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 purchases. This guide will help you choose the right bed for your baby cot online.
This premium option fits perfectly it perfectly Scandi style nurseries. It’s a durable and sturdy choice that can grow with your child, with three mattress height positions as well as the option of removing the sides to create a chic bench-style toddler bed.
Budget
There is a cot for every nursery and budget. There’s also a variety of options with different amounts of longevity, with some converting into toddler beds to be used through the age of preschool and beyond. The ones that can be converted into beds are more expensive, but they will last longer.
The Mamas & Papas Coxley was our overall winner, with its luxurious aesthetic and easy-to-assemble design. It’s a great choice for parents looking for an extremely high-quality cot that will stand the years. Our parent testers appreciated the sleek design and warm oak finish of this model, which will look stunning in a Scandi-style nursery. The cot bed has an adjustable drawer that mom tester Katrina believed was an excellent alternative to cheaper cots 4 tots with a drawer built-in. It also comes with an anti-bite strip along the top rails of the cot to stop your child’s teeth from getting stuck. But at PS599 with a mattress that is sold separately, this crib isn’t cheap. It does require an Allen key to get it up and running.
A more affordable cots alternative that will still provide your baby a good night’s rest is the Elementary cot from John Lewis’ Anyday range. Our testers with parents loved the simple design and quick, straightforward assembly. The cot is compact when folded and can be put away away easily too, fitting into a bag that’s about the size of a camp chair’s carry case. It’s not ideal for camping in the car but it’s perfect for those living in apartments or who won’t be moving their cot a lot.
We suggest the SnuzKot as another cot for under $100, particularly if it comes with the toddler kit (sold separately) and mattress extender. It will grow with your baby until they are around four years old. Our dad tester liked the possibility of converting it into a modern-looking toddler bed and create a cocoon like feeling 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. Find a sturdy style with bars of safety or sides, and a solid foundation so that your baby cannot easily get out. Some cot cribs beds will also have additional features like teething rails, under-bed drawers and even a crib which can help organize your home while your baby is growing.
The Boori cot is made from sustainable Australian Araucaria wood and New Zealand Radiata, so you can be sure of your purchase. It can be converted from a cot to a toddler bed by leaving three sides open for security. There’s an extension kit available that will take it up to a full-sized bed once your child’s ready.
This simple but stylish cot is a great choice for those on a tight budget. It is easy to assemble with clearly marked components and clear instructions. It comes with three mattress height settings, so you can adjust it as your baby grows. It fits most standard cot mattresses and is an excellent purchase for the price.
This is a fantastic option if you are looking for a high-end cot. It comes with four mattress base positions in cot mode and will last until your baby is three years old. It also can be folded flat and has locking wheels, making it extremely mobile if you have to move it from room to room.
The cot is extremely light at only 6kg and comes with a handy bag to carry it around in. It’s also extremely sturdy and has a strong frame that can withstand the raging toddlers. The instructions were well-written and clear, but our testers found the assembly a bit difficult. The slats were set apart to prevent fingers from getting stuck between them. It’s also more expensive than other cots we have reviewed but the quality and durability are worth the cost.
Design
It’s easy to overlook the design when buying a cot-bed. It’s crucial to select a cot that is both functional and beautiful.
The icklebubba Snowdon Classic bed is the best bed for design-lovers. Its sleek, modern version of the traditional sleigh style doesn’t have that bulky feeling that these types of cots can provide. It also offers storage space and features an open drawer that can be placed under the cot, plus teething rails that can be affixed to the side. It was sturdy and durable. The three-position height of the base allows it to expand with your baby.
If you prefer alternatively, the Modena cot bed from Tutti Bambini offers excellent value for money and comes with a smart panelled look that would suit any nursery. It’s designed to last until your child reaches six years old, and then it transforms first into a junior bed, and then into a stylish sofa bed. It’s also one of the few cot beds we’ve tested with a draw, a hanging rail and teething rails, while its solid pine construction makes it a good option for parents who want their cot bed to endure the test of time.
Another option with a sleek panelled design is the Stokke Sleepie Cot Bed, which comes in a variety of color options to fit the decor of your nursery. Our mom testers were impressed by its nifty features, with the drawer for storage being particularly useful for storing bedding and clothes. It’s also one of the easiest cot beds to assemble, with all the pieces being clearly labelled and easy to follow instructions. It’s also a great choice for those with limited space, since it can be collapsed and flat-packed. It’s a standard cot mattress (140cm by 70cm), and is suitable for babies through toddlerhood. A kit for extension allows it to be used until 10 years old.
Convertibility
If you’re a new parent there are a myriad of baby must-haves to consider. One of the most important things to think about is a top-quality cot bed. You want it to last as long as you can and evolve with your child so they can have a safe bed to sleep in.
While the majority of cots can be made into toddler beds by the purchase of a conversion kit, some cots are made to go a step further than this. The Boori Eton Cot Bed is our top choice. It can be converted into an infant (L207cm, W147cm, H90cm) and a daybed (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm) and a sofa (L234cm, W145cm, H70cm). This makes it our most durable pick that will last your child from birth through childhood.
It’s a little more expensive than the other cot-beds we tried, but its premium appearance and feel can be found in any nursery. Our parent testers were really impressed by how simple it was to set up and build, although they did note that the instructions could be more clear. This isn’t a major issue but it was still very straightforward and took less than 30 minutes to complete.
This cot comes with four mattress base heights. This is an upgrade from the three most common options. This gives you the ability to adjust it as your child gets older, since they may require a lower or higher base level based on their age and level. It also comes with useful teething rails and a strip that runs along the top to protect it from biting.
This cot is available in a variety of Scandi-inspired finishes and our dad tester was impressed by the grey finish. It’s not expensive, but it does offer excellent value for money since it will take your child through to toddlerhood and beyond. It’s also covered by an assurance of one year so you can be confident that it will last. The only thing you’ll have to purchase separately is a mattress that’s not included.