12 Best Convertible Cribs Tested and Reviewed

By Briana Feigon

Illustration by Lizzie Soufleris

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Is there anything more synonymous with a baby nursery than a crib? A crib is the quintessential piece of furniture in a baby room; it's what keeps your little one safe and slumbering peacefully throughout the night. But with babies generally sleeping in a crib between one to two and a half years max, it can feel like a big ticket investment for a short period of time.

Convertible cribs—as in cribs that have adjustable floors and rails that can be lowered as your little one gets older, transitioning from a crib to a toddler bed—are the wisest option to explore, especially if you’re like me and want to get the longest runway with the same piece of furniture.

When I was vetting crib options, I placed lifespan as the top priority. Surely we have all heard the saying "kids grow up so fast," and I wanted to ensure that we’d be able to use a crib longer than the 12–18 months between the baby's bassinet period and when they are fully capable of climbing out of a crib on their own. With a convertible crib, your kid can sleep in it up to five years!

As with many things that are baby-related, it's easy to get decision fatigue with such an overwhelming amount of options to choose from. So we’ve put in the hours, done all the research, tested out as many products as we could get our hands on, and narrowed down a list of what we think are the best convertible cribs for any baby's nursery. Shall we dive in?

How to choose the best convertible crib ⤵

Tester: Elaheh Nozari, contributor

How was the delivery and setup? Delivery was very easy—it shipped normally and didn't require any scheduling, but note that it does take around a month to ship since it's made to order in Brazil. It arrives in two boxes—one with everything for the mini crib and one with the parts for the full crib and toddler bed. I only set up the mini crib and stored the regular crib and toddler crib parts for the future. The setup was very easy and the directions were easy to understand. The only thing I’d note is that the website says the average assembly time for the mini crib is 20 minutes but that seems very ambitious. In total it took me an hour, which included assembling the right parts.

Why did you choose this crib? I wanted a crib that would last a long time and grow with the baby. I like that I can use the mini crib as a bassinet, and it has wheels so it can easily move from my room to the nursery or from my side of the bed to my husband's. I also liked the aesthetics—I wanted a light green crib to go with the rest of the nursery, which has a pastel theme, and this fits the bill!

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Tester: Briana Feigon, contributor

How was the delivery and setup? Fantastic. The Crate and Barrel white glove delivery was genuinely a godsend. I received this piece of furniture when I was nine months pregnant and I never would have been able to bring in the box inside, let alone set the crib up. The delivery team was punctual, friendly, set the entire crib up, and even cleared all of the boxes on their way out. 10/10!

Why did you choose this crib? I love the simplicity of the design and the light ash wood. It feels clean and fresh. I also appreciate that it is Greenguard Gold certified, so I felt confident that it would keep my baby girl safe.

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By Hannah Starauschek

By Erika Owen

By Eva Morell

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Tester: Marissa G. Muller, contributor

How was the delivery and setup? Delivery was fast and easy—the setup not so much. Putting together the Stokke Sleepi Bed is quite a chore. The instructions are not the most intuitive, the curved pieces are tricky to fit together and attach at the same time, and the whole experience really benefits from having two people instead of one.

Why did you choose this crib? The Stokke Sleepi Bed is one of the most flexible ones on the market: It can be set up as a bassinet, a crib, or a toddler bed, and the wheels and narrow width make it really easy to move around from room to room.

Pros: There is something to be said about a crib that has no corners. The circular shape is all about creating a womb-like environment for your baby, and it definitely delivers on that front. The wheels allow exhausted parents to gently rock their babies to sleep, and the add-on drape rod—which can also be used to hang a mobile—and canopy envelop them in a cozy atmosphere. It's also super adaptable: It's easy to move around, and its unusually narrow width allows it to fit through a standard door frame, so you don't have to disassemble it before moving it room to room. Plus it saves space, fitting into corners on an angle rather than taking them all up like a traditional rectangular crib.

Cons: The shape of the crib means there aren't a lot of options for mattresses and the Stokke mattress is on the thinner side. It also means finding sheets and coordinating them with your nursery decor is one step harder than normal. There's also the difficulty of changing the mattress height, which you’ll need to do before your baby can pull to stand. Because the base that supports the mattress is three separate parts instead of one, adjusting it takes at least twice as long as other cribs.

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Tester: Marissa G. Muller, contributor

How was the delivery and setup? Delivery was quick and easy, and setup was exceptionally quick and easy—even for someone who's not at all handy. The instructions and tools it comes with make that a breeze to accomplish. The three heights you can set the mattress on are also super easy to adjust, and outfitting it into a toddler bed isn't much more work.

By Hannah Starauschek

By Erika Owen

By Eva Morell

Why did you choose this crib? Most convertible cribs are an afterthought—you simply take off a rail or replace one rail with a shorter rail—but Oeuf designed a stylish crib that transforms into an actual bed frame that feels like a separate thought. It's one of the best-designed quality-made convertible cribs out there.

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Tester: Katy Olson, contributor

How was the delivery and setup? Expertly packed, there was no damage to any of the parts, and the assembly was relatively hassle-free. Weighing 135 lbs. meant that it required assistance hoisting it up a flight of stairs, which we did piece by heavy piece instead of hauling the large box it arrived in.

Why did you choose this crib? My parents live close by, so I ordered this crib for the room they’ve newly designated for their grandkids—a subtly tropical-themed space accented with palm-leaf printed fabrics and a vintage Hawaiian photograph on the wall. The Marin crib is a deep caramel color with chic rattan paneling that fits right in with the room's motif. Pros:

By Hannah Starauschek

By Erika Owen

By Eva Morell

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Tester: Katy Olson, contributor

How was the delivery and setup? Packed efficiently, the crib arrived undamaged and on time, and the setup was relatively easy, taking one person about 15 minutes once it was unboxed.

Why did you choose this crib? I chose the Nurture& for its neutral, minimalist design, nontoxic materials and ability to convert into a toddler bed. Additionally, it's designed to complement the brand's Glider Plus, a recent but already much-loved addition to my infant's nursery. I opted for the natural finish, which has a poplar and oak veneer, with rounded white slats and pale wood paneling.

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Tester: Clara Haneberg, contributor

How was the delivery and setup? Delivery for our crib took some time since we ordered it when it was on backorder. But it did arrive in time for when we needed it. It also arrived with a damaged bottom mattress panel that they were able to resend to us in an efficient manner using a third party delivery service. Setup was easy and as expected with properly labeled pieces and the necessary required tools (an Allen wrench).

By Hannah Starauschek

By Erika Owen

By Eva Morell

Why did you choose this crib? We chose this crib because we didn't know the gender of the baby we were having, so we wanted to keep things neutral with a black crib. These narrowed options presented us with the Larkin, and we loved its sleek, simple lines and more modern silhouette. We were also attracted to its more approachable price point, since cribs can get expensive quickly, and the fact that it has an optional toddler bed rail available that can be purchased at additional cost to extend the crib's life beyond the baby years.

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Tester: Clara Haneberg, contributorHow was the delivery and setup? Delivery was on time and they were able to leave the heavy box in our garage, our preferred point of drop off. Setup was a bit more time-consuming since the crib is able to convert in eight different ways from bassinet to toddler bed. In the end, once we determined which crib function we wanted to have the Yuzu at, the setup went seamlessly.

By Hannah Starauschek

By Erika Owen

By Eva Morell

Why did you choose this crib? Ultimately, we chose Babyletto's Yuzu crib for its versatility—it being able to grow with our child from infant to toddler is a big bonus, especially since cribs are a larger investment piece when it comes to baby furnishings. Secondly, we love this crib's natural finish and style paired with rounded edges and arched feet. Lastly, we appreciate that the Yuzu is portable, with removable, locking caster wheels in each stage, which make moving it from our bedroom to the nursery even easier.

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Tester: Malena Galloway-Rivas, contributor

How was the delivery and setup? Delivery was easy-breezy. We’ve received all three boxes for this 3-in-1 convertible crib (mini crib, full size crib and toddler bed) in one shipment, which was convenient. My husband and I put the crib together ourselves and it was easier than expected! All of the conversion kits are included as well, which makes it easy to transition the piece at every stage.

Why did you choose this crib? We wanted a crib that could not only grow with our child but was made with safe, non-toxic materials. There are so many options on the market (too many!) and after coming across Nestig, we knew that this would be the best for our baby.

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By Hannah Starauschek

By Erika Owen

By Eva Morell

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Tester: Briana Feigon, contributor

How was the delivery and setup? Admittedly, not awesome. The first time the crib was delivered, the box was left outside of my house on the corner of the street, not at my doorstep. My husband and a guest tag team carried the quite heavy box up our stairs and into the house. The box was unsealed, damaged on two corners, and opened up to reveal the crib. Sure enough, when we took out all the pieces, the crib base was significantly damaged: The wood cracked in two large areas.

Kalon was extremely responsive when we shared this feedback and immediately sent a replacement mattress base. This one arrived at my doorstep. Sadly, the box again was damaged along the corners and the base had two damaged corners of the wood, but Kalon offered to send a second replacement.

Editor's Note: White Glove Delivery is also available.

Why did you choose this crib? This is the Lexus of convertible cribs. The Kalon Caravan Crib takes crib design to new heights. The beauty of its craft; using the highest quality wood; Greenguard certification; a classic, effortless silhouette; and a prioritization on sustainability, this crib is next level. It's glamorous.

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By Hannah Starauschek

By Erika Owen

By Eva Morell

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Safety first

By six months, babies are sleeping up to 16 hours a day. Given that your little one is spending about two thirds of their time in their crib, you’re going to want to make sure that your crib meets all the safety standards that the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommend are geared towards preventing SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.) Refer to their sites to learn the nitty gritty, but, big picture, you’re going to want to

You’ll also want to keep an eye out for Greenguard and Greenguard Gold certified products when researching baby cribs. For a piece of furniture to receive a Greenguard Certification, it means that the product has met all industry standards for low emissions. Greenguard Gold Certifications are even more rigorous, assuring that a product meets indoor air quality requirements for places like daycares and hospitals.

Mobility

You might want to consider a convertible crib with wheels, according to Willie Larson, RN, student nurse-midwife, and cofounder of Pregnancy Pathways, a Los Angeles–based pregnancy resource and education company. Willie chose the Nestig Wave Crib for her child and recommends it highly, "What I love about this crib is that it transforms from a bassinet/mini crib to a full size crib to a toddler bed," she says. Not only is the design of the crib beautiful, but it's on wheels so I was able to easily move the bassinet around the house for the first three months of my baby's life. It also feels great to know that she can have this crib for years to come and we don't have to purchase three separate pieces." Read on for more Nestig reviews below!

By Hannah Starauschek

By Erika Owen

By Eva Morell

Aesthetic

Leah Goren, illustrator and founder of The Courts, chose the Stokke Sleepi 3-in-1 crib (reviewed below) for her daughter, Izza. "It felt important to me when investing in a piece like this that it would grow with us," she explains. "Many people say that mini cribs aren't worth the spend, because kids will outgrow them in six months. This is generally true, but I wanted it anyway because it just seemed cozier and cuter for a newborn. The Stokke Sleepi is a combo: It starts as a mini crib then converts to a toddler bed and then junior bed."

Leah also appreciates the versatility a convertible crib offers. "I’ve come to realize that sleep training and the general logistics of life with a baby are an ever-changing adventure," she adds. "There were month-long periods where Izza would only sleep with us, not in her crib, and other long stretches where we were traveling or living somewhere else. If I had a regular crib, I’d be feeling like we barely made use of it! Instead, I’m excited to get back home in May when Izza will be almost 2 and we’ll set it up as a toddler bed for the first time."

Budget

Have no fear: The best baby cribs don't have to come with a staggering price tag! A crowd favorite across simplicity, affordability, and longevity is the IKEA Sniglar. Under $150, this budget-friendly, clean Swedish design has the functionality to transition from baby crib to toddler bed. IKEA offers their own set of crib mattresses, however we’ve got a whole roundup of options to consider.

Kenya Stabler, senior Designer and project Manager with Marea Clark Interiors, as well as a mom to twin toddlers, opted for the Babyletto Modo 3-in-1 Convertible crib for her daughters. Aesthetics paired with affordability was the main selling point for Kenya with this convertible crib. "I loved the style of the legs and the white-washed color," she says. "The Greenguard Certification was also a big plus, and, since we needed to buy two, we loved the price point."

Travel Cribs

Planning a trip with your kiddo and troubleshooting travel crib options? Some are specific to infants, but others, like the BabyBjorn detailed below, can grow with your baby from newborn days up until age three. Leah splits her time between her business in Borrego Springs and her home base in LA. Leah went with the BabyBjorn travel crib for Izza's cozy trailer sleep space.

"It wasn't a hard decision because I liked the look and I trusted their products," she says. "The BabyBjorn bouncer and carrier were so much better than any others we tried. Some of my favorite memories are waking up in the morning with bright desert light coming through the curtains and making breakfast at the little table."