How to Choose the Best Cot Bed
With so many essentials for babies to think about, choosing the ideal crib bed is among the most important purchases. 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 will grow with your child with three mattress positions and the ability remove the sides to create a stylish bench-style toddler bed.
Budget
When you think of cots, there's a cot to fit every budget and every nursery. There are a myriad of options with different lifespans and some of them can be converted into toddler beds to be used in the preschool years or even beyond. The ones that can be turned into a bed are more expensive, however they'll last longer.
The Mamas & Papas Coxley was our overall winner due to its luxurious aesthetic and easy-to-assemble design making it a great option for parents who want an extremely high-quality cot that will stand up to the test of time. Our parents appreciated the sleek design and warm oak finish of this model, which will look amazing in a modern-style Scandi nursery. This cot bed comes with a handy drawer, which mom tester Katrina thought was a better option than some less expensive cots with an inbuilt drawer, and a plastic strip that prevents bites along the top of the rails of the cot to prevent your child from getting their teeth caught in the bars. However, at PS599 with a mattress that is sold separately the bed isn't cheap, and it does require an Allen key to get it up and running.
A less expensive option that will still give your baby a good night's sleep is the cot that's Elementary from John Lewis' Anyday range. Our parents were impressed by the simplicity of the design and easy assembly. The cot is foldable up and stored easily, as it fits into bags that are similar to the one used for a camping chair. It's lighter than the average cot which means it might not be suitable for car camping however it's suitable to live in apartments or for those who don't plan to move their cot around all the time.
The SnuzKot is a good affordable cot that we suggest 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 liked that it could be converted into a minimalist-looking toddler bed, and also create the feeling of a cocoon with its canopy made of fabric.
Safety
A cot that is well-designed will not only meet UK safety standards but also feel solid and secure. Choose a sturdy design that has safety bars or sides and solid foundations to ensure that your child is unable to easily get out. Some cot beds will also have additional features like teething rails and drawers under the bed that can help you organize your home while your little one is growing.
The Boori cot is constructed of sustainable Australian Araucaria wood and New Zealand Radiata, so you can feel confident about your purchase. It can be converted from a cot into a toddler bed by leaving three sides open for security. There's also an extension kit that can transform it to a full-sized bed when your child's ready.
This stylish but simple cot is a great option for those with a tight budget. It's easy to set up, with clearly labelled parts and clear instructions. It comes with three mattress settings that allow you to alter the height of your baby as he grows. It is compatible with most cots with a standard mattresses and is an excellent buy for the price.
This is an excellent choice when you're in search of an extremely high-end cot. It comes with four mattress base positions in the cot position and will last until your baby is three years old. It folds up and has wheels that lock, making it easy for moving it from room to.
This cot comes with handy travel bag, and is one of the lightest cots we tested, weighing just 6kg. It is also very robust and has a sturdy frame that will stand up to the demands of boisterous toddlers. Our testers found it a bit tricky to put together, but the instructions were clear and well-written. The slats were spaced sufficiently apart to prevent fingers from getting trapped between them. It is also more expensive than other cots that we have reviewed, but the quality and durability are worth the cost.
mini cotbed to overlook the style when purchasing a cot-bed. Your baby's cot will be in use for a long time, therefore it's crucial to choose one that you love and also is practical and useful.
The ickle bubba Snowdon Classic Cot Bed is the perfect bed for those who appreciate design, with its sleek modern take on a traditional sleigh design that doesn't have the bulky feeling that these beds can often have. It also offers space-saving storage and has a pull-out drawer that fits under the cot, plus teething rails that can be affixed to the side of the. It was strong and sturdy. The three-position height of the base lets it expand with your baby.
Alternatively you can choose the Modena cot bed from Tutti Bambini offers excellent value for money and has a stylish panel design that would suit any nursery. It's designed to last until your child reaches six years old, before transforming first into a junior bed, and later into a chic sofa bed. It is also one of only a handful of cots that we have tested with a drawer as well as a teething rail and a hanging rail.
The Stokke Sleepie Cot Bed is another option with a panelled design. It comes in a variety of colours to match the decor of your nursery. Our mom testers loved its nifty features, with the storage drawer being especially useful for storing bedding and clothes. It is also one of the easiest cot bed to assemble. All the pieces are clearly labelled, and the instructions are easy to follow. It's also a great option for those with a small space, since it can be folded and flat-packed. It is made of a standard cot-mattress (140cm by 70cm), and is suitable for children from birth through toddlerhood. An extension kit permits it to be used up to 10 years old.
Convertibility
There are a variety of baby necessities that you must consider when you become a new parent. One of the most important is a good quality cot bed. You want something that will last for as long as it can and will change with your child to give them a safe and comfortable place to sleep.
While most cots can be transformed into toddler beds with the purchase of a conversion kit, some cot beds are designed to go beyond this. The Boori Eton Cot Bed is our top choice. It converts into a toddler (L207cm, W147cm, H90cm), a daybed (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm) and sofa (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm). This makes it our most durable pick and will last your child from birth until the time of their childhood.
It's a bit pricey when compared to other cot beds we've tested, but it has an attractive design and feel that will suit any nursery. The instructions could be more simple, but our parents test subjects were impressed with how easy it was to construct and put up. This isn't a big issue, though, considering it was still very straightforward and took less than 30 minutes to complete.
Another unique feature of this cot is that it comes with four mattress base heights that are an improvement on the three most common options. This gives you the flexibility to adjust it as your child grows because they might require a lower or higher base level depending on their age and level. It comes with teething rails that can be useful and a plastic strip on the top to stop it from getting bitten.
The cot is available in several different Scandi-inspired finishes and our dad tester was particularly impressed by the grey finish. It's not cheap however it offers great value for money as it will last your child through to toddlerhood and beyond. It's also covered by a 1-year warranty to ensure that it will last. The only thing that you'll need to buy separately is the mattress.