9 Things Your Parents Taught You About Best Cot Bed

How to Choose the Best Cot Bed

The best cot bed is a essential item for any baby. We've created this guide to assist you in choosing the right cot for your baby.

This high-end option works perfectly in Scandi style nurseries. This sturdy and durable option will grow with your child, with three mattress positions, and the ability remove the sides to create a stylish bench-style toddler bed.

Budget

There is a cot for every nursery and budget. There are also a range of options with various levels of longevity and some convert into toddler beds to be used through the preschool years and beyond. Obviously, the ones which convert into beds are generally more expensive, but the cost can be well-repaid if you want a cot that lasts for many years, not just a few months.

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 a top quality crib that can stand the test of time. The sleek design and warm-toned finish will look fantastic in an Scandi nursery. The cot bed has an adjustable drawer that mom tester Katrina thought was an excellent alternative to cheaper cots with 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 caught. But at PS599 with a mattress that is sold separately the bed isn't cheap cot bed, and it does require an Allen key to make it functional.

A more budget-friendly option that will still give your baby a comfortable night's sleep is the cot that's Elementary from John Lewis' Anyday range. The basic design and easy assembly were highly praised by our parent testers. The cot is compact when folded and can be tucked away easily too, fitting into a carry bag that's as big as the carry case of a camping chair. It's not the best choice for camping in the car, but should be fine for those living in apartments or who won't be moving their cot around too often.

We suggest the SnuzKot as another budget-friendly cot, especially if it comes with the toddler kit (sold separately) and mattress extender. It can grow with your child until they're about four years old, and our dad testers loved the fact it converted to an unassuming toddler bed, and also created a cocoon-like feeling by incorporating a fabric canopy.

Safety

A good cot will not only be in compliance with UK safety standards but also feel solid and secure. Look for a sturdy design with bars of safety or sides and a solid foundation so that your child is unable to climb out. Some cots come with extra features like teething rails and under-bed drawers which can help organize your home as your baby is growing.

Parent test subject Becki says her Boori cot "has endured through 3 kids and still looks amazing." Its traditional design is suitable for all homes and it's made from sustainable sources of Australian Araucaria and New Zealand Radiata wood, which means you can feel confident about the purchase. It can be converted from a cot to a toddler bed (leaving three sides open to give you reassurance) and also has the option to add an extension kit to take it all the way to a double bed when your child is ready.

This elegant and simple cot is an excellent choice for those with a tight budget. It is easy to assemble with clearly marked components and clear instructions. It has three mattress settings, so you can adjust the height as your baby grows. It is compatible with most standard cot mattresses and is a great value buy for the money.

If you're looking for a premium cot, this one is a great option. It can be used as a cot and has four mattress positions. It'll last your baby until they are around three years old. It folds up and has wheels that lock, making it easy for moving it from one room to another.

This cot is very light at just 6kg, and comes with a handy bag to carry it around in. It's also extremely sturdy, with a strong frame that can handle the raging toddlers. Our testers found it a bit tricky to put together, but the instructions were well-written and clear. The slats were set apart to keep fingers from getting trapped between them. It's also a bit more expensive than the other cots we reviewed but it's well worth the cost for its durability and utility.

Design

When purchasing a cot bed it's easy to be engrossed in the specs and safety features, but don't overlook the design. The cot you choose for your baby will be in use for a long time, so it's essential to find one that you love as well as is practical and useful.

The icklebubba Snowdon Classic Cot bed is the best cot newborn cot for those who love design. Its sleek, modern version of the traditional sleigh style doesn't have that bulky feeling that these types of cots and tots can provide. It has plenty of storage space, including a drawer that fits underneath the cot and teething rails on the sides. Our mom tested it and found it to be robust and durable, with three positions of base height that allows the bed to grow with your child.

The Modena cot-bed by Tutti Bambini is a great value for money and comes in a panelled design that will suit any nursery. It is designed to last your child until they reach six years old. old. It transforms into a junior mattress, and then into an elegant sofa bed. It's also among the only cot beds we tested to have a draw as well as a hanging rail and teething rails. Its solid pine construction makes it a good choice for parents who want their cot to stand the test of time.

Another option with a sleek panelled design is the Stokke Sleepie Cot Bed, that is available in a variety of colour options to coordinate with your nursery decor. The storage drawer was especially useful for bedding and clothing. Our mom testers were impressed by the features. It's also one of the most simple cot beds to assemble, with all the pieces clearly labeled and easy to follow instructions. It is also an excellent choice for those who have limited space because it can be flat-packed and collapsed. It takes the standard cot mattress (140cm 70cm x 140cm) and is suitable from the time of birth until toddlerhood, with an extension kit that permits it to be used until your child turns 10 years old. old.

Convertibility

If you're a new parent there are a myriad of baby essentials to think about. But one of the most important is a quality cot bed - you need something that will last as long as possible and grow with your child to provide them a secure and comfortable place to sleep.

Some cots are designed to be more than just a bed for toddlers. The Boori Eton Cot Bed is our top choice. It can be converted into an infant cot bed (L207cm, W147cm H90cm), the daybed (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm) and a sofa (L234cm, W145cm, H70cm). This makes it our top choice for durability, as it will last your child from birth through the age of.

It's expensive in comparison to other cot beds that we evaluated, but it offers an attractive look and feel that will fit in with any nursery. The instructions could be more precise, but our parent testers were awed by how easy it was for them to build and install. This isn't a big issue, though, considering it was still a simple task and took less than 30 minutes to complete.

This cot has four different base heights for the mattress. This is an upgrade from the three most popular options. This lets you adjust the cot as your child grows. They may need a higher or lower base level depending on their age and capabilities. It also comes with useful teething rails and a plastic strip on the top to shield it from biting.

The grey finish was the favorite of our dad tester. It's not expensive, but it does offer an excellent value for money, as it will take your child through toddlerhood and beyond. It also comes with a 1-year warranty to ensure that it will last. The only thing that you'll need to purchase separately is the mattress.