The battle of the pushchairs!
I must stress before, I delve into this post that I am not, I repeat not a shopaholic! My daughter has had the privilege of having four different pushchairs! *covers face* To be honest, I only want the best for her and most of them failed to live up to my high standards of what a pushchair should be like. So, I am going to do a product review on each pushchair that I have tried with my daughter and I hope that this will be of help to someone.
First things first, let me elaborate..these are the qualities I specifically looked for when purchasing a pushchair for my angel [in no particular order].
1. Style
The pushchair had to look attractive and classy, for me there must be some sort of appeal. I am not particularly big on colours, but having the option to purchase the pushchair or accessories in different colours can also be somewhat appealing.
2. Size
Unfortunately, I could not find a pushchair that was of a decent size. They were either excessively large or too small. Ideally I wanted a pushchair that was reasonably sized and compact in order for me to use it on a day to day or as and when basis. It also needed to be able to fit into the car boot.
3. Comfort and safety
Now, this for me is number one on the list, as long as my daughter is happy, safe and comfortable in the pushchair I am happy. One of the pushchairs in particular that I am going to review failed immensely on this point, but I shall go into that later on in this post.
4. Value for money
I was not fussed about the price of the pushchair, I knew if I wanted quality I would have to be willing to dig into my pockets in order to get the best pushchair. However, my price limit would not go over £600 as I find that quite absurd to spend so much on a pushchair that my daughter will only use for a minuscule part of her life.
5. Quality
Again, this is a big factor for me, the pushchair had to be of a high quality. I did not want a pushchair that looked and felt cheap because that would be a waste of my money and also it would not necessarily have a good lifespan for the time frame I required it for.
6. Features
Now, I knew for sure that the pushchair I settled with had to have the ability to be forward facing as my daughter is still very young. I want to be able to see what she is doing and also for her to see me. This would give us both reassurance and enable me to interact with my daughter.
Another important feature was that the pushchair needed to have the ability to have a detachable carrycot, a car seat and it had to also be able to accommodate her as she grows up.
It had to have a large or reasonably sized shopping basket in order to hold my shopping and sometimes her changing bag.
Finally, I was looking for a pushchair that offered extras such as; a rain cover, a hood and cosy toes better known as a footmuff for the colder months.
Now, let’s get down to business!
1. Quinny Buzz
My older cousin kindly gave me her Quinny Buzz, she did not get the opportunity to use it much because she purchased a new one. I found this pushchair to be very easy to maneouvre on the road, it does what it is supposed to do. My daughter loved the carry cot it is beautifully lined inside and has a soft feel. It can be used with a car seat and often I did attach my maxi cosi car seat to it. As well as having the option to change from the carry cot to the car seat, the Quinny also has an older seat as your child grows. The Quinny handle could be adjusted to suit my needs, I really liked this because sometimes I wanted the handle to be high and on other occasions I wanted it to be low.
One of the flaws of this Quinny was that I found the frame too big, it was a struggle to get it on the bus and in the car. I also found the frame very heavy and after having a caesarean it was really hard for me to use this. The basket I found was a bit on the small side and did not accommodate much of my shopping. The Quinny came with everything I needed ranging from a raincover to the shopping basket. I liked the fact that it also can be used with my daughter facing me. The Quinny is excellent value for money, however I found it very difficult to fold as the folding mechanism became temperamental. After a while of using the Quinny the wheels became flat, this was a nightmare. I felt as if I was doing an intense workout.
So all in all I would rate the Quinny Buzz 7/10.
2. Hauck Shopper Shop N Drive Travel System
Okay, when I saw this pushchair online I thought that it looked really good and comfortable. I liked the fact that it came with the raincover, shopping basket, handlebar tray, car seat and also a bumper bar. I thought to myself, great! The Hauck gave me the option to have my daughter facing me also, so in my eyes it was perfect – how wrong was I..
Upon arrival the Hauck had to be made up, no problem! After fiddling with the Hauck for a few minutes it was set up and ready to be used. The pushchair looked like a spaceship! It was not compact at all, the car seat went on top of the seat which my daughter would use when she was older. The hood was a great size to protect her from the sun. It enabled my daughter to be completely covered as it closed at both ends, but I was not fond of this feature. The car seat was not at all suitable for a newborn. The car seat was padded and positioned in a very upright position with cushions to hold the babies head in place, I really did not like that. It made me feel as if she would not have a little freedom to move her head slightly.
I liked the style and colour of the Hauck, I ordered the exact colour as seen in the pictures, but upon arrival I was disappointed once the Hauck was set up because it was very heavy. The shopping basket was a very generous size, however with the Hauck in the position for a newborn with the car seat connected the shopping basket was not easily accessible. In my opinion, the Hauck is more suited for babies from 4 months. The wheels were a decent size, but I never went any further with the Hauck. Like the Quinny this was quite stressful to fold. The car seat had to be removed in order for it to be folded which can prove to be quite annoying especially if I was in a rush. Needless to say I returned it the following day.
It’s a 5/10 from me!
3. Ladybird Reba Pramette Pushchair
Out of all of the pushchairs, this one was the cheapest. I thought that it would have been the better option considering the reviews I had read said it was ‘lightweight‘ and ‘easy to use.’ The reviews were correct, I found this pushchair very easy to use and it was not at all heavy like the other pushchairs. I loved the fact that this was the first pushchair I managed to fold with great ease, that was an amazing feeling! With the other pushchairs it always seemed as if I had to go to war with them to get them to close! Setting this pushchair up was rather simple, it arrived with car seat adapters to attach my car seat, a handle bar, a decent sized hood, a spacious basket and a detachable cover to keep my little lady warm and snug.
I liked the style of this pushchair, it was not complicated in design, it was very simple. In regards to the size, the Ladybird pushchair was a good size, not too big and not too small. It was able to fit into the car easily, but in order for it to be folded down the carry cot had to be connected facing the world rather than facing me. As mentioned earlier the Ladybird pushchair was not at all problematic to fold down, I really appreciated this because it meant that I did not have to struggle with the pushchair.
You may remember earlier I mentioned one of the pushchairs failing on comfort and safety, it was this pushchair. Whilst using this pushchair on the road it was not a smooth ride, in fact I felt every hump and bump and so did my daughter. It was not able to be used on certain terrain or pavements because the Ladybird pushchair found it very difficult. The wheels could not make it up and down a small step or the side of the road because it would hit the surface causing my daughter to scream out and me to jump. I believe the wheels were not able to handle the hustle and bustle of everyday journeys, prior to purchasing the pushchair I did not know this. The wheels were out of control and often tried to take me to places I did not wish to go to!
The carrycot is flimsy and once it is detached from the frame it flops – literally. My daughter did enjoy sleeping in it, but that was when it was not moving! The shopping basket was great, I managed to fit most of my shopping inside the basket, but once the carry cot was connected it was hard to access the shopping basket. I was not best pleased about this because as stated earlier if I am in a rush I need to be able to put things away and take them out quickly without bending down and lifting the carrycot up.
One thing I loved about this pushchair is that it has a clever little pocket at the front where the raincover goes. This was a clever idea and also enables me to store the cover away without it taking up space in the shopping basket. Another great feature was that the Ladybird comes with a small mattress for the pushchair when it is in the carry cot position. With this pushchair I guess I got what I paid for..I give the Ladybird Reba Pramette Pushchair a 4/10.
4. Phil and Teds Smart Lux
This is the most expensive out of the pushchairs I had purchased. When it arrived the box was small and compact, but slightly tall. It took me about half an hour to set the pushchair up and after finally getting it to stay open I attached the carry cot. The carry cot is not as deep as the other carry cots, but I find it very neat. I absolutely love the style of this pushchair it is both classy and attractive. The front wheels are small, but the back ones are humongous! After using this pushchair for a short spin, it did not glide effortlessly. The front wheels can be locked to stop the pushchair from getting too crazy, but after locking them I found the pushchair hard to control.
Usually, I prefer the pushchair to be a subtle colour, not too bright and in your face, but with this one I so had to accessorise with the red cosy toes and seat liner. It looked very chic and colour coordinated nicely with the pushchair. Phil and Teds give you the option to purchase additional accessories for the pushchair, however I think all pushchairs should at least come with the necessities such as a rain cover and the cosy toes.
My daughter absolutely loves the Smart Lux and she sleeps soundly in the pushchair. She seems to be very comfortable, however I did not like the fact that this pushchair does not have a small mattress to cover the seat belts [the seat belts are for when my daughter is older and the chair will be converted from a carry cot]. In some ways this forces parents to purchase a liner or small mattress from Phil and Teds.
The Smart Lux gives you the option to purchase the pushchair with different coloured seats. The shopping basket is also a great size it can be easily accessed when the carry cot is on. I like the fact that my car seat can also be used on this frame, but I dislike the fact that I have to purchase the car seat adapters from Phil and Teds.
The handle is quite high and I would have liked the handle to be adjustable because I am not that tall. The brake is easy to be applied and it is also very easy to be taken off of the brake, with just a gentle tap of my foot. I like the fact that this pushchair can change as my daughter grows. She will sit in parent facing mode for now, but as soon as she is old enough she will be able to face the world and see what is going on.
One important aspect was that the wheels are unable to maneouvre over different terrain, because it struggled. This did not give me the confidence that this pushchair would not fail me on that note! The wheels are very big, bigger than the Quinny’s wheels, but I viewed this as a good thing especially after using the Ladybird Reba Pramette pushchair. The wheels support the carry cot.
This pushchair did not live up to my expectations because I have viewed many and I have also owned quite a few, but this one forces parents to spend more on basic accessories. Although, I stated earlier that I required a pushchair that came with certain accessories I was able to purchase these additional accessories [reluctantly!] whilst staying under my budget of £600!
I give the Smart Lux a disappointing 5/10!
5. Quinny Mood
Can I just say that this pushchair is very beautiful! I really liked the style of this one I found it really unique, plus it is my favourite colours! Unfortunately that is as far as it went with the Moodd it isn’t suitable for newborns although the carry cot can be purchased for an additional £179. I refused to spend over £779 on this pushchair considering the Moodd I purchased costs £600!
I found that the nest for babies was cute, but very open I didn’t like that. My baby is still very tiny and I would prefer a chair that keeps her protected rather than exposing her to the world. In regards to comfort, my daughter enjoyed being in the Moodd. It came with a baby sleeping bag, once I put her in that she fell asleep!
The basket for the Quinny is like all Quinny baskets..flimsy and pointless. Quinny pushchairs always have that humongous, long bar down the middle where the front wheel goes, this is really silly because it prevents me from putting items into the basket. Seriously Quinny sort that out PLEASE!
I found the hood really small, delicate and not very good for bad weather. The T bar did not bother me at all because it could easily be removed, although I know that a few people have complained about this.
The nest converts into a seat for when my daughter grows up, but I figured that her legs would be dangling over the foot bar. So, I said bye bye to the Moodd. If I was rating the Moodd on design alone it would receive a 9/10 from me, but unfortunately it gets a 6/10.
6. Quinny Buzz Xtra
This one is quite similar to the Moodd, but unlike the Moodd the hood is much more generous. They’re both very open unless you purchase the Carrycot. I just feel that this basic essentials should come with any pushchair to be honest. Although Quinny does sell their pushchairs with the rain cover and the baby sleeping bag which is kind of them.
I like the fact that Quinny pushchairs are sturdy and they’re very strong. Perhaps a little too strong because I found it difficult to close this one and the Moodd. In fact I needed to ask my mother to help me. I rate the Quinny Buzz Xtra a 6/10.
I really hope that this post helps someone, happy shopping!
With love,
Roxanne-Sasha
