How to Choose the Best Cot Bed
With so many baby must-haves to consider, the best cot bed is among the most important purchases. Therefore, we've created this guide to help you locate the perfect choice for your little one.
A premium option that will look great in Scandi-style nursery rooms. It's a sturdy and long-lasting option that will grow with your child, with three mattress height positions as well as the ability to remove the sides for a stylish bench-style toddler bed.
Budget
There is a cot for every nursery and budget. There are a myriad of options that have different lifespans some of which can be converted into toddler beds to be used in the preschool years or even beyond. Naturally, those that convert into a bed do tend to be more expensive but the extra cost can be well-repaid when you're looking for a cot that will last for many years, not just a few months.
The Mamas & Papas Coxley won our overall award. Its luxurious aesthetics and easy-to assemble design make it an ideal choice for parents looking for a high-quality cot that will last a lifetime. The minimalist design and warm-toned finish will look fantastic in an Scandi nursery. The cot bed has a drawer that mum tester Katrina believed was more suitable than cheaper cots with a drawer built in. It also comes with an anti-bite strip along the top rails of the cot to prevent your child's teeth from getting caught. This cot bed isn't expensive, and requires an Allen key for setup.
A less expensive option that will still give your baby a comfortable night's sleep is the Elementary cot from John Lewis' Anyday range. The simple design and easy assembly were well-loved by our testers' parents. The cot is compact when folded and can be put away and easily tucked away into a bag that's as big as the carry case of a camping chair. It's not ideal for car camping, but should be fine for apartment life or those who won't be moving their cot a lot.
The SnuzKot is an additional budget-friendly cot that we recommend, especially if you choose to purchase the toddler kit and mattress extender (sold separately). It will expand with your child until they reach four years old. Our father tester liked the possibility of converting it into a minimalist-looking toddler bed and create an atmosphere of cocoons with its canopy made of fabric.
Safety
A good cot is not just required to meet the strict UK safety standards, but it must also be sturdy and secure. Find a sturdy design that has sides or safety bars and a solid base that your child can't easily climb out. Some cots include extra features like teething rails or drawers under the bed that can help you stay organized while your baby grows.
The Boori cot is made from sustainable Australian Araucaria wood and New Zealand Radiata, so you can be sure of the purchase. It can be converted from a cot to a toddler bed (leaving three sides up to give you reassurance) and has an option to add an extension kit that takes it all the way to a double bed when your child is ready.
This elegant and simple cot is a great choice for those with a tight budget. It's simple to put together and comes with clearly labeled parts and clear instructions. It has three mattress settings that allow you to alter the height as your child grows. It will fit most standard mattress cots and is a great value purchase for the price.
If you're looking to buy a high-end cot, this is a good choice. It can be used as a cot and features four mattress positions. It'll keep your baby safe until they are around three years old. It can also be folded and has wheels that lock, making it a great option for moving it from one room to another.
The cot is extremely light at only 6kg and comes with a great bag to carry it around in. It's also extremely durable and has a sturdy frame that can handle the raging toddlers. Our testers found it a little difficult to put together, but the instructions were clear and well-written. They were impressed by the fact that the slats are enough apart to prevent fingers getting caught in 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 style when you are buying a cot bed. It's important that you choose a cot bed that is both functional and beautiful.
The icklebubba Snowdon Classic bed is the best cot for design lovers. Its sleek, modern version of the classic sleigh style does not have the bulky feel that these types can have. It also doesn't skimp on storage space and features an extra drawer that slides under the cot, and teething rails that can be connected to the side. It was sturdy and robust. The three-position height of the base allows it to grow with your baby.
Alternately you can choose the Modena cot bed from Tutti Bambini offers excellent value for money. It also has a stylish panel design that would suit any nursery. It's made to last until your child is six years old, before transforming first into a junior bed and later into a chic sofa bed. It's also among the few cot beds we've tested with a draw as well as a hanging rail and teething rails. Additionally, its solid pine construction makes it an excellent option for parents who want their cot bed to stand the test of time.
Another option that has a stylish panel design is the Stokke Sleepie Cot Bed, which is available in several colors to match your nursery decor. Our mom testers were impressed by its nifty features and the drawer for storage being particularly useful to store bedding and clothes. It's also the easiest cot beds to put together. The components are clearly labelled, and the instructions are easy to follow. It's also a great option for those with limited space as it can be flat-packed and collapsed. cheap cot beds 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.
Convertibility
There are a lot of baby essentials that you should consider as a new parent. One of the most important is a good quality cot bed - you need something that will last for as long as you can and will grow with your child to give them a secure and comfortable place to sleep.
While most cots can be made into toddler beds by the purchase of a conversion kit, certain cots are designed to go further than this. Our top pick is the Boori Eton Convertible Bed, which transforms into a toddler bed (L207cm x W147cm x H90cm) and a sofa and daybed (L234cm x W145cm and H70cm). This makes it our most durable pick, as it will last your child from birth through childhood.
It's more expensive than the other cot beds we tested however, its high-end design and feel will look great in any nursery. The instructions could be more clear, but our parent test subjects were impressed with the ease with which it was for them to build and install. This isn't a big issue but it was still very straightforward and took less than 30 minutes to complete.
Another great aspect of this cot is the fact that it has four mattress heights for the base, which is an upgrade on the three most common options. This allows you to adjust the cot as your child develops. They may require an upper or lower base level depending on their age and capabilities. It also comes with teething rails as well as a plastic strip along the top to protect it from biting.
The grey finish was the most popular of our dad test-driver. It's not cheap but it's a great value as it will last until they reach toddlerhood and beyond. It's also covered by one-year warranty, so you can be confident that it will last. The only thing you will need to purchase separately is the mattress.