully screw in.

The large fabric assembly is very difficult to line up with the button snaps. It took us three times to get it right, and it was still very difficult to secure.

TruBliss posted an assembly tutorial here on YouTube, but it is for an older model and not entirely helpful.

Overall, if we had to grade the assembly process we would give it a C+. It takes about 30 minutes to assemble, which is about 3 times as long as it should take.

Features & Use

Once it is assembled, we must admit that the Sweetli Calm bassinet looks adorable!

We appreciated the high quality fabrics and the TruBliss label is nicely integrated into the style.

Not only does it look great, it has some serious features.

These include a firm yet soft mattress that is nearly an inch thick.

The bassinet has breathable mesh sides to help airflow and keep things cool during the warmer months.

Nice touch!

Another great feature is the huge storage baskets on the bottom.

They each measure about 22" long and 12" wide, and about 4" deep.

This makes it very easy to store all the essentials: receiving blankets, swaddles, diapers, wipes, and some extra sleeping clothes.

It would be nice, however, to also have a small pocket on the side of the bassinet where pacifiers and other small items can be stored for easy access during the night.

Another nice feature is the large canopy which can help block sunlight or a nearby reading light.

It is adjustable between the fully closed and open positions, so you can customize it to your needs.

Finally, for the best feature, the Sweetli Calm bassinet includes an adorable overhead motorized mobile with woodland creatures (a deer, fox, and acorn).

It also includes a series of lullabies, adjustable calming vibrations, a nightlight, and twinkling overhead lights. 

The default time for all functions is 10 minutes, but you can also set a timer to 20 or 30 minutes.

Finally, there is an awesome smart cry detection feature.

• If you press the cry button once (the indicator light will turn yellow), it will activate the music, vibration, and the mobile automatically when it detects crying.
• If you press it twice (the indicator light will turn green), it will only activate vibration when it detects crying.
• Finally, if you press it three times (the indicator light will turn blue), it will only activate music when it detects crying.

In our testing, the cry detection worked reasonably well. We never had any false alarms, though it also wasn't sensitive enough to pick up on more subtle whimpers and fussing.

Here is a little video showcasing some of the features:

The mattress is reasonably firm while also maintaining comfort.

Even though it is somewhat thin (about 7/8" thick), we think it does a decent job balancing safety and comfort.

Most importantly, this little one slept like a baby in the Sweetli bassinet!

And that, to us, is the most important thing to look for in a bassinet!

The next question we asked was about using the Sweetli Calm as a bedside bassinet.

Many bassinets function very well as bedside bassinets, but we were surprised that this one didn't have adjustable height to accommodate different beds.

The bassinet measures 31" from the floor to the top edge of the bassinet. If your bed is higher than about 29" we do not recommend using this as a bedside bassinet.

In our opinion, the top edge of the bassinet should be at least about 2" higher than the level of your bed to prevent blankets or pillows from falling into the bassinet and posing a safety risk.

Here is what the bassinet looked like up against the side of our bed (which is about 28.5" high with a standard frame, box spring, and pillow-top mattress):

In our case, the bassinet was a good size to be used at the side of the bed.

Note that the Sweetli Calm bassinet is not designed to be a bedside sleeper, which follows a different set of federal regulations.

A couple of additional things we noticed while testing the Sweetli Calm bassinet:

• The mobile assembly easily rotates and swings out of the way to make it easier to reach your baby.
• The little caster wheels have locks. However, on most floors (such as hardwood or tile), they will readily slide around even when locked (given their smooth plastic finish).
• The mattress is made of PU foam and is covered with vinyl. As you probably know, these are not the preferred characteristics of a good crib mattress.

Specifications

Here are some basic specifications and measurements:

• To the top of the mobile, the bassinet stands 46" tall.
• To the top of the canopy, the bassinet stands 44" tall.
• To the top edge of the bassinet, it stands 31" tall.
• To the top of the mattress, it is 23" tall.
• The sleeping area is about 15.5" wide x 30.5" long x 8" tall (sidewalls).
• Each storage basket (there are two) measures 22" deep x 12" wide.
• The bassinet weighs about 12.5 pounds.
• The weight capacity is 18 pounds (about 8 kg).

Once your baby begins to sit independently and/or pushes up on their hands and knees, you should transition them out of the bassinet and into one of the best cribs. This usually occurs around 3-6 months of age.

Note that this bassinet has a somewhat low weight limit of 18 pounds, which may occur sooner than those developmental milestones.

Overall Conclusions

The TruBliss Sweetli bassinet stands out as an attractive and feature-rich choice for parents seeking both style and functionality at a reasonable price.

With its sturdy construction, firm sleeping surface, and adorable design, the Sweetli Calm bassinet offers a cozy and secure sleeping space for babies.

The inclusion of practical features such as breathable mesh sides, an adjustable canopy, and a powered mobile with smart cry detection adds to its appeal.

While the assembly process may pose some challenges, and there are minor limitations such as the absence of adjustable height and storage pockets, the overall performance and value provided by the Sweetli Calm bassinet make it a very good option for most families.

While we would like to see this bassinet offered at under $150, we believe its combination of quality and features make it a worthwhile consideration for parents looking for a reliable and adorable bassinet.

Where to Buy the TruBliss Sweetli Calm Bassinet

We suggest purchasing the Sweetli bassinet through Amazon.

The price is typically about $170 depending on discounts available at the time of purchase. 

You can click the below image to check the current prices.