Best cots and cot beds to keep your baby snug and safe

Score: 93/100

Coming in just five pieces, this cot bed is incredibly easy to put together, taking our panel just an hour, and proving you don’t need to be a DIY master to get this up and ready.

It comes in a choice of two colours – either white or soft beige – making it the perfect neutral base for decorating your baby’s nursery. There’s also a matching dresser with a changing unit, and a wardrobe, sold separately, to complete the look.

Our expert liked the adjustable, three-position base height and the fact the sides are removable, so you can effortlessly transform it into a toddler bed when the time comes. The solid wood finish was a hit with our at-home panel, who said it gave the cot a premium look. They liked the fact it felt well-made and sturdy too, so you can trust that it will last until your little one is older (it’s suitable up to four years).

Score: 93/100

Just like our other winner, this cot from John Lewis features three adjustable heights and removable sides, giving you the option to transform it into a toddler bed as your little one grows. Our tester particularly liked that you have the option to remove the head and footboard and take them apart to make them smaller and more suitable for a toddler.

When building, we did find that it took two people to get the job done and it’s easy to accidentally assemble the base upside down (which means the mattress won’t fit properly), so make sure you pay attention to the instructions. But once up, this is a well-designed cot bed that will last for the first few years of your baby’s life.

Score: 91/100

This Scandi-style cot bed can be transformed from a bedside crib when you buy the necessary extension, making it a great investment in terms of longevity. We also tested it in this format as part of our best bedside cribs review, where it scored 93/100.

As a cot bed, it was a little time-consuming to build, although it comes with detailed instructions that are easy to understand; plus, once it was up, our tester said it was sturdy and well-made and they loved the solid beech wood finish. It’s only compatible with a Stokke mattress and bed sheets as it's not a standard size but if you’re looking for a premium buy, this delivers.

Score: 91/100

Imagine not needing to purchase another bed for your baby until they are 10 years old...well that’s what the SnuzKot is designed for! We’ve tested its performance as a cot, but it can suit a child up to four years or up to 10 years with the additional adaptation kit.

You’ll have to set aside a bit of time to build this one, but the finished look is well worth the effort and the fact that it's made with solid wood was a real bonus for our panel. Our expert appreciated the fact that the nuts and bolts are packaged in individual bags with clear labels to the corresponding instructions, too.

It doesn’t come with a mattress and it’s only compatible with Snuz’s own ones (read our best cot mattresses roundup for the full review), so you’ll need to add that to your basket. But the brand also sells other nursery furniture in matching colourways and finishes, meaning you can organise your baby’s entire room in one fuss-free shop.

Score: 89/100

CuddleCo’s Nola cot bed converts into a sweet little daybed that can be used from birth right up to five years. As a cot bed, it has three handy mattress heights, so you can assemble it with the mattress high up at first, making it easy to access your baby day and night, before dropping it down as they grow, something which our panel appreciated at the end of a long day.

With dowel sides and ends, it’s light and airy, and its smart mix of white and natural pine makes it a good-looking bed that should blend well with your existing furniture. However, our panel would recommend adding some drawers, such as the Clara Changing Unit, to your basket as there isn’t any built-in storage for essentials like bedding, toys and clothes.

It’s fairly easy to assemble, although it required two people – just take care to leave the sides slightly loose as you fit all four, then tighten them together for a really good fit.

Score: 87/100

With a traditional sleigh design, this gorgeous cot bed has plenty of desirable features including under-bed storage drawers, as well as lots of matching accessories (sold separately) that will help you to create the perfect nursery.

It is a big and heavy cot, so you’ll need two people to put it together but it’s a pretty simple build with concise instructions and separate packs of screws for each section.

Our tester liked the versatility of the three mattress heights as well as the included teething rails that will stop your little ones from chewing on the wood. Once your baby is older, you can transform it into a toddler bed, which is fairly easy to do.

Score: 87/100

Just like the Obaby cot bed above, this has an elegant sleigh design. It’s made with sustainable Australian Araucaria and New Zealand Radiata woods and finished with plant-based paints – an extra bonus if, like one of our panellists, you have a baby who likes to explore with their mouth!

While our expert found it relatively easy to assemble, our at-home testers struggled a little, finding it a long and fiddly process so it's something to keep in mind if you’re not confident with DIY. Everyone was impressed by the solid, sturdy finish though.

We’d have liked more of a range in heights for the mattress base, as there are only two positions available and the highest is likely to be too low if you’re short, making it difficult to put a sleeping baby down safely. All in all, though, it’s a worthwhile investment, as it can be transformed into a charming daybed (with toddler guard panel sold separately), so it will last even longer.

Score: 85/100

This cot bed has all the Scandi vibes – we’ve linked to the white finish, but it also comes in a dark slate grey colourway with pale wood accents if you prefer. With three mattress base heights, it’s suitable to use from birth and will last your child into their toddler years as you can remove one side to transform it into a toddler bed.

What makes it even better is that there are two little safety rails you can use when your child first transitions to the toddler bed, which will help stop them rolling out during the night.

It was quick and simple to build, taking one panellist less than half an hour, and it feels stable and good quality when up. Plus, there’s a matching wardrobe, set of drawers and tabletop changing unit available for a complete nursery look.

Score: 81/100

This attractive new cot bed from Mamas & Papas, made from warm-toned wood and rattan panels, fits a standard cot bed mattress. It features three mattress heights and teething rails – making it suitable from birth – and converts easily into a stylish toddler bed by removing the sides and splitting the head and foot boards in half. While slightly smaller than some cot beds, it should comfortably accommodate children up to three or four years old.

Our expert also found it a doddle to assemble. Complete their bedroom with the matching changing unit with drawers and wardrobe (sold separately), made from the same durable wood.

Score: 81/100

As you’d expect from IKEA, this cot is affordable and easy to put together. It features a solid beech base and slatted sides, which boost good airflow and allow you to easily keep an eye on your baby while they sleep.

One of our at-home testers said it helped their baby sleep better too. “My little one is 10 months now and sleeps, well, like a baby! He loves his cot and giggles to go to bed at the end of the day,” they told us.

There are two base heights for the mattress – which you’ll need to buy separately – and you can remove one side to turn it into a toddler bed when your little one is old enough.

Our expert did note that it isn’t as sturdy or durable as some of the other brands we’ve tested, particularly in the case of the head and footboards, which are made of fibreboard rather than solid wood. However, this isn’t something our parents noticed – they thought it felt sturdy enough to last their children for years to come.