Shnuggle Air Bedside Crib review

Its design allows for 3 products in one – a bedside crib with drop-down sides, a standalone crib and full-sized cot if you buy the conversion kit (£109.95 on Amazon) – meaning it grows with your baby and maintains a familiar sleeping environment. Its focus is on maximum breathability, with dual-view mesh sides and a hypoallergenic airflow mattress.

Bedside cribs have become extremely popular and other similar products to the Shnuggle Air Bedside Crib are the Jané Babyside bedside crib and the Red Kite Nebula, however, Shnuggle's chic design is similar to Snuzpod.

Tested by:

Tara Russell is mum to 6-month-old daughter Elodie. She tested the Shnuggle Air Bedside Crib both as a crib and a cot (using the conversion kit).

First impressions of the Shnuggle Air Bedside Crib?

I fell in love with its stylish curved design, which looks beautiful in our bedroom. The Shnuggle Air is a well-made product and I love how it transforms into a cot, making it a great long-term investment.

How does it compare to other cribs or cots you have used?

I’ve previously used the Chicco Next2Me Bedside Crib, which isn’t as stylish but is more practical in its co-sleeper mode as the Shnuggle crib is not compatible with our bed (more on this later.)

They are both very spacious and comfortable for my daughter, Elodie, though the Chicco is lighter and easier to transport.

It is also handy being able to convert the Shnuggle Air crib into a cot rather than buy multiple products, particularly as Elodie is already on the move and strong at pulling herself up, so we used the cot much earlier than expected!

What age is the Shnuggle Air suitable for?

The crib is suitable for babies from birth up to 6 months, or when baby starts to roll over, pull up or reach a weight of 9kg. With the kit, the cot will last until your little one is around 2 years old.

How does it compare to a Moses basket?

With a birthweight of 10lb 12oz, Elodie has always been a big baby so she quickly outgrew a Moses basket. I much prefer the Shnuggle Air Bedside Crib as the mattress is thicker, it is more sturdy and its breathability features give you peace of mind that there is a reduced risk of your baby overheating. It also reassures me Elodie would not come to harm even if she was pressed up against the sides!

The co-sleeping drop-down sides make it much easier to reach over and comfort your little one through the night, even if you just need to place a hand on their tummy.

How easy is it to see your baby when they’re in the Shnuggle Air crib?

Very. There are dual-view mesh sides which allow you to keep a close eye on baby and for Elodie to keep a comforting eye on Mama!

How easy is it to access your baby in the crib?

Very easy. The Shnuggle Air crib is very spacious even for taller babies and there are zip-down side panels which allow you to quickly reach across to baby for feeding or comforting.

How portable is the Shnuggle Air crib?

It is heavy and not easily movable, so I’d say once the Shnuggle Air is set up, it’s staying put! We live in a 3-storey townhouse so this is a drawback, though in my eyes it’s not a problem as it’s such a stylish and sturdy piece of furniture.

How easy is it to use the drop-down sides?

The Shnuggle Air’s zip-down side panels can be used to safely co-sleep. You simply undo the poppers and unzip each side before releasing a safety catch on the top bar to drop the side down.

You can then remove the bar to tuck away the soft fabric. The crib’s height can be adjusted and it then attaches to most divans and bed frames using straps, which is incredibly secure.

However the crib is not compatible in the bedside mode with bed frames (like ours) that protrude outside of the mattress width. This is because it creates a large, unsafe gap between your mattress and the crib.

I used the crib next to the bed but with the side zipped up, so I could just unzip the panel for feeding or cuddles.

Another frustration is that the zips sit a few inches above the baby’s mattress, so you cannot fully unzip the panel, meaning you’d have to lift rather than gently slide baby back and forth, but that does safely allow everyone their own space.

Can the Shnuggle Air be used as a standalone crib as well as for co-sleeping?

Yes, it can and I personally felt it was sturdier as a standalone crib, even despite its incompatibility with our frame. Elodie is a large baby!

Does it rock?

No, the Shnuggle Air crib doesn’t rock.

How many height positions are there and is there an incline option?

The Snuggle Air has 7 height settings, so it fits most bed heights within the range of 43-64cm. There is also an incline option, so it’s ideal for babies with reflux or colic.

Elodie had a nasty cold, and I found raising it at one end allowed the mucus to drain and us all to sleep better as a result. It’s very easy to adjust by simply undoing and repositioning a screw on each leg.

What do you think of the size of the Shnuggle Air crib?

It’s very spacious so babies can really stretch out, yet it doesn’t take up too much space in the room even as a cot. The crib measures 94cm x 56cm x height variable from 68.5cm-83cm.

How comfy is the Shnuggle Air crib for your little one?

Elodie slept very soundly and she loved being able to see through the mesh sides. The fabric inside the crib is soft and the zips are covered so there’s nothing to scrape against.

I felt that the Shnuggle Air was much more sturdy and comfortable as a standalone crib than in the co-sleeping mode, especially with Elodie's size.

What do you think of the mattress?

First impressions are that it’s much thicker than one you’d find in a Moses basket. It’s an Air-flow mattress made from a hypoallergenic fibre, which is apparently 50 per cent more breathable than standard foam mattresses. It’s tested to BS EN ISO 9237-1995 for air permeability.

It does give you peace of mind knowing its focus is on breathability, particularly in the hotter months. It measures 83cm x 50cm x 3cm.

Does it feel durable?

Absolutely! The Shnuggle Air Bedside Crib is a high-quality and robust piece of furniture that’s built to last.

How do you like the sustainability aspect of the Shnuggle Air?

I love the fact you don’t need to wave goodbye to this beautiful product after just a few months and that it will last around 2 years if you transform it to a full-sized cot with the conversion kit.

I think it definitely helped Elodie transition to a big girl’s cot and simply saved us time having to buy another sleeping solution. I think the Shnuggle Air crib and cot would easily last another child, too.

How do you convert it into a cot and is it easy to do?

To convert the Shnuggle Air into a cot you have to dismantle the crib then reconstruct it using parts from a conversion kit to enlarge the base and top rails, and replace the mesh panels and mattress with larger sizes.

This took about an hour but was reasonably easy as it followed the same principles used to build the original crib.

As a cot, how does the Shnuggle Air compare to other single-purpose cots like the IKEA Sniglar?

Unlike the IKEA Sniglar, there are no cot bars for baby’s legs or arms to get caught in and the soft, padded sides make it more comfortable and prevent teeth marks along the top.

The Shnuggle cot measures 125cm x 66cm x variable height 68.5cm-83cm and the standard Sniglar is 124cm x 66cm x 80cm, so they are similar sizes. You cannot however adjust the mattress height of the Shnuggle cot, whereas the Sniglar has 2 height options.

What age is the cot suitable for?

The cot is suitable up to approximately 2 years, or when your child reaches a maximum height of 89cm or starts to climb out of the cot.

I think a 2-year-old would find it comfortable, as it is spacious yet cosy with its fabric sides. Elodie is already pulling herself up and falling over, but the Shnuggle’s soft padded fabric means she isn’t crashing against harsh wood panels.

Does the Shnuggle Air work well as two separate products – a crib and a cot?

Yes, and I love how it extends the life of the crib and eases baby gently into a cot in their own nursery with all its familiar features.

Is it easy to clean?

The Shnuggle Air’s fabric and mattress are removable and hand-wash only at 30c. I like the easy-to-wipe minimalist wooden frame.

What’s in the Shnuggle Air box?

• Frame

• Crib

• Mattress

• Spanner, Allen key/screwdriver and nuts and bolts

• Straps to fix to the bed

Is it easy to put together?

It took about an hour to build the Shnuggle Air crib and it was reasonably easy. The instructions are pictures only with no written captions. We made it with only having to retrace a couple of the steps and all the necessary tools were included with both the crib and the conversion kit.

Who would the Shnuggle Air crib be most useful for?

In its bedside sleeping mode it would be particularly handy for breastfeeding mums or women who have had a C-section who want to avoid getting in and out of bed, but really anyone who would like to safely sleep close to their baby.

It would also suit families with warmer houses. The top floor of our three-storey house gets hot in the summer so its airflow and breathability credentials give me peace of mind.

What would you have wanted to know before buying the crib?

That the Shnuggle Air crib is not compatible in its bedside sleeping mode with bed frames that protrude outside of the mattress width, because it leaves a gap so it could not be an extension of the mattress.

However, we used it in standalone mode and it was easy enough to drop down the zip panel to soothe Elodie when she was napping.

Are there any design elements of the Shnuggle Air that you find particularly useful?

I loved the breathability of both the crib and the cot. The crib’s storage hammock was useful so all the night’s essentials like nappies and muslins are neatly on hand.

Is the Shnuggle Air Bedside Crib good value for money?

The Shnuggle Air Bedside Crib comes in dove grey or stone grey and costs £199.95. The Shnuggle Air Cot Conversion Kit is £109.95, and an airflow cot mattress is £50, which altogether totals £359.90. You can also buy fitted sheets, blankets or crib or cot bedding sets. I feel it’s good value for money.

Where can I buy the Shnuggle Air Bedside Crib?

It's available from Shnuggle, Amazon and Samuel Johnston.

MadeForMums verdict

The Shnuggle Air Bedside Crib and Air Cot is a beautiful premium product which is made to grow with your baby.

I loved its breathability features with its fully air-permeable mesh sides and a breathable hypoallergenic mattress to keep baby cool and comfortable, as well as its handy incline option.

The fact you can use it as a co-sleeper, standalone crib or full-sized cot ticks a lot of boxes so it’s a great long-term investment.

Read more...

• Jané Babyside Bedside Crib review
• SnuzPod Bedside Crib review
• Chicco Next2me Crib review
• Red Kite Nebula review