SnuzPod Bedside Crib review

Safe sleeping rules for newborns and babies under 6 months

The SnüzPod first entered the market in 2013 – the company behind it, Snüz, make products designed to help improve babies’ sleep.

This version is the SnüzPod2 – which has a few tweaks to the original and won the bronze award in the MadeForMums 2017 awards for best co-sleeping cots and bedside cribs.

There is a newer version, the SnüzPod3, which you can read about here.

With my twins I used Moses baskets. But having my daughter, Isabella bedside with the SnüzPod2 is a beautiful experience. At 6 weeks old, she’s just starting to get her vision so I often find myself gazing at her bedside while she stares back with curiosity. I live in a three-storey townhouse so stairs are always an issue. I have a Moses basket on each floor.

So when I heard that the SnüzPod2 has a 3-in-1 design that converts into a standalone crib and/or bassinet, I was keen to see whether the SnuzPod2 would make me want to ditch my many Moses baskets.

Buy the SnüzPod2 from Snuz.

What makes the SnüzPod2 stand out?

The minimalist design and cool range of colours will look good in any room. But the SnüzPod2 has stiff competition in terms of features in the Knuma Huddle (£219), BabyBay Maxi, Jane Babyside (£199), high-end Halo BassiNest (£249), the popular Chicco Next2Me (£149) and soon-to-be launched Tutti Bambino CoZee.

With a similar price point to its competitors of £199.95, what makes the SnüzPod2 stand out is its easy-access zip down side wall, storage shelf and lift-off bassinet which makes it multifunctional. The SnüzPod2’s 3-in-1 design means this bedside crib converts into a standalone crib or bassinet/Moses basket for those daily naps.

Do you need a Moses basket, co-sleeper or crib?

What’s new about the SnüzPod2?

Not much at first glimpse. It’s the same size. There are some new pastel colours – three pastel colours which include Sherbet (yellow), Putty (beige) and Blush (pink).

Less visible changes include the bassinet base is now mesh and slatted for increased breathability. The side wall can no longer be zipped off completely. And the storage shelf cover is now removable thanks to Velcro.

8 of the best bedside cribs and co-sleepers

How do you build a SnüzPod?

How easy is it to assemble?

Ideally you’d assemble the SnüzPod2 in or near your bedroom as there are around 30 parts to assemble so the main thing you need is space. Thankfully, you don’t need any screwdrivers (although I did use one for ease!) to put the SnüzPod2 together – all you need is an Allen Key which is provided and the height of your bed (from floor to top of mattress) to get started.

The SnüzPod2 can be adjusted to seven different heights – but disappointingly, can’t be adjusted without disassembly.

The instructions only come with illustrations and I found a couple of images confusing so I’d recommend casting an eye over the booklet before you take the plunge. I found it more time consuming than anything.

The trickiest part was clipping the stiff bassinet poppers! The instruction booklet says it should take 40 mins but it took me just over one hour to put the SnüzPod2 together.

If like me you’re recovering from a c-section, you may want to get help carrying the SnüzPod2. It’s one of the heaviest bedside cribs on the market at 18kg compared to the lightest Chicco Next2Me at 8kg.

My husband carried it upstairs in two stages – lift-off bassinet first and base and then secure it. He found it relatively easy to attach the SnüzPod2 to our frame bed.

What’s in the box?

• 1x SnüzPod2 Crib
• 1x Mattress
• Attachment Straps (Frame and Divan)
• Instructions

Accessories

• Waterproof Crib Mattress Protector (£14.95)
• Storage Pocket (£19.95)
• Crib Fitted Sheet x2 (£18.95)
• Reversible Blanket (£22.95)
• Swaddle Blanket (£14.95)

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

I can see what the baby’s up to easily with the see-through mesh window bedside but not all the way around like the Knuma Huddle or the Halo BassiNest.

I can comfort Isabella within seconds and unzip the mesh wall one-handed, which is impossible with the most of the other bedside cribs. The two child-friendly plastic zips either side and Velcro tabs up top, are an easy-task even blurry-eyed and half-asleep.

For that reason, it’s ideal for breastfeeding mums. Even if you’re bottle-feeding like me, it’s still easy to settle baby and have a quick mid-slumber cuddle.

I first fitted the crib in front of bedside cabinet. But one night of awkward lifts served as a reminder that I’m not fully healed from my c-section. Once I got rid of the bedside cabinet, I never looked back.

How comfortable is the SnüzPod for your baby?

Very. Isabella had been a little unsettled sleeping in her Moses basket at times prior to using the SnüzPod2. As she’s a windy baby I put it solely down to colic.

But let’s just say since she’s been in the SnuzPod2, we’re all getting more sleep, well, a little! Jokes aside, if baby’s congestion and reflux is a real issue for you the Chicco Next2Me, Bednest and the Tutti Bambino CoZee all have incline functions.

The quilted mattress is soft and comfy, unlike the crunchy ‘crisp packet’ mattresses you normally get in Moses baskets. But it’s not waterproof so a mattress protector is well recommended. You have two choices of the Snüz or Chicco Next2Me protectors as both mattresses are the same size.

The Velcro tabs have a strong hold but they’re also noisy for my delicate, little sleeper. There’s ample space for Isabella to sleep in the natural position without even touching the sides or wriggling about.

My husband begs to differ – he thinks the baby has too much because she could roll around but as soon as the baby can turn him/herself over it’s no longer safe to use a bedside crib. Anyway, the bonus for me is I can change her nappy while she’s punch drunk on milk without too much fuss/waking her up. Win, win.

What’s it like on space?

The SnüzPod 2 is one of the bigger bedside cribs on the market at D42cm, W100cm, H95 so it if space is limited, you might have to splash out more cash for the smaller Halo BassiNest (£249). But what it takes up in space, it makes up for in storage.

The storage shelf is the size of the crib – I store spare bodysuits, bibs, muslin cloths and more under there. But to access them I have to get out of bed. With the Snüz Pocket attached at the end – I don’t even get out of bed for nappies and changing items.

How transportable is the SnüzPod2?

Not very. The SnüzPod2 isn’t to be confused as a travel cot. Far from it. However it can be used as a standalone crib or bassinet/Moses basket. But there’s a catch.

The SnüzPod2 is heavy (18kg) and a brute to carry from room to room. The solid, sturdy and quality beech wood frame sees to that.

At 8kg and 9kg respectively the Chicco Next2Me and Jane Babyside – which also both also come with swivel and lockable wheels - are lightweight by comparison.

It is easy to convert?

From bedside to standalone crib, all it takes is convert is:

1. Detach the crib

2. Zip up and fasten the Velcro on the mesh wall

3. Add the metal rod to the mesh wall side.

Easy peasy. Some cribs like the BabyBay Maxi need an extra kit to do this.

Rate it as a standalone?

Never mind me, my husband loves the SnüzPod2 as a standalone crib. I guess because he can ‘chill’ on sofa with crib one side and TV remote in the other. Plus it’s stylish so it looks like part of the furniture.

• Read tips on how to start and eventually stop co-sleeping with your baby or toddler.

Is it easy to wash?

By my standards, no. The double-lined, cotton-surround bassinet may be quality but it’s still handwash only.

Does the SnüzPod2 rock?

Like a superstar. But you have to be on-hand to push it. I tried it on floorboards and carpet. It has a lovely, easy gentle rock in both standalone and bassinet mode – a total contrast to the rocky ride of my smallest Moses basket.

But you can only use the rocking function in standalone mode or a bassinet. It won’t work tied to the bed. And if it does rock, then the crib isn’t tied to your bed properly.

How safe do you feel the SnüzPod2 is?

Very. The SnüzPod2 safety features - the attachment straps, mesh wall with its zips and velcro fasteners and metal rods - are simple and effective.

With kid-friendly, plastic zips and the bassinet’s cotton surround there’s no danger of the baby snagging her fingers or hurting herself as she does like to punch and kick when feed time calls.

There’s much talk about the safety of bedside cribs amongst mummy bloggers and parenting forums.

One concern is the gap created between the crib and edge of the mattress. We had the same problem because our bed has a big frame. It actually looks worse than it is. When zipped down the mesh wall - which is also reinforced with rigid panel supports – ‘bridges’ over the gap.

Plus it’s also good to remember the makers of the SnuzPod2 recommend the mesh wall be zipped up as much as possible. And you certainly shouldn't leave your baby alone with the side panel zipped down.

What do you think of the zip down mesh wall?

The metal rods either side of the crib keep the bassinet’s shape in place, as a standalone. But as a bedside crib, you have to take the rod holding up the mesh wall, out. And it’s just as well. Sometimes when I undo the zips the mesh wall it slightly falls inward towards the baby but never completely on top.

Minus the rigidity of the metal rod, the mesh wall warps. To be fair, I suspect it’s worsened by my husband or kids leaning over and on top of the mesh wall to comfort Isabella. I say this so you can learn from our mistakes.

Is the SnüzPod2 value for money?

SnüzPod claim it will last until your baby is 6 months old. But that’s your average height. Isabella was born leggy. Sadly, we’ll be lucky if she sees 5 months in it. As far as the price tag goes, the SnüzPod2 screams quality.

From the solid, beech wood frame to the cool colour range to thick, rich, cotton bassinet surround. So £199.95 is fair. The all singing, all dancing Halo BassiNest and supersized BabyBay Maxi are at the top end. There are slightly cheaper bedside cribs to be found but you don’t get the versatility of the SnüzPod2.

MadeForMums verdict:

It’s a quality product that baby is sure to feel comfortable sleeping in. I would particularly recommend it to breastfeeding mums or those recovering from a c-section. The cool colours, sleek 3-in-1 design and especially the quick-access, zip-down mesh wall are the standout features for me.

With a baby that goes from zero to a hundred wailing in seconds, the SnüzPod is a godsend….for all of our family. But it’s let down by the fact it’s heavy and not easy to move around and the cotton bassinet is handwash only – not ideal for time-poor mums like me.

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