Last reviewed September 2026
A portacot has three jobs. Weekends at the grandparents', holidays, and the six months when the baby sleeps in your room and there is no space for a cot. A good one does all three and takes thirty seconds to set up; a bad one takes ten minutes and a video. The names confuse people, so first: portacot, travel cot and playard are the same thing. Here is how to choose one.
Set-up: One hand, seconds. If it needs a manual, it will stay in the boot
From birth: Only with a bassinet mode
Weight: Under 12 kg if you will carry it to the car
Safe: Firm, flat, mesh sides, only the mattress it came with
Lasts: To about three years or 15 kg
What makes a portacot safe
The same things that make a cot safe. A firm, flat mattress that fits edge to edge, so there is no gap for a face. Mesh sides, so air moves and you can see in. Nothing added: no extra mattress on top for comfort, no pillows, no bumpers. The thicker-mattress mistake is the common one, because portacot mattresses feel thin, and it is the one that creates a gap at the edge. The mattress is thin on purpose.
Check the locks every time it is set up. A rail that has not clicked into place is the other failure, and it is a mechanical one, not a design one.
What to look for
| Look for | Why | The Remi |
|---|---|---|
| One-hand set-up | You are holding a baby with the other hand, in a hallway, at 9pm. | Folds and sets up in seconds, one-handed |
| Bassinet mode | A newborn should sleep at a height you can reach without bending to the floor, and away from drafts. | Bassinet insert, from birth |
| Weight | It goes to the car, up the stairs, into the boot. | 11.3 kg |
| Folded size | It has to fit in the boot beside the pram. | 30.5 × 30.5 × 76.2 cm, in its own bag |
| A door in the side | Settling a baby through a zip-open panel at their level is easier on your back than reaching over the rail. | Zip-open side panel |
| Washable mattress cover | Because of what happens on it. | Organic cotton cover, included |
| Certified | Low chemical emissions matter for something a baby breathes next to for twelve hours. | Greenguard Gold |
The stages
Birth to about five months: bassinet mode
The insert raises the mattress to a height you can reach, keeps the newborn off the floor and out of drafts, and makes the portacot a bedside bassinet. This is the stage where a portacot beside your bed can replace a separate bassinet altogether. When the baby can push up or roll, the insert comes out.
Five months to about two and a half: the cot
The base becomes the mattress. The mesh sides mean the baby can see out and you can see in. At this stage it is a travel cot and a play space: somewhere safe to put a crawler while the door is answered.
The end
The Remi is rated to 3 years, 88.9 cm or 15 kg. The practical end is when they can climb out, which is usually a little before that.
The accessories that are actually useful
- A changing station that clips across the top turns the portacot into a full nursery-in-a-bag for a weekend away. The Remi changing station lifts off in one motion.
- A canopy for daytime naps in a bright room or on a verandah. The Remi canopy clips to the frame; it is shade, not a cover, and the sides stay open.
- A travel bag if it will fly. The Remi comes with a storage bag; the padded travel bag is for the hold.
The Remi, briefly
The Remi is UPPAbaby's portacot. 11.3 kg, one-hand fold, 30.5 × 30.5 × 76.2 cm folded, bassinet mode from birth, a zip-open side, organic cotton mattress cover, Greenguard Gold, and the same fabrics and leather as the prams. Two colours, $529.
Questions parents ask
What is the best portacot in Australia?
One that sets up in seconds with one hand, has a firm flat mattress that meets safe sleep guidance, and is light enough to carry to the car. If it will be used from birth, it needs a bassinet mode so a newborn sleeps at a reachable height. The Remi does all of that at 11.3 kg.
Can a newborn sleep in a portacot?
Yes, in bassinet mode: a raised insert that keeps a newborn at a comfortable height and away from the floor. The Remi is rated from birth in its bassinet mode. Once the baby can push up or roll, the bassinet comes out and they sleep on the base.
Is a portacot safe for everyday use?
Yes, if it is set up correctly and used with only the mattress it came with. A portacot with a firm base and mesh sides meets the same safe sleep principles as a cot. What makes them unsafe is adding a thicker mattress, which creates a gap at the edges, or leaving a rail half-locked.
How long does a portacot last?
The Remi is rated to three years, 88.9 cm or 15 kg, whichever comes first. In practice most children stop sleeping in one at around two and a half, when they can climb out.
Portacot or travel cot: what is the difference?
They are the same thing. Portacot is the Australian word, travel cot the British one, and playard the American. All three mean a folding cot with mesh sides that sets up anywhere.
Travelling with the pram too? Read the travel pram guide for flying with a pram, and see the rest of the home range. Expecting? A baby registry lets the grandparents buy the portacot that will live at their place.
Share:
Best Baby Bouncers in Australia: When to Start, Bouncer or Swing, and What Lasts
Best Prams in Australia 2026: How to Choose the Right One