Featured in our roundup of the best cot beds and cribs and a Bronze winner in our 2023 Mother&Baby Awards, Graco's Side-By-Side bedside crib tucks right up to your bed and can be moved about the house for nap times during the day. It even converts into a travel-size infant bed for trips away so you can keep your baby by your side from day to night and from here to there.
Graco Side-By-Side overview
Pros
• Compact
• Easy to put up and take down
• Budget-friendly
• Large basket underneath
Cons
• Mattress isn't waterproof
• Crib side doesn't pull down
Testing the Graco Side-By-Side
The Graco Side-By-Side comes well packaged, completely protecting it in storage and transit. It was really easy to set up and you literally just had to pull it apart to unfold it.
It folds back down for compact storage and even packs away into its own carry bag to take away with you if needed. It's a lot more lightweight and compact to travel with compared to similar cribs available. I loved how thin it folds up so it can be placed out of the way when not in use, slotting into a fairly small gap.
It sits next to the bed nicely and at a decent height, not too low down or high up so you have a full view of your baby when you are laid down in bed. The mesh sides give good ventilation and breathability and a full view of your baby, which is really important to me, giving peace of mind at all times.
It's great to be able to use it around the house, not just during bedtime. Being so lightweight, you can move it around easily, but it's still strong and sturdy. The mattress seems quite comfortable with adequate padding, giving good support from underneath. I had no concerns about it being uncomfortable, especially when my son is spending the night in it.
I was really surprised at the overall look, feel and quality of it, when it had, in my opinion, a fairly low price tag. The neutral colouring makes it perfect for both boys and girls.
I really like the big storage basket underneath and it holds a lot. Having access to my son's nappies, wipes and spare clothes all in one place and in reach at night is a big help to me.
The only other similar cot we've previously used with our first child was the Tutti Bambini CoZee Bedside Crib, which is really quite big and bulky in comparison. Having our second son we are already limited on space and have a lot of stuff everywhere so the Graco Side-By-Side does the exact same job but is a lot more compact in design. It's perfect for all sizes and styles of home, especially if you're limited on space.
Final thoughts
I'm not sure there is much or anything I would change about this crib. Perhaps if you could have another height setting, so it completely covers any height of the bed or sofa that you're placing the crib next to. Or if you could slightly tilt one end of the crib. However adding extra features like that would bring its cost up, making it not so affordable.
Product specification
Product Length: 92.5cm
Product Width: 60cm
Product Height: 73cm
Product Weight: 7.8kg
Folded dimensions: L 87 x W 58 x H 46.5cm