Top buggy brands Bugaboo pushchairs
Bugaboo pushchairs came to prominence in the UK when film star Gwyneth Paltrow chose a Bugaboo Frog for her first baby, Apple, born in 2004.
The Dutch buggy brand has been around since 1999 and the pushchairs’ bright, swappable fabrics and stylish design make them a popular choice among fashionable, active parents.
The high price of Bugaboo pushchairs makes them an aspirational choice. Celebrities photographed with Bugaboo buggies include Gwyneth Paltrow, Elton John, Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr, and Mariah Carey.
Watch our first look video review of the Bugaboo Donkey to see one of these pushchairs in action.
What’s a typical Bugaboo pushchair like?
Bugaboo pushchairs ‘unite form and function’, according to their designer, combining durable stylish frames with bright, washable fabrics.
There are three pushchairs in the Bugaboo range and they can all be used as a travel system with certain models of child car seat.
Bugaboo Cameleon
Three Bugaboo models
The bestselling Bugaboo Cameleon is a funky, versatile pushchair that comes with two fabric ‘kits’ that can be positioned on the tilting seat frame to create a pram body for newborns or a pushchair seat for older babies. The seat can face in either direction and, unusually, so can the handlebar.
The Bugaboo Bee is more like a traditional buggy with a reclining backrest and seat that can face in both directions.
The Bugaboo Donkey is Bugaboo’s newest pushchair, launched in 2011. The Donkey can be used as a single or double pushchair, thanks to an innovative frame that expands sideways to fit a second seat.
How much does a Bugaboo pushchair cost?
Expect to pay:
- Around £440 for the Bugaboo Bee
- Around £680 for the Bugaboo Cameleon base unit and carrycot
- Around £800 for the Bugaboo Donkey Mono (with a single seat)
The latest Bugaboo Bee has updated front wheels
If you’re prepared to buy second-hand, prices on eBay (checked December 2011) average:
- £245 for the Bee (we found prices ranging from £114 to £450 depending on the condition and the accessories included.)
- £433 for the Cameleon (we found prices ranging from £99 to £759 depending on the condition and the accessories included.)
Read our advice guide on buying second-hand baby products before you buy.
You can also pick up second-hand versions of the Bugaboo Frog and Bugaboo Gecko, which are no longer being made.
How we review Bugaboo pushchairs
Our experts in the test lab put each Bugaboo pushchair through more than 30 tests to check its strength, durability and safety, in line with British Standards.
We assess how easy the pushchair is to push, adjust for children of different ages and fold up. We also test whether it will fit unfolded on an escalator and on public transport, or folded in the boot of a small family car. We even find out how easy it is to remove food stains from the pushchair fabric.
The final part of our testing involves a panel of parents (and their babies), who rate the appearance and features of the pushchair and take it for a spin to see how easy and convenient it is to manoeuvre on pavements, bumpy ground, up and down stairs and around other obstacles.
Bugaboo Donkey single
You can find out more about how we test pushchairs and read customer views from parents who already own each pushchair in our full pushchair reviews.
Bugaboo Cameleon review
Which? members can check out our full Bugaboo Cameleon review to see how this pushchair performed in our tests, watch our video review and read the views of parents who already own this pushchair.
Bugaboo Bee review
Check out our full Bugaboo Bee review to see how this pushchair performed in our tests and to read the views of parents who already own it. You can also check out a video review to see this pushchair in action.
Safety issues:
There have been problems with the Bugaboo Bee’s wheels in the past. In September 2011 we reported that Bugaboo was offering Bee owners replacement wheels, as the buggy’s original wheels could jam and cause the buggy to tip over. Check out our Q&A guide to the Bugaboo Bee wheel problem to find out more.
Bugaboo Donkey review
We’ve recently tested the new Bugaboo Donkey as a single pushchair and a double pushchair.
Watch our first look video review of the Bugaboo Donkey to see this pushchair in action as a single and a double, or log in to read our full Bugaboo Donkey review.
Bugaboo pushchairs are aimed at fashionable parents
Which? verdict on Bugaboo
Pros of Bugaboo pushchairs:
- Fashionable looks and distinctive styling
- Bugaboo pushchairs are compatible with the Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix child car seat
Cons of Bugaboo pushchairs:
- Expensive and many accessories have to be bought separately
- Bugaboos are quite time consuming and difficult to assemble when you first buy them
Find out how Bugaboo pushchairs compare to others in our pushchair reviews.
Where to buy Bugaboo pushchairs
Mothercare and John Lewis are two of the biggest chains selling Bugaboo products in the UK.
Bugaboo pushchairs are also sold by independent pushchair retailers and on nursery websites – it’s easy to search for local stockists on the Bugaboo website.
Check out our advice on the best websites for buying baby products.
Bugaboo often teams up with designers to offer pushchairs with limited-edition fabrics.
Bugaboo pushchair warranties
All Bugaboo pushchairs are sold with a two-year manufacturing warranty.
To validate the warranty, register your pushchair with the warranty card provided or enter your details online at Bugaboo.com.
It’s worth registering - Bugaboo identified an issue with the Bee’s brakes in 2009 and issued clip-on brackets that rectified the problem to owners who had registered their warranty card.
Bugaboo is offering a free extended three-year warranty for Bugaboo Donkey pushchairs bought before April 2012. To qualify, register your pushchair on the Bugaboo.com website within three months of purchase.
Contact Bugaboo
Website: www.bugaboo.com
Email: infoUK@bugaboo.com
Phone number: 0800 587 8265
Fax 020 7385 5888
Address: Bugaboo, Unit 23/7, 187 Munster Road, PO Box 44146, London SW6 6AW
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