Best Modern/Minimalist: Dream on Me Classic Design Toddler Bed

If you have a more modern or minimalist bent to your decor, this toddler bed is our top pick. DaVinci is a good brand that we recommend for nursery furniture and we like their classic toddler bed as well.

What We Liked

• Solid headboard. It’s hard to find a toddler bed with a solid headboard (most are slats) at a decent price.

• New Zealand pine. Parts of this toddler bed are made of New Zealand pine, which is a quality wood.

• Colors are spot on. This toddler bed comes in various finishes to match just about any decor.

What’s Needs Work

• Scratches too easily. While we like New Zealand pine, it is a soft wood that easily scratches—so take care when assembling or moving the bed around.

• Assembly more difficult than others. Compared to other toddler beds we tested, this one required more time (and patience) for assembly.

Best Travel/Portable Bed: Regalo My Cot Portable Travel Bed

If you’ve got a trip to the grandparents on the calendar or a vacation to a friend’s house, finding a sleep solution for toddlers can be challenging—they are too big for a crib, but not mature enough to sleep in an adult bed (which can be a safety hazard if it is off the floor). After testing various solutions, we picked the Regalo My Cot Portable Travel Bed as the best option here. Here’s why:

What We Liked

• Easy set-up. And when you are ready to leave, it folds quickly into a compact unit:

Best Toddler travel bed

• Comes with fitted sheet. This goes over the canvas sleep surface, which is stretched over the steel frame support.

• Lightweight. Holds up to 75 lbs.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• No travel bag. You’d think that would be an obvious accessory, but nope!

• Can’t buy extra sheets. While this bed comes with a sheet, the company doesn’t sell the sheets separately in case you want a spare. Also: the sheets must be washed on delicate and line dried (not in a dryer).

Best Daybed Style: Dream On Me Toddler Day Bed

Toddler beds come in two basic styles: the classic design that looks like a small twin bed and daybeds, which resemble more of a lounge with a high back. 

There isn’t an advantage to one over the other, as it comes down to aesthetics. Some folks like the look of the daybed better, especially when the bed is set against a wall.

For the best daybed-style toddler bed we liked Dream On Me best. Here’s why:

What We Liked

• Includes storage drawer.

• GREENGUARD GOLD.

• Easy to assemble.

What’s Needs Work

• More pricey than other styles.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing baby gear and furniture, including toddler beds, since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward safety, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Baby Bargains is your independent and unbiased source for expert baby gear reviews.