Portable cots review 2007

What to buy

Brand and price

• Bertini Jet 3 in 1 003945 # - $199
• Love N Care Play Land BP998 - $170
• Mother's Choice Nova 2 in 1 005854 - $160
• Childcare Galaxy 077200 - $120
• Steelcraft Sonnet 32416 - $109
• BabyLove Momento 3 in 1 BL950 # - $180
• Swallow Lite 'N' Easy Echo - $79

# Discontinued, but some stock may still be available in stores.

The models in the 'What to buy' list are recommended based on the base cot only. We found some cots were let down by their accessories, but we didn't fail those cots as you might not use the accessories. See Accessories, below, and the profiles for more details.

What about the rest?

• The Graco failed due to holes in the upper corners of the cot which could trap or snag a child’s clothing to become a strangulation hazard. There were also minor failures, including potential limb entrapment.
• The frame of the Quicksmart provided a foothold through the mesh sides of the cot. An older baby or toddler could climb out of the cot and fall to the floor. Regarding ease of use, the frame required a lot of strength to pull the legs into place.
• The Phil & Ted failed because it has an internal mesh pocket which provides a foothold (see its profile for more about this). It has a lot of short poles which need to be put together to make the frame. This is easy but time-consuming — it takes about five minutes or so.

Product profiles - the best

All these portable cots passed our major safety tests, but some of their accessories didn't (see the profiles below for details). All are quick and easy to set up and fold away. Prices are recommended retail prices, as advised by manufacturers in August/September 2007, or the price we paid. 

Bertini Jet 3 in 1 003945 #

Price: $199

Good points

• Easy to move around using wheels while set up or packed.

Bad points

• The changing table has finger and limb entrapment hazards.
• Parts of the toy bar can be broken off and swallowed or inhaled.
• It’s heavy to carry when you can’t wheel it.

# Discontinued but might still be available in some shops.

Love N Care Play Land BP998

Price: $170

Good points

• Easy to move around using wheels while set up or packed.

Bad points

• The bassinette has finger entrapment hazards.
• The changing table has a finger entrapment hazard, and could trap the baby’s head if the table’s in place while the baby’s in the cot. It also has openings where child’s clothing could get caught and cause strangulation. You should always remove the change table when the child’s in the cot.
• It’s heavy to carry when you can’t wheel it.

Mother's Choice Nova 2 in 1 005854

Price: $160

Good points

• Passed all safety tests.
• Easy to move around using wheels while set up or packed.

Bad points

• It’s heavy to carry when you can’t wheel it.

Childcare Galaxy 077200

Price: $120

Good points

• Passed all safety tests.

Bad points

• No wheels.
• Heavy.

Steelcraft Sonnet 32416

Price: $109

Good points

• Passed all safety tests.

Bad points

• No wheels and it’s heavy to carry.

Baby Love Momento 3 in 1 BL950 #

Price: $180

Good points

• Easy to move around using wheels while set up or packed.

Bad points

• The cot has two locking mechanisms, as required by the Australian Standard, but in the unlikely event that both fail, there’s a risk the baby’s head could become trapped. *
• The bassinette has a finger entrapment hazard. *
• The changing table could trap the baby’s head if the table is in place while the baby’s in the cot. You should always remove the change table when the child’s in the cot. *
• It’s heavy to carry when you can’t wheel it.

# Discontinued but might still be available in some shops.
* The manufacturer disagreed with our results.

Swallow Lite ‘N’ Easy Echo

Price: $79

Good points

• None to mention.

Bad points

• Gaps in the top corners of the cot could trap a limb. *
• No wheels and it’s heavy to carry.

* The manufacturer disgreed with our results. It's possible that manufacturing variations might explain why our sample failed.
 

Product profiles - the rest

The remaining portable cots are profiled below. Prices are recommended retail prices, as advised by manufacturers in August/September 2007.

Phil & Ted T2

Price: $220

Good points

• Very light, very small when packed and easy to carry — a genuine travel cot.
• Zip-up insect mesh.

Bad points

• Mesh pocket inside the cot provides a potential foothold for a toddler to climb. You could cut off the pocket to avoid this hazard.
• Minor risk of finger entrapment in the zipper tags.
• Takes longer than the others to set up and fold away (about five minutes).

Graco Pack ‘n Play 9120JEGU #

Price: $100

Good points

• Easy and quick to set up and fold away.

Bad points

• Cot has gaps which could trap child’s clothing and cause strangulation. *
• Limb entrapment hazard at the top corners of cot. *
• Fails design requirements for folding mechanism, but passes performance requirements. *
• No wheels.
• Heavy to carry.

# Discontinued but might still be available in some shops.
* The manufacturer told us this cot complies with European standards.

Quicksmart Easyfold B77720 #

Price: $169

Good points

• Quick to set up and fold away.

Bad points

• Cot has accessible footholds, which could cause child to climb and fall out of the cot. The manufacturer told us they've redesigned this cot to remove that problem.
• Heavy to carry.
• When setting up the cot it requires strength to extend and lock the legs into the required position.
• No wheels.

# Discontinued but might still be available in some shops.

Safety

Portable cots can be dangerous. Here's how to keep your child safe.

• Don't use a portable cot if your child weighs more than 15kg.
• Don't put additional mattresses in the cot.
• Inside surfaces should be free of bumps, ledges and protruding parts so children can’t hit their heads, get their clothing snagged or use them as a foothold to climb out of the cot.
• There should be no entrapment areas, where children can trap limbs, heads or fingers.
• There should be no sharp edges or points where a child could injure itself.
• The mattress should be firm enough and fit snugly without gaps on any side.
• Remove all toys from the cot when the child is sleeping.
• The rails should have two locking mechanisms to prevent accidental collapse and closure. Check these before placing your child in the cot.
• The cot floor shouldn’t sag. Press down on the base to check this.

At present manufacturers don't have to make their portable cots to meet the Australian Standard. However, for safety's sake our advice is to check that the portable cot you buy complies with the voluntary Australian/New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS 2195:1999).

Features

• The cot should be easy to assemble and fold up (all the ones in this test are), not be too heavy and have a carry bag. Some models fold such that the wheels protrude from the carry bag, so it's easier for you to wheel the bag around.
• The mesh sides should provide good ventilation and allow you to easily see the baby.
• A pocket on the outside — out of reach of the baby — is handy for storage. An insect net for the top will keep out larger insects, but smaller ones like mosquitoes may still get in through the side mesh.
• Some cots have a removable fitted sheet, which can be taken out for washing.
• Accessories like a bassinette or change table can be useful, but they also have risks. See What to buy and the profiles for more details.

Why not use a portable cot all the time?

Portable cots are often cheaper than regular ones, plus you can move them around easily and take them with you when you’re out and about. So why not skip buying a regular cot and just stick with the portable?

Well, you probably could if you were determined, but it’s better to use a regular cot on a daily basis. There are several reasons for this.

Firstly, regular cots are sturdier and more durable than portable cots. They can also accommodate larger babies, so you’ll get more use out of them. An average two-year-old will be slightly larger than the recommended size for most portable cots, whereas a regular cot — especially one with a bed-conversion kit — can be used till they’re three or four.

Also, they’re higher off the ground than a portable cot, so you don’t have to bend so far to pick the baby up.

See our test of regular cots for more information and product recommendations.