dresser/changing station choices

[first_time mum]

Hi,

We are shopping for dresser/changing station combos and confused as hell.. We have narrowed it down to 3 choices..

(a) Delta combo that costs about $280 in Babies R Us (the same costs $370 in Sears.. go figure)
(b) Versatile combo that costs about $220 in JC Penney
(c) Buying a 3 drawer chest from Ikea (Malm) that costs about $100 and attaching a changing pad on top of it.

We found mixed reviews on Delta (w.r.t. quality and customer service) and we have no idea about the Versatile combo from JCP.

The Ikea looks good and doesn't cost that much either.

Any recommendations/suggestions are more than welcome.

Thanks
-SP

[mommyj]

I'm using an Ikea dresser with a changing pad on top. It's a 3 drawer model, but I can't remember which one, and it seems to be the perfect height for me to change diapers. I won't know for another few weeks how it works in action, because I'm still a few weeks away from my due date. If you're still looking in late July, you can PM me and I'll let you know how it works with the baby. I like it because we can use it as the baby's dresser once s/he gets older and moves into his/her own room. Also, the Simmons pad fits perfectly on the top of it.
I haven't seen the other models you're looking at, but the height of my Ikea dresser looking about the same as the ones I looked at other places that were much more expensive. I have all my CD supplies in the top 2 drawers and I plan to use the bottom drawer to store some extra sleepers and onesies in case we need to change the baby's clothes in the middle of the night.

[first_time mum]

mommyj, how tall are you? I am 5'4" and also thought that the 3 drawer dresser from IKEA was the perfect height for me. I think as you said, its the same height that the hi-lo combos come in. My concern was being able to fit a rumbletuff changing pad on top. Do you think it will fit?

I know that the IKEA one looked a little too plain, but it is so cheap and does the job. If someone can give me reviews on the JC Penney versatile combo, it will be great. It looks like a great price, but I am wary about buying it without looking at it. And I am not even sure who the manufacturer is or how it looks inside.


-SP

[mommyj]

I'm not sure how big the rumbletuff changing pad is, but my dresser is 31 and 1/2" X 19" and the Simmons fits it just fine. I think I have a different dresser model, because the one you listed doesn't ring a bell. I got one that used to be $100 but was on sale for $79 one weekend. Anyway, if you already have your changing pad, you could always take it in to Ikea to try it out on the dresser. Otherwise, they list the furniture measurements in the catalogue, so you could compare the dresser size with the pad size. My changing pad is an inch or two smaller than the dresser top and it looks fine. If you take the changing pad to Ikea, you could also try out the height of the dresser with the pad to see if it feels comfortable to you.
I'm almost 5'8", but I have to bend down some to reach the changing pad. I figured that was true for all the changing tables/dressers I saw, so I just went with this one. It might actually work better for you, but I'm not sure. Sorry not to be more helpful.

[sunny2003]

we got a changing table dresser from forevermine.com and it's affordable with good quality - even the delivery guy told me he bought furniture from them! it comes with its own changing pad.

Viv
Mommy to Kayley born on 4/28/03