CODE: FELIX50

cross

Best-Rated Baby Cots

You’re viewing our 2022 ratings for Cots. We don’t currently plan to update this rating in the future.

See Our Ratings Methodology.

Most Satisfied Customers | Boori

Boori was rated best for cots in Canstar Blue’s ratings for the THIRD year in a row. The brand earned five-star reviews for comfort & support, design & style, durability & quality, ease of use, additional features, weight & size, and overall satisfaction.

Fact Checked Fact Checked

Boori snoozes rivals in baby cots ratings for 3rd year

Your little cherub will need quality sleep to grow into a healthy youngster, and at the same time give you needed respite between nappy changes, feeds, clean-ups, and everything else you’ll need to juggle. As a parent, it’s also important to ensure your baby can catch some z’s soundly and safely, whether you’re at home or out and about. That’s where having the right cot can make all the difference. Canstar Blue’s review reveals the best-rated brands so you can snooze on the rest.


How we rate cots


A cot is an essential and hefty purchase for new parents, and one deserving of much consideration. In fact, one in three Aussies we surveyed (34%) actually researched what kind of baby cot they should buy, and a fifth (20%) asked friends and/or family for advice. Leading factors in purchase decisions were a sale (25%), matching other baby furniture (25%), needing a cot that could travel (21%), and finally, brand name (16%).

Canstar Blue surveyed 339 Australians for their feedback on the baby cot(s) they’ve purchased and used for their child/children in the last three years.

  • The outcomes reported in these ratings are measured via accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics.

Respondents rate their satisfaction with their cot brand from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:

  • Overall satisfaction: measures consumer satisfaction with a cot brand as an individual score NOT a combined total of all criteria.
  • Comfort & support: the cot included support features that allowed the baby to sleep/rest comfortably.
  • Design & style: the cot had an ergonomic design, was aesthetically pleasing, and provided sufficient information/instructions for assembly.
  • Durability & quality: the cot was constructed from high-quality materials which improved its lifespan and its function (i.e. it was easy to clean).
  • Ease of use: the cot could be easily assembled and or, moved. It was also easy for parents/carers to use.
  • Weight & size: the cot was compact enough to be placed in any room and was light enough to move around the house.
  • Additional features: the cot included additional features which made it easier to use, more adaptable, or more comfortable for the baby.
  • Value for money: cost of the cot was low considering the quality and additional features.

The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.

  • Overall satisfaction is asked as a specific question and represents an individual measure, not a combined total of all criteria.
  • When we cannot determine a clear winner from the criteria for the Overall satisfaction rating, we will then look at the other criteria measured in the rating.
    • The brand with the highest number of five-star ratings within the supporting criteria will become the five-star recipient in overall satisfaction, and thus win the award. If a clear leader still cannot be determined from the supporting criteria, joint winners will be declared.

Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.

  1. Boori
  2. IKEA
  3. Big W

Seasoned winner Boori has done it again, winning first place in our cots ratings. Boori was rated five stars in most categories including comfort and support, design and style, durability and quality, ease of use, additional features, weight and size, and overall satisfaction.

IKEA nestled into second place, scoring five stars for comfort and support, value for money, and weight and size, while Big W brought in an additional win for weight and size.

Find more detailed information on our ratings methodology.


Top Cot Brand – Boori

Boori Neat Compact Cot

Boori was born out of an independent nursery store in Sydney back in 1993. The brand combines classic heritage with contemporary trends to create nursery and kids’ furniture for every day and is now global, with stores across six countries. For kid’s bedding and furniture, Boori stocks everything from cots, and bassinets to nursery sets, toddler and single beds, as well as study and play furniture and storage solutions. For cots, prices start from $399.95 for the Neat Compact Cot (pictured) and reach up to $2,199 for the Sleigh Expandable Cot Bed 2-Piece Nursery Room Set. The cot bed features a solid frame made from Australian Araucaria wood, top and drawer sides, hand-carved details, and textured grain. It can be converted into a toddler and single bed (conversion kit sold separately). For bassinets, prices range from $329.95, up to $499.95.

  • Boori slept soundly with five stars for comfort and support, design and style, durability and quality, ease of use, additional features, weight and size, and overall satisfaction. It settled on four stars for value for money.

What’s the the difference between a cot & bassinet?

Cots and bassinets are a safe sleep choice for a newborn bub, and the main difference between the two comes down to size and portability.

What is a cot?

  • A cot (or crib) is an infant bed, with high-enclosing (usually slatted) sides, hard sides and legs, and a sturdy rectangular shape. It can eventually be turned into a toddler bed when your little one outgrows the baby bed (at around three years of age). A cot is typically a permanent fixture, either in your room next to your bed or in the nursery. However, there are travel cots available, which generally have a lightweight foldable frame and mesh sides.

What is a baby bassinet?

  • A bassinet is smaller than a cot and is for newborn babies to about four months old. It’s designed specifically to be transportable. It’s typically oval in shape and features mesh or cloth sides and fordable legs to make it easy to carry around. A bassinet is a fixture you can take with you (fits in a standard car boot).
  Pros Cons
Cots ·       Can be used for longer (i.e. converts into a toddler bed)

·       Sturdy design (less risk of tipping)

·       Wider variety of styles, colours and sizes

·       Larger and take up more space

·       Heavier and harder to move

·       More expensive to buy

Bassinets ·       Portable and foldable

·       Easy to fit in small living spaces

·       More affordable

·       Can only be used for the first few months

·       Less durable

·       Pose a tripping hazard

What to consider when buying a cot or bassinet

Type

First, you’ll need to decide the type of infant bed you want, depending on your room size, preference, special features (i.e. drop side, co-sleeper, etc.) and whether you need a convertible option or not. Our survey found these were the most common options for Aussies:

  • Convertible cot (i.e. can be converted into a toddler bed)
  • Drop-side (i.e. one side of the cot slides down for easy access)
  • Bassinet
  • Co-sleeper (i.e. cot that attaches to an adult bed)

Assembly

how to assemble a cot

If you’re short on time and busy getting ready to welcome your new arrival, you may not want to fiddle around and spend days putting your cot together. Our survey found that more than half of parents (59%) bought a baby bed that required assembly. If you’re a practical parent, you’ll want something that’s quick to put together and convert into a bigger bed for when bub is ready.

Safety

Cots sold in Australia should comply with the Consumer Protection Notice No. 6 of 2005, which sets out the mandatory requirements for the design, testing and construction of household cots. Some of these requirements include:

  • Distance between slats must be at least 50mm
  • Distance between the top of the mattress base and the top edge of the lowest cot side must be at least − 600mm when the access is closed and 250mm when open
  • Cot mattresses must be no larger than 20mm from any cot side when centred on the mattress base, or 40mm when the mattress is pushed to one side.

These regulations are particularly important to check if you’re buying a second-hand or antique piece.

Price

How much does a baby bassinet or cot cost?

Our survey found that Aussies spend an average of $267 on a new cot. This is a good reference price, but remember that costs will vary greatly depending on the bed type you’re after, retailer, model, brand, etc. You can find models for under $200 from department stores like Big W and Kmart, and up to $5,000 or more, so we’d say aiming for a mid-range option is probably the sweet spot. Just compare prices and brands online first, before making your final decision, and keep our review in mind.

About the author of this page

Megan Birot

This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Content Lead, Megan Birot. She’s an expert on household appliances, health & beauty products, as well as all things grocery and shopping. When she’s not writing up our research-based ratings reports, Megan spends her time helping consumers make better purchase decisions, whether it’s at the supermarket, other retailers, or online, highlighting the best deals and flagging anything you need to be aware of.

Compare Baby Monitors

Related Family Articles

Kids phone plans

Best mobile phone plans for kids

What are the best phone plans for kids? Canstar Blue compares good mobile options for children and provides tips on what to look for.

– Read more
Best phones for kids articl image with girl and boy looking at mobile phones against yellow background

What are the best phones for kids?

If you do decide to buy your child a mobile phone, the good news is that there are plenty of quality phones out there to choose from — and it doesn’t have to break the …

– Read more

New kids’ meal delivery service launches in Australia

A new children’s meal delivery service − Go! Kidz – just launched in Australia to provide parents some relief from fussy eaters. It offers ready-to-eat meals for youngsters you can get delivered straight to your …

– Read more
Family watching TV

Best kids shows on Paramount+ for school holidays

Whether you’re looking to kick it old school or catch up with the kids’ latest crazes, Paramount+ has an amazing library of kids shows to keep the whole family entertained. Launched in 2021, Paramount+ boasts …

– Read more
Kids streaming shows and movies on tablet

The best kids movies and shows on Netflix

Kids movies and shows are something the whole family can enjoy. Review the top kids movies to watch on Netflix at Canstar Blue.

– Read more