02.Results
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.
Results tables
| |
Features |
Specifications |
| Brand / model |
Mesh panels on three
sides |
Pocket |
Wheels |
Brakes |
Insect net |
Bassinet |
Change table |
Maximum weight / height
suitability (kg / cm) |
Weight (kg) |
Folded dimensions (cm, L x
W x H) |
Assembled dimensions (cm,
L x W x H) |
| Recommended |
Bertini Jet 3 in 1 003945 #
www.bertini.com.au |
• |
• |
• |
• |
|
• |
• |
14 / 86 |
15 |
77 x 25 x 24 |
114 x 84 x 76 |
Love N Care Play Land BP998
www.lovencare.com.au
|
• |
• |
• |
• |
|
• |
• |
13.6 / ns |
13.5 |
81 x 34 x 23 |
109 x 79 x 80 |
Mother's Choice Nova 2 in 1 005854
www.motherschoice.com.au
|
• |
• |
• |
• |
|
• |
|
14 / 86 |
13 |
77 x 27 x 23 |
114 x 84 x 76 |
Childcare Galaxy, 077200
www.childcareproducts.com.au
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
13.6 / 86 |
11 |
78 x 29 x 27 |
110 x 77 x 78 |
Steelcraft Sonnet 32416
www.britax.com.au |
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
15 / 90 |
12 |
79 x 30 x 28 |
115 x 80 x 78 |
BabyLove Momento 3 in 1 BL950 #
www.babylove.com.au |
• |
• |
• |
• |
|
• |
• |
14 / 88 |
16.5 |
83 x 28 x 23 |
110 x 78 x 83 |
Swallow Lite 'N' Easy Echo
www.babyco.com.au |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
13.6 / 85 |
11 |
83 x 28 x 27 |
111 x 77 x 83 |
|
Not recommended |
Phil & Teds T2
www.philandteds.com |
• |
• |
|
|
• |
|
|
ns |
3.5 |
57 x 24 x 24 |
138 x 90 x 66 |
Graco Pack 'n Play 9120JEGU #
www.gracobaby.com |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
14 / 86 |
9 |
80 x 26 x 25 |
102 x 72 x 80 |
Quicksmart Easy fold B77720 #
www.funtasticnursery.com.au |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20 / 89 |
10 |
78 x 23 x 60 |
114 x 78 x 70 |
| |
Table notes
# Discontinued, but some stock may still be available in stores.
ns not stated
(A) Failed due to changing table accessory.
(B) Failed due to toy bar accessory.
(C) Failed due to bassinet accessory.
How we tested
Safety performance and design was tested to the requirements of selected clauses of the AS/NZS 2195:1999 Folding cots – Safety requirements.
To determine ease of use, the portable cots were assessed on:
- How easy they are to set up and pack away.
- How easy they are to move around.
- How easy they are to store.
Accessories
A bassinette is simply a means to raise the sleeping platform from the bottom so you don’t have to bend down so far to reach the baby. The BabyLove and Love N Care bassinettes have gaps in which little fingers and limbs can get trapped — more distressing than deadly. The Mother's Choice or Bertini are better choices if you want a bassinette.
If you use a change table at home, you’ll appreciate their convenience while you’re away. Three of the cots on test (see the table below) have a table that you can attach to the top of the cot. But our testers discovered it’s really important to remove the change table when your child’s inside playing or sleeping — they have the potential to trap a baby’s limbs, fingers or even head.
The toy bar that comes with the Bertini is best left in the box: we found it was easy to break off bits of foam that could choke an infant.
Finally, while not strictly an accessory, the superfluous internal pocket of the Phil & Ted cot proved its undoing — it provides a foothold for an older baby to climb (or fall) out of the cot, so it fails against the Standard. But this cot does have certain advantages and if it takes your fancy, it could be worth rectifying the problem with a pair of scissors — see its profile for more.