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Reviewed / Tim Renzi
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Credit:
Reviewed / Tim Renzi
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A safe choice that's also comfortable for your baby, the two-sided Eco Classica III will last them all the way through toddlerhood. Read More
A favorite among lower-cost crib mattresses, the Twinkle Stars stains more easily than others, but it's one of the safest choices for your baby. Read More
The Naturepedic is among the best crib mattresses available, but it's hard to justify the price when there are comparable options available for less. Read More
The Little Dreamer mattress excels in most tests. However, in a hand-me-down crib with looser springs, we noticed a lot of sinking and sagging. Read More
The Earth Breeze mattress might sound like an easy choice, but the infant side's so firm that you may end up costing yourself a lot of lost sleep. Read More
Finding the best crib mattress for your baby is perhaps one of the most important decisions a new parent makes. A too-soft mattress poses a safety hazard for newborns, while an extra firm mattress can make it difficult to get the baby to sleep at all (and a sleep-deprived parent is a considerable hazard in and of itself).
As a mother of three, I know how tough this decision can be. You want the safest surface for your baby, you want your baby to sleep comfortably, and you want to have a few bucks left in the bank for diapers after you’ve purchased the mattress.
We tested seven ofthe best-selling and highest-rated crib mattresses on the market for four main criteria: firmness, ease of cleaning, odor, and special features. It’s not easy to meet all of these needs with one model, but we found a happy medium with the Colgate Eco Classica III Dual-Firmness crib mattress (available at Amazon) .
Near impossible to stain
Solid and comfortable
Sags quite a bit in certain cribs
Removable cover
Waterproof surface
The infant side is probably too firm
Stain-resistant surface
Unpleasant chemical smell
Doesn't feel durable
We used coffee and marinara sauce to test spills and stains on all the mattresses. Raised edges are essential to trapping spilled liquids (left), but boy those stains can be tough to scrub out (right)!
We tested each crib mattress on four main criteria: firmness, how easy they were to clean, odor, and special features.
To test firmness, we had a 35-pound toddler sit in the middle of each mattress and noted how much the surface indented under her weight. If the mattress had both infant and toddler sides, we tested the firmer (infant) side.
We tested each mattress for stain resistance by dumping a half cup of chunky marinara sauce as well as a quarter cup of coffee onto the surface. We immediately wiped the mattresses off and noted how easy they were to clean and whether a stain remained after scrubbing with dish soap.
To test odor, we lined all the mattresses up immediately after unpacking and compared the amount and kind of smells they put off. None were overpowering, though the smells ranged from chemical to earthy.
Finally, for special features, we rated the crib mattresses on whether or not they had a firm side (for infants), and a softer side for toddlers.
I'm Sarah Kovac, mother of three and a firm believer that a good night's sleep for a baby is in the interest of everyone in the house. I've tested and written about lots of parenting and baby products, and I’m the Accessibility Editor here at Reviewed.
There are volumes upon volumes you can read about healthy baby sleep, and helpful resources like the American Academy of Pediatrics about where to put the crib and how to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, but here are some things to think about when selecting a crib mattress:
You want the safest sleep environment possible for your baby, so choosing a crib mattress that doesn’t contain a lot of chemicals is important. That being said, you also don’t want the mattress material to be noisy, as a crinkly mattress doesn’t exactly promote peaceful slumber. Try to find a mattress that’s non-toxic, but also has a soft exterior (and that’s hopefully waterproof).
Infants need a firm mattress in order to promote safe sleep, but once your child is a toddler they may prefer a softer surface for their slumber. A dual-sided crib mattress—clearly labeled with “infant side” and “toddler side”—is a good investment if you plan to use it past your child’s first year.
Baby gear gets hard use, and crib mattresses are no exception. Selecting a mattress with a lifetime warranty ensures that you’ll be able to get a replacement if it doesn’t hold up to average wear and tear.
Real talk: there’s a lot of pee during the baby and toddler years, so having a waterproof mattress is a non-negotiable. If the mattress claims to be waterproof but doesn’t actually deliver, you could end up with a baby sleeping in a puddle of urine—and be out the cost of a ruined crib mattress.
By Federal law, crib mattresses have a minimum size of 27 1/4" x 51 5/8” with a thickness not exceeding 6 inches. Also, cribs themselves have a mandated interior size of 28” x 52 3/8”. But because there's an allowable tolerance for cribs (i.e. it can be a little smaller or larger than the target size), the mattress may have some wiggle room in the crib. Or worse, it may be too big. So hang onto that receipt.
Don’t purchase a standard size crib mattress and expect it to fit in a mini crib; you’ll need a smaller mini crib mattress—generally measuring 24 by 38 inches—designed just for these more compact models. A number of the brands we tested offer mini crib-sized versions of their popular mattresses.
While it can be tempting to accept every hand-me-down offered, when it comes to crib mattresses, it’s best to politely decline. Older mattresses may not have been subject to the same safety regulations as modern mattresses. Mold and bacteria can also grow on old mattresses, depending on cleanliness and how they were stored.
There are both Federal and State flammability standards that mattresses are required to pass before they can be sold. But the chemical and material composition of the mattress may vary widely from brand to brand. The presence or absence of certain flame retardants (beyond those banned by law) is a hotly debated topic in some circles. In rare instances there have been safety recalls. We'll be keeping an eye on mattresses we recommend in this roundup if there is ever news.
Everybody wants the best for their baby, and buying organic is frequently a must-have for parents. Unfortunately, there are no legal standards for the terms "organic" or "natural" when it comes to crib mattresses. It may refer to some of the material, like cotton or wool, but not other components.
If this is your make-or-break criteria, read the brands' websites carefully. Many of our recommendations here, like Naturepedic, take the topic very seriously and write about it at length on their site. CertiPUR-US and Greenguard Gold certifications might also be useful to know about, but understand that each is designed to test only specific attributes.
Sarah Kovac is an award-winning author and accessibility editor for Reviewed. Previously, she worked with a multitude of outlets such as Wirecutter, TIME, PCMag, Prevention, The Atlantic, Reviews.com, CNN, GOOD, Upworthy, Mom.me, and SheKnows.
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