Travel cots review

Thinking about going away with your little one? Well, you may find you need a travel cot. We asked Lara Green from Babyworld.co.uk to explain what we should look for when buying this piece of equipment.

 Lara, first of all do we need travel cots?

They're not essential but they're useful. For families who travel a lot they can be very, very handy.

What do they actually look like?

There are lots of different ones on the market. Older ones could be as big as your normal cot and they'll fold outwards and they usually have mesh sides. There are lots of new ones including some that fold down as small as a dinner plate and there are even inflatable ones.

From what age can you use a travel cot?

Some are from birth but some are from three or six months.  They all come with safety guidelines and most are really sturdy. It is worth looking at them and testing them out at first.

What did your panel look for?

Something that was easy to use, fold and put up. Also, if you're travelling abroad weight is important. They wanted versatility - some can be used as playpens. They also wanted something that's very comfortable. You want your baby to be as comfortable as they would as home. Some come with toy bars, changing bags and allsorts.

The winner for Best Busy and Best Vaule was the Graco Contour Electra travel cot. They felt it was a good all round buy.

How much are they?

Some start from as little as £19.99. You can get a good travel cot from as little as £30. Some of them with their own bags and wheels will cost around £80.