Best Baby Strollers

The Quinny Buzz, introduced in 2006, was supposed to be Quinny’s entry in the new urban pushchair market, competing against models like the Bugaboo Chameleon (Quinny seems to have borrowed Bugaboo’s look), Stokke Xplory, and Silver Cross Dazzle. This is a tough playing ground, and Quinny has struggled to come up with some innovative features to set the Buzz apart from the rest of the pack.

Like most expensive “urban” strollers, the Quinny Buzz has slick design and is very comfortable to push. The Buzz comes in safe colours that won’t go out of style, and Quinny’s 3-wheeled design on the Buzz’s chassis is quite striking. The Quinny Buzz has a reversible pushchair seat so you can face your baby which ever direction you prefer or move her when the sun gets in her eyes. Unlike some other trendy models, the Quinny is almost reasonably priced at about £270, but it lacks many of the accessories of the Bugaboo and other models. If you purchase the Quinny Buzz along with the Dreami carrycot and Maxi Cosi car seat, you’ll end up paying around £500, still less that you would pay for the Bugaboo Gecko alone.

The Quinny Buzz’s most celebrated gimmick is its ability to unfold on its own using a “gas spring technique.” When folded down for storage or transport, the Quinny Buzz is quite compact and easily fits in most car boots. The Quinny Buzz’s wheels can also be removed to make it fit in even smaller spaces.

Unfortunately, the Quinny Buzz’s unfolding trick is also is major downfall. Numerous parents complain that the Buzz has sprung open unexpectedly and trapped their fingers in the chassis. More than one mum wondered what would happen if it were a child’s finger caught by the Quinny Buzz. Once a finger is trapped in the Buzz, it is impossible to close it on your own as it takes two hands to fold down. One poor mum was trapped in the parking lot in total agony until a kind passerby helped her escape. Even the best pushchair in the world simply isn’t acceptable if it could seriously injure a child the way the Quinny Buzz could.

If Quinny were to recall the Buzz and fix the finger-snapping problem, I could recommend this pushchair to anyone who wants the look of a modern buggy without the huge price tag. But until Quinny takes the sting out of the Buzz, I advise parents to stay away.