How to Choose the Best Cot Bed

With so many essentials for babies to consider, cot bed a top cot bed is one of the most important items to purchase. We've put together this guide to help you locate the perfect choice for your baby.

A premium option that will look great in Scandi-style nurseries. 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 chic bench-style toddler bed.

Budget

When it comes to cots, there's a cot to fit every budget and every nursery. There are a myriad of options with different lifespans some of which can be converted into toddler beds to be used in the preschool years or even beyond. Of course, the ones that convert into a bed tend to be more expensive, but the cost can be well-repaid in the event that you need an item that lasts for many years, not just for a few months.

The Mamas & Papas Coxley was our overall winner thanks to its luxurious aesthetic and easy-to-assemble design, making it an excellent option for parents who want an excellent cot that will stand up to the test of time. The sleek design and warm finish will look great in the Scandi nursery. This cot bed comes with an adjustable drawer that mom tester Katrina believed was more suitable than cheaper cots with a drawer built in. It also has an anti-bite strip on the top rails of the cot to prevent your child's teeth from getting stuck. However, at PS599 with a mattress sold separately this bed isn't cheap, and it does require an Allen key to make it functional.

A more budget-friendly option that still gives your baby a comfy night's sleep is the cot that's Elementary from John Lewis' Anyday range. The easy design and simple assembly were highly praised by our parent testers. The cot can be folded up and stored easily, as it fits into bags that are similar to that used for the camping chair. It's not ideal for car camping, but should be fine for people living in apartments or who won't be moving their cot around too often.

We recommend the SnuzKot as an alternative to a cot that is budget-friendly, particularly if 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 father tester liked that it could be transformed into a minimalist-looking toddler bed and create an atmosphere of cocoons by putting up a fabric canopy.

Safety

A cot that is well-designed will not only be in compliance with UK safety standards, but will also feel solid and secure. Find a sturdy style with bars of safety or sides, and a solid foundation so that your baby is not able to climb out. Some cots have additional features like teething rails or under-bed storage drawers that can help you stay organized while your baby grows.

The Boori cot is made from sustainable Australian Araucaria wood and New Zealand Radiata, so you can be confage space-saving features and storage options, including an under-bed drawer that can be tucked away beneath the cot and teething rails on the sides. It was strong and sturdy. The three-position height of the base lets it expand with your baby.

If you prefer, the Modena cot bed from Tutti Bambini offers excellent value for money. It also has a stylish panel design that is perfect for any nursery. It is designed to last your child until they reach the age of six older. It can be converted into a junior mattress and it transforms into a stylish sofa bed. It's also one of the few cot beds we tested to have draw as well as a hanging rail and teething rails, while its solid pine construction makes it an excellent option for parents who want their cot to last for a long time.

The Stokke Sleepie Cot Bed is another option with panels. It comes in a variety of colours to match your nursery decor. The storage drawer is useful for bedding and clothing. Our mom testers were impressed by its features. It's also one of the easiest cot beds to put together, with all the pieces clearly labeled and with easy-to-follow instructions. It is also an excellent alternative for those with limited space because it can be flat-packed and rolled down. It is made of 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 a new parent. One of the most important is a good quality cot bed. You need something that will last for as long as you can and will change with your child, giving them a safe and secure place to sleep.

While most cots can be transformed to toddler beds through the purchase of a conversion kit, certain cots and tots are designed to go beyond this. The Boori Eton Cot Bed is our top choice. It converts into an infant (L207cm, W147cm, H90cm), the daybed (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm) and sofa (L234cm, W145cm, H70cm). This makes it our top choice for durability that will last from birth through the age of.

It's a little more expensive than some of the other cot sets-beds we tried however, its high-end look and cot bed feel will fit in any nursery. Our parent testers were really impressed with how easy it was to put together and construct however they did mention that the instructions could be clearer. This isn't a big issue however, since it was still a breeze and took just 30 minutes to complete.

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

The grey finish was the favorite of our dad's testers. It's not cheap however it offers excellent value for money since it will last your child through toddlerhood and beyond. It's also covered by a 1-year warranty so you can be confident that it will last. The only thing that you'll need to purchase separately is the mattress.