Chicco Next2Me Armonia bedside crib review

With an RRP of £219 (although currently on sale for £179 at the time of writing this review) the Armonia is not the cheapest bedside crib on the market, and if you can do without the extra features, there are more basic models like the Chicco Next2Me Essential bedside crib (at £99). But if convenience and style are top of your list, it's worth the extra spend.

How easy is it to assemble the Chicco Next2Me Armonia bedside crib?

Very. Setting it up took us around 35-40 minutes, and we did it after our baby was born, when we were already quite sleep-deprived.

The instructions were clear and user-friendly. The pictures were easy to follow, and the assembly was intuitive. Thankfully, no tools are needed to set up the Next2Me Armonia bedside crib.

How easy is it to attach the Chicco Next2Me Armonia cot to your bed?

It's easy to attach the crib to the bed with the safety straps. You detach the side barrier, then move the crib into the position you want it, at the desired height. There are two straps – one for each side – that buckle onto the underside of the crib. These are colour-coded, with grey going into grey and red going into red.

You fasten the grey buckles first, then pass the straps around your bed frame, under your mattress. You pull them back through, then fasten the red buckles. Then you pull the straps to tighten until the crib is firmly attached to the bed. One in place it feels immoveable.

How well does the Chicco Next2Me Armonia work with different bed types?

The crib is designed to work with different bed types, even those with storage compartments underneath – they just need to be a minimum of 58cm and a maximum of 70cm tall. The height of the crib is adjustable – there are 11 different heights to choose from – so you can set it to the same height as your bed.

Does it adjust to the height of your mattress easily?

There are levers on the top and tail end of the Next2Me Armonia crib that you squeeze at the same time to adjust the height. With both levers released, the crib just slides up and down – it was really easy to find the right height.

How does the drop-side mechanism work on the Chicco Next2Me Armonia bedside crib?

Unlike some other models of bedside crib (like the Next2Me Magic Evo), the Armonia does not have a mechanism that allows you to lower the side with one hand. Instead, you have to detach it separately at each side (unzip the mesh and then unclip the metal framework), pull it down carefully, and secure it at each side to the underside of the crib. While this is the same for the Next2Me Essential bedside crib, it's definitely more fiddly than the other designs where you simply have a button that you squeeze to release and collapse one side of the crib.

That said, it’s not difficult to detach and reattach. If, for example, you wanted to remove the side barrier for co-sleeping at night, but reattach it and have all four sides up for daytime naps, it would only take a few minutes to transition the crib each time.

Does the Chicco Next2Me Armonia bedside crib feel sturdy and safe?

Yes, whether you have the side raised or lowered, it feels very safe. The side barrier is securely attached when it’s raised (this is why it takes a bit of time and effort to get it down), and it is very sturdy. You could absolutely use the Armonia as a standalone crib, unattached to your bed.

It also feels safe when it’s lowered. Even with the side barrier removed, the crib is not completely open – there is a white, mesh panel that stops your baby from rolling out onto your mattress. We kept the crib in this position – next to the bed with the side barrier detached – and felt our son was safe and secure in there the whole time.

How comfortable is the Chicco Next2Me Armonia mattress?

The mattress that comes with the Armonia Next2Me bedside crib is firm and very suitable for safe newborn sleep. It springs back, and doesn’t sag in the middle or at the edges. It's completely flat and perfectly supportive for little babies.

How easy is it to reach your baby in the Chicco Next2Me Armonia bedside crib?

It couldn’t be easier to reach in. With the side barrier removed, you can even sleep with a hand in the crib, resting on your baby. This really helped our son settle. He didn’t like being alone in a Moses basket (especially in the early newborn days) and would stir and cry after just a few minutes.

Once we transitioned him to the Armonia, and could be physically closer to him (safely), we all slept much better! Our son still wakes up a lot in the night, and I really like being able to lift him out of the crib to feed him and settle him back down without having to get out of bed.

It’s also easier to transition him back into his crib once he’s asleep – I only have to move him a very short distance, and he tends to not wake up.

Can you see your baby easily through the mesh side?

You can easily see your baby through the mesh. It’s not completely see-through all the way around – there are various panels of fabric where the handles and pockets are attached on the exterior of the crib. But you can still get a clear view of your baby without having to move, which is really helpful for reassuring yourself that they’re OK in the middle of the night. The mesh walls are also breathable, providing plenty of ventilation and airflow.

How well did your baby sleep in the Chicco Next2Me Armonia bedside crib?

Our baby settled far better in the Armonia bedside crib than he did in the Moses baskets we tried him in beforehand. We think this is because of the closeness – sleeping right next to us helped him to feel safe and secure.

It is a big sleep space for a small baby, and for the first week or so, our son would startle awake – presumably because he was used to being in much smaller, enclosed spaces! But he got used to it very quickly, and in his sleeping bag, he’s very happy in the Armonia now.

Does the crib have any storage?

The Next2Me Armonia crib has pockets, which I found really useful for storing the essentials I would need during the night. It made things like nappies and wipes much easier to find quickly, even when I was half-asleep.

Does the Chicco Next2Me Armonia bedside crib have a rocking mechanism?

While there is no rocking mechanism as such, the structure of the crib and the style of legs means it does move a little if you push it gently. At first, we were worried about its sturdiness, but were quickly reassured that it does feel safe and secure; it is just designed to allow some movement.

I personally found this helpful – if our son was stirring in the night, we could gently rock the crib by pushing the side (no need to even sit up) to see if that settled him down.

What did you think of the built-in motion-sensor light?

I found the built-in motion-sensor light on the Armonia crib helpful. You can attach it to either end of the cot and choose from three levels of brightness. It’s dim enough that the room stays dark and cosy, and it didn’t really disturb my partner.

It does go off automatically after five minutes, which doesn’t leave enough time for feeds or nappy changes, but you can turn it back on with a button on the side of the crib. The light requires two AA batteries, which are not included.

How portable is the Chicco Next2Me Armonia bedside crib?

It does have wheels (that you lock when the crib is stationary), which are useful to move the crib short distances, but it definitely functions best as a crib that you leave in one place.

The wheels came in handy when we were getting it into the right position, and also when we wanted to clean around it, but if I wanted a crib that I could use for naps in multiple rooms in the house, I would choose something more portable. Something like the SnuzPod4 with its removable bassinet, for example.

The Armonia is easy to disassemble and reassemble, and it comes with a travel bag that you can store it in or use when travelling. Although at 13.6kg, it's weighty to carry around.

Does the Chicco Next2Me Armonia bedside crib take up a lot of space?

The crib is much larger and bulkier than a Moses basket – it measures W98.5cm x L70.5cm x H65-80cm when assembled – but is still much smaller than a traditional cot. If you want to attach it to your bed you'll need to make sure you have enough space next to you – if your bedroom is particularly small, you might find it too big.

How easy is it to clean?

The mattress cover is removable and machine washable. The mesh walls and panels on the Next2Me Armonia are also removable, but only hand washable. We found that sponging these with warm, soapy water was sufficient to clean off any spit-up.

What’s in the box and are there accessories?

Inside the box is the crib (which needs to be assembled), a mattress, straps to secure it to the bed, and a travel/storage bag.

You can buy Chicco crib sheets and mattress covers for the Armonia, as well as replacement mattresses.

Is the Chicco Next2Me Armonia bedside crib worth the money?

The Armonia has multiple features that elevate it beyond a basic bedside crib. The motion-sensor light and external pockets do genuinely make life that little bit easier when you’re half asleep and tending to your baby in the middle of the night.

Its versatility is also a big bonus. It is sturdy enough to be used as a standalone crib (with the side barrier attached), so if the bedside position didn’t, for whatever reason, work for you or your baby, you could still safely use the Armonia – you wouldn’t have to buy anything else. The wheels on the legs, with integrated brakes, are also useful, as is the travel bag included.

The Armonia is one of the most stylish Next2Me cribs on the market and looks a lot nicer than other iterations that have a more functional look. Overall, I think it's worth the money.

Would you recommend the Chicco Next2Me Armonia bedside crib to other parents?

I would absolutely recommend a Next2Me crib to parents of newborns. I really like the closeness you get with your baby; my son definitely sleeps a lot better, and I can check on him in the night without having to even sit up.

Next2Me cribs are also great for night feeds – I could just sit up in bed to lift him out and feed him, then transfer him gently back to his crib. This was especially useful in the early days while I was recovering from a c-section and didn’t want to be repeatedly getting in and out of bed.

Whether or not you need the Armonia depends on how much you want to splash out on the extra features. The light and the pockets absolutely made life easier in the middle of the night – but they’re not essential, and it’s worth considering how much you would need or use them. You can enjoy the main advantages of a Next2Me (the closeness and the ease of access) with one of the more basic models, like the Next2Me Essential, for £80 less.

Where can I buy the Chicco Next2Me Armonia bedside crib?

It's available from John Lewis, Chicco and Kiddies Kingdom.

MadeForMums verdict:

The Armonia Next2Me bedside crib is a great option for parents who want the advantages of co-sleeping, but in a manner that adheres to safe sleep. It offers closeness to make your newborn feel safe, and means you can check on them, feed them and settle them without having to get out of bed.

In the early days of multiple wake-ups (and especially if you’re recovering from birth) this is invaluable. The Armonia’s extra features are nice-to-have rather than essential and while they do genuinely make life that bit easier, some families might find they don’t need or use them enough to justify the increased price tag. That said, I found the additional features very helpful and worth the money.