Portable Cribs : Ratings of Sources

Our AssessmentThe excellent baby-gear book "Baby Bargains" includes a detailed section on cribs, including comparative reviews and ratings of most popular brands. Top brand recommendations are based on product evaluation, user feedback and manufacturer history, rather than independent testing. Specific model recommendations in three price categories are offered at the end of the chapter, although only one portable crib is listed.

Our AssessmentThis thorough review covers two portable cribs and one play yard in detail. The reviews are well-balanced, offering both positives and negatives for each recommended model. The author selects the KidCo PeaPod Indoor/Outdoor Travel Bed for its affordability and multiple functions: it can perform double duty as a play yard and when your child has outgrown it for sleeping or napping, it makes a fun play tent or fort. The phil&teds Traveller is considerably more expensive and more difficult to set up, but it does fold down compactly and is constructed of windproof, washable, waterproof fabric. It's worth noting that the specific KidCo PeaPod Indoor/Outdoor Travel Bed referred to in this review has been discontinued, but several similar models are currently available.

Our AssessmentSusan Adcox, About.com's guide to grandparents, lists 10 baby crib choices for new grandparents. Among her selections are a few play yards, but several portable cribs make the list. Recommended travel cribs include the Dream on Me 2-in-1 Portable Folding Crib, BabyBjorn Travel Crib Light, PeaPod Plus by KidCo, phil&teds Traveller and Foundations HideAway Full-Size Folding Crib. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

Our AssessmentPeople.com selects the top 10 baby cribs based on features and style. One travel crib is also selected, the BabyBjorn Travel Crib Lite. Reviews are not very detailed and include only a short blurb about each product. The authors also don't include their selection criteria.

Our AssessmentNew Zealand's Consumer magazine conducted a roundup of six travel cribs in 2007. Of the six models tested, only one is available in the U.S., and it didn't earn a recommendation from the editors. Portable cribs were tested in Australian-based Choice magazine's laboratory and given a grade of pass, minor fail, or major fail in terms of safety and design, and a very good, good, etc. for ease of use.

Our AssessmentMost portable cribs available at Target.com have just a handful of reviews, but the site is easy to navigate, clearly displaying the number of available reviews for each product next to its average rating. The Delta Fold-a-Way Portable Crib has a perfect 5-star average rating, based on just under 10 owner-written reviews.

Our AssessmentJust over half a dozen travel cribs are available on Diapers.com, but most have received just one review at the time of our visit. One exception is the BabyBjorn Travel Crib Light, which maintains a perfect 5-star average rating based on more than 15 owner-written reviews.

Our AssessmentThis individual product review covers the BabyBjorn Travel Crib. The review is detailed, covering all the features and advantages to the product, including a photo of the crib in its travel case. The crib is not compared to any other products, however, and the author does not say whether she has used any other travel crib models in the past.

Our AssessmentThis buyer's guide to portable cribs and play yards includes primarily play yards, with a few baby gates thrown in the mix. Nearly 600 portable cribs and play yards are included in the results, but among the few portable cribs included, none have received a full review.