How to Choose the Best Cot Bed

With so many essentials for babies to consider, the best crib bed is among the most important purchases. We've put together this guide to help you locate the perfect bed for your little one.

This top-quality option is perfect in Scandi style nurseries. It's a sturdy and durable option that will grow with your child, with three mattress height positions and the ability to remove the sides for a stylish bench-style toddler bed.

Budget

When you think of cots, there's something to suit every budget and every nursery. There are also a range of options with various levels of longevity and even convert into toddler beds for use through the age of preschool and beyond. Naturally, those that convert into beds tend to be more expensive, but the investment could be worth it when you're looking for a cot that will last for years rather than just for a few months.

The Mamas Papas Coxley was our overall winner due to its elegant design and simple design making it a great choice for those who want an extremely high-quality cot that will stand the years. Our parents liked the minimalist design and warm oak finish of this model, which will look amazing in a modern-style Scandi nursery. This cot bed comes with an adjustable drawer that mom tester Katrina thought was more suitable than cheaper cots which have an integrated drawer. It also comes with an anti-bite strip on the top rails of the cot to stop your child's teeth from getting stuck. This cot bed is not expensive, and requires an Allen key to set up.

The Elementary cot is a cheaper option that will provide your baby a good night's sleep. It's part of the Anyday range by John Lewis. 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 bag that's as big as a camp chair's carry case. It's on the lightweight side, meaning it may not be ideal for camping in the car however it's suitable to live in apartments or for those who don't intend to move their cot around for too long.

We recommend the SnuzKot as another cot for under $100, particularly when it comes with the toddler kit (sold separately) and mattress extender. It will expand with your child until they are around four years old. Our dad tester liked the possibility of converting it into a minimalist-looking toddler bed, and created a cocoon like feeling with its canopy made of fabric.

Safety

A cot that is of good quality should not only meet the strict UK safety standards, but it should also be sturdy and secure. Find a sturdy style with bars of safety or sides, and a solid foundation, so that your baby cannot easily move out. Some cots have additional features like teething rails or drawers under the bed that can aid you in staying organized as your baby grows.

The Boori cot is made of sustainable Australian Araucaria wood and New Zealand Radiata, so you can be confident in your purchase. It can be converted from a cot to a toddler bed (leaving three sides up to give you security) and also has the option of an extension kit to take it all the way up to a double bed when your child is ready.

This simple but stylish cot is a good choice when you're 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 is compatible with most cots with a standard mattresses and is an excellent purchase for the price.

This is an excellent choice if you are looking for an extremely high-end cot. It offers four mattress positions in cot mode and will last until your baby is three years old. It also folds flat and has locking wheels, making it very convenient to move it from room to room.

The cot is extremely light at only 6kg and comes with a convenient bag for traveling. It is also very robust with a sturdy frame that will withstand boisterous toddlers. Our testers found it to be a little difficult to put together, however the instructions were well-written and clear. They also noted that the slats are spaced sufficiently apart to avoid fingers from getting caught between them. It is also more expensive than other cots we have reviewed but the quality and durability are worth the cost.

Design

When purchasing a cot bed it's easy to be engrossed in the spec and safety features, but don't neglect the design. It's crucial to select a cot that is both practical and attractive.

The icklebubba Classic Cot bed is the ideal bed for design-lovers. Its sleek, modern version of the classic sleigh design doesn't have that bulky feeling that these types of cots can provide. It also offers storage space, and comes with a pull-out drawer that fits under the cot, as well as teething rails that can be attached to the side. Our mother tester found it sturdy and robust and has three positions of base height that allows the bed to grow with your child.

If you prefer you can choose the Modena cot bed from Tutti Bambini offers excellent value for money and has a stylish panel design that is perfect for any nursery. It's made to be used until your child is six years old, before transforming first into a junior bed and later to a chic sofa bed. It's also among the only a handful of cots that we have 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 match the decor of your nursery. The storage drawer was particularly useful for bedding and clothing. Our mom testers were awed by the features. It is also one of the easiest cot bed to assemble. All the pieces are clearly labeled, and the directions are easy to follow. It's also a great choice for those who have limited space as it can be flat-packed and then collapsed. It's a standard cot mattress (140cm by 70cm) and is suitable for babies through toddlerhood. An extension kit permits it to be used up to 10 years old.

Convertibility

There are many baby essentials that you must consider when you become a new parent. One of the most important items to consider is a high-quality cot bed. You want it to last for as long as you can and grow with your child, so that they have a secure place to sleep.

While most cots can be transformed 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) and the daybed (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm) and sofa (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm). This makes it our most durable choice that will last from birth through the time of their childhood.

It's more expensive than some of the other cot-beds we tried however, its high-end design and feel will look great in any nursery. The instructions could be more clear, but our parent testers were impressed by the ease with which it was for to construct and put up. This isn't a big issue, however, as it was still very simple and took just 30 minutes to complete.

Another impressive characteristic 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 it as your child grows because they might require a lower or higher base level depending on their age and www.cots4tots.co.uk level. It comes with teething rails that are useful as well as a plastic strip on the top to keep it from being bit.

This cot comes in a variety of Scandi-inspired finishes and our dad tester was attracted by the grey-colored finish. It's not cheap, but it's a the best value for money as it will last your child into the toddler years and beyond. It also comes with a 1-year warranty to ensure that it will last. The only thing you'll have to buy an additional mattress, which isn't included.