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How to Choose the Best Cot Bed

The best cot bed is a essential item for any baby. Therefore, we've created this guide to help you choose the ideal bed for your baby.

A high-quality bed that is perfect for nursery spaces that are reminiscent of Scandi. This sturdy and durable option can grow with your baby, with three mattress positions, and the ability to remove the sides to create a stylish bench style toddler bed.

Budget

There's a cot to fit every nursery and budget. There's also recommended cribs of options that offer various levels of longevity and even convert into toddler beds to be used throughout the age of preschool and beyond. The ones that can be turned into beds are more expensive, but they will last longer.

The Mamas & Papas Coxley was our overall winner, with its elegant design and simple design. It's a great option for parents who want a top quality cot that will stand up to the test of time. The minimalist design and warm-toned finish will look fantastic in an Scandi nursery. This cot bed also has a handy drawer that mum tester Katrina thought was an improvement over less expensive cots with an inbuilt drawer, and an anti-bite strip of plastic along the top of the cot rails to protect your child from getting their teeth stuck between the bars. But at PS599 with a mattress that is sold separately, this bed isn't cheap, and it requires an Allen key to get it up and running.

A more budget-friendly option that still gives 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 can be folded up and stored easily, because it fits in a bag the size of the one used to store the camping chair. It's not ideal for car camping however it's suitable for apartment life or those who won't be moving their cot a lot.





We suggest the SnuzKot as another budget-friendly cot, especially when it comes with a toddler kit (sold separately) and mattress extender. It will grow with your child until they're around four years old, and our dad tester liked the fact that it can be converted into a minimalist toddler bed and gave a cocoon-like feeling with its fabric canopy.

Safety

A cot that is of good quality is not just required to meet the strict UK safety standards, but it must also be sturdy and feel secure. Find small cot beds that includes safety bars or sides, as well as solid foundations that your child can't be able to climb out. Some cots include extra features like teething rails or drawers for under-bed storage which can aid you in staying organized as 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 by leaving three sides open for security. There is also an extension kit available that can transform it to a full-sized bed when your child's ready.

This stylish and simple cot is a great choice when you're on a tight budget. It's easy to assemble and comes with clearly labeled parts and clear instructions. It comes with three mattress height settings so you can alter the height as your baby grows. It is compatible with most cots with a standard mattresses and is an excellent buy for the price.

If you're looking for a premium cot, this one is a good choice. It can be used as a cot and features four mattress positions. It can last until your child are around three years old. It also can be folded flat and has locking wheels, making it mobile if you have to move it from room to room.

This cot is lightweight at just 6kg and comes with a great bag for travel. It's also extremely durable with an extremely sturdy frame that can stand up to the demands of boisterous toddlers. The instructions were well written and clear, however our testers found the assembly to be a bit difficult. The slats were set apart to avoid fingers getting caught between them. It's also more expensive than some of the other cots we looked at, but it is worth the price for its durability and utility.

Design

When buying a cot bed it's easy to be engrossed in the specs and safety features, but don't neglect the design. Your baby's cot will be used for a long time so it's important to find one you like and also is practical and useful.

The ickle bubba Snowdon Classic Cot Bed is the best bed for those who love design with its sleek, modern design that is a modern take on the traditional sleigh design that doesn't have the bulky feel that these beds can often come with. It's packed with storage space-saving features and storage options, including a drawer that fits underneath the cot as well as rails for teething on the side. Our mum test subject found it to be solid and sturdy 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 for money and comes in a panelled design that can suit any nursery. It's made to last until your child reaches six years old, and then it transforms first into a junior bed, and then into a stylish sofa bed. It's also one of only a handful of cots that we tested with an apex drawer, a teething rail, and a hanging rail.

The Stokke Sleepie Cot Bed is another option that has an elegant panel design. It comes in a range of colors to complement your nursery's decor. Our mom testers loved its clever features, with the drawer for storage being particularly useful for storing bedding and clothing. It's also among the most simple cot beds to build, with all pieces being clearly labelled and with easy-to-follow instructions. It's also a great choice for those with limited space, as it can be folded down and then flat-packed. It uses a standard cot-mattress (140cm by 70cm) and is suitable for children from birth to toddlerhood. An extension kit allows it to be used up to 10 years of age.

Convertibility

When 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 want something that will last for as long as it can and will change with your child to provide them a safe and secure place to sleep.

While the majority of cots can be transformed into toddler beds with the purchase of a conversion kit, certain cots are designed to go beyond this. Our top choice is the Boori Eton Convertible Plus Bed, which transforms into a toddler bed (L207cm x W147cm x H90cm), as well as a daybed and sofa (L234cm x W145cm and H70cm). This makes it our top choice for durability that will last your child from birth through the age of.

It's expensive when compared to other cot beds we've tested, but it has an attractive appearance and feel that would be a perfect fit for any nursery. The instructions could be more simple, but our parents test subjects were impressed with the ease with which it was for to construct and put up. This is a minor fault however, since it was still a breeze and took less than thirty minutes to complete.

Another great characteristic of this cot is the fact that it has four mattress base heights, which is an upgrade on the three most popular options. This allows you to alter the height of the cot as your child grows. They may require an upper or lower base level based on their age and ability. It also comes with useful teething rails and a plastic strip that runs along the top to shield it from biting.

The grey finish was the most popular of our dad's testers. It's not inexpensive however it offers an excellent value for money, as it will see your child through to the age of toddler and beyond. Plus, it's covered by an one-year guarantee which gives you assurance that it will be sturdy and long-lasting. The only thing you'll have to buy separately is a mattress which is not included.