Combined, transformable, folding children's furniture, and especially the “2 in 1” or “3 in 1” models, save space, increase the convenience of caring for the child, his comfort and safety.
One such universal item for newborns is a changing chest with a bathtub. It can only be with a table, on top of which a mattress is placed, and below there are drawers and shelves.
The name “changing room” in this case is conditional, since it can be used to perform any procedures from swaddling to massage.
Description of design
In terms of its structure, a changing chest of drawers with a table is multifunctional children's furniture with the presence of:
- space (drawers, shelves) for storing things;
- Changing places with sides.
The set usually also includes a waterproof soft pad - a mattress for the comfort of a newborn and to protect the surface of the tabletop.
Most mini chests of drawers rest on two legs at the front and two wheels at the back. This makes them much easier to move and perform wet cleaning.
Since this furniture is quite simple and standard, there are no significant functional differences between the different options. They all have approximately the same height and board dimensions. Models from different manufacturers differ in material, finish, pattern, and color.
A children's chest of drawers, especially a transformable one that can change shape and size, can last for many years and will be needed even when the child grows up. And if such furniture is made of solid oak, then it will serve for several generations.
The best changing chests in the mid-price segment
4 byTWINZ Story
The fourth position is represented by the product of the Russian brand byTWINZ Story, with the most favorable price in its segment.
The idea of the byTWINZ project belongs to two creative mothers. They decided to create for their children, and for all other kids, high-quality and safe products, with interesting designs, at an affordable price. The Story line of chests of drawers is represented by a number of models with original front designs using thematic photo printing. Topics include fragments of popular cartoons, children’s favorite animals, or, for example, such a classic as Versailles.
The chest of drawers has a rectangular shape, is compact in size, width 80 cm, depth 46 cm, height with rounded sides 106 cm. The changing table folds out like a book, spacious, 70 by 72 cm. The main body material is laminated chipboard, the fronts of the drawers are MDF.
For storage, there are four spacious drawers with a soft pull-out mechanism and a pair of round handles on each. Among the design features, we can note the presence of four locking wheels, ensuring the mobility of this piece of furniture.
According to moms and dads, the model is compact and convenient, and looks beautiful in the interior of a nursery. The main notes relate to the assembly process.
Pros:
- Roomy, spacious changing area.
- Choice of colors and patterns on the facade.
- Comfortable height.
- Rounded sides for safety.
- Wheels for mobility.
Minuses:
- Inconsistencies during assembly.
- Drawers can open randomly.
byTWINZ Story
3 Aton Furniture Sirius-2 Wood PVC
The third place is occupied by a chest of drawers made in Russia, Aton Furniture Sirius-2 Wood PVC, with a folding changing table 68 by 52 cm and four spacious drawers for things.
Design features include the presence of a separate section next to the changing table. It can accommodate baby care products that you always need to have on hand. Mothers really like this functional solution; they appreciate its convenience.
The body of the chest of drawers is made of premium-class laminated chipboard. For its external decoration, a special volumetric embossing is used, creating an original visual effect. All edges are rounded, smooth, to protect the child from damage. The drawers open softly and silently. Instead of traditional handles for opening, they have convenient shaped recesses.
The overall dimensions of the product are compact, width 80 cm, depth 45 cm. Height with sides 94 cm. Natural modern colors are used in the design. The white drawer front is combined with various color options for the main body (oak, pine, graphite, white wood).
Parents evaluate the model as ergonomic, functional, and with an original design.
Pros:
- Ergonomic design.
- Section next to the changing table.
- Optimal sizes of changing area.
- Silent drawer mechanism.
- Original design, choice of options.
Minuses:
- Assembly markings do not match.
Aton Furniture Sirius-2 Wood PVC
2 Sweet Baby Albero
In second place is the SWEET BABY Albero changing chest.
Many parents wonder about the need for a changing pad. However, as practice shows, a changing chest is one of the few children's devices that is actually always used 100%. In addition to the classic drawers (4 in number), which are available in all cabinets of this modification, SWEET BABY Albero has spacious shelves where you can display all sorts of little things that mom should always have at hand.
The changing board, which extends the changing area, is attached to a durable folding mechanism. Rounded sides protect the child from falling on the sides. When the need for changing is no longer necessary, the changing board can be dismantled and then the chest of drawers will take the form of ordinary furniture.
With the purchase of SWEET BABY Albero you will solve not only the problem of placing children's things, but also the issue of organizing the mother's workspace.
The compact model does not limit room space. Shallow but roomy drawers will prevent clutter. Everything is always nearby and at hand.
Pros:
- Compact.
- Spacious.
- Additional shelves on top.
- Extensive color palette.
- Roller guides in drawers.
Minuses:
- You need to be careful when placing your baby on the changing pad so as not to hit him on the bottom shelf.
Sweet Baby Albero
1 Fiorellino Crown
On the first line of our rating is the Fiorellino Crown model, made in Slovenia, made in a classic style.
Among its features are figured front legs, a characteristic pattern on the top drawer, and pastel colors. The changing area of the chest of drawers is spacious, with protective sides that can later be removed. All parts have smooth, rounded lines that protect the baby from involuntary bruises or scratches. Under the table there are three spacious drawers for things; thanks to high-quality mechanisms, they slide out easily and silently.
The width of the chest is 93.5 cm, depth 74 cm. Height 101 cm is comfortable for parents of different heights. The material of the product is MDF and chipboard; only harmless, non-toxic paints are used for coating.
Among the colors of the model are two single-color options, white and ivory, two combined combinations, walnut/ivory, natural/white. The universal design of the product is suitable for any interior of a children's room.
According to parents, the chest of drawers provides maximum convenience in the process of caring for the baby, and in addition, serves as a beautiful interior detail.
Pros:
- Spacious changing area.
- Removable sides.
- Three spacious drawers with a silent mechanism.
- Quality materials.
- Beautiful classic design.
Minuses:
- Not the most compact option.
Fiorellino Crown
Kinds
The changing chest is:
- The classic changing option is equipped with a non-removable board, which protrudes strongly beyond the front part, and drawers. Such furniture becomes unnecessary when the child overcomes the changing period. Therefore, when buying a classic diaper changer, it is best to choose not an expensive wooden model, but a cheaper plastic one with artistic decoration or a thematic design and a board of sufficient area, the dimensions of which will ensure comfortable care for the baby.
- The transforming chest of drawers is functional, reliable and has a long service life, since the height of the top shelf with the board can be adjusted, and over time it can be completely dismantled. The set may include several removable tabletops - folding, regular, folding. The board does not protrude forward, and the furniture takes up less space and looks neater.
One of the options for transformable wooden furniture is a model with a bath located under a hinged lid. In such a chest of drawers, the board and mattress are connected to each other, so hygiene products can only be stored in drawers.
Additional equipment
Multifunctional models are equipped with a bathtub. This design allows you not only to change clothes or swaddle the baby, but also to bathe it.
It can be located in the place of the middle drawer. But most often, the bathtub with a drain is located under a folding changing pad, so the surface can be easily folded back during bathing.
Most of these models are equipped with special shelves for baby’s bath accessories.
Requirements
The changing chest should have a wide tabletop (or a folding transformer board), the dimensions of which will ensure convenient care for the newborn. The number of drawers located under the board is on average from 3 to 8. The greater the number, the smaller their height, since the overall size remains unchanged. The mechanism must be silent and have movement closers.
All the diapers under consideration are equipped with sides on three sides, which ensure safety for newborns. The sides and board must be carefully sanded. It’s good if they are varnished: the baby will not be scratched if accidentally touched, and things will not cling to the surface. The varnish must be stable, harmless, and transparent in color.
Like any children's furniture, the diaper changer is made without sharp corners. If this is a transformer, then all fastenings must be strong and neat.
Advantages
Even the small capacity that most often characterizes the transformer model cannot be considered a disadvantage, since a baby in the changing period needs very few things.
Parents note two main advantages of such a chest of drawers:
- convenient to change diapers or care for your baby;
- everything you need is always at hand.
The advantages include its small size, which saves space and eases transportation. Almost all models are affordable. And you can sew the overlay of the desired color for the chest of drawers yourself.
Reviews
Veronica, 20 years old For the birth of our child, our parents gave us a transforming diaper. The furniture is incredibly comfortable and multifunctional. It perfectly complemented the design of the children's room. The color of the chest of drawers matched the rest of the furniture exactly. It was convenient to care for a child. The drawers fit diaper changing supplies (there was even some free space left).
Natalia, 36 years old I am simply delighted with the changing table. I didn't have one while my first child was growing, so I was able to fully appreciate all its benefits. The compact size is ideally combined with high functionality. The model is so well thought out that after the child grows up, it easily turns into an ordinary chest of drawers.
Mattresses for swaddling machines
A changing mat is a soft cover on a board with raised sides (sides) that protect the child from falling. It can be used not only for a diaper changer, but also on any surface, such as a bed, sofa, table.
It is convenient to use and transport, protects the tabletop from dirt when changing diapers or wiping after bathing, while its surface is easy to clean, and the design does not lose its brightness.
The mattress can be flexible or semi-flexible, have a hard or soft base. The rigid version is intended for independent use or on a transforming chest of drawers - it will be more convenient to remove it during the “transformation” of the tabletop.
In any case, this soft pad should have high sides for the safety of the child. However, if it is used only on a changing chest, then the height of its sides will ensure safety. Then less stringent requirements are imposed on it. The main thing is to securely fix it on the surface, otherwise it will fidget with the baby.
There is also a waterproof travel mattress and changing pad. This is a small, comfortable rug for family travel with a child. It makes life much easier and saves time for parents outside the home.
How does a changing table on a chest of drawers work - their types
The main difference between a chest of drawers for changing a baby and a regular chest of drawers is the top part. It is equipped in such a way that it can accommodate a baby. The table can be folding or overhead.
- The design of the folding changing table is a tabletop with sides and a small shelf that acts as a folding element. It unfolds very simply, you just need to pull this shelf towards you. The result is a fairly wide and large table for procedures with a child. The table folds up just as easily, just lift it up.
- Designs with an overhead table are quite versatile and consist of a separate chest of drawers and a separate table, which is applied as needed. In the future, it can be used as a children's wardrobe, as the table is easy to clean.
Regardless of the type of structure, the tabletop must have sides; if there are none, or they are too low, then it is worth purchasing a soft mattress with this element. The height of the curbs is very important, as they are a safety measure for the child. They are needed to prevent the baby from rolling onto the floor, especially when he begins to roll over from his back to his tummy and spin around. The height of the side should be 5 centimeters on all sides.
The convenience of the design is largely determined by the size of the changing surface.
Its standard and optimal length and width are from 70 to 90 cm. There are also non-standard, narrow models with a width of 60 cm; they are suitable when the space of the room is as limited as possible, but changing the baby on them will be quite inconvenient.
How to choose
Models come in different sizes, colors, filling, production materials, with or without patterns, painted and varnished surfaces. Pelenators do not need to be associated with old bulky chests of drawers that can ruin the entire interior. Compared to them, their sizes are more compact, they are narrower, but quite functional.
In addition to its direct purpose, which follows from the name, the swaddling device is equipped with spacious compartments with shelves and a large number of drawers. It’s good that their height is not too high, then it will be more convenient to sort children’s things in them. If the size of the room requires maximum space saving, the ideal solution would be a changing chest of drawers with a transformer-type table.
The materials from which children's chests of drawers are made are also important. The entire range for children is made from raw materials that do not contain harmful substances, which is verified by tests and confirmed by certificates. If in doubt, you need to check the documents.
Since the sizes of chests of drawers are different, when choosing a convenient option for yourself, you should take into account all the parameters:
- the height should be such that it is convenient for the mother to swaddle the baby or perform other procedures;
- The dimensions (width and length) of the board should correspond to the height of the baby and provide free space, so you should not choose too narrow models.
In a children's chest of drawers, its safety is important. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase diapers for newborns that have the following properties:
- made of solid wood, natural veneer (possibly with the addition of chipboard), environmentally friendly plastic or polylaminate;
- with a surface coated with special paint or varnish, with carefully processed rounded edges;
- no small peeling or unscrewing parts on the surface.
Along with the furniture, you can purchase additional accessories - small internal organizers for drawers, original stickers on their fronts, side hangers.
When choosing a children's chest of drawers, you need to make sure that the purchase becomes useful, functional and fits harmoniously into the design. Material, color, tabletop dimensions, height and other parameters are selected individually, taking into account recommendations and customer reviews of a specific model.
Manufacturing materials
The changing chest should be made of environmentally friendly and safe material. The following options are usually used.
- Solid wood. Completely safe for children, but quite expensive. Requires special protection from moisture.
- MDF. An excellent analogue to wood, the characteristics are the same, and the cost is lower.
- Plastic. This chest of drawers is inexpensive and looks good. Not afraid of moisture. Unfortunately, it is not resistant to mechanical damage.
- Chipboard. The cheapest material. Buying a chest of drawers made of chipboard is far from the best solution. Such a slab does not last long, warping under the influence of moisture and stress. There is also a risk of purchasing a product that is not made according to modern requirements; this may be unsafe for the baby.
A changing chest is an excellent solution for a small children's room. Here you will get not only a place to change your child's clothes, but also a well-thought-out storage system.
