Sorelle vs. Ragazzi or Morigeau-Lepine crib lasting 2 or more babies

[apfb]

Our 10 month-old girl has nearly destroyed her first crib by Million Dollar Baby after using it for a scant 5 months (she used bassinet, then portacrib for 1st 5 mon). This crib is swaying back and forth, I'm tightening the hardware on it at least 1x/wk, and the side rail has occasionally dropped without our release. Needless to say, we need to find a replacement and fast. We would like to buy a crib which will last and be sturdy enough for 1-2 more babies after this one. Sorelle Rita or Lana look nice and have a reasonable price. Ragazzi, Morigeau-Lepine cribs look and feel sturdier than Sorelle but cost 2x as much. A Canadia poster reported a Morigeau-Lepine crib going strong through FIVE babies.

1. Has anyone had a Sorelle Rita or Lana crib which they have used for at least two babies?
2. Has anyone owned both Sorelle and Ragazzi or Morigeau-Lepine?
3. Does anyone know why Ragazzi has a 3 child/15 yr warranty while Morigeau-Lepine's warranty is only for one year? They are in the same price range!

Thank you so much for any help!

1st time mom to Maya the Mighty

[neosr]

Because no one has replied to your questions yet, I thought I'd just share some thoughts...

We finally received our Ragazzi crib last week and we're really pleased with it...although we haven't put it through the baby test yet. It's the new sleigh style with solid head and footboards. After thoroughly looking at all the top crib brands including the Italian makers like Pali and Bonavita along with the Canadian manufacturers like Morigeau, we liked Ragazzi's styling and finish (antico white) the best and decided upon it. For some reason despite my love for most things Italian, I was more impressed with the Canadian products. They just seemed a bit more solid and stylish.

If it wasn't for the stylishness of the Ragazzi, I would have probably chosen the Morigeau because of its well-known quality. Although they have a significantly lesser warranty, I don't think that reflects on their comparable quality. The only complaints you'll likely hear re the Morigeau is the long wait to obtain it. So if you're looking for something real quick, you might want to consider other options or get a floor sample. BTW, we received our Ragazzi in 4 weeks.

Just as important as selecting the perfect crib is choosing a reputable retailer who will provide good customer service. When I was slightly unhappy with the finish on the slide rail of the Ragazzi, my retailer had it immediately replaced with another one.

[apfb]

Thanks for your response.

Since I couldn't really get any quick answers, I talked to some people. I went ahead and ordered a Ragazzi crib because this baby is too rough and tumble. We now face her drop side rail toward the wall because she now puts her hands on top of the side rail and pushes down on it with her entire weight.


1st time mom to Maya the Mighty b. 3/2003

[apfb]

We have had a new Ragazzi crib now for nearly a month, and we are very pleased with it. We received the crib in 2.5 weeks after the order date. It was well worth paying nearly $700-. The release mechanism on the drop rail is quiet and smooth, but most important of all, the drop rail stays UP when it's supposed to. The solid maple crib does NOT sway back and forth the way that the Million Dollar Baby one did.

I assembled the Ragazzi myself, and it took me about 2 hr. working by myself. The instructions were clear and easy to follow.

I would disagree with the Fields on how they rated Ragazzi. Although Ragazzi is expensive, I think that it's well worth the price.The previous Million Dollar Baby crib cost about $300-, but it has disappointed us after a scant five months.


1st time mom to Maya the Mighty b. 3/2003

[neosr]

Glad to hear that you're very pleased with your Ragazzi crib. We have 2 now since we got a used one that came with an armoire and dresser that I got off eBay. The used one (1999 model) supposedly went through 2 kids already and is still in terrific shape and is as sturdy as my new one. So I'm a big fan of Ragazzis.

Although I too am a bit disappointed with how the Fields rated Ragazzi furniture, they never stated in the book that it wasn't high quality nor stylish (but I wished they emphasized it more). It certainly isn't a bargain in terms of absolute dollars (hence lower grade), but everyone has different ideas of what a bargain is to them. To me, Ragazzis are worth the top dollars and their customer service and retailers seem to be pretty good. And besides, if one shops around a bit, they could obtain Ragazzis at decent prices. We fell in love with our crib at a local boutique which was selling it for close to $800 (as did a few others) and ended up purchasing it at another boutique a little over $500. So it pays to shop around in regards to Ragazzi.

[gisele]

We have a Ragazzi crib and I am very happy with it. The mechanism is very quiet and works perfectly. One reason why I went with Ragazzi is that the mechanism was much quieter than the Morigeau, which has a distictive click. My son has sleep issues - and believe me that click would have woken him up many times! My son is 10 months old now and the crib has held up fine. I would put my next baby in it.

You really have to shop around for Ragazzi. I paid $439 for mine, which is in the same price range as Pali (which is highly rated in the book). In fact, the store I bought it from priced their Ragazzis lower than the Morigeau - I would have paid another $200 for a Morigeau crib. I don't know why they don't rate them the same. Morigeau is really the same price and quality of Ragazzi - and to be honest I like the mechanism on Ragazzi better.

Fields have also mentioned (from the mail bag) that they do not like Ragazzi's customer service. I'd have to disagree. When we got our crib and assembled it, there was a tiny offset in the railing that caused some rubbing when we lowered the side, plus I think some hardware was missing. Ragazzi sent to our store a whole new hardware kit, and the tech helped us adjust the crib. It has been working perfectly since.

[luvtoshop]

We LOVE our Ragazzi. You won't be disappointed!

Good luck!

[cchavez]

Another vote for Regazzi! It is a great crib!

[apfb]

You are completely right about shopping for the best price. Ragazzi has MSRP which every dealer is supposed to follow, but the dealers don't do so. Ragazzi also can't be purchase via web dealer.

I actually called and priced every Ragazzi dealer within a 50 mi radius of my area in Los Angeles, and some dealers varied by as much as $200- for the same model. The undercrib drawer went for $125- in most places, but two dealers sold the drawer for $99-. One offered to throw one in for free for their floor sample on sale. I eventually went with the nicest dealer who also happened to be closest, and she was willing to match the price.

1st time mom to Maya the Mighty b. 3/2003

[momma_boo]

Maya,

I have to admit that I hardly ever look into this forum, so I never responded to you. But we have a Ragazzi and think it's great. We actually got it used from DH's brother. They used it for their two kids (now 6 and 7) and DD has been using it for almost a year now and it is in great shape. I have no doubts or reservations about using it for our #2 (whenever that happens!).

[jk3]

We have the Morigeau crib. It's a solid crib and so beautiful. I chose the particular set because it looked like baby furniture and would work for a boy or a girl. My DS rarely sleeps in his crib so this will definitely last for other children. Even if he used it more I think it would hold up well because it seems solid when shaken and we have moved it around the room a few times. It would be virtually impossible for a child to lower the rail. I love the look of the crib.

[ppshah]

We also have a morigeau. We bought this particular crib b/c Morigeau was one of the few makes that has a medium honey finish. I did not want the dark cherry or really light blond look. Our crib is very solid. I think it will definately last through several children. My SIL has the same crib and in using it for #2 now. DS has slept in this crib every night from day # 1. There is no way DS could lower the rail. My only complaint is that when you lift the rail it clicks into place. The "click" is pretty loud. The floor model did not do this- so maybe it varies. The rail is also not the easiest to lower. It 's getting better but to be honest we never lower the rail b/c early on we forgot to raise it. Since then we just mostly leave it up except when we change sheets. I think if we lowered the rail more, over time this would loosen and it would get easier. We got our's for $500.


HTH.