DaVinci Union 4-in-1 Convertible Crib

No, that’s not a typo—this simple Union crib at Amazon is just $115 with free shipping. Is it a good deal? See our review at left.

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The Union convertible crib is made by DaVinci (part of Million Dollar Baby empire). The simple $115-$125 crib is made of New Zealand pine and style-wise echoes the simple IKEA Guillver crib.

Fans of this crib love the easy assembly and metal spring mattress support. The value ($125 with free shipping) of course is the big draw. And yes, it is a Prime product, so you can this crib in just two days.

As for drawbacks, the claim here is that this crib has four uses—crib, toddler bed, day bed and full-size bed. The caveat: the toddler bed and full-size bed require the separate purchase of a toddler rail ($50) full/twin size bed rail ($78; it’s actually a DaVinci full size conversion rail kit).

And when converted to a twin or full bed, we’d bet the Union crib will look rather funky—that’s because the headboard and footboard are the same size. If you really want a convertible crib, the DaVinci Kalani ($200) might be a better bet as it has a headboard that is higher than the footboard. (Perhaps in recognition of this limitation, Amazon now refers to the Union as a 2-in-1 convertible crib; it used to be called a 4-in-1).

Also: this crib has exposed screws and screw holes. That doesn’t compromise safety; it’s just an aesthetic issue. More expensive cribs hide this hardware, but that is the trade-off to get the price so low. Here’s an example of the visible screw holes:

 

Visible screw on the Amazon Union crib—not a safety hazard, but some folks don't like the look.

Visible screw on the Amazon Union crib—not a safety hazard, but some folks don’t like the look.

A final drawback: this crib is made from New Zealand pine. As we explained in the Million Dollar Baby review, this wood is soft and can easily scratch. Hence, take great care when unpacking and assembling this crib. Even rubbing a belt buckle against the crib rail will scratch it (when you lean into the crib to pick up baby, for example).

Also: if your teething baby decides to munch on the crib rail, the finish will most likely come off. It isn’t a health hazard (the paint is non-toxic), but this has alarmed more than a few parents. (If teething is an issue, you can use a cloth rail cover for $18 like this.)

We realize this a chewed on crib doesn’t look perfect, but having a baby in your house means everything will now be scratched, scuffed and chewed on—your crib will simply match the rest of your furniture. (“You can either have children or nice stuff!”—Dennis Miller).

FYI: The Union crib comes in five finishes, including blue (lagoon) and yellow (sunshine), which is unusual at this price point. Typically, $115 cribs are offered in one or two colors. The caveat to this is that we’ve noticed that Amazon has occasionally runs out of some of the finishes. So if you have your heart set on a particular finish and see it in stock, we wouldn’t wait to order.

As for a rating, we’ll give this crib the same rating we gave for DaVinci and Million Dollar Baby Classic. Rating: B