What a Bench Score is
Every product is scored from 0 to 10 against five criteria chosen for its category. The overall Bench Score is the weighted average of those five, rounded to one decimal place. The criteria and their weightings are set and published before a single product in that category is assessed, so the standard cannot move to suit a result.
Specification-based, and we say so
Nothing published on this site has been physically tested. Every assessment compares published manufacturer figures and Australian retail pricing against the criteria below. That is a real limitation and we state it on every page rather than implying a workshop we do not yet have.
It also has one genuine advantage. A specification-based assessment is reproducible: every figure we use is one you can check on the manufacturer's own page. When we do begin physically testing products, those articles will carry a test date and say so explicitly.
Where a manufacturer does not publish a folded dimension, a weight or a wheel specification, we do not estimate one. The criterion is scored on what is disclosed, which means a product that tells you less scores lower. This is deliberate. A pram you cannot measure before buying is a worse purchase than one you can, and the score should reflect that.
Prices
Prices are the lowest listed Australian retail we could find at the assessment date, stated on each article. They move. Treat them as a snapshot for comparison rather than a live quote.
The criteria, by category
Prams and strollers
| Criterion | Weighting |
|---|
| Conversion and versatility | 25% |
| Fold and footprint | 20% |
| Push and wheels | 20% |
| Build and materials | 20% |
| Australian parts and service | 15% |
Cots and cribs
| Criterion | Weighting |
|---|
| Build and materials | 25% |
| Conversion and longevity | 25% |
| Ease of assembly | 15% |
| Australian parts and service | 15% |
| Value | 20% |
Bassinets and co-sleepers
| Criterion | Weighting |
|---|
| Sleep safety design | 30% |
| Breathability and airflow | 20% |
| Portability | 15% |
| Build | 15% |
| Value | 20% |
High chairs
| Criterion | Weighting |
|---|
| Longevity and adjustability | 25% |
| Cleanability | 20% |
| Build and materials | 20% |
| Footprint | 15% |
| Value | 20% |
Nursing chairs
| Criterion | Weighting |
|---|
| Comfort and support | 30% |
| Recline and glide | 20% |
| Fabric and cleanability | 15% |
| Build | 15% |
| Value | 20% |
Cot mattresses
| Criterion | Weighting |
|---|
| Support and firmness | 30% |
| Breathability | 25% |
| Cover and washability | 15% |
| Sizing accuracy | 10% |
| Value | 20% |
Baby monitors
| Criterion | Weighting |
|---|
| Video and range | 25% |
| Battery and reliability | 20% |
| Privacy and connectivity | 20% |
| Ease of use | 15% |
| Value | 20% |
Porta cots
| Criterion | Weighting |
|---|
| Fold and weight | 30% |
| Sleep comfort | 25% |
| Build | 15% |
| Ease of setup | 10% |
| Value | 20% |
