Mack + Milo Alysha Moses basket with stand review

We asked new mum Katie Prior to put the Mack + Milo Alysha Moses basket to the test with her six-week-old baby boy, Ryker. Read our in-depth review to find out if it's the best Moses basket for your baby.

A Moses basket is a classic piece of baby gear that has stood the time. There's every chance you spent your early weeks sleeping in one, and yet they haven't lost their appeal for modern mums and dads when it comes to kitting out the house ready for a new arrival.

Moses baskets tend to be significantly smaller than cribs and cots, which is a bonus if you're short on space in your bedroom, as a Moses basket is likely to fit where a crib or cot won't. For the first six months, the safest place for your baby to sleep is in the same room as you, so a Moses basket placed beside your bed is ideal. Then, once your baby outgrows the Moses basket, they can move into a cot in a room of their own.

Most Moses baskets are suitable for use from birth until your baby is around five or six months old. Do not note that a bigger baby might outgrow a Moses basket more quickly, so check the weight limits for the one you choose and stop using it once your baby is too heavy for it.

Design

Weighs: 8kg | Suitable from: 0-6m

The Alysha Moses basket by Mack + Milo comes with a curved, rocking stand as well as the liner, mattress and bedding included. It's a stylish, modern twist on a classic Moses basket design.

This Moses basket makes a striking style statement – it would look at home in the pages of a classy interior design magazine. The wicker exterior gives it a classic look, while the grey and white colour scheme is pleasingly modern, so it'll appeal to parents looking for all the practicality of a traditional Moses basket but who appreciate stylish, contemporary design.

The soft handles on this Moses basket make moving it between rooms fairly easy, and the curved rocking stand makes light work of gently rocking a baby to sleep.  In terms of assembly, putting this one together was straightforward according to our our tester, Katie. "The basket is easy to construct, although some of the screws were a little stiff to put in, but generally it's really simple to put this together and it didn't take too long," she says.

Comfort and features

The rigid structure of this Mack + Milo Alysha Moses basket means it's sturdy and robust, which is a plus, but you can't lower the hood. Katie found that this creates a cocoon-like atmosphere inside, but it also made the space to reach her baby a bit small compared to other Moses baskets. "The baby is also quite enclosed in this one, which some babies might not enjoy," she says. "My baby didn't seem to mind, and I know some babies actually favour this." 

Our favourite feature of this Moses basket is the rocking stand. This is a godsend for babies who love being rocked to sleep – and their parents' poor backs – but do note there's no fixed option. "The rocking feature is great, especially as my baby loves being swayed to sleep," says Katie. "I found the motion sometimes a little clunky, but that's probably my uneven floorboards."

We're particularly impressed by the fact that the rocking stand is included in the price. When you buy a piece of baby gear, it's often the case that extra accessories have to be purchased separately, which can really bump up the overall price. No such problems with the Mack + Milo Alysha Moses basket.

The mattress and bedding provided are both of very high quality, too. The "beautifully soft" liner and blanket also impressed our tester. "The luxurious waffle fabric looks very high-end and comfortable," she says. "It was like putting my baby to sleep on a little cloud!"

The beauty of a Moses basket is that it's easy to move from room to room. Unlike cribs and cots, which are designed for overnight sleeping, a Moses basket can be carried around easily, meaning your baby can nap near you during the day in whichever room you're in. Katie found this basket light enough to carry and says the handles are soft yet durable, which made moving it between rooms pretty easy. However, she found it quite bulky to carry up and down the stairs. On that basis, this might not be the Moses basket for you if you live in a house with several flights of stairs and want to be able to move the Moses basket with you from room to room. But if you live in a flat, this could be perfect.

Value for money

This Mack + Milo Alysha Moses basket is incredible value for money as it comes with the mattress, liner and bedding included, along with a rocking stand. We love that there are no hidden extras to buy.

We expected this Moses basket to be much more expensive than it is, based on how stylish it looks and the quality of the mattress and bedding. We'd have made it our best buy even if it was twice the price because it's sturdy, stylish and oh-so-practical, but the price tag just makes us love it all the more.

Our tester agrees. "This is a gorgeous product at a great value, given that it comes with everything included," she says. "I think it's best suited to style-conscious parents who are looking for the convenience of a traditional Moses basket but with a modern, luxurious look and feel."

You might also like our Purflo PurAir Breathable Bassinet review – we rated it the best premium Moses basket can buy, based on our tester’s feedback. And don’t miss all our other baby product reviews.