The best cots and cot beds for your baby, tried and tested by the GHI
While your new bundle of joy will most likely stay in a bedside crib or Moses basket for their first six months, it’s worth thinking ahead and purchasing their cot or cot bed while you’re pregnant – because, trust us, those months will fly by. Before you know it, you’ll need a safe and sturdy cot they can happily snooze in for their early years.
A cot is typically larger than a crib and can be moved away from your bed to another part of your bedroom or into your baby’s own nursery. Cots will usually last your baby for around two years while a cot bed should suit them until the age of around five as they sometimes have removable sides, transforming them into a toddler bed.
What is the best cot?
Cots and cot beds come in various shapes, sizes and colours, and some even have matching furniture – perfect for creating your baby’s first bedroom. But aesthetics aside, we know that the safety and comfort of your baby will always come first.
That’s why we put a range of cots and cot beds to the test at the Good Housekeeping Institute to find the cosiest picks for your little one. These are our expert’s top-rated cots at a glance but keep scrolling for everything you need to know before you buy.
For more top-rated parenting products, check out the results of our first ever Parenting Awards
And read on for more expert-rated products: Best bedside cribs | Best travel cots | Best cot mattresses | Best pregnancy pillows | Best pregnancy-safe skincare
How do I know my cot is safe for my baby?
Safety is paramount when it comes to your baby’s cot and there are strict UK safety standards they need to adhere to. Cots should comply with the safety code BS EN 716 code, or BS 8509 if they then change into a bed. You’ll be able to find this information in the product description on the manufacturer’s website, but for ease, we’ve also included this in the key specs beneath each product below.
To meet the safety requirements, the side dowels or slats on your baby’s cot must have a space between them that is no less than 2.5cm and no more than 6.5cm to avoid a child’s arms or legs getting stuck. The cot mattress must fit snugly too (with no more than a 3cm gap between the sides).
One last thing to note is that there should also be at least 50cm between the mattress and the top of the cot to prevent your baby from falling out. You may want to opt for a cot that has adjustable heights so you can lower it once your child can roll or pull themselves up.
Where should I put my baby’s cot and how should it be set up?
According to The Lullaby Trust, babies should sleep in the same room as you for the first six months of their life, in their own, separate sleep space, such as a bedside cot or Moses basket.
After this, you can move them into their own bedroom, making sure the cot is in a clear, uncluttered space, away from curtains or blinds and their cords, and away from a radiator or window, as your baby may overheat.
You should also avoid other obvious hazards such as furniture your child could climb on, and shelves or picture frames.
How we test cots and cot beds
After making sure every cot we test meets UK safety standards, our parenting expert then looks at how easy they are to assemble, how sturdy the build is, and whether any specialist tools are needed – because the last thing you need to be worrying about when you’re pregnant is whether your DIY skills are up to par.
They then check how well a mattress sits in the bottom of the cot and whether you can adjust the height of the base, as well as assessing the overall design, how easy it is to clean, the quality, functionality and any extra features such as storage space and teething rails. All this was combined into an overall score.
The cots are also sent to a panel of new parents to see how they hold up in the real world – we’ve included some of our panel's feedback in our write-ups below.
These are the cots that will have you and your baby sleeping easy.
Evie Cot Bed
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).
Wilton Cotbed
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.
Sleepi™ Bed V3
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, 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.
Skandi Cot Bed Natural
Score: 91/100
Imagine not needing to purchase another bed for your baby until they are ten 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 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.
Nola Baby Cot Bed
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.
Stamford Sleigh Classic Cot Bed
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.
Sleigh Royale Cot Bed
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.
Maya Cot Bed
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.
SUNDVIK
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.
13 March 2025: This article was updated to reflect the most up to date prices and stock levels. We also updated the intro and adjusted seasonal references.
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