Joie Commuter Change Travel Cot review

It's all the extras included with the Commuter Change that makes this one of the best travel cots around. Not only is there a full-size bassinet, which will save your back when reaching down to your child, but the cot also comes with a changing table which handily clips onto the top.

The Specs

• Suitable from: Birth to 15kg

• Weight: 12.3kg

• Folded dimensions: D79cm x W25cm x H21cm

• Dimensions when upright: D106cm x W70.5cm x H80cm

• RRP: £105

• Resale value: £42

Size

First off, the Commuter is a great size. It easily held the seven-month-old who tested it; our tester even said she would have used the Commuter as her standard cot because of how convenient it was. This would have the added advantage of getting your baby used to the cot, so if you're also looking for a standard solution, this might be something to consider.

Features

The changing table was a big hit with our tester’s baby, who was happy to lie back and looked very comfortable. Attaching the changing table is easy, as Joie’s CustomClick attachers mean it simply clicks into place.

The bassinet uses this system too, so all you have to do is clip it onto the frame and put the mattress in. After testing a number of complicated set-ups, it was a relief to find something so straightforward.

Assembly

The cot itself unfolds by raising the arms until they click, then pushing down in the centre to make it flat. Once up, the cot looks really smart, and we loved the contrast of the pale grey netting with white top rail.

Fold

To collapse, there are plastic buttons on the side, making folding quick and easy. Overall we were impressed with the fold; although not groundbreaking, it does what it sets out to do very effectively.

Design

There are several designs to choose from with the Commuter, but all of them look smart and efficient, which is always a good look on something for a baby.

Day-to-day use

The one downside of the Commuter is that the attachments don't fit into the bag that it comes with. If you want to travel with everything, you’ll have to drag it all with you, changer, bassinet and all.

If you use public transport to get around, this would be a real problem, and we’d recommend looking at some more compact options like the Little Life Arc 2. If you have a car, the Commuter is pretty manageable. If you're planning to leave it at the grandparents’? Ideal.

The Commuter is also fab once your child can sit up – in some ways it's even more convenient, as you don’t have to carry the bassinet around separately. It's great as a playpen, and its larger size gives your child lots of room to crawl, roll over, or throw things (no judgement!).

Manoeuvrability

The Commuter has wheels for easy moving once assembled, a cool feature which we found especially nice on sunny days – depending on your access, you can even wheel the cot out into the garden, although if you want a sun shade or an insect net you'll have to buy them separately (Joie doesn't do its own, but a universal net from Amazon costs around £8).

Final verdict?

Overall, we think you'd be hard-pressed to find a travel cot that offers as much as the Commuter Change. Despite its slightly unwieldy method of transport, this cot does everything you could ask for, and its size means it will last for years.

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