Best Toddler Beds Compared (UK Guide)

The best toddler bed for most UK families is a low frame with a guard rail that takes the cot bed mattress you already own, and that means a £65 IKEA SNIGLAR or £69 KRITTER rather than a premium frame. Price tells you little about safety here: RoSPA's advice on falls and bedrooms applies to every bed, from £65 to £320. This guide compares six toddler beds we list on price, mattress size, guard rail and who each suits, using manufacturer specs. For when to make the move, see our guide to moving from cot to toddler bed.

Toddler beds compared

Toddler bed	Price	Mattress	Guard rail	Best for
IKEA SNIGLAR	£65	70x160cm, bought separately	Built-in	Plain, durable first bed
IKEA KRITTER	£69	70x160cm, bought separately	Built-in	Reluctant movers who like character
Kidsaw Racing Car	£90	Standard 140x70cm cot bed mattress	Themed frame, low to the ground	Making the move exciting
Obaby Maya	£129	Standard 140x70cm	Fixed side guards built in	Mid-price, scandi look
John Lewis Elementary	£139	Cot bed size	None built in	Plain bed that looks grown-up
Stokke Home Bed	£320	Stokke system	Per Stokke system	Existing Stokke Home Cot owners

Prices are the figures we list and will move, so check the retailer before buying. We have not hands-on tested these beds, so everything below comes from manufacturer specs and retailer information. You can see all six on our toddler beds category page.

What RoSPA and the NHS say about toddler bedrooms

RoSPA says the most serious consequences of children's falls come from falls between two levels, such as from a bed, which is why a low frame matters in a first bed. RoSPA also advises keeping furniture away from windows, because as it puts it, "it's amazing what toddlers can use as a ladder", and fitting upstairs windows with a lock or a restrictor that lets air in but not children out. The NHS says to fit windows with locks or safety catches that restrict the opening to less than 6.5cm, and warns that unsecured blind and curtain cords can quickly wrap round a baby or toddler's neck. RoSPA advises against blinds with looped cords in a child's bedroom.

The NHS also says not to use pillows or duvets with babies under 1 year, so a toddler under that age should not be moving to a bed in the first place. Both organisations' advice is about the room as much as the frame, so use the checklist at the end of this guide before the first night. If your toddler is climbing out of the cot, our cot bed comparison may also help, since a cot bed converts rather than needing a second purchase.

Best budget toddler beds: IKEA SNIGLAR (£65) and KRITTER (£69)

IKEA SNIGLAR (£65)

The SNIGLAR is a solid pine frame with a natural, untreated finish, a low profile that sits close to the ground, and a built-in guard rail. A lower frame means a shorter drop if your toddler rolls out, which is the fall scenario RoSPA flags as most serious. The plain finish also tends to wear better than paint over the knocks of toddler life. Specced at 70x160cm, the mattress is not included, so budget for one on top of the frame price. The plain look has less pull for a nervous toddler, so you may need other tactics, like letting them pick the bedding.

IKEA KRITTER (£69)

The KRITTER has the same 70x160cm size and a built-in guard rail, with a playful animal-eared headboard that tends to win over a toddler who is reluctant to leave the cot. The trade-off is the painted finish, which scuffs and chips faster than the SNIGLAR's untreated pine, so expect visible wear within a year or two of regular use. If your child is excited by character and that excitement will smooth the transition, it is worth the extra £4. If you would rather it lasted looking new, the SNIGLAR is the better buy.

Best themed bed: Kidsaw Racing Car (£90)

The Kidsaw Racing Car is a low wooden frame shaped like a racing car, designed to make leaving the cot feel like an upgrade. Its biggest practical advantage is that it takes a standard 140x70cm cot bed mattress, so there is nothing extra to buy if the mattress is in good condition. As the bed sits low and is themed rather than rail-fitted, check what guard or rail option suits your child before the first night. The downside is shelf life: your toddler's tastes are likely to outgrow the theme before they outgrow the mattress size, whereas a plain frame stays appropriate for longer.

Best mid-range: Obaby Maya (£129) and John Lewis Elementary (£139)

Obaby Maya (£129)

The Maya is a low Scandinavian-style frame in white and natural wood with side guards built into the frame, sized for a standard 140x70cm mattress. It is a sensible step up from the IKEA beds in design for a modest price difference. The limitation is that the guards are fixed: you cannot lower or remove them in stages as your toddler becomes more confident getting in and out. Assembly is flat-pack, as with most beds in this range.

John Lewis Elementary (£139)

The Elementary is a plain painted pine frame designed to look like a small version of a normal bed rather than a novelty. It has no built-in guard rail, so for the first few months, particularly for a child who moves around in their sleep, a separate rail is worth considering. Be careful with rails: gov.uk guidance on bed rails, written for care settings, notes that most bed rails are designed for people over 1.46m tall and recommends gaps between bars of no more than 60mm. Choose a rail made for the specific bed and a young child, and check the manufacturer's instructions for fit. Its plain look has long visual staying power and tends to hold resale value better than a themed frame.

Premium option: Stokke Home Bed (£320)

The Stokke Home Bed is designed as a direct conversion from the Stokke Home Cot, sharing the same rounded wooden frame and finish. It makes financial sense mainly if you already own the matching cot and want the conversion rather than a separate bed. Bought as a standalone new bed, it is a premium design choice rather than a functional necessity, and nothing about it makes it safer than a £65 frame. Parents weighing it up against a cot that converts may find our cot vs cot bed vs Moses basket guide useful.

How to choose between them

• Tightest budget or small room: the SNIGLAR, whose low profile suits small bedrooms.
• Reluctant toddler: the KRITTER or Kidsaw Racing Car, where the design does some of the persuading.
• Already own a cot bed mattress: the Kidsaw, Maya or Elementary all take a standard-size mattress, saving the cost of a new one.
• Want guard rails built in without extras: the SNIGLAR, KRITTER or Maya.
• Own a Stokke Home Cot: the Home Bed conversion.

Buying second-hand to save money? Read our guide to buying secondhand baby gear safely first, and check the frame, fixings and rails are intact. If your toddler's move to a bed coincides with potty training, our potty training readiness guide covers night-time independence.

Before the first night: bedroom safety checklist

• Keep the bed and any climbable furniture away from windows, as RoSPA advises.
• Fit window locks or restrictors that limit opening to under 6.5cm (NHS).
• Use blinds without looped cords in a child's bedroom (RoSPA, NHS).
• Anchor chests of drawers and shelving to the wall so they cannot be climbed.
• Tape down the underside of any rug to stop a trip or fall (RoSPA).
• Fit a stair gate at the top of the stairs if your toddler can now leave the room alone at night.
• Keep pillows and duvets out of the bed for children under 1 year (NHS).