6 Best Baby Playpens in 2023 (Ranked and Reviewed)

It can be difficult to keep an eye on your baby all the time. That’s where having a baby playpen can come in handy. Not only does it allow you to perform other tasks, but it also provides a safe environment and activity center for your baby.

How do you know which baby playpen to buy, though? Whether your priority is durability, size, or portability, there’s a playpen for your baby. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best baby playpens of 2023 for you.

At a Glance:

• UPPAbaby Remi Playard – Best for Durability 
• SENA® Aire Playard & Travel Crib – Best High-End
• Instant Travel Cot Playard – Travel Pick
• Babyni Pop-Up 3-In-1 Playpen – Best for Small Spaces
• Swift 3-In-1 Playard – Multipurpose Pick
• Room² Largest Playard Portable Playpen – Best for Large Spaces

What Makes the Best Baby Playpen?

Depending on different circumstances, the best baby playpen may look different from one parent to another. For example, despite a high price tag, you may want the sturdiest playpen. Similarly, another parent would argue that a smaller playpen with a lower price may be better.

At the end of the day, the best baby playpen isn’t the most expensive or the sturdiest one. The best one is what meets your baby’s needs for safety and comfort without sacrificing quality.

The Best Baby Playpens in 2023

Now, let’s see what each of our top picks brings to the table.

1. UPPAbaby Remi Playard – Best for Durability

UPPAbaby’s products are known to be durable, and the Remi Playard is no exception. This heavy-duty playpen can be your all-around best friend in keeping your baby safe and sound.

It comes complete with a mattress, a bassinet insert, a mattress cover, and a travel bag. And thanks to its advanced temperature-controlled mattress, your baby will sleep well.

The additional zip-on bassinet turns this playpen into a comfortable crib for nap times, and you can easily remove it once your baby needs a play yard instead. Note that the bassinet can only carry babies up to 20 pounds, while the height of the playpen can keep your baby safe until they’re 35 inches tall.

Moreover, its mesh panels make it breathable and give you a 360-degree clear view. So you won’t have to get up and check on your young one all the time. You can also unzip the side door panel for easy access when comforting your baby.

Although UPPAbaby advertises this baby playpen for travel, you may want to think twice before packing it. The Remi Playard weighs about 20 pounds because of the metal frame.

That said, UPPAbaby has an established reputation for quality. That’s why this playpen can be costly. It also comes in different plain colors, such as charcoal, navy, sand melange, and gray brushed melange.

Pros:

• Heavy-duty
• Can be used as a crib and a playpen
• The temperature-controlled mattress keeps your baby cool
• The padded floor keeps the base of the play yard soft

Cons:

• The bassinet isn’t suitable for heavier babies
• Relatively expensive
• The metal frames make it heavy for travel

Bottom Line

The Remi Playard can be worth your buck if you’re looking for a sturdy baby playpen. The removable bassinet is perfect for newborns while they’re still growing. Ultimately, you’ll be able to use this playpen for a long time.

Price

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2. SENA® Aire Playard & Travel Crib – Best High-End

NUNA’s SENA® Aire Playard & Travel Crib is a high-performance baby gear designed to meet the safest standards using premium materials, such as a washable zip-off mattress and mesh panels. The complete set of this play yard comes with a soft mattress, a fitted sheet, and a changer.

Thanks to the bassinet, you can turn this playpen into a crib, which is perfect for smaller babies. NUNA also included a changer for convenience. So you won’t have to transfer your baby to another area if they need a nappy change.

Depending on your baby’s age, you can also adjust the height of the mattress. For smaller ones, you can choose a higher bassinet position for easy access. The lower position is better for crawling babies.

You’ll also be thrilled to know that the mattress resists water and stains, and if you want to clean it, you can simply throw it in the washer and dryer for cleaning — it’s machine washable.

This product can support babies up to 30 pounds for the bassinet and 35 inches tall for the playpen. Since it can support heavy weights, its aluminum frames don’t make it a lightweight crib.

But although this baby playpen isn’t lightweight, it still lets you fold the gear with one quick swoop. That’s why it’s easy to move this play space around whenever you need to. The bottoms of its legs are also equipped with anti-slip pads, making sure they stay in place.

And like other portable play yard spaces, the Aire Playard & Travel Crib has mesh sides. So your baby will be comfortable with maximum airflow around the play space.

Pros:

• You can adjust the mattress height
• The changer makes it easier for diaper changes
• The mattress is machine washable

Cons:

• A bit expensive
• The aluminum frames make it heavy

Bottom Line

If you care about quality and don’t mind splurging on your baby’s needs, SENA® Aire Playard & Travel Crib may be for you. This playpen offers a compact fold and additional features that make it easy for parents to transfer the crib and playpen around the house.

Price

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3. Instant Travel Cot Playard – Travel Pick

If you’re looking for a travel playpen, then look no further—AeroMoov’s Instant Travel Cot Playard may just be the right product for you.

Weighing at only 11 pounds, you can swing this travel cot over your shoulder. It also measures only five inches when folded, so it provides easy storage in the car.

Although it’s lightweight, this baby playpen is sturdy because of its foldable metal frames. What’s more, it gives you two options for the height of the cot. The mid-level is perfect during the newborn phase until two months, while the lower cot is made for older babies.

You don’t have to worry about the assembly, either. Thanks to its pop-up feature, you can easily set up the cot in seconds. Tucking it away is also a breeze.

What’s great about this instant cot is that you can add accessories, but for an extra cost. Depending on your baby’s needs, you may purchase a toy arch, a mosquito net, or a sun shade.

However, the unique size of the mattress makes it difficult to find fitted sheets. If you don’t mind placing a sheet cover instead, then it shouldn’t be a deal breaker.

Pros:

• Travel-friendly
• Lightweight
• Has an adjustable cot

Cons:

• You need to buy accessories
• Fitted sheets are hard to find

Bottom Line

AeroMoov’s Instant Travel Cot Playard is the perfect companion for traveling parents with babies. Not only does it give your baby a safe sleep space, but it also removes the hassle of carrying heavy playpens.

Price

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4. Babyni Pop-Up 3-In-1 Playpen – Best for Small Spaces

Sometimes, you don’t have enough room for additional baby gear in a tight space. That’s where Babyni Pop-Up 3-in-1 Playpen can help.

With its easy pop-up element, this playpen also serves as a portable bassinet and a play space. So, you can encourage independent play time while keeping your crawling baby safe. You can even convert it into a carry bag when not in use.

This Babyni playpen is one of the lightest playpens on the market at only two and a half pounds. The polyester material also makes it water-resistant.

The complete set comes with a removable play mat, a mosquito net and sun protection, three toys, and a storage bag. You can choose between shades of blue, gray, and sand.

The sun shade can shield your baby from the harsh sun, so you can use it as an outdoor playpen, too. What’s more, the sensory toys will keep your baby entertained.

Since it caters to small spaces, you won’t have options to expand the structure of the play yard. You also can’t adjust the height of the mattress.

Pros:

• The playpen is easy to assemble
• The compact structure makes it a space saver
• You can use it indoors or outdoors
• The polyester is water-resistant

Cons:

• Not expandable
• Doesn’t have an adjustable mattress

Bottom Line

The Babyni Pop-Up 3-in-1 Playpen may be the best option for you if you need a space saver that’s great for indoor or outdoor use. Your crawling baby will also be safe and amused when using this play space, thanks to the colorful toys and additional protective pieces.

Price

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5. Swift 3-In-1 Playard – Multipurpose Pick

Maxi-Cosi’s Swift 3-in-1 Playard takes the cake in being the best multipurpose playpen. The bassinet is ideal for newborns, while the two-stage soft mattress makes a great sleeping and playing area for growing toddlers.

When your baby is still young, you can unzip the mattress to fit the bassinet. Then, you can easily zip the mattress back together for a larger space. So, there’s no need to buy separate mattresses to suit your different needs.

However, it may be difficult to find sheets that can fit these uniquely-sized mattresses. As a compromise, you can either lay a soft blanket over the mattress or simply lay your kid directly on the mattress.

Another thing to consider is that you can’t use the bassinet simultaneously with the playpen. So, the Swift 3-in-1 Playard may not be the best option for parents with more than one child.

But what sets this playpen apart is that, although it only weighs 18 pounds, it can still support babies up to 35 pounds, which gives it an advantage over other products on this list.

You can also choose between a blue or graphite playpen to fit your aesthetics at home.

Pros:

• The bassinet has a higher weight limit than regular playpens
• You can adjust the mattress in two levels
• The play yard is easily collapsible

Cons:

• Fitted sheets are hard to find
• You can’t use the bassinet and the playpen at the same time

Bottom Line

Maxi-Cosi’s Swift 3-in-1 Playard is ideal if you want a play yard that grows with your baby. With its multipurpose advantage, you can get the most use out of its bassinet and adjustable mattresses.

Price

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6. Room² Largest Playard Portable Playpen – Best for Large Spaces

Joovy’s Room² Largest Playard Portable Playpen is more suitable for bigger babies or families with more than one baby. With almost ten square feet of area, your babies will have enough room to roll around during nap time. 

This portable baby playpen may be simple, but it does the job well. First, its 35-inch side mesh panels can keep your baby safe and comfortable. Next, it has its own flooring, so your baby won’t feel the hard ground below. And what’s great about this playpen is that it comes with a waterproof mattress sheet. So you won’t be stressed about cleaning the spills.

Lastly, with its compact fold feature, you can bring this playpen with you during travel or simply stow it away when not in use. 

However, this play yard is somewhat heavy at almost 30 pounds. It also doesn’t offer many options, but you can choose between a charcoal or a black base.

Pros:

• Spacious
• The padded floor is waterproof
• Can accommodate more than one child

Cons:

• Relatively heavy
• Doesn’t come with a lot of accessories

Bottom Line

Because of its simple design and spacious play area, Joovy’s Room² Largest Playard Portable Playpen is a great playpen for families with multiple children. Its waterproof mattress sheet also helps lessen your cleaning tasks.

Price

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What to Consider When Buying Baby Playpens

Still not sure which playpen is best for you? Here are some important factors to consider when buying your baby’s first pack-n-play.

Size

For utmost safety, you’ll want the playpen to be at least 20 inches high. This height can ensure that your baby stays within the playpen even when you’re not around.

You’ll also want to consider how huge the baby playpen is, depending on your free space. You wouldn’t want a large pack-n-play that makes your home feel cramped. At the same time, you don’t want to settle with the smallest playpen since it can make your baby uncomfortable.

A good rule of thumb is to know your kid’s size and weight since playpens with flooring have a weight limit. This way, you’ll know which products can cater to your baby’s needs.

Mattress

Kids spend most of their time on the mattress, whether it’s in the bassinet insert or the playpen itself. Either way, you’ll want to find a play yard with a good mattress thickness.

The ideal mattress is at least an inch thick. This mattress also needs to be firm enough to support your baby. In some cases, you can also look for a temperature-controlled mattress for better comfort.

Safety Features

Many play yards on the market offer mesh panels not only to encourage airflow but also as a safety feature. If your playpen has mesh sides, you’ll want to ensure that the holes are no bigger than ¼ inches. This way, babies won’t be able to insert their fingers or small items into the hole.

It’s also important to check the playpen’s flooring, such as whether it’s padded or off the floor. That’s because kids often lose their balance and fall. So, it’s better to have soft yet firm flooring to catch them.

Other safety features to check are the hinges and supports of the playpen. You’ll want a sturdy playpen with strong bars and tight hinges that can carry the weight of your baby.

Summary

A baby playpen may not be the most prioritized baby gear, but it pays to have peace of mind around crawling babies. With the variety of options available, you can surely find one that fits your lifestyle. Here’s a recap of our top three picks.

The Remi Playard is perfect for parents looking for durable baby playpens. But if you’re willing to spend more, go for the premium SENA® Aire Playard & Travel Crib. Lastly, if you’re a frequent traveler, the Instant Travel Cot Playard may save you the hassle.

Now that you know some of the best baby playpens on the market, it’s time to invest in one.