SnuzPod⁵ Bedside Crib review

The SnuzPod⁵ is the latest version of the much-loved bedside crib, suitable for babies weighing up to 9kg/20lbs (around 6 months). The new model features the same breathable mesh windows, but with the addition of mesh walls that zip down so your baby can be even closer to you during night feeds, while still safely in their own sleep space.

The SnuzPod⁵ is designed to fit divan, ottoman and framed bed bases, where the top surface of the adult mattress can be aligned with the top of the zip-down wall of the crib. Features also include a rocking stand, wheels for portability and a lift-off bassinet. My review is based on real-life daily use. I used it for 5 weeks.

How easy is it to assemble?

The website states that ‘all parts and tools are included,’ which is mostly true as all the parts are there in the box, but you will need an Allen key for assembly as well as a tape measure if you wish to measure your bed in order to choose the right height setting for the crib. That isn’t essential — we just guessed the correct height, and if it’s wrong, you can always adjust the setting later.

The website also states that assembling the SnuzPod⁵ can be done by one person and takes around 50 minutes. It would have taken me much longer alone, as I am not the quickest or most adept at following an instruction manual and assembling furniture! My partner, however, has assembled almost every piece of furniture we own and is much quicker than me, so took charge of this task. It took him just over an hour.

The instruction manual is pretty clear; every step is illustrated with pictures and numbers rather than giving any written instructions. We both agreed that if you can follow IKEA instructions, then you can follow these. There are a lot of parts and bits needing to go together and be screwed in, so it’s a little fiddly and requires some concentration.

I’d also recommend building in a big space if you can, so you can lay everything out and have plenty of room to build it, but then also take into account that you need to get it up to the bedroom, so you need to make sure the crib will fit through the door and up the stairs. It should fit fine, as it’s not very big.

How well does the SnuzPod⁵ bedside crib fit next to your bed?

There are 6 height settings so that you can adjust the crib height to your bed. Once everything is screwed together, it’s still fine to unscrew and adjust the height. The maximum height, to the top of the mattress, is 73cm. The lowest height is 53cm.

If you want to attach the crib to your bed, it is easy and there is a special page further on in the manual with written guidance as well as illustrations.

The crib includes a large white strap with

a buckle. The strap simply wrapped from the bottom pole of the bassinet and into one of the wooden slats on our bed, then pulled to tighten. It took less than five minutes to do this and felt secure.

However, after comparing the stability of the crib next to the bed, both with and without the strap attachment, we concluded that there was really no difference between the two. Without being strapped to the bed, the crib still fitted nicely next to us, was easy to manoeuvre if we needed to move it, but it didn’t slip or slide. So, we didn’t bother with the straps after that. I wonder whether our carpeted floor helped hold the crib more securely in place.

How easy is it to use for night feeds and settling?

I kept the side closest to our bed zipped down at night, so I could easily reach my daughter to pop her dummy back in her mouth in the early hours of the morning, give her a stroke, and scoop her out for night-feeds. I’d often then zip up the side for any day naps she had in there. It’s very smooth and quiet to zip up and down.

I felt completely confident that Izzy was safe sleeping in the SnuzPod⁵.

How comfortable and breathable is the SnuzPod⁵ bedside crib for your baby?

I gently tested the firmness of the mattress by pressing the middle and edges to see how much it springs back. My hand sank in a little so the mattress is clearly soft, but not too soft that it offers no resistance during sleep. I had no issue with the firmness of the mattress.

Izzy slept brilliantly in the crib at night pretty much from the start. Having been through various sleep stages with my eldest (we experienced everything from her waking every hour, to her sleeping through the night for 12 hours before she was six months old), I have researched a lot about early baby sleep over the years and know that it takes a lot for a baby to sleep well, so there could be various reasons why Izzy slept so well — and, to be fair, prior to us having the crib, she also slept well in her Moses basket. But there’s no doubt she felt comfortable and secure in the SnuzPod⁵.

She didn’t sleep so well in the crib during the day, however. She always preferred napping in the buggy outside (fortunately this was over summer!). By the time she was around nine weeks old, she was really resisting her day naps altogether and only occasionally napped in the crib.

During testing, we experienced a few summer heatwaves that pushed the room temperature up into the high twenties at night. We would change what she wore to bed with the weather but always kept her nighttime sleeps to the SnuzPod⁵ and she was always happy, which would suggest that the ComfortAir™ airflow design was effective.

We did not test the incline function. Izzy never had a reflux problem and the NHS advises against inclined sleeping even if the baby has reflux, but this is something parents should discuss with a health professional if unsure.

How easy is it to use around the home?

After we assembled the crib, I lifted off the bassinet very easily. It just lifts on and off and doesn’t require anything to be unscrewed. It’s lightweight to carry around. Once it was back on the stand, it was completely secure.

We didn't remove the bassinet very often because I was trying very hard for Izzy to sleep in the same place, i.e. our room, when she napped — otherwise she’d be napping out in the pram.

It is a great feature that you can remove the bassinet so easily, though. If we'd had the crib when she was younger, I probably would have moved the bassinet around the house more as we always wanted to keep an eye on her in the first few weeks, but at the time we were using a Moses basket.

Can the SnuzPod⁵ bedside crib be folded for storage or travel?

The crib cannot be folded away like a travel cot; you would need to disassemble it to store it away or get it in a car. But this does mean it is sturdier than a travel cot and more suitable, I think, for proper sleeping. It did not bother me that you can’t fold it away.

How does the SnuzPod⁵ compare to similar bedside cribs?

With my eldest, we used another bedside crib, the Chicco Next2Me, which various friends had recommended. My oldest daughter Mila had some very successful nights sleeping in that, but Izzy did not sleep well in it when we tried it.

The SnuzPod⁵ is much easier than the Next2Me to move around the room — it is lighter and the wheels feel more effective. One thing to flag, however, is that I think that overall the SnuzPod⁵ moves much better on wooden floors than on carpet. We don’t have a particularly thick carpet in our bedroom, but there was some resistance when I’d rock Izzy to comfort her (which I did often). I moved the crib into a wooden-floored room of our house to compare, and the rocking was smoother and it moved more easily on its wheels.

What did you think of the design of the SnuzPod⁵?

All the colours that the SnuzPod⁵ comes in are gorgeous and expensive-looking. Our one is Walnut and I especially like the neutral hue, which feels sleek, modern and looked great in our bedroom.

Does the SnuzPod⁵ bedside crib have storage?

On each end of the crib are rails which I found extremely useful for storage. On the end closest to me, I hung muslin cloths so that I could grab them easily in the middle of the night when I’d sit up in bed and lift the baby out for a feed. On the other end I hung spare clothes for her.

Does the SnuzPod⁵ feel durable and robust?

I certainly felt that the materials are high-quality and would last through the recommended 6-month usage and beyond. The crib could absolutely be passed down or reused for another child.

How easy is it to clean?

The liner can be removed and washed, although we fortunately never had to do this. To do so means unscrewing the two end bars of the bassinet and one side bar (eight screws to undo, and then redo, in total). It isn’t overly complicated — you’ll be familiar with the process after having put it together in the first place — but does take a solid few minutes to do. Plus, the liner needs to be hand-washed and air-dried, which is time-consuming.

Any leaks mainly affected the mattress sheet (machine washable but purchased separately) and mattress (which I would wash by hand and let air dry). It might be an idea to buy a mattress protector for all those nighttime little accidents.

Another downside is that the bottom section traps a lot of dust. While a lovely colour, the cream lining means dust shows up more easily.

What’s in the box?

• The crib’s frame broken down into lengths of wood
• Poles
• Foam mattress
• Fabric liner
• Straps
• Screws and bolts

Sustainability features

The parts, screws, tools, mattress and fabric liner can be bought individually from the Snuz website, should you need to replace anything.

The SnuzPod⁵ complies with BS EN 1130:2019, a European standard adopted in the UK that specifies the safety requirements and test methods for cribs, cradles, and bedside sleepers for infants until they can sit unaided. It also complies with BS EN 16890:2017+A1:2021, a European safety standard, adopted as a British Standard, that details the safety requirements and testing methods for mattresses used in cots, cribs, and other children's furniture for both domestic and non-domestic use.

Is it worth the money?

The SnuzPod⁵ is clearly a premium product. Whether you can justify the cost is unique to each parent. Compared to cheaper, similar products on the market, it is certainly superior in my experience.

Some parents won’t put a price on a good night’s sleep and for others it is an enormous amount of money. And, of course, there is no guarantee your baby will sleep. Every baby is different. However, I am convinced of its comfort and really love the style, size and ease of use.

If you can afford it and are comfortable spending this amount, then I would certainly recommend this product. Also, if you’re a first-time parent planning to have more children, then in theory you can get a great deal of use out of it so it could be a wise investment.

Where can I buy the SnuzPod⁵?

It is available from Boots, John Lewis and Snuz

MadeForMums Verdict:

I think the SnuzPod⁵ is suited to any parent who is happy to spend the money and has the space for it.

If you have a small bedroom you definitely need to think about whether you can fit a crib next to your bed and, if you can, that you are still able to move it around easily if needed. This, again, is why the compact size really appealed to us.

Even though I love the design, the most important thing for us was whether Izzu would sleep in it — and she did. This may have been for a great many reasons other than the crib itself, but clearly the crib was comfortable for her and ticked a lot of boxes for us. Be aware that cleaning isn’t the easiest and assembly does take a bit of time.