There is an endless list of items that you’ll need for your newborn baby, but deciding on the best cot mattress is certainly one of the most important.
Like with other mattresses, finding the best cot mattress isn’t easy. There are hundreds of options available, with varying quality and styles. There is also a wide range of prices, making it even more confusing.
Airnest Mattress in a cot bed
Australia’s mattress experts
Bedbuyer™ is Australia’s largest sleep and bedding website. Our team of qualified sleep experts test mattresses in ‘real life’, and are all highly experienced in clinical patient care and mattress assessment.
Bedbuyer has now tested over 1,600 mattresses, including numerous cot mattresses. So what are the best options on the market? Bedbuyer’s expert team gives you our top picks in 2025!
Australia’s best cot mattresses
To make your decision easier, we have discussed the key features of each mattress below. We have also included links to our ‘full reviews’, and instructions on how to claim our exclusive discounts!
Be sure to read to the end for some handy hints before you buy, and please leave a comment (at the bottom of this article) if you have any questions!
Please note: the following products only include the mattress (not the cot). To see Bedbuyer’s list of baby cots, click here.
1. Airnest Mattress
The Airnest Cot Mattress (from Growbright) is an incredibly innovative product that provides excellent ventilation for infants. It is certified as non-toxic and is possibly the best cot mattress on the Australian market.
This product can be conveniently ordered online through the Growbright website. Delivery is free, and shipping times to most metropolitan areas are usually within 4 business days.
The Airnest Cot Mattress presents well with a grey and turquoise colour theme. The outer cover of this mattress (the ‘airnest-lite cover’) is highly breathable, and can also be removed and washed.
This outer cover encases the ‘airnest core’ which is a nest like structure made from a non-toxic polymer. Like the airnest-lite cover, this core is also washable, allowing you to minimise bacteria and potential allergens.
This is a market leading product that combines supreme ventilation, non-toxic materials, and a practical design.
Here is our full review (which includes prices & discount code).
2. Ecosa Cot Mattress
The Ecosa Cot Mattress is an excellent product with a clever design. It is certified as non-toxic, offers outstanding ventilation, and is not dissimilar to the Airnest Cot Mattress listed above.
This cot mattress can be conveniently ordered online through the Ecosa website. Delivery is free and the mattress is available Australia wide. The mattress presents nicely and has a similar style to its popular big brother, the Ecosa Mattress.
This product has an outer cover made from a ‘3D Mesh’ and Tencel fabric. This cover feels durable and is particularly well ventilated. This cover is also removable and washable, making it easy to keep clean.
Inside the mattress is Ecosa’s ‘Woven Nestflow™ Core’. This is made from from food-grade polypropylene and is free of latex, adhesives, and chemicals. This woven core contains two seperate parts and allows you to adjust the firmness level of the mattress as your baby grows.
This product has a brilliant design, and not surprisingly, is one of the most popular cot mattresses on the market.
Here is our full review (which includes prices & discount code).
3. Numu Mattress
The Numu Breathable Cot Mattress is a unique product that like most in this list, is designed specifically around breathability and ventilation.
The main structure of this product includes a sturdy aluminium frame with a strong mesh layer. With most other cot mattresses being made of foam and springs, the construction of the Numu Breathable Cot Mattress is somewhat different.
Nevertheless, this highly unique construction makes plenty of sense when you consider the importance of breathability for babies and toddlers. Many foam based cot mattresses are also prone to overheating, so this product is a great buy in context of sleep temperature regulation and ventilation.
This product can be easily cleaned and has been approved by Sensitive Choice (who make assessments relating to asthma and allergies).
The main mesh layer can accomodate up to 25kgs of weight and offers plenty of support for babies.
Here is our full review (which includes prices & discount code).
4. Ventilated Cot Mattress
**Please note that the Ventilated Cot Mattress from P’tit Lit has been discontinued in Australia.
The Ventilated Cot Mattress from P’tit Lit is an impressive, highly practical baby mattress. It has the option of a highly ventilated surface (to maximise air circulation), and a smooth fabric layer (for comfort).
This product is made with special care and attention at P’tit Lit’s factory in Leers, in the north of France. P’tit Lit only use certified components that meet current safety standards for babies and parents.
The Ventilated Cot Mattress comes with a removable, washable, and waterproof cover. As you would expect, this cover allows you to keep the mattress clean and hygienic.
The ventilated layer option is made of special 3D spacer fabric which feels ‘meshy’ and allows for excellent air flow. The mattress can also be flipped over to the smooth fabric layer which feels smooth and comfortable.
Both surfaces offer very good spinal support for growing spines, and the materials used appear to be durable and of high quality.
Here is our full review (which includes prices & discount code).
5. DuoCore™ Bamboo Mattress
The DuoCore™ Bamboo Cot Mattress is a high quality product that contains two different sleeping surfaces to accomodate a growing child.
This product can be conveniently ordered online through the Babyrest website. Once dispatched, delivery times are typically between 5-7 business days.
In terms of construction, the DuoCore™ Bamboo Cot Mattress uses a ‘zip-enclosed’ natural bamboo cover that can be easily removed (for spot cleaning, not machine wash). This cover is breathable and feels soft and durable.
This cover sits over a foam core that is specially treated to prevent dust mites & bacterial growth. This core contains a ‘toddler side’ (purple) and an ‘infant side’ (blue). This offers great versatility and will support growing spines well.
The DuoCore™ Bamboo Cot Mattress has an impressive 5 year warranty, and is well certified as safe and non-toxic (Safety tested AS/NZS 8811.1:2013 and Certified by Global GreenTag™).
Here is our full review (which includes prices & discount code).
A few handy hints
When it comes to buying a new cot mattress, there are a few important things to consider before buying. Here are a few handy hints to keep in mind!
Price and sizes
Based on our experience of the market, you can get a good cot mattress for around $300, but the mattress that you choose will depend on several factors, not just price.
Another thing to consider before buying a cot mattress is the range of sizes when it comes to baby cots. Obviously the cot mattress needs to fit the cot bed itself, so make sure that both products are size compatible.
Keep in mind that a standard cot mattress in Australia is 69 cm wide and 130 cm long. Here is a list of standard Australian bed (mattress) sizes, including a discussion about the standard cot mattress size.
When is best to use a cot mattress?
The time at which you decide to use a cot for your baby will depend on your preferences and life situation. With that said, here is a guide as to when you may want to progress your baby from a bassinet to a cot:
- 0 – 6 months: bassinet mattress
- 6 months – 2 years: cot mattress
- 2-5 years: single, king single, or double mattress
What makes a good cot mattress?
A good cot mattress should be firm and supportive, but should also offer adequate pressure relief for your baby. This will help to accomodate your baby’s growing spine, and also make it safe in terms of breathing.
Cot mattresses should also be made with breathable materials to encourage ventilation and healthy respiration.
In terms of practicality for parents, a good cot mattress should also be easy to clean. This will enable you to keep your baby’s sleeping surface hygienic. It won’t be long until you realise that there will be many accidents in the cot!
Cot Beds
When we talk about a ‘cot bed’ we are technically only referring to the cot frame structure (not the mattress). The products above relate to the mattress only, but if you also need a new ‘cot bed’, here is our full list of cot beds in 2025.
Health and safety
We always recommend a firm feel for baby sleep surfaces. Soft and ‘cushiony’ surfaces do have the potential to inhibit breathing that may cause Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) through asphyxiation (suffocation).
Interestingly, the Australian standard that tests for cot mattress firmness is not mandatory, but cot beds are required to meet the AS/NZS 2172 standard for Children’s Household Cots.
Still need help?
We hope that these recommendations help you in your decision, but if you would like to read more, check out our Complete Buyer’s Guide for buying a new mattress in 2025.
If you have any questions for our team, comment below or please contact us. We are here to help you find the perfect mattress for your baby!
Bedbuyer is Australia’s largest bedding website and leading independent mattress review group. To read our disclosure and disclaimer statement, click here.