Baby Cribs Reviews

In our research, we found that the most comprehensive review of baby cribs comes from the popular baby gear book Baby Bargains, by Denise and Alan Fields. While the authors don't rate each crib model individually, they do discuss brands in detail, giving each a letter grade and making recommendations in three price categories. Although Baby Bargains doesn't perform independent testing, crib ratings are based on inspection of sample baby cribs as well as user feedback and research into manufacturer history and product reliability. The Baby Bargains website also includes a discussion forum where users can post their experiences with various crib models. The forum is especially helpful for finding user reviews of cribs not sold through online retailers like Amazon.com.

Consumer Reports' most recent article doesn't provide comparative ratings or independent test results. Although their crib guide does include general buying advice and helpful information on features, it doesn't address the need for information on individual crib models. Consumer Reports does have an older comparative review of baby cribs, last updated in 2005, but at least half the models listed have been discontinued.

One reviewer that does rank individual baby cribs is About.com's guide to Baby Products, Heather Corley, who lists her top ten picks in two categories: cribs under $250 and round cribs. Not all the models listed are still current, but the review is useful as a starting point. Unfortunately, we can't tell how Corley chose cribs for inclusion here, and how thoroughly she examined the cribs in person. (Note that ConsumerSearch is affiliated with About.com.) Another source of crib ratings is newcomer review site 3Luxe.com. Rather than posting top-ten lists, 3Luxe covers only the editors' top three picks in each product category. Neither About.com nor 3Luxe provides much justification for their ratings, but they do provide general information and a short description of the merits of each baby crib chosen.

Baby cribs are especially prone to safety issues and recalls. Most recently in September 2007, about one million Simplicity and Graco cribs were recalled after drop-side failures resulted in three deaths and several injuries. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), these failures are caused both by the hardware itself and by a crib design prone to faulty installation. Affected drop sides can separate from the crib, creating dangerous gaps with the potential to entrap or suffocate babies. Recalled Simplicity models include the Aspen 3 in 1, Aspen 4 in 1, Nursery-in-a-Box, Crib N Changer Combo, Chelsea and Pooh 4 in 1. Recalled models under the Graco name include the Aspen 3 in 1, Ultra 3 in 1, Ultra 4 in1, Ultra 5 in 1, Whitney and the Trio. Consumers who own one of these cribs are urged to inspect it immediately to ensure that the drop side is installed correctly. Simplicity's website (see our Best Research section) has information on how to inspect your baby crib and how to order a free drop-side replacement kit if necessary. Simplicity has also set up a crib drop-side recall hotline at 1-888-593-9274.

This isn't the first time a Simplicity baby crib has been recalled. Simplicity Nursery-in-a-Box cribs manufactured between August 2005 and May 2007 were recalled after they shipped with faulty instructions that could lead to incorrect side rail installation. Simplicity Lancaster cribs manufactured between June 2004 and May 2005 were also recalled because of chipping paint that could present a choking hazard, and 100,000 Aspen 3 in 1 cribs with wooden mattress supports were recalled for incorrectly-sized screws that could lead to the mattress being inadequately supported by the base.

For this reason, it's a good idea to check the CPSC.gov website before you purchase any crib, and be sure to register your baby crib with the manufacturer so that you receive communications from the company in the event of a recall.  ... Continued

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

The IKEA DIKTAD crib, which reviewers say is an excellent no-frills crib, has been discontinued. We've included the nearly identical IKEA LEKSVIK in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers instead. The Delta Jenny Lind does well in one older comparative review and gets a Best Buy rating from ConsumerGuide.com. Munire, Natart and Westwood brands get high ratings from experts for overall quality, and several other brands, including the Angel Line Round Baby Crib, are highly rated by About.com's Guide to Baby Products.