9 . What Your Parents Teach You About Best Cot Bed

How to Choose the best cots Cot Bed

The best cot bed is a must-have for every baby. We've put together this guide to help you choose the perfect bed for your baby.

A high-quality bed that will look great in Scandi-style nursery rooms. 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 sleek bench-style toddler bed.

Budget

When it comes to cots there's something to suit every budget and every nursery. There are also a range of options that offer different levels of durability and some convert into toddler beds to be used into the age of preschool and beyond. Of course, the ones which convert into beds tend to be more expensive, but the investment can really pay off if you want a cot that lasts for a long time instead of just the duration of a few months.

The Mamas & Papas Coxley won our overall prize. Its stunning aesthetics and easy-to assemble design make it an ideal choice for those looking for an excellent cot that will last a lifetime. Our testers for parents liked the minimalist design and warm oak finish of this model, which would look beautiful in a contemporary nursery. This cot bed comes with a drawer that mum tester Katrina considered to be more suitable than less expensive cots that have an integrated drawer. It also has an anti-bite strip on the top rails of the cot, to prevent your child's teeth from getting caught. However, at over PS599 with a mattress that is sold separately this bed isn't cheap, and it does require an Allen key to get it up and running.

A less expensive alternative that will still provide your baby a comfortable night's sleep is the Elementary cot from John Lewis' Anyday range. Our testers with parents loved the simple design and easy assembly. The cot is small cot beds when folded and can be stored away easily too, fitting into a bag that's as big as the carry case for a camp chair. It's a little light which means it might not be ideal for car camping but it should be fine to live in apartments or for those who don't want to move their cot around all the time.

The SnuzKot is a good affordable cot that we suggest particularly if you decide to opt for the toddler kit and mattress extender (sold separately). It will grow with your baby until they are around four years old. Our dad tester loved that it could be transformed into a minimalist-looking toddler bed, and also create a cocoon like feeling with its canopy made of fabric.

Safety

A good cot should not only meet the strict UK safety standards, but it should also be sturdy and secure. Choose a sturdy design with bars of safety or sides, and a solid foundation so that your child is unable to climb out. Some cot beds come with extra features, such as teething rails and under-bed drawers which can help organize your life while your little one is growing.

The Boori cot is made from sustainable Australian Araucaria wood and New Zealand Radiata, so you can be confident in the purchase. It can be converted from a cot to a toddler bed by leaving three sides unlocked for safety. There's also an extension kit available that will take it up to a full-sized bed once your child's ready.

This elegant and simple cot is an excellent choice for those with a tight budget. It's simple to put together and has clearly labeled components and clear instructions. It has three mattress height settings so you can alter the height as your baby grows. It is compatible with most standard mattress cots and is a great value purchase for the money.

This is a great choice If you're looking for an extremely high-end cot sale. It can be used as a cot and has four mattress positions. It can last your baby until they reach the age of three. It also folds flat and comes with locks on the wheels, making it portable if you need to move it from room to room.

The cot comes with a convenient travel bag and is among the smallest cots that we test at 6kg. It is also very robust, 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 a bit difficult. The slats were placed far enough apart to avoid fingers getting caught between them. It's also more expensive than the other cots we looked at, but it is worth the cost for its durability and functionality.

Design

It's easy to overlook the style when buying a cot-bed. The crib of your baby will be in use for a long period of time, so it's important to find one that you enjoy as well as is functional and practical.

The ickle bubba Snowdon Classic Cot Bed is the best cot bed (Learn Even more) for design lovers with its sleek contemporary take on a traditional sleigh design that does not have the bulky look that these types of beds can often have. It's got plenty of storage space-saving features and storage options, including the drawer that is built into the cot, as well as teething rails on the side. It was sturdy and durable. The three-position height of the base allows it to grow with your baby.

The Modena cot-bed by Tutti Bambini is a great value and comes in a panelled design that can suit any nursery. It's made to last until your child is six years old, and then it transforms first into a junior bed, and then into a stylish sofa bed. It is also one of only a handful of cots that we have tested with the option of a drawer as well as a teething rail and a hanging rail.

Another option with a smart panel design is the Stokke Sleepie cot sales Bed, which is available in several colour options to coordinate with the decor of your nursery. The storage drawer is useful for clothing and bedding. Our mom testers were impressed with its features. It's also the easiest cot beds to assemble. The components are clearly labelled, and the directions are easy to follow. It's also a great choice for those with limited space as it can be folded down and flat-packed. It's a standard cot mattress (140cm by 70cm) and is suitable for babies through toddlerhood. A kit for extension allows it to be used until 10 years of age.

Convertability

If you're a new parent there are a lot of baby essentials to think about. But one of the most important is a quality cot bed - you want something that will last as long as possible and will change with your child to provide them a safe and comfortable place to sleep.

Although most cots can be converted into toddler beds with the purchase of a conversion kit, some cot beds are designed to go beyond this. The Boori Eton Cot Bed is our top choice. It can be converted to an infant (L207cm, W147cm H90cm), the daybed (L234cm, W145cm and H70cm) and a sofa (L234cm, W145cm, H70cm). This makes it the longest-lasting selection on our list, since it should see your child through the years from birth until childhood.

It's a bit more expensive than some of the other cot-beds we tested, but its premium look and feel will fit in any nursery. The instructions could be more simple, but our parents test subjects were impressed with how easy it was for to construct and put up. This is a minor fault however, since it was incredibly simple and took less than 30 minutes to complete.

Another great feature of this cot is the fact that it has four mattress base heights which is an upgrade on the three most common options. This allows you to adjust the cot as your child grows. They might require an upper or lower base level based on their age and ability. It also comes with useful teething rails and a strip that runs along the top ranked cribs to protect it from biting.

This cot comes in a variety of Scandi-inspired finishes, and our dad tester was impressed by the grey finish. It's not cheap, but it's a an excellent value, because it will last into the age of toddler and beyond. Plus, it's covered by an one-year guarantee and gives you confidence that it's sturdy and long-lasting. The only thing you'll have to buy separately is a mattress, which is not included.