Angelcare
Soft Touch Bath Support
7.9/10 overallAbout £20
A mesh bath support that cradles a newborn in your existing bath or sink, freeing both your hands for washing.
The verdict
The Angelcare Soft Touch Bath Support, around £20, is a curved mesh frame that sits inside your existing bath, sink or basin, cradling a newborn so you have both hands free to wash them. It's the cheapest way into safer newborn bathing if you don't want a dedicated baby bath, but it needs an existing bath to sit inside and is outgrown by around 6 months.
This is a support rather than a bath in itself: a curved mesh frame that sits inside an adult bath, sink, or another baby bath, cradling a newborn so you have both hands free to wash them instead of one arm permanently supporting their head and neck. It's the cheapest way into safer newborn bathing if you don't want to buy a dedicated baby bath.
Against the Shnuggle Baby Bath, the trade-off is completeness versus cost: the Shnuggle is a full standalone bath with its backrest built in, while the Angelcare needs a bath, sink or basin to sit inside. For a family that already bathes their newborn in the adult bath and just wants better support, the Angelcare is the cheaper, simpler answer. For a family without a suitable existing bath, the Shnuggle is the more complete solution.
The mesh fabric also dries quickly between uses, which matters for hygiene — a wet foam insert left in a warm bathroom can hold moisture (and odour) far longer than mesh.
Is the Soft Touch Bath Support worth it?
- Much cheaper than a full baby bath
- Frees both hands for washing
- Mesh dries faster and stays more hygienic than foam
What are the downsides of the Soft Touch Bath Support?
- Needs an existing bath, sink or basin to sit inside
- Outgrown earlier than a full baby bath (~6 months)
- Less structured support than the Shnuggle's built-in backrest
Specs
- Type
- Mesh support frame
- Fits in
- Adult bath, sink or basin
- Foldable
- Yes, folds flat for storage
- Material
- Quick-dry mesh
- Suitable from
- Newborn to approx. 6 months
How we scored it
Safety & Support
How securely it holds a newborn or wriggling baby during a wash.
Good newborn support but less structured than a dedicated bath with a built-in backrest.
Ease of Use
How easy it is to fill, empty, lift and use one-handed.
Frees both hands for washing, quick to fold away.
Space & Storage
How much bathroom or nursery space it takes up and how easily it folds or stacks away.
Folds flat and takes almost no storage space.
Weighted by importance for this category — see our editorial policy for how we test.
How this review was done
We haven't used the Soft Touch Bath Support ourselves yet. This review is built from Angelcare's published specifications and product information, and scored the same way as everything else on the site. We'll update it, and the badge above, once we've tested it hands-on.
How it compares
|  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | About £20 | About £35 | About £20 | About £27 |
| Overall score | 7.9/10 | 7.7/10 | 8.1/10 | 7.2/10 |
| Fits in | Adult bath, sink or basin | — | Adult bath or on a stand | — |
| Material | Quick-dry mesh | 100% cotton | Plastic | Plastic barrier with silicone seal, suction-mounted |
| Suitable from | Newborn to approx. 6 months | Newborn | Newborn to approx. 12 months | Newborn (with supervision) |
Frequently asked questions
Does the Angelcare support work without a separate baby bath?+
Yes, but it needs somewhere to sit inside — it's a mesh support frame that fits into an adult bath, sink or basin (or another baby bath), rather than a standalone tub like the Shnuggle. For a family that already bathes their newborn in the adult bath, it's the cheaper, simpler answer.
Does the Angelcare support free up my hands during bathtime?+
Yes — it scores 8/10 for ease of use, cradling a newborn so you have both hands free to wash them instead of one arm permanently supporting their head and neck.
Is the Angelcare mesh support hygienic?+
Yes — the mesh fabric dries quickly between uses, which matters for hygiene, since a wet foam insert left in a warm bathroom can hold moisture and odour far longer than mesh.
How long can I use the Angelcare support for?+
It's suitable from newborn to around 6 months, outgrown earlier than a full baby bath, and it offers less structured support than the Shnuggle's built-in backrest.
Guides that mention this
Best Baby Baths & Bath Supports Compared (UK Guide)
The NHS says never to leave your baby alone in the bath, even for a second, and that RoSPA recommends baby bath seats are not used. This guide compares six baths, supports and accessories on price, design and best use, so you can choose what suits your bathroom.
Bathing Your Newborn: Safe Temperature and Technique
A newborn doesn't need a daily bath, and the water temperature matters more than any product. Here's the full technique.
Reviewed by
Sepehr
Software engineer, soon-to-be dad, uncle to four — the tech-obsessed half of the two of us testing this stuff. Currently building this site with my wife, ahead of our own baby arriving.