What are the best baby crib mattresses of 2023?

Choosing a baby mattress for the baby crib is extremely important as the right mattress will ensure the safety and comfort of your baby when they’re sleeping.

The crib mattress market is filled with numerous choices which can feel overwhelming. There are quite a few factors that you need to consider before buying a crib mattress – thickness, type, materials and safety standards.

In our top 10 round up below we have cherry picked the best baby crib mattresses of 2023 for your taking into account all the aforementioned key factors.

Are you also interested in buying a quality baby crib or toddler bed? Check our guides on the best baby cribs and toddler beds of 2023.

Top 10 crib mattresses 2023

1. Graco Premium Foam Crib and Toddler Mattress in a Box
2. Newton Baby Crib Mattress
3. Moonlight Slumber Little Dreamer Dual Sleep Surface Crib Mattress
4. Milliard Crib Mattress
5. Dream On Me 3″ Playard Mattress
6. Dourxi Crib Mattress and Toddler Bed Mattress
7. Milliard Premium Memory Foam Hypoallergenic Infant Crib Mattress
8. Sealy Baby Firm Rest Waterproof Standard Toddler & Baby Crib Mattress
9. Big Oshi Foam Crib Mattress
10. Moonlight Slumber Cooling Memory Foam Crib Mattress
    
    

1) Graco Premium Foam Crib and Toddler Mattress in a Box

The Graco Premium Foam Crib comes from the well known and trusted baby cribs creator – Graco.

With years experience in the industry no wonder they’ve come up with an excellent and affordable crib and toddler bed mattress.

The Graco premium foam crib comes in a box and it’s recommended that you unpack it and unroll it within 2 weeks from purchasing to allow for proper expansion in room temperature.

The outer cover is water resistant and machine washable. The mattress is made from high quality breathable foam to maximize air flow and provides the recommended firmness for newborns.

Product specifications

2) Newton Baby Crib Mattress

The Newton Baby Crib Mattress is on the pricier side but it may very well baby the best crib mattress of 2023.

The mattress boasts an innovative technology called “Breathe-Thru” which essentially means that the air can freely flow through the mattress which in turn reduces the risk of suffocation and CO2 rebreathing.

This is one of the safest mattresses and sets the quality standards pretty high. First of all it’s Greenguard Gold certified for lowest emissions (lowest-VOCs, no foam, glue, allergens or springs).

It is 100% recyclable, hypoallergenic, free of off-gassing, and the material prevents bacterial growth. Last but not least, it’s made in the USA – for which you may pay a slight premium but it’s well worth it; you can’t put a price on your little one’s health and safety.

Product specifications

3) Moonlight Slumber Little Dreamer Dual Sleep Surface Crib Mattress

Moonlight’s Slumber Little Dreamer Crib Mattress is truly unique in that it features two different sides with different thicknesses – one for infants and one for toddlers.

The thicker and firmer side is perfect for your infant as it will provide improved support and rigidity whereas the soft plush side will ensure a comfortable sleep for your toddler – all you need to do is flip it over once your little one has grown up.

We also liked the medical grade fabric that it’s waterproof, durable, stretchable and featuring extra tight seams with the SafeSewn technology which makes the mattress dust mite and bug resistant.

Finally, the mattress is stain resistant, odor resistant, hypoallergenic, and incredibly easy to clean.

Product specifications

4) Milliard Crib Mattress

Milliard is another experienced nursery essentials provider and their Dual Comfort Crib Mattress is an excellent choice for parents who are on a budget.

The great selling point is that it offers a dual side system. One firmer side for infants and a more comfy and fluffy one for toddlers so it will “grow” with your baby and you don’t have to change mattresses later on.

It comes with a 100% cotton cover that’s machine washable and has a waterproof lining (but it’s not waterproof as a whole!).

Product specifications

5) Dream On Me 3″ Playard Mattress

Dream on Me has some of the best baby cribs around, but what about their crib mattresses?

The Dream on Me 3″ Playard Mattress is the most affordable and budget friendly mattress of 2023. While it doesn’t boast any unique or special feature, it ticks the necessary safety checkboxes.

It is Greenguard Gold certifies and its cover is waterproof and anti-bacterial. Something that we aren’t very fond of is that it’s made from 10% vinyl which is not the most baby friendly material in the world.

Other than that, it comes with a 30 day warranty (which we thought is a bit on the short side) but when it costs less than $30 we can’t really complain.

Product specifications

6) Dourxi Crib Mattress and Toddler Bed Mattress

The Dourxi Crib Mattress and Toddler Bed Mattress is another dual-sided crib mattress which can function as an infant mattress and as a toddler mattress for when your little one grows up.

It is CertiPUR-US certified ensuring a safe environment for your baby and makes cleaning a breeze with its machine washable outer cover.

One of its strongest selling points is that it comes with a 10 year warranty, something that very few crib mattresses on the market offer and, above all, it won’t break the bank!

Product specifications

7) Milliard Premium Memory Foam Hypoallergenic Infant Crib Mattress

This is Milliard’s second crib mattress that is featured in our round up and doesn’t differ from the first one.

The Milliard Premium Memory Foam Hypoallergenic Infant Crib Mattress is a great all around crib mattress featuring a hypoallergenic memory foam that will provide improved support for your baby and won’t flatten over time.

The outer cover is waterproof, much like the rest of the crib mattresses in our comparison and finally it’s CertiPUR-US certified ensuring that no chemicals were used during its production and that all materials used are safe for your baby.

Product specifications

8) Sealy Baby Firm Rest Waterproof Standard Toddler & Baby Crib Mattress

The Sealy Baby Frim Rest Toddler and Baby Crib ensures a safe sleep environment for your little one as it’s Greenguard Gold certified and boasts 204 heat-tempered coils that provide orthopedic support.

The outer cover has a hospital grade barrier that’s waterproof and machine washable.

This one the only crib mattress in our round up that features coils, as all the others are made from foam. The majority of the customers have given excellent feedback to this mattress and highly recommend so it’s safe to say that you can’t go wrong.

Product specifications

9) Big Oshi Foam Crib Mattress

If you’re looking for a good all around crib mattress that offers good value for money and will keep you under budget, then the Big Oshi Foam Mattress is a great option.

It is made in the USA, features a waterproof and hypoallergenic outer cover and fits most full size cribs and toddler beds.

Even though it’s not a bad mattress by any means, we think there are much superior alternatives in our round up that offer a better value for money while still keeping to a tight budget.

Product specifications

10) Moonlight Slumber Cooling Memory Foam Crib Mattress

Last but not least we have the Moonlight Slumber Cooling Memory Foam Crib Mattress.

It features a dual sided system – quickly flip it over and change from an infant to a toddler bed in an instant and see it grow with your baby.

The outer cover is made from plush premium cotton for a cozy warm felling and comes with a zipper enclosure so that you can store it away safely when you don’t use it for extended periods of time.

The mattress also has squared corners and flat dropped seams that reduce the risk of germs and the whole mattress is hypoallergenic. Furthermore, while it’s not machine washable, according to the manufacturer you can easily wipe it clean with a damp sponge. The outer cover is also antimicrobial and stain and odor resistant.

Product specifications

What to consider before buying a crib mattress

With such a wide choice available on the market, picking the right crib mattress for you and your little one might seem as a daunting and challenging endeavor.

We have condensed all the factors that you need to take into account before buying a new crib mattress below for your ease of reference.

Mattress Types

There are quite a few different types of mattresses and while none is better than the other, each type offers some unique features.

Foam mattresses

Foam mattresses are the most common and popular ones as they are extremely lightweight, meaning you can easily move them from room to room or up the stairs and usually come with a lower price tag than their innerspring counterparts.

A lot of foam mattresses offer a “dual sided system” which practically means that they have two different sides – one that is firmer and more rigid and is ideal for infants and one more fluffy, soft and plush one that’s designed for toddlers.

Infants need additional orthopedic support to grow properly whereas toddlers will benefit more from a plusher mattress that will ensure a more comfortable and relaxing sleep.

When buying a foam mattress ensure that it’s Greenguard certified and that it’s chemical free. Also, make sure that the foam is breathable and odor and germ resistant.

Innerspring (coils) mattresses

Innerspring mattresses are usually heavier and more expensive than the foam alternatives. Their structure is based on steel springs/coils with foam and fabric for padding. The cushioning materials range to anything from polyester to cotton and foam.

Quick tip: always prefer a high quality and premium cotton over any other alternatives.

Finally, when buying an innerspring crib mattress opt for one with a high coil count – like the 204 coil count one from Sealy. The higher the coil count the better and more dense support and rigidity they provide.

Things to consider

• Greenguard / CertiPUR-US certified: Both certifications ensure that all the materials used during the production of the crib mattress are safe for your baby
• Waterproof outer covers: This might seems as an unnecessary luxury but trust us, it’s a God-sent feature. Babies do wet themselves and spill things on their beds all the time. Having a waterproof outer cover ensures that cleaning will be a breeze
• Materials: whether you buy a foam or innerspring cover, make sure you go for the higher quality materials. Look for premium cotton and breathable foam. Steer clear of vinyl, polyester and other plastic-based materials. Check for ‘Made in the USA’ tag – materials are usually of a higher quality (even though you’ll pay a slight premium).
• Fit/dimensions: Always check the dimensions of the mattress before you buy one to ensure that it will fit your crib.

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Sandra McNeil, PhD.

Sandra has over 13 years of experience as a child psychologist, both as a practitioner and researcher. She has a Bachelor's in child psychology from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and then she did her master's in Psychology in Education (focused on Children & Families) at Columbia University, NY. She has been writing for health and child-related publications for over 5 years now.

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