Best Nursery Chairs 2024, Tested & Reviewed

Rock-a-bye-baby in one of these supremely comfortable nursery chairs or gliders.

---

  By: Tali Ditye, Ph.D., Co-founder

  Updated: April 9, 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.

A great nursery glider or rocking chair will help lull your little one peacefully to sleep and become your favorite spot for breastfeeding, reading baby books, and establishing a solid bedtime routine.

To help you find the best nursery glider, we've tested over two dozen popular models over the past few years, evaluating them for comfort, quality, reliability, safety, and price.

We've been reviewing nursery gliders for over 10 years. If we made our own, here is what it would look like:

✔️  Weight limit at least 250 lbs.
✔️  At least 16" wide seat.
✔️  Greenguard GOLD certified.
✔️  CertiPUR-US certified foam.
✔️  Recycled or organic fabrics.
✔️  Water-repellent fabric.
✔️  Stain-resistant fabric.
✔️  Swivel 360 degrees.
✔️  Glides back and forth.
✔️  Rocking lock-out.
✔️  Adjustable recline.
✔️  Removable pillows.
✔️  High-back design.
✔️  Easy assembly in under 10 mins.
✔️  Whisper quiet operation.
✔️  Included ottoman.
✔️  No chemical flame retardants.
✔️  No heavy metals or CFCs.
✔️  No formaldehyde or BPA.
✔️  FSC-certified wood.

Of course, you will also want the glider or rocking chair to meet your style preferences, fit easily into your home, and meet your budget constraints. That's a lot to ask, and very few models meet the needs of picky parents!

Below are the top 5 nursery gliders we've tested, followed by reviews of several different options.

#1. Storkcraft Hoop Glider
#2. Nursery Works Sleepytime
#3. Babyletto Toco Glider
#4. Baby Relax Kenzie
#5. Delta Children Avery

While the concept of a nursery glider seems simple, gliders also engender a lot of controversy in review sections - parents yelling in caps-lock about how much they hate the model, and others praising everything about it in their 5-star reviews. This is enough to make any parent worry about whether they're making the right decision!

There are two main types of nursery chairs: the basic rocking chair style, and the newer glider style. Both are relaxing and smooth, though most parents tend to prefer the glider for at least a few reasons: motion can be locked-out when needed, it doesn't cause wear marks on the floor, and there's minimal risk of it tipping over.

In general, the best nursery gliders and rocking chairs are made by Storkcraft, Babyletto, Davinci, Baby Relax, Delta Children, Nursery Works, Pottery Barn, and Million Dollar Baby.

Full disclosure: Some of these nursery gliders, including the Babyletto and StorkCraft models, were sent to us as free test samples by the manufacturer.

Here are the Best Nursery Gliders of 2024!

1. Storkcraft Premium Hoop Nursery Glider.

If you're looking for form and function at a very reasonable price, the Storkcraft Premium Hoop glider and the ottoman combination might be the perfect solution for your family! Considered the best nursery glider by Babylist, What2Expect, The Bump, and Baby Center, the Storkcraft Hoop has made quite an impression on the parenting community! And for good reason. This glider has been around for over a decade now and has shown consistent quality and reliability, changing only minimally over the years. At a price point of around $175, the Premium Hoop Glider includes a surprising number of features. These include a wooden frame glider and ottoman paired with comfortable cushioning in all the right places: the seat, back, armrest, and ottoman. The glider has storage pockets on the outside of each armrest, and the cushions can be removed for spot-cleaning. Both the glider and ottoman glide smoothly front-to-back and are available in multiple colors and wood finishes to suit your nursery decor.

In our testing, we were excited to learn why the Storkcraft Premium Hoop glider has gained so much popularity! We weren't disappointed, especially at this price point. Assembly took about an hour, and it was mostly a two-person job. The gliding motion was super smooth, the seat and back cushioning were soft and supportive, and both the chair and ottoman felt sturdy and reliable. The seating area is wide enough to support plus-sized parents, and the ottoman was strong enough to be used as a temporary seat (like when playing with your baby on the floor). Overall, for this low price, we thought the Hoop glider was unbeatable, and we think you'll agree! Yes, it's missing a glider lock-out, adjustable recline, and thick bottom cushioning, but you'll need to dish out way more than $175 for those features! Interested? You can check out the StorkCraft Hoop glider here.

2. Nursery Works Sleepytime Rocker.

This beautiful and high-quality nursery rocker is recommended by not only us but our friends at Babylist, The Bump, and BabyCenter, making it one of the most reputable options on the market. There are a few main reasons for that: style, eco-conscious materials, comfort, and quality. For style, the Sleepytime rocker uses a modern fashion-forward design with orthogonal seating elements and smooth lines combined with sweeping leg arches. If you are looking to put together a modern nursery, this could be the perfect addition! For eco-conscious materials, Nursery Works uses Greenguard Gold-certified fabrics (including a cozy boucle fabric) with very low chemical emissions and VOCs, helping rest assured that your nursery air is clean and healthy. The wood comes from FSC-certified forests, and the foam padding used in the seat cushions is also certified for low emissions (and no heavy metals or PBDE or Tris flame retardants) by CertiPUR-US. Not bad!

In our testing, we found the Sleepytime rocker to be both comfortable and high quality. It has a thick and comfortable lower seat, cushioned armrests, and a comfortable backrest. We were concerned that the back wouldn't be high enough for shoulder support but we found it surprisingly supportive and comfortable. If you're over 6 feet tall you might feel otherwise! We liked the addition of a small pillow that can be used for lumbar support, or to help support a sore arm during breastfeeding (check out the best breastfeeding pillows for a more comfortable option!). The fabrics were soft, durable, and easy to spot clean; there is also a faux vegan leather version, but we didn't test it. For quality, we found the parts to fit well during assembly (which was very simple!) and the entire seat to be very sturdy. Speaking of assembly, it takes about 5 minutes to attach the legs to the bottom; to find the legs, they're hiding in the bottom of the seat underneath a Velcro panel. The rocking motion was smooth and stable, and we found that it worked best on a carpeted floor. The only drawbacks are the lack of an ottoman and the relatively low back. Outside of that, we think the Sleepytime Rocker is perfect for sleepytime, breastfeeding, and everything in between! Usually under $500, you can check out the Nursery Works Sleepytime rocker here.

3. Babyletto Toco Swivel Glider with Ottoman.

The Babyletto Toco is a swivel glider, meaning that it can not only rock front-to-back but also allow you to rotate around a full 360 degrees. This makes for the ultimate rocking experience, pulling out all the stops to help lull your baby asleep! The seat itself has a high back and padding in all the right places: thick lower padding, a lumbar support pillow, a high padded back, and cushioned armrests. The fabric is Greenguard GOLD certified for low emissions and uses recycled plastic bottles and recycled polyester yarns. Not only is the fabric eco-responsible, it's also water- and stain-resistant. The foam cushioning is CertiPUR-US certified for low emissions and no use of harmful flame retardants, heavy metals, formaldehyde, and other nasty stuff. Just like the Sleepytime rocker, the Toco also uses sustainably sourced wood. With a weight limit of 300 pounds and a 24" seat cushion width, it is appealing to plus-size parents.

In our testing, we were happy to see that the seat and ottoman arrived fully assembled with no remaining work to be done. Nice touch, Babyletto! All of the parts felt high quality and sturdy. The fabric was not especially soft but felt very durable and easy to maintain. The ottoman was a good height but did not have any gliding or swivel functions. To be fair, we actually prefer a stationary ottoman to help keep the rocks-a-rockin' when our feet are up. The high back is great for resting your head, and the cushioning was very comfortable. While the high weight limit suggests that the Toco would be good for plus-size parents, we think the seating area itself might be too narrow if you have a larger waist (like over 40"). The overall chair is adorable but relatively small. Outside of that little gripe, we think the Babyletto Toco is beautiful, high quality, and provides superior comfort for breastfeeding, bottle feeding, book reading, and everything in between! Who else loves the Babyletto Toco swivel gliders? Our friends at Babylist and The Bump consider them a top pick! Interested? You can check out the Babyletto Toco Glider here.

4. Baby Relax Kenzie & Kelcie Swivel Gliders with Ottoman.

A very different style than the classic wooden glider, the Baby Relax Kenzie and Baby Relax Kelcie swivel gliders look more like a traditional piece of living room furniture than a nursery glider. But hiding underneath that initial impression is an awesome swivel-glider feature! Instead of simply gliding front-to-back, this chair can also rotate around and move side-to-side. The first time you try it out, all that movement might surprise you - once you get used to it, you'll realize how comfortable and supportive this type of nursery chair can be. Baby Relax makes several nursery rockers and gliders, and we've been fortunate to test both the Kenzie and Kelcie. The only difference worth mentioning between the two chairs is the style: the Kenzie has upright arms whereas the Kelcie has outward-curved arms. Your preferred style will dictate which one to buy!

In our testing, assembly took about 20 minutes with a power drill driver. A trick for assembly is to keep most of the screws relatively loose until everything (armrests, back section) is attached - then tighten them down. If you tighten everything as you go, you'll have a hard time getting things aligned during later steps. Once assembled, this chair is a total joy to sit in - it's soft and cushioned in all the right places, and you literally want to curl up with a book and fall asleep in it. The fabric was soft and high quality (ours were microfiber), and easy to spot-clean. The only con we encountered was that we prefer a slightly higher back on our nursery chairs, so we can rest our heads during late-night feedings. Outside of that, we think the Kenzie and Kelcie nursery gliders are great options at a decent price for a full swivel glider with comfort and quality. Who else loves the Baby Relax gliders? Our friends at Babylist, WhatToExpect, and The Bump also consider their top picks! Interested? You can check out the Baby Relax Glider here.

5. Delta Children Avery Swivel Glider Rocking Chair.

Delta Children makes a wide range of upholstered nursery gliders, including Emerson, Avery, Blair, Lancaster, Emma, Middleton, Gavin, Ava, Rowen, and more. They are all a bit different in style and functionality: some use traditional whereas others use contemporary styling, some are rocking only (like the Lancaster and Emma), and most others provide gliding, rocking, and swivel functions. Some of them include an ottoman, but most require you to purchase it separately for about $100 extra. The Avery is right in the middle of the road in terms of price, style, and features. It costs about $350 (some are over $400), its style is a good compromise between traditional and modern, and it has some great features. Out of the box, it came disassembled in three primary pieces: the bottom, back, and seat cushion. To assemble the chair, we attached the back to the bottom using the two long bolts and the included Allen wrench. Then all you need to do is attach the seat cushion to the glider. It took about 5 minutes and everything fit together nicely. We really liked how the seat cushion was attached using a strong Velcro strip on the bottom, which prevents the cushion from sliding forward or your child from pulling it off. The chair itself was comfortable, with a soft yet firm bottom and rear cushions.

The back doesn't recline, but the angle of the fixed recline was suitable, especially for night feedings. The chair has gliding (sliding front-to-back), swivel (spinning around), and rocking (pitching back and forth) features that are smooth and stable. The motion it produces is pretty nice and restful, and the entire chair is heavy and feels sturdy with a solid wood frame construction. The arms are cushioned and soft, and everything feels comfortable. The width of the seating itself is only about 19" wide, so it's not ideal for plus-sized parents, but most people will find it suitable. The only issue we came upon during testing was that when my husband tested it the entire seat would pitch forward a bit too much when getting up from the chair, and in some cases, the back of the metal stand actually tipped off the floor. So there is a bit of a stability issue for heavier parents (he's about 220 pounds), or lighter parents carrying heavy babies or toddlers. That's the only major downfall. Minor cons include the lack of a recline, the pricey ottoman addition, and the somewhat narrow seating surface. Interested? You can check out the Delta Children Avery glider here.

6. DaVinci Olive Nursery Glider.

The DaVinci Olive combines a contemporary style with some serious functionality, with its super high back, smooth 360-degree swivel and front-back gliding, an included ottoman and lumbar pillow, and high-quality fabrics and construction. Additional perks include Greenguard GOLD certification on fabrics and materials, CertiPUR-US certification of foam padding, sustainable wood from FSC-certified forests, and the DaVinci reputation for quality craftsmanship. Overall, the DaVinci Olive provides an impressive level of features, accessories, safety, and sustainability for a very reasonable price of about $399. But how does it perform!?

One of our local Facebook followers purchased the Olive and graciously let us enter their home to test it out (thank you!)! They also provided some of their own candid feedback about it, which we include in this review. At first glance, the DaVinci Olive gives off some Ikea vibes, with its orthogonal design elements and simple modern styling. It fits perfectly into a more modern home, alongside some of the most popular cribs such as the Nestig and Babyletto models. Sitting down, the seat cushion is reasonably soft and supportive, and the fabrics feel durable and easy to wipe clean. The lumbar support is great, and the high-back design makes this a great nursery glider for taller parents whose heads typically tower over the back of most gliders.

The seat itself is a bit narrow, coming in at just about 19" wide, which may be too narrow for plus-sized parents. The armrests are comfortable though they are a bit narrower and taller than we'd prefer. The swiveling and gliding motions were silky smooth, and we didn't ever feel like we were losing stability or getting close to tipping over. The ottoman is stationary and doesn't have any motion. This was actually nice because you can use the ottoman for leverage to keep the glider rocking even with your feet up. With some other ottomans, its movement absorbs most of the energy and makes rocking with your feet up somewhat challenging. Overall, we think this is an awesome option for contemporary nursery design ideas, and the features, comfort, quality, and price make it a no-brainer! Who else recommends the DaVinci Olive? Our friends at Healthline, NYMag, and Babylist also consider it a top pick! Interested? You can check out the DaVinci Olive glider here.

7. Naomi Home Brisbane Nursery Glider.

This is a super comfortable glider, with a nice smooth gliding motion, comfortable cushions, and a good build quality for the price (reminds us of the old Shermag and Dutailier gliders, which were also very high build quality). It's up here on our list because it really offers some excellent bang for the buck. There are some great features here: the gliding motion is smooth, though not quite as long as some of the others. Like the others, it took us about 20 minutes to put this together. Some things were really nice: it has a slightly wider hip area which is nice and big enough for baby legs to comfortably lay to the side, and convenient side pockets for books, wipes, or whatever else you'd like to keep at arm's reach. The high-back was nice, not quite as high as the Dutailier, but high enough for the less vertically inclined parents to comfortably rest their heads.

The arm cushioning was a bit lacking versus the Dutailier, but again it's about a third of the price. At $150, you're not going to get many of the features that make some more expensive models stand out. There is no locking mechanism on the glider, and sometimes it can be awkward to stand up while carrying a baby. The gliding motion is smooth but not quite as long as some others, the back is not reclining, and the bottom cushion isn't quite as thick and comfy as others. All that being said, if you're looking for a less expensive glider with good build quality and medium-to-high comfort, this is a great option. Overall, very high bang for the buck, though we wish they had included a locking mechanism. Who else recommends the Naomi Home Brisbane Glider? Our friends at WhatToExpect consider it a top pick! Interested? You can check out the Naomi Home glider here.

8. Babyletto Kiwi Power Recline Swivel Glider.

About $700, making it the most expensive nursery glider on our list! Babyletto makes several European-styled nursery gliders with some great features, reliability, and comfort. This specific model, the Kiwi Electric Glider is in a league of its own. As their only electric recline and USB-charger-equipped nursery glider, we had to give it a shot! We weren't disappointed, but we also think it's a bit much for a glider! Let's talk about features first. This is the only electric nursery glider we've tested, and it is electric in two ways: first, it has an automated recline feature operated by a button on the lower right inside of the armrest. The recline function first raises the footrest to make it more like a glider with an ottoman, and then it gradually reclines the back. While it doesn't lay flat, it does go back to about a 40-degree angle, which is pretty far. The second electric function is that it includes a little USB port that can be very convenient for charging your device or plugging in your breast pump (some mobile ones recharge with 5V USB). So those are pretty innovative features for a nursery glider!

We did like the tall back so that your head is supported during recline (even for my 6'-2" husband), and there is a comfy little lumbar pillow included. The seating area is a bit wider than most, coming in at just under 21" wide, making it a good option for plus-sized parents. The fabrics aren't very soft and don't have a very nice hand feel, but it's worth mentioning that the fabrics are Greenguard Certified for low chemical content and VOC emissions. We found the swivel and glide movement to be smooth and quiet. The rest of the glider wasn't quite as impressive. The cushions and fabric did not feel like very high quality, especially given the cost. The footrest was a little clunky when being lowered, and the USB port was basically impossible to use while seated because any cord you plug in would push up against your thigh. While we didn't have any issues in our 3 weeks of testing, there are several reports of the recline motor malfunctioning or failing, and Babyletto not responding to warranty inquiries. While we think this is a great new addition to the market and we commend the integration of functional electronics into nursery furniture, there are definitely several cons to consider. Interested? You can check out the Babyletto glider here.

9. Angel Line Windsor Nursery Glider and Ottoman.

Usually about $150. The Windsor glider and ottoman are one of the lowest-priced glider and ottoman combinations on our list, and it has some decent things going for it. First, it was reasonably comfortable, particularly the upper back padding, though the bottom seat padding was much thinner than other options, and lumbar support was severely lacking. Second, the gliding motion on the chair was smooth, as was the ottoman. Third, we thought it was a really adorable nursery glider, with some cute colors and patterns. The one we tested had the chevron pattern, which looked really cute in our nursery. While this glider is relatively inexpensive, it's also somewhat limited in features. It does not have the glider lock-out or recline. The craftsmanship is rather poor and the wood pieces are not very strong. Though we only tested it for a couple of weeks and things went well (save for a little squeak from the cushion while rocking), several reviewers have demonstrated that the reliability of this unit is below average. Moms report several issues, including wooden dowels breaking, and gliding mechanisms breaking or sagging. So while it looks pretty darn cute, and the basic functionality is there, this chair isn't likely to last very long with daily use. Interested? You can check out the Windsor glider here.

Details & Conclusions

When we had our first baby, we thought it would be a good idea to go to Babies R Us and lug home a glider and ottoman. Turns out the price was higher than online, and we couldn't fit the boxes into our car. After an on-the-spot return, we ordered a glider and ottoman from Amazon and it came two days later with free shipping! We ended up getting the StorkCraft Hoop Glider and Ottoman set. Back then it was about $250, but now it goes for under $150. Even with the higher price we definitely got our money's worth: we used it many times a day for two years straight, and now a relative continues to use it 5 years later! So we were a bit partial to the StorkCraft, but thought we would put some others to the test and write up a list of Best Nursery Gliders and Ottomans. Here are some details about the factors we considered in our hands-on reviews: 

Glider versus Rocking Chair

As a bit of a traditionalist, I was convinced that I wanted an old-school nursery rocking chair, something wooden and vintage, creaking a bit and bringing back old memories with every push. There's definitely something to be said for rocking chairs, but there's also something to be said for soft carpeted floors, and as it turns out rocking chairs and thick carpeting don't mesh so well. Rocking chairs also aren't great for parents putting their feet up on an ottoman.

While a glider will let you glide back and forth with your feet up on the ottoman by rocking your feet forward/back, the rocking chair responds awkwardly to any attempts at gentle rocking with the feet up. Also, with a traditional rocker you need to strategically place cushions or the chair will get uncomfortable after a few minutes. But there is the style and space benefit: a good wooden rocker is not only great looking but takes up less space than a modern glider. And a footrest can help bring your knees up a bit and keep things more comfortable. Though we do think that the style of the traditional rocker is a plus, we do think the features and comfort (for babies and parents) of a nursery glider definitely put it at a strong advantage. So our list this year only includes gliders. 

High-back versus Low-back

Some modern gliders look more like living room furniture, like the Thomasville Grand Royale Glider. While these can make more comfortable options and fit in nicely with nursery decor, they have a low-back disadvantage. You won't realize this until you're using it one sleepy evening and you want to put your head back to rest with your little munchkin. The high-back ottomans with the wooden frame and cushions make a better option here.

Think about the trade-off between having a nice furniture-like style versus being able to relax a bit yourself by putting your head back. If the moment comes when you want to take a little nap with your baby, you might regret purchasing a low-back glider. Also, through our testing we came to the realization that the low-back furniture-style gliders tend to overdo it a bit on the gliding and swiveling, making it a bit of a wild ride until you get used to how it moves. On the other hand, it is nice that you could use this as a (somewhat) regular piece of furniture once your baby has grown up!

To Ottoman or not to Ottoman

Some of the best nursery gliders include the ottoman in the package whereas some others make you pay a little extra (well, sometimes a lot extra) for the ottoman. In our opinion, the ottoman is always worth the cost. Even if you don't imagine yourself using it at first, your future self will be grateful if you splurge for it now. It definitely adds to the comfort factor for parents, and it also doubles as a convenient little place to put a book or bottle during quiet time with the baby. Of course, it does take up more space in the nursery so be sure to take some measurements beforehand!

Locking and Finger Pinching

While wood frame nursery gliders are fantastic and provide a super smooth and comforting gliding rhythm, they also have several pinch points toward the bottom where little fingers or pet paws can get into trouble. We highly recommend getting a nursery glider that has a lock lever so you can lock out the gliding motion when not in use. Babies love standing and pushing the glider back and forth, but the risk of pinching and injury is not worth it! Keep in mind that this is especially important if you will be nursing a baby while their curious older sibling walks around and explores the nursery!

Comfort and Durability

We saved what is probably the most important for last: comfort and durability! The best nursery chairs that made it to the top of our list in terms of comfort. There were many brands that just didn't make the cut because their padding was too firm, the back was to straight up, the gliding was clunky, or the armrests were awkward. There were also a few nursery gliders that literally started falling apart within the first week of use, usually screws falling out or cushion ties ripping off. But that's another story, and we do not include those on our list!