Joie Kubbie Sleep Travel Cot review

Although it’s a relatively significant investment upfront, the Joie Kubbie Sleep offers some longevity as it can also be used as a playpen for older babies and toddlers. With a bassinet, mattress and smart travel bag included, it feels like good value for money.

Tested by:

Dominic and his wife tested the Joie Kubbie Sleep travel cot with their newborn daughter, Lulu, using it as a bassinet in their small London flat, and on a short trip to Lulu's granny’s house in Kent.

Is the Joie Kubbie Sleep easy to assemble?

Yes, thanks to its straightforward 12-page instruction manual. I am a complete DIY dunce, but it only took a few minutes to put together. However, a big criticism I have is that the mechanics are a bit sticky. For example, when erecting the main body of the cot, it should simply open and click into place. However, each time we’ve assembled the Joie Kubbie Sleep, it has taken a number of attempts.

There were no tools or special equipment required – it’s a simple ‘extend and click’. But it didn’t click! I tried again. And again. And again. Finally, it clicked. Perhaps we received a slightly faulty product as I imagine it should be incredibly simple. Besides this frustration, it is very simple and self-explanatory.

What age is the Joie Kubbie Sleep suitable for?

From birth to 15kg. The bassinet works for newborns, while the larger cot and playpen would be suitable for older babies and toddlers.

How does it work as a bedside cot?

We were keen to get a bedside cot for our newborn daughter to help with nighttime feeds. One of the great features of the Joie Kubbie Sleep travel cot is that it can be used beside the bed once its straps are attached to the bed, and its side is dropped. However, the side didn’t quite drop flush with our bed – but that may be because our bed is relatively low. It meant that my wife had to get up slightly to check on our daughter, or if she picked her up for a feed. As my wife had an emergency C-section, this made things slightly difficult.

How comfy is it for your baby?

Our two-week-old daughter looked a bit lost in the large bassinet, so although it’s suitable from birth, we opted to use a smaller Moses basket as our daughter’s main bed in our bedroom. When we went to Granny’s for a couple of nights, we used the Joie Kubbie Sleep.

Also, we noticed that the mattress is particularly thin compared with other bedside cots we have looked at. I was a bit concerned to feel the supportive frame down the middle as I patted the mattress. This has been OK for our 3.5kg newborn, but I wonder if it may be a problem once she grows and gains weight. Parents of bigger toddlers, therefore, might want to consider buying a thicker mattress.

A plus is that the cot is very well ventilated with mesh lining on all four sides – which was particularly useful during a heatwave.

How easy is it to see your baby in the Joie Kubbie Sleep?

The bedside feature with the drop side makes it, in theory, easy to see your baby when they’re in the cot. However, as mentioned above, it depends on the height of the bed. The mesh sides help with visibility, too.

Tell us about the side panel.

The side panel is quickly and easily raised and lowered with the press of two buttons. I wouldn’t say the button functionality is the smoothest, but it seems very well made and durable.

How easy is it to access your baby in the Joie Kubbie Sleep?

With the side dropped, it was simple to access our baby from the bed. My wife found it a bit awkward when bending down to pick our baby up or lower her down from standing because she was recovering from her C-section, but in general, we felt this shouldn’t be too much of a problem – but we’re both around 5ft 5in. Taller mums and dads may find this a bit uncomfortable, particularly those with bad backs!

What is the Joie Kubbie Sleep like to use as a travel cot?

The relatively quick speed with which I was able to assemble the Joie Kubbie made it particularly useful when travelling – it was ready in a few short minutes after arriving at Granny’s house! At nearly 8.8kg, it’s relatively easy to carry. (It’s important to note however, that there were two of us – I wouldn’t have been able to carry this and all our other stuff on my own!) I was also impressed by its clean design and neutral colour, which meant it fitted in well wherever we put it.

How portable is it?

The Joie Kubbie comes with a travel case that has a useful handle, which makes it very portable. Two of the cot’s legs also come with integrated wheels, which makes it extremely convenient to move around the bedroom once assembled. Both its weight and wheels were very helpful when we made our short trip to Granny’s house.

What do you think of the size of the Joie Kubbie Sleep when assembled, and packed away?

The size of the cot when set up is comparable to similar ‘next to me’ cots. At L99cm x W59.5cm x H80.5cm, it’s a tight squeeze in our small London bedroom, but quite spacious in Granny’s spare bedroom. When packed down, the cot is small and compact, measuring L27cm x W25cm x H80.5cm. It’s easy to store away (even in our London flat) and to fit in a car boot.

Does it feel durable?

Yes, I’m really impressed with the quality of the build, despite the ‘sticky’ mechanics. Once assembled, it feels sturdy enough to last a number of years, which will be helpful for when our daughter can start using it as a playpen.

Is the Joie Kubbie Sleep easy to clean?

As the Joie Kubbie’s covering material is not removable, it’s not easy to clean as we can’t simply throw it in the washing machine. That said, the cot’s material can be easily spot-cleaned with a sponge and soapy water. Although we didn’t need to wash the travel bag, it is machine washable, which will be handy as I can see it quickly becoming dirty after a few trips in and out of the car boot.

What’s in the box?

A full-sized bassinet, mattress and travel bag.

Who would the product be most useful for?

The Joie Kubbie Sleep would be most useful for mums and dads who want the bedside feature in a travel cot, as well as those who want a durable bed and playpen in one portable product.

What would you have wanted to know before buying the Joie Kubbie Sleep?

It would have been helpful to know how low the side panel dropped for the bedside feature. This would have allowed us to assess whether our bed would be a good fit for the bassinet. In addition, it would have been useful to know how low the bassinet sat relative to the top of the unit. It felt like quite a long drop when placing our daughter down for her sleep, which was particularly difficult for my wife. The thickness (or thinness!) of the mattress would also be important to know. And a simple assembly video would help, too.

Are there any design elements you particularly like?

We love the idea of the bedside design and I think that’s what makes the Joie Kubbie Sleep unique as a travel cot. Also, during the hot July when our daughter was born, the mesh lining was particularly useful for providing all-round ventilation. The simple assembly is also excellent in theory – if the mechanics were ‘smoother’ and more effective.

Is the Joie Kubbie Sleep value for money?

We feel it’s definitely value for money considering what you get and its durability and multi-use features.

Are there any extras you need/can buy?

The only additional extra is the Joie Kubbie Daydreamer Napper. Costing around £40, the Daydreamer (not tested) is a hammock-style napping seat that fits snugly over the Joie Kubbie, which appears to be a great idea for day naps.

Where can I buy the Joie Kubbie Sleep?

It's available from Amazon, Argos, Boots and Very.

MadeForMums verdict:

My wife and I feel the Joie Kubbie Sleep has matched – and even exceeded – our expectations. We wanted a co-sleeping cot that could be used every day at home, but one that was also lightweight enough to take away with us. For this reason it had to be quick and easy to assemble and put away. If it could be used as our daughter grows (ie as a play pen), then even better as it would save us money down the line. Finally, if it was stylish and sleek, then that would be a nice bonus. The Joie Kubbie Sleep travel cot ticks all the above boxes for us.

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