Valco Baby Rico

Too hard to clean! – Unable to unclip fabric surround. I have had in storage for 18 months and now need to freshen it up for baby #2. Fabric has turned yellow. Impossible to spot clean without worrying the chip board base will get wet and perhaps ruin. Gave up and chucked bassinet in bath to scrub and rinse. A hard task while 8 months pregnant. Shall and wait and see… Read more

how it turns out once dried, otherwise Ill be throwing it out and buying another brand. I'll never be able to hand this item down either because of the terrible discolouration.

Loving this bassinet! – We used this bassinet for our first baby and will be using it again for our second who is due in July. It’s nice looking, good quality and when we didn’t need it anymore it stored very compact. A great product and a great price. We have highly recommended to all our friends who are expecting! Show details ·  1

Beautiful but dangerous – I purchased this bassinet for my baby and he is now 4 kg, the mattress is sagging and I'm incredibly concerned about it being a suffocation hazard. I wouldn't reccomend this bassinet unless the company meets better standards. Show details

Perfect – This is absolutely perfect to keep our cats out. The material is good quality and we are pretty happy with the mattress however it could have been a bit thicker - there is a gap about 5vm between the mattress and side which is worrying. Show reply

Worst mattress – This bassinet has the worst mattress. It was already damaged when bought new. After 3 weeks of use with a 4kg baby and it started to change shape. Went and returned it to get an another bassinet. Show details

Horrid – Looks great in pics and in shops but cannot be cleaned. What parent wants an item they cannot keep clean especially for a newborn infant. Fabric yellows over time Fabric is attached to the frame with rivits and cannot be washed so fingers crossed your bub doesn't spew or wet through anytime EVER Do not buy. Show details

Can't wash – I've just unpacked this bassinet from storage and it has discoloured, which I understand happens with white material. However you can't take the material off because it's been pot riveted. You can't wash it on the frame either otherwise it will rust. Very bad design. I'm pretty sure we paid good money for it aswell, it wasn't a cheapy one.

Dismayed by unsafe mattress – Tonight I found my darling little one's face squashed up down the side of our rico, the mattress had squashed under her measly 4kg & her face was touching the board. Her hands were cold & her colour was pale. Rushing to remove her so that she could breathe properly & have colour return to her face I am considering contacting the company. The… Read more

standards for Australian safety are not adhered to with this product. If only the mattress was safer! As it is a nice lightweight & she loved being able to see me through the mesh as she went off to sleep. In my opinion this would be fine if your baby isn't able to move yet, if there weight is low & non reliant on being supervised, trouble with all these things is that they aren't conducive with an infant, in reality it isn't practical for a bassinette to be so unsafe.... It's a thumbs down for me & I doubt very much anyone else's baby would be safe left for any amount of time in this bed....

Unsafe mattress and appalling customer service – We saw the Rico bassinet in Baby Bunting and thought the canopy was a great idea. We have two cats and live in a mosquito prone area. It was lightweight and portable with breathable cotton sides and mesh. Unfortunately it's a product that could have been great but misses the mark. There are a few good points - it's lightweight and easy to move so… Read more

during the summer we could move the bassinet into the loungeroom with the air conditioner with minimal fuss. I really liked the mesh as I could peek in on our baby to check on her without having to unzip the canopy. I also liked the zips as they sealed the mozzies, spiders and flies out really well.

Unfortunately the bad aspects are Unsanitary, frustrating and dangerous!

1. The cotton sides are not removable to wash. Anyone who has ever had a baby knows how important it is to have things easily washable or at least be able to wipe clean. Not so with the Rico - the waffle cotton sides are riveted in and cannot be removed.

2. The sling under the bassinet is a great idea, but again misses the mark. it's not very strong and so with just the weight of a couple of spare sheets and a blanket it's stretched.

3. The biggest problem is the mattress. It's just a cheap, low density foam oval in a nylon mesh pocket. Over the last 3 months of use it has been shrinking away from the sides more and more, so much so that our baby hits her heels on the bare board at the end. If we pull the mattress down to prevent that, there's a gap at the top above her head close to 10cm wide. It's also shrunken away from the sides so I can fit at least 2 fingers on either side. This is so far removed from meeting Australian standards it's a joke.

I have contacted Valco three times about the mattress and am yet to hear anything back. The first time was after only a few weeks of use when we first noticed the mattress shrinking. I sent them an email via the contact form on their website. I attached photos and explained the issue, asking where I could purchase a new mattress. They didn't respond. I then tried to call them a couple of weeks later and left a message; no one has returned my call. I later found a different number for Valco and that time spoke to a woman who again took a message and said she would ask the relevant person to call me back that day. Of course no one called. I'm not impressed in the slightest and any positive features of the bassinet are outweighed by the dangerous mattress and appalling customer service!

We loved this bassinet – We loved the enclosed canopy to protect from insects and it was also easily portable. The only issue was the wooden base to support mattress seemed to sag a little which I noticed when using for our second baby. We were sorry when she grew too big for it. Highly recommended.

Not great – We bought as had a cat but the netting fell apart after 8 weeks and the mattress was smaller than the bassinet and so thin. Our baby seemed to sleep fine it but we were not impressed by quality of the bassinet. Buy a better quality one and do your research!

Loved it! Definitely recommend it! – We bought this from baby bunting for our first baby. She is still in it at 3 months old, I love that it is mesh so you can see through it is breathable. It is very portable and light so you can move it around as a new mum without any issues, it also has a bag that makes it easy to pack up and take with you when you are away and is really simple to… Read more

set up. The net cover zips on and off easily. Our only slight complaint is that the sides around mattress at the bottom did start to push out about a bit from where we continually tucked the blankets in.

OK Mesh CoSleeper For The Price – Worked very well for us for the price and I love the mesh sides and storage basket, however the stitching/construction is pretty dodgy. Mattress is really very basic and doesn't fit properly (about 20cm short at one end). We ended up rolling up a towel and packing mattress out at one end. If baby was longer we would go to Clark rubber for a new… Read more

mattress insert, but at 3months he appreciates the wider cot so will move to that soon. Fairly safe, but not absolutely safe which was a bit disappointing since it was a recommended product in the choice reviews. The mesh sides were an absolute MUST when we first bought baby home! Just being able to see baby was such a relief and put my mind at ease. If I bought another bassinet then it would NEED to have mesh sides! The plastic tubing in the canopy was very dodgy/ dangerous as it broke from its fabric casing several times and almost stabbed baby in the face on a few occasions. We ended up taking the canopy off once we realised the older cat had no interest in climbing in. Mesh basket under is surprisingly big and helpful for one handed changes. As previously stated by others board under mattress is solid but with a winter baby this caused no issues. Folds compactly for storage or travel.

Excellent if you plan on travelling – I thought this bassinet was great. I didn't even realise it was designed for travel when i bought it. I originally purchased this because i loved the mesh sides (so i could easily see my baby at night) and because of the removable canopy. I was renting at the time and we didn't have fly screens so this was a godsend. Love how easy it was to… Read more

disassemble and stow away. It was great when we went on holiday to QLD. Took up almost no space at all in the car so we were able to bring it.

Yes there are down sides to this bassinet. The zipper is quite loud and does tend to wake up the baby when putting her in bed after a night feed. I found that holding my finger on the zip while zipping it up softened the noise enough so that it stopped waking her. The other thing is the fact that it has no wheels. You can't really rock the baby at all as it is very sturdy. So it's not very portable around the home.

This would really suit a family that likes to travel or camp. Loved the mesh surrounding the bassinet. Packs away to almsot nothing so it's great for travelling. The zipper is too loud. After a while, the timber supporting the mattress started to sag and i couldn't fix it. Not mobile.

Ideal for smaller spaces, love the complete cover, a keeper – Purchased to prevent cat hairs/insects getting into the bassinet. I had this pulled next to the bed so it was like co-sleeping without the worry about rolling on top of the bub. We used this for the first 3-4 months until she was starting to grow out of it and roll around. The complete cover is in two parts, half netting and half material,… Read more ·  2

with a zip that connects both sides together.

Top tip: if using the zip to close the cover after settling the baby wakes them up, use a big hair clip to join both sides of the cover. I didn't use the zip at all because is woke the baby up when I tried to zip/unzip it, but using the clip allowed both sides to be joined and forming a near enough closure without disturbing the little one.

The mattress is oval in shape, so we needed to get a bassinet flat sheet as the standard fitted sheets don't fit. I got some fitted sheets made up on ebay and tailored a mattress protector so that it was a snug fit with no loose bedding. I don't think the manufacturer advises this but I couldn't find any sheets that fitted correctly. It comes with a mattress protector, but I needed another one in case one got wet. It also comes with a little pillow and coverlet. Unfortunately pillows aren't recommended for little ones due to SIDS and the coverlet couldn't be tucked in so I didn't want her to suffocate under it. I use the pillow on the change table instead!

The tray underneath is really handy, so the storage and compact size made it perfect for our smallish room.

All in all this is a sturdy bassinet considering it's portable and doesn't feel like it would tip over. It's a lovely design and has worn well after several months. If I would change anything it would be to provide fitted sheet sets, a different fastening method for the cover and optional casters.

We are definitely keeping this one for the next bub as it suited us perfectly, and the minor issues were easily overcome.

*** FITTED SHEETS ON ebay ***

I've had a couple of requests since posting this review as to which vendor I got the sheets tailored from. Unfortunately as it was over 2 years ago I no longer have the details, but if you search on cot sheets you may get some results. fully contained insect proof bassinet; really lightweight so can push around the room on carpet; easy to pack down and simple concept Zip is noisy and wakes little one - perhaps they need a different type of fastening?; took 2 hours to assemble because the legs weren't aligned properly and had to bend the metal to get it connected (perhaps just a fault with this one?)

Terrible Product!! (Valco Rico Cradle Bassinet) – This is an awful product - the faulty design of this product poses a sids risk as it provides barely any aeration resulting in babies overheating. The first three weeks of our newborn baby's life was spent with us stressing constantly as after every sleep our newborn son was drenched with sweat, irrespective of any modifications we made with any… Read more

of his blankets and clothing. After transitioning to his cot, the sweating stopped entirely. After having a closer inspection of the valco rico bassinet we realised that the board which the mattress sits on barely had any holes or gaps for airflow. It is absolutely frightening to think that our newborn baby was at great risk of sids due to having used this cot and having overheated and sweated for a period of time (especially in early stages of his life where babies have practically no ability to regulate their temperature). What it even more disturbing is that upon contacting the company they refused to acknowledge any design flaw, even when my husband and i expressed great concern for future babies being slept in this bassinet.

I feel a strong obligation to share this awful valco bassinet experience with other parents in the hope that this will prevent other babies from suffering the way that our son did in the early stages of his life.

Unsafe for babies due to design fault

Great first bed for baby – We initially purchased this bassinet because we thought the cover would be a great deterrent to stop our cats from jumping into the baby's bed. The cats were more scared of the baby when we first brought him home and they never tried to touch any of the baby's things. We ended up not using the cover. However, I loved this bassinet because of… Read more

the mesh sides. I could see my baby while I was lying in bed and I felt comfortable knowing that my baby had good ventilation and that his breathing would not be obstructed if he pushed his faced up against the sides of the bassinet.

The bassinet is very light and can be easily moved between rooms.

It is easy to assemble and has good storage pockets and a fabric 'shelf' underneath the bassinet.

This is an inexpensive and simple bassinet that is easy to use and has great features. Great price. Mesh around the whole bassinet. Baby is visible from the sides of the bassinet - allowing the mother to see her baby even while lying down. Storage pockets/ shelf. The bassinet is stationary, it does not have wheels or any way to 'rock' the baby. My baby out-grew the 7kg weight limit very quickly.

Best bed for baby! – I absolutely love this. It is one of a kind where you can actually see your baby while lying in bed. The mesh all around it makes sure that baby has great air flow. The zip canopy is great too although I don't have much need for it, it may be better in the warmer months. It has great storage and a basic yet modern look. It would be a lot better on… Read more

wheels but it's light enough to push around anyway. The zip can be annoying when bub has just gone down for a nap and then you go to use the zip and it wakes them up. Apart from that it is perfect and even with those few faults it is the only bassinet I would consider buying. I really do love it. You can see the baby when lying down in bed. Peace of mind that baby is getting plenty of air flow. Stylish yet simple. No wheels.

Good – Great bassinet. Love the fact it has a cover and the side allow good airflow. The fact it is foldable so we can take it with us if we stay somewhere is a big plus. Bigger in length than most other bassinets we looked at. Love this basiinet. We weren't going to get one but mum bought it for us after we eventually decided to have bub sleeping in our… Read more

room. Love the cover as it has stopped our two curious kitties from trying to sleep with bub, one did try jumping in but the cover was on so she couldn't get in (& the cover didn't buckle or move like some other covers I've seen). Would recommend this to anyone with a newborn. Our little one loves hers. Not that easy to move around. I have to get hubby to move it for me BUT it is lightweight so more awkward than heavy.

Terrible – Please do not buy this bassinet if you think it will keep your pets out - I am shocked to read all of these reveiws stating that it why they bought it. Our cat jumped on the canopy while it was zipped up and due to the flimsy canopy - the canopy flipped curved down instead of curved up (hard to explain but it sort of turned inside out) and if my… Read more

baby had been in there I am sure he would have been crushed! We tried to take it back to the store and also rang valco to explain and neither cared. If there were safety standards in oz (there aren't for bassinets), I am sure this product would be banned!! Seems larger than other bassinets, no frilly bits, air ventilation. Not to be used to keep pets out!! Canopy unstable. No wheels, not very portable.

Good – I borrowed one from a friend for when we were in hospital with one of the twins for the other to sleep in. Have since bought one when we came home and will buy another for when other twin gets here!!! No frills.. good ventilation.. easy to see baby and for baby to see me when its next to bed. Good price. Easily transportable. No wheels... Uglish. Wish the sides around the matress were a bit stiffer.

Good – Fantastic product! We're very happy with our decision to purchase this bassinet and the price made it extreme value for us. We have never used this bassinet for travel, but we have a cat and bought the bassinet so kitty cant get in with the baby. I know the canopy is strong enough to keep the cat out as she accidentally jumped on it when we first… Read more

bought it (pre-baby thank goodness). We love that we can see our baby easily and during the hot summer the ventilation has been fantastic. The little pockets on the end have been very handy too. Although it doesn't have wheels it is very easy to slide around on the carpet. The only disappointing thing with this product is the noise of the zipper. Its actually not very loud at all but our baby has learned the sound of it and wakes up sometimes when we do it up and down. We no longer use the zipper and instead are using a clip to keep the canopy up.

Terrible – We bought this product from our nearest retailer which is 5 hours away. got the product home to find it is faulty. 2 large holes in the bassinet, broken zip, and the canopy is wonky. The bassinet cannot be used. We rang valco who would not do anything about it. They didn't care. very bad service and told us to drive 5 hours there and 5 hours back… Read more

to take their faulty product back to the shop. The baby is due very soon and we have a faulty bassinet which would be dangerous to use for a baby, and we have lost our money. Do not buy this product, very cheaply made. nothing. DO NOT BUY DO NOT BUY.

Excellent – A great bassinet! We are very happy with ours, we have two and have had no issues with either of them. We added wheels to the bottom - lockable wheels, and they were much easier to move around and rock the babies to sleep. They fold very easily and reasonbly compact we fit both ours in the car easiley and have even flown interstate with them with… Read more ·  1

no worries. Highly recommend this bassinet. great ventilation, mosquito & bug proof, seemed larger than other bassinets, easy to fold and very portable, light to move. no wheels (we added some though), before wheels it was difficult to rock

Excellent – I love this bassinet. It gives me peace of mind as I can see my newborn through the mesh sides from the bed and there are no frills. I looked at other ones but was keen to be able to see the baby through the sides like the cribs in the hospital. I also found this was cheaper than most ($125 - Sep 09) and I am very happy with the price and… Read more

quality. I have an 8 year old cat who has not even attempted to jump on the bassinet. I feel the canopy that fully encloses the bassinet is quite sturdy and offers protection just in case the cat did try to jump into it however, I would never intentionally leave the cat in the same room unsupervised. Easy to move around, lightweight, portable and folds into supplied bag, mesh panels all around allowing you to view baby from your bed and providing good airflow, storage shelf underneath, reasonably priced Noise from opening and closing zip sometimes disturbs baby, no castors but very sturdy and easy to drag around

Good – I really like this bassinet, and my baby really likes it too. I think it is great to keep cats out if you have older/less active cats like mine, they have not even thought about jumping on it. I like how it has mesh sides, makes it easy to see baby in it without having to get out of bed. I found the construction of this bassinet quite solid and… Read more

sturdy, but would be better if it had wheels or if I could rock it. Lightweight, good ventilation, keeps mozzies out, easy to put together/pull apart, plain colour/no frilly bits. White fabric gets dirty quickly, no wheels, hard to rock.

Good – It's a good bassinet and the storage underneath is handy for storing baby's linen. The mesh fabric means that it's well ventilated. While it isn't meant for rocking, I've found there is enough give in it for me to jiggle the bassinet to get baby to sleep and that works quite well. We don't really use it for outdoors but it would be good for… Read more

that too with the mesh cover and sunshade accessories that come with it. In hindsight I'm not sure why I bought a bassinet portcot, it would be lighter, easier to assemble and taken up less room to have taken this bassinet with us instead. Plus it has a handy travel bag. Portable, light and airy. Easy to assemble. We chose this because it was a good, simple and strong design. Nothing really, it suits the purpose we bought it for. But it would be good to have wheels or something to help with rocking baby.

Excellent – This bassinette costs less than a good handbag, yet the piece of mind it gives parents who live in a house with cats, is priceless. Everyone should have one, even as a spare for when you go to visit the grandparents. I can now stop worrying about the cat innocently snuggling up to the baby and sufocating it while we sleep. My family threatened me… Read more

with having to get rid of the cat, lest I find another solution to keeping bub safe.

Other cons is that it is lightweight, great for travel, looks contemporary (I agree with previous mum who said she hates all the frills- which are very dangerous to newborns- found on other bassinettes. All it needs is wheels, but then again I suppose it would not be as stable, therefore safe.

Good – Just what the Doctor ordered! ! ! We have been very concerned about how we would protect our first newborn baby (due in 10wks) from my very affectionate 12wk old kitten. Mum was working on many ideas, until we spotted this bassinett in Target. We had looked at a lot, but this one just seem to jump out at us. It was like made to order, just for… Read more

me! It will be a great peace of mind to have the added protection. And i really do like the overall look of it too. Mum is now working on ideas to help dress it up a little & keeping it clean. A pump bottle of 'hand sanitiser' in the front pocket to use before handling bassinett or baby will help keep all clean & healthy. Extremely Happy Now! ! ! ! Fully zippped enclosure for protection against cats & other unwanted guests. Roomy & well ventilated. Seems strong & sturdy. Handy front pocket & undertray. Nice simple bassinett with out the frills. Perfect to have inside or out or take any where. Folds easily, into it's own carry bag, for transport or storage between babies. Non-removable cover. No wheels or rocker. Maybe? some handles to make it easier to move around without handling the cover? (Have to see Mum about that one!)

Good – The cover is a life saver for me as I can leave the room and not worry that I've trapped one of our 3 cats in the room who will want to sleep on Jack's head. It looks great as I REALLY dislike all the frilly stuff on the other bassinets. We love it. Fantastic ventilation, plain, all nature fibers in the mattress. Great for outdoors. You can't… Read more

remove the material for easy washing which is my only con. It came with a grease mark on it so it was dirty from the get go.