Compact Baby Cribs

Compact baby cribs for apartments or tight spaces

A few cribs are smaller than a standard baby crib, and will work better in apartments or tight spaces, such as a tiny nursery or in the bedroom with mom and dad. These cribs are still fairly substantial and not the kind of thing you pack in the car for a trip to Grandma's; for travel, you'll want a crib specifically designed to fold compactly. We cover portable cribs in a separate report.

The DaVinci Emily Mini Crib (*Est. $160) is a modified version of the full-size Emily crib that's designed to fit in small spaces. This crib is also convertible, but only to a full-size bed (with rails purchased separately). The Emily Mini is just 39.5 inches long by 28 inches wide and 50 pounds -- almost one-third lighter than a conventional crib. Owners post about 30 reviews on Diapers.com, giving the Emily Mini 4 stars out of 5. On BabiesRUs.com, nearly 60 reviewers overall give the crib between 3 and 4 stars out of a possible 5. Parents say it fits well into small spaces but is still roomy enough for babies to sleep in comfortably. On the downside, it comes with a 1-inch-thick pad that most reviewers say is insufficient, and a few complain that it's tough to find a small mattress that fits the crib well.

"Baby Bargains" authors Denise and Alan Fields don't address the DaVinci Emily Mini Crib specifically, but they do advise parents to pass on mini cribs altogether since kids tend to outgrow them long before they outgrow traditional models. A full-size crib should be as sufficient for newborns as a mini crib.

A considerably more expensive model, the unusual Stokke Sleepi Crib (*Est. $850) gets excellent ratings in professional reviews, earning a spot on the recommended cribs lists at MomFinds.com, Babble.com, People.com and ApartmentTherapy.com. Advocates say its space-saving, multi-faceted design makes it a good choice for apartments and small rooms. The Sleepi can start out as a bassinet for babies up to 6 months old before expanding into a crib (conversion requires the separate purchase of a mini kit). The crib then converts into a toddler bed and even a full-size bed for children up to age 10 (with the purchase of a junior kit). When a child outgrows the bed, it can be turned into a pair of matching chairs.

More than 20 parents posting comments to the "Baby Bargains" discussion forum and Epinions.com combined give the Sleepi mostly positive reviews (ratings average between 4 and 4.5 stars out of 5). They like its construction, oval shape and lack of sharp edges, and appreciate how easily the crib rolls from room to room and through narrow doorways. One negative is the extra costs involved: the necessary purchase of a Sleepi oval mattress (*Est. $150 to $250), the price of linens (*Est. $250 for a basic four-piece bedding set), and the mini and junior kits. After experiencing frustration with locating the conversion kits in the U.S., a few owners advise skipping the bassinet model and starting with a full-size crib.