How to Choose the Best Cot Bed
With so many baby essentials to consider, a top crib bed is among the most important items to purchase. This guide has been created to assist you in choosing the right cot for your baby.
A top-quality option that fits beautifully in nursery spaces that are reminiscent of Scandi. It's a sturdy and long-lasting option that will grow with your child, offering three mattress height options and the ability to remove the sides to create a chic bench-style toddler bed.
Budget
When you think of cots, there's something to suit every budget and every nursery. There are also a range of options that offer different amounts of longevity and even convert into toddler beds to be used into the preschool years and beyond. Naturally, those that convert into a bed tend to be more expensive, but the investment can really pay off in the event that you need a cot that lasts for a long time instead of just a few months.
The Mamas & Papas Coxley won our overall prize. Its luxurious aesthetics and easy-to assemble design make it a great option for those who want an upscale cot that can last for a long time. Our testers for parents liked the minimalist design and warm oak finish of this model, which will look amazing in a modern-style Scandi nursery. The cot bed has a drawer that mum tester Katrina considered to be an excellent alternative to cheaper cots which have a drawer built-in. It also comes with an anti-bite strip on the top rails of the cot to prevent your child's teeth from getting stuck. However, at PS599 with a mattress that is sold separately, this cot isn't cheap and it requires an Allen key to get it up and running.
A more budget-friendly alternative that will still provide your baby a comfortable 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 foldable up and stored easily, as it fits into bags that are similar to that used for a camping chair. It's not the best choice for car camping, but should be fine for apartment life or those who don't need to move their cot around too often.
The SnuzKot is another good budget-friendly cot that we recommend particularly if you decide to opt for the toddler kit and mattress extender (sold separately). It will expand with your child until about four years old, and our dad tester liked the fact that it was able to transform into an unassuming toddler bed and gave a cocoon-like feeling by incorporating a fabric canopy.
Safety
A cot that is safe and sturdy will not only meet UK safety standards, but also feel sturdy and secure. Find a sturdy style with safety bars or sides, and a solid foundation, so that your baby is not able to climb out. Some cots come with extra features like teething rails or drawers for under-bed storage which can aid you in staying organized as your baby grows.
Parent tester Becki says that her Boori cot "has lasted through 3 children and is still beautiful." Its traditional style will fit in with any home and is made from sustainably sourced Australian Araucaria and New Zealand Radiata wood, which means you can feel confident about the purchase. It can be transformed from a cot into a toddler bed by leaving three sides open for safety. There's also an extension kit available that can transform it to a larger 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 set up and comes with clearly labeled parts and clear instructions. It comes with three mattress height settings so you can adjust it as your baby grows. It will fit most standard mattress cots and is a great value purchase for the money.
If you're looking to buy a high-end cot, this is a great choice. It can be used as a cot and features four mattress positions. It can keep your baby safe until they are around three years old. It also folds flat and comes with locking wheels, making it extremely mobile if you have to move it from room to room.
This cot comes with handy travel bag, and is one of the smallest cots that we tested at 6kg. It's also extremely durable and has a strong frame that can handle noisy toddlers. The instructions were well written and clear, but our testers found the assembly to be a little difficult. They also noted that the slats are spaced enough apart to prevent fingers from getting caught between them. It's also a bit more expensive than some of the other cots we reviewed but it's well worth the price for its durability and functionality.
Design
It's easy to overlook the design when you are buying a cot bed. Your baby's cot will be in use for a long period of time, so it's essential to find one that you enjoy as well as is practical and useful.
The ickle bubba Snowdon Classic Bed is the perfect cot bed for design lovers with its sleek, modern version of the traditional sleigh design that doesn't have the bulky feel that these beds can often come with. It also has plenty of space-saving storage and has an extra drawer that slides under the cot, as well as teething rails that can be affixed to the side of the. Our mum tester found it to be sturdy and robust, with three positions of base height that allows the bed to grow with your child.
The Modena cot-bed from Tutti Bambini is a great value and comes with an elegant panel design that will be suitable for any nursery. It is made to last until they reach six years old. old. It converts into a junior mattress, and transforms into a chic sofa bed. It's also one of the few cot beds we've tested with 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 bed to endure the test of time.
The Stokke Sleepie Cot Bed is another option that comes with an elegant panel design. It comes in a variety of colours to complement your nursery's decor. The storage drawer was especially useful for bedding and clothing. Our mum testers were impressed by its features. nursery cots 's also among the easiest cot beds for parents to build, with all pieces being clearly labelled and with easy-to-follow instructions. It is also an excellent alternative for those with limited space as it can be rolled up and collapsed. It is made of 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.
Convertibility
There are a lot of baby essentials you need to think about as you become a new parent. One of the most important is a quality cot bed. You need something that will last as long as possible and will grow with your child to give them a safe and comfortable place to sleep.
Although most cots can be converted into toddler beds with the purchase of a conversion kit some cot beds are designed to go a step further than this. The Boori Eton Cot Bed is our top pick. It converts into an infant (L207cm, W147cm H90cm), the 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 to the time of their childhood.
It's a bit more expensive than some of the other cot-beds we tested, but its premium appearance and feel can be found in any nursery. The instructions could be more simple, but our parents testers were impressed by how easy it was for to construct and set up. This isn't a big issue however, as it was still a breeze and took less than thirty minutes to complete.
Another impressive aspect of this cot is that it comes with four mattress base heights, which is an upgrade on the three most popular options. best cot newborn allows you to alter the height of the cot as your child grows. They might require a lower or higher base level based on their age and ability. It also comes with teething rails and a plastic strip that runs along the top to shield it from biting.
This cot comes in a variety of Scandi-inspired finishes and our dad tester was particularly impressed by the grey finish. It's not expensive however it offers excellent value for money since it will last your child through to the age of toddler and beyond. It also comes with one-year warranty, to ensure that it will last. The only thing you'll need to buy separately is a mattress that's not included.