Travel cots: full test results

Manufacturer: Graco

Features: Travel cot with integral wheels that sit outside of the carrybag when collapsed to allow you to pull it along. Cot has two mesh sides and two nylon sides.
It includes an optional bassinette cot with hood and changing station/accessory tray with changing mat.

Vital statistics: Weight:
12kg with bassinette and changing station, 8.5kg cot alone; interior size:
95cm long x 66cm wide.

Stockists: 0870 9090510; www.graco.co.uk

Parents’ comments:

Amazingly comprehensive cot – a complete home-from-home care centre from newborn to toddler.

Bassinette sits across the top rails of the basic travel cot frame which lifts a young baby up to a more easily accessible level.

Bassinette hood adds snugness and uses the full-sized mattress so is well padded and
cosy.

Full size cot is roomy and effective as both a play pen or a cot.

Relatively simple to assemble but hard work to pack away.

When stowed the cot wheels sit outside of the carry bag so you can pull it along but bag is not secured very tightly so cot parts can become very grubby while in transit.

Heavy – the bassinette and
Care Centre accessories add considerably to the overall weight of the cot. They can be left behind to reduce weight once your child is too big to need them but the bag design means it still feels pretty cumbersome.

Babyworld verdict: Although this is an incredibly comprehensive travel cot that works well for all ages, the weight and bulk count against it for a true jet-setting life style. This would be ideal perhaps as a cot kept at grandma’s – it has everything you might need to create a mini nursery home-from-home but it is not the most practical for lugging on and off of trains or planes.

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Manufacturer: Babies ‘R’
Us

Vital statistics: Weight: 10kg; interior size: 100cm long x
72cm wide

Stockists: 0800 038 88 89; www.babiesrus.co.uk

Parents’ comments:

Packs away compactly.

Simple to assemble and collapse.

Excellent protective padding over securing mechanisms.

Useful toy bag and blind.

Good size as both a cot and a playpen.

Robust carry bag.

Well-padded mattress with cotton covering for comfort, but not removable for washing.

Babyworld verdict: This is a good-sized travel cot with some useful added accessories for a fair price. Roll-
down blind and toy bag act as curtaining to create a snug sleeping environment.

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Manufacturer: Mothercare

Features: Travel cot with four mesh sides. Carrybag included.

Vital statistics: Weight: 9kg; interior size: 100cms long x 83.5cms wide

Stockists: 01923 210210; www.mothercare.com

Parents comments:

Quick and straightforward to
put up.

Stable and robust when assembled.

Compact when collapsed.

Light-weight.

Fabrics are wipe-clean.

Collapse mechanism requires a certain knack that is simple but takes practise to acquire!

Mattress is nicely padded but cover is not removable for washing so you need to add a sheet.

Padding over the securing mechanism is fairly thin.

Babyworld verdict: This is a very light-weight travel cot but once assembled feels safe and secure. There are no frills or significant added features but it is effective as both a playpen and a cot with the ever-popular Pooh and friends motif.

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Cosatto

Features: Travel cot with two mesh sides and two sides plus mattress in light-weight nylon. Includes a carry bag.

Vital statistics: Weight: 11.25kg; interior size: 104cm long x
73cm wide

Stockist: 01268 722811; www.cosatto.com

Parents’ comments:

Straightforward to assemble and collapse.

Well priced.

The nylon fabric used is robust, hard wearing and wipe clean.

Combining two mesh and two enclosed sides adds a little versatility when used as either a playpen or cot.

Neat and compact when folded.

Basic but functional carrybag.

Mattress cover is not removable for washing and the nylon fabric used means a sheet is essential.

Heavy.

Babyworld verdict: This is a very reasonably priced cot that has no frills but does the job effectively and is pretty hard wearing. It is quite heavy but folds down compactly and is easy to fit in the back of the car or store in a cupboard.

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Manufacturer:
Babytech

Features: Carrycot style travel cot contained within a shoulder bag with four independent zip pockets and two bottle/food holders which
Velcro in place. Includes wipe-clean changing mat that doubles as a mattress.

Vital statistics: Weight: 2.4kgs interior size: 74cms long x 37cms wide.

Stockists: 01258 459554; www.babytech.co.uk

Parents’ comments:

Very clever design – easy to assemble and incredibly compact.

Very small and very light-weight when collapsed – about the size of a lap-top computer.

Storage pockets are large and accessible and can be used both as a bag and as a carry-cot.

Adjustable, padded shoulder strap can be shortened to form a padded carry handle – easy and light to carry in either way.

Internal short handles allow you to carry the baby in assembled
carrycot in the traditional way.

Only suitable for young babies – once they are at all mobile they will just climb out.

Couldn’t be used as a playpen.

Babyworld verdict: This is an amazing travel cot for a young baby. It is easy to use, comfy and practical with some good design features. It is ideal for
small babies on the move who often look lost in a full-sized travel cot. Has a limited life as a cot but does double up as a bag and is fairly priced.

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