Baby Carrier Mini

The Carrier Mini is built for the newborn stage specifically rather than trying to stretch to toddlerhood: it's usable from 3.2kg without an insert, weighs very little itself, and can be put on and taken off in seconds, which matters most in the early weeks when you're doing it repeatedly through the day.

Against the Ergobaby Omni 360, the trade-off is longevity versus simplicity: the Mini tops out at 11kg (roughly a year for most babies), while the Omni 360 goes to 20kg. For a family wanting one carrier that lasts into toddlerhood, that's a real limitation. For a family that mainly wants something light and quick for the newborn and infant months, and is happy to reassess later, the Mini's lower weight and simpler design are genuine advantages.

The soft, unstructured fabric also makes it easier to fold small into a changing bag than the more structured Omni 360 or Free-to-Grow, which is worth factoring in if you're carrying it as a spare rather than wearing it all day.