Best sites for buying baby equipmentBest sites for high chairs, baby monitors, baby slings, mattresses and travel cots

Other baby equipment worth considering

There is a dizzying array of items out there aimed at parents with new babies. The smallest person in your home seems to need the most stuff. But which things you need, and which products will serve you best in the early years, is a matter of opinion. 

After the essentials (think eating, sleeping and on the go) what you actually need is up to you. Other parents and parents forums can help with this – see our guide to some of the best parents' forums.

Make feeding time easier with a Best Buy highchair

Highchairs

A highchair certainly comes under the heading of an essential piece of kit. Our high chair reviews, based on rigorous testing, suggests several worthy Best Buys suitable for any baby. Our selections score highly on safety, ease of use and cleaning, and proved a hit with parents and children alike. Which high chair you choose will ultimately depend on where your priorities lie- whether you’re looking for something easy to clean and manoeuvre or something that's packed with features.

Baby monitors

Many parents also opt for a baby monitor. Baby monitors consist of two units — a transmitter that picks up sound from your baby's room and a receiver that you keep near you. The simplest monitors are mains powered. Both units are plugged into electrical sockets and sound is transmitted through the wiring system of the house. Visit our baby monitor reviews for some user-friendly Best Buys with great sound quality and no interference.

Baby slings

With a baby sling, also known as a baby carrier, you'll have both hands free; without having to manage a pram or pushchair, you may find it easier to do the shopping, negotiate public transport and load up the car. If you have a toddler as well as a baby, you can go out with the baby sling and the buggy, avoiding – or at least postponing – the need to buy a double pushchair. Find out more about baby slings and if they are for you in our guide to travelling with children.

Mattresses

Another essential is a mattress for your cot. To help you unravel the mysteries around PVC-coverings, soft versus firm, the right thickness and the relevant safety requirements, visit our guide to choosing a cot, which has a section about buying a mattress. Most places that sell costs also sell mattresses.

Travel cots

And on the subject of sleeping, a travel cot is another item you may consider, although not everyone will need one. Travel cots are portable cots that you can fold up and put in a bag to take away with you. You only really need a travel cot if you’ll be making regular overnight trips to cot-free homes. If this sounds like something useful, find out more in our guide on how to buy a travel cot.

Best sites for deals on other baby equipment

We've listed sites where we found good deals or extras on an array of baby products to kit out your home for the arrival of a little one. If you buy goods online you have the same rights as you do when shopping on the high street. We cover your rights when buying online in another section of this guide.

We list sites that tend to offer good deals, but to ensure you are paying the cheapest price, it's always wise to compare prices before buying. We cover some good online price comparison sites in another part of this guide. We chose the sites that we list below on the basis of price and the range offered - we haven't done any customer satisfaction surveys on them. We'd welcome feedback to which@which.co.uk.

Argos

Argos offers a large nursery range with major brand names represented, all at value-for-money prices. You can also take advantage of end-of-catalogue sales when the new catalogue is due. You can can order items online for pick-up in your local store, otherwise delivery charges apply.

Particularly good for: picking up items locally to save delivery costs, end-of-catalogue sales

Babies R Us

Babies R Us is a specialist baby department of the Toys R Us chain. Its Mother and Baby club  is free to join and you'll receive mailings of useful product information and helpful hints and tips, as well as money-off coupons. Delivery charges apply and you pay more to specify a date and time.

Babies R Us isn't the only shop to offer a loyalty scheme. We've highlighted some of the best loyalty schemes, and what they offer, in another section of this guide.

Particularly good for: wide range of baby products and brands stocked, Mother and Baby club

A good baby monitor will help give you peace of mind

John Lewis

John Lewis has a good reputation for upmarket nursery products and accessories. You can order online and online buying guides are available. It offers free standard delivery, although a £6 fee applies if you want to specify the delivery day and time.

Particularly good for: upmarket nursery products, standard delivery is free

Kays

Kays offers a good selection of nursery products with interest-free flexible payment options. Items costing £60 or more can be paid for interest-free over a year, and you can spread the cost over five years for some larger items. Standard delivery is free; a £4 charge applies if you want to specify the delivery date.

Particularly good for: flexible payment options, standard delivery is free

Kiddicare

Kiddicare stocks a wide range of well-known brands of nursery items, is consistently competitively priced and offers many discounts. A price match promise means it will beat cheaper prices elsewhere. Delivery is free for orders over £50, otherwise a £6 charge applies.

Particularly good for: stocks a wide range of baby products, consistently competitively priced

Kiddieshop

Kiddieshop sells a wide range of baby products, including high chairs from Cosatto and Hauck and travel cots from BabyDan, Cosatto and Hauck. It will try to price match if you find cheaper products elsewhere. Delivery charge applies for orders of less than £99.

Particularly good for: good range of high chairs and travel cots, price match promise

Littlewoods

Littlewoods has a reasonable range of nursery items and offers flexible payment options. For purchases over £60 you can pay over one year, and there's up to two years' interest-free credit on selected items. Standard delivery is free, but you'll pay £4 if you want to specify the delivery date.

Particularly good for: flexible payment options, standard delivery is free

Mamas & Papas

Mamas & Papas is a major nursery goods manufacturer. It offers an extensive range of own-label products and stocks a wide variety of products and other brands. Delivery charges apply. There is a delivery and assembly package available, at a cost, if you buy furniture.

Particularly good for: extensive range of both own-label products and those from other brands

Mothercare

Mothercare is the largest and best-known nursery chain. The Mothercare Mothercard offers reward points, as well as bonus point promotions and special offers. Delivery charges apply unless you order more than £150 worth of goods, or more than £100 for Mothercare Mothercard users.

Particularly good for: wide range of baby products, Mothercare Mothercard