In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician

Baby Joy Travel Crib 2-1 Playpen Review

Impressive and cost-effective travel crib solution with easy to use side-zip and carry bag
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Baby Joy Travel Crib 2-1 Playpen Review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $105 List
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Manufacturer:   Baby Joy
Wendy Schmitz
By Wendy Schmitz ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  March 3, 2021
69
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#3 of 8
  • Ease of Use - 35% 8.0
  • Portability - 30% 8.0
  • Comfort - 15% 5.0
  • Quality - 15% 6.0
  • EcoHealth - 5% 1.0

Our Verdict

The Baby Joy Travel Crib 2-1 Playpen is a budget-friendly travel crib and play yard for little ones. We like that this option folds small enough for carry-on use and that it fits easily into the travel bag without a lot of fuss and frustration, as we've seen with other products. This travel crib has one of the quickest setup times, and putting little ones in and taking them out is easy. Taking the crib down is a three-step affair that is fairly swift, so that you can get on the road as soon as possible. This crib is not as comfortable or eco-healthy as some of the competition, which could make it a no-go if you're focused on those metrics above others. However, overall, it is a cost-effective solution for families who need a crib for travel or a play yard for outdoor events. Check out how it compares to the competition in our article on travel cribs.
REASONS TO BUY
Price
Easy to use
Ultra-portable
REASONS TO AVOID
Less impressive pad
Potential eco-health concerns

Our Analysis and Test Results

Baby Joy offers a variety of baby-centric products, including travel cribs and bassinets.

baby joy travel crib 2-1 playpen
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ease of Use


The Baby Joy impresses the most in the ease of use metric, with an above-average score close to the top. While it has a few idiosyncrasies, it is easy to use compared to the competition. This product fits easily in its bag, has one of the fastest setup times, and works as designed with few hiccups during testing.


The setup has a few steps, and the most difficult part is threading the Velcro to get the mattress secured. The take-down is a little more challenging than setting up, but it is still easy with three steps. Paying attention to the steps' order is key to accomplishing the task, and you need to watch that the legs don't catch the fabric. While the fabric on this crib isn't machine washable, it can be removed and hand-washed, which makes keeping it clean far easier than those that only allow spot cleaning.

baby joy travel crib 2-1 playpen
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Portability


This travel option comes with a square carry bag with two attached handles. It measures 22"H x 24"L x 7"W when folded in the bag, neither large nor small but a little bigger than the average for the group. It weighs 10.25 lbs in the bag, which is a weight that could be manageable for some and more cumbersome for others.


This crib fits inside the carry bag easily, and it is a size that might fit into luggage or in a carry-on space in the overhead bin on an airplane. We kind of like the idea that you could keep it with you to use for layovers in a crowded or dirty location where a baby on the ground might be less than ideal.

baby joy travel crib 2-1 playpen
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Comfort


The Baby Joy may not be as comfortable for little ones as some of the competition, earning a below-average result in this metric compared to the competition.

baby joy travel crib 2-1 playpen
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The mattress pad on this option has a stiff corrugated plastic board and thin open cell foam on top with a cover that feels like polyester. The mattress looks thick, but the foam condenses easily, resulting in less comfort as little ones will quickly be resting on the harder plastic board.


For parents' comfort, getting little ones in and out is more challenging as the bed rests directly on the floor. While much of the competition has a similar design, it is easier to put a little one into a raised crib than something that requires bending in half. We do like the side access port that allows more comfortable access if you are sleeping on the floor next to your little one, as it allows hands-on comforting without getting up and reaching inside the top.

baby joy travel crib 2-1 playpen
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Quality


The Baby Joy isn't the highest quality in our tests compared to the competition. However, competition is steep, with some products offering certified materials and sturdier construction with greater attention to detail. The quality is on par with the price and about what you'd expect for a less expensive option.


This product doesn't list the materials it uses, which is disappointing. It is also somewhat wobbly when fully constructed, and the fabric is loose. Neither of these seems to affect this crib's safety or functionality, but it isn't as nice as the competition. The zipper on our crib felt a bit flimsy, and after the first setup, the teeth separated. It was a simple fix, but we think this shouldn't happen at all, and we worry larger babies might be able to create a split in the teeth if they lean on the side.

baby joy travel crib 2-1 playpen
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Eco-health


This Baby Joy product doesn't give us much information in the way of materials or what considerations have happened by way of eco-health concerns. The mattress has no tag, and there is no company website that we could find. This leaves the metric of eco-health somewhat unknown.


However, in our experience, if a company has considered using non-toxic materials or organic or certified materials, they like to brag about it a lot. Everywhere. So, we assume that this made-in-China travel crib hasn't put a significant amount of time or energy into using materials designed with a baby's health in mind. As a result, this option did not score well for eco-health compared to the competition in our tests.

Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare Baby Joy Travel Crib 2-1 Playpen versus top competing products:
Or, compare up to 5 products side-by-side here.

Meet Your Guide

Wendy Schmitz
Wendy Schmitz
Senior Review Editor
Wendy is a mother of two who has been a leading member of BabyGearLab's Review team since 2014. She brings a combination of skills and talent to the team that translates into well written, thought-provoking, easy to understand reviews that provide the parents with the information necessary to make a well-informed decision regarding products for their children, as well as, entertain and encourage readers to read more articles on the site. Wendy has a BA in Biology and brings a scientific and... read more