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. top ranked cribs will assist you in choosing the right cot for your baby.
This top-quality option is perfect it perfectly Scandi style nursery. It's a durable and sturdy choice that can grow with your child, with three mattress height options and the ability to remove 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 and some convert into toddler beds for use into the preschool years and beyond. Of course, the ones which convert into beds are generally more expensive but the extra investment can really pay off when you're looking for an item that lasts for many years, not just the duration of a few months.
The Mamas & Papas Coxley won our overall prize. Its luxurious aesthetics and simple to assemble design makes it a fantastic choice for parents looking for a high-quality cot that will last for a lifetime. Our parents appreciated the sleek design and warm oak finish of this model, which would look beautiful in a contemporary nursery. The cot bed has a drawer that mum tester Katrina considered to be a better choice than some cheaper cots with a drawer built in. It also has an anti-bite strip along the top rails of the cot to prevent your child's teeth from getting caught. But at PS599 with a mattress sold separately, this crib isn't cheap. It requires an Allen key to start it up.
A less expensive option that will still give your baby a comfy night's sleep is the cot that's Elementary from John Lewis' Anyday range. Our parents loved the simple design and quick, straightforward assembly. The cot is foldable down and stored easily because it fits in bags similar to that used for the camping chair. It's a bit light and therefore may not be suitable for car camping but it should be fine for apartment living or for those who don't want to move their cot around all the time.
The SnuzKot is an additional budget-friendly cot we recommend particularly if you decide to purchase the toddler kit and mattress extender (sold separately). It will expand with your child until about four years old, and our dad tester loved the fact that it can be converted into a minimal-looking toddler bed, and also created an ambiance of cocoons with its fabric canopy.
Safety
A good cot should not only meet the strict UK safety standards, but also be sturdy and feel secure. Look for a sturdy design with bars of safety or sides and a solid foundation so that your baby is not able to move out. Some cots come with extra features like teething rails, under-bed drawers and even a crib which can help organize your life as 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 transformed from a cot to a toddler bed by leaving three sides open for security. There's also an extension kit that will take it up to a full-sized bed when your child's ready.
This stylish but simple cot is an excellent choice for those on a limited budget. It's simple 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 can be used with standard cot mattresses and is a great value purchase for the money.
If you're looking to buy a high-end cot, this is a good choice. It has an impressive four mattress base positions in the cot position and will last until your baby is about three years old. It is also foldable and has wheels that lock, making it a great option for moving it from room to.
The cot comes with a handy travel bag and is one of the smallest cots we've tested, weighing just 6kg. It's also extremely durable and has a strong frame that can handle noisy toddlers. The instructions were well-written and clear, however our testers found the assembly a bit difficult. The slats were set apart to prevent fingers from getting stuck between them. It is also more expensive than other cots we have reviewed, but the durability and function make it worth the investment.
Design
It's easy to overlook the design when buying a cot-bed. The crib of your baby will be used for a long time, so it's important to find one that you enjoy as well as is functional and practical.
The icklebubba Snowdon Classic Cot bed is the ideal cot for design lovers. Its sleek, modern version of the traditional sleigh style does not have the bulky feel that these types of cots can provide. It's got plenty of space-saving storage, including an under-bed drawer that can be tucked away beneath the cot and teething rails on the side. Our mother test subject found it to be solid and sturdy with three positions of base height that allows the bed to expand with your child.
If you prefer alternatively, the Modena cot bed from Tutti Bambini offers excellent value for money. It also has a smart panelled look that is perfect for any nursery. It's made to last until they are six years older. It converts into a junior mattress and transforms into a chic sofa bed. It's also one of the only cot beds we tested that has a draw as well as a hanging rail and teething rails. Its solid pine construction makes it a great option for parents who want their cot to endure the test of time.
Another option with a sleek panel design is the Stokke Sleepie Cot Bed, which is available in several colors to match your nursery decor. The storage drawer is useful for bedding and clothes. Our mum testers were awed by its features. It's also one of the easiest cot beds for parents to assemble, with all the pieces being clearly labelled and easy to understand instructions. It is also an excellent choice for those who have little space since it can be flat-packed and then collapsed. It can be used with the standard cot mattress (140cm x 70cm) and is suitable from birth to toddlerhood, with an extension kit allowing it to be used up until your child is 10 years of age.
Convertibility
If you're a newly-wed there are a myriad of baby must-haves to consider. But one of the most important is a good quality cot bed - you need something that will last for as long as you can and grow with your child to provide them a safe and secure place to sleep.
While the majority of cots can be transformed into toddler beds by the purchase of a conversion kit certain cots are designed to go further than this. The Boori Eton Cot Bed is our top choice. It can be converted to a toddler (L207cm, W147cm, H90cm) and a daybed (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm) and a sofa (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm). This makes it our top choice for durability that will last from birth until the time of their childhood.
It's more expensive than some of the other cot-beds we tested however its superior design and feel will look great in any nursery. The instructions could be more clear, but our parent testers were awed by how easy it was them to build and put up. This is a minor fault however, since it was still very simple and took less than 30 minutes to complete.
This cot has four different base heights for the mattress. This is an upgrade over the three standard options. This allows you to adjust it as your child grows since they may require a higher or lower base level, based on their age and level. It includes teething rails which are helpful as well as a plastic strip on the top to stop it from being bit.
This cot comes in a variety of Scandi-inspired colors and our dad tester was impressed by the grey finish. It's not cheap however it offers great value for money as it will see your child through the age of toddler and beyond. It's also covered by an assurance of one year so you can be sure it will last. The only thing that you will need to purchase separately is the mattress.