Burt's Bees Baby Beekeeper Review
Our Verdict
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This Product
Burt's Bees Baby Beekeeper | |||||
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Awards | Best Bang for the Buck Organic Option | Best Newborn Swaddle | Best for Baby's Hips | ||
Price | $25 List $17.96 at Amazon | $30 List $29.95 at Amazon | $25 List | $30 List $25.98 at Amazon | $33 List $32.95 at Amazon |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | A cozy, affordable sleep sack made with organic cotton that tends to run big and could be too light for colder weather | A quality swaddle blanket that brings security to the table with a Velcro free design but there is lots of layers and wrapping required | A hip friendly swaddle that is soft and durable, but somewhat complicated to use and the closure mechanism is loud | A simple hybrid swaddle perfect for beginners, but the quality is not excellent and the Velcro closure could wake a baby | Uniquely shaped swaddle is good for arms up sleepers, but does not offer alternate positioning |
Rating Categories | Burt's Bees Baby Be... | Miracle Blanket | Ergobaby Swaddler | HALO SleepSack Swaddle | Love to Dream Swadd... |
Baby Comfort (40%) | |||||
Ease of Use (40%) | |||||
Durability (20%) | |||||
Specs | Burt's Bees Baby Be... | Miracle Blanket | Ergobaby Swaddler | HALO SleepSack Swaddle | Love to Dream Swadd... |
Style | Sleep Sack | Swaddle Wrap | Velcro Swaddle | Zippered Transition Swaddle with Velcro | Zippered Swaddle |
Material | GOTS Certified Organic Cotton | Cotton | Cotton | Cotton | Cotton and Elastane |
Zipper Direction | Reverse | NA | NA | Reverse | Two-way |
TOG rating | 0.5 | Not Listed | 0.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 |
Age Range | 0-18 Months | 0-14 Weeks | 0-3 Months | 0-6 Months | 5-18.5 Lbs. |
Available Sizes | Small, Medium, Large | One Size | One Size | Preemie, Newborn, Small | Newborn, Small, Medium |
Washing Instructions | Machine wash cold and tumble dry on low | Machine wash cold, tumble dry low | Machine wash, tumble dry low | Machine wash with like colors. Close fastener strips before washing | Cold wash cycle, use garment bag. Do not tumble dry or line dry in direct sunlight. |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Burt's Bees is a company that mainly produces personal care items. It was started in the 1980s by duo Burt Shavitz and Roxanne Quimby who each left their busy careers in search of a slower pace of life. Settling down in rural Maine, and finding his niche as a local beekeeper, Burt started saving excess beeswax and Roxanne developed recipes to make products such as candles and lip balm. Today, Burt's Bees prides itself on having a socially and environmentally conscious ethos and has expanded its line of products to include makeup, hair care, and baby clothes.
Performance Comparison
Likes
The Beekeeper is a great product for babies and toddlers who have outgrown the swaddling stage. It keeps loose blankets out of the crib but is roomy enough around the legs to keep a blanket-like feel. We love that it is made from GOTS certified organic cotton and has a super soft hand feel that is gentle on the skin. Although it is lightweight, the material feels durable and the stitching is clean, leading us to believe that this sleep sack will wear well over time.
This wearable blanket earned one of the top scores for ease of use thanks to its perfect combination of simplicity and useful features. A reverse zipper that runs from top to bottom adds an element of convenience to diaper changes and also keeps the zipper out of the baby's face during the night. A large pull tab makes it easy for parents to run the zipper up and down, and there is a small pocket that keeps the zipper tucked away from little fingers. The Beekeeper comes in a variety of cute prints and is affordable enough that you can buy a few to rotate through the week without missing out to wash day. Many users note that this sleep sack has a lot of extra fabric near the feet, making it particularly good for tall kids.
Dislikes
For babies that tend to run warm, the Beekeeper is good for offering a cozy blanket-like feeling without adding too much extra insulation. However, for most babies, we feel that it is too lightweight to be used on its own. This is especially true if you live in an area with a cooler climate. The version we tested has a TOG rating of 0.5 and feels similar to heavy t-shirt material. On its own, this TOG rating is recommended for rooms between 75°F-77°F. If the nursery is any cooler you should plan to layer accordingly to keep your toddler warm. Burt's Bees has a heavier-weight version of their sleep sack that has a 1.5 TOG rating that may be a worthwhile addition to your winter rotation.
The other common complaint about this sleep sack is that it runs very large. We had help from a 12-month-old tester and although he fell within the age and weight range for a size large, the sleep sack was too big for him. He could easily pull his arm in through the armhole and then pop it back out through the neck hole so he was wearing the sleep sack toga style. Needless to say, if this is the case with your child, we recommend sizing down to achieve a proper fit, for the sake of comfort and sleep safety. Luckily, Burt's Bees offers their wearable blanket in three different sizes, you can choose the best fit for your child.
Conclusion
We have used and loved many products from the Burt's Bees Baby line, and the Beekeeper wearable blanket is no exception. The soft fabric, helpful ease of use features, and quality construction make this a sleep sack we highly recommend, even if you're not worried about the price. The fact that all of this is offered at a lower than average price is why the Beekeeper earned a Best Value award. Once you find the proper size, we think the Burt's Bees Baby Beekeeper will become a staple in your nightly routine that you and your baby will love.