Boori Urbane Cot Bed review

Australian brand Boori may have been selling furniture since 1993, but it is the newest furniture maker on the block in the UK.

The Urbane cot bed is facing some stiff competition in the form of the Babies R Us Sleigh Cot Bed (£299.99), East Coast Alaska Sleigh cot bed (£324.99), the Babystyle Hollie (£299.99), Obaby Lincoln Sleigh Mini (£219.99) and Silver Cross Notting Hill (£350) cot beds.

Still, the Urbane is making quite an impression, having been awarded a gold medal in the 2016 Prima Baby & Pregnancy awards.

Boori were also awarded a Greenguard Gold accreditation. This means their products are tested quarterly and annually to ensure minimal chemical emissions that could irritate the sensitive skin of young children.

The Urbane range is positioned as ideal for modern living and small size pieces than their other collections. It converts from a cot to a toddler bed, has two base heights and is suitable from birth to around 5 year.

First impressions?

With a 13-month-old and a 3-and-a-half-year-old, I know too well how quick kids grow and how fast they can break things!

As soon as I took the Urbane by Boori Sleigh Cot Bed out of the box, I immediately knew it would be strong enough to withstand my growing family.

However, the Urbane range is only covered by a 2-year, no quibble warranty, a bit disappointing that Boori doesn’t seem to have the same confidence in this range.

I tested the bed length with my 3 year old and she had a good few inches of room to grow so I do think the bed would last until she’s 5 – but not much longer.

How long does it take to assemble the Urbane by Boori Sleigh Cot Bed?

Assembly was fairly quick, we did it in just 30 minutes. Maybe it would have taken less time if we weren’t exhausted parents to 2 young children.

My husband who was helping me and has put together all our furniture said “this is child’s play”. I also found it to be one of the easiest assemblies I’ve undertaken.

There’s just a few pieces that fit together well so the “work” is to just line them up and screw them into place.

Boori seem to have thought about assembly thoroughly. One of my favourite items in the box was an allen key with an oblong handle.

So much easier to use than the usual “L” shaped allen keys (one of which was also included) especially in tight corners where you typically can’t do repeated rotations. The modified allen key helped facilitate assembly and I found it a quirky yet useful addition.

The instructions were the typical illustrations that manufacturers use with just a few sentences to indicate which type of screw went where.

Saying that, they were very easy to understand and we just needed to glance at them a few times as it was quite a logical process.

Assembly should take place in the room it will be used in as at 78cm wide, it would be a challenge to fit through most doorways.

We learnt this the hard way as we did the initial assembly in the living room while the kids were sleeping only to have to quickly take off one side to get it in the bedroom. It was too wide for the door and so long that it was hard to swing it round in the corridor. Doh!

Once assembled my first test was to give the cot bed a good shake and it didn’t budge. Other cots – even when securely assembled – tend to have a little “give” on the shake test.

To further test durability I got into the cot bed myself to see if it could take my weight. Not even a creak. However hubby did say “do you think that’s a good idea” and I got out quickly!

Does the Urbane have a drop-down side?

No it doesn’t! My 13-month-old is in the 98 percentile for height and weight so quite heavy – especially when in a deep sleep.

I find that the process of lifting her up and over to put her down is something I have to think about and prepare for each time.

I’m 5’8” so for anyone shorter this could be even more difficult. It’s a heave-ho-up-&-over-you-go process that I’ve needed to perfect so that she’s not too alarmed by the landing.

I do wish this cot bed had a drop down side and feel that Boori have the skills to have done this well. It’s the main thing that stops me giving 5 stars.

How comfortable is it?

Very! My daughter slept extremely soundly in her new bed and wakes up from sleep looking very refreshed. It’s as if she can sense that she’s sleeping in a good quality bed!

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Is it a portable cot bed?

The Urbane is robust. It is a heavier piece of furniture, however still light enough that it is not a struggle for one person to move it into position.

The curve on the legs and slope of the sleigh design do add a few extra centimetres to the length and width of the cot bed.

Once assembled it is a large piece of furniture so a newborn will look tiny in it and have plenty of room to grow. It would also work best in a larger sized room as it has quite a presence.

Is it easy to change from cot to bed?

To convert from cot to bed was a simple process taking about 5 minutes in total. After a very brief review of the instructions I worked out that I just needed to remove one of the sides with the allen key.

I managed to do this quickly without any help. To make it a safer bed there is a Boori universal toddler guard panel sold separately for £39, which adds a protective barrier at your toddlers’ upper body.

For me this is an essential additional purchase as I like to know there’s something to stop toddlers from falling out of bed especially when they are first transitioned.

Can you use the Urbane by Boori Sleigh Cot Bed bed as a co-sleeper?

Yes, the Boori Urbane Sleigh can be used as a co-sleeper as you can change the height of the base position and remove one of the sides.

However, in my opinion, it’s too large for a cosy co-sleeping experience with a newborn. If you want your baby close then I’d recommend either a Moses basket or a purpose made co-sleeper.

If you’re happy to have baby in their cot from day one the Urbane will certainly do the trick and would be my preference.

With our first baby the Moses basket felt like a waste because we had her in her own room. Our second baby stayed with us longer as we didn’t want to wake her sister.

It does depend on your circumstances and preferences, however in my opinion, the Boori Urbane Sleigh will work just fine from birth.

Is it value for money?

Overall yes, it is. It’s not cheap, but you do get what you pay for. The quality of the Urbane does ensure value for money over some of the cheaper options available. It doesn’t seem overly priced as its durability will make it an investment.

Our previous cot bed was in the £100 range. It was not even close to the same quality nor did last as long. The drop side was complex to operate and made a noise that startled the baby. I now see how much of a difference going into a higher price range makes.

The only thing that lets the Urbane down is the fact it doesn’t have a drop-down side and the extras can be expensive. Boori sell several mattresses separately, ours is a Universal standard mattress - the cheapest option at £99 and a toddler guardrail is a further £39. So all-in-all you’ll spend £487, but it’ll last 5 years, which works out to be £97.40 a year.

What do you think of the design?

The gorgeous varnished wood and smooth curving ends, make you want to run your hands over them. The cot is a standout piece of furniture in our kids’ room. It’s clearly a cut above the rest and quite luxurious.

It’s reassuring to know that not only is the timber used by Boori premium grade (smoother and more consistent finish, low knot content) but it’s also from a sustainable source and laser cut to reduce waste.

The Boori Urbane Sleigh bed has very generous portions of this gorgeous timber. The feet in particular are wide, curved pieces of wood and the sleigh ends are majestic.

Photos of the Boori Urbane Sleigh don’t do it any justice, as in the flesh it’s quite impressive. There’s clearly been a lot of attention to detail and the finish is superior.

Is it easy to clean?

Very easy to clean. Damp cloth and the soggy cereal just seem to glide off.

What’s in the box?

(It came in 3 packages)

• Sleigh Cot bed (base, ends)
• Instructions
• Tools
• Mattress

Additional extras:

• Universal toddler guard panel - £39.00
• Universal tidy drawer - £69.00

MadeforMums verdict:

The Boori Urbane Sleigh cot bed is a robust investment piece that makes an impression.

Boori use environment conscious manufacturing techniques and pay attention to detail. It would be a great product to buy from birth, if you have the space and are happy with your little one sleeping a little further away from you.

However, if you want your little baby as close to your bed as possible, you should think about a safe co-sleeper or Moses basket.

And if you’ve had a caesarean or can’t bend over then this isn’t the furniture for you, as the lack of drop side will make it difficult to get your little one in and out of the cot bed, especially as baby gets heavier.

But if you have an older baby or toddlers, you’ll not find a better quality cot bed at this price and it’ll last all the way up to 5 years.

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