5 Dolls You Can Buy Instead Of The American Girl Doll

Has your daughter asked for an American Girl Doll? Are you worried that it may be too expensive? Or wondering if she will even play with it? Thankfully there are other 18 inch dolls available that fit the American Girl doll clothes and furniture. Here are some possible options for you to consider.

Favorite Friends 18 Inch Doll

This doll is manufactured by one of our favorite doll companies - Madame Alexander. It is our favorite option to the American Girl Doll - which is why we carry it - and it's only $39.99! Each of the Favorite Friends has a different face mold. It seems that there are more Favorite Friend faces in their 10 doll collection than there are in the entire American Girl Doll line. If your daughter gets frustrated with the soft-body and arm joints of the American Girl doll showing through her favorite outfits then she will love the Favorite Friends 18 inch doll breast plate. This vinyl piece extends all the way through the next and shoulder joints. Favorite Friends have what is called an "articulated head" - this means that you can pose the head up and down and tilted instead of just the side to side movement you have with the American Girl doll. The Favorite Friends doll has "rooted" hair instead of wigs. This can sometimes by a problem in a lower cost doll as it causes the doll scalp to be exposed during hair styling. We have found that the Favorite Friend hair is full enough that it covers through every hair-styling option.

Our Generation 18 Inch Doll

This doll is the Target brand 18 inch doll. At under $20 this is definitely the cheapest 18 inch doll on the market. The problem comes with the quality. Many complain that the doll is not very pretty and the features of the doll are unattractive. There are also quality problems with the hair, it tangles and frizzes very easily, the styling is often choppy and uneven and the rotting is sparse. Lots of bald problems with this doll. The Our Generation 18 inch doll is a fabulous choice as a starter doll. If you aren't sure that your daughter can care for a more expensive doll, or if you aren't sure if her interest will last, there is a low risk in purchasing an Our Generation 18 inch doll. You could always upgrade to a more expensive doll if your daughter enjoys this 18 inch doll.

Gotz Precious Day 18 Inch Doll

Although still less expensive than American Girl these dolls are on the pricier side at around $70. Gotz is a world-renowned German Doll Maker that has been making gorgeous collector's dolls since 1950. The quality and craftsmanship is definitely comparable to American Girl Doll. The faces of these 18 inch dolls are beautiful and all very unique. I have received feedback from young girls that the faces are just too young, more like baby doll faces and less like little girl faces. Each doll comes with a gorgeous 18 inch doll outfit which is very high quality. The soft-body does not have a breast plate and does extend all the way to the neck like the American Girl Doll. The main complaint about these dolls is, again, the hair. For this price one would expect a wigged doll but the Precious Day hairs rooted. It also has a reputation for deteriorating very quickly without good care. This should not be a problem for older girls but younger ones may struggle with the upkeep.

Disney Princess 18 inch Doll

It didn't take Disney very long to realize the value in offering an 18 Inch play doll based on the Disney Princesses. These dolls are very pretty, high quality and come dressed in the traditional princess outfit for around $50. Unlike the American Girl Doll this doll is all-vinyl - no soft, huggable middle. The benefit of having a completely vinyl body is that this doll has six points of articulation... talk about posability! The vinyl waist line may cause a slight problem with exchanging clothes with the American Girl doll. The Disney Princess 18 inch doll has rooted hair (not wigged) but from feedback so far the hair seems to withstand styling quite well. The hair sometimes needs a bit of clean up right out of the box. I have a slight problem with the size of the doll head. It seems to me to be too big for the body, but that is a personal opinion.

Journey Girl 18 Inch Doll

Another new entry in to the 18 Inch Doll market and a strong contender against our Favorite Friends 18 Inch doll. At only $29.99 they are a really great price but there does seem to be a sizing problem. The Journey Girl 18 Inch doll waist seems to be an inch or too smaller than the American Girl doll which could cause problems when trying to share clothes. No doubt about it though - these dolls are pretty. They have lovely faces and very pretty hair which although rooted seems to hold up well with brushing. The head is articulated and the doll has the vinyl breast-plate for better looking clothing. At this price though, quality is a concern. Since they have just arrived on the scene there is no way for me to comment on how long the doll will last when played with as much as most dolls are - only time will tell.

If you have no concerns over quality and just want a doll for fitting or for a very young child you could consider the Springfield Doll. If you don't need the ability to exchange clothes with the American Girl 18 inch doll you might also want to consider the slim-body 18 inch doll. These are the dolls that I would suggest as appropriate substitutions for the purchase of an American Girl Doll.