Five of the best value baby cots for under £100

The Lowdown

Buying a cot is one of the three essential big baby buys you'll probably make - the others being a pushchair and a car seat. It's going to take a big chunk of your budget, so choosing the right one is very important. Some models cost well over the £300 mark, but if you've got less than that to spend, don't worry, as there are still some great options for well under a £100.
The first decision is to choose between a cot and a cotbed. Cots last for around two years, while a cotbed could be in use for much longer, as it can convert to a junior sized bed for the preschool years. Cotbeds tend to be more expensive, but they do have drawbacks. If you have a second child, you might need to use it as a cot again for them, so you'll might never have a chance to convert it to a bed for your older child after all.

What to look for

A mattress base that can move to different heights so you can adjust it to suit your baby's age and stage is always useful. Rubber teething rails along the top can protect the wood (and your baby's teeth) when they’re cutting teeth. A drop side can also be useful in the early weeks so you can lean over and get your baby in and it of the cot more easily. This can also be helpful if you've had a C Section to minimise stooping over.

Need to know

An important thing to think about is the mattress. Poorly fitting or dirty mattresses have been linked to an increase in the risk of SIDS so always get advice from your chosen retailer. Even if you buy a second hand cot you should always buy a brand new mattress. 

1. Sniglar cot, Ikea, £39
This simple beech cot is part of Ikea’s basics range, and is the ideal buy if money is tight. There’s little in the way of features, there are only two mattress base heights for example, but the wide and airy slats will give you a great view of your baby from across the room and the price is affordable for all.

Styled with clean, contemporary lines, the Chloe Cot has fixed sides and a classic white finish with all-round wooden slats, 3 mattress base heights, protective teething rails on both sides and fits continental cot mattress 120cm x 60cm (sold separately).

3. Rafferty cot, Asda, £69
Crafted from solid pine wood, the Rafferty Cot hass compact dimensions make it a great choice for smaller nurseries.

The Amelia cot is a contemporary slatted cot design complete with Kinder Valley Kinder Flow Mattress.

5. Space Saver Cot, Saplings, £99.99
If you’ve got a smaller than average home, this model could be the answer, as it's more compact than most standard-sized cots. It comes with a mattress included, which most cots don’t, which is a bonus and still has great features like a drop side and three mattress heights, despite the reduced size. The downside is that as it’s smaller, it won’t last your child as long.