Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

As a mom of three children, I have had plenty of experience with playards over the past ten and a half years. This Graco Pack N Play with reversible napper/changer is nice, but I know Graco could make it better. The pack and play is not too much different from the current basic model they have. I have the very basic model that features the bassinet and useless toy arch, and this newer napper/changer model. There are a few differences between the models to make up for the $30 price difference. The basic model will get you folding feet/wheels which allow the playard to fold up into a bag that is roughly six inches more compact than the napper/changer model. It has the same size mattress, and ease of set up. The bassinet has poorer mattress support which will allow the mattress to sag and be uneven. This is because the metal cross supports that run across the bottom of the bassinet insert do not run the length of the playard. The seams of the corners of the playard are also visible from the inside. For a slightly higher price tag, the reversible napper/changer model will get you a more thoughtfully designed bassinet feature. The bassinet has metal tubing that runs the full length of the bottom of the bassinet providing better support for the mattress. Unfortunately my four month old daughter is above the bassinet weight limit, so I was unable to test how well the mattress held up with my baby sleeping in it. I can tell you that it was sturdier feeling when I pressed down on it with my hands. Per the owner's manual for this playard, the changer/napper feature has a 15lb weight limit. Graco's online product manual incorrectly states a different weight limit for the changer which is also quoted in another review. The changer/napper feature is nice, but I was surprised to see that it is surface wash only. Babies spit up and sometimes have leaky diapers. If an accident occurs while your baby is sleeping in the cozy napper, you'll only be able to surface wash the material. Seasoned moms will tell you that sometimes surface washing just won't cut it for some messes. Upon further reading of the owner's manual, I found it odd that you cannot use the bassinet feature while the napper/changer is installed. Since removing the napper/changer is impossible without taking off the bassinet to release the napper/changer bracket, I find this highly impractical. It would have been nice if the changer could be used for a higher weight baby. Ten years ago Graco made an awesome folding changing table that held babies up to 25lbs that could easily be popped on and off the playard. Surely their engineers can find a better way to incorporate this feature so moms of babies heavier than 15 lbs can conveniently change their baby at the playard. One of the nicest touches on this playard when compared to the basic model are the corners that hold the playard mattress down. It's a nice little added security in addition to the velcro straps that hold the mattress down to the bottom. This particular model also does not leave the seams at the corners exposed to the baby. Total set up time for this playard with the bassinet and napper/changer is about 20 minutes for a seasoned parent. I suspect it will take longer for first time parents who don't already know how to set up the playard. Setting up just the playard alone without the bassinet and napper/changer can be done in about 3 minutes. Overall, this playard is very nice. I know I would have loved the changing pad feature when my daughter was a newborn. When compared to the basic model, this one is nicer, but the looming question is whether or not it's worth spending an extra $30 or so for features that you'll only get to use for about three or four months before your baby outgrows it.