Yes, baby neck floats are safe. Check out these 7 science-backed benefits. 🎉🙌🏽💦 Ok, I’m sold!
SO…WHICH FLOATIE SHOULD I BUY?
When confronted with this online shopping dilemma, especially for baby products that your kid may only use for a couple of years, the significant discrepancy in price is alluring.
However, the head-spinning risks of buying cheap baby toys online should be considered.
When the cheaper alternative looks like a little too good a bargain to be true, you know it’s a gamble. Sometimes you get a jackpot; more often you get something like a phone charger that catches on fire or a plastic sack instead of a silk shift dress directly from China.
We know you have a similar decision to make when considering Otteroo’s price tag. While ours is tested by a Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)-accredited lab for quality assurance, we also know that you can buy a seemingly similar float for $3 to $8 (including shipping from China!) Scary!
Being moms and bargain hunters ourselves, we totally get it. But, like you, we don’t want to put our babies in anything that’s dangerous or potentially toxic…so we did some legwork.
We purchased all the baby neck floats we could from American-based ‘reliable’ online stores and below are the frightening results.
HOW MUCH IS YOUR BABY PRODUCT REALLY WORTH?
How companies cut costs in scary ways to sell you cheap floaties.
When we opened the neck float deliveries shipped directly from China, we could instantly feel the difference. No wonder these companies can sell their neck floaties for impossibly low prices…the actual materials and the manufacturing costs including labor must be dirt cheap…
Here are the alarming differences arising from their excessive cost cutting that you should be aware of.
COST CUT 1: WEAK KNOCK-OFF VELCRO BRAND CLOSURES
The two sides of our floatie are held together by interlocking the top and bottom tabs on the buckle straps. Other cheaper alternatives use what appears to be a knock-off, thin version of VELCRO Brand fasteners. The adhesive behind the VELCRO strip and the actual non-industrial strength closure can quickly weaken with exposure to warm water, soap, sun and pool chemicals.
COST CUT 2: DIMPLY CHIN REST
The Otteroo has a chin rest for comfortable head stabilization. That’s why our Otteroo babies look less rigid and more comfortable in our floatie and it also helps to keep the baby’s chin and mouth above the water. We’re assuming this barely there, dimply flat surface on the knock-off version is supposed to do the same thing!?
COST CUT 3: CHINESE ONLY WARNINGS & INSTRUCTIONS
The Otteroo has clear and simple safety instructions…unless you can read Chinese well, how do you know that you are doing the right thing?!
COST CUT 4: LOW GRADE PLASTIC
Otteroo uses certified toxin-free plastic sheets that measure in at an unusually thick 0.35mm. Watch this video of an SUV running over our product:
Yikes! So how can these regulated ingredients still be included in products that you can buy?
COST CUT 6: WHY THEY DIRECT SHIP FROM CHINA
When something is shipped directly from China or other countries with less product regulations, the seller can bypass the expensive lab tests and U.S. regulations on baby toys if they direct ship to U.S. customers.
This lack of testing costs and their use of inferior, potentially toxic plastics, make the cost of each product that much cheaper but, it also means you have no idea what your baby may be ingesting.
HOW IS ALL THIS LEGAL??
Well it’s not. But, it’s practically impossible to regulate.
One of our employees at Otteroo used to be an intelligence officer with the U.S Department of Defense (seriously). So, we put her on the case and even she couldn’t track down the companies that are selling these cheap, knock-off infant floaties, much less identify any responsible party, their suppliers, or safety certifications on the materials used.
If one of these companies is challenged for selling unsafe products, be they baby products, electronics or other products, they just pop up under another name. Over and over again.
When we were just photographing the cheap neck floats, one of the safety straps fell off the flotation device! Imagine how difficult it would be to contact the company to ask them for a replacement…
HOW CHEAP FLOATS ARE SOLD
So, one might think that avoiding any foreign-sounding company can resolve this issue, right? Stick with a retail brand name you know…?! Wrong!
When you search for neck floats, these products from Walmart come up:
It makes it seem as if Walmart trusts this product and carries it on their shelves but, that’s not the case at all. Some major retail chains in the U.S. like Walmart have online store sites with a secondary, open market shopping place. They link to various sellers’ products with no way for you to tell where this product is coming from or if they have been tested or have toxins in their plastics!
We get it. You have the option to buy an Otteroo or the cheap neck float for a fraction of the price.
We just want to remind you, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Stick with quality, reputable products sold by U.S. based companies that you can contact if you have questions or problems. Your baby’s safety and well-being are definitely worth it!
* We don’t recommend doing this yourself! We just did this as a fun experiment. Please do not try running over your Otteroo (or anything else for that matter) in your car.
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My baby is 9 months, he’s a little on the small side, he’s 14 lbs, should I order the mini?
LUMI will work longer for you, as MINI has a maximum weight of only 18 pounds. LUMI can be used between 9-35 pounds!
How soon is this neck float being shipped out?
Hi Karla, our handling time is 1-2 days, and shipping time is about 5-8 business days!
Hi
We have only had our Otteroo a month. I love the thing, even posted about it on my Instagram. Today I noticed it has a leak around the circle thing that holds the clasps together in the back. Obviously it’s not usable anymore but also I think it should have lasted longer than a month with occasional use. Please advise
Hi Jenny,
We’re so sorry to hear that you had a problem with the Otteroo. Please email us at hello@otteroo.com so that we can assist you with this. Thank you!
I had a mix up with the 30%off they are advertising because they all ready have the 30% off so the price you will pay will be $24.50 for one and not 30%off the $24.50. Just so there is no body else getting mixed up this is my 2nd one I have ordered and I paid $24.50 for the first one in September. And it busted at the seems. With that being said my 6 month old loves it and has enjoyed it that’s why I’m ordering another one if not I would have canceled my order.
Hi Michael,
You can email us at hello@otteroo.com if you had a problem with your first Otteroo!
I absolutely love the ottero. My daughter was 2months premiee and was only 8lbs and 9weeks old the first time she uses hers. She LOVES it. She is now 4months and she gets so excited when I put it on her. Bust investment I have made as far as bath toys. She was unable to even stay in the cheap one I bought first and I tried again now that she is 11lbs (was hoping for a spare to leave at grandmas)and she still slides through it when she gets in the water so I threw it away!! Definitly not safe and it says for 8-10weeks and most babies are over 11lbs at that stage.
Hi my name is Irma I’m interested in the floating device but would like to know if you have it in a bigger size i have a 7 year old disabled little girl if you can let me now thank you
IRMA MEDINA