In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician

Joovy Room2 Review

High quality, large and heavy design that is harder to use
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Joovy Room2 Review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $185 List
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Manufacturer:   Joovy
By Juliet Spurrier, MD and Wendy Schmitz  ⋅  Oct 3, 2017
47
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#8 of 8
  • Ease of Use - 35% 5.0
  • Portability - 30% 2.0
  • Comfort - 15% 6.0
  • Quality - 15% 9.0
  • EcoHealth - 5% 1.0

Our Verdict

The Joovy Room2 is a large portable play yard. This product didn't score that well in our review with a heavier weight and larger folded size than most of the competition. The materials and design are higher quality, and the mattress is more comfortable than some of the competition. However, if eco-health is a concern for you, then it possibly isn't the best choice thanks to the potential use of chemical flame retardants (the company doesn't state one way or another). The Room 2 is also harder to use and a choice we don't recommend, even for parents of twins who may be attracted to the optional Nursery Center accessory. Given concerns over the safety of the Nursery Center as a bassinet for twins, we don't see it as a viable choice for infant twins.
REASONS TO BUY
High quality
More comfortable
REASONS TO AVOID
Harder to use
Heavy
Poor eco-health
For details on our concerns related to using the Room2 with the Nursery Center and sleeping with twins please see the Accessories section below. For more information on preventing sleep-related death please read our article on How to Protect your Infant from SIDS and other Causes of Sleep-related Deaths

Compare to Similar Products

 
joovy room2
This Product
Joovy Room2
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Travel Crib
Best Value Award
Best Portable Crib on a Budget
 Best Value Award
Good Longterm Value
Price $185 List
$149.99 at Amazon
$300 List
$199.99 at Amazon
$120 List
$97.99 at Amazon
$135 List
$93.79 at Amazon
$80 List
Overall Score Sort Icon
47
83
69
59
52
Star Rating
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Bottom Line Nice quality and fairly comfy but too heavy for easy portabilityEco-healthy crib that is easy to use, cozy and portableEasy on the wallet travel solution that sets up quickly and has an easy access side zipperA less expensive play yard but it isn't suitable for sleeping according to the manufacturerAverage option for the budget savvy but is somewhat heavy and large
Rating Categories Joovy Room2 BabyBjorn Travel Cr... Baby Joy 2-1 Playpen Dream On Me Light P... Graco Pack 'n Play...
Ease of Use (35%)
5.0
9.0
8.0
5.0
6.0
Portability (30%)
2.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
4.0
Comfort (15%)
6.0
7.0
5.0
4.0
6.0
Quality (15%)
9.0
8.0
6.0
7.0
6.0
EcoHealth (5%)
1
10.0
1
1
1
Specs Joovy Room2 BabyBjorn Travel Cr... Baby Joy 2-1 Playpen Dream On Me Light P... Graco Pack 'n Play...
Weight 26.8 lbs 12.8 lbs 10.25 lbs 10.6 lbs 20.3 lbs (includes bassinet)
Crib Dimensions - assembled 30.8"H x 42.3"L x 40.3"W 25.5"H x 43.8"L x 32.5"W 27.5"H x 46"L x 30.5"W 26"H x 24"L x 31"W 28.8"H x 41.1"L x 28.6"W
Crib Dimensions - closed 10.2"H x 37"L x 10.2"W 19.5"H x 23.6"L x 6.6"W 22"H x 24"L x 7"W 20"H x 24"L x 6"W 10.6"H x 27.7"L x 10.3"W
Age/Height/Weight Limit 35" 3 Years or
35"
39" or 33 lbs ~3 Years 35" or 30 lbs 35" or
30 lbs
Special Features Fitted Sheet Removeable Fabric Removable Fabric, Side Zipper Opening None Bassinet, Toy Bar, Storage Bag
Cleaning Method Mattress Fabric: Spot Clean
Travel Crib Fabric: Spot Clean
Mattress Fabric: Machine Wash
Travel Crib Fabric: Machine Wash
Mattress Fabric: Spot Clean
Travel Crib Fabric: Spot Clean
Mattress Fabric: Spot Clean
Travel Crib Fabric: Spot Clean
Mattress Fabric: Spot Clean
Travel Crib Fabric: Spot Clean
Flame Retardant Free Not Specified Yes (Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Certified) Not Specified Not Specified No
Set Up Time 2:43 min:sec 1:37 min:sec 1:01 min:sec 2:36 min:sec 1:47 min:sec
Warranty 2 Year 2 Years None None 1 Year

Our Analysis and Test Results

Joovy is a family run company located in both Texas and California. Joovy was started in the USA in 2005 and offers many different types of baby gear from bottles to strollers and play yards. Joovy prides itself on creating products with original designs and quality construction for products that are both fun and functional.

Performance Comparison



joovy room2 - pulling up on the center handle of the room2 will unlock the frame...
Pulling up on the center handle of the Room2 will unlock the frame and start the folding process.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ease of Use


The Room2 is more challenging to use than some of the competition. The Room2 is comparatively harder to set up and close than much of the competition. While it has a setup similar to some of the competition, it is heavier and feels like it has parts swinging around making it difficult to determine the order of what to do. You lock the sides in place and then press the center down. It took us over 8 minutes for the initial setup out of the box. Repeated setup over time resulted in an average setup time of closer to 2:43 minutes.

The Joovy is spot clean only and this works fairly well, but there are crevices where it will hard to get the gunk out and a vacuum will probably be needed to clean it well. It does come with a sheet that makes cleaning easier. The sheet is fitted and can be removed for machine washing.

joovy room2 - the folded joovy room2 is large and heavy. this makes it harder to...
The folded Joovy Room2 is large and heavy. This makes it harder to lift, carry, and store.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Portability


The Joovy isn't easily portable thanks to the heaviest weight in the group of over 26 lbs. This score is one of the lowest in the group for portability and calls into question whether or not parents want to carry this product if they don't have twins. It does come with a carry bag with straps, but the larger folded size is also a problem and it may not fit in smaller spaces. This could be a deal-breaker for travel when most parents would need a travel crib or play yard. The weight and size also made it hard for some testers to get the play yard into the carry bag.

joovy room2 - the room2 has wheels on one side which makes it easier to move from...
The Room2 has wheels on one side which makes it easier to move from room to room so you can keep your baby nearby no matter where you are in the house.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

This unit does have wheels on one end that make moving the Room from place to place easier, which is handy for around the house but does nothing to improve portability while traveling.

joovy room2 - the room2 has plenty of room to spread out for play and wild...
The Room2 has plenty of room to spread out for play and wild sleeping, but it isn't the most comfortable mattress in the group.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Comfort


The Joovy mattress is about one inch of foam that is soft on top but easily depresses to the hard bottom with very little effort.

joovy room2 - the room2 mattress depresses easily and could leave baby resting on...
The Room2 mattress depresses easily and could leave baby resting on the firm bottom in short order.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Placing baby in the yard is easier on caregivers than some of the competition thanks to the wider opening and lower sides.

joovy room2 - the room2 earned the highest score for quality in the group with a...
The Room2 earned the highest score for quality in the group with a 10 of 10.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Quality


The Joovy provides impressive quality overall with a metric score that is one of the highest in the group. This metric is also where the Joovy scores the best. The mattress type is not listed and much of the product is made with polyester fiber batting. It has mesh sides and no zippers. The overall fit and finish have an attention to detail and a sturdy design that looks like it can withstand multiples over a longer period of time.

joovy room2 - according to the lack of information provided on the company...
According to the lack of information provided on the company website, we assume that Joovy has not made efforts to eliminate possible harmful chemicals in the manufacturing process of the Room2.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Eco-health


Joovy fails to disclose what they use in the making of the Room2. We received no response from Joovy when we inquired about the materials and the inclusion of flame retardants in the materials leaving us to assume that it potentially has them. Flame retardants are not required for this kind of baby gear and we prefer products without them. The Center for Environmental Health keeps a list of most major manufacturers and their use of flame retardants, but Joovy is not included on their current list.

Manufacturer Video



Juliet Spurrier, MD and Wendy Schmitz