CAM5 - Test 1 - Part 2 (Listen and Read)

Hello and welcome to today's 'Buyer Beware' programme,

where we give you some tips on how to spend your money wisely.

Now, in today's show we're looking at beds for children and babies.

Let's start by looking at baby cots,

that's for children of up to three years old.

We tested three different cots all in the budget price range and, as usual,

we will feature the good points, the problems and our verdict.

The first cot we looked at was by Baby Safe

and it had several good points to recommend it.

Our testers liked the fact that it had four wheels,

so it was easy to move around.

The only slight problems with this cot were that it had no brakes,

but they didn't think that mattered too much.

At first they were a bit concerned about the side bar,

because they felt babies could trap their fingers in it,

but our testers felt that this was unlikely to happen,

so they have given this one a verdict of 'satisfactory'.

The next cot was by Choice Cots

and this time our testers were pleased to find a cot which is simple to put together -

unlike others we looked at.

On the minus side, our testers did not like the fact that the side of the cot did not drop down,

making it difficult to pick up newborn babies.

However, the real problem with this cot was the space between the bars;

our testers found they were too wide

and a baby could easily trap his head.

We felt this was a real safety hazard

and so we have labelled this one dangerous, I'm afraid.

And finally better news for the Mother's Choice cot.

This cot was slightly different in that, although the side bar did not drop down,

the base could be raised or lowered into two different positions

making it safe as well as convenient.

The negatives for this one were quite minor;

the only niggle everyone had was the fact that it has no wheels

and the only other problem anyone could find was that there were pictures

which were simply stuck on and so could easily become detached.

The makers have now promised to discontinue this practice.

As this cot will then be safe in every way,

we have made the Mother's Choice cot our best buy,

Congratulations Mother's Choice!

So, what features should you look for in a baby's cot?

Well obviously safety is a very important factor as well as comfort and convenience.

We recommend that, if you are buying a cot,

do make sure that any metal present is not rusted or bent in any way.

You should ensure your cot has only rounded or smooth edging without any sharp edges,

this is especially important for wooden cots.

And now on to beds...