How to Choose the Best Cot Bed
The best cot bed is an absolute essential item for any baby. So we've put together this guide to help you locate the ideal bed for your baby.
A top-quality option that will look great in Scandi-style nurseries. This sturdy and durable option can expand with your baby with three mattress positions, and the ability remove the sides to create a chic bench style toddler bed.
Budget
There's a cot that fits every nursery and budget. There's also a variety of options that offer different amounts of longevity and some convert into toddler beds to be used through the preschool years and beyond. The ones that can be transformed into beds are more expensive, however they'll last longer.
The Mamas & Papas Coxley won our overall prize. Its luxurious aesthetics and simple to assemble design make it an ideal choice for parents looking for an upscale cot that can last for a lifetime. Our testers for parents appreciated the sleek design and warm oak finish of this model, which looks beautiful in a contemporary nursery. This cot bed also comes with a handy drawer, which mum tester Katrina found to be superior to cheaper cots that have an inbuilt drawer, and an anti-bite strip of plastic across the top of the cot rails to guard your child from getting their teeth stuck in the bars. But at PS599 with a mattress that is sold separately, this cot isn't cheap and it requires an Allen key to start it up.
A more budget-friendly alternative that will still provide your baby a comfortable night's sleep is the Elementary cot from John Lewis' Anyday range. Our testers with parents liked the simple design and simple assembly. The cot is small when folded and can be tucked and easily tucked away into a carry bag that's as big as a camp chair's carry case. It's not the best choice for car camping but it's perfect for apartment life or those who won't be moving their cot too much.
We recommend the SnuzKot as an alternative to a cot that is budget-friendly, particularly when it comes with the toddler kit (sold separately) and mattress extender. It will grow with your child until they're around four years old, and our dad tester liked the fact that it can be converted into a minimalist toddler bed and created a cocoon-like feeling by incorporating a fabric canopy.
Safety
A good cot will not only be in compliance with UK safety standards, but also feel solid and secure. Look for a sturdy design with bars of safety or sides, and a solid foundation, so that your baby cannot easily move out. Some cots come with extra features, such as teething rails or drawers under the bed that can aid in keeping your baby organized as your baby grows.
The Boori cot is constructed of sustainable Australian Araucaria wood and New Zealand Radiata, so you can be sure of the purchase. It can be converted from a cot to a toddler bed by leaving three sides unlocked for safety. There's also an extension kit available which can convert it to a larger bed when your child's ready.
This stylish but simple cot is an excellent choice for those on a tight budget. It's easy to put together with clearly marked components and clear instructions. It comes with three mattress height settings so you can alter the height as your baby grows. It is compatible with most standard cot mattresses and is a great buy for the price.
If you're looking for a premium cot, this is a great option. It can be used as a cot, and comes with four mattress positions. It'll last until your child are about three years old. It folds flat and has locking wheels, making it very portable if you need to move it from room to room.
The cot comes with a handy travel bag and is among the smallest cots that we tested at 6kg. It's also extremely durable and has a sturdy frame that can handle boisterous toddlers. Our test subjects found it a little challenging to put together, but the instructions were clear and well-written. The slats were spaced sufficiently apart to avoid fingers getting trapped between them. It's also more expensive than other cots that we have reviewed but the quality and durability are worth the cost.
Design
It's easy to overlook the design when purchasing a cot-bed. The cot you choose for your baby will be used for a long time, so it's essential to find one that you love and also is functional and practical.
The ickle bubba Snowdon Classic Cot Bed is the best bed for those who love design with its sleek, modern version of the traditional sleigh design that doesn't have the bulky feel that these types of beds usually have. It also doesn't skimp on storage space and features a pull-out drawer that fits under the cot, and teething rails that can be connected to the side of the. Our mother tester found it sturdy and robust with a three-position base height that allows the bed to expand with your child.
The Modena cot-bed by Tutti Bambini is a great value for money and comes in a panelled design that can fit in with any nursery. It's made to last until your child reaches six years old, converting first into a junior bed and later to a chic sofa bed. It's also one of only a handful of cot beds that we've tested with an apex drawer and a rail for teething and a hanging rail.
Another option with a smart panel design is the Stokke Sleepie Cot Bed, which is available in several colour options to coordinate with your nursery decor. weblink loved its unique features including the storage drawer being especially useful to store bedding and clothes. It's also one of the most simple cot beds to build, with all pieces clearly labeled and easy to follow instructions. It is also an excellent choice for those who have limited space as it can be flat-packed and collapsed. It fits the standard cot mattress (140cm x 70cm) and is suitable from birth to toddlerhood, with an extension kit that permits it to be used up until your child turns 10 years old. of age.
Convertibility
When you're a new parent there are a lot of baby must-haves to consider. One of the most important is a quality cot bed - you want something that will last for as long as it can and grow with your child to give them a safe and secure place to sleep.
Some cots are designed to be more than just a bed for children. The Boori Eton Cot Bed is our top pick. It converts into a toddler (L207cm, W147cm H90cm), the daybed (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm), and a sofa (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm). This makes it the longest-lasting selection on our list, because it will last your child through from birth to childhood.
It's not cheap compared to some of the other cot beds we've tested, but it has an attractive design and feel that will suit any nursery. The instructions could have been more precise, but our parent test subjects were impressed with the ease with which it was for them to build and set up. This isn't a big issue but it was a breeze and took less than 30 minutes to complete.
Another impressive characteristic of this cot is the fact that it has four mattress base heights which is an upgrade on the three standard options. This allows you to alter the height of the cot as your child grows. They may need a higher or lower base level depending on their age and abilities. It includes teething rails which are helpful and a plastic strip on the top to keep it from getting bitten.
This cot comes in several different Scandi-inspired finishes, and our dad tester was particularly attracted by the grey-colored finish. It's not cheap however it is a the best value for money since it will last your child through the toddler years and beyond. It also comes with one-year warranties and gives you peace of mind that it's sturdy and durable. The only thing you'll have to buy an additional mattress, that's not included.