The flagship crib of Babi Italia is the Pinehurst with the Espresso model being the most popular. It costs around $400 so it isn't cheap. Does the Babi Italia Pinehurst crib represent good value for money and how does it compare to other brands?
The Babi Italia furniture company has been making cribs for over 15 years. It's an Italian company that has become increasingly popular in the United States. It doesn't make cheap cribs – at time of writing you can't buy a Babi Italia baby crib for under $300. Like a lot of other manufacturers the company makes convertible cribs. This type has become more and more popular, due in part to how they look, but mainly because they can be converted to full size beds and so represent a real, long-term cost saving for parents.
One of the company's most successful collections is the Babi Italia Pinehurst Espresso. The company calls it a ‘LifeStyle' crib, meaning it can be converted from crib to day bed through to a full size bed with both headboard and footboard. Most other manufacturers call this type a lifetime crib.
So, how does the Pinehurst Espresso crib compare to other brands such as Bonavita, Bassett, Pali and Munire cribs?
All these brands cost about the same, with the Munire costing quite a bit more. They all make a convertible crib with a similar finish to the Espresso Pinehurst. The Babi Italia convertible crib is made from solid rubber wood with a stained birch veneer. However, all the other brands mentioned above are also made from solid wood, usually beech, so the overall construction of a Babi Italia crib is no better than any other company's.
What all of the various brands do offer are mattress height adjustments, easy assembly and easy convertibility from crib to bed. They all come with a 1 year limited warranty.
So what does separate a Babi Italia Pinehurst from other cribs? Well, they can easily be purchased from Babies R Us. There's always a branch close by. Pali cribs, for example, are less well distributed and the delivery time on a Pali convertible crib can take as long as three months. So, if availability and delivery time matter to you, then the Babi Italia rates highly.
Also, the Babi Italia Pinehurst can be converted very easily from crib to bed; there's no need for re-assembly, conversion is carried out by simply removing 4 bolts. Other brands require a lot more effort.
One thing that does disappoint about its convertible crib is that it doesn't come with a streight rail. All the other brands mentioned above come with an optional streight rail: the Pali West Point crib looks exceptionally nice with this feature. However, this optional extra may be of minor concern to many parents.
Whether you choose a Babi Italia Pinehurst crib over any other brand will probably boil down to looks. Whether the styling of one brand is more beautiful than that of another is a subjective matter: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But the Pinehurst is a beautiful crib and is well built and you can rest assured that you will be buying one of the best cribs in this price range.
