UppababyMinu Review

B Loves: Lightweight yet sturdy, great fold and looks good too

If you are a fan of the Uppababy Vista, you’ll be delighted that the company also offers a smaller, lighter and more compact alternative that’s great as a second stroller or for holidays. However, you might choose to use it as your only pushchair, as it has all the functionality of its bigger brother, as it is great from birth if you add the additional option. Maybe it’s a good choice for you if you live in a smaller flat or have to get public transport regularly.

From Birth Kit: this additional accessory for the Minu allows you to have a newborn facing you lying flat, which is the best position for tiny babies. You need to remove the seat unit first in order to place it on the chassis (a bit tricky but you’ll only be doing this once, then putting the seat back on once) and it has a good mattress and soft fabrics. The chassis can be folded with the Kit in place.

Seat: Smaller strollers often have rather small seats, as you’d expect and that can mean that the side are low and your little one doesn’t look very enclosed in it. The Minu seat, however, is generous and well-padded and also deep, so it really does look cosy for tiny babies yet they will still be comfortable well into their toddler years. It has enough of a recline for a good nap (add the From Birth Kit for under six months) and it faces the front only, with no parent facing option (though the From Birth Kit does face you for lovely interaction with your newborn). The recline function is easy to do, especially to lie it down, as you can easily pull the back of the seat lower by pinching two buttons on the mechanism and you can choose any position between upright and lying down. You may need two hands to sit it back up, when you have the weight of your child pushing it down. The calf and foot rest help keep your little one supported though they’re not adjustable. Inside the seat is a five-point harness that is easy to use and easy to adjust using and sliders at the shoulders and waist. When your baby outgrows the smallest setting, you do have to re-thread the straps through the next slot up bit it’s pretty easy to do. The seat is shaded by a large hood which offers UPF50+ protection from the sun and also features Uppababy’s trademark pull-out silver sun visor. On top is a good sized peek-a-boo window that fastens with magnets rather than Velcro, which often wakes babies as mums rips it open to see if their little one has drifted off! Inside the hood is a soft liner that manages to keep the inside of the pushchair cool. There’s even a storage pouch on th hood that’s great for your phone and keys.

Chassis: Despite being very lightweight, the chassis feels sturdy and well-made and there is no ‘give’ or wobble. It has an angular shape and the handle bar curves nicely upwards to be comfortable for most heights of parent though it’s not adjustable. Covered with real hand sewn leather, it’s comfortable to hold and grip (much more so than plastic which can make your hands sweaty) and it looks luxurious too. Putting the brake on and off is easy and is even colour-coded – ideal for tired parents! Press the left hand pedal next to the wheel to release the brake and the right hand red one to engage it. Once engaged, the brake will hold the pushchair steady. The storage basket is relatively generous for such a small stroller, holding 5kg, and it has high sides to keep your gear safe, while the rear end is open to allow you to store items easily. You’ll get a larger size baby bag in there or plenty of shopping.

To fold the Minu couldn’t be simpler. Just slide and push the button on the handlebar and the stroller concertinas down into a neat and compact size and locks together when folded – plus it will stand on its own when folded. To unfold, unlock the stroller and flip it up. It even fits into some overhead lockers on planes, though do check with your airline before you fly. It has a carrying handle and also a shoulder strap, leaving you hands free at important places like the plane door.

Wheels: The good thing about smaller pushchairs is their manoeuvrability and that often means compromise on the wheels and chassis. Not in this case, as although the wheels are quite small, they are very easy to steer (the front wheel has the choice of fixed or swivel wheels) and there is suspension all round for an extremely comfortable ride for your baby. It is good over most terrains though you probably wouldn’t want to take it off-road or over very bumpy ground. The tyres are rubber and puncture-proof.

Extras: It comes with a raincover and a bag to store the pushchair in (great for plane travel too). You might want to add the From Birth Kit  (£149.95) or adaptors for the Maxi-Cosi, Cybex and BeSafe car seats or the Mesa car seat (all £32.95). There’s also an organiser to clip onto the handle (£32.99) to keep things you need all the time handy, a rain cover for the From Birth Kit, a cosy knitted blanket £29.95) and a cosy toes called the CozyGanoosh (£129.99).

The small print:

• Use from: six months or from birth with additional kit to three years (165 kg)
• Weight: 6.7kg
• Seat reclines: multiple
• Size when folded: 52 x 71.1 x 58.4 cm
• Car seat: Uppababy Mesa, Maxi-Cosi, Cybex, BeSafe

It comes in three colours; Jake, which is black melange with a black chassis, Jordan, which is grey melange with an aluminium chassis and Ryan, which is a striking teal melange with an aluminium chassis.