Picking the right crib for your child is a tough choice; it’s literally the centerpiece of your nursery, and you’ll need it built and set up well in advance, but your child may not use it for quite a while. And with the advent of convertible cribs, you may be picking a piece of furniture that will change and adapt over time until your child is well into primary school.
The best cribs are, first and foremost, certified to be safe. All the cribs in our list are certified for sale in the United States, and several are also Greenguard Gold certified, meaning they pass several third-party tests to detect things like VOCs.
From a design perspective, we also wanted to find cribs that would adapt to a number of different rooms, design styles, and grow with your child. All of the cribs we picked have adjustable mattress heights (meaning you won’t need to reach as far in to get your infant, and you can lower it so your growing toddler can’t climb out right away). They also all convert at least into a toddler bed (often with a toddler rail you need to buy separately). Many will convert into a full- or twin-size bed, too, with the front and back sides becoming a headboard and footboard when attached to a conversion kit—also sold separately.
It may seem like a lot, but we’d recommend you plan ahead. Pick a crib that will work with your room and, if you plan to keep your style consistent for the next four to five years, buy the conversion kit now. You may not need it just yet, but it’s better to have than risk it going out of stock and needing to buy an entirely new bed when the time comes. Oh, and don't forget to check out our picks for the best crib mattresses, too.