10 Best Cot Bed-Related Meetups You Should Attend

How to Choose the Best Cot Bed

With so many baby essentials to consider, a top cot bed is one of the most important items to purchase. We've created this guide to help you choose the right bed for your baby.

This high-end option works perfectly in Scandi style nurseries. It's a sturdy and durable choice that can grow with your child, offering three mattress height options 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 also a range of options with various levels of longevity and even convert into toddler beds that can be used throughout the age of preschool and beyond. Naturally, those that convert into beds are generally more expensive but the extra cost can be well-repaid when you're looking for an item that lasts for a long time instead of just for a few months.

The Mamas & Papas Coxley won our overall prize. Its stunning aesthetics and simple to assemble design makes it a fantastic choice for parents looking for an upscale cot that can last for a lifetime. This model's minimalist design and warm color is perfect for an Scandi nursery. The cot bed also has a handy drawer, which mum tester Katrina found to be superior to cheaper cots that have an integrated drawer, as well as a plastic strip that prevents bites across the top of the cot rails to guard your child from getting their teeth stuck between the bars. This cot bed is not cheap, and requires an Allen key for setting up.

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 testers' parents. The cot can be folded down and stored easily as it fits into a bag the size of the one used to store a camping chair. It's a bit lighter than the average cot which means it might not be ideal for camping in the car, but it's a good choice for living in an apartment or for those who don't intend to move their cot all the time.

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 approximately four years old and our dad tester loved the fact that it was able to transform into a minimal-looking toddler bed and created the feeling of a cocoon 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 secure. Choose a sturdy design with bars of safety or sides and a solid base so that your baby cannot easily move out. Some cots come with extra features, such as teething rails or under-bed storage drawers that will 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 into a toddler bed by leaving three sides open for security. There's also an extension kit that will take it up to a larger bed when your child is ready.

This simple, stylish cot is a great choice for those on a tight budget. It's easy to assemble and comes with clearly labeled parts and clear instructions. It has three mattress settings, so you can adjust the height of your baby as he grows. It is compatible with most cots with a standard mattresses and is a great purchase for the price.

This is a great choice if you are looking for a high-end cot. It comes with four mattress base positions when in the cot position and will last until your baby is around three years old. It is also foldable and has wheels that lock, making it a great option for moving it from one room to another.

nursery cots  comes with a convenient travel bag and is one of the lightest cots we tested at 6kg. It is also very robust with a sturdy frame that will stand up to the demands of boisterous toddlers. Our test subjects found it a little challenging to put together, but the instructions were well-written and clear. They were impressed by the fact that the slats were spaced sufficiently apart to avoid fingers getting caught in between them. It's also more expensive than other cots that we have reviewed, however the quality and durability are worth the cost.

Design

It's easy to overlook the style when buying a cot-bed. Your baby's cot will be used for a long time so it's essential to find one you like and is also practical and functional.

The icklebubba Classic Cot bed is the ideal cot for design lovers. Its sleek, modern take on the classic sleigh design isn't as bulky that these cots are known for. It also doesn't skimp on storage space, and comes with an open drawer that can be placed under the cot, as well as teething rails that can be affixed to the side. It was sturdy and robust. The three-position height of the base allows it to grow with your baby.

Alternatively, the Modena cot bed from Tutti Bambini offers excellent value for money and has an elegant panel design that will look great in any nursery. It's made to last until your child reaches six years old, before transforming first into a junior bed and later to a chic sofa bed. It's also one of the only cot beds we've tested with draw, a hanging rail and teething rails. Additionally, its solid pine construction makes it a great option for parents who want their cot bed 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 match the decor of your nursery. The storage drawer was particularly useful for clothing and bedding. Our mom testers were awed by the features. It is also one of the most simple cot beds to put together. The pieces are clearly labeled, and the instructions are simple to follow. It's also a great option for those who have a limited space, as it can be collapsed and then flat-packed. It fits an ordinary cot mattress (140cm x 70cm) and is suitable from the time of birth until toddlerhood, with an extension kit allowing it to be used up until your child is 10 years old. old.

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 quality cot bed. You need something that will last for as long as it can and grow with your child to provide them a safe and comfortable place to sleep.

Although most cots can be transformed into toddler beds with 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 pick. 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 the longest-lasting choice on our list, since it is designed to last through from birth to childhood.

It's a bit pricey in comparison to other cot beds we evaluated, but it offers an attractive design and feel that will suit any nursery. Our parent testers were really amazed by how easy it was to build and set up however they did mention that the instructions could be clearer. This is a minor flaw, though, considering it was a breeze and took less than 30 minutes to complete.

Another great aspect of this cot is that it comes with four mattress heights for the base, which is an upgrade on the three standard 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 abilities. It also comes with teething rails as well as a plastic strip that runs along the top to guard it from being bitten.

The grey finish was the preferred of our dad test-driver. It is not cheap but it's a the best value for money as it will last through toddlerhood and beyond. Plus, it's covered by a one-year warranty which gives you peace of mind that it's sturdy and long-lasting. The only thing you'll need to buy separately is the mattress.