In a nutshell

A well-priced travel cot that can last through babyhood and into the toddler years, featuring a nifty 60-second folding system.

What we tested

  • Ease of assembly
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Portability
    A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.
  • Comfort
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Style
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Quality
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Worth the money
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
Overall Rating
A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.

Pros

  • Sturdy, roomy, perfect for small or big babies, great value for money

Cons

  • Heavy at 9.2kg if it has to be carried around a lot on travels

A holiday can be the salvation for exhausted parents of young babies. If you don’t take along a decent travel cot you’ll wish you’d stayed home with your baby in their normal cot. Luckily, this won’t happen with the Graco Compact travel cot

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The Graco Compact travel cot is wonderfully spacious and airy, making it suitable for babies from birth to around 3 years (14kg is the maximum weight), and also doubles as a playpen.

Although tricky the very first time, the cot’s 60-second patented folding system makes it as easy as A,B,C to set up and collapse – yet it fully locks and is safe for your baby.

It has mesh on all sides for ventilation and visibility and comes with a comfortable, foldable mattress.

What we love

There’s very little not to love about this product. Priced extremely competitively at £40 upwards (depending on retailer), the Graco Compact is big and sturdy enough to give you years of use, yet it folds up into a unit that, as the name suggests, is very compact. Obviously, smaller and lighter cots are available, but they won’t necessarily give you two to three years of use.

Particularly impressive is the folding system. You, like I, will probably take more than 60 seconds to unfold and collapse the Graco Compact for the very first time, but it won’t take long before you master the genius of this system, and that’s when the whole process becomes child’s play ( pardon the pun!). Once the frame has locked into place, it’s almost as firm and robust as an ordinary travel cot held together with bolts and nuts.

Once collapsed, the mattress folds around the cot and the whole unit slips into a supplied carry bag.

On price alone this travel cot would be a serious contender for many parents, but the features make this close to unbeatable value for money.

During its trial with us the Graco Compact travel cot got the ultimate vote of confidence from our young daughter: solid sleep and not a grizzle at having to leave her normal cot.

What to watch out for

A potential downside is the weight and size. The Graco Compact, at 9.2kg and 80cm long when folded, is certainly not the lightest or smallest on the market and its suitability may well depend on what type of travelling you have in mind.

At the risk of saying the obvious, the Graco Compact would not be the cot to take for backpacking and hiking holidays. Also, consideration must be given by parents who’ll be flying a lot, as this cot will count as a separate piece of luggage and therefore subject to often considerable charges that a growing number of budget and mainstream airlines lump us with.

Who is the Graco Compact travel cot best for?

Parents wanting to hit the road with baby and get away.

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MadeForMums verdict

The Graco Compact travel cot is a top product that’s competitively priced. After a little practice, the 60-second folding system will save you time and struggle. While not lightweight enough for backing folks, it will last for up to three years and is money well spent for a good night’s sleep.

Product Specifications

Product
BrandGraco
ModelCompact travel cot
Price£38.95
Suitable for
Child age (approx)Birth to 3 years
Dimensions & Weight
Weight9.2kg
DimensionsH:80cm W:72cm D:102cm
Dimensions (folded)H:80cm W:26cm D:26cm
Features
Features
  • Patented folding system
  • Mesh sides for ventilation and visibility
Accessories
Accessories includedFold-up mattress/base, carry bag
Optional extrasSheets, playmat
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