Best 18 inch Dolls for 2013 - Reviews and Buying Guide

Different kinds of 18 inch dolls are invading the market these days and their popularity are hugely growing. With their bigger size, girls play with them longer and they serve as companions and even "best friends". They are highly sought after not only for their play value but also for being a collectible item for adult doll aficionados.

Some of the most famous 18 inch dolls include the American Girl, Madame Alexander, Our Generation Dolls, Disney 18 Inch Dolls, Best Friends Club (BFC) Inc, Journey Girls, Springfield Collection, Carpatina, and Harmony Club Dolls. In this lens, we will take a close look at each one of them.

Photo by Ride Along Dolly

Price : $110 for a doll and a book

Materials : Body made of cloth, head, arms and legs made of soft vinyl

Hair: Rooted, comes in different styles and colors, can be brushed and styled

Movement: Limbs and head are movable

American Girl Dolls are undoubtedly the most popular 18 inch dolls though the most expensive ones. A starter doll complete with outfit and a book cost $110. Even though it comes with a tag price, the quality of the doll is impeccable. The body is made of cloth so it's soft and huggable and the limbs are made of soft vinyl. The hair is gorgeous, deeply rooted and comes in all styles and colors. There are also a huge variety of pretty clothes, furniture and accessories to choose from. But the best thing about these dolls is the story that comes with each of them, mostly teaching girls about courage, bravery and compassion which are set in different eras and history of US.

American Girl dolls is owned by the Mattel, Inc, who is also behind the ever popular Barbie Dolls. Pleasant T. Rowland, an educator, founded the company in 1986 and it was acquired by Mattel in 1998.

Samantha, Kirsten, and Molly were the first 3 dolls that were released in the year 1986. The unique thing about these dolls is that they represent special time and place in the history of America. These are the names of the dolls according to the year/era they represent: Kaya (1764), Felicity (1774), Caroline (1812), Josefina (1824), Cecile and Marie Grace (1853), Kirsten (1854), Addy (1864), Samantha (1904), Rebecca (1914), Kit (1934), Molly (1944) and Julie (1974).

Every year, American Girl Dolls company also release what they call "Girl of the Year" and it started in 2001. These are limited edition dolls and they are sold for only one year, including all their outfits and accessories. The dolls are Lindsay (2001) , Kailey (2003), Marisol (2005), Jess (2006), Nicki (2007), Mia (2008), Chrissa (2009), Lanie (2010), Kanani (2011), McKenna (2012) and Sage (2013).

Aside from the historical dolls and girl of the year, they also have a line up of dolls where you can choose the color and style of the hair, eyes and skin. Through this, girls have a chance of getting dolls that look like them.

Price : $35 and up

Materials : soft body, stiff limbs

Hair: Rooted, comes in different styles and colors, can be brushed and styled

Movement: Limbs can rotate, head can move side to side, up and down

Madame Alexander's "Favorite Friends" is their line of dolls that feature modern and hip 18 inch dolls. These dolls' hair are rooted which can be styled and combed for even long hours of playing. They have beautiful eyes adorned by long and luscious eyelashes that can close and open so that they can sleep or be awake. Doll's prices range from around $35 and the clothing and accessories start from $15.

Dolls from Madame Alexander were started in 1923 by Alexander Doll Company, owned and established by Beatrice Alexander. Although the dolls were already being produced since 1923, 1929 is considered as the company's official birth. Initially starting in cloth before quickly switching to composition, Madame Alexander dolls went with the trend of dolls made from hard plastic in year 1940. Finally, during the later part of 1950s, the dolls have been produced using soft and hard vinyl, which continue to be the primary materials until today.

Price : $35 and up for a doll and a book

Materials : Body made of cloth, head, arms and legs made of soft vinyl

Hair: Rooted, comes in different styles and colors, can be brushed and styled

Movement: Limbs and head are movable

Our Generation Dolls is another line of 18 inch dolls that feature girls dressed in the latest trends. They definitely serve as great companions for little girls as the line come with tons of cute accessories and furniture to play with. They have a kitchen set, laundry set, tables and chairs, horses, cars, slumber party set, dressmaker set and so much more that girls would definitely go gaga for.

Our Generation dolls also take pride in being able to help in charitable events that can greatly benefit those who are in need. Some of the dolls that belong to this brand each with their own unique personality are Audrey Ann, Ayla, Sachie, Holly, Charlotte, Daisy, Willow, Ashley Rose, Sandy and Daisy

Price : $50

Materials : hand sculpted face with a matte porcelain finish and her eyes are Macor eyes-the highest grade of glass

Hair: Rooted

Movement: Has 6 points of articulation of neck, shoulder, waist, and hips, all ball joints for a wide range of poseableability

Disney 18 Inch Dolls are the very sensations that practically flew off the shelves during Christmas season of year 2010 and until this very day, the demand for these 18 inch dolls seems unstoppable. Inspired by the ever famous Disney princesses, these dolls are bound to take the little girls into a wonderland that they never thought possible. Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Tiana from The Princess and the Frog, and Aurora are just some of the dolls that complete this lineup. Complete with accessories, sleepwear, ballet outfit, and toe shoes, these dolls have been among the top favorites of many girls of different ages.

Price : $20

Materials : body is made of cloth, limbs are made of vinyl

Hair: Rooted

Movement: has movable head and limbs

Springfield Collection is one of the most affordable 18 inch dolls with price starting at less than $20. These dolls are based on modern girls so they feature the latest style and trend in fashion when it comes to their clothes and accessories.Though the quality of the dolls is not at par with the American Girl Dolls, they still offer a great value for girls They have eyes that open and close and their hair is rooted so they can easily be brushed and styled. They feature five girls each with their own unique personality namely Maria, Olivia, Madison, Abby and Emma.

Price : $48

Materials : vinyl

Hair: Rooted

Movement: totally posable (100 + poses) since they are jointed

BFC Ink are different than most 18 inch dolls because they are thinner in structure. They also represent girls 12-15 years old because of their look and the style of their outfits. There are different BFC Ink dolls, each of which has her unique and exceptional personality, which is why most girls can easily relate to the appearance and personality. All of the dolls come with their own cool accessories, such as the BFC Ink Book complete with key and lock, fashion outfit, and membership card for BFC Ink. Addison, Kaitlin, and The Twins Noelle and Aleisha complete the BFC Ink lineup. They have bendable knees, realistic eyes, and their clothes are of contemporary style.

A brand new lineup of 18 inch dolls created from Toys R Us, the Journey Girls is composed of 4 different dolls, all of which have their unique talents who love doing various things, Taryn, Alana, Meredith, and Collie are their names and they all have soft bodies. Every doll also comes with accessories and line of different clothes.

Carpatina Dolls are made from vinyl, have close/open eyes, poseable legs and arms, and wigged hair. The different dolls have different outfits that represent various countries and period. Julia, Ana Ming, Zoe, Kohanna, Erin, Rowena and Veronika are the lovely dolls that compose this lineup. They are mainly targeted for adult collectors because of their small and intricate details.

Although still new to the industry, the Harmony Club Dolls have been gaining a lot of attention from many doll lovers. This lineup has a lot of potential when it comes to making it big in the market and some of their dolls include Charlotte, Jessica Rose, Gabriella, Harmony Rose, and Joy.