Chicco Next2me Magic 2 Crib Review
'If you're after a flexible and functional first bed for your baby, the Chicco Next2me Magic offers everything you could possibly need.'
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Large size
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Rocking function
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Reflux tilt
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Confusing instructions
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Expensive
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Not the prettiest
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A comfortable, practical side-sleeping crib, the Chicco Next2me is a popular choice with parents who want to sleep next to their baby without sleeping in the same bed. The crib is packed with features, including a rocking mechanism, four swivelling wheels for portability, and a sliding side panel to make it easy to reach the baby during the night. It offers 11 adjustable heights, and also tilts to help babies suffering with reflux. We think it's one of the best bedside cribs you can buy.
Katy Islip, mum to Beatrice, two weeks, tested out the Chicco Next2me, rating it on its design, features and value for money. Katy was wowed by the crib, as she explains: 'The Chicco Next2me provides a large sleep space for infants which can be used attached to your bed or as a standalone cot. If you're after a flexible and functional bed for your little one, I think the Chicco Next2me offers everything you could need.'
Design
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Weighs: 11.9kg | Age: From birth
Available in two different types of grey or beige, the Chicco Next2me offers a simple, clean, and practical design, with wheels for manoeuvrability, comfy padded sides, and a one-handed drop-down side panel. It comes with an included travel bag for easy transportation.
Katy appreciated the look of the crib and how functional it is. 'We have the bed in a grey colourway, with a subtle stripe to the inside, and I find it to be an attractively functional piece of kit - while the legs, feet and straps are all metal and plastic and not exactly aesthetically pleasing, the overall look is clean and smart,' she says. 'If you're a big fan of a stylish bedroom there may be more beautiful bedside cribs to consider, but for me the overall balance of form and function is good.'
Katy was also really impressed by the crib’s generous size. 'It’s plenty big enough to last you through the first six months of having your baby in your room with you, and likely beyond,' she adds. 'With our first daughter we had another bedside sleeper which was lovely but much smaller, and Thea soon outgrew it, especially once she'd moved into having her arms out of swaddling or sleep bags. This meant we needed another bed for use in our room before she moved into her own room and cot bed at just over six months old. With the Next 2me, there’ll be plenty of room for Bea's little arms to wave about without brushing the sides. In fact at two years old, Thea can still fit into it when she's determined to lie in 'baby's bed' - it's also sturdy enough to have coped with her clambering into it on occasion.'
Comfort and features
The Next2me offers a number of handy features to help soothe tired babies (and parents), including its rocking mechanism, tilting function, and thick mattress.
Katy found the crib easy to use, functional and comfortable for her newborn. 'The Next2me Magic has multiple bed height and attachment options to allow it to suit most bed frames, as well rocking and tilt functions which can be used when it is in standalone crib mode,' she says. 'While we've not used it in standalone mode yet, having had a play about with these functions they are simple enough to operate and adjust, with the four-position tilt option useful to have if your baby has issues with reflux or a cold. When it's used as a bedside sleeper, it has a drop-down, pull-up side for easy access to baby for all those middle-of-the-night feeds. This is easy enough to operate with one hand and once we'd perfected the attachment strapping, it slides up and down easily.'
Value for money
The Chicco Next2me sits on the higher end of the price spectrum for bedside cribs, but Katy felt it was worth its price tag thanks to its 'versatility and longevity'.
'It might not be the most stylish or beautiful bed, but it is safe and will offer lots of room as your baby grows, meaning you shouldn't need another option before they - and you - are ready for them to move into their own room,” she explains. 'It’s not cheap but I do think it offers great value and performance: it offers flexibility of use, and has plenty of functions built in to meet most, if not all, of baby's needs.'
Katy also felt that the size of the crib earned it extra points. 'The good sizing also gives it longevity which for me is a total win. Babies come with so many things that often don't last past a certain stage, so it's great to have a major investment like a bed that will remain suitable from birth to pretty much whenever you decide to move them into their own room or permanent bed - within reason of course.'
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Deborah Cicurel is a London-based freelance journalist specialising in parenting, reviews, lifestyle, travel, interiors and more.
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