LaJobi’s parent Kid Brands declared bankruptcy in 2014 and ceased production. Most stores are putting this furniture on clearance as of this writing. Below is an archived review.

Web site: LaJobi.com

LaJobi started as an importer of Italian cribs in the ‘80’s, sold in both chain stores and indie retailers. The company transitioned  to Asian imports a decade ago and expanded to include a line of entry-level cribs sold under the Graco name plate. In 2008, La Jobi was sold to Kids Brands, which owns several other baby brands including CoCaLo and Kids Line bedding and Sassy (toys, feeding, bath).

Like most large crib sellers, La Jobi markets its wares under different names depending on the retail channel. LaJobi divides its brands into three price ranges: entry-level (Graco, Nursery 101), mid-price (Babi Italia, Europa Baby) and high-end (Bonavita). (Each brand has its own web site—go to LaJobi.com to access these sites).

Large chains like Babies R Us (Babi Italia) and Buy Buy Baby (Europa Baby) have their own exclusive La Jobi cribs.

LaJobi’s main market niche is value—and unlike their competitors, they’ve always been aggressive about marketing their goods in chain stores. While the brand typically is the most expensive price point for chains, the company gives you more style and features for the buck. Look at the $400 Babi Italia convertible crib sold at Babies R Us. Similar cribs from Munire and other brands would probably run 20% to 30% more.

Compared to other brands sold in chain stores, LaJobi not only outdoes these other competitors style-wise, but also with quality touches like fit and finish. A typical Babi Italia crib at BRU is $300 to $400—a good buy for parents who want something better than a $200 Delta crib, but can’t afford the $600+ cribs sold in specialty stores.

At the entry price level, LaJobi’s Graco brand is sold in chains like Target and Walmart. A simple Graco crib at Walmart is $140 to $200. New for 2014, LaJobi is expanding the Graco crib line to included more choices in the $200 to $300 range. Also new at the entry level: Serta cribs. These are very similar to Graco or Nursery Classics. As of this writing, LaJobi only has one Serta crib (the Hanover), which is sold in Walmart and Toys R Us for under $200.

How’s the quality? Good, in our opinion. These are probably the best low-price cribs on the market today, especially compared to similarly priced competitors like Delta and Cosco.

We should note that while the Graco cribs get excellent reviews from our readers, there isn’t as much love for the dressers. Complaints about poor quality, difficult assembly, parts that don’t fit together correctly and more make these dressers a purchase to avoid.

Also in the opening price point, LaJobi has the Nursery 101 brand. Sold in chain stores like Walmart, Nursery 101 offers affordable packages of furniture: a basic crib plus changing table is $150; a crib plus changing table and dresser is $200.

Europa Baby is a mid-price brand where a crib runs $250-$400 and a double dresser is $500. Babi Italia in Babies R Us runs at similar prices. For 2014, LaJobi is expanding its mid-price furniture by launching cribs and dressers under their sister brand, Sassy. Sassy nursery furniture will feature more “clean lines” (read: contemporary looks), coordinating bedding sets and a crib that converts to a desk or play table. Sassy nursery furniture will launch first online with Babies R Us and other retailers in spring.

On the upper end, Bonavita cribs run $400 to $700. Dressers from this line can be pricey, ranging from $500 for a simple chest to $900 for an armoire.

So is it worth it to shell out the extra bucks on the Bonavita line? No—the difference is just aesthetics. These cribs have more details like scalloped edges on the side rail or fancier finishes (the distressed finish on the Francaise Collection, for example). We’d just save the money and buy a basic Babi Italia or Graco crib.

Dressers are another story, however. When you spend more money on a Bonavita dresser, you get more than fancy styling. Bonavita’s dressers are fully assembled, for example, while the lower-end Graco dressers are do-it-yourself. Graco dressers are made of “veneered composites,” while Bonavita uses more solid wood.

New in the past year, LaJobi rolled out a new high-end license: Kathy Ireland Baby. This line features dressers with all wood drawer glides, corner blocks and dovetail construction. We liked the little touches such as a hutch that comes with feet so it can convert to a bookcase. Prices are $650 to $700 for a crib, $730 for a five-drawer dresser.

We previewed the new Kathy Ireland furniture and thought it was well-designed. Yet compared to similarly priced Munire or Young America, the quality isn’t quite up to the same level (Munire), nor does it have the same green pedigree (Young America).

Also new on the high end: Truly Scrumptious by Heidi Klum, a Babies R Us exclusive. Cribs run $400; dressers are $650. These items are similar in quality to LaJobi’s other mid-price brand, Europa Baby.

La Jobi had a couple of rocky year in 2012 and 2013, with a management shake-up at parent Kids Brands amid slumping sales. In 2012, LaJobi was rocked by a scandal involving the violation of anti-dumping regulations that ended with the firing of two long-time executives.

All this tumult has taken a toll on the company—retailers tell us they are having trouble getting help on customer service issues from LaJobi. Back orders are stacking up and the lack of communication is making even seasoned LaJobi dealers think twice about carrying the brand. Our advice: check with your retailer about these issues before special ordering any LaJobi furniture.

As a result of these concerns, we’ve separated LaJobi’s rating into three parts: one rating for the low-end Graco and Nursery 101 cribs, a second for the mid-price Babi Italia/Baby Europa lines and a third rating for Bonavita. In short, we will recommend the Graco and Nursery 101 cribs (but not the dressers). We will urge more caution on the Babi Italia and Baby Europa lines, since they have to be special ordered. Finally, Bonavita’s upper-end line takes the biggest hit, as it is suffering the most in the LaJobi customer service troubles.

In a recent conversation with LaJobi, the company acknowledged its customer service problems and said it is taking steps to fix the problem. We’ll update this review as conditions change.

Ratings:
Graco / Nursery 101 (cribs only): A
Babi Italia / Baby Europa: B
Bonavita: C

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