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11 best travel cots for hassle-free holidays and overnight stays

Help little ones (and yourself) get some shut-eye with these best-rated snug and secure travel cots, article bookmarked.

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Babies don’t travel light. But if you’re planning a relaxing trip, whether it’s a UK staycation or something more exotic , you can’t skimp on the travel cot.

While some hotels and Airbnbs promise to provide travel cots for the tiniest members of the family, you’ve no idea how many children have slept on them before your little darlings, or predict what that means for how comfortable and sturdy they are. Taking a baby out of their usual safe, strong cot with a supportive mattress and putting them in a shaky cage with a rock-hard or spiky mattress is a fast way to ensure nobody in the family gets much shut-eye.

Different travel cots have different age and weight limits, so, before buying one, consider how many years of use you want to get from your cot. Size is another key factor when looking at travel cots, as those with a larger surface area can double up as a playpen in the day. Also, if you’re in unfamiliar territory and are travelling with a mini-escape artist, a travel cot with high mesh sides means you can see your child and they can see out, but they’re perfectly safe at all times.

However, size should not come at the expense of portability. Remember, you’re going to have a lot of other things to carry as well as the cot, and every extra kilo counts. Plus, heavier cots tend to be more effort to erect and collapse, and you don’t want to waste precious moments of your holiday in a sweaty mess trying to put up your travel cot.

All products in this round-up meet the European Standards for safety, which should always be your first consideration when buying a travel cot. Christina Rolles from safe sleep charity The Lullaby Trust says: “A travel cot should have a rigid frame and base, and a firm, flat mattress, covered in a waterproof material. Travel cot mattresses are often thinner and feel harder than those in a permanent cot, but don’t be tempted to place folded blankets or a quilt under the baby to make them more comfortable, as this could cause injury, suffocation or overheating.”

Related stories

How we tested travel cots.

With the help of a seven-month-old and a two-year-old, we tested the travel cots for size, comfort and safety. The toddler has a habit of swinging their leg up and escaping their regular cot, so we tried to find ones that kept them contained. We also tested each cot for speed of assembly and disassembly and picked it up when folded, to see if it was something that could be carried around an airport.

The best travel cots for 2024 are:

• Best travel cot overall – Graco foldlite: £80, Amazon.co.uk
• Best budget travel cot – Red Kite sleep tight travel cot: £27, Asda.com
• Best travel cot for entertaining baby – Mamas & Papas joie commuter travel cot change and bounce: £190, Boots.com
• Best lightweight travel cot – BabyBjörn travel cot light: £219.90, Amazon.co.uk
• Best travel cot for breathability – Nuna sena aire: £250, Nunababy.eu.uk

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Graco foldlite travel cot

• Best : Travel cot overall
• Dimensions : L 119cm x W 63.5cm x H 68cm
• Weight : 6.78kg
• Age limit : Suitable from birth to 15kg (approximately three years old)
• Lightweight
• Easy to erect and collapse
• Strong base

The foldlite from Graco is up to 30 per cent lighter than most other cots, which we definitely noticed and appreciated – you can easily lift it one-handed. You might even find it lighter than your nappy bag, which is a win if you’re carrying a lot of other luggage for your trip.

Erecting this cot was a joy – taking less than 30 seconds. All you need to do is unwrap the mattress, push up the sides, put the mattress in the bottom and it’s ready to go. Collapsing it is just as simple – it folds up super thin, too. We also liked the sturdy material and strong base. It’s a great price at £80 and it’s made to last.

Red Kite sleep tight travel cot

• Best : Budget travel cot
• Dimensions : L101cm x W72cm x H71cm
• Weight : 7.1kg
• Age limit : Suitable from birth to 15kg
• Budget-friendly
• Mattress quite stiff

This is the cheapest travel cot we tried but it’s perfectly functional. It’s safety-tested, comes with a carry bag, is easy to assemble and has mesh sides, to give you a clear view of your child as they rest or sleep.

It doesn’t win any prizes for design, as there are no frills – it’s simply a place to sleep. Plus, the mattress is a tad on the stiff side, so you may want to spend some of the money you’ve saved on the cost of the cot on a plumper mattress. However, it’s still a very good choice if you’re only going to use it now and then throughout the year.

Mamas & Papas joie commuter travel cot change and bounce

• Best : For entertaining baby
• Dimensions : L106cm x W70.5cm x H80cm
• Weight : 14.8kg
• Excellent value for money

This is a travel cot, changing table and bouncer in one, so you can create a home from home for your baby when you travel. The bouncer is a decent size, providing a place to relax and play for babies too young to sit up. It even has cuddly toys for little ones to reach and grab.

The starry print, which is exclusive to Mamas & Papas, gives the smallest babies something to look at to help them make sense of the world, and this also helps older kids relax. We suggest counting the stars on the mattress to encourage early numeracy skills in a fun way.

This cot is taller than most others we tried, which is great if you have a mini Houdini. It makes for an excellent play and sleep solution to keep at grandparents’ house and works out at excellent value for money, when you consider it’s three useful items in one.

BabyBjörn travel cot light

• Best : Lightweight cot
• Dimenions : L 112cm x W 82cm x H 64cm
• Weight : 6kg
• Age limit : Suitable from birth to three years
• Easy to set-up
• Kind to sensitive skin

This gets top marks for ease of setup. There’s no need to bend down or fiddle with anything on the floor – all you need to do is shake it out and then secure the sides. There’s a handy YouTube video showing how to put it up in just 25 seconds, and the presenter demonstrates it isn’t even going at top speed.

Weighing just 6kg, including the carry bag, your back will thank you when you’re taking it in and out of cars or planes. Our toddler tester approved of the mattress, which makes for a cosy sleeping place. But what we liked most about this cot is knowing that its fabric is OEKO-TEX-approved, which means all materials coming into contact with your baby’s skin are kind to sensitive skin.

Nuna sena aire

• Best : For breathability
• Dimenions : L107cm x W73.5cm x H74.5cm
• Weight : 12.26kg
• Soft and sturdy

If you’re all sharing a bedroom when you travel, it may get stuffy very quickly, especially if it isn’t an air-conditioned room. We like how the Nuna sena aire addresses this issue with its mesh sides, floor and mattress providing 360 degrees of ventilation, for ultimate airflow. The better a child can breathe, the deeper they sleep, giving everyone a more relaxing trip.

We were really impressed by the feel of the triple-layered mattress, which is designed to pull away heat and humidity, and will come in useful if you’re jetting off to tropical climes.

Its clever zigzag leg design pops open easily into a soft, sturdy dreamland and it’s one of the easiest to collapse – we found we could do it one-handed.

Silver Cross slumber carbon travel cot

• Best : For style
• Dimensions : L 112cm x W 80cm x H 67cm
• Weight : 6.25kg
• Newborn inserts

The first thing to note is this comes with a premium duffle bag carry case, so you’ll look stylish when you arrive at your destination. Open the cot – with ease, as it weighs just 6.25kg – and you’ll notice the material on the top and sides feels very high-quality. The decently padded mattress caused our two-year-old to exclaim, “I like ’dis one!”

We really liked the newborn insert, which raises very young babies to typical bed height, so you don’t have to break your back lifting them in and out of the cot. It also makes it easier to nurse a baby and transfer them back to a cot. If you’re using this as a playpen, you’ll also appreciate that one of the sides unzips, so tots can crawl in and out.

Kinderkraft lovi 3-in-1 baby crib

• Best : For fussy babies
• Dimensions : L 88cm x W 61cm x H 85cm
• Weight : 5kg
• Age limit : Suitable from birth to 9kg
• Rocking motion
• Time-consuming to set-up
• Newborns will outgrow it

While it takes a bit of time to erect this travel cot and rocker, there’s a very good YouTube video to show you the process. You can access it via a QR code on the instruction leaflet included, and it’s very simple to follow along.

The rocking motion is brilliant for little ones that need movement to settle, mimicking the gentle swaying motion of the womb. Babies are at a higher level in this cot, too, so you can pick them up and settle them down without pulling a muscle.

The only slight downside to this cot is that a baby will outgrow it within the year. That said, our youngest tester loved playing with the toy bar and three adorable hanging toys that come with it, so, while their time in it may be short, it will also be very sweet.

Bugaboo stardust travel cot

• Best : Two-in-one cot and playpen
• Dimensions : L 64cm x W 98cm x H 85cm
• Weight : 6.7kg
• Age limit : Suitable from birth to two years old
• Keep its shape well
• Newborn insert
• Mattress is a little fir

Setting up this pop-up travel cot was a total breeze, despite how tall and strudy it is once erected. We were surprised by how much the mattress kept it’s solid shape, with no crease or fold from being flat-packed within the cot and travel bag.

Mums will be grateful for the newborn insert, which raises babies to bed level. The breathable mesh is ideal for all seasons to keep baby’s temperature regulated.

The mattress is nicely padded for playtime but feels a little firm for bedtime. When topped with a matrress protector and Bugaboo’s breathable fitted sheet (£27.95, Bugaboo.com ), we nailed baby’s recquirements for a peaceful snooze. You really do get more bang for your buck with this travel cot, as it doubles up as a playpen and lasts until your little one is two years old.

Halo flex portable bassinet

• Best : Portable bedside crib
• Dimensions : L75cm x W100.3cm x H108.6cm
• Age limit : Suitable from birth to five months

A lightweight and portable bedside crib is hard to come by, so, we were very grateful Halo’s offering ticked a lot of boxes for parents to get that reassuring ‘home away from home’ feeling when on the move.

It can be a daunting experience taking a little one away for the first time, especially when they are used to co-sleeping at home. We were delighted that this bassinet meant babies could feel just as close to their parents as they do at home. The mattress is extra soft when wrapped in Halo’s 100 per cent cotton fitted sheet (£16.64, Halosleep.co.uk ), and the cot is surrounded by breathable lining to suit all temperatures, and enable parents to keep a 360 view of baby.

We have to admit, we did use this more at home than on our travels, as it was so easy to adjust the height of the crib for when you’re sitting on the sofa during the day or when you’re sleeping at night and want to comfort your baby quickly. The side of the crib lowers easily, with no need to stand up or hunch over. This is particularly helpful for mums recovering from C-section delivery as well as for night feeds.

An over-the-shoulder carry bag comes included but it is less sturdy than other holdalls we’ve tested, and one side is partially open, due to its drawstring closing, which didn’t feel as secure. The packing away was a simple enough four-step process.

Fisher-Price on the go travel baby dome

• Best : For on-the-go parents
• Dimensions : L80cm x W76cm x H71cm
• Weight : 2.5kg
• Age limit : Suitable from birth to five months (until babies can sit unaided)

This travel cot combines the perfect solution for on-the-go parents and tired babies. It’s lightweight, easy to set up and allows babies to nap or play wherever they are.

We love that this cot can be used indoors and outdoors, to encourage the whole family to get more vitamin D. The canopy keeps your little one protected from the sun as well as keeping out creepy crawlies.

As it folds up flat, we found it easy to keep it stored in the car for spontaneous day trips and overnight stays with the grandparents. However, it doesn’t come with a carry bag, which would have made it easier to keep clean and compact. Two overhead linking toys are included, to keep your baby entertained and relaxed.

ergoPouch easy sleep portable crib

• Best : For summer use
• Dimensions : L80cm x W49cm x H27cm
• Weight : 2.2kg
• Age limit : Suitable from birth to 9kg (or when baby starts rolling over)
• Ideal for summer
• Short-lived usage

You can’t get any more portable than this lightweight pop-up cot that folds up as a small rucksack and weighs just 2.2kg. The mosquito net is ideal for summer babies, if you want to get some fresh air and let them have a safe daytime nap outdoors.

If you are travelling with a baby less than three months old on a flight, we recommend taking this one for sleeping on-the-go, if you get the luxury of seats with extra leg room. The backpack will fit neatly under your seat or in the overhead lockers.

The only downfall is this bassinet is only suitable until your baby shows signs of rolling over, so it’s quite a hefty price for short-lived use.

Travel cot FAQs

What age is a travel cot for.

This will depend on the cot you buy – bassinets are designed for newborns up to three months old, while larger options are available for children up to five years old.

Can a baby sleep in a travel cot every night?

It’s not recommended to use a travel cot regularly for a long period of time, as they’re not designed to support your baby’s development. Instead, limit their use for short trips away and daytime naps.

What to look for when buying a travel cot

You already have enough to think about while travelling with your baby, so the best cots are hassle-free. They should be easy to assemble, collapse and store, while the addition of wheels and a carry bag should make cots easier to transport from A to B. If you’re shopping for a newborn up to three months old, a bassinet is the way to go – these are raised, to give you a clearer view of your little one during the night, while you can lift them up without the risk of throwing out your back.

Do travel cots need a mattress?

Yes – the cots themselves are thin and hard, so a mattress is essential, though most of our top picks come with a mattress included.

The verdict: Travel cots

The Graco foldlite is excellent value for a lightweight cot that’s easy to erect and collapse, and we felt both our seven-month-old and two-year-old testers were safe in there. It will grow with your child, and provide a secure place to sleep and play for up to three years.

The BabyBjörn travel cot light also deserves praise for ease of setup and for the comfort of its mattress, while the Mamas & Papas joie commuter travel cot solves three of a baby’s needs – sleep, play and hygiene – in one neat package.

Provide extra comfort by investing in the best cot mattresses

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The best travel cot for babies and toddlers

Venture UK Airpod Baby and Toddler Travel Cot

Graco FoldLite

Bugaboo Stardust Travel Cot

Cuggl Deluxe Superlight Travel Cot

Baby Bjorn Travel Cot Light

Joie Excursion Change and Bounce

Nuna Sena Aire Travel Cot

Graco Contour Electra

Baby Elegance Kangu Foldable Bedside Sleeper

Bizzi Growin POD Travel Crib

BabyDan Travel Cot

Red Kite Black Sleep Tight Travel Cot

Kinderkraft Cot 4 in 1 SOFI

When you're thinking of essentials for your little one, you probably already have a cosy cot picked out, but what about a travel cot if you love travelling? In addition to packing your baby's travel system and gathering all the necessities before heading off on holiday with your family, a travel cot will help your little one to sleep as soundly as possible, even when you're away from home.

You probably did a lot of research on the best cot and bedside crib for your baby but may not have considered investing in a travel cot yet. Put simply, a travel cot is a portable, lightweight option designed to fold away compactly. Its collapsible sides and storage bag are some of the features that make it the perfect solution for trips away. Like a travel stroller , it's another one of those holiday essentials that you'll want to invest in when travelling with children under 5 years old.

You most likely won't need a travel cot for the first few months, especially if you already have a Moses basket , a portable crib or a carrycot suitable for overnight sleeping. If you don't go away very often, then you might be better off borrowing a cot from a friend, as it can be an expensive purchase if you're only going to be using it once a year.

The best travel cots at a glance:

• Best travel cot overall : Venture UK Airpod Baby & Toddler Travel Cot - £109.99   • Best travel cot for compact fold : Graco FoldLite - £73   • Best compact travel cot : Bugaboo Stardust Travel Cot -  £225 • Best budget travel cot : Cuggl Deluxe Superlight Travel Cot - £60 • Best stylish travel cot : Baby Elegance Kangu Foldable Bedside Sleeper - £74.99

A lot of hotels and holiday cottages may provide travel cots and other baby equipment, so check with them before you travel. If you are away from home often, then a travel cot is a good purchase, as it will last well past the newborn months and will prove extremely useful at other times, too. For example, for your baby's daytime naps when you're visiting friends or staying over with grandparents overnight. We've enlisted the help of expert mum testers to put the best travel cots through their paces, taking into account the weight, size, price, assembly, age suitability and stability. Our annual  Mother&Baby Awards  also help us bring you the best advice about current products on the market.

The best travel cot 2024

1. venture uk airpod baby and toddler travel cot, best travel cot overall, description.

Silver winner for Best Travel Product Over £30 in the M&B Awards 2023 Designed to provide little ones with a place to rest and play no matter where you are, the Airpod is assembled in just three easy steps with no tools required meaning it's ready to go in less than a minute. The Airpod weighs just 6kg and can be folded into a bag no larger than a big shopping bag. Despite how lightweight it is, testers agree that the cot was good quality and felt sturdy and secure.  One mum tester says, "I was impressed with the materials used and quality feel of the cot once it was up. Felt steady and secure when lifting child in and out of the bed. Child was able to nap well, good ventilation through the sides."

Another of our mum testers likes how lightweight and how small the travel cot folds. She describes it as; "Super portable and barely took space in the car boot. This meant we were able to pack all our other luggage without worrying about space." She also liked that it wasn't too heavy, which made it easy to lug around upstairs when they staying in hotels without lifts.

All of our testers agreed that a bassinet option would have been great with this travel cot, especially parents of younger babies.  One of our testers whose baby is five months says, "It simply wasn't useful overnight with his wake-ups having to bend. I could barely reach him and resorted to giving up using it and ended up having to co sleep in our bed. This defeats the point of a travel cot." We think that for parents of young babies aged 6 months and under, this travel cot probably isn't what you're looking for. But for everyone else, this is a great portable travel option, and our testers were able to get the cot set up easily and quickly with the simple instructions.

Read our full review of the Venture UK Airpod Travel Cot .

• The all round mesh sides provide lots of ventilation for your little one while they rest and enable you to see and check on them from all directions
• This is a compact travel cot that's much smaller, lightweight, and less bulky than traditional ones. When folded, it measures just 60x15x50 cm
• The mattress makes this cot super cosy and comfortable for baby
• Unfortunately there's no raised bassinet

2. Graco FoldLite

Best travel cot for compact fold.

www.oliversbabycare.co.uk

Bronze winner for Best Travel Product Over £30 in the M&B Awards 2023

Suitable from birth to approximately three years old, the FoldLite was hailed by parents for its lightweight frame, but it has also won a prestigious Mother&Baby Awards 2023 Bronze award. The cot collapses to just 26cm wide. Our Mum tester Sarah says, "When folded down for travel it's small and neat and doesn't take up too much valuable boot space when you're already contending with buggies and suitcases." Testers loved the Home Fold feature to help fold away quickly and clear space within seconds. The cot unfolds and just clicks together, only two of the sides need to click together due to the way it is folded which makes putting the cot up and down much easier and quicker.

One of our mum testers Archana didn't get along with the cot as well when it came to dismantling it fully though. She says, "Folding into the slide away is easy - and really handy for day to day use - that’s what I liked most about it - however folding away fully and putting in the bag is quite clunky and a chore."

The FoldLite has a mesh lining and two wheels for easy manoeuvrability, making it a useful portable cot for travelling with. It's easy to pop up, says Sarah whose grandparents popped it up without any instructions. She enjoys using it around the house and says, "The Foldlite travel cot has been most useful to us for quick and easy use around the house with a mobile baby. It genuinely is two clicks to put up or down and the house fold setting means I can quickly pop it out from next to the sofa if I need to iron or nip to the toilet and pop it back in a few seconds so it's not taking over the room." She also thinks it would be invaluable for holiday cottages that may not be very well baby-proofed.

The cot also comes with a mattress included. Our mum tester Georgia says, "The only issue I had with it was once wrapping the mattress around the base you do have to pull it quite tightly to then fit it in the bag." Overall our testers love the convenience of having a pop-up cot to hand at home. One thing to be aware of though, as our mum tester Joanna pointed out, is that It has quite a large high sides so it can be difficult to reach within, especially if you have a bad back.

Read our full review of the Graco FoldLite.

• Choose between two different ways to fold – this is greater quick changes at home, and also trips away from home with the extra compact fold version.
• Easy to fold and store away at home – folding this way is fast and extra flat too at just 26cm wide. It pops back up fast too!
• Super lightweight – over 30 percent less overall weight than most full size travel cots at just 6.7kg
• The carry bag is very convenient for travel – the cot itself also has two wheels for easy manoeuvrability
• Assembly not totally straightforward as one tester had trouble when dismantling the product fully
• Requires more effort to fit into the bag once wrapping the mattress around the base

3. Bugaboo Stardust Travel Cot

Best compact travel cot.

www.bugaboo.com

If you're looking for a travel cot that's a doddle to set up and folds away in seconds, this is it – no more grappling with unwieldy parts when you arrive at your destination with a tired baby. We love the clever design, which gives a seamless experience on the go. Our mum tester Meg found the cot to be very sturdy and easy to pack and unpack. She says it folds up reasonable small, and likes that the carry handle makes it easier to transport. "Seems comfortable" she adds, "the newborn bassinet is super convenient for little ones and my babe settled immediately in it."

Convenient for carrying around your home too, it comes with a zip-in carrycot insert, an all-around mesh panel for airflow and a lovely firm and comfortable mattress. It's a shame the mattress doesn't include a waterproof cover, so you'll have to buy this separately to protect it. Our parent tester Matt bought this cot mainly for the ease of popping it up and down, but also says he liked that they could raise the height of the mattress when their baby was very little. this provides easier access to lift baby in and out. "There don't seem to be many travel cots that have that design," he says, "we used it as much at home for naps as we did on the road. It's a great bit of kit." The suspended base will also protect your little ones from draughts.

• Includes carrycot insert and mattress
• You can fold the cot with the mattress still inside as long – as you use without the newborn insert
• Great for both experienced and first-time parents
• Easy to assemble – with a simple no-fuss pop-up design you can literally achieve a 1-second unfold
• Compact to fold in just 3 simple steps
• Unfortunately, the mattress doesn't include a waterproof cover

4. Cuggl Deluxe Superlight Travel Cot

Best budget travel cot.

www.argos.co.uk

Shortlisted for Best Travel Product Over £25 in the M&B Awards 2019

This deluxe super lightweight travel cot has a bassinet attachment that clicks easily onto the top, making it perfect for changing nappies. It also has wheels, so it's easy to move around. The best part is that it sets up and folds away in seconds, making it a great travel cot that won't break the bank. Our mum tester Tori likes that it folds up thin to fit in their car boot along with a double pram and a few bags. She says, "I would definitely recommend this product to other mums, it's so easy to put up and down and transport on its handy bag"

Mum tester Sarah agrees, and would also recommend it for anyone looking for an inexpensive no-nonsense travel cot. She says it was lightweight enough for her to carry around, and compact enough to pack in their car along with everything else. She says, "Once I'd done the initial set up of the cot, it was easy to put together and to take apart too." Our mum testers also say the instructions are really easy to follow and everything is easy to wipe down to keep clean while travelling. One thing to be aware of is that the design of this cot is quite low to the ground, which may be something to keep in mind if you have back problems when lifting baby in and out.

Read our full review of the Cuggl Deluxe Superlight Travel Cot

• The removable changer and bassinet that fits on the top is useful for nappy changing
• This cot has four airy mesh sides providing all-round ventilation and baby viewing from all angels to check up on your little one while they rest or play
• The stylish lightweight aluminium legs make it easy to fold the cot down in seconds
• With wheels you can easily move the cot around your home or a hotel room
• Comes with a handy storage bag that's also useful for travelling
• An affordable and very portable solution for travelling with a baby
• The design of this cot means it's quite low to the ground

5. Baby Bjorn Travel Cot Light

Best lightweight travel cot.

Shortlisted for Best Travel Product over £25 at the M&B Awards 2015

This travel cot is a real doddle to assemble – just slip it out of its travel bag, and it practically unfolds automatically, so there's no grappling with poles or fiddling with extra accessories. It's also easy to fold away and is really light and portable, making it perfect for taking with you when you visit relatives, or just moving with baby around your home. Our mum tester Nicola did find the cot to be less attractive than others in terms of design appeal, but said her little one slept well in it and seemed very comfortable. She liked that it also comes with a nice carry bag, which she says makes it easy to transport.

The built-in base helps to keep it standing nice and sturdy in its position, but this is a very lightweight cot. Mum Nicola found it to be less robust than others, saying "Amelia can push it around by herself." However, she also says it's the easiest travel cot to carry as it's amazingly light." We love that the fabric can be removed and popped in the washing machine – a real bonus if you have a baby with reflux. The materials of this travel cot meet the requirements of OEKO-TEX Standard 100, Class 1 for baby products, which essentially means kind to your baby's sensitive skin. One thing to keep in mind is that it may be harder to dry, which is quite important if you're away and need to wash and dry it.

Read our full review of the BabyBjörn Light Travel Cot

• With no extra parts this cot is super easy to assemble in just one simple movement – just open the carry bag, lift out the travel cot and pop it up
• The mattress cover and travel cot fabric are easy to remove and are machine washable at 40 degrees
• It's super lightweight at 6 kilos for moving around – but the built-in base helps to keep it standing nice and sturdy in its position.
• Made with sensitive skin in mind
• Reviewers found it harder to dry

6. Joie Excursion Change and Bounce

Best newborn travel cot.

www.very.co.uk

This versatile travel cot comes with lots of extra accessories, so it's great value for money. You basically get three-in-one, with a a full-size bassinet, which snaps easily on and off as required, as well as a changing unit and portable bouncing seat. What makes this travel cot even more unique is that there are also lots of sound and light features, including a soothing sound vibration, plus five classical lullabies and nature sounds. The two integrated wheels make it easy to move from room to room, and there's also a nightlight with three brightness settings to guide you In the dark.

Despite all the extras, it still folds compactly and comes with its own travel storage bag. Our mum tester Kathryn did find it quite difficult to assemble though. "I had to enlist my husband's help." she says, adding that it's sturdy and almost as big as a normal cot. however she points out that the integrated wheels do make it easier to move. She says the extra accessories that come with the cot would be great for a newborn, but her Olly was a bit too old for them. He did, however, like the sounds, and she says the light was great for night changes without fully waking him. Overall, Kathryn recommends this cot as a real investment that will grow with your baby.,

Our mum tester Nicola was also impressed, and like that the mesh sides enabled her to check on her little one without getting out of bed. Her daughter also enjoyed being able to see them when she woke up. Nicola says the mattress seems very comfortable for her little one, and she found the colours and pattern of the travel cot to be really appealing. She agreed that the extra accessories aren't really suitable past 12 months though, and also found the cot to be quite heavy. She says, "I would struggle to move it from room to room without help".

• With one quick click you can go from changing unit to snoozing or the bouncing seat, for fast transitions and easy travel
• You can also pop the sound & lights module pop on or off with a quick click
• You get more for your money and greater versatility – the SecureClick snoozing seat doubles as a portable bouncer when used off the cot!
• The simple push button allows you to fold to pack up the cot in a snap – this makes set up and shut down in seconds super quick and convenient for busy mums and dads
• The cot packs away nice and compact in a carry bag that's included – perfect for storing at home in small spaces or travelling with
• The cot has two integrated wheels making moving the cot around a breeze
• All four sizes are lined with see-through mesh allowing plenty of airflow, plus, you can view baby from wherever you are in the room
• With an elevated base the cot is draught resistant
• Enjoy novelty sound, vibration and nightlight settings
• This cot is amazingly good value for money
• With so many features, this cot is quite heavy
• The extra accessories aren't suitable for older babies

7. Nuna Sena Aire Travel Cot

Best travel cot mattress.

www.johnlewis.com

Shortlisted for Best Travel Product over £25 at the M&B Awards 2018

This stylish, contemporary travel cot takes seconds to put together and is reasonably quick and easy to fold, even with a baby in your arms, making it ideal for travel. We love the bassinet accessory, which makes this brilliant for use from birth, and so does our mum tester Kirsty who says, "The bassinet makes it easy to lift Rikku in and out." She did find it a bit fiddly to detach though.

Doubling up as a play space, this travel cot has padded edges to prevent pinched fingers, and it also comes with an organic cotton sheet included and its own bag to store and transport it in. Kirsty especially liked that the sheet stayed in place with the velcro. The cot has a sturdy aluminium frame and a triple-layered ventilated mattress for superior comfort. Mum tester Nicola thought it was very stylish and said her daughter slept well in it. She loved the "lovely, thick mattress" and extra machine-washable sheet, saying she found it was simple to assemble.

When it comes to set-up our mum tester Kirsty found it reasonably straightforward. However, she says it doesn't fold very neatly, and she found it fiddly to pack away. While the cot is certainly very sturdy, Kirsty says this makes it feel more heavy and take up a lot of space in their small car boot. Mum tester Nicola really liked the sturdiness of the travel cot too, but agrees that the only disadvantage is that it's quite heavy. She says, "I think I would struggle to get this from one place to another by myself."

Read our full review of the Nuna Sena Aire

• The cot is easy to set up and hold with one hand for when you have baby in the other
• This is the only cot available that has the unique feature of being able fold the frame with the upper cot still in it, making it super convenient
• The base of this cot is above ground, which makes it draft-proof for your little one
• The cot has skid-proof feet keeping it quiet and still ensuring your baby stays asleep
• The unique zigzag frame allows the cot to pop open quickly and easily without any fuss
• The advanced air design™, with the mesh sides, floor and mattress working in combination, allows air flow from every angle
• The cot is very easy to clean due to the mattress's zip-off design, which is machine washable and dryer safe
• The ventilated triple-layered mattress is designed to pull away both heat and humidity, meaning little one stays comfortable and asleep throughout the night.
• The removable mattress panels allow for deep cleaning to make sure it stay clean and safe for your baby over time.
• Everything you need comes with the cot – you even get organic sheets included
• The padded edges prevent pinched fingers
• Pack your cot up and travel easily with the travel bag included and easy carry handle
• Not as lightweight as other options
• Doesn't fold very neatly or small
• A bit fiddly to detach the bassinet

8. Graco Contour Electra

Best value travel cot.

www.boots.com

The Graco Contour is a good-value travel cot with lots of extra features. Our mum testers love that it's quick and easy to assemble, and compact enough to fit into smaller spaces without taking up too much room. However, our mum tester Kathryn described it as one of the heaviest travel cots they tested. This meant that it was nice and roomy, and a good size for their baby, but Kathryn says it was almost the same size as their normal cot! Despite this, she agrees it's easy to assemble and put away in the carry bag included, plus, the wheels made it easier to move around, and she did like the neutral colour. Mum tester Nicola, on the other hand, points out that while the cream colour does look lovely, she imagines it could get dirty very quickly.

Loaded with extras such as a newborn bassinet, handy changing mat and toy bar, this is definitely a cot that represents great value for money, although Nicola points out that the changing unit, while it's a great idea, is only suitable for use up to 12 months. It also has a nightlight and musical feature, as well as the option to set the mattress to vibrate to help soothe your baby. The four mesh sides are a great feature too, allowing you to keep an eye on your little one, while also being useful for ventilation, but Kathryn found that she did have to bend low to reach her baby. Nicola also felt that the mattress was on the thin side, which meant that her little one didn't sleep as well as hoped.

Read our full review of the Graco Contour Electra Travel Cot

• This is a cot that is designed to grow with your child from newborn to toddler
• The removable bassinet is perfect to newborns
• There is an integrated changing station for added convenience, made from wipe-clean fabric.
• The hanging toy bar with toys provides little one with plenty of distraction as you get things done!
• There is a detachable control box to operate a night light, music and the vibration feature to help soothe little one on your travels
• Don't worry about moving from room to room without an extra pair of hands, as the two wheels make the cot easily transportable.
• Pack the cot away out of sight or transport it no hassle with the compact fold
• Some reviewers struggled to assemble it
• Very heavy and quite large for a travel cot
• The neutral cream colour is likely to get dirty quickly
• The changing unit is only suitable up to 12 months
• Mattress is on the thin side

9. Baby Elegance Kangu Foldable Bedside Sleeper

Best bassinet-style travel cot.

We love the innovative way this travel cot converts between two different modes, with a bassinet level for younger babies to cot, and the fact that you can use it in either fixed or rocking mode. This is top pick for newborns, so be aware you won't be able to use it much beyond six months old.

This travel cot is worth considering if you're really short on luggage space, as it's particularly compact once folded and one of the lightest travel cots we found. Our mum tester describes the cot as the best purchase they've made for their baby. She says, "We can't fit a cot in our bedroom and needed something that would last longer than the Moses basket. Our little boy sleeps so well in it and it's so easy to pick it up and carry downstairs. We have travelled with it too and it folds down neatly."

• Easily fold using one hand and use the carry handle to transport the cot around your home, even when carrying baby
• The cot folds into a storage bag, which can also be used to transport it more easily when travelling
• The legs can adjust to fix and lock in a stationery position or allow for a gentle rocking motion to soothe little one to sleep
• the vented mesh sides allow plenty of airflow to aid sleep and let you see baby more easily from afar
• The cot is lightweight for easy transportation
• Easy to clean – you can remove and wash the cover in your washing machine
• The mattress comes with the cot and it's anti-allergy
• Only able to use until 6 months

10. Bizzi Growin POD Travel Crib

Best carrycot travel cot.

This is a really clever invention! it looks like a really spacious changing bag, but then off you pop for your overnight stay, take everything out of the bag, and it changes into a travel crib. Our mum tester Jennifer thinks the design is stylish and that it's extremely easy to use. It doesn't take long to assemble and comes with a padded mattress. Jennifer says, "The travel cot section folds out in a few seconds and the rods are easily inserted to make it very sturdy. This means a new mum (who has little time on her hands) can easily erect this in minutes." She likes that it is easily transported and takes up no more than a bag's room in the car or walking, so it really can be taken anywhere! Jennifer says, "I have only used this at friends/ families homes but definitely would take it on weekends away or on holiday. It means I don't have to buy a big travel cot. It is also lightweight so don't have to worry about carrying something heavy."

Unfortunately, it isn't as long-lasting as the other travel cots on our list, as it's really only suitable until baby is four to six months old or when they start rolling, but it's definitely the smallest travel cot, not to mention the most compact and easy to carry. Our mum tester Esther says it's designed as a travel sleeping pod, for nighttime and daytime naps, and a changing bag. She had no trouble assembling it in a couple of minutes, and says it weights as much as a bag of sugar and would fit in easily amongst other items in a packed car when going away. She says, "We used the pod whilst away for the weekend and found it very useful, as we already had a travel cot packed for our older child and couldn't have fitted a second in the car."

Read our full review of the Bizzi Growin POD Travel Crib

• This crib is easy to assemble
• Includes a mosquito net to keep your baby protected in the summer
• Can be used as a changing bag with handy fold out for changing on the go
• Includes a padded mattress for restful nap times and comfort when changing baby 
• Extremely compact and lightweight for storing or travelling
• Easy to carry with two carry handles and an over-the-shoulder strap
• Only suitable for use up until baby can sit up or roll over by themselves

11. BabyDan Travel Cot

Best long-lasting travel cot.

This travel cot represents good value for money, especially because it can be used from birth up to approximately three years of age. It's also very sturdy, which means it doubles up as a playpen for smaller babies. And although fairly large, it features wheels and a brake to make it easier to transport around the home. Reviewer Sophie describes it as an excellent travel cot and incredibly easy for one person to put up within minutes. Thankfully, folding it away is just as quick and easy, and it folds down to such a compact size, she says, which is then stored as a carry case and easy to stow away.

The cot also comes with a small toy bag attached, which could be useful for storing nappies or other baby essentials when you're on the move and away from home. Sophie loves that it can be used as a play pen too, and found the storage pouch to be useful. She says, "I initially set the cot up in the sitting room as a play pen/nap time cot. It is a full size cot so does take up some room but it means that the cot will last for several years before the baby outgrows it."

Our mum tester Corinne Hills said that standard cot bedding fit, then she found the mattress to be quite thin and had to pad it out with blankets. Mum tester Roz Walker described the mattress as okay for occasional use.

• Your baby will have plenty of space to stretch out and grow with this "full cot size" travel cot, measuring 60cm x 120cm
• You get great value for money as this cot is versatile and is also designed to be used as a play pen, to keeop little one contained at home or on your travels
• Feel reassured as this cot is sturdy and stable, making it safe and secure for your little one – definitely built to last!
• For your convenience this cot comes with its own lightweight folding mattress included for added comfort while baby sleeps
• We love travel cots that come with travel bags, and this one does, so it'll be easy for you to take it with you on the go or store it safely at home
• it may be a spacious travel cot, but it's also super compact when folded, so you won't have to worry about it fitting in your car boot or under the stairs at home, measuring only 20 x 21 x 77.5 cm
• Mesh sides are a must, allowing baby to see out and you to see in – plus allowing air to flow freely through for a good night's sleep
• The wheels make for easy transportation of the cot around your home, and the cot has sturdy brakes.
• With it being a large cot, it is also heavier than others
• The mattress is quite thin

12. Red Kite Black Sleep Tight Travel Cot

Best simple travel cot.

The Sleeptight Travel Cot is an award-winning sleep solution from Red Kite. Stored in a carry bag, the Sleeptight Travel Cot is lightweight and compact folding. It is the perfect choice for holidays, visiting friends and family or for your own home. Mum Kat is really impressed with it after using several times and says, "it's good quality and not too bulky when folded so fits easily into my small car boot along with all the other baby paraphernalia needed for a night away!"

It's really easy to put up and take down and Kat says "it was so helpful that the instructions are printed onto the underside of the mattress - what a great idea!" She points out that you must put it up/take it down in the right order or you will struggle to get it folded correctly. The mattress doesn't come with a waterproof sheet so Kat used her own with a cot sheet on top of the mattress. She says, "For the price paid, it's exceptionally good value. 10/10!"

• The cot has a central locking base for extra safety
• It's easy to fold and store in the storage bag
• The see-through mesh sides low airflow and let you see baby easily
• The instructions are printed on the underside of the mattress, so you won't lose them.
• Mattress is very thin
• No waterproof sheet included for the mattress

13. Kinderkraft Cot 4 in 1 SOFI

Best 4 in 1 travel cot.

Rrp: £ 139.99

A practical travel cot which also doubles as a playpen, cradle and everyday cot, the SOFI is a great purchase. It is suitable for babies and toddlers from birth to 15kg and it's lightweight and easy to fold. Plus, it includes a storage bag which makes it easy to carry when travelling. The SOFI has mesh sides to ensure you can see your little one and for good airflow. It also comes with a mattress and cover, and the frame can be used as a rocking frame too.

The cot is slightly narrower than some travel cots, but one reviewer says that this was exactly what they needed to fit it into their spare room for their new grandson when he stayed with them. They said that they love that it's on two levels too, so it's suitable for a newborn as well as a toddler, although they weren't sure their grandson will fit past the age of two years.

The fact that this cot is so easy to fold and comes in a cover, means it can be stored under another bed quite nicely. As this reviewer points out, while you use the top level, things can also be stored underneath. They say the only slight problem is the fitting of sheets, "It is fiddly", they say, "and you need to lift the mattress to be able to fit the sheet and tuck it in. But it is doable, so very happy with purchase."

• You get reallygood value for money with this 4-in-1 cot, with a normal cot, a travel cot, a playpen and cradle in one
• The cot can be used with or without the rocking function
• The mattress can be used at two different levels
• You don't need any tools to change between the functions and folding
• The cot will look stylish in your home
• Slightly narrower than standard travel cots
• Bit fiddly to fit the sheets

Travel cots – All you need to know:

Choosing the right travel cot for you and your child.

Think about where and when you'll use a travel cot. If you are throwing it in the car boot when you're going to Granny's, check how bulky it is when folded and make sure it fits along with your pushchair and still leaves enough room for your luggage. If you're buying for your holiday and you'll be travelling to your destination by plane, boat or other public transport, choose one that folds very compactly to make it easier to pack. Consider, too, where you'll keep it at home when it's not in use.

Unpacking your travel cot after a long journey with a tired baby can be stressful, so choose something quick and easy to set up. Some travel cots can be assembled and folded with one hand, which is a lifesaver if you're holding your baby.

Some travel cots are designed to double as playpens , creating somewhere safe for your baby to play when she's awake. This is useful when you're away from home, especially if you're staying somewhere that's less baby-friendly, without any baby-proofing products , than your normal environment. This type of travel cot has added value as you can get more use out of it than a standard travel cot but check the manufacturer's guidelines before you buy to ensure it's safe to use as a playpen.

Features to consider before purchasing a travel cot

Here are some travel cot features to look out for when deciding on which travel cot is best for you and your baby.

Travel cots come with a mattress supplied, but some are comfier than others. Check how thick it is and whether it provides enough support for a good night's sleep. If not, thicker travel cot mattresses can be purchased separately – but that's an extra expense and something else to pack!

Fold mechanism

As well as checking how simple it is to assemble the travel cot, make sure you can fold it away again easily. Could you do it in a hurry if you're dashing to the airport? If you have older children, make sure inquisitive little fingers can't access the mechanism for folding the travel cot when it's in use.

Most travel cots have mesh sides to encourage airflow and enable you to see your baby easily when they're sleeping. Check the quality of the fabric and how easy it is to wipe clean.

If you want to move the cot elsewhere in the house for daytime naps or playpen use, choose one with wheels for easy manoeuvrability.

Standard cot bedding may not fit your travel cot, so check what size bedding is required and factor in any extra expense. Make sure the bedding fits the mattress securely with no loose fabric.

Choose a travel cot with side panels that zip open and closed if you'd like to be able to reach your baby without bending low over the side of the cot. If it doubles as a playpen, a 'window' to crawl through can add to the fun.

If you plan to travel with your baby to a climate where mosquitoes might bother them, choose a travel cot with an insect net, and check it fits the travel cot securely.

What age are travel cots advised for?

Travel cots come in a variety of sizes and styles, and they all have different upper age and/or weight limits. Consider how old your child will be when using the travel cot, and choose one suitable for their age. Most of the travel cots in our list above can be used from birth until your baby weighs 15kg, which is approximately three years old. Keep in mind that once your baby makes the transition from sleeping in a cot to a bed, they'll probably prefer a bed to a travel cot when away from home overnight.

Can I travel on a plane with a travel cot?

Yes! Although all airlines will have their own rules on luggage allowances, but if you are flying with a baby then typically parents of infants are allowed to take at least two items - e.g. travel cot, buggy or car seat - at no extra cost.

If you're buying a travel cot to take on holiday and are travelling by plane, boat or train, choose one that folds as compactly as possible to make it easier to transport. If you're driving, make sure it fits in your car boot and still leaves enough room for the rest of your luggage.

Think about where you'll keep the travel cot when it's not in use, too. If space is not an issue, you could look into the larger options available.

All travel cots are designed to be light enough to carry, but some are heavier than others, and there's generally a pay-off between how light it is and how durable it is.

If you'll be carrying it a lot on your journey, such as through an airport, then weight may take priority, but if you've got a cruising toddler, and throwing the cot in a big boot is about the extent of your lugging it around, then a sturdier, perhaps heavier, cot would be better.

How to assemble a travel cot

Wrestling with an unwieldy travel cot and a tired baby after a long journey is stress you really don't need in your life, so choose one that doesn't require an engineering degree to set up. While how to put up a travel cot differs depending on the brand, some can be assembled and folded away within seconds, even with one hand – and that's a really helpful feature if you're going to be assembling it with your baby or other children in tow.

Where can I buy a travel cot?

Whether you need one pronto or want to spend your time researching the perfect travel cot, there are plenty of places where you can pick one. We'd recommend these trusted retailers that offer great products and plenty of reviews so you can make sure you're buying the right one for your little one:

John Le wis

Mamas & Papas

Supermarkets also hold baby events where you can often pick up travel cots and other accessories for a great price. These include:

Can I buy a travel cot second-hand?

If you're looking to buy a second-hand travel cot, there are a few things to check before you make your purchase:

• Check that it assembles and folds down correctly

• Make sure it's sturdy

• Make sure the seller provides you with the original instruction booklet

It's also worth purchasing a new mattress for the travel cot

How to clean your travel cot

If your travel cot has been tucked away in the loft for a few years and it smells a bit musty, or your child has turned it into a bit of a mess, a good tip for cleaning is to use warm soapy water and a sponge.

Make sure to leave it out in the fresh air and sunlight to dry.

Travel cot safety

There are a number of safety aspects to check on your travel cot for your peace of mind.

Stability: Be sure to use the mattress that comes with the cot, as changing it could affect the stability of the cot and could make it easier to tip.

Escaping: Swapping for a thicker mattress could give your tot more height and make it easier for them to escape.

Corners: Be wary of how smooth corners are - make sure there is no chance of your baby's clothes getting caught on them to avoid any chance of strangulation.

Flexible sides: Pop-up-style tents may be easy to erect and dismantle; however, the flexible sides mean that if you were to stumble onto the cot, there would be no ridged sides to stop your fall.

Zips: Make sure you check all zips are secure, as any loose zips that become unattached could potentially become choking hazards.

Wheels: The wheels must be able to securely lock into place or have two wheels and two legs for sturdiness.

Test it out: Make sure you try it out before you travel to check all of the above safety aspects.

Safe sleeping in a travel cot

The general consensus is that you need to be following the same sleeping guidance for your baby in a travel cot as you would at home.

Here's what The Lullaby Trust have to say:

"The same 'safer sleep' rules apply to a travel cot, which should have a rigid frame and base, and a firm, flat mattress, covered in a waterproof material. Travel cot mattresses are often thinner and feel harder than those in a permanent cot, but don't be tempted to place folded blankets or a quilt under the baby to make them 'more comfortable'. If you are very tight for space, you may have to consider re-arranging the furniture in the room to ensure that the travel cot isn't against a radiator, in direct sunlight, and is out of reach of blind cords and hazards."

How we tested and chose these travel cots

Every year, our panel of real mums tests and reviews parenting products such as travel cots for the annual Mother&Baby Awards.

Our list of the best car seats for travel cots comes recommended by like-minded parents – who have experienced these car seats personally.

The Mother&Baby Awards parent testers are provided with some guidelines while testing, so that they take into consideration four key areas: usability, design, quality and value for money. We ask them to score each of these out of 10, as well as give their overall impression of the product.

Find out more about how we test and what considerations we take into account in our testing process.

A number of the travel cots in our list are also previous  Mother&Baby Awards  shortlisters and winners.

E mily Gilbert is the Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby and has written for the website and previously the magazine for six years. Specialising in product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases in the parenting industry.

Are travel cots safe for babies to sleep in? Here’s everything you need to know

All the information you need about the safe sleeping requirements of travel cots and mattresses for babies and toddlers

Whether you’re going away on holiday or in need of a nap space at granny’s house, the flexibility a travel cot can provide is incredibly useful, but are portable beds as safe for babies to sleep in? We’ve looked into the safe sleeping requirements for little ones’ on-the-go and detail everything you need to ensure your little one has a safe night’s sleep when you’re away from home.

• Best travel cot : lightweight cots for babies and toddlers

Are travel cots safe to sleep in?

Like all cots and cotbeds sold in the UK, travel cots must meet the European Safety Standards, so whether your cot is built for home or away, the same safety rules apply. To be extra sure of a cot's safety, check that it meets British safety standard BS EN 716.

UK experts on safe sleeping, The Lullaby Trust, advise parents to use a firm, flat, waterproof mattress in a good condition. Baby’s space must be kept plain and simple, with no loose bedding and they should be placed in the ‘feet to foot’ position (where baby’s feet are placed at the foot of the cot) so they can’t wriggle down under any blankets. If your baby is under one year of age, duvets, pillows and cushions must not be added to their cot. 

If these rules are met, then essentially, you have a safe sleep set-up for your tot. However, there are a few extra precautions to be aware of when considering a travel cot.

What to look for in a safe travel cot

Unlike regular cots, travel cots do not come in a standardised size, so review the space you have available for your travel cot and ensure it is not too close to radiators, a/c units, blind cords or anything that could pose a strangulation threat.

Many travel cots feature wheels for easy maneuverability, but they must lock effectively or have a combination of legs and wheels to stop accidental rolling.

If space is an issue, you may be considering a pop-up, tent-style travel cot. These are really easy to assemble, create a cute little sleeping pod for your baby and are ideal for activities such as camping. However it’s worth noting that The Lullaby Trust recommends parents always use a cot with rigid sides as there is a danger of tripping and falling on top of flexible cots, so be extra cautious when moving around, especially at night.

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What ages are travel cots recommended for?

The age ranges of travel cots really vary so always look at what the manufacturer suggests and if there is a weight limit. Most travel cots range from around three-months to three years, but some come with bassinets designed for newborns and others can support a child up to five years old.

Can I use a different mattress with my travel cot?

Travel cots often come with a much thinner, harder mattress and although it may be tempting to pad it with a folded duvet or pillows, thick, loose fabrics pose a risk of suffocation and strangulation. Either stick with the original mattress or look for a specific travel cot mattress that is a true fit for your cot (check dimensions as sizes vary) for a bit of extra comfort. 

Be aware that adding a mattress can also affect the stability of the bed, so ensure the mattress top is at least 50cm below the top rail of the cot to avoid toppling.

Can I use a travel cot every day?

Although travel cots are safe for babies and toddlers to sleep in for short stints, they are not designed for regular sleep over a long period of time. You need a more robust, permanent cot for normal everyday use in addition to an occasional-use travel cot.

Is it safe to use a second-hand travel cot?

To ensure all safety precautions are met The Lullaby Trust recommend buying new cots where possible, however a second-hand travel cot can be a good cost effective option, especially if you only plan on using it occasionally.

Before purchasing or borrowing a second-hand cot, always examine it first. Look for any holes in the mesh, missing corner guards, broken wheels and always put it up and down again to check that the frame locks properly into place. Keep an eye out for broken zips that can be a potential choking hazard and inspect the mattress thoroughly for tears and whether it is a correct fit for the frame. If possible ask for the original instructions, or find them online and make sure that you are confident it can be assembled correctly.

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Ably assisted by her 10-month and three-year old sons, Clemmie is a lifestyle writer specialising in parenting, wellbeing and travel.

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Best travel cots for babies and toddlers

A travel cot is a great addition to your carefully chosen selection of baby gear. Not only can it be used for safe baby sleep while you’re away from home, it can also be a safe place for your child to play while you’re getting on with something else in your home.

What you need to know

Be aware of your child’s safety at all times. When your baby is able to sit, kneel or roll, you should stop using a bassinet attachment. Similarly, if your child is two or three years old and is showing signs of wanting to try to climb out of the travel cot, it’s time to switch to a junior bed!

All travel cots must meet the British safety standard BS EN 716, so look for this on the label.

Follow all usual safe baby sleep guidelines as described by The Lullaby Trust , including:

• Place your baby to sleep on their back, at the foot of the cot; the ‘feet to foot’ position
• Never use a pillow, duvet or cushions for babies under one year
• Keep the cot clear of all items while baby is sleeping. This prevents their trying to climb out using them as a step and prevents overheating and strangulation risks
• Make sure your baby’s bedding is suitable for the room’s temperature

What to consider when buying a baby travel cot

• Can I use it easily? Make sure you can open and fold it and ask for a demonstration in the store if possible
• How heavy is it?
• Does it have a carry bag and wheels? Both help with transportation
• Can it be used from birth? Look for a bassinet attachment
• Is the mattress is firm and flat, with a waterproof surface?
• Does it come with extras you would actually use, or are you paying more for gadgets that won’t help your family?
• Can you see your baby easily?
• Can it be cleaned?
• Will you be able to use it as a playpen as well as a travel cot?

What will you use the travel cot for?

If you are still pregnant and looking for a travel cot to use with a very small baby, it’s a great idea to choose one with a bassinet that you can use for the first three to four months. You might also choose helpful extras such as a changing area, storage capacity and an electronic control system for lights and music. If your child is already a few months old, look for a simple travel cot with a large sleeping and playing space – you won’t need the extras.

Many travel cots will tell you they can be used up to a maximum number of months, or years, or kilos. Generally, most can be used for overnight sleeping up to two to three years but if your child is starting to show signs of wanting to climb out, it might be an idea to get one with an opening side, or move on to a toddler bed, to prevent accidents.

Think about how often you will use it; if you travel a lot or visit relatives frequently, a travel cot with additions for changing and storage will be very useful. If you travel infrequently, a simple cot may meet your needs – and be kinder to your wallet!

Here are some of the best travel cots, at a range of prices and with different functions to make your life simpler.

BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light

Weight: 6.8kg

Age range: birth to 3 years

Best for: instant opening, quick closing

From the Swedish company that brought us one of the first baby carriers, each of their items has been carefully thought through and beautifully designed.

The BabyBjörnTravel Cot Light, in silver or black , has an interesting shape with a very good reason behind it – stability. Its wider base and external frame means that your little one won’t be able to tip it over, no matter how hard they rock, and they won’t bump into the frame; the top edge is padded too. All sides are mesh, which means both good visibility for you and your baby and it allows good air flow.

Folding is simple, as each leg pulls out and then folds down on itself, then the whole cot flips in half. It packs away with the mattress, also folded in two, into a neat carry case that’s a lot less unwieldy than some. It opens out again with one quick and easy movement – just flick it open and then click each leg into place, then add the mattress. The mattress is firm and comfortable and you can add a fitted organic sheet for sleeping (one comes included and you can add extras for £27).

All the fabrics used against your baby are organic and OEKO-TEX Standard Class 1-certified for peace of mind and they can be machine washed too, keeping the cot looking good for longer. If you’re going to be using the cot a lot, add an additional mattress for more comfort.

Buy now £219.90, John Lewis

Graco Contour Electra

Weight: 12.95kg

Best for: lots of added extras

If you want a safe place for your baby to play during the day, somewhere to change your baby and a solution for traveling from birth right through to three years, this travel cot has lots of great features, even though it may be a little heavier than some models. For small babies, start with the bassinet section attached at the top. This is ideal for younger babies who can’t sit up or pull themselves up yet. Over this, you can clip on the wipe-clean changing table – hey presto, a travel changing space! When your baby is older, remove the bassinet for a large sleep space that can be used to three years. Both sleeping options use the same comfortable mattress for a good night’s sleep. There’s a neat control panel that plays musical sounds and has a nightlight too, ideal for night time nappy changes. It has a timer, so it automatically turns off the music and lights after a set time. In addition, the unit vibrates, a great way to help your baby get off to sleep. The Contour Electra is simple to assemble and it folds easily, at the click of a button, into a travel bag, plus it has wheels on one end to make it easy to transport Lastly, there’s a toy bar decorated with three little toys that will hold your little one’s attention while they are being dressed or having a nappy changed. It comes in one colour choice, which is a mix of different greys.

Buy now £99.00, Amazon

Joie Kubbie Sleep Compact Travel Cot

Weight: 15kg

Age range: newborn to three years

Best for: All you need from birth to three

This all-singing, all-dancing travel cot is from baby product specialists Joie and has several uses.

As a travel cot, it has a large sleeping space with a decent mattress and four mesh sides that allow you to be able to see your baby, with good ventilation. When your baby is tiny, there are extras that can be added to the top of the cot that make it easy to change your baby and put them down for a nap without straining your back – great if you’ve had a caesarean.

The full-sized bassinet can be used from birth to around four to five months. The toy bar keeps your child entertained and all fabrics can be wiped clean. When you’re not using it or when traveling, it has two wheels and packs down quickly and easily into its own carry case.

Buy now £100.00, Argos

Nuna SENA Aire

Weight: 10kg

Age range: birth to 15kg

Best for: bassinet is easy to attach and detach

This travel cot is not only spacious and airy, as the name would suggest, it’s stylish too and will look at home in the smartest of décors. It can be set up and folded simply and easily using just one hand – to fold, pull up on the loop located on the inside base, squeeze the zig zag frame together and the cot can be strapped inside the mattress and put into its neat travel case. All sides are mesh, for good air flow and so that your baby can see you easily and the mattress is made from triple-layered mesh, which prevents overheating and wicks away moisture, making your baby’s sleep safer and more comfortable. It is sturdy enough to be durable yet light enough to move easily.

For newborns and small babies, there is a bassinet that will be perfect as a place for your baby to sleep during their early weeks and what I particularly like about it is that the bassinet just zips off, meaning there are no fiddly extra pieces to assemble. I also like that the bassinet and the cot use the same mattress – again, a streamlined approach to baby gear. Once you have removed the bassinet, the sleep space is large enough for toddlers and is also a great place for your child to play, keeping them safe at home or on holiday.

It comes with an organic cotton sheet and the bag is also included in the price and there are two colour choices: a black frame and mesh with charcoal fabric, or a silver frame with silver fabric.

Buy now £250.00, Mamas and Papas

Phil&Teds Traveller

Weight: 2.8kg

Age range: birth to 2 years

Best for: camping and festivals

If you are the type of family that is always throwing the kids and the dogs into the car and heading off into the great outdoors, this will fit right in.

The Phil&Teds Traveller is one of the lightest travel cots around and it’s a neat size, both when it’s folded up and when erected, so while it may not be the best one for long-term use as a sleep and play option, it is great for occasional overnight stays, festivals and camping. When folded away into the travel bag, it is almost as small a yoga mat, so it will fit even into smaller car boots. Easy to assemble, the four black mesh sides make it super breathable and it’s high on visibility for you and baby.

Another great feature is that one side unzips, which means that a toddler can have adventures crawling in and out at bedtime. The mattress is insulated, to protect your baby from the cold ground. The external silver frame prevents accidents and the top rails are padded as well. Fitted sheets made from organic OEKO-TEX fabric will help your little drift off.

Traveller to Bassinet version also available

Buy now £229.95, Pramworld

Bugaboo Stardust

Weight: 8.2kg

Best for: easy to open and close

If you have the kind of child who, when they’re tired, have to get to bed NOW, then this will be ideal for you, as this lightweight travel cot unfolds in just a second. You take it out of the travel bag, unclip the poppers on the strap that hold it together and it opens out, just like that. You can even fold it back down in just three seconds, thanks to its unique zig-zag side frames. It has a multi-layered mattress that’s comfortable for your baby and all the sides are mesh, giving you the visibility and ventilation you need. The mattress can be used at a higher level, with the addition of a zip-in bassinet, making it suitable for very small babies and this makes it easy to put your baby down for a nap without bending, or waking your baby. It’s a smaller size than many travel cots, which is great for smaller rooms and for portability but it won’t be able to be used as long as some models. When it is folded (you can fold it with the mattress in place, which is very handy) and packed into its travel bag, it is just 14 centimetres wide, so it can be slipped behind a sofa or popped into the car boot. Both frame and fabrics are a sleek black.

Buy now £189.99, Very

Joie Kubbie Sleep

Weight: 8.8kg

Age range: birth to 4 years

Best for: a longer term solution from birth to 4

Ideal to use at home as a bedside crib in the early weeks, or as a bedside travel cot as soon as your little one comes along, it has a safety strap and clip that attaches to your bed, keeping it snuggled right up against the bed to keep your little one safe with no prospect of a gap between the two sleep spaces. In the early weeks, use the bassinet in the top of the travel cot, a cosy, high crib that makes putting your baby down much easier and kinder to your back. The side of the all-grey travel cot nearest you can be lowered using two clips, so that you can access your little one for a feed or a cuddle at night. Once your baby is a bit older, the bassinet simple unzips from the frame and you have a fully-size travel cot. It has two wheels to make it easy to move around in your home, is easy to fold and it packs down neatly into a travel case. The mattress is suitable for overnight sleeping. One of the mesh sides can be opened with a handy zip, so you can slip some clothes, baby bedding, toys and all you need beneath the bassinet while you’re using it – and later on, your toddler can use the opening to crawl in to play!

Maxi-Cosi Iris

Weight: 5.96kg

Best for: great space saving option

A compact little travel cot, yet one that can still be used to toddler years, or until your child is able to try climbing out. It has two mattress base positions, meaning you can use it for newborns when traveling or you can even use it at home as a bedside crib for those first few months of your baby’s life.

This travel cot is a little different to others, as the base actually rises up and is fixed in place in bassinet mode, so it looks very much like a sweet newborn crib. When your baby is a little older, the base of the mattress drops down to its lower position to create a cot that can be used for sleeping and for playtime, right up to three years. It is simple to fold and packs away to a nice, compact size that means that traveling with it is easy. It is one of the lightest around too, so it’s great for those with any mobility problems.

All the fabric can be machine washed, which is great for keeping it clean and hygienic and then the fabric simply zips back onto the frame again – an excellent touch. The mattress is made from thick foam, which is very comfortable and all the fabrics used are nice and soft against your baby’s delicate skin.

With its wood-effect legs and grey fabrics, it also looks a little different to other travel cots so it may suit your style.

Buy now £169.00, John Lewis

Hauck Dream ‘n’ Play

Weight: 7.6kg

Age range: birth to 36 months

Best for: budget, no-frills option

Do you think that you will only occasionally use a travel cot and therefore it’s not worth investing in a fancy model? Or is your child already over four to six months when you start traveling, and so you won’t need one with a bassinet or cot-top changer? This simple, no-frills model could be just what you’re looking for. It comes at a budget price yet has a full-sized sleeping space and a comfortable mattress for your little one and it’s also ideal as a playpen when you want to get on with some chores – just pop your little one in with a selection of toys to keep them amused. You might choose to buy this travel cot to leave at a relative’s home that you visit fairly regularly, as then it’s always there when you need it and familiar for your baby. The mesh sides mean you can see what your child is up to and it has a padded top rail to avoid bumps. It is simple to fold and comes with its own travel bag, though it does not have wheels. You can add a fitted sheet (sold separately) to make it sleepy-time ready and it comes in two colours: either a black fabric with white mesh and blue and green accents, or navy fabric with white mesh and yellow accents. There are two new colours on the way, smart dark grey or navy.

Buy now £40.00, Amazon

Micralite Sleep and Go

Weight: 7.65kg

Best for: side opens for toddlers to crawl in

When buying a travel cot or crib, it’s a good idea to think about whether you’ll use it most as a travel sleep solution, or a safe place to play – and this is ideal as both. The travel bag is wide yet flat and has both a shoulder and hand straps, so it’s easy to carry even without wheels. For a newborn, fix the bassinet in place and it is an ideal place for a very small baby to sleep in safety and comfort before they can sit or roll. It can also be used as a travel bedside crib. Once your child is a little older - perhaps three or four months - you can remove the bassinet by simple unzipping it and then you place the mattress into the bottom of the cot for a full-sized travel cot. All sides are mesh, so that there’s good visibility for you and your little one. It’s very lightweight and easy to use, with a clever design allowing the cot to just pop up, with each leg clicking into place; the folding mechanism works with the same simplicity when you want to fold it. It can be used for sleeping overnight and the wide base shape makes it stable. The padded top rail prevents bangs and injuries and when your little one wants to play, you can unzip the end panel to allow your toddler to crawl in or out. You can buy fitted sheets and it comes in just the one colour, black.

Buy now £195.00, Boots

Three must-have travel cot accessories

Snoozeshade for travel cots.

Picture the scene: you’re away in a lovely holiday house or hotel – but there are no blackout curtains and you’re sharing the room with your baby. The solution? SnoozeShade has created this blackout cover that will keep your baby’s sleep space dark, distraction-free and will protect from biting insects. It stops your little one – and you - being woken at 5am by the sunrise, too.

Buy now £60.00, SnoozeShade

Natural Mat Additional mattress

If you are going to use your travel cot a lot, you might want to add an extra mattress to keep your little one comfortable. This organic, breathable and hypoallergenic quilted mattress from Naturalmat is made from cotton and organic Devon lambswool and has a pure cotton cover. Available for several popular travel cots including the Babybjörn and Nuna, plus a standard size.

Buy now £90.00, Natural Mat

The Original Grobag Sunshine Rays Sleepbag

Forget sheets and blankets – they are so 2010! The best bedding for your baby is a sleeping bag. Easy to pop on over a nappy and vest, they keep your baby at just the right temperature and even work as a sleep cue for your baby. I love the Gro range, the original bags, especially this jolly ray of sunshine one.

Buy now £35.99, Boots

The best overall for ease of use and looks has to be the BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light . Its innovative frame keeps your little one from knocks and bangs and it’s ideal for those who want plenty of memory-making trips with their little one.

If you want a travel cot that will double as a bedside crib, bassinet, bouncy chair and a place to change your baby, the Graco Contour Electra is also a great pick.

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7 best travel cots for babies and toddlers in 2022 – with reviews

Looking for the best travel cot here’s everything you need to know.

If you’ve got any kind of overnight stay planned and you have a baby or toddler in the family, you’re going to need a travel cot .

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Travel cots provide your little one with a portable, safe place to sleep while you’re away from home. They’re a baby travel essential – lightweight, with collapsable sides, they fold into a portable package which usually has a carry handle.

You’re definitely going to want to invest in one of these for family holidays , breaks and overnight stays – buying one means you won’t have to worry about sleeping arrangements at your chosen destination. They also provide a familiar – and safe - sleeping environment for your little one, meaning that everyone sleeps better.

If you’re wondering which is the best travel cot for your child’s needs, we’ve got all the info for you – keep reading!

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A travel cot is a baby travel essential you'll want to invest in

What do I need to look for in a travel cot?

When choosing the best travel cot for your baby or toddler, there are several factors to consider. Firstly – age suitability is important. Most travel cots are suitable from birth – but you should check the manufacturer's recommendations carefully. We’ve included details in our list to make it easier for you.

You also need to look at the weight of the travel cot – they vary from 6kg to 11kg – and consider how this fits with your needs. For example, if you’re throwing it in the back of a car, the weight is going to be less of an issue than a travel cot you’ll be carrying on a train or even plane. Check our list for the weights of each option to find the best travel cot for you.

Are travel cots suitable for newborns?

The majority of travel cots are indeed suitable to be used from birth, but you should check the manufacturers' instructions carefully. Some even have a built-in bassinet which provides an elevated sleep environment for newborns.

Are travel cots suitable for toddlers?

Travel cots are just as appropriate for toddlers as they are for newborns and very young babies. But of course, you need to check the age appropriateness of each particular model. Some travel cots are suitable to use until age three and a half.

Best travel cots for 2022 at a glance

Best travel cot for newborns – Joie Kubbie sleep compact travel cot

Best travel cot for toddlers – Maxi-Cosi Iris 2-in-1 travel cot 

Best travel cot for flying – Deryan travel cot

Best travel cot budget option – Red Kite black sleep-tight travel cot

Best travel cot for easy assembly – Bugaboo Stardust

Best pyramid-style travel cot - Micralite Premium travel cot

Best travel cot for newborns

Joie Kubbie Sleep Compact Travel Cot, £115, Argos

Weight: 8.79 kg

Suitable: from birth till 15kg

The drop-down side on this model makes it popular with new parents looking for the best travel cot for newborns. It also features a bassinet, which are recommended for newborns. Once you’re out of the newborn stage, the mattress can be lowered so it becomes a good-sized travel cot and playpen for an older baby / toddler.

Top review: “Bought this for grandchild so daughter can stay over at night with new baby. Adjustable height very useful to allow baby to be by the bedside. Easy to erect and fold away. Very pleased.”

Best travel cot for toddlers

Maxi Cosi Iris 2 in 1 travel cot, £158, Amazon

Weight: 5.6 kg

Suitable from: birth to approx 3.6 years old

The big advantage of this travel cot is the fact that when it’s set on the floor it has no weight limit, and it’s high sides mean it’s difficult for a toddler to climb out. At 5.6kg it’s one of the lightest on the market and easy to transport, folding down into a super compact travel bag. There’s also a newborn setting, with the matress raised higher – so you can put younger babies down for a nap without bending low to the floor.

Top review: “This travel cot is great - assembles easily in minutes, straightforward to switch between the two heights. The cot doesn't look like a travel model and feels (and looks) high quality, with wooden legs and a well padded grey bumper. The mattress is lovely and thick and seems comfortable for our 7 week old; it also seems like it'll be water repellent if there are leaks or accidents. I was also pleasantly surprised by how roomy this bed is, and am confident it'll last well into toddlerhood.”

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Best travel cot budget option

Red Kite Black sleep tight travel cot, £45.95,  Amazon

Weight: 6.99 kg

Suitable from: birth until 15kg

This travel cot is a great budget option that doesn’t compromise on quality. It’s sturdy and features a padded top rail and breathable mesh sides. It’s also very easy to assemble and put down and put away. However the mattress is quite thin, so you may want to consider buying an additional one if it’s going to be used for an extended period of time.

Top review: “Having now used this multiple times, I’m really impressed with it - it’s good quality and not too bulky when folded so fits easily into my small car boot along with all the other baby paraphernalia needed for a night away!

“It’s really easy to put up and take down and it’s so helpful that the instructions are printed onto the underside of the mattress - what a great idea (these sleep-deprived parents are very grateful for this design feature!) You must put it up/take it down in the right order or you will struggle to get it folded correctly.”

Best pyramid-style travel cot

Micralite Premium travel cot, was £150 now £124.99,  Amazon

Weight: 6.74 kg

From: Newborn (with insert, sold separately) to 15kg

Some parents prefer a pyramid-style travel cot because it encourages little ones to stay in the lower part of the cot and discourages them from trying to climb out. This cot scores top marks for its portability and ease to put up and down. The black colourway is also a godsend to avoid stains being a problem

Top review: "We really like the fact that you can unzip one end so the baby can call in and out if it is not being used as a cot and we find that the baby really likes this and takes her toys into it. The structure itself is incredibly strong and stable and again because of the pyramid-style design, it will be impossible for it to topple.

"It is really easy to fold up and put away and when in its bag incredibly compact ideal for taking to grandparents or friends if you are having a night away."

Best travel cot for easy assembly

Bugaboo stardust travel cot, £225,  John Lewis

Weight: 6.7kg

One second to unfold, three seconds to fold – when it comes to easy assembly this wins the best travel cot badge, hands down. The mattress is firm and comfortable and the additional zip-in carry cot makes it suitable from birth.

Top review: Very quick and easy to assemble (it really is a matter of seconds) and feels sturdy once assembled. Bulkier to store than some other travel cots, but does fold fairly flat and comes with a useful carry case. The mattress is better than any other travel cots we have tried and doesn't need extra padding like the concertina-style mattresses other cots have. Our 10-month-old sleeps happily in this.”

Best travel cot for flying

Deryan travel cot, £68.38,  Amazon

Weight: 1.8kg

Suitable from: birth to two years

If you’re looking for the best travel cot you can take as hand luggage, this model is a great option. It’s a pop-up beach tent style with a slef inflating mattress which features a breathable zip up mesh cover which protects against insects and mosquitos. The reviews do mention that the matress is a thin one, so this cot is better suited to occasional short trips when taking a more sturdy travel cot isn’t possible.

Top review: “I bought this travel cot mainly due to the small size and portability as were flying to visit family. It is light weight, compact and easily fitted in our suitcase without taking up too much room. If you didn't need to pack it away, it can be easily carried using the strap.

“The cot itself it so easy to assemble - it's basically a pop up cot. The self inflate mattress then fits inside and you zip the cover sheet over the top with a velcro tab to secure the zip fastens. Simple! It has mesh sides providing good ventilation and this feature also gives you a good view of your child.”

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6 best travel cots

Whether you are spending a weekend at the in-laws or a fortnight in the sun, a good travel cot is a must. Here's our pick of the best

For anyone with a baby or a toddler, a trusty travel cot is must. But with models ranging widely in price and specifications, how do you go about choosing the best to fit you? We've picked our favourite travel cot buys to suit all budgets so you can all get a good night's sleep, wherever you are.

Find more baby and child-related buys in our buying guides .

Travel cots need to know

Just a few important things to consider before buying a travel cost:

Check your child's age and weight suitability for the travel cot, as this varies from model to model. 

The weight and size when it’s folded is also important, especially if you are going to be lugging it around a lot or taking it on a plane. Consider the case it comes in, too – will it stand up to being chucked into the boot of the car or the hold of a plane, and will it protect the cot within it? Is it easy to fold away and to put up? 

Is it stable enough to cope with your little one leaning against the sides? And will it need an extra mattress for your little cherub to be truly comfy? 

1. CHICCO ZIP AND GO TRAVEL CRIB

Specifications, reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

The perfect option for parents with newborns who find that travel cots can often seem too large and not all that cosy, the Chicco Zip and Go has an expandable section, allowing it to act as a small crib from birth to six months and a larger baby bed from six to 18 months. It’s super compact and relatively lightweight, making it the ideal travel companion. 

2. CUGGL DELUXE TRAVEL COT AND CHANGER UNIT

This travel cot is a great all rounder that easily converts from cot to playpen. It has a bassinet level that is perfect for younger babies, as well as a removable cot top changer. It’s set on lockable wheels so can be manoeuvred easily and folding it away is relatively straight forward. 

3. BABYHUB SLEEPSPACE TRAVEL COT

If you are planning on travelling to warmer climes, the BabyHub SleepSpace is a great multi-functional bit of kit. It ticks all the right boxes in terms of being lightweight and easy to work but it also features a fitted mosquito net and doubles as a tipi for toddlers to play in. 

4. TUTTI BAMBINI COZEE BEDSIDE CRIB

While most travel cots are designed purely from a practical point of view, the Tutti Bambini CoZee crib also looks incredibly chic and could seamlessly fit in as a piece of permanent nursery furniture. It comes with a deluxe foam mattress and features a handy shelf for storage while travelling. 

5. BABYBJORN TRAVEL COT LIGHT

Incredibly lightweight and compact when folded, this cot is especially easy for using when travelling. Other advantages include a washable cover and high comfort mattress, plus it’s really easy to set up in just one simple movement (not a loose part in sight). 

6. RED KITE SLEEPTIGHT TRAVEL COT

If you are buying a travel cot on a budget then the Red Kite Sleeptight travel cot is a clear winner. It’s compact once folded down and fits easily into the travel bag it comes with and, even though you might want to buy a comfier mattress, it’s still great value for money. 

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Hebe joined the Real Homes team in early 2018 as Staff Writer before moving to the Livingetc team in 2021 where she took on a role as Digital Editor. She loves boho and 70's style and is a big fan of Instagram as a source of interiors inspiration. When she isn't writing about interiors, she is renovating her own spaces – be it wallpapering a hallway, painting kitchen cupboards or converting a van.

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Comparative review: the best travel cots for your holidays

“ Sleeping like a baby”, we all have heard this expression before, and yet, it is easier said than done… Unless you choose the right bed! Read our professional mum advice and find the travel cot that will meet your criteria, for evermore relaxing holidays in family.

The right questions for the right answers

“ How to efficiently choose your travel cot ?”

Baby’s comfort is the obvious main priority. Yet, the practical aspect of your travel cot must be taken into account. You would go for a model that unfolds easily (in order not to fight with it), that does not take too much space and that would be light enough . Some travel cots come equipped storing spaces, changing tables or wheels, while others can serve as a secured play area during your trips (much like a portable baby park) or even with a zip opening, so your child can exit or enter his travel cot by himself, depending on his age.

“ What about the mattress?”

Most of the mattresses sold together with the travel cots are of a poor quality , as they often are too thin and cannot assure a sleeping comfort for your child. If you plan on buying a separate mattress, never forget to choose one that is specifically conceived for travel cots, for practical matters on one hand, but also for safety on the other. Indeed, while foam mattresses are the most sought after, know that some made with “ breathable ” fabric avoid the accumulation of heat and dampness.

Before leaving, make sure to carry a mattress protection along, but also fitted sheets (preferably made of organic cotton), a sleeping bag (very useful to prevent the young climbers to venture over the walls of their cot), and most importantly, never forget the little teddy !

As Magali says, “ I usually use a cushion or a rolled towel under the mattress, so baby’s head is always slightly inclined. A very useful trick to spare some space in the suitcases! ”

“ Is there a maximum age to sleep in a travel cot?”

Most of the folding travel cots are designed for children aged up to 3 years old . However, a few brands prefer to indicate a maximum weight instead of a maximum age, as the baby’s weight will be a key factor . In fact, your choice may be influenced by how comfortable your child feels in the travel cot, but also by his or her behaviour altogether: the criteria won’t be the same for an aspiring baby stuntman and a sleeping beauty!

“ How to clean a travel cot?”

Did you notice how babies love to slide their fingers between the mattress and the cot’s nets? Or how they enjoy press their head against the softer sides? We know, this is really cute. Cute until they do so after eating chocolate! In order to “refresh” baby’s travel bedding, clean it with a toilet glove rubbed onto solid soap, and let it dry in the open air . Otherwise, you can use a steam cleaner , which apart from cleaning efficiently will kill the dust mites and bacteria that would be living inside baby’s portable cot!

The best travel cots, upon parents’ advice

1. Bugaboo – Stardust (heather black or grey)

Mister Sandman now has some serious opponent against him! The Bugaboo Stardust is a genuine revolution : it unfolds in only one second , with an all-in-one conception and an integrated mattress. These very cosy travel cots fold back into a stylish cover.

Age : up to 2 years old

Price : 249€

Buy it here !

2. Maxi Cosi – Swift 3-in-1 Travel Cot

At home or travelling, the Maxi Cosi Swift 3-in-1 can be used as a cradle, a child bed or a baby park. We personally appreciate its elegance and the wood finish.

Age : up to 3 years old

Price : 219,99€

3. AeroMoov – Travel Cot – Travel Instant Giraph Sky

With its very cute giraffe prints, this travel cot by Aeromoov perfectly suits the newborn needs thanks to the sleeping position that can be adjusted on 2 different levels , so baby can sleep everywhere just as if he were sleeping at home (and his back is protected)! In addition, it fits in the smallest of the car trunks with its strapped storing sack.

Weight limit : 15 kg maximum

Price : 179€

Buy it here ! (Note: available and delivered only in Belgium)

4. BabyBjörn – Travel Cot Light (silver or black)

As the name suggests, the advantage of the Travel Cot Light by BabyBjörn is its very light weight ! Plus, its ingenious conception: folding and unfolding it is a sleight-of-hand! Its ergonomic form gives it a very good stability and the soft mattress is the guarantee for your child of quality sleep . The parents specifically appreciate the fabric, easily removable, that can be washed in the washing machine.

Age : up until 4 years old

Price : 249,90€

Buy it here ! (Note: available and delivered only in Belgium, France and Luxembourg)

5. Babymoov – Travel cot “Naos”

Compact and really light (only 4 kg), the Naos travel cot can be taken everywhere! Whether it is for an afternoon at your friends’ house, a picnic, holidays, baby will always tightly sleep thanks to his memory-foam mattress! One bonus point: the micro-ventilated mattress sheet can go in the washing machine ! And it is not over, as Naos can also turn into an evolutive play area ! With a UV-proof roof and a wide “tent” zip opening, it transforms into a tiny hut where baby can have lots of fun!

Age : Up to 5 years old

Price : 149,99€

Buy it here ! (Note: available and delivered only in Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Netherlands)

6. Aubert Concept – Cododo cradle (grey)

For the mothers who breastfeed, the Cododo cradle is the ideal combination between bed sharing (co-sleeping) and security! After cuddling with baby, all you need to do it to open the window placed on the side of the cradle, place it closer, at your bed height with the very practical adjustable legs, secure baby with the straps and let him sleep in his very own cocoon, right next to you.

Age : from birth to 6 months old

Price : 179,90€

Buy it here ! (Note: available and delivered only in Belgium, France and Switzerland)

7. Vertbaudet – Foldable travel cot Mobi’bed (grey or dark blue)

Very practical, the Mobi’bed travel cot has many assets: a wide storing pouch , wheels, to move it easily, and it can be used as a changing table thanks to its adaptable board.

Price : 136,99€

8. Oxybul – Pop-up Cradle Dodo Nomade

And what about the little travellers who still wear diapers? The travel cot Pop-up Dodo Nomade is one of the easiest to transport travel cot among all. A featherweight and the size of a handbag once it is folded back into its cover, it can be taken literally everywhere! Inspired by the tents that unfold by themselves, it is very practical for the little ones who still learn to stand on all four.

Age : until baby can sit by himself

Price : 49,99€

Buy it here ! (Note: available and delivered only in France)

Bonus tip from a professional mum:

Your child is now too tall for a travel cot, yet you’re afraid that he may fall from a conventional bed? Don’t forget your bed barriers when leaving for vacation (and the inflatable ones are even better)! An amazing invention for the children that tend to move a lot while sleeping.

The Shrunks – 28,95€

To go further

• It is not always easy to be on the move with your little one during holidays: play it smart, and get yourself a travel stroller !
• Are you looking for the perfect hotel to welcome you and your baby? Here is our selection of the most beautiful luxury hotels with baby-club .

Magali , mother of two children, from Waterloo

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Red Kite Sleeptight Travel Cot review

• Jessica Brown

In a nutshell

An award-winning travel cot - it's lightweight, easy to assemble and collapse, and even though you may have to buy a comfier mattress, it's still great value for money.

What we tested

• Easy to assemble and fold away, hassle-free with no instruction booklet, sturdy, great quality mesh and good value for money.
• The mattress is hard and flimsy - you definitely need to buy an additional mattress for it..

Showing item 1 of 6

Key features of the Red Kite Sleeptight travel cot:

• Age suitability: Newborn to 15kg
• Weight : 8.7kg
• Features: easy and fast to assemble, fully padded top rails, easy-view mesh panels
• Accessories: Carry bag and mattress included
• Colours: Black

The Sleeptight Travel Cot from Red Kite is an award-winning travel cot that's suitable from birth and extremely easy to assemble - making it perfect for holidays or visiting friends and family overnight. It can be used as a play-pen for toddlers too. A good quality cot at a very affordable price of £30.

If I was looking for a cheap, easy and hassle-free travel cot for occasional use, I would definitely recommend this to friends, but I would also recommend they buy another mattress, as the one included isn’t very comfortable. Despite this, as one of the cheapest travel cots on the market, The Red Kite is excellent value for money.

I am a mum of two. I have an 11-month-old son, Barnaby, and a 2.5 year old daughter, Alannah. I tested out the product during a family trip to Devon.

10 of the best travel cots

What were your first impressions of the Red Kite Sleeptight travel cot?

I really like the sleek black bag it arrives in. It's lightweight and easy to carry. I also like the fact that the cot is black, which means it won't look dirty along the top edges after sticky little fingers and mouths have been touching it. The Red Kite travel cot is very light and compact.

What was it like to assemble, and how long did it take?

Once you know what you're doing, it's incredibly easy to assemble. In fact, it's so simple there wasn't even an instruction booklet, although there are a few instructions written on the inside of the cot. You simply pull up the shorter side-bars first and click into place. It’s essential you do this before you push the bottom down, otherwise they won’t snap together, which can be quite frustrating. It was equally easy to collapse, although you need to pull the bottom up first.

How many parts does it have?

There are only two parts; the actual cot and removable mattress.

What is the mattress like?

Unfortunately, the mattress is flimsy and too hard - there is very little padding. You will definitely need to buy an additional mattress to make it more comfortable. However, this seems to apply to all makes of this style of travel cot, and is not just specific to this one. I suppose that’s what makes it so portable and easy to pack into a compact bag.

11 of the best baby mattresses

Does it feel comfortable for your little one?

It feels very sturdy and robust, my son loved playing with his toys in it. The padded edges around the top are great too.

What do you think of the mesh side panels?

The white mesh side-panels are great, and very easy to see through when your baby is asleep. The holes are small enough so little fingers can't poke through.

You can buy the Red Kite Sleeptight Travel Cot at Kiddicare , Amazon , Asda or eBay .

How portable is the Red Kite Sleeptight travel cot?

It packs up very neatly, and fits perfectly into a lightweight carry-bag, great for overnight stays and trips away.

Award-winning travel accessories

What is the weight of the travel cot?

It feels very light – weighing 8.5kg

Would you use it from newborn?

Yes, it's suitable to use for a newborn, although for me personally, I feel it's a bit too big for a very young baby.

How long do you think it will last?

I think it will last until your child is around 3 years old - it says a maximum of 15kg. The cot feels quite sturdy, but I think a boisterous toddler would possibly knock it over if they were jumping up and down and rocking against the side, or if they were big enough to roll over the sides.

How easy is it to clean?

The dark colour makes it very easy to conceal any general dirtiness or wear and tear. However, if needed, the fabric cover can be sponge cleaned with a mild detergent. The fabric is not removable.

How easy is it to fold and get into the carry bag?

Once you have pulled up the handle in the bottom and un-assembled the cot, it is very easy to fold shut and put into the carry-bag. Hassle-free and very quick.

MFM's verdict

In conclusion, I think this is a good, robust travel cot. It fits compactly into any car boot, which is ideal when travelling anywhere with a baby and all the extra things you need to pack. It may be a lot cheaper than some travel cots on the market, but it’s not poor quality. Saying that, I think it would be better with a deeper, more comfortable mattress included, and I'd have been happy to pay a little bit extra for that. It was time-consuming having to go to the shop to purchase an additional mattress to use, and as anyone with kids knows, time is precious!

Read on for more travel cot reviews...

• Baby Bjorn Travel Cot Light
• Graco Compact Travel Cot
• Oomo Roomo 2 Travel Cot
• Samsonite Pop-Up Bubble Cot

MadeForMums product reviews are independent, honest and provide advice you can have confidence in. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links. However we never allow this to influence our coverage. Our reviews and articles are written by parents who are professional journalists, and we also include feedback from our parent community and industry experts.

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Popping up and down in seconds, Slumber is the game-changing travel cot that makes parenting easier – at home and away. Slumber doubles up as a travel cot and playpen, taking your little one from naptime to playtime in seconds.

Snooze from birth to toddler (approx. 3 years)

3-in-1 travel cot, co-sleeper and playpen

Newborn insert included

Super quick pop-up design

Light and compact for easy travel

Waterproof carry bag included

L112cm x W80cm x H67cm

Folded Dimensions

D88cm x W34cm x H17cm

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Newborn ready

Zip in the newborn insert to create a bedside crib suitable from birth until approx. 6 months old.

Light and compact

Slumber’s lightweight and compact design makes it easy to store and travel with. It even comes with its own weatherproof carry case.

Mesh panels

Airflow mesh panels provide added ventilation for your little one so they’re always safe and comfy.

Recycled fabrics

The soft and protective padded top rail is made from our signature sustainable fabrics made using recycled plastic bottles.

For snoozes at home or away, Slumber provides the best night's sleep throughout the toddler years with the comfortable padded mattress.

Airflow mesh panels provide added ventilation.

Time to play

Zip open the mesh panel door to let your toddler crawl in and out with ease and create the perfect safe spot for playtime.

3-in-1 travel cot

The best place for sleep or play, at home and away. 

Newborn insert

Zip in the newborn insert to create a bedside crib that can be used from day one.

Keeps Slumber clean and protected when you’re on the go.

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The mattress can be used from birth to toddler in the newborn insert or travel cot.

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Snooze, play or travel from birth to toddler with Slumber.

Zip in the newborn insert to create the ultimate bedside crib suitable from birth until approx. 6 months old.

As they grow, transform Slumber into a lightweight travel cot for toddlers using the same mattress.

Slumber folds easily and packs away neatly into the carry case included. 

Bring baby closer and create a bedside crib using the ventilated, zip-in newborn insert. The comfortable mattress has a soft padded base and liner.

Popping up and folding down in seconds, Slumber is easy to use when you're on the move and stores away when not in use.

3-in-1 design.

Designed for sleep, travel and play, Slumber has breathable mesh, a zip-open door, newborn insert, carry case and comfortable padded mattress.

Part of the furniture

We created Slumber to be more than just a travel cot. Slumber is truly ‘part of the furniture’ with its stylish, minimalistic design.

When it’s time for fun, your toddler can crawl in and out of Slumber through its zip-open door – providing a secure space for playtime.

A conscious choice

Slumber features stylish quilted material crafted using a yarn made from recycled plastic bottles that would have otherwise been sent to landfill.

With fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles, Slumber is stylish and sustainable.

Time for travel

With its ultra lightweight and compact design and super easy fold, Slumber is the perfect travel companion. The waterproof carry case included ensures your travel cot is always looking its best.

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Do I REALLY Need a Travel Cot? – What To Know Before You Buy

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New parents must make countless decisions before they bring their baby home. From your baby’s sleeping arrangement to the brand of nappies you’ll use, there are so many choices that come with being a parent. But there are some baby items that almost every parent needs, including a travel cot.

A travel cot is a must-have for most parents. If you want to take your baby out of the house overnight or during naptime, you need one. Travel cots are also useful at home, and you can save money by purchasing a multi-use travel cot instead of several pieces of baby furniture.

If you’re not convinced about the utility of a travel cot, keep reading. This guide will walk you through a travel cot, its many uses, the benefits, drawbacks, and alternatives of purchasing it.

What Is a Travel Cot?

A travel cot (also known as a playpen or pack and play) is a collapsible cot you can bring with you when you travel. It usually has a plastic frame, mesh sides, and a thin, firm mattress. Some versions have wheels attached for easier transport and attachment options for changing tables or bassinets.

You can use a travel cot as a bassinet, cot, or playpen. These cots are less expensive than traditional cots, are multipurpose, and can be used wherever you go.

Without any attachments, a travel cot can fold into a long, thin bag that can easily fit in the boot of your car. 

What Age Can You Use a Travel Cot Until?

Travel cots can usually be used until your baby is ready to transition to a regular bed. Depending on the type of cot you purchase, you should be able to use it until your child turns three. However, if you’re just looking for a safe place to put your baby in, you may prefer a carrycot.

Many travel cots have the option to elevate your baby’s mattress a few feet off the ground so that it’s easier to lay your baby down to sleep. You can use your travel cot in this position for about the first six months of your baby’s life. However, once your baby can sit up on her own, you should lower the mattress for her safety. 

As your baby grows up and gets more mobile, your travel cot will have another use – a safe place to play. No matter whether you’re travelling or you’re at home and need to put the baby somewhere, a travel cot will stop your child from getting into trouble and will double as a playpen. Most travel cots are sturdy enough to hold an active toddler in place.

When your child is old enough to sleep in a regular bed while travelling, you can stop using your travel cot. You’ll probably find this happening around age two or three. 

What Are the Advantages of Having a Travel Cot?

There are several advantages to owning a travel cot, including versatility, portability, and cost-efficiency. If you’re looking to limit the amount of baby furniture you have to spend money on, a travel cot is a great option.

Let’s walk through the main advantages of having a travel cot so you can decide if it’s the right choice for you and your baby.

Great for Travel

As the name implies, a travel cot is most useful for travelling. Your baby’s standard cot will likely be bulky, made of wood, and challenging to take apart when you need to travel. However, a travel cot folds up into a bag and can fit in the boot of your car. The mattress folds up around the cot frame, so the whole kit can fit in a single bag. 

Many travel cots are designed with efficiency in mind and are made to collapse and unfold very simply. With a little practice, you’ll have no trouble setting up your baby’s travel cot in any hotel room, inn, or home. 

It can be difficult to get your baby to sleep when you’re on holiday. The stress of travel and the new environment may keep him awake at night. If you have a travel cot that he has slept in before, you can give your baby a familiar, comfortable place to sleep when you’re away from home.

Multipurpose

Travel cots can be used as a bed for newborns (with the mattress raised), a cot for infants and toddlers (with the mattress lowered), and as a playpen. You don’t even have to be travelling to use these functions. As long as you have the space in your home, you can set up the travel cot in your room or the nursery.

If you purchase a travel cot with a changing station and bassinet attachments, your travel cot becomes even more versatile. 

Good for Your Budget

Even if you don’t plan on travelling with your baby, a travel cot can save you a lot of money. For example, if you have a travel cot with the bassinet and changing pad attachments, you’ll have a single piece of furniture that functions as a Moses basket, changing table, cot, and playpen.

No matter whether you’re trying to save money or space, a travel cot is a great option.

What Are the Disadvantages of Having a Travel Cot?

Despite all their advantages, travel cots aren’t perfect. 

Travel cots aren’t as comfortable as regular cots, and there’s always a chance that your baby may not like them. Additionally, some travel cots are also difficult to collapse and set up, which may leave you frustrated.  

Uncomfortable

Travel cot mattresses have to be thin enough that they can fold into an easy-to-carry bag. Unfortunately, this means they’re much thinner and firmer than your baby’s regular mattress.

Many babies don’t need thick, plush mattresses to sleep comfortably. Many parents find that their babies sleep fine in the travel cot. However, this isn’t necessarily the situation for every baby, and there’s always a chance that your baby may find a thin mattress uncomfortable.

If you plan on using the travel cot for everyday use and not just travel, you should consider purchasing a thicker, more comfortable mattress. 

Not User-Friendly

Some travel cots can be difficult to collapse and set up. While some brands pride themselves on being very ergonomic and easy to use, others can be downright frustrating to put together. 

To reduce the risk of encountering this issue, make sure to look at the reviews of the travel cot and get an idea of what other parents think of it before purchasing. This is especially important if you plan to travel a lot with your baby.

You and your partner may want to practice folding and unfolding the travel cot before the baby arrives, too.

How Often Do You Go Away Where You Would Need a Travel Cot?

Travel cots aren’t just for faraway holidays. There are many situations where it’s useful to have a travel cot on hand. 

A travel cot can be useful even if you’re not planning on going for a holiday out of the city. It can come in handy when travelling to a friend’s house, as you’ll have a safe and convenient place in which to put your baby down for a nap.

Travel cots are also useful when visiting a home that isn’t baby-proofed. Friends or family that don’t have infants might not keep their homes perfectly safe for babies. You can put your baby in the travel cot with a few toys, so she has a safe place to play. 

Are There Alternatives To Using A Travel Cot?

There are some alternatives to using a travel cot, but they aren’t perfect solutions. If you’re travelling with a newborn, you can bring a Moses basket with you for your baby to sleep in. However, a Moses basket only works for babies under four months or those who haven’t outgrown it. 

Hotels usually offer a cot for infants if you don’t have one with you. While your baby won’t be familiar with this cot, it’ll get the job done. 

When visiting family or friends, you can ask ahead of time if they have a cot for your baby to sleep in. If they don’t, a travel cot is the only reasonable choice.

Are Travel Cots Expensive?

Travel cots are available for a wide range of prices, so you can easily choose one that meets your budget. You can find options that are under £100, as well as luxury options that are higher priced.

While even spending £100 may seem like a lot, you’ll find that it’s well worth it when considering how often you’ll use the cot. Some of my favorite budget (under £100) options from Amazon.co.uk include:

• The Graco Contour Electra Travel Cot, which comes with a bassinet attachment, a changing pad, and a toy bar. 
• The Hauck Travel Cot Set Sleep N Play Center, which includes a changing pad attachment. Hauck models are renowned for being easy to collapse and set up. 

For a more luxurious travel cot, consider the Joie Commuter Travel Cot Change & Bounce from Mamas and Papas. This cot includes a changing pad, and a bassinet, and a toy bar that doubles as a bouncer. 

How To Save Money on a Travel Cot?

Travel cots don’t have to be expensive. You can buy your travel cot used or search for one that’s on sale. The NHS recommends that you purchase a new mattress for your baby’s safety if your travel cot is secondhand .  

You could also consider not buying additional nursery furniture if a travel cot can do the job. This includes items like co-sleeping cribs and changing tables. You can then use the money you save and put it toward a travel cot that has the attachments you need. 

Are Travel Cots Worth Having?

Travel cots are worth having thanks to their versatility and cost-effectiveness. Regardless of whether you’re travelling with your baby overnight or are going to a friend’s house, a travel cot will come in handy. It can also function as a playpen, and will last for up to three years.

More than just the cot itself, it’s the attachments that make travel cots worth it. A travel cot can take the place of your changing table, Moses basket, co-sleeping crib, and even a baby bouncer. You can even use a travel cot instead of a regular cot every night, though you may want to purchase a softer mattress for your baby’s comfort.

The right travel cot can save you money and space around the house on top of being invaluable for travelling with your baby.

8 Best Travel Cots for Babies and Toddlers

We independently research our recommended products. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our links .

When you’re travelling overnight with a toddler, a good travel cot is your best friend.

We all know the chaos that’s caused when your little one refuses to sleep or doesn’t get their normal number of hours.

Some sleep disruption should be expected when you’re sleeping somewhere new (for both you and your child!) but you can minimise this by providing them with a comfortable, safe and familiar place to sleep — i.e. the best travel cot.

As with all things baby related, there are a huge number of travel cots on the market and it can be overwhelming to choose the best one for your circumstances.

We’ve compiled this guide to the best travel cots – including all the things you need to consider before buying, as well as the best products on the market right now.

Let’s get into it…

Graco Compact Travel Cot

Extra features, how much to spend on a toddler travel cot, what are the best travel cots, venture airpod.

The Venture Airpod has long been one of our number one picks for the best travel cot for toddlers.

It’s a dead ringer for the (much more expensive) BabyBjörn cot, feels sturdy and is really easy to assemble — an absolutely essential quality when you’re travelling with little ones. It folds down very compactly so is a good pick if you’re low on space or on public transport. It’s suitable for kids up to 36 months so should serve you well for a long time.

Why We Chose It

• Nicely lightweight, compact and portable
• Looks very similar to the BabyBjörn, at a fraction of the price!
• Comes with a quality mattress and strong carry bag
• Easy to assemble and take down
• Feels sturdy and high quality
• Excellent price
• Stylish design (designed in the UK!)

Potential Cons to Consider

• If we’re being super picky, the fact that the cover isn’t machine washable

Maxi-Cosi Iris

Maxi-Cosi is a prestige brand when it comes to baby and child equipment, and this travel cot really lives up to their reputation.

Is it expensive? Yes, but it’s worth the cost if your budget allows. It’s very lightweight, comes with a high quality mattress and has the brilliant feature of offering two different height-adjustable levels — a bassinet level for newborns and young babies, and the full depth for older kids up to age 3. It’s easy to take up and down and even comes with a stylish travel bag for maximum portability.

• Contains two height-adjustable levels — a top one for newborns and a lower one for toddlers (great for recent c-section mums who can’t bend down too far!)
• Really lightweight and portable
• Very easy to set up and take down
• High quality mattress included
• Comes with a carry bag for extra portability
• Feels very sturdy and durable despite light weight
• Stylish design

Potential Con to Consideer

• A little expensive (although worth the investment if your budget allows)

Micralite Sleep and Go

The Micralite is another much-loved toddler travel cot that offers a lot in the way of features (although does come with a higher price tag).

Like the Maxi-Cosi, it has the two different height levels and comes with a good mattress and a travel bag. One of the things we really like about it is that it can be transformed into a playpen for toddlers and even has padded sides so they won’t get hurt if they’re bouncing around! It’s not quite as lightweight as some of the others on this list but still folds down to a compact size.

• Two different height levels for newborns and toddlers
• Transforms into a playpen with a zipped side panel
• Heavily padded frame to protect overzealous toddlers!
• Easy to set up and take down
• Folds down reasonably compactly to fit in a car boot
• Comes with a quality mattress
• With newborn insert, can be used as a side sleeping crib
• Comes with a travel bag for portability
• Sturdy and durable
• Not super lightweight or compact

Red Kite Sleep Tight Travel Cot

The Red Kite Sleep Tight is one of our favourite budget travel cots.

It’s easy to assemble, folds down neatly and feels very sturdy to touch. It also comes with its own travel bag for transportation. At just over 7kg, it’s not the most lightweight cot and the included mattress isn’t of the best quality in our opinion — we’d definitely recommend buying another one if you can as fussy sleepers may not find it the most comfortable sleeping position.

• Great budget price
• Easy to assemble and fold up
• Comes with a mattress and carry bag
• Reasonably compact when folded down
• Large mesh ‘windows’ allowing you and your child a good view!
• Feels very sturdy and stable
• The included mattress doesn’t seem comfortable – we’d recommend investing in another one if you can
• Not particularly lightweight

Nuna SENA Aire

Nuna have made a name for themselves as a really high quality baby brand and the SENA Aire travel cot very much lives up to the hype.

You can take it up and down with just one hand, which is absolutely invaluable for parents and carers dealing with toddlers! It’s got dual height levels, comes with a quality mattress and boasts very good air flow — this definitely feels like one of the best travel cots you can buy right now. But on the flipside, it’s very expensive and really quite heavy at almost 10kg.

• Super easy to set up and take down — with just one hand!
• Quality mattress included
• Very sturdy and durable
• Excellent air flow and ventilation
• 2 height levels for newborns and toddlers
• Feels spacious
• A lot heavier than the other cots on this list
• Quite expensive

Hauck Dream’n Play

One of the most popular and budget friendly toddler travel cots is this Dream’n Play from Hauck.

It feels very similar to the slightly cheaper Red Kite — easy to assemble, feels sturdy and folds up somewhat compactly. Much like the Red Kite, we’d recommend investing in another mattress as the one that’s included doesn’t feel particularly comfortable.

• Comes with a folding mattress and carry bag
• Reasonably compact – will be fine if you’re transporting it in your car
• Large mesh ‘windows’ give you a good view of your child and allow them to see out
• Feels durable and sturdy
• A few different colour options
• It’s worth investing in another cot mattress as the one included doesn’t feel comfortable
• Not the most lightweight option available

BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light

BabyBjörn is probably the best known brand when it comes to travel cots and, for many parents, remains the best on the market thanks to its prestigious reputation.

Lightweight, stable and durable with a quality mattress, this is definitely one of the highest quality toddler travel cots we tried. It also looks really good so is definitely a good choice if you’re conscious of the aesthetics! It’s not perfect though — alongside being expensive, we found it could potentially be a little draughty in certain conditions as it mounts directly onto the floor.

• Really easy to set up and take down (no loose parts)
• Lightweight so highly portable
• Comfortable and safe mattress included
• Soft sheet also included
• Some airlines will accept it as a carry-on in the included carry case
• Highly durable — even with mischievous toddlers!
• Feels very stable despite the lightweight
• Mattress cover can be machine washed
• No weight limit – suitable until your toddler is able to climb out (around 3 years)
• It’s expensive
• It mounts directly onto the floor so please consider suitable sleepwear for your toddler according to the floor temperature
• The sides are high — great for keeping your toddler in but parents on the shorter side/mums still recovering from a c-section should bear in mind it’s a long way to bend down!

The Graco travel cot is another good low-budget choice that would also work as a playpen due to its spacious feel and transparent mesh sides.

It has a push-button fold that makes it easy to put up and bring down and feels very sturdy and stable on the ground. Although it folds down well, it is on the heavier side at almost 9 kg and the included carry bag doesn’t have a handle for some reason, which makes it a little hard to lug around. The mattress has a folding mechanism which, while great for space efficiency, isn’t the most comfortable.

• Excellent low price
• Easy push-button fold to assemble and fold down
• Very sturdy and stable
• Feels spacious and would work as a playpen
• Folds down reasonably compactly in a car boot
• Large mesh ‘windows’ provide great views for you and your child!
• Heavy compared to most of the other cots on the list
• Unfortunately there’s no handle on the carry bag which makes it an awkward carry
• The included folding mattress is a little uncomfortable – we’d recommend getting another one if your budget allows

How to Choose

Do you actually need a toddler travel cot.

As you can see, toddler travel cots vary hugely in price but some of them can be a real investment, depending on your budget.

If you’ve had a quick glance at Amazon and furrowed your brow at some of the prices, you might be thinking, ‘ Do I even need one?’

The answer could well be ‘no’.

Travel cots are mostly used for, well, travelling.

But most mid-range and above hotels and holiday rentals already come equipped with a cot for your little one, so if you’re only intending to use it for holiday travel then it might be worth checking if the types of places your family usually stays at already has one available. Chances are, they do.

But if you often stay over in people’s homes or if Granny and Grandad have the kids to stay occasionally, then a travel cot will most definitely come in handy.

Where a mattress on the floor might provide a simple place to sleep for your toddler when they’re away from their bed, it doesn’t do much else.

A good travel cot, on the other hand, will be safe and inviting for your little one to fall asleep in and will keep them contained.

Very important when they’re staying somewhere new…

They can even function as a playpen — or a little den for your toddler to play by themselves.

What to Look for in a Travel Cot

If you’ve decided that your family will benefit from owning a travel cot, then there are a few things worth considering before you buy.

There are 3 key things that make for the best travel cots:

Weight and Footprint

Ease of use.

The number one thing that most parents are looking for in a travel cot are that it’s lightweight and compact.

The smaller and lighter the cot, the easier it is to carry around and store.

If you wanted a large and heavy cot, you’d just buy a normal cot instead, right?

Exactly how light and compact will depend on your circumstances.

Some people are simply happy with a product that can easily fit in the car boot and isn’t too heavy to carry to the front door. Others want something truly lightweight and compact that can be taken on a plane or carried around easily on the bus. Size is important, especially if you’re carrying a pushchair too !

If weight is really important to you, take a look at the Maxi-Cosi Iris, Venture Airpod and BabyBjörn Light above.

When we say ‘ease of use’, we mean how easy it is to assemble, pop up and then collapse down again.

The easier and quicker the better — especially when you’ve got a wriggling toddler to put down or even a screaming newborn.

And if the travel cot is destined to be at Granny and Grandad’s house, you want one that’s simple enough for them to be able to work out too.

All the cots in our list score highly on the ease of use metric, although the Maxi-Cosi Iris, Graco Compact, BabyBjörn Light and Nuna SENA Aire are leading the pack. The Nuna can even all be done with one hand!

Another major feature to look for in a travel cot is durability — you want it to last well.

The cots on our list are all suitable to be used until around 3 years of age/15 kg/when they decide they want to climb out of it, which is a good lifespan for such a product.

If you decide to go for a super budget version or one that isn’t well made, you might find that the cot doesn’t reach that point and you’ll need to replace it before your toddler has outgrown it.

It can be hard to judge durability when you’re buying online, so look out for reviews that reference how sturdy and stable the cot is, the quality of the brand you’re buying, and just generally how other users have found it.

Less important than the big 3 factors above but still worth noting are what little extras are provided with your travel cot.

Generally speaking, the more you spend, the more features you’ll get.

They might not all be useful for your circumstances, however, so don’t feel like you have to spend a lot if you’d be satisfied with less.

• A bassinet insert/height adjustability depending on your child’s size and age
• Good ventilation and airflow
• Machine washable covers
• A great mattress
• A handy travel bag

How much to spend on a travel cot will entirely depend on your family’s circumstances — budget, what you’re looking for in a cot, and just generally how much you want to spend.

There’s no right answer here.

A good starting point for determining your budget is to decide how much you’re likely to use a travel cot and what you need from it.

If you’re planning on your toddler using it multiple times per month at your parents’ house, for instance, you’ll probably want to invest in something that you know your kid will love and your parents will be able to use easily.

But if you’re buying a cot for only occasional or sporadic use, you probably don’t want to spend a lot — maybe the Red Kite or Graco Compact will be a better fit at well under £50.

As we mentioned earlier, the more you spend, the more you can usually expect in terms of features. Similarly, the big luxury brands (BabyBjörn and Nuna) are inevitably more expensive than the midmarket ones on the list.

Regardless of how much you have and want to spend, however, we’re certain you’ll be satisfied with the travel cots on our list.

Let us know which ones are your favourites!

Head over to our  advice section  for more tips on travelling with a toddler!

AUTHOR PROFILE

Stephanie Osborn

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All the features you will love.

COMPACT FOLD FOR HOME

A one-of-a-kind fold.

As flat as it is fast, FoldLite’s innovative Home Fold revolutionises the travel cot game! Collapsing to only 26cm wide, you can swiftly tuck the cot into any nook around your home.

PORTABLE DESIGN

Travel made easy.

Take it one step further, and the cot folds down even tinier for incredible portability. Doubling as a playpen, FoldLite conveniently travels from playdates to Grandma’s and anywhere in between.

UP TO 30% LIGHTER

Light as a feather.

Travelling with kids can feel like a circus. Cut down on the bulk with Graco’s ultra-lightweight travel cot — up to 30% lighter than traditional travel cots.

DURABLE FRAME AND MATERIALS

Ready for adventure.

Durable materials and wipe-clean fabrics keep messes at bay and allow you to create a safe space to play wherever you go. Mesh walls and a soft mattress add extra comforts for your little one.

How to Fold

Is foldlite right for me.

If you’ve got a busy kid on your hands, ensuring they have a safe space to play and nap is critical. The FoldLite pop-up travel cot and playpen provides the versatility you need when you’re at home or on the go.

What truly sets FoldLite apart is its two-option fold. The convenient Home Fold is perfect for when you need to quickly clear space and pops open in seconds when you’re ready to get back to playtime. Meanwhile, its Travel Fold collapses even further for maximum portability when you’re visiting friends and family.

And let’s face it, baby products can get bulky. So FoldLite will be a welcome addition as it weighs up to 30% less than traditional travel cots, helping you and your family travel light.

Ease of Use - Instant and innovative Home Fold for quick ups and downs - Compact Travel Fold for when you’re on-the-go - Sets up in an instant - Weighs only 6.78kg, making it up to 30% lighter than traditional travel cots - Modern frame - 2 wheels for easy manoeuvrability

Child Comfort - Easy-view mesh to see baby from all sides and increase air flow - Soft, wipe-clean mattress - Padded rails to soften any bumps or tumbles

Included Accessories - Carry bag for convenient transport and fuss-free storage

(1) FoldLite travel cot

(1) carry bag

(1) instruction manual

Folded dimensions

L 69.5 x W 21 x H 25.5cm

Home Fold dimensions

L 26 x W 66 x H 66.5cm

How much does FoldLite weigh? Weighing only 6.78kg, this playpen is perfect to bring with you when you’re travelling away from home.

How do I fold FoldLite? The FoldLite travel cot has 2 convenient folds. The one-of-a-kind Home Fold is designed to quickly open or close at home and the Travel Fold is ideal for on-the-go. Please view this video  or reference the manual  for further instruction.

Is a carry bag included with the FoldLite travel cot? Yes, a convenient carry bag is included with your purchase of FoldLite, making it easier to bring your travel cot with you on trips or to store it away at home.

How do you clean FoldLite? Clean the playard with household soap and warm water and make sure to air dry. The carry bag can be machine washed in cold water and air dried.

What is the max weight for the playpen? FoldLite can be used from birth up to 15kg, approximately 3 years of age.

Does FoldLite come with a mattress? FoldLite includes the mattress designed for use with the travel cot. Never add a mattress, pillow, comforter or padding. Only use the mattress pad provided by Graco.

Travel cot suitable from birth to approx. 3 years (0-15kg).

Do not use the travel cot when the child reaches 86cm in height, weighs more than 15kg or is able to climb out.

Check that the bottom centre mechanism and top rails are locked into place before use.

The travel cot can be spot cleaned with a sponge and soapy water. The covering material is not removable. Do not use bleach.

The carry bag can be washed in lukewarm water on delicate cycle and drip dry. Do not use bleach.

From time to time check your travel cot for worn parts, torn material or stitching. Replace or repair parts as needed. If damage is found, contact Graco Customer Service for advice on replacement or repair.

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Bugaboo Stardust Travel Cot Review

Quick Summary: I love the Bugaboo Stardust Travel Cot. It is simple to use and of excellent quality. The quilted mattress is deep and comfortable for the child. The additional bassinet included in the price makes it ideal as a from birth option whether using it for travelling or within your home. The mesh sides give you 360 degrees of visibility whilst your little one sleeps or plays. There are, however, bigger travel cots on the market. This is suitable from birth to 22lbs (average 2 year old) so if you have a particularly chunky baby and want to use a travel cot for an extended period, this may not be the best option for you.

Whats good?

• High quality materials, mattress is excellent
• Includes bassinet and carry bag
• Super quick and easy fold and unfold

Whats not so good?

• More pricey than other options
• Smaller than a lot of travel cots

Table of contents

Baby zip-in bed (or bassinet), how to unfold and fold the bugaboo stardust travel cot, our verdict.

Bugaboo are known for their pushchairs and have a respected heritage within the UK market as a brand being synonymous with quality, style and design. In 2020, they launched their first piece of ‘home equipmen t’, a travel cot called The Stardust. We take a look to see whether this travel cot lives up to the Bugaboo reputation.

As with many of the more expensive travel cots, the Stardust comes with its own travel bag. It is easy to access the travel cot and there is no fighting to get the cot either in or out of its bag. The inclusion of the bag is a real must-have for me, to keep everything clean, not only when travelling but also when storing as let’s face it few people are going to use this all the time.

Also included is the Baby zip-in bed which will lift the sleeping position for a newborn, meaning you do not have to reach all the way down to the base to remove your baby. This is designed to last for the first 6 months or until your little one can pull themselves up. It is safety tested to 9kg but your baby is likely to outgrow this mode before they reach 9kg! At this point it is a safety concern and you must remove the baby zip-in bed. When using the bassinet, you simply first remove the mattress from the base of the travel cot by unbuttoning it. The easiest way to do this I found was to lay the Stardust on its side. There are 8 connectors, one in each corner and then two in the middle of the sides on both sides. Although conceptually simple, it is a little fiddly.

You then need to attach the baby zip-in bed. Locate the red tab on the material - this is where you are going to start. This is the end of your zipper. Find the zipper connection on the travel cot itself which can be found in one of the corners and thread into position. The red tab will Velcro on to the main cot to keep it secure. Zip around all the 4 sides of the travel cot and hey presto you are almost there! Pop the mattress back in place making sure that you tuck the connecting tabs under the mattress.

As I mentioned, removing the mattress is a little bit of a faff but the great thing is that you can still fold the Stardust with the baby zip-in bed in place (see below)

To unfold the Bugaboo Stardust, firstly release the two snaps on the side and then pull the ends apart. If the base does not snap into position (which it did almost every time for me), then just push down on the centre of the mattress. It really is as easy and as quick as that. I LOVE this feature, having fought with travel cots in the past whilst trying to put a grumpy baby to bed. Dare I say it, but even Grandparents are going to manage this!

To fold it back up again, simply lift the leavers on the interior of the sides, pop your foot underneath and gently kick upwards to release the lock. The Stardust folds in on itself easily and you can attach the snap locks to secure it in place. Again, this really is very simple!

To fold with the baby zip-in bed in position, just remove the mattress, pull the support board to one end and follow the steps as detailed above. You do then need to remember to pop the mattress in your travel bag of course. I love the fact that you can still fold the Stardust with the new born baby zip-in bed in place.

I love the Bugaboo Stardust Travel Cot. It is simple to use and of excellent quality. The quilted mattress is deep and comfortable for the child. The additional bassinet included in the price makes it ideal as a from birth option whether using it for travelling or within your home. The mesh sides give you 360 degrees of visibility whilst your little one sleeps or plays. The Stardust is suitable from birth to 15kg, your average 3 year old.

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BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light Review

We put the BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light to the test and think it's the best buy for easy assembly

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'A high-quality, compact travel cot that can be assembled with one hand. Clearly a lot of time and thought and time have gone into the design and functionality of this travel cot.’

Premium quality fabric

Compact and lightweight

Easy to assemble

No newborn insert

Pricey - but an investment buy

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Hollie Bond and her ten-month-old daughter Margot tested out the BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light during their travels to see how it fared.

The BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light gets our vote as the best travel cot to buy if you're looking for something super easy to assemble. Flying long-haul and want the assurance that your cot will be a doddle to set up? This is the one to buy.

It's a very good option for a lightweight travel cot, because it is really easy to transport, looks stylish, and, most importantly for frazzled parents, it is extremely easy to assemble and put back down. It comes with a comfortable mattress and mattress cover included, along with a handy bag that ‘it’s really easy to fit back in,’ according to our tester, Hollie.

She found the low base a bit off-putting as you have to bend over quite a way to put your child into the cot, but this also means it doubles up as a playpen. ‘I took the cot to my parents' house to use as a playpen and it worked a treat, keeping Margot safely away from all the delicate antiques and trinkets,’ she says. 

While at the pricier end of the spectrum, Hollie thinks it's well worth the extra money because of the quality of the fabric and materials used.

VIEW AT AMAZON | £220

Weighs: 6kg (including bag) | Age: Birth to 3 years

Our tester Hollie’s first impression of the BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light was that it lived up to its name - it arrived in a smart bag with a useful carry handle and is indeed very light. ‘In the past, I've had to wrestle with travel cots and spent ages trying to get the knack of putting them up, but with this cot, I managed to assemble it in seconds with one hand while holding my baby and without reading any instructions,’ she says. ‘It's very intuitive and just folds out into shape straightaway.’ 

As well as the cot itself, this travel cot comes with a ‘surprisingly spongy and soft’ mattress and a fitted cot sheet. The mattress is attached to the cot via little tabs that go through the cot lining and fasten to the frame.

‘This cot doesn't come with a bassinet option and is very low to the ground, so it was quite a stretch to place Margot down onto the mattress, so I wouldn't recommend it for parents with back problems,’ adds Hollie. ‘Luckily, the days of me having to stroke Margot's back to get her to sleep are over too, as that would have been a problem.’ There is a flip side to the low base, however – it means the travel cot can double up as a playpen when you’re travelling or even at home.

Comfort and features

Our tester was impressed by the BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light’s mattress and apparently, her daughter was too. ‘The mattress is well padded and as soon as I put Margot in the cot she had a lie down and snuggled in,’ says Hollie. ‘She slept as well in it as she does in her more sturdy and higher up cot at home, and had enough space to move around in her sleep comfortably.’

As you’d expect from the BabyBjörn brand, the quality of the cot is excellent. ‘I loved that it felt sturdy and solid even though it's lightweight,’ adds Hollie. She also liked the mesh sides which meant that she could keep an eye on Margot as she slept but they didn’t let too much light in.

This travel cot is designed for newborns through to three-year-olds, which Hollie did find a bit optimistic. ‘My now-four-year-old son definitely wouldn't have fitted in it at three and probably would have grown out of it by the age of two.’

Value for money

At £220, this travel cot doesn’t come cheap but our tester feels it's worth the money. ‘It has a lot of high-quality features - such as the smart carry bag and padded mattress - that you'd look for in a top-of-the-range travel cot,’ she says. The fact that it doubles up as a playpen also adds to the value.

Hollie would recommend the BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light to anyone planning to do lots of travelling with their baby and says it'll particularly appeal to parents who like baby products to look good, but also work really well.

This gets our vote as the best travel cot for easy assembly of all those we tested but you might also like to read our Joie Kubbie Sleep Travel Cot review – it’s the best travel cot overall, according to our parent reviews. And don’t forget to check out the rest of our baby product reviews .

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Charlotte Duck is an award-winning lifestyle and parenting journalist who writes who regularly writes for Tatler, the Evening Standard, Yahoo, and Hello Magazine about everything from royal hairstyles to fixed-rate mortgages. She was previously Kidswear Editor at M&S and worked in-house at Boden but, while she loves writing about beautiful children's clothes, she has three children who refuse to wear them. 

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Travel cots - what age do they go up to?

Jen1978 · 07/09/2008 20:17

am wondering what we do once DS is too big for normal cot at grandparents house. Do we get a travel cot, or something else? Can you get bigger travel cots that take them up to older ages? DS is 16 months now and has a cot bed at home so has loads of room but at my parents house (where we stay quite infrequently) he has a cot and he looks quite big in that these days and I am thinking that it won't really work past the age of 2. What do you guys do?

Until they can get out of it... DS is 2.5 months old - in cot bed at home with lots of space left; we use a cotbed at my mum & dad's with no problem but travel cot at my mother in laws. Last time we were there my DS managed to climb out of travel cot and out the room and down the stairs - in his grobag! - so we're now moving him to a proper bed with bedrails at nana's!

I think he will outgrow travel cot before a normal cot as they are smaller. My DD 2.11 has only just gone into a bed. She still fit fine in her cot but wanted to be able to get up for the toilet so put her in a bed. She is taller than most of her friends of the same age. I agree that the issue is going to be whether he can get out of the cot rather than fit in it.

He is quite short and small in gneral for his age so think he might be ok for a bit! Dinkystinky I am laughing my socks off that your dd climbed out of her travel cot in a grobag, that is pretty impressive!! At the moment DS doesn't even bother to try and stand up in his cotbed at home, just lies there or sits up, am dreading the day he stands up! He is in a grobag so I thought that might slow him down, but not after what dinkystinky said LOL! Will carry on with travel cot for now at least. Am sure there is a market out there for slightly longer / wider travel cots, but then guess that defeats the object of them being "travel cots"!!

I have a small 2.7 yr old who still sleeps comfortably in a travel cot at his grandparents' houses. He's just started to climb out - but does so quite safely (!), so I think he'll be OK for another couple of months! By then, he'll be ready for a bed I think.

I think usually they are about 100cm long but there's extra long ones, about 120cm. Was looking myself few months ago when staying at my mum's and was worried DD won't fit into regural travel cot (she's 2.5y and very tall!) but mum measured her one and it was 120cm. DD also climbed in and out quite easily and safely, luckily not in the middle of the night!

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