Kinderkraft SOFI review: a 4-in-1 cot, playpen, rocker and travel cot

Kinderkraft SOFI is a 4-in-1 cot: it's a baby cot, rocking cradle, playpen and travel cot. It has the option to place the mattress on two levels so can be used by children soon after birth until they're 15kg (9kg on the upper level). Thanks to its innovative design and simple frame, you can unfold and fold SOFI in 5 seconds without using any tools, making it a simple pop up playpen or travel cot, or a handy cot or crib to have ready for downstairs naps in the early weeks and months.

Having previously reviewed the Kinderkraft SOFI in 2020, we recently had another parent test and review it again so we could get a more updated review and see how it compares to other cots now on the market. We have included both reviews below to give a wider perspective on the Kinderkraft SOFI.

Testing the Kinderkraft SOFI 4-in-1 travel cot in 2025

James is 10 months old and needs a cot for when he starts spending one day a week at his grandparents' house. We already have a conventional travel cot (the umbrella kind) with a separate mattress which we use for travelling, but want to try something different. We're looking for something compact, easy to move, and foolproof to set up (his adoring grandparents have already been flummoxed by the umbrella-type travel cot).

Assembly/Build

The Kinderkraft SOFI arrives in a large, flat package. At 8.7 kg it is actually slightly lighter than a conventional travel cot; the frame is made of steel and aluminium, with a wood effect coating, and the sides are made of mesh and very smart grey fabric. It comes with a lightweight grey carrycase.

The very first thing that strikes me is the SOFI's sheer ease of assembly and dissembly. I have had to break out instruction manuals, YouTube videos and troubleshooting forums for previous travel cots: not so the SOFI. You unfold the legs and - hey presto! It's up. My parents should not have a problem here.

At 100cm x 60cm, the SOFI is smaller than our existing home and travel cots, which are both 120cm long. This means James (a big baby) would max out at age 2, and smaller babies at perhaps 2.5. I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable putting a 2 year old in a proper bed - and when we're travelling, it'd be useful to have a cot that fits a child for as long as possible, to save on needing an extra bed. However, its compact size does mean that it fits flat in the boot of our medium-size family car. Also, the mattress is one-piece, thick, supportive, and comfortable: the umbrella-type travel cot we already have has such a hard, folded "mattress" that we needed to buy (and travel with) an extra mattresss, which is annoying, especially in regard to luggage limits. A point to the SOFI there!

Usability

James is already over 9 kg and sitting himself up, so we can't use the upper position of the mattress. To move it down, you unclip the safety buckle and then unzip the mattress round its entire outer edge. However, I find myself asking how we would fit a sheet, if we were to use the upper level. The mattress has a small lip, but not enough to securely tuck under a flat or fitted sheet without it eventually rumpling up around baby - not very safe sleep. You could use the mattress without a sheet, but would probably need to wash the cotton cover at some point - which is very fiddly to remove and when I try pulling the insides out through the pillowcase-like flap, I almost rip it. If I manage it, I could machine-wash it at 30°C.

Fitting a sheet when the mattress is in the lower position is no problem, however. This is the position in which we will use the cot, and there are little rubber pads under the bottom layer of cot material, insulating the mattress from the floor. James seems very comfortable and happy, peeping out from behind the mesh. I do like the zipped "escape hole", so that when he's older and attempting to climb out of the cot, we can leave it unzipped for a safe and easy alternative way out. This also opens up fun possibilities for use of the cot as a toddler den or hideout (simply throw a sheet over the top!)

There are two cool features that deserve a mention for when the mattress is in use in the upper position. The first is the storage space underneath: this is really useful for when the cot is set up on a more permanent basis than a travel cot - at a grandparents' for example! The second is the rocking function - the legs have plastic edges you can snap down, allowing you to rock the cot. This could well come in useful if baby is feeling unsettled in an unfamiliar place.

Final verdict

It's great to see an alternative to the conventional travel cot on the market. The SOFI has avoided all the negative aspects of the umbrella-type cot: these tend to be fiddly to set up, have an uncomfortable mattress, and are on one level only, making it hard on your back. The SOFI is the complete opposite in regard to all these points - which is a breath of fresh air. However, in reinventing the travel cot, the SOFI has brought some negative aspects of its own - chiefly, it is a bit short, especially for big babies likely to grow out early. Furthermore, an upper level brings many benefits: mainly for my back, but also for the storage capacity underneath. However, if baby can't sleep safely on the upper level, due to the sheet not fitting securely, there is not much point having it. I think Kinderkraft need to look at making the mattress lip bigger or the cover easier to remove and wash.

Kinderkraft SOFI 2020 review by parent testers

The kinderkraft SOFI was tested by multiple testers in 2020 and this is what they thought of the cot after testing it with their babies.

How did this product make your life easier?

Lucy Bull says: "It makes my life easier in a number of ways. The compartment below the crib is very handy for storage, and the ease in which it can be put up and taken down would mean an easy transfer at the end of a car journey as a travel cot. As a crib the three mesh sides make it easy to check on your baby in the night without having to get out of bed. Have I mentioned the rock function!? It made a really big difference getting our co-sleeping, slingy baby to lie down in a cot and meant we could reclaim our evenings."

Samantha Buntain says: "Well first of all when it arrived it was a big box so I automatically thought great a big heavy cot bed and crib for baby! Well I couldn’t have been more wrong it’s not as heavy as I thought! So taking it out and setting it up (which was so easy literally just unfold it) I felt it was light for the sturdiness of it. We’ve took it on our caravan break which was really good because it saved room in the car and having to hire a travel cot, also meant that my little one could sleep safe and sound! Highly recommend this cot. So easy to move about the house or where ever you go! It only takes seconds to fold and unfold and is spacious with no harmful clutter in or around it! Also there is a bottom compartment which is amazing for putting all your bits in when on holiday or simply in the house! We popped all our nappy changing things in and also put her toys in. My little one is only 6 months so still have a lot of use to come out of it would recommend for active parents or even for grandparents"

AnnMarie Davidson says: "It makes mum’s life easier simply by ticking all the boxes! It negates the need for a separate home and travel cot as it is versatile enough to serve as both and can even act as a playpen as well! The clever rocking feet which can be easily flipped out to enable the cot to rock are a wonderful feature-offering that extra level of comfort for baby. The whole cot is easy to clean, with the mattress cover being removable and machine washable and the attractive wood effect frame wipes down with ease. Lastly, it is by far the easiest travel cot I have ever put up – it takes mere seconds to snap the legs into place. Also for traveling the storage compartment below comes in super handy if you are short on space."

Would you recommend this product to other parents?

Stephanie Langham says: "I would recommend this product to a fellow mom because it is extremely easy to assemble and fold away. You wouldn't even have to read the instructions to know how to assemble this travel cot it is that simple. When folding the cot away it is just as simple, and then you can easily put it back in the bag and store it away. The design is very attractive, the colour is very stylish and the wood look is very on trend. It is well built and the frame is sturdy, the mesh and material sides are produced from good material. the mattress is very thin but comfortable enough for a=baby for a couple of nights whilst on holiday. It is very easy to use. As far as travel cots go, it is quite bulky. Most travel cots fold down a lot smaller and so this would take up a lot of room in the car boot. The frame is made from metal and wood and so would be very easy to wipe clean."

Jennifer Law says: "I just like the design and feel it looks expensive and a bit luxurious. I do like the zip element and think it's useful for storage if you were using it as a newborn crib next to your bed in the early days and it's great for baby crawling in and out when they're on the move. You can put toys in which they can see through the mesh and this gets inquisitive babies exploring which is great. Also, for travel cot use, the slim travel bag means it can either slot in at the back of the boot or lay on the floor of the boot rather than the bulky design of some other cots taking up all the space in the back."

Lucy Bull says: "I would recommend this as it is so practical and well thought out. It is lightweight and ever so easy to put up and fold away. It is a very stylish full size cot, crib and travel cot all in one saving oodles of storage space. The simple rock feature made it much more likely that my baby would go down in the cot without waking up. It feels really safe and good quality. It has zips and buckles to lower and raise the sleep surface for extra security and the mattress is fastened in place so there is no worry about the mattress moving and causing a suffocation risk. The soft sides are also preferable over a standard cot as my older children were always falling asleep with limbs hanging out through the bars and banging their heads on the side as they bulldozed themselves to sleep!"

Would you choose this product above all others on the market?

Samantha Buntain says: "This crib is absolutely amazing! If your looking for one I’d highly recommend this one. If your kids grandparents plan on having them this is ideal as it’s so easy to use and can fold away in seconds and will take up little room when stored away. It’s so light and perfect for popping in the car! I’ve never seen a crib so efficient. It’s really built to think of the parents use. It’s very sturdy and it makes me feel my child is safe and secure. Which means a better sleep for me! This crib definitely deserves to win it had my vote!"

Annmarie Davidson says: "I do believe that this is a top of the range product and I would choose this cot above others. As a travel cot it is FAR smaller and more compact than most of its competitors and also much easier to use. To me this is critical after a long journey, when you want to get the baby to sleep as soon as possible. Its size and handy carry bag with shoulder straps mean it is easy to transport and store. It is more versatile due to the optional rocking feet and playpen features than others on the market and truthfully it does not look like a traditional travel cot, thanks to its sleek design and high end finish."

Stephanie Langham says: "I don’t think the product should win. The reasons for this are it is too big and bulky. It is much bigger than the majority of travel cots on the market that fold down a lot smaller. Most travel cots fold down smaller than this one. However it is sturdier than most and so would last a lot longer. So if you have loads of room in your car boot when you are travelling then donT worry about how big it is, and definitely choose this travel cot over any others on the market. It would be very long lasting as it is well made, it is convenient and it come with a mattress which is a massive bonus as most travel cots do not. So if space in your car boot is not an issue then definitely, this product should win."

What changes would you make to this product?

Jennifer Law says: "I guess the one thing I'd change is making it a bit more spacious for bigger babies. I think it's great for smaller babies, maybe up to 7/8 months but once they're rolling and moving lots in their sleep this cot would maybe feel a bit too snug and could frustrate baby. If it could be extendable somehow for when the baby is a bit older that would be an amazing invention."

Lucy Bull says: "I had to think very hard about this one as it really is a well engineered product. The only thing which features on another crib I own but is lacking from the Sofi is small loops to hang toys from on the cot sides. For those nights when your baby wakes at 4am and thinks the day's starting, or when you need somewhere safe to put your baby for a short while a couple of these loops would be very handy for suspending pram toys from."

Samantha Buntain says: "The only thing that I could think of and is me being picky is a thicker mattress just slightly. Everything else with this crib is genuinely ideal. I’m so amazed by all it’s features and cannot recommend it enough. I’m a small person so this was made for all parents! The reason I say the mattress is only because it to me wasn’t the quality of the mattress I was expecting because everything including the look of it was such high standard"

Annmarie Davidson says: "In terms of design there is literally nothing I would change about this product – it has been so incredibly well thought out and ticks all the boxes from safety – with its mesh sides, rubber feet to stop it slipping and its double safety zip/catch to hold the mattress in the raised position, to its design – with its sleek high end finish and its high quality 100% cotton fabrics – both of which are easy to clean. It is super practical for traveling, with its speedy put up time and handy carry case and great functionality – doubling as a playpen – very handy when away from the safety of a baby-proofed house! If I had to change one thing then perhaps the price. Compared to other travel cots on the market it is quite pricey…though you get what you pay for and this is undoubtedly a high quality prouduct."

Maria Martin is Digital Group Editor for Yours.co.uk and Motherandbaby.com. She is a mum-of-two with a passion for helping women from all walks of life – from supporting breastfeeding mothers with expert advice to encouraging conversations about mental health. In her professional role, she has over 10 years' experience in the digital world, including editing articles, focussing on SEO, social media engagement, picture researching and video editing.