No more excuses. I swear, baby carriers are made specifically so that we as new(ish) parents can’t sit around because we don’t have hands to do stuff.
Strap it on, carry your baby around, and that yardwork suddenly gets easy. Doing dishes is no longer impossible. Yes, it’s convenient… Maybe even too convenient? Who said anything against that comfy rocker?
Just kidding. Sort of. Baby carriers have great potential, but they have to actually fulfill their promise. They need to be safe, comfortable for you and your little one, and easy to use. In this review, we’ll reveal whether the Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier One hits those milestones.
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Baby Bjorn weight limit, washing instructions, and other details.
Let’s start with some details. The Baby Carrier One is part of the structured carrier category, which means it’s more than just a sling or something else less than sturdy, like a wrap. That means it weighs quite a bit, but it also means you can feel safe knowing your little cargo is always well-protected and attached to your body.
No judgment calls on the Carrier One here; just some background that helps you decide whether this carrier is right for you. Skip this section if you want to go straight to our opinion in the Baby Bjorn One review.
- Weight and size limit: The Baby Carrier One is designed for babies between 0 and 3 years. Your little one should weigh at least 8 pounds and no more than 33 pounds, and between 21 and 39 inches long.
- How to wash a Baby Bjorn carrier: you can throw it in the washing machine, which makes cleaning easy. Wash in warm water and hang to dry.
- Safety: all materials meet baby product safety standards, which means they won’t harm your little person’s skin. They’ll also be OK when that all-too-familiar urge to snack on fabric hits your baby.
- Carrying positions: Four total, including two height levels facing towards you, and one each facing out or on your back. Baby Bjorn recommends waiting until your baby is at least 5 months old to face them outward.
- Comfort: We’ll get into our opinion on this carrier’s comfort level below. For now, you should know that the Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier One is certified hip-healthy by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute and that the straps are adjustable to fit parents between XS and XL.
Our Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier One Review
Reading baby carrier reviews may have you thinking that Baby Bjorn is the only player in the space. The 800-pound gorilla, if you will. The name is everywhere. That includes our own list of top 5 rankings of structured baby carriers, where it came in near the top. It’s gotten to the point where it’s (at least in some parenting circles) one of those brands that becomes the generic name for the thing—like Kleenex or Google.
Does it deserve to be there? What’s to like and not to like? We won’t leave you hanging any longer; keep reading for the awesome, the wish it was different, and our final verdict. Oh, and want to know how the Baby Bjorn One stacks up? Read our list of best baby carriers of 2022 right here.
The Awesome
Built-in infant insert
You might be wondering how to use the Baby Bjorn with your newborn. Well, wonder no more. This carrier comes with a built-in insert that’s specifically designed for the littlest of little ones.
The insert actually has two settings: newborn and toddler. That ensures you can wear your baby the moment you leave the hospital (as long as the weight is right and, pro tip, don’t do this), and never have to worry about safety at that weight level. It’s operated by a zipper mechanism that’s easy to adjust and insert/remove.
Instructions right on the carrier
This one was so helpful, we wondered why other carriers don’t do the same thing. The instructions for how to use the Baby Carrier One are printed right on the material. As a result, you never have to worry about forgetting how to put on a Baby Bjorn.
Think baby car seats, which always have those instructions, just with you as the car.
That’s helpful, whether you lose your manual or just need a reminder on how to strap on when you’re on the road. Not everyone carries that book around with them. It also adds a feeling of safety if you have an urge to double-check that everything sits right.
Easy to take your kid in and out
We’ve tested enough baby carriers at this point to know the plight of trying to get the little one in and out. For way too many models, it results in twisting, moving, shimmying, anything just to get those legs in. The problem is that babies aren’t Olympic gymnasts. Their legs don’t always bend that way, or at least you don’t want to find out.
So imagine our delight when we started coming across carriers that have a solution. The Baby Carrier One is one of them (Colugo is another—our review here), thanks to segregated straps for children and parents. In other words, you strap on the carrier, buckle yourself in, and then worry about the baby by maneuvering and buckling them into place. This division of the process into two steps makes it super easy.
Helpful buckle and clip mechanism
The Baby Bjorn functions kind of like a backpacking backpack. You tighten the waist through two middle straps, and they buckle with a mechanism that’s much easier than standard buckles. It just pops on and locks tightly and securely.
Great material for your baby and safety
Finally, a note on the material. The entire build is covered in a soft cotton and polyester mix that turns to 100% cotton for the liner. It means comfort for your baby, and yet, somehow, doesn’t heat up too much even when wearing it for extended periods of time. Magic.
The wish it was different
It’s expensive
To be more specific: this is not a cheap baby carrier. You pay for the quality mentioned above, to the tune of $190. Compare that to products with similar features like the Colugo Baby Carrier, which retails for $125, and you may not want to pay this much.
The weight can become a problem
That 800-pound gorilla metaphor above is not a coincidence. This thing is heavy. Almost three pounds, to be exact. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but add it to the weight of your baby and especially for longer chores, it becomes quite the bear (okay… gorilla) to carry around.
No pockets
If you’re like most parents and have worn a baby carrier before, chances are you swear by pockets. Where else would you put your phone, keys, sunscreen, baby bottle, snacks, diapers, wipes… you get the gist.
So here’s the problem: no pockets on the Baby Bjorn. Maybe it’s a trade-off with those helpful instructions, but we found ourselves really missing them. Deduct some points there.
Some problems with the waist belt connectors
We mentioned the positive of those waist belt connectors. Now to the flipside: they don’t fit together very well. They’re more like clips then buckles, plus they’re exposed in the middle of your back–which can become a little uncomfortable over time.
Head support not… supported?
Good baby carriers have head support for newborns facing inwards, helping them keep that big ole noggin straight while going on a ride. The Baby Carrier One is no different there. But unfortunately, once it’s no longer needed in a forward-facing position, the head support just kind of sits there.
The carrier is designed for the head support to flip over in that position. But there’s nothing holding it in place. No clip, snap or buckle. That means it can flop around a little and sometimes even get in the way.
The verdict
We like it. A lot. It’s one of our favorite structured carriers out there, coming in just behind the Colugo in our rankings of Top Baby Carriers of 2020. If you can afford the admittedly steep price, chances are the Baby One will be worth your money.
The infant insert is great, it feels (and is certified to be) safe, and not many of its competitors can match the ease with which you can take your baby in and out. Meanwhile, printing the instructions on the carrier seem so obvious now, it makes you wonder why no other manufacturer does it.
Point deductions for the price, lack of pockets, and some minor comfort issues for the parent. But in all, the Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier One is a good choice.
Which Baby Bjorn carrier is best?
Baby Bjorn is a major brand out there in the baby market, and they have a bunch of options for parents looking for carriers as well. The Baby Carrier One is our favorite, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a look at some of the other models:
- Baby Bjorn Original Carrier, which is in some way the granddaddy of models. It’s what most people think when they think baby carrier. You can still find it in some stores and on Amazon, but be careful: this model is not actually recommended by the manufacturer. That’s because it’s been replaced by:
- Baby Bjorn Mini, the evolution of the Original. It’s cheaper than the One, at just $80. It’s only usable for babies younger than 12 months and lighter than 24 pounds because it doesn’t actually have a waist belt for extra support. Try it out with an infant, but only pay the money if you know you won’t use it past six months (probably unrealistic).
- Baby Bjorn One Air. Remember how we complained that the Baby Carrier One is heavy? This one tries to solve that issue. The One Air is essentially identical to its sibling, except for the fact that it uses mesh instead of that cotton/polyester fabric. That takes off about a pound of weight, but it does come with an even heftier $220 price tag.
Still unsure which one is right? The Baby Carrier One is our favorite mix of quality, usability, and price. This carrier comparison chart on the Baby Bjorn website can help you make sure you feel the same way.
Pricing, add-ons & where to buy
The Baby Bjorn Carrier One costs $190 and is available on both Amazon and the Manufacturer’s website. You can also find it in most department stores carrying baby products, including big names like Target and Bed, Bath and Beyond.
Look out for older models, though. Baby Bjorn updates its design and materials every few years. Some of the outlets mentioned above still carry some of those older models, which might not match this review. Buying directly from Baby Bjorn’s website is your safest bet.
On that website, the manufacturer also offers a couple of add-ons to consider if you have the budget:
- A Teething Bib, designed to help your little one soothe its mouth when those white chunks start breaking through.
- A Windproof Cover that’s intended to protect your baby and keep it warm in the cold. It comes with full-body coverage, including a hood.
We did not check out these add-ons as part of this review, so we can’t speak to their quality or usefulness, but we do know for sure kids like to chew on carriers.
Wrapping up
That’s all we have for this review! Hope this was useful.
Want to see all of our baby carrier reviews, along with our pick for best baby carrier—you’ll find all of that here.
