A Provocative Rant About Best Cot Bed
How to Choose the Best Cot Bed
With so many baby essentials to consider, a top cot bed is among the most important items to purchase. Therefore, we've created this guide to help you choose the ideal bed for your baby.
A high-quality bed that will look great in nursery spaces that are reminiscent of Scandi. This sturdy and durable choice can expand with your baby with three mattress positions, and the ability to take the sides off to create a stylish bench-style toddler bed.
Budget
When it comes to cots there's a cot to fit every budget and every nursery. There are also different choices that come with different durations and some of them can be transformed into toddler beds to be used throughout the preschool years or even beyond. The ones that can be converted into a bed are more expensive, but they last longer.
The Mamas & Papas Coxley was our overall winner thanks to its stunning design and easy-to-assemble design. It's a great option for parents who want an extremely high-quality cot that will stand the years. The minimalist design and warm-toned finish is perfect for the Scandi nursery. This cot bed comes with an adjustable drawer that mom tester Katrina considered to be an excellent alternative to less expensive cots that have 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 stuck. This cot bed is not expensive, and requires an Allen key for setting up.
A less expensive alternative that will still provide your baby a comfortable night's sleep is the Elementary cot from John Lewis' Anyday range. The basic design and easy assembly were highly praised by our testers' parents. The cot is small when folded and can be tucked and easily tucked away into a carry bag that's the size of the carry case for a camp chair. It's not the best choice for car camping however it's suitable for apartment life or those who don't need to move their cot too much.
We suggest the SnuzKot as another cot for under $100, particularly when it comes with the toddler kit (sold separately) and mattress extender. It can grow with your child until they're approximately four years old and our dad testers loved the fact that it can be converted into an unassuming toddler bed and gave a cocoon-like feeling by incorporating a fabric canopy.
Safety
A cot that is of good quality must not only meet strict UK safety standards, but also be sturdy and comfortable to the touch. Choose a sturdy design with bars of safety or sides and a solid foundation, so that your child is unable to get out. Some cot beds will also come with extra features like teething rails and under-bed drawers which can help keep things organised while your little one is growing.
Parent tester Becki says her Boori cot "has been through three children and still looks amazing." Its traditional design 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 converted to a toddler bed (leaving three sides open for 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 simple but stylish cot is an excellent choice for those on a limited budget. It is easy to assemble with clearly marked parts and clear instructions. It has three mattress settings which allows you to adjust the height as your baby grows. It will fit on any standard cot mattresses and is a great buy for the price.
This is a fantastic option If you're looking for an expensive cot. It offers four mattress positions in the cot position and will last until your child is around three years old. It can also be folded and has wheels that lock, making it easy to move it from room to.
This cot is lightweight at just 6kg and comes with a great bag to carry it around in. It is also very robust with strong frame that can be able to withstand the rigors of toddlers. Our testers found it to be a little challenging to put together, however the instructions were clear and well-written. The slats were placed far enough apart to avoid fingers getting stuck between them. It's also more expensive than other cots that we have reviewed but the quality and durability are worth the cost.
Design
When buying a cot bed it's easy to be engrossed in the specs and safety features, but don't neglect the style. It's important that you choose the cot bed that is both functional and beautiful.
The ickle bubba Snowdon Classic Bed is the best bed for those who love design, with its sleek modern take on a traditional sleigh design that does not have the bulky look that these types of beds usually feature. It also has plenty of space-saving storage and has a pull-out drawer that fits under the cot, and teething rails that can be affixed to the side of the. Our mum tested it and found it solid and sturdy with a three-position base height that allows the bed to expand with your child.
The Modena cot-bed from Tutti Bambini is a great value for money and comes in an elegant panel design that will suit any nursery. It's designed to last until your child reaches six years old, converting first into a junior bed, and later into a chic sofa bed. It's also among the few cot beds we tested that has a draw with a hanging rail as well as teething rails. Additionally, its solid pine construction makes it a great choice for parents who want their cot to last for a long time.
The Stokke Sleepie Cot Bed is another option that has panels. It comes in a variety of colours to complement your nursery's decor. Our mum testers loved its clever features including the storage drawer particularly useful for storing bedding and clothes. It's also the easiest cot beds to assemble. All the pieces are clearly labelled, and the instructions are easy to follow. It is also an excellent alternative for those with limited space as it can be flat-packed and collapsed. It fits an ordinary cot mattress (140cm x 70cm) and is suitable from birth to toddlerhood with an extension kit that allows it to be used until your child is 10 years old. older.
Convertibility
When you're a new parent there are a myriad of baby must-haves to consider. But one of the most important is a good quality cot bed - you want something that lasts for as long as it can and will grow with your child to provide them a safe and secure place to sleep.
While the majority of cots can be made into toddler beds with the purchase of a conversion kit certain cots are designed to go further than this. The Boori Eton Cot Bed is our top choice. It can be converted into an infant (L207cm, W147cm H90cm) as well as it can also be used as a daybed (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm) and a sofa (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm). This makes it our most durable choice, as it will last from birth to the time of their childhood.
It's not cheap when compared to other cot beds we tested, but it has an elegant look and feel that will fit in with any nursery. Our parents who tested it were impressed with how easy it was to build and set up however they did mention that the instructions could be clearer. This is a minor flaw however, as it was a breeze and took less than 30 minutes to complete.
Another great aspect of this cot is the fact that it has four mattress base heights that are an improvement on the three most popular options. This allows you to adjust it as your child grows since they may require a higher or lower base level, based on their age and ability. It also comes with teething rails and a plastic strip on the top to guard it from being bitten.
This cot comes in a variety of Scandi-inspired colors, and our dad tester was especially attracted by the grey-colored finish. It's not cheap but it's a an excellent value, because it will last until they reach the age of toddler and beyond. Additionally, Baby beds comes with one-year warranties and gives you assurance that it's sturdy and long-lasting. Baby beds that you'll need to purchase separately is the mattress.