The Best Travel Cots for 2022

When it comes to managing the busy, hectic lifestyle of the everyday parent, there are some baby, toddler and child products that are a parent’s saviour, and a travel cot is certainly on that list. Safe and comfortable travel cots can be used to create an instant sleeping environment for your little one on-the-go, making them ideal for parents who frequently visit places without suitable baby accommodation.

Whether you travel a lot for work, regularly take your children away on holiday or rely on the babysitting services of friends and family, a portable, comfortable travel cot is a necessity. Ideal for both overnight stays and daytime naps, keep your little ones cosy away from home with our selection of the best baby travel cots for 2022.

What to look for in a baby travel cot

Before we drop you into the deep end of the best travel cots available in 2022, we’re first going to introduce you to the factors that make a travel cot stand out from the rest. These factors range from purely cosmetic, style elements to the more practical features of weight, size and comfort. Creating a personal priority list from these features can help to streamline your shopping experience by cutting out ill-suited travel cots from your list. After all, having a beautifully stylish travel cot is no good if it’s too big to fit into your car, so it makes sense to take note of your priorities before you start searching.

• Age suitability

Perhaps the most important consideration to make, choosing a travel cot that is suitable for the age of your little one is the first thing that should be on your mind. Many of the most lightweight, compact travel cots are suitable from 3 months to 18 months, making them ideal for very young children but unusable to toddlers. Other, larger cots that are more likely to have a longer lifespan, remain usable for up to 5 years of age, so the decision here is between a compact travel cot or a travel cot that will last a long time.

• Age adaptability

Some of the more versatile travel cot designs on the market can improve their age suitability by making them more adaptable to your little one. An upper cot attachment can turn a toddler travel cot into a newborn travel cot in a few simple steps. This is a favourable priority, particularly if you’re a parent on a budget - as this means you’ll likely get more use out of your travel cot as your little one grows.

• Weight

A key travel cot feature that will likely have a big effect on the practicality and manoeuvrability of your chosen travel cot is weight. If you need a lightweight, compact travel cot you need to pay close attention to the average kg. Typically, anything around 6-7kg is recommended, making it easy to carry one-handed.

• Folding capabilities

With morning and evening routines often being performed in silence around an already sleeping baby, having a quick and easy-to-fold baby travel cot is essential. For single parents especially, a one-handed fold that can be performed whilst holding a baby is a useful feature.

• Transportability

A somewhat obvious consideration, the transportability of your travel cot is worth looking into. Additional features such as a carry bag with convenient handles can make carrying a travel cot to and from the car a simple task instead of an unnecessarily difficult juggling exercise.

• Comfort

While a travel cot may not be as comfortable as a stationary baby or toddler cot, they should still provide ample comfort for your little one. A lie-flat position is essential and any additional features, such as a foam mattress, should help your baby achieve a deep, uninterrupted sleep.

• Style

Once the comfort and safety of a little one has been ensured, many parents turn to style as their next key feature. Fortunately, there are plenty of elegant, stylish travel cots to choose from that make no compromises on comfort, safety or practicality, giving parents the best of both worlds.

Which are the best travel cots in 2022?

As you can see from the long list of features above, the best travel cots on the market need to strike a balance between a number of elements. To help you find a compact travel cot that meets your specific priorities, we’ve selected three of the best travel cots of 2022 from top brands including Nuna and Bugaboo for your consideration.

Maxi Cosi Iris Travel Cot - Essential Graphite, £129.00

Available in a neutral graphite colourway that fits beautifully into many home interior styles, this grey travel cot is ideal for busy parents hoping to stick to a budget. With the Maxi Cosi baby travel cot, you get all the benefits of stylish design with plenty of innovative features to make your travelling experience easier.

Age adaptability: Perfect for new parents, the Maxi Cosi travel cot has two easily adjustable levels that provide a safe, comfortable sleeping space for your newborn or toddler. The higher level, which turns the Maxi Cosi into a suitable newborn travel cot, not only gives your youngster a lie-flat surface but also holds your baby at a convenient level for you, allowing you to lift your baby without having to bend down.

Weight: This innovative travel cot from Maxi Cosi weights less than 6kg, making it the lightest cot on our list. Easy to carry to and from the car, on public transport and through the home, this lightweight travel cot won’t weigh you down.

Transportability: Already light enough to lift and carry alone, the manoeuvrability of the Maxi Cosi travel cot for babies and toddlers is further improved by the included carry bag. Designed to hold the matching grey travel cot perfectly and fitted with convenient carry straps, you can carry it around hands-free.

Nuna Sena Travel Cot - Graphite, £160.00

Another cleverly designed grey travel cot, the Nuna Sena baby travel cot boasts a range of innovative features that make life easier for the parent and is one of our recommended travel cots for 2022. Incredibly stable and sturdy thanks to the ingenious zig-zag leg design, the Nuna travel cot can be popped up and placed wherever you are, with comfort and safety confirmed.

Style: With its sleek, stylish design, the Nuna baby travel cot strikes the perfect balance between practicality and style. Quick to pop out and re-foldable using only one hand, the grey travel cot from Nuna comes in a neutral tone that fits seamlessly into any home.

Age Suitability: Similar to the Maxi Cosi travel cot, the Nuna has an age suitability from birth due to a convenient upper attachment. Hassle free to add and even easier to lift away, this newborn attachment can be removed to extend the age suitability to up to three years. Comfort: For the entire first three years of your baby’s life, you can be assured that they’ll sleep soundly and safely in the Nuna Sena travel cot. With its slip-proof feet and sturdy design, no amount of rocking and rolling will allow the cot to shift. Additionally, the cushioned bed in the Nuna travel cot is covered with an additional quilted mattress, giving your little one a soft, gentle surface to sleep on.

Bugaboo Stardust Travel Cot & Sheet Bundle - Black, £220.95

 

A baby brand known for their ability to effortlessly combine practicality and style, it’s no surprise that the Bugaboo Stardust travel cot has made it onto our top travel cots of 2022 list. Available to purchase at Direct4Baby in a sleek black colourway or a neutral melange grey, the Bugaboo travel cot can be purchased alone or as part of a bundle with matching baby travel cot bedding.

Style: The Bugaboo Stardust travel cot is undeniably stylish. With a design that mirrors a traditional baby cot, the Bugaboo travel cot features both a safe toddler compartment and an attachable bassinet level. With additional subtle features like the lightweight mesh outer, the two-toned carry bag and the Bugaboo logo, the Bugaboo travel cot meets the brand’s impressive reputation for style.

Fold: In order to make setting up and packing away a quick, simple process, the Bugaboo Stardust travel cot features a 1 second pop up and can be folded away with the in-built mattress still inside. This limits time spent fumbling around with a sleepy baby, making evenings, mornings and daytime naps a breeze.

Comfort: As always, Bugaboo have designed their black travel cot with baby safety and comfort firmly in mind. The stylish mesh outer layer is perfect for encouraging a cooling airflow, the in-built mattress is firm and supportive and the matching travel cot bedding is made from a super soft cotton, perfect for sensitive skin.

Are baby travel cots worth it?

The primary use of a compact travel cot is to quickly create a safe, comfortable space for little ones to sleep and, whether that be for a nap on a day out or for a full night’s sleep when staying with a babysitter, they can be a lifesaver for parents. If you live an active lifestyle and need a compact travel cot to help support your traveling, our collection of baby and toddler travel cots has everything you need.

From the travel cot itself to essential baby sleeping accessories like comfortable travel cot bedding, bring ease to naps and bedtime on-the-go online at Direct4Baby.