Designed in contemporary silver grey, the Silver Cross Dream Sleeper looks every inch the modern travel cot. It’s easy to use and includes a bassinette for newborns, making it a great cot for the price.
The Silver Cross Dream Sleeper boats a lightweight frame and comfortable fabrics designed to give baby a more peaceful night's sleep. The removable bassinette provides a raised sleep level for younger babies as well as doubling up as a changing surface. It is relatively simple to put up and down and is therefore equally as useful as a day-to-day playpen. The cot also has a matching carrying bag aimed at making it easier to transport.
What we love
This is a great-looking travel cot, in a cool unisex colour that’s subtle enough to fit with pretty much any décor. It’s very easy to use and not too heavy, a real plus when you’ve got lots of other stuff to pack. For newborns there’s a bassinette that raises the level of the mattress so you don’t have to lean down too far when laying him down to sleep; this also doubles as a handy changing area. The bassinette may not be used for long, but it’s a useful accessory while it lasts and its inclusion makes this a good-value travel cot. You can use it until your baby is about three months old. Without this, it’s also a handy playpen, for those days when you need to do things without having to check that your baby is exploring places you’d rather he didn’t.
Opening it up is simple, as the sides and end straighten in a flash and a push down on the base makes everything secure. The mattress can be secured to the base with the Velcro straps to ensure that your baby won’t be able to lift it up then pinch his fingers when it falls back down again. The mattress offers more padding than most travel cots, so a good night’s sleep should be on the cards and the protector is removable for easy cleaning.
Mesh windows on three sides mean you can see in and your baby can see out – their curvy shape is not mere decoration (though it looks great), but an attempt to give the optimum level of shade and visibility. One end has a zip-up pocket for storage, also in the same curvy shape. Folding the Dream Sleeper away is a fairly standard process: press the button in the centre of the sides and ends, pull the lever in the base (this is a little like opening a giant drinks can) and fold everything together so it can be enclosed by the mattress and stowed in the carry bag. Weighing in at just 7kg, it’s eminently portable, so will present no problems when being lifted in and out of the car and carried upstairs.
What to watch out for
The luxurious padding around the top of the buggy looks and feels great, but is liable to get dirty quickly and is not removable so a bit of a challenge to keep clean. Although light, it seems quite bulky when folded, and the pocket at the end is a triumph of style over function – its shape and size make it difficult to store many items.
Who is the Silver Cross Dream Sleeper best for?
Parents seeking classic style and ease of use at a good price will love this.
A contemporary travel cot to please the style aficionados, although it offers much the same features as other cots at this level. Good value as it includes the bassinette, but this is only worthwhile if you’re buying for a newborn.
