SnüzPod Studio has been years in the making so nobody was more excited than us to secure an early sample to review.
With a reputation for bringing parents and babies together through better sleep, Snüz has always prided itself on supporting safe and cosy sleep right beside you. So how does their newest creation stack up against their other award-winning designs?
When it comes to the best bedside cribs to buy, Snüz is a firm favourite amongst the GoodtoKnow team — and the new SnüzPod Studio is no exception. This striking, minimalist bedside crib is both super stylish and highly practical. Effortlessly agile thanks to its lightweight design and wheeled legs, it's an absolute dream to move around the room, plus it can be set at an incline which is brilliant if your little one struggles with reflux.
Suitable from birth to six months, SnüzPod Studio has six different height settings and is designed to fit divan, ottoman, and framed bed bases and comes with bed attachment straps included. It's available in 7 contemporary colours and has a breathable mattress to boost the chances of your baby getting the deep and settled rest they need.
Price and availability
SnüzPod Studio has just come on the market and is currently retailing for £149, making it an excellent budget bedside crib given the features it offers.
"This model is cheaper than other SnüzPod cribs, yet features some updated touches," Liv said. "The crib will see your baby through the first six months in style and comfort."
While Liv would definitely class this crib as one of the best bedside cribs you can buy, the lack of a rocking motion is something she misses.
Design and features
Weighs: 6kg | Age: Birth to six months | Size: L99 x W59 x H79 (maximum height)
SnüzPod Studio is a beautiful bedside crib designed to see your baby through their first few months. It’s easily the sleekest design yet from the Snüz team — produced in a variety of tasteful urban-inspired colours, from Paris White and Brooklyn Graphite to Stockholm Natural and Rome Burgundy. If you're looking for a lifestyle crib to compliment your grown-up interior, this one is a real winner. And the best part? It's super lightweight - and has wheels!
"Contrary to previous SnüzPod designs, Studio is a much lighter model, composed with one single frame rather than the traditional two-piece system the brand is known for," said Liv. "The crib can either be assembled to a static specification or mounted onto a set of wheels to be easily shifted around a room. While the frame is wider than other SnüzPod models I’ve seen, the overall effect is a much lighter, less cumbersome crib."
We particularly love that the crib can be mounted on wheels as this gives you the freedom to move it around the room - something Liv described as working "particularly well for city life when space is at a premium and the baby could be sleeping in front of the wardrobe or blocking a door". The legs are also height adjustable, making it easy to create the perfect side-by-side sleeping arrangement.
The fact that the legs can be affixed on an incline is also a huge plus — particularly if your baby is struggling with reflux, as this can help to aid digestion. However, Liv felt this feature also had the potential to be beneficial in other ways. "I imagine it would also be welcomed by mums who are recovering from c-sections, as the baby could be placed at a height that's easier to reach after surgery," she told us.
We breathed a huge sigh of relief when the SnüzPod Studio turned up and we saw that it came with the same drop-down wall that the original SnüzPod features — because, let's face it, having that easy access makes checking on baby during the night that much easier. Liv was also a fan of the mesh sides.
"While previous SnuzPods have just one or two mesh sides, the SnuzPod Studio has a full mesh finish, which helps you check on the baby from all angles, no matter which way they’re facing. This is an improvement and helps parents looking for a way to subtly check on their baby at night or during naps."
The only downside? The fact that this crib doesn't have a rocking motion. "The Studio sits on four individual legs, and the bassinet is fully static. Liv felt she'd prefer to invest in the SnüzPod4 because of its rocking functionality. "For my partner and I, rocking our baby in the crib each night was the only way we could get her to sleep in the first few weeks," she explains. "Now she’s nine weeks old that's less important, but it’s hard to imagine how we would have coped without that rocking functionality on day one."
"The design is sleek, and the lightweight frame certainly looks the part," Liv told us. "In short: it’s the crib you want to have, and can get away with after the first six or so weeks — but before that, you may be reaching for one with a rocking motion to guarantee some sleep in those early days."
How we tested
- Our parent tester, Liv, tried out this crib with her nine-week-old daughter, Juliette
- The crib was used in the bedroom of a small city home where space is limited
- As well as looking at how easy this crib was to assemble, our parent tester also assessed the various features and how they could make a parent's life easier and potentially help a baby sleep better.
- Our test also rated the overall style of the crib and how easy it was to move around.
Things you won't find on the box
Unlike other SnüzPod designs, it's not possible to lift off the top half of the Studio for travel use, which many parents make use of — particularly if the journey to the destination can be made in the car, and the crib easily popped into the boot. "You’d have to invest in a separate travel cot if you were looking to travel in those first six months," Liv explained.
The Studio comes with a lightweight mattress that lends itself to a comfortable and cosy night's sleep, but it does require you to purchase a separate waterproof layer, plus all the usual sheets and bedding. "While the outer layer of the mattress can be removed for washing, the added protection is necessary to help offset the inevitable ‘poonamis’ and possets," explained Liv, when discussing the lack of a waterproof layer. "The mattress appears comfortable and breathable, helping babies to have the deep sleep they need for sufficient rest. The mattress is quite light, however, so it is hard to tuck in a blanket tightly enough to last a night, and they can be quite easily kicked off."
Who's it best for?
Striking yet refined, the SnüzPod Studio is the perfect bedside crib for contemporary living and ideal if you're short on space. Managing to both look the part and comprise all of the practical features you'd want in a crib (ok, except for rocking...), this newest creation from one of the most trusted baby brands certainly has a lot going for it.
Having explored every facet of this crib, Liv feels it's best for "style-oriented parents looking for a crib which will be as aesthetically pleasing as it is safe and practical". She also feels it sits at a highly affordable price point given the style and functionality it offers, so if you're looking for a budget-friendly bedside crib suitable from birth, you might just have found it.
Need an alternative?
The SnüzPod Studio has such a lot going for it, but the lack of a rocking motion might put some parents off. "It might seem like a small feature," Liv told us, "but when you're desperate for some shut-eye in the middle of the night, it's vital you can soothe the baby with some motion, without having to hold them."
If you're like Liv and feel that you'd struggle to be without the rocking motion that most cribs offer, the original SnüzPod4 may be a better buy. Or check out our review of the Silver Cross Voyager Co-Sleeper as it's also practical, stylish, and portable - and, yes, rockable!
Looking for more? Discover our range of baby gear buying guides covering everything from the best prams to the best Moses baskets.
