The newborn insert sits at the top of the cot, meaning your baby will be at the height of your bed - although these is no option to drop the side in this mode as with some bedside cribs. These help with air circulation and will provide a more comfortable environment for your child to sleep. Although this cot doesn't have an all-in-one pop-up assembly, it's still easy to put up and down, so much so that some of our home tester parents didn’t need the instructions.

It's not the most compact travel cot when it's assembled and is still quite large when it's folded — it's wide and square, which may be awkward to transport in smaller car boots. Ruth scored each product based on each criteria below, with the highest scoring coming out on top as the overall winner. All of the materials feel extremely good quality — this is definitely one of the comfier travel cots that we've used. Along with the ease of assembly, the built-in mattress is what you pay for with this model: it's not only comfortable but can be adjusted to two height positions (with the newborn insert) making it easier to lift out newborns and babies not yet sitting up unaided. MFM reviewer Helen who tested the Chicco Next2Me Pop Up with her 1-month-old son Alessio said, "The Pop Up works very well as a crib for the early months of a baby’s life, especially for people who will be travelling a lot with a young baby, because it is so easy to put up and down.Once your baby is old enough, you simply put up the side, drop the mattress down to the base of the cot, and it becomes a generously-sized travel cot and playpen that'll last until the child weighs 15kg. You can also use the Slumber as a secure play pen, and there's a zip-open door your toddler can crawl in and out when they are older.

They rely on a number of sources, including our independent reviews, testing undertaken during the MadeForMums Awards, and feedback from our home testing panel and Top Testers Club. Lightweight and foldable, these portable cots are designed for trips away, visits to gran and grandad, and all your baby’s sleepovers.

Most can be used from birth – we’ve specified the manufacturer’s instructions – but the travel cots that have a built-in bassinet offer a cosier, elevated sleep environment for newborns. soft mattress makes the travel cot a comfortable and snug place for your child to sleep on a trip or at home. When looking at budget options, our reviewers found that they certainly did the trick and functioned well as a travel cot but were quite basic with limited added extras. The cleverly designed shape, with the sides inclining towards the top, also makes it harder for little ones to climb out of, and the mesh walls give great visibility from any angle.

She won a The Week Junior Book Award in 2023, her books have been translated into several languages and she's been featured in The Guardian, The Sunday Times and The Sun. If you're looking for longevity beyond that, the Venture TravelPod and the Micralite Sleep 'n' Go have a slightly longer lifespan, but will cost you a little more. For cosy bedding inspiration, take a look at our list – tried and tested by real parents and their kids. It folds up to an easily transportable, small travel bag and has lovely extras such as the hanging toy bar and night light which are well thought out.It’s compact and lightweight, meaning it can be easily moved from room to room and transported in its handy carry bag. It's impressively easy to set up and fold down – a true highlight compared to trickier styles such as the Joie Kubbie Sleep.

When testing travel cots, we considered size and weight limits, mattress quality, effectiveness, ease of build/fold, ease of transportation, any extra features or additions, and value the money. Do you plan to use the travel cot frequently during the year, or do you need it for a particular holiday? This is partly to enable a compact fold and easy storage, and is why travel cots are usually not recommended for permanent overnight sleep. Travel cot mattresses are often the feature that parents are least satisfied with, as they are often thin and flimsy. If you're looking for an all-rounder for occasional use during the first couple of years of your child's life, it's a good value option that performs well.For parents who want a travel cot from birth – perhaps to keep at a family member or caregiver's house – the Joie Kubbie Sleep combines the functionality of a travel cot with that of a bedside crib, with a drop-down side operated by a button that allows easier access to a newborn while in bassinet mode. The Graco Contour Electra comes bursting with added extras, including practical additions like a cot-top changing unit, and fun ones like the mobile and battery-operated unit that plays tunes and vibrates the cot. If you're looking for a travel cot that will do double or even triple duty, this could be the product for you.