Cots
How we test cot mattresses
We use the standard test for cot mattress firmness to determine whether a mattress is safe for your baby.
Checking for firmness
Caregivers are usually advised to place babies on a "firm" surface to minimise the risk of suffocation, but what does this mean? Until recently, there was no standard test that defined what firmness actually is. A mattress that's too soft, could obstruct breathing if a baby happened to roll face-first into it.
The Australian/NZ standard for mattress firmness provides manufacturers with a definitive test using a special apparatus to determine softness. But we still aren't seeing many mattress-makers claim compliance on their packaging or websites. That's where CHOICE comes in.
- Our expert testers
- How we choose what we test
- How we test cot mattresses
- Mattress specifications
- Test criteria explained
Our expert testers
With more than 15 years of experience, our expert testers are the bees' knees of children's product testing. They've seen all the brands and varying cot configurations on the market, and have put each to the test. Our testers also sit on the Australian Standards committees for children's products.How we choose what we test
Most of the time, our priority is to test what you'll see in the retailers. Our cot mattresses typically come from brands you'll see in mainstream nursery or department stores, or ones that feature prominently when you search for them online.To come up with our list we survey manufacturers to find out about their range of models. Our buyers then purchase products as you the consumer would, either in-store or online.
This is to ensure that the products we received have not been tweaked with in any way or checked to make sure that particular model passed a particular test.
How we test cot mattresses
We use a special apparatus to determine whether a mattress is firm enough to be safe.
This is a voluntary standard, and you won't see many mattresses claim compliance, but the test is actually very simple and quick.
We tested cot mattresses for the first time in 2016 using a special apparatus that consists of a circular disk with two flat faces, as well as a feeler arm that extends over the disk. The whole apparatus weighs around 5.2kg.To test mattress firmness, the mattresses are first conditioned in the lab for two days to ensure consistent temperatures.
Each mattress is then decompressed by agitating or shaking it, in order to aerate it and distribute any filler material.
This mattress failed our firmness test, as the feeler arm makes contact with the mattress.
If the feeler arm happens to touch the sleep surface when it is placed horizontally on the mattress at any point, then the surface is too soft to be safe.
There is a DIY method that people can do at home using milk cartons and a stack of CDs or DVDs – it's not a substitute for the official test but it will give you an idea of firmness.
Mattress specifications
Specifications are not part of the firmness standard but they give you an idea as to whether the actual measurements differ greatly from the claimed measurements. For more on this see our buying guide.Test criteria explained
We recommend all mattresses that pass the safety test so long as the actual measurements are accurate enough. Models that receive 80% and up are recommended. Models that score 40% or below failed the firmness test.
Ready to buy?
See our cot mattress reviews.