Firsthand Review of IKEA SNIGLAR Non-Toxic Crib

The popular (and often out-of-stock!) Sniglar crib is made from all solid beech wood (no MDF or any engineered wood that could off-gas VOCs), no finish on the wood, and some nylon fabric on the mattress base (which I will show pics of).

The materials make this crib totally non-toxic, and at $120 it’s an absolute steal compared to other cribs, especially compared to other all-solid wood options.

There are only two height positions (baby and toddler), not three like some cribs.

It also converts to a toddler bed.

This is a firsthand, non-sponsored review from a reader. I also insert some comments from other reviewers to add more context.

This article contains affiliate links, upon purchase I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Note that the actual crib has two height settings and the highest setting is lower than what is pictured on the IKEA website. See photo above for the actual height of the highest setting.

The lower setting can be used for older babies who are able to stand up.

It also converts into a toddler bed at the lower setting by removing one of the higher sides and replacing it with a long piece of wood that keeps the mattress in and sits flush with the frame.

If you want to add a guard rail, get the IKEA Nattapa crib guard rail. It fits perfectly with the Sniglar and is only $20.

Materials

The Sniglar crib is made from solid beech wood and nylon fabric.

The nylon fabric is on the bottom of the crib (the part that goes directly under the mattress) pictured below.

The nylon should not contain BPA, since IKEA banned BPA in children’s products, though it is under the mattress so not a big concern.

This is a review from a reader Kylee, she purchased the crib in April, 2024 in the US.

What led you to choose this crib?

We chose the Sniglar crib because we believe IKEA has stricter standards than many US-based companies as far as what toxins they allow into their products.

It was also unfinished which lowers the toxin load, and we could choose to finish it with a nontoxic coating or we could leave it unfinished.

We also like the natural wood look as it goes with the style of our home.

And of course, we couldn’t beat the price point.

With the higher-end non-toxic cribs we would have paid probably 10x as much.

Some reviewers said this has the quality of a more expensive crib.

How tall are you and do you find it easy to reach in to pick up a baby?

(One reviewer said it might not be ideal for people under 5’3”).

I am 5’2″ and at the higher setting (for smaller infants) I have no trouble reaching into the crib.

If the mattress was lowered to the lower setting (for older toddlers) I believe it would pose a slight challenge for me to reach in and grab a heavy baby out of.

Was it easy to put together?

I put it together alone which wasn’t easy but was possible.

It did take me longer as I did it wrong the first time and had to take it apart and do it a second time (the instructions weren’t particularly easy to follow).

A tip is to follow video instructions on YouTube as those are more clear than the instructions that come with it.

I had to use other furniture to prop up certain parts while I fastened them together which would have been easier with a second set of hands.

Other reviewers said that they did put it together by themselves even when very pregnant but that it would be easier with two people.

Did you finish the raw wood or do you plan to?

As of now we plan on leaving it as is, but if it starts to show significant signs of wear or staining after initial use, we will probably put a non-toxic clear finish on it.

Does it feel sturdy?

I was questioning its stability when I initially put it together because the way the mattress base is fastened to the sides seems flimsy but once it’s completely assembled it does seem very sturdy.

Most other reviewers said that it is sturdier than expected but there were a couple of reviews of the bottom of the crib breaking.

It’s possible these were defects or that IKEA has fixed this problem since.

(It was recalled in the US in 2011, and in Canada in 2016, though there are recent reviews of problems with it).

Though one commenter says a slat gave out on her pretty quick and that caused the mattress to go up on its side.

It also can’t take the weight of an adult and a baby, as one reviewer found out.

Is it easy to disassemble and move?

It has been so easy to set up, convert, and break down each time, said one reviewer.

Are there black writing warning labels printed on the crib?

Yes, which honestly are very unsightly and I was a bit unhappy with this feature.

The warning is printed directly on the wood on both sides of the shorter ends of the crib.

Some reviewers tried to remove it with acetone with no success, others did sand it off successfully.

If you paint it, you likely need a stain-blocking primer before painting it so that that doesn’t bleed through.

Also be sure to use a baby-safe, food-grade (safe to chew on) paint listed here.

Note that the warning labels are not shown in the official IKEA photos on their website.

How much space is there beneath the crib for storage bins?

There is only 7″ of clearance below the bottom frame so you would need a pretty flat storage bin.

Note: the IKEA website says 7 7/8″ underneath, which others have also said is not right.

Was it easy to find a crib mattress that fit?

Yes, it ended up being the perfect fit for the mattress we wanted.

They tell you in the instruction manual for the crib what dimensions the mattress needs to be to safely use with this crib.

We ended up going with the Newton baby mattress.

It is 100% breathable and washable.

The breathability was our top priority for an infant mattress.

Is the wood smooth?

The wood is smooth and does not feel like it would give me splinters.

This is good to hear as some reviewers found the wood rough, perhaps IKEA updated this part.

Overall view on the crib:

We are overall happy with our IKEA Sniglar purchase and would buy it again.

I also didn’t have any major adverse reaction to the crib and I am chemical sensitive.

Though the crib did have a slight odor at first.

If we were at a place in our lives where we could afford to spend $500-$1000+ on a crib we would most definitely make a different purchase, but when we added together what we would spend on all the baby stuff combined (we wanted to get a fire retardant free stroller and car seat which was very expensive) we decided that for the price point of this crib and the fact that it seemed non-toxic it was our best option.

Corinne here: please do take note of the other reviews who have had the crib break or other safety issues. I cannot confirm if these were problems with the assembly or inherent to the design.

Two Alternatives:

Dadada Baby

At under $500, the Soho 3-in-1 crib is an affordable option compared to most of the other non-toxic solid hardwood cribs out there.

It’s GreenGuard Gold certified.

Dadada Baby builds its Soho 3-in-1 crib in Italy out of solid beechwood. 

Their mattress base is also beechwood, but I didn’t get an answer to if it’s solid or plywood.

Their products that do use engineered wood, like MDF, meet legal limits (CARB Phase 2 and TSCA Title VI are simply US legal limits), which limit formaldehyde to 0.13 parts per million (ppm) for thin MDF. 

They advertise “baby-safe” finishes that are free of lead, phthalates, and PFAS.

The mattress support has 3 height settings. Toddler bed/daybed conversion kits are sold separately.

You can purchase the Soho 3-in-1 convertible crib through Amazon. 

Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn Kids makes its Camden Convertible Crib out of solid New Zealand pine. 

This listing didn’t provide a country of manufacture, but some other cribs by Pottery Barn Kids are built in a Fair Trade Certified facility in Vietnam.

It’s GreenGuard Gold Certified.

The metal mattress platform has 2 height settings. Conversion kits are sold separately.

PBK’s states that they “require extensive lead testing at both surface and substrate levels to ensure that our products exceed both those levels achieving higher than industry standards in many countries.”

You can buy the Camden Convertible Crib on the Pottery Barn Kids website for $499.

Compare more GreenGuard Gold Certified cribs here!

Related:

GreenGuard Gold Certified Cribs

IKEA Non-Toxic Rugs

Non-Toxic Rugs for a Nursery

Non-Toxic Nursery Gliders

IKEA Neiden Bed Frame (solid pine and very inexpensive for kids)