The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?

Is the Silver Cross voyager co-sleeper worth its £200 price tag? We put the crib to the test

From portability to ease of use, we review the crib that’s designed to keep your baby closer to you

Rebecca Moore
Wednesday 02 June 2021 14:08 BST
We, plus our 14-week-old helper, put the voyager through its paces
We, plus our 14-week-old helper, put the voyager through its paces (The Independent/Istock)

It didn’t take long for Silver Cross to join the brands offering co-sleepers. And as the bedside crib seems to be phasing out the Moses basket, or certainly becoming a strong contender, most well-known baby brands have something to offer in this department.

The voyager co-sleeper sits in Silver Cross’s new division of products, the essentials collection, which is currently a small offering with the buffet high chair and an essentials textiles collection, which includes a hooded towel, wash cloths and cot bed sheets.

Perhaps best known for its regal heritage hand-crafted coach prams, the Balmoral and the Kensington, in the past few years, Silver Cross has broadened its offering, adding car seats and babywear. The essentials collection feels rather a departure for the brand that offers heritage prams. It has a reputation that spans more than 140 years in the nursery business and has a longstanding royal following alongside praise from many celebrities.

But while we know Silver Cross impresses in the pushchair department, (the Silver Cross wave beat the iCandy peach in our head to head), does the voyager co-sleeper live up to the same quality? We, plus our 14-week-old helper, put the voyager through its paces to see if it's worth the £200 price tag.

Read more:

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Silver Cross voyager co-sleeper

Silver Cross .jpg

Buy now £199, Silvercrossbaby.com

Dimensions: L 101cm x W 61cm x H 67-84.5cm

Weight: 11kg

Usage: Suitable from birth to 9kg (approximately six months)

Ease of use/practicality

From taking the voyager co-sleeper out of the box to it being ready for a baby took 16 minutes, and that included putting on one of its cot bed sheets (£19.99, Silvercrossbaby.com) on the mattress. It's really a case of clicking bits in place, attaching the wheels, and zipping the cot fabrics into the frame. Our only slight niggle was with zipping up the front of the cot, as there are two zips, one each side, to allow the front to drop down. Zipping up the first side is fine, but as the fabric tightens it means the other side will require a bit of brute force.

Assembled, this product weighs 11kg, which makes it feel sturdy enough to be a safe space for baby to sleep, yet not too hefty to move. But parents' backs will be grateful for the four swivel wheels, which allow you to move it about with ease. They're of course lockable (simply push down the lock with your feet).

As with any drop-down side, it takes a few goes before it becomes effortless. Our biggest gripe is the aforementioned stiff zip, as unclipping the front rail is simple and intuitive. The Velcro tabs at the bottom of the cot ensure the folded-down side doesn't flap around and keeps things looking tidy. Once you've got the hang of it, being able to feed baby without leaving the bed is a true godsend.

Read more: 10 best baby bibs for feeding and weaning your little one

There are seven adjustable height positions. While some options on the market have more settings than this, they're not really necessary, as this covers the majority of differing bed heights. For safety reasons, you'll need to align at least 1cm below your mattress, and you can easily work through the seven height adjustments by pushing in the buttons on the inside of the frame.

These don't have to be pressed simultaneously, which is useful if you don't have the arm span to do so. This also means you can use the height adjustments to create an incline, which is thought to help babies suffering with congestion and reflux.

We were also impressed with how this co-sleeper attaches to the bed, as there are discreet holes in the bottom of the crib unit, and you can loop it around the bed frame. This includes divan beds, which isn't possible for all co-sleepers.

The voyager only has a useful life of around six months. Although this is standard for most co-sleepers, there are some brands that have an extra few months usage, but that would impact the product's portability which, in our opinion, is more useful.

Portability

As you'd expect with a name like voyager, this product isn't expected to stand still, and the quick and easy compact folding is probably its most standout feature. While many co-sleepers are designed to be travel-friendly, including travel bags and claiming easy fold etc, the Voyager really is a doddle to fold away and then quickly spring back into action again.

Read more: 13 best cot beds that are a long-term sleep solution

You only need to remove the storage shelf and then it folds down on itself. In contrast, many similar products require removal of the legs, unzipping and taking many pieces apart. The voyager is not dissimilar to the build of a portable massage table and that's seriously impressive: the convenience means parents have their travel cot (until baby's six months old) sorted, too. Of course, nobody wants to sign up for carrying 11kg of product, even if the included travel bag is well designed, but for taking in and out of the car and carrying short distances, this is a great option.

Design/looks

It's not an easy task to get a practical product that is fit for purpose and attractive too. As a brand, Silver Cross famously produces easy-on-the-eye kit, and while we don't think this is the most attractive co-sleeper on the market, it's no eye sore. The plush marl grey fabrics are unlikely to clash with any decor, are nicely padded and also wonderfully neutral, making it a strong unisex option. It's also easy to keep up appearances as you can unzip the cot fabrics and wash at 30C.

The frame complements the fabrics in a darker metal, and there's a Silver Cross badge on either side. It's nice to have the option of a shelf to place easy-to-reach essentials like nappies, muslins and blankets, but as this is exposed it can soon look cluttered, so a built-in basket would be our preference.

Comfort

The deep foam mattress is one of the best we've seen for a co-sleeper. It's firm but feels supportive, and our 14-week-old tester hasn't shown any aversion to it. The mesh panels on both sides of the crib maximise the air flow available, which is important as babies can't regulate their own temperature like adults can. The mattress is 84cm long by 51.5cm wide, so baby has plenty of kicking space, too.

Back to top

The verdict: Silver Cross voyager co-sleeper

Parents who are likely to travel a lot during baby's first six months should seriously consider Silver Cross' voyager as it's a co-sleeper and travel cot in one. Many products that try to brand themselves as “portable” fall short in other departments, but the voyager is a solid all-rounder, as well as being super travel friendly.

For just shy of £200, parents essentially have a safe, comfortable and convenient sleeping space for baby whether at home or away, and that makes it well worth its price tag. It's not as beautiful as some of the wooden options on the market, but if you're expecting to be a family on the move with a young baby in tow, you'll want this by your side.

Voucher codes

For the latest discounts on baby tech and other kids essentials, try the links below:

Keep your sleeping baby safe and close by with the best bedside cribs

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in