It is one of the best travel crib for flying, but the BabyBjörn Travel Crib Light is more than just that.
Just a little backstory, BabyBjörn is a Swedish family-owned business founded in 1961 which has now expanded to 50 countries throughout the world and the brand is renowned for its durable and practical products for children up to the age of three.
Amongst all, its newly redesigned Travel Crib Light continues to be a bestseller despite the neck-to-neck competition with other models and brands in the market. Here's why.
Given its no-nonsense, straightforward design, the BabyBjörn Travel Crib Light is one of the lightest in the market.
Weight
At 13 pounds, and that's including the mattress and carry bag that come with it, it is easily the best lightweight travel crib available.
Portability / Ease of Use
The BabyBjörn folds up in half and fit into a suitcase-like carry bag which you can carry it by hand. The mattress folds around it in the bag so you do not need to pack it separately but do note that it can become rather thick (around 5 inches), but nothing unmanageable.
In terms of ease of use, the BabyBjörn has one of the easiest mechanism we have ever came across. All you have to do is just swing open the frame and everything else will lock into place automatically.
Likewise, to take it down, just tug the legs down and fold. Both setting up and taking it down wouldn't take you more than 15 secs (max) and we have to say this is one of its best feature that we love (even more so than the Lotus in this aspect).
[For a more detailed comparison between the BabyBjörn and Lotus, head over here.]
What Makes It Special
Now, all these are pretty similar to the Guava Lotus Travel Crib you'd say.
Yes they are, which is why there are often being compared against each other as they are so similar in so many aspects, but they do differ rather distinctively in some ways we have to say.
For one, it has to be BabyBjörn's mattress. This is included when you buy the travel crib, which comes with a machine washable cover as well. But what people raves about is the thickness of it.
You see, it is thicker than most mattresses that come with travel cribs, all the while conforming within applicable safety standards so you don't need to worry about any hazardous risk, if that's what you're thinking about.
In fact, more often than not, this is the deciding factor of parents going after the BabyBjörn over the Lotus because they want a more comfortable sleeping base for their little one.
The cushier mattress makes it the best portable bed for babies or best crib for grandmas' house as it is very easy to set and fold up that even grandparents will not have trouble manoeuvring.
Also, it has a solid panel at the bottom so the mattress is able to lie more consistently flat on the floor. It is also easier to anchor it as all you need to do is just pull the red tabs through the corner slots of the crib and you're done. We find it easier than the Lotus in this regard.
And because it does not open up at the side, the mattress is even more budge-proof so it eliminates any risk of entrapment.
Another differing aspect is that the BabyBjörn has a smaller footprint, and its legs do not stick out as much as Lotus'. Yes, both travel cribs have almost the same dimensions but because the latter is shaped like a box, its footprint is larger than that of the BabyBjörn.
Depending on what you intend to use it primarily for, this can be both an advantage and disadvantage.
If you do not have much floor space, the BabyBjörn will be a dream for obvious reasons. However, if you intend to use it frequently as a play space for baby, then it probably wouldn't be as ideal to some parents as the Lotus.
This is because the mesh of the BabyBjörn gets narrower as it gets to the top of the crib, thereby making the opening smaller than the Lotus and this can make the inside a tad more claustrophobic comparatively.
Nevertheless, the airy design made possible by the soft mesh fabric all around (except the bottom base plate) allows you to keep an eye on your baby as well as let him/her look out so that's a good thing.
Just like the mattress cover, the travel crib fabric is easy to remove as well and is machine-washable.
Another thing that really stood out to us is BabyBjörn's exceptional quality. And it's not just us. Many parents have commended on how soft and smooth the fabric is and how it doesn't snag easily.
It is actually tested and approved in accordance with the Oeko-Tex Standard 100, which is class 1 for baby products. This is a big assurance that the fabrics are free from harmful and allergenic substances to the extent that it is even safe for baby to chew on!
The fitted sheet of the mattress is made of super soft, organic cotton that guarantees will not trigger allergies and it is tailored to fit and stay in place. Aside from that, we also think that the frame is made very well and sturdy.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
The high quality, thicker mattress and ease of set up and use are definitely the BabyBjörn Travel Crib Light's biggest selling points as the best travel bed for baby.
If you're in a dilemma as to what is the best travel baby bed to buy, this one will be it - especially if your baby will be doing a lot of sleeping in the crib. Trust us on this.
