Best Toddler Beds UK
Toddler beds here split on novelty appeal, mattress size, and how much of a matching furniture system you're buying into. IKEA's Sniglar (£65, the cheapest) and Kritter (£69) both use the same 70x160cm mattress size, low to the floor with a built-in guard rail — the Sniglar plain solid pine that shows scuffs less, the Kritter with a playful character headboard that tends to win over a reluctant toddler more easily. Kidsaw's Racing Car bed (£90) goes further on novelty with a full car-shaped frame, using a standard 140x70cm cot bed mattress instead, so no extra mattress purchase if you're reusing a cot mattress.
Obaby's Maya (£129) and John Lewis's Elementary (£139) both use that same standard 140x70cm size in a plainer, more grown-up-looking frame — the Maya with fixed built-in side guards, the Elementary an understated painted-pine bed with no guard rail included, sold separately.
Stokke's Home Bed (£320, by far the priciest) only really makes sense if you already own the matching Stokke Home Cot it converts from — otherwise the premium over any other bed here is hard to justify on toddler-bed features alone.
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Full comparison
 |  |  |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £69.00 (frame only) | £65.00 (frame only) | Around £90 (mattress sold separately) | About £129 (RRP £180) | Around £320 as a standalone bed, less as a conversion kit from the matching cot | Around £139 (mattress sold separately) |
| Overall score | 8.1/10 | 8/10 | 7.7/10 | 7.4/10 | 8.3/10 | 6.3/10 |
| Assembly | Flatpack | Flatpack | Flat-packed, self-assembly required | — | — | Flat-packed, self-assembly required |
| Material | Solid pine, painted finish | Solid pine, untreated/natural finish | Solid pine wood | Engineered wood | Solid beech and MDF frame | Solid wood frame |
| Mattress | Sold separately | Sold separately | — | — | — | — |
The verdict
On a budget, IKEA's Sniglar or Kritter both do the job well and use the same easy-to-source mattress size — pick the Kritter if your toddler needs more encouragement to leave the cot, the Sniglar if you'd rather a plainer look that shows less wear. Kidsaw's Racing Car bed is worth it if novelty matters most and you already have a cot mattress to reuse. Obaby's Maya or John Lewis's Elementary are the better step-up choices for a longer-term, less themed bed — the Maya for built-in guard rails, the Elementary if you'd rather choose your own rail separately. Only consider Stokke's Home Bed if you already own the matching cot.
Read the full reviews
Reviewed by
Sepehr
Software engineer, soon-to-be dad, uncle to four — the tech-obsessed half of the two of us testing this stuff. Currently building this site with my wife, ahead of our own baby arriving.