By: Mitch | Last updated May 19, 2021 
Unlike other furniture that you have and would purchase over the years, a crib is special in a way that it contributes greatly to the early years of your child. That's why every parent needs to get the right crib for their baby.
There are lots of cheap cribs out there that not only feel uncomfortable for your little ones but could also badly affect their health. From weak materials to wrong mattress specifications and even to an unsafe finishing procedure. All of them could be dangerous for your child.
You could simply search online for the most popular and best-selling cribs. More often than not, something that most people buy would surely be a great option for your child as well. But before you decide to click that purchase button, you should at least know what makes a crib good and what it is that you should look for in a crib.
Generally speaking, there are five main factors that make a baby crib great. The built quality, the health and safety concern and prevention, the quality of the mattress, any additional features, and of course the price. There would be a much more in-depth look into each criterion in the subsequent sections.
Most of this information should readily be available on the manufacturer's website, sales pages, or even pamphlets. If there are any of these criteria that are not easily accessible to you as a potential buyer, then it is an immediate red flag and you should look into other brands instead.
There are three main factors that you should look for regarding build quality in a crib. The main material, the quality of the workmanship, and the overall design of the crib. While this information should be readily available to you through the web, it would be much better if you could physically inspect the crib before you buy it.
When it comes to the main material, always pick a crib that was made using solid wood. Some cribs were made using other materials like steel or other kinds of metals, but more often than not, solid wood is the best choice.
To cut manufacturing costs and lower the price, lots of manufacturers opt to use compressed chip woods or particle boards instead of solid wood. Please stay away from those. Not only does it have questionable strength, but cribs that were made using such material usually won't last very long.
The next part is craftsmanship. No matter how good the material is, if it was poorly constructed or assembled, then it would still turn into a bad product. Again, it is easier to know about it if you could physically inspect it. But if not, please pay attention to the documentation provided by the manufacturer and the reviews of those who have bought and use the crib.
As for the design, the simpler it is the better. A crib that has lots of decorations, curved edges and other kinds of ornaments is not good. There's a risk that your baby’s clothing could get stuck in those decorations. And if that happens, then the result could be fatal. Always go with a crib that has a minimalist design.
For this section, the main area of concern is the manufacturing process of the cribs. There are industrial-grade chemicals that are often used in the manufacturing process that could be harmful to children. There's also the matter of the type of finishing used on the furniture.
These chemicals could affect the overall indoor air quality of the room and thus harm your child. The solution is a safe and healthy certification. All kinds of certifications were made to ensure the safety of a consumer product especially if it was made for children.
One such certification is called Greenguard Gold Certification. It has one of the most stringent product evaluations in the world. So always look for the Greenguard Gold label on a crib before you buy it.
Regarding the mattress, it is not only about the chemicals but also about the form and the design of the mattress itself. Most mattresses were made of foam that was glued together by a strong adhesive.
Since your baby would sleep on it, the effect of the chemicals would be much bigger than that of a crib. The solution is the same. Always look for a health and safety certification like Greenguard Gold on your mattress.
When it comes to the design, a mattress adheres to the same principle as a crib. A mattress and its cover have to be designed as simply as possible. There's no need for frills or any other kinds of decorations. Because just like with the cribs, those decorations possess a safety hazard for your baby.
Another feature that you should look out for is the firmness of the mattress. Unlike most adults that usually preferred a soft mattress, a baby needs a firm mattress. Their body hasn't fully developed yet, so a firm mattress would act as ample support for their body
There are lots of brands out there that offer various additional features for their cribs. One of the most popular features is a convertible crib. This kind of crib can transform into several other beds, such as a toddler bed, daybed, and even a twin-size bed. While this is certainly a very useful feature, it usually requires conversion kits that need to be purchased separately. Therefore, more cost to you.
For the mattress, one of the best features that you could get is water resistance. For infants, water spillage is simply inevitable. When the mattress is water-resistant, it would be easy to clean or wash the mattress whenever you want. This is great because a clean mattress is crucial for a baby.
When it comes to price, what you need to see is the balance between the amount you pay and the value that you got from it. Not every expensive crib is great and not every cheap crib has poor quality. You should thoroughly research all of the features that you need and compare them with other alternative brands. Always look for something that offers the best bang for your buck.
So what makes a good crib? As we have discussed earlier, a good crib has a great built quality, a health and safety certification, a high-quality mattress, a fair price, and some additional features that you need.
There are lots of brands in the market that offer cribs based on these criteria. So it shouldn't be hard for you to find the one that you like best between those good cribs. We did a full lotus travel crib review, which had a lot of great features when you are on the go, but not to be used as an everyday crib.
