The media could not be loaded. For various reasons we recently bought this in addition to the Guava Family Lotus travel crib (which we have owned for the past 3+ years), so I'm able to compare them. They are actually fairly similar, and I think they're both very nice products. But, there are some notable differences. Thought I'd compare for those of you not sure which would better suit your needs. SETUP AND TAKEDOWN: The BabyBjorn is super easy to set up and takedown (15sec.). The Lotus isn't too bad, but it's not even close. It's the difference between just swinging open the frame and having it automatically lock into place, vs. having to do a bit more thinking to snap open and then individually manipulate each leg. Putting in the mattress and fitted sheet is a little easier on the BabyBjorn (though honestly it's a little annoying on both). Closing up the Lotus is definitely more complicated: you need match up the two moon symbols and the two star symbols to make sure you are folding it up the right way, etc... often I also feel like I need to force a leg beyond what it wants to do in order to get it to fold up all the way. WINNER: BABYBJORN SIZE WHEN OPEN: The overall footprint and the mattress sizes are both very similar. Lotus: external size 45" L x 32" W x 25" H; mattress 42" L x 24" W. BabyBjorn: external size 44" L x 32" W x 24" H; mattress 41" L x 23.5" W. The BabyBjorn legs slant at a bit more of an angle, which makes the top opening smaller and makes the interior area feel a bit more cramped. They are both fine for sleeping, but the Lotus feels a touch more suitable for playtime. WINNER: LOTUS SIZE/WEIGHT WHEN FOLDED UP: They both weigh 13 lbs, but the Lotus folds up much smaller, into a rectangle (23" L x 12" H x 8" W) that can be worn as a backpack. In comparison, the BabyBjorn only folds in half, and so must be carried more like a small suitcase or large briefcase (19" H x 23.5" W x 5.5 in" D). If you're going to be toting your crib around and/or flying with it a lot (as opposed to primarily using it at home and traveling with it just occasionally), that would be a really good reason to pick the Lotus. WINNER: LOTUS MATTRESS: The BabyBjorn has a slightly thicker & cushier mattress. Also, for me it lies more consistently flat on the floor. WINNER: BABYBJORN ACCESS TO BABY: The Lotus has a zip-up door that either the child or an adult can crawl through; the BabyBjorn doesn't. I found the door to be a killer feature for my first child, who often needed to be soothed/nursed to sleep. With my second child this was a non-issue, but if you have a kid like my first, then that is reason enough to choose to Lotus. WINNER: LOTUS BUILD QUALITY: It feels like the Bjorn is constructed of higher quality materials, and feels more durable. The legs on the Lotus sometimes bend a little funny & get in the way of folding up the crib. Also there is some padding on the Lotus legs (to prevent abrasions when folded up?) that is attached to the legs with some sort of adhesive that is starting to peel off on my crib. I haven't washed the Bjorn fabric yet, but when I washed the Lotus fabric for the first time, the little plastic pieces that connect to the legs and are sewn to the Lotus fabric ended up snagging the mesh fabric in a few places in the washer, which continues to irritate me every time I look at it. WINNER: BABYBJORN STABILITY: If you jiggle the two frames after the cribs have been set up, the BabyBjorn feels a little more stable (presumably because the legs are more angled). We never had a problem with our child knocking over the Lotus, but he's a pretty chill kid. Could possibly be a factor if you have a hellion. WINNER: BABYBJORN TOXICITY: The two cribs are constructed of similar materials: polyester top fabric & mesh, and flame retardant-free polyurethane foam mattress. The Lotus is free of flame retardants, PVC, lead, phthalates, formaldehyde, and heavy metals (e.g. Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury). The Bjorn is Oeko-Tex certified. Bottom line, they both sound pretty chemical-free (especially as compared to other manufacturers who use flame retardants in the foam), but I personally prefer the Oeko-Tex certification since there is third-party testing involved and they screen for a broader array of harmful substances. WINNER: BABYBJORN PRICE/VALUE: The BabyBjorn is a little more expensive. But it also includes a fitted sheet (and an organic, very soft one at that), which the Lotus doesn't. Even without the sheet difference, I would personally consider the price difference justified based on the Bjorn's superior build quality. WINNER: TIE BASSINET EXPANSION: The Lotus is convertible to a bassinet (with purchase of a separate bassinet conversion kit); the BabyBjorn is not. For the Lotus, you use the same frame, but replace the crib fabric and mattress with modified versions for the bassinet (the smaller bassinet mattress is suspended from the frame instead of resting on the ground). We used the bassinet with kid #2 for the first six months, and we loved it. It was light & easy to take on the go or travel with. WINNER: LOTUS BOTTOM LINE: They're both great cribs. I personally marginally prefer the BabyBjorn (at least for the way that we use it -- primarily within our home), due to its higher build quality, easier setup/takedown, thicker mattress, and Oeko-Tex certification. HOWEVER, the trade-off is a larger folded up size, a bit more cramped interior space, no zip-up door, a slightly higher price, and no bassinet option. If you are going to be traveling/flying with your crib a lot, you foresee yourself regularly being able to make use of the zip-up door (e.g. to soothe/nurse your baby to sleep), and/or you don't already have a separate bassinet for the newborn period, then the Lotus might be a better choice for you! Good luck with finding the best fit for your family!
