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Author : McGrath Munch | Published On : 07 Oct 2024

How to Choose the Best Cot Bed

With so many baby essentials to consider, a top crib bed is among the most important buys. This guide has been created to assist you in choosing the right cot for your baby.

A top-quality option that fits beautifully in Scandi-style nursery rooms. This sturdy and durable choice can expand with your baby, with three mattress positions and the ability to remove the sides to create a chic bench style toddler bed.

Budget

There's a cot that fits every nursery and budget. There are a variety of choices that come with different durations and some of them can be transformed into toddler beds that can be used in the age of preschool or beyond. Naturally, those that convert into beds do tend to be more expensive but the extra investment could be worth it if you want a cot that lasts for a long time instead of just the duration of a few months.

The Mamas & Papas Coxley won our overall prize. Its gorgeous design and easy to assemble make it a great option for parents looking for a high-quality cot that will last for a long time. Our parents loved the minimalist design and warm oak finish of this model, which will look beautiful in a contemporary nursery. This cot bed comes with an adjustable drawer that mom tester Katrina believed was a better choice than some less expensive cots that have a drawer built in. It also has an anti-bite strip along the top rails of the cot to stop your child's teeth from getting stuck. This cot bed isn't expensive, and requires an Allen key to set up.

A more affordable option that still gives your baby a comfortable night's sleep is the cot that's Elementary from John Lewis' Anyday range. Our parent testers loved the simple design and quick, straightforward assembly. The cot is foldable into a compact size and stored since it can fit into a bag the size of the one used to store a camping chair. It's not ideal for camping in the car however it's suitable for apartment life or those who don't need to move their cot too much.

We recommend the SnuzKot for an alternative to a cot that is budget-friendly, particularly when it comes with the toddler kit (sold separately) and mattress extender. It will expand with your child until they reach four years old. Our dad tester loved that it could be transformed into a minimalist-looking toddler bed, and also create an atmosphere of cocoons with its canopy made of fabric.

Safety

A cot that is well-designed will not only be in compliance with 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 cot beds will also include extra features such as teething rails and under-bed drawers that can help you keep things organised while your little one is growing.

Parent test participant Becki says her Boori cot "has been through three children and still looks amazing." Its traditional style is suitable for all homes and is made from sustainably-sourced Australian Araucaria and New Zealand Radiata wood, so you'll feel comfortable about the purchase. It can be converted from a cot into a toddler bed by leaving three sides unlocked for security. There is also an extension kit available that can transform it to a full-sized bed once your child's ready.

This simple, stylish cot is a great choice for those on a tight budget. It's easy to assemble, with clearly labelled parts and clear instructions. It comes with three mattress height settings, so you can adjust it as your baby grows. It will fit on any standard cot mattress and is a great purchase for the price.

If you're looking for a premium cot, this one is a great choice. It has an impressive four mattress base positions in the cot position and will last until your baby is around three years old. It also can be folded flat and has lockable wheels, making it extremely portable if you need to move it from room to room.

This cot is very light at just 6kg, and comes with a convenient bag for travel. It's also extremely sturdy and has a sturdy frame that can withstand boisterous toddlers. Our test subjects found it a little difficult to put together, but the instructions were well-written and clear. They noted that the slats were spaced far enough apart to prevent fingers from getting caught between them. It's also more expensive than other cots that we have reviewed but the quality and durability make it worth the investment.

Design

It's easy to overlook the design when purchasing a cot-bed. It's important that you choose a cot that is both practical and attractive.

The icklebubba Snowdon Classic bed is the perfect bed for design-lovers. Its sleek, modern version of the classic sleigh style isn't as bulky that these types of cots can provide. It's got plenty of storage space-saving features and storage options, including the drawer that is built into the cot and teething rails on the sides. Our mum test subject found it solid and sturdy, with a three-position base height that allows the bed to grow with your child.


If you prefer, 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 your child is six years old, and then it transforms first into a junior bed, and later to a chic sofa bed. It's also one of only a handful of cot beds that we've tested with an apex drawer as well as a teething rail and a hanging rail.

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 mum testers loved its unique features including the storage drawer particularly useful to store bedding and clothes. It's also the easiest cot beds to put together. The components are clearly labelled, and the directions are easy to follow. It's also a great alternative for those with limited space as it can be rolled up and collapsed. It's a standard cot mattress (140cm by 70cm), and is suitable for children from birth to toddlerhood. An extension kit permits it to be used until 10 years old.

Convertibility

There are a lot of baby essentials that you should consider as you become a new parent. One of the most important things to think about is a top-quality crib bed. You want it to last for as long as possible and evolve with your child, so they can have a safe bed to sleep in.

Although most cots can be converted to toddler beds through 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 converts into an infant (L207cm, W147cm, H90cm) as well as a daybed (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm) and a sofa (L234cm, W145cm, H70cm). This makes it our most durable pick that will last from birth until childhood.

It's more expensive than the other cot-beds we tried however its superior design and feel will look great in any nursery. The instructions could have been more precise, but our parent test subjects were impressed with how easy it was them to build and install. This isn't a major issue, though, considering it was still a simple task and took less than 30 minutes to complete.

This cot comes with four base heights for mattresses. This is an improvement over the three standard options. This allows you to adjust it as your child gets older, because they might require an upper or lower base level based on their age and level. It includes teething rails that are useful as well as a plastic strip on the top to keep it from getting bitten.

This cot is available in several different Scandi-inspired finishes and our dad tester was attracted by the grey-colored finish. It's not cheap, but it offers an excellent value, as it will last through the toddler years and beyond. It also comes with one-year warranty, so you can be sure it will last. The only thing you'll need to purchase an additional mattress, which isn't included.