How to Choose the Best Cot Bed
With so many baby must-haves to consider, the best cot bed is one of the most important buys. We've created this guide to help find the best choice for your baby.
A high-quality bed that fits beautifully in nursery spaces that are reminiscent of Scandi. This sturdy and durable choice can expand with your baby with three mattress positions and the ability to remove the sides to create a stylish bench-style toddler bed.
Budget
There's a cot that fits every nursery and budget. There are also a range of options with different levels of durability, with some converting into toddler beds for use into the age of preschool and beyond. Of course, the ones that convert into a bed tend to be more expensive but the extra cost can be well-repaid in the event that you need a cot that lasts for a long time instead of just a few months.
The Mamas & Papas Coxley was our overall winner, with its luxurious aesthetic and easy-to-assemble design making it a great option for parents who want an extremely high-quality crib that can stand the test of time. The minimalist design and warm finish will look fantastic in an Scandi nursery. This cot bed comes with a drawer that mum tester Katrina considered to be an excellent alternative to cheaper cots which have an integrated drawer. It also comes with an anti-bite strip along the top rails of the cot to stop your child's teeth from getting stuck. However, at over PS599 with a mattress that is sold separately, this crib isn't cheap. It does require an Allen key to start it up.
A less expensive option that will still give your baby a comfy night's rest is the Elementary cot from John Lewis' Anyday range. The easy design and simple assembly were well-loved by our parents who tested it. The cot is small when folded and can be put away away easily too, fitting into a bag that's the size of the carry case for a camp chair. It's not ideal for camping in the car but it's perfect for apartment life or those who don't need to move their cot too much.
The SnuzKot is a good budget-friendly cot we recommend particularly if you decide to opt for the toddler kit and mattress extender (sold separately). It will expand with your child until they are around four years old. Our dad tester loved the possibility of converting it into a minimalist-looking toddler bed and create the feeling of a cocoon by putting up a fabric canopy.
Safety
A good cot is not just required to meet the strict UK safety standards, but it must also be sturdy and secure. Look for a sturdy design with bars of safety or sides and a solid foundation, so that your baby cannot easily climb out. Some cot beds will also come with extra features, such as teething rails and under-bed drawers, which can help you organize your life as your baby is growing.
Parent tester Becki says her Boori cot "has lasted through 3 children and is still beautiful." Its traditional style will suit most homes and it's made from sustainably sourced Australian Araucaria and New Zealand Radiata wood, so you'll feel comfortable about the purchase. It can be converted from a cot to a toddler bed (leaving three sides open to provide peace of mind) and comes with an option of an extension kit to take it all the way up to a double bed when your child is ready.
This stylish and simple cot is a good choice when you're 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 will fit most standard mattress cots and is a great value purchase for the price.
This is an excellent choice when you're in search of an expensive cot. It offers four mattress positions in cot mode, and will last until your baby is three years old. It also folds flat and comes with lockable wheels, making it extremely mobile if you have to move it from room to room.
This cot comes with handy travel bag, and is among the lightest cots we tested at 6kg. It's also extremely sturdy and has a strong frame that can handle the raging toddlers. The instructions were well-written and clear, however our testers found the assembly a little challenging. They also noted that the slats are enough apart to prevent fingers from getting caught between them. It is also more expensive than other cots we have reviewed, but the durability and function are worth the cost.
Design
It's easy to overlook the design when you are buying a cot bed. The cot you choose for your baby will be in use for a long time, therefore it's crucial to choose one that you love and is also practical and functional.
The icklebubba Snowdon Classic Cot bed is the best cot for design lovers. Its sleek, modern version of the traditional sleigh style does not have the bulky feel that these cots are known for. It has plenty of storage space-saving features, including an under-bed drawer that can be tucked away beneath the cot as well as rails for teething on the sides. Our mum test subject found it sturdy and robust, with three positions of base height that allows the bed to expand with your child.
cots offers cot-bed from Tutti Bambini is a great value and comes in a panelled design that will be suitable for any nursery. It's designed to last until they reach six years old. older. It can be converted into a junior mattress, and it transforms into a stylish sofa bed. It is also one of only a few cot beds that we've tested with an apex drawer as well as a teething rail and a hanging rail.
Another option with a sleek panel design is the Stokke Sleepie Cot Bed, which is available in several colour options to coordinate with your nursery decor. Our mom testers loved its unique features, with the drawer for storage being particularly useful for storing bedding and clothes. It's also the easiest cot beds to assemble. The pieces are clearly labelled, and the instructions are simple to follow. It is also an excellent alternative for those with limited space as it can be folded flat and then collapsed. It uses a standard cot-mattress (140cm by 70cm), and is suitable for children from birth to toddlerhood. A kit for extension allows it to be used until 10 years of age.
Convertability
When you're a new parent, there are plenty of baby essentials to think about. One of the most important items to consider is a high-quality crib bed. You want it to last for as long as you can and evolve with your child so that they have a secure place to sleep.
Some cots are designed to be more than a toddler bed. The Boori Eton Cot Bed is our top choice. It can be converted into a toddler (L207cm, W147cm, H90cm) as well as the daybed (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm), and a sofa (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm). This makes it our most durable choice that will last from birth until the time of their childhood.
It's expensive in comparison to other cot beds that we test, but it comes with a premium appearance and feel that would be a perfect fit for any nursery. The instructions could be more precise, but our parent testers were impressed by how easy it was for them to build and install. This isn't a big issue however, as it was still a breeze and took less than 30 minutes to complete.
This cot has four different base heights for the mattress. This is an improvement over the three standard options. This gives you the flexibility to adjust it as your child grows, as they may need a lower or higher base level, based on their age and abilities. It includes teething rails that can be useful as well as a plastic strip on the top to keep it from being bit.
The grey finish was the preferred of our dad tester. It is not cheap but it offers an excellent value, because it will last until they reach toddlerhood and beyond. Plus, it's covered by a one-year warranty which gives you peace of mind that it will be sturdy and durable. The only thing you'll have to buy separately is a mattress which is not included.