Yes, the Baby Bjorn Travel Crib is an expensive cot, but it’s worth it. This is probably my top rated piece of baby kit… EVER!. We were so lucky to have been gifted this for our second child from her very generous godfather – I’m not sure I would have handed over that much myself for a travel cot to be honest. But having recently passed it on to a friend expecting her first child, still in great condition and looking remarkably fresh after baby No. 2 and 3 used it to death, I have to say that yes, I would totally hand over the big bucks for this top notch cot.
Five star baby
The Baby Bjorn Travel Crib really is the Rolls Royce of pop up cots and is the most consistently highly rated travel cot on Amazon. All the things I don’t like about the cheaper pop ups – the mattress is too thin, they wobble, some of them feel kinda cheap and nasty – doesn’t apply to the Baby Bjorn.
Super comfortable
First up the mattress. If you’ve been through many, many travel cots like I have you’ll have grown accustomed to that familiar guilty feeling when you’re setting it up as you lay down the disappointingly limp mattress at the bottom of the cot. What a joy when I first unpacked our Baby Bjorn – the insulated mattress is good and thick and the zip-off cover is properly breathable. Our little one loved it from the start and always slept like a dream.
Soft fabrics
Sturdy and safe
The Baby Bjorn is Swedish designed and you can see it – it’s totally simple but it works. It’s extremely sturdy and doesn’t wobble, even when little ones are standing up leaning over the edge or another child is leaning against it from the outside. I think it’s to do with the way the sides all taper slightly towards the centre plus the solid mattress with built-in base that keeps it firmly planted on the floor. What I also liked about this cot is that the whole top part is mesh so you really get a good view of your baby – there’s no corners to hide out in.
Easy to set up
This cot is super easy to ‘erect’ – you literally don’t have to do anything you just take it out of the bag, the spring loaded poles start to pop in to place, insert the mattress in the bottom and you’re set. This is a godsend if you’re arriving somewhere after a long day of travel with a tired baby who’s impatient for his bed.
Here’s a short video that shows how easy it is to set up:
Long lasting
The Baby Bjorn lasted both of our youngest two children until they were three years old!! The mattress is that bit longer than others – it’s 41 inches so that’s 4 inches longer than a Pack ‘N Play. May not sound like much but it can make all the difference if your toddler isn’t quite ready to move to his first bed and you want to get an extra few months out of your travel cot.
You may have to get non-standard sheets to fit this mattress. The Baby Bjorn fitted sheets
Also there is no weight restriction for this cot. I checked this out on the Baby Bjorn web site. They’re pretty confident about it, this is what they say: “The unique design even makes it possible for you to stand inside the crib while picking up your child.” Like I said, this cot is sturdy!
Looks good
Any buts?
The only downer I can think of with the Baby Bjorn travel crib is that it’s quite big folded up – a good bit more than the Phil & Ted’s for example. So if you wanted to take it on a plane, it would most likely be too big to carry on and would have to be checked. You could pack it in a suitcase – it’s going to take up a good bit of space, but at only 11lb won’t add to the weight too much. Or check it as a separate piece – it folds up in to a suitcase type bag with practical canvas handles so it’s very easy to carry. 
Vitals
Weight: 11 lbs / 5 kg
Assembled: 32 x 44 x 24in (82x 112 x 64cm)
Folded in bag: 19 x 24 x 6in (49 x 60 x 14 cm)
Mattress: 24 x 41 x 1.2in (60 x 105 x 3cm)
Colour options: Blue, silver, black
Longevity: Newborn – 3 years
Price: $239
VIEW THE BABY BJORN TRAVEL CRIB ON AMAZON
READ MORE ON THE BABY BJORN WEB SITE
Recommended for
Really comfy cot for traveling light. A lightweight cot that’s a cinch to assemble, pack up and carry with you without skimping on baby’s comfort.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE CONSUMER REVIEWS ON AMAZON
Alternatively, other cribs I recommend
That packs up smaller, more suitable for air travel… Phil & Teds Traveller Crib$150 |
That’s cheaper and lighter… Samsonite Koo-Di cot$91.99 |
That has a bassinet, napper and changer, a complete care station… Graco Pack ‘n Play with Napper$170 |
I had this travel crib too and loved it although yes agreed, the price is saucy! However I think it’s worth it. Travel cribs are one of those products that if it’s a pain in the ass to use you just wont use it. This we used all the time for both our sons. It’s such a cinch to get up and there’s no itsy bitsy pieces to lose, it’s just simplicity itself.
You hit the nail on the head there John.. in fact that was the inspiration for this site, my beloved and very very expensive all-singing all-dancing Chicco playard that was such a mega pain in the ass to use on holidays that we had to find something else. You definitely need something light and simple on holidays, if you actually want it to be a holiday..
I like that the top portion is mesh all the way around but is the bottom portion around the sides a breathable fabric? I’m not finding any information on that. Thanks!
Angela, The bottom part is made from polyester. You can find more information on materials here: http://www.babybjorn.com/travel-crib under ‘Product Specifications’. Hope this helps
It appears that the baby would be sleeping very close to the floor. I am concerned about the smells and possibly the cleanliness of hotel carpets. Is this not an issue for anyone?
It has never been a problem for us Shelley. These days generally hotels have very high standards of cleanliness. You could lay down a folded blanket under the crib to give it that extra bit of distance from the floor if you like. Best wishes x
Is this safe for newborns, as their first place to sleep in parents bedroom before crib? So strange to put a newborn so close to the ground. Thanks for any help.
Hi Annie, Yes it’s safe and fine to use as a travel cot for a holiday. But as “a first place to sleep in parents bedroom”, no it’s not ideal at all because like you said it’s so close to the ground. In the early days with a newborn, with the frequent round-the-clock feeds, you will not want to be lifting baby in and out of a cot at ground level – it will kill your back and is not a good idea for the long term. You need something at hip height for this stage. Any of the Graco playards with bassinets would be ideal for example: the Graco playard with newborn napper or have a look at my guide to Graco playards, there’s lots of different options. You can use these playards throughout the entire infancy, they’re not just for the newborn stage. Hope this helps. Give me a shout back if you have any other questions. Best of luck, Grainne xx