When you’re travelling overnight with a toddler, a good travel cot is your best friend.
We all know the chaos that’s caused when your little one refuses to sleep or doesn’t get their normal number of hours.
Some sleep disruption should be expected when you’re sleeping somewhere new (for both you and your child!) but you can minimise this by providing them with a comfortable, safe and familiar place to sleep — i.e. the best travel cot.
As with all things baby related, there are a huge number of travel cots on the market and it can be overwhelming to choose the best one for your circumstances.
We’ve compiled this guide to the best travel cots – including all the things you need to consider before buying, as well as the best products on the market right now.
Let’s get into it…
What Are The Best Travel Cots?
Venture Airpod
The Venture Airpod has long been one of our number one picks for the best travel cot for toddlers.
It’s a dead ringer for the (much more expensive) BabyBjörn cot, feels sturdy and is really easy to assemble — an absolutely essential quality when you’re travelling with little ones. It folds down very compactly so is a good pick if you’re low on space or on public transport. It’s suitable for kids up to 36 months so should serve you well for a long time.
| Age Suitability | 0-3 years |
| Weight | 6 kg |
| Dimensions (cm) | 100 x 66 x 55 |
| Mattress Included? | Yes |
Why We Chose It
- Nicely lightweight, compact and portable
- Looks very similar to the BabyBjörn, at a fraction of the price!
- Comes with a quality mattress and strong carry bag
- Easy to assemble and take down
- Feels sturdy and high quality
- Excellent price
- Stylish design (designed in the UK!)
Potential Cons to Consider
- If we’re being super picky, the fact that the cover isn’t machine washable
Maxi-Cosi Iris
Maxi-Cosi is a prestige brand when it comes to baby and child equipment, and this travel cot really lives up to their reputation.
Is it expensive? Yes, but it’s worth the cost if your budget allows. It’s very lightweight, comes with a high quality mattress and has the brilliant feature of offering two different height-adjustable levels — a bassinet level for newborns and young babies, and the full depth for older kids up to age 3. It’s easy to take up and down and even comes with a stylish travel bag for maximum portability.
| Age Suitability | 0-3 years |
| Weight | 5.4 kg |
| Dimensions (cm) | 115 x 69 x 67 |
| Mattress Included? | Yes |
Why We Chose It
- Contains two height-adjustable levels — a top one for newborns and a lower one for toddlers (great for recent c-section mums who can’t bend down too far!)
- Really lightweight and portable
- Very easy to set up and take down
- High quality mattress included
- Comes with a carry bag for extra portability
- Feels very sturdy and durable despite light weight
- Stylish design
Potential Con to Consideer
- A little expensive (although worth the investment if your budget allows)
Micralite Sleep and Go
The Micralite is another much-loved toddler travel cot that offers a lot in the way of features (although does come with a higher price tag).
Like the Maxi-Cosi, it has the two different height levels and comes with a good mattress and a travel bag. One of the things we really like about it is that it can be transformed into a playpen for toddlers and even has padded sides so they won’t get hurt if they’re bouncing around! It’s not quite as lightweight as some of the others on this list but still folds down to a compact size.
| Age Suitability | 0-3 years |
| Weight | 7 kg |
| Dimensions (cm) | 112 x 80 x 68 |
| Mattress Included? | Yes |
Why We Chose It
- Two different height levels for newborns and toddlers
- Transforms into a playpen with a zipped side panel
- Heavily padded frame to protect overzealous toddlers!
- Easy to set up and take down
- Folds down reasonably compactly to fit in a car boot
- Comes with a quality mattress
- With newborn insert, can be used as a side sleeping crib
- Comes with a travel bag for portability
- Sturdy and durable
Potential Cons to Consider
- Expensive
- Not super lightweight or compact
Red Kite Sleep Tight Travel Cot
The Red Kite Sleep Tight is one of our favourite budget travel cots.
It’s easy to assemble, folds down neatly and feels very sturdy to touch. It also comes with its own travel bag for transportation. At just over 7kg, it’s not the most lightweight cot and the included mattress isn’t of the best quality in our opinion — we’d definitely recommend buying another one if you can as fussy sleepers may not find it the most comfortable sleeping position.
| Age Suitability | Birth to 15 kg |
| Weight | 7.08 kg |
| Dimensions (cm) | 102 x 75 x 72 |
| Mattress Included? | Yes (although consider buying another) |
Why We Chose It
- Great budget price
- Easy to assemble and fold up
- Comes with a mattress and carry bag
- Reasonably compact when folded down
- Large mesh ‘windows’ allowing you and your child a good view!
- Feels very sturdy and stable
Potential Cons to Consider
- The included mattress doesn’t seem comfortable – we’d recommend investing in another one if you can
- Not particularly lightweight
Nuna SENA Aire
Nuna have made a name for themselves as a really high quality baby brand and the SENA Aire travel cot very much lives up to the hype.
You can take it up and down with just one hand, which is absolutely invaluable for parents and carers dealing with toddlers! It’s got dual height levels, comes with a quality mattress and boasts very good air flow — this definitely feels like one of the best travel cots you can buy right now. But on the flipside, it’s very expensive and really quite heavy at almost 10kg.
| Age Suitability | Birth to 15 kg |
| Weight | 9.7 kg |
| Dimensions (cm) | 105.6 x 77 x 74.5 |
| Mattress Included? | Yes |
Why We Chose It
- Super easy to set up and take down — with just one hand!
- Quality mattress included
- Very sturdy and durable
- Excellent air flow and ventilation
- Stylish design
- 2 height levels for newborns and toddlers
- Feels spacious
Potential Cons to Consider
- A lot heavier than the other cots on this list
- Quite expensive
Hauck Dream’n Play
One of the most popular and budget friendly toddler travel cots is this Dream’n Play from Hauck.
It feels very similar to the slightly cheaper Red Kite — easy to assemble, feels sturdy and folds up somewhat compactly. Much like the Red Kite, we’d recommend investing in another mattress as the one that’s included doesn’t feel particularly comfortable.
| Age Suitability | Birth to 15 kg |
| Weight | 7.5 kg |
| Dimensions (cm) | 127.5 x 76 x 69 |
| Mattress Included? | Yes (although consider buying another) |
Why We Chose It
- Easy to assemble and fold up
- Comes with a folding mattress and carry bag
- Reasonably compact – will be fine if you’re transporting it in your car
- Large mesh ‘windows’ give you a good view of your child and allow them to see out
- Feels durable and sturdy
- A few different colour options
- Good price
Potential Cons to Consider
- It’s worth investing in another cot mattress as the one included doesn’t feel comfortable
- Not the most lightweight option available
BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light
BabyBjörn is probably the best known brand when it comes to travel cots and, for many parents, remains the best on the market thanks to its prestigious reputation.
Lightweight, stable and durable with a quality mattress, this is definitely one of the highest quality toddler travel cots we tried. It also looks really good so is definitely a good choice if you’re conscious of the aesthetics! It’s not perfect though — alongside being expensive, we found it could potentially be a little draughty in certain conditions as it mounts directly onto the floor.
| Age Suitability | 0-3 years |
| Weight | 6.14 kg |
| Dimensions (cm) | 112 x 64 x 82 |
| Mattress Included? | Yes |
Why We Chose It
- Really easy to set up and take down (no loose parts)
- Lightweight so highly portable
- Comfortable and safe mattress included
- Soft sheet also included
- Some airlines will accept it as a carry-on in the included carry case
- Highly durable — even with mischievous toddlers!
- Feels very stable despite the lightweight
- Mattress cover can be machine washed
- No weight limit – suitable until your toddler is able to climb out (around 3 years)
- Stylish design
Potential Cons to Consider
- It’s expensive
- It mounts directly onto the floor so please consider suitable sleepwear for your toddler according to the floor temperature
- The sides are high — great for keeping your toddler in but parents on the shorter side/mums still recovering from a c-section should bear in mind it’s a long way to bend down!
Graco Compact Travel Cot
The Graco travel cot is another good low-budget choice that would also work as a playpen due to its spacious feel and transparent mesh sides.
It has a push-button fold that makes it easy to put up and bring down and feels very sturdy and stable on the ground. Although it folds down well, it is on the heavier side at almost 9 kg and the included carry bag doesn’t have a handle for some reason, which makes it a little hard to lug around. The mattress has a folding mechanism which, while great for space efficiency, isn’t the most comfortable.
| Age Suitability | Birth to 3 years |
| Weight | 8.95 kg |
| Dimensions (cm) | 102.5 x 72.5 x 79.5 |
| Mattress | Yes (although you may want to invest in another) |
Why We Chose It
- Excellent low price
- Easy push-button fold to assemble and fold down
- Comes with a mattress and carry bag
- Very sturdy and stable
- Feels spacious and would work as a playpen
- Folds down reasonably compactly in a car boot
- Large mesh ‘windows’ provide great views for you and your child!
Potential Cons to Consider
- Heavy compared to most of the other cots on the list
- Unfortunately there’s no handle on the carry bag which makes it an awkward carry
- The included folding mattress is a little uncomfortable – we’d recommend getting another one if your budget allows
How to Choose
Do You Actually Need a Toddler Travel Cot?
As you can see, toddler travel cots vary hugely in price but some of them can be a real investment, depending on your budget.
If you’ve had a quick glance at Amazon and furrowed your brow at some of the prices, you might be thinking, ‘Do I even need one?’
The answer could well be ‘no’.
Travel cots are mostly used for, well, travelling.
Duh.
But most mid-range and above hotels and holiday rentals already come equipped with a cot for your little one, so if you’re only intending to use it for holiday travel then it might be worth checking if the types of places your family usually stays at already has one available. Chances are, they do.
But if you often stay over in people’s homes or if Granny and Grandad have the kids to stay occasionally, then a travel cot will most definitely come in handy.
Where a mattress on the floor might provide a simple place to sleep for your toddler when they’re away from their bed, it doesn’t do much else.
A good travel cot, on the other hand, will be safe and inviting for your little one to fall asleep in and will keep them contained.
Very important when they’re staying somewhere new…
They can even function as a playpen — or a little den for your toddler to play by themselves.
What to Look for in a Travel Cot
If you’ve decided that your family will benefit from owning a travel cot, then there are a few things worth considering before you buy.
There are 3 key things that make for the best travel cots:
- Weight and Footprint
- Ease of Use
- Durability
Weight and Footprint
The number one thing that most parents are looking for in a travel cot are that it’s lightweight and compact.
The smaller and lighter the cot, the easier it is to carry around and store.
If you wanted a large and heavy cot, you’d just buy a normal cot instead, right?
Exactly how light and compact will depend on your circumstances.
Some people are simply happy with a product that can easily fit in the car boot and isn’t too heavy to carry to the front door. Others want something truly lightweight and compact that can be taken on a plane or carried around easily on the bus. Size is important, especially if you’re carrying a pushchair too!
If weight is really important to you, take a look at the Maxi-Cosi Iris, Venture Airpod and BabyBjörn Light above.
Ease of Use
When we say ‘ease of use’, we mean how easy it is to assemble, pop up and then collapse down again.
The easier and quicker the better — especially when you’ve got a wriggling toddler to put down or even a screaming newborn.
And if the travel cot is destined to be at Granny and Grandad’s house, you want one that’s simple enough for them to be able to work out too.
All the cots in our list score highly on the ease of use metric, although the Maxi-Cosi Iris, Graco Compact, BabyBjörn Light and Nuna SENA Aire are leading the pack. The Nuna can even all be done with one hand!
Durability
Another major feature to look for in a travel cot is durability — you want it to last well.
The cots on our list are all suitable to be used until around 3 years of age/15 kg/when they decide they want to climb out of it, which is a good lifespan for such a product.
If you decide to go for a super budget version or one that isn’t well made, you might find that the cot doesn’t reach that point and you’ll need to replace it before your toddler has outgrown it.
It can be hard to judge durability when you’re buying online, so look out for reviews that reference how sturdy and stable the cot is, the quality of the brand you’re buying, and just generally how other users have found it.
Extra Features
Less important than the big 3 factors above but still worth noting are what little extras are provided with your travel cot.
Generally speaking, the more you spend, the more features you’ll get.
They might not all be useful for your circumstances, however, so don’t feel like you have to spend a lot if you’d be satisfied with less.
- A bassinet insert/height adjustability depending on your child’s size and age
- Good ventilation and airflow
- Stylish design
- Machine washable covers
- A great mattress
- A handy travel bag
How Much to Spend on a Toddler Travel Cot
How much to spend on a travel cot will entirely depend on your family’s circumstances — budget, what you’re looking for in a cot, and just generally how much you want to spend.
There’s no right answer here.
A good starting point for determining your budget is to decide how much you’re likely to use a travel cot and what you need from it.
If you’re planning on your toddler using it multiple times per month at your parents’ house, for instance, you’ll probably want to invest in something that you know your kid will love and your parents will be able to use easily.
But if you’re buying a cot for only occasional or sporadic use, you probably don’t want to spend a lot — maybe the Red Kite or Graco Compact will be a better fit at well under £50.
As we mentioned earlier, the more you spend, the more you can usually expect in terms of features. Similarly, the big luxury brands (BabyBjörn and Nuna) are inevitably more expensive than the midmarket ones on the list.
Regardless of how much you have and want to spend, however, we’re certain you’ll be satisfied with the travel cots on our list.
Let us know which ones are your favourites!
Head over to our advice section for more tips on travelling with a toddler!
