We scored 8 crib mattresses on what they're made of, what parents and testers report, and value. Our top pick is Emily Organic Crib Mattress, with a Cradle Score of 87.
Highest Cradle Score of the 8 we scored. Certified-organic coir, wool and cotton over an innerspring at a mid-range price.
Materials & safety score of 95. About as clean as crib mattresses get: organic cotton, no polyurethane foam, no…
Parent consensus score of 92. Testers' top pick: a core that's mostly air, fully washable, and very breathable.
Value & longevity score of 90. The budget pick: GREENGUARD Gold, no polyurethane foam or vinyl, and a 2-stage design for…
| # | Product and Cradle Score | Materials & safety | Parents | Value | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 87Emily Organic Crib MattressAbout $299 | 92 | 84 | 82 | Low |
| 2 | 87Newton Baby Original Crib MattressAbout $299 | 86 | 92 | 80 | Low |
| 3 | 86Naturepedic Organic Breathable 2-Stage Crib Mattress (Lightweight)$369 | 95 | 86 | 70 | Medium |
| 4 | 84Katu Organic Crib MattressMid-range | 92 | 82 | 72 | Low |
| 5 | 84Lullaby Earth Breeze 2-Stage Crib MattressMid-range | 85 | 82 | 84 | Low |
| 6 | 83Avocado Green Crib MattressAbout $500 | 95 | 84 | 58 | Low |
| 7 | 81Babyletto Pure Core Non-Toxic Crib MattressAbout $199 | 82 | 76 | 90 | Low |
| 8 | 80OrganicDream 2-Stage Organic Crib MattressMid-range | 82 | 76 | 82 | Low |
Scores out of 100. Materials & safety and Parents each count 40%, Value 20%.
Must-have Every crib needs a firm, flat mattress that fits snugly. A two-stage mattress carries over into the toddler years.
Secondhand: Buy new. Buy new. Firmness and a snug fit matter for safe sleep, and a used mattress can sag or have an unknown history.
Typical use: about 36 months.
A crib mattress should be firm and flat, and fit the crib snugly with no gap wider than two fingers at the sides. After that, the differences are materials: emissions certifications like GREENGUARD Gold, whether flame retardants or polyurethane foam are used, and whether the cover or core can be washed.
Of the 8 we scored, all 8 carry GREENGUARD Gold, 4 of 8 carry GOTS organic, 1 of 8 carry OEKO-TEX, 1 of 8 carry EWG Verified and 2 of 8 are free of added flame retardants. 4 have a safety or materials point to know about, noted in the reviews below.
Certified-organic coir, wool and cotton over an innerspring at a mid-range price. It has one firmness on both sides and needs a separate waterproof protector.
Testers' top pick: a core that's mostly air, fully washable, and very breathable. It isn't organic, but it skips polyurethane foam and flame-retardant chemicals.
About as clean as crib mattresses get: organic cotton, no polyurethane foam, no flame-retardant chemicals, and seven third-party certifications. It's expensive, but it lasts into the toddler years and comes with a 100-night trial.
Handmade in the USA from organic coir, latex, wool and cotton, with no glues or chemical flame retardants. Shipping can take about a month.
A very light, breathable polymer mattress with a firm infant side and softer toddler side, at a lower price than most certified options.
Organic latex and coconut coir, made in California, with the most certifications of any mattress here. It's heavy, the priciest pick, and has no waterproof layer.
The budget pick: GREENGUARD Gold, no polyurethane foam or vinyl, and a 2-stage design for about $200.
Made in the USA with organic cotton sleep surfaces over a light polymer core and a washable, water-resistant cover.
Emily Organic Crib Mattress has the highest Cradle Score of the 8 crib mattresses we scored, at 87 out of 100 (Excellent). Certified-organic coir, wool and cotton over an innerspring at a mid-range price.
Naturepedic Organic Breathable 2-Stage Crib Mattress (Lightweight) scores highest on materials and safety among the crib mattresses we scored. Across the group, all 8 carry GREENGUARD Gold, 4 of 8 carry GOTS organic, 1 of 8 carry OEKO-TEX, 1 of 8 carry EWG Verified and 2 of 8 are free of added flame retardants.
Newton Baby Original Crib Mattress has the strongest parent and tester consensus, based on the praise and complaints that keep coming up in hands-on reviews and parent communities.
Babyletto Pure Core Non-Toxic Crib Mattress (About $199) scores highest on value and longevity among crib mattresses with a Good or Excellent score.
None of the 8 crib mattresses on this page has an open recall in our latest check. Always check the CPSC recall database (or NHTSA for car seats) before you buy or use a product.
There's no legal definition of "non-toxic", so we score specific things: materials, certifications, ingredients and independent test results. Of the 8 crib mattresses we scored, Naturepedic Organic Breathable 2-Stage Crib Mattress (Lightweight) has the highest materials and safety score, at 95 out of 100. Each product page lists exactly what we checked.
Each score is 40% materials and safety, 40% parent and tester consensus, and 20% value and longevity. Every product page lists its sources and when we last checked it, and brands cannot pay for placement.
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