New for 2010, the Cosatto Bob is billed as a convenient, nippy and compact umbrella-fold buggy with an easy auto-lock feature (I have an issue with this easy auto-lock feature but I’ll get to that later).
Cosatto takes pride in the fact that it produces funky goods that offer value for money, quality and safety. The free 4-year guarantee (for the UK and Ireland only) supports this ethic. At £115 the Bob is not the most expensive buggy option out there, nor the cheapest.
What we love
The Cosatto Bob is certainly good for travel, coming complete with a foldout sunvisor plus mosquito net. Weighing just 6kg, Bob is extremely lightweight - great for getting around town and jumping on and off buses. There’s also a built-in carry handle to make life that little bit easier, too.
The raincover is very easy to attach and really does a good job of keeping your child dry. There’s also a nice addition in the form of an insulated bottle carrier that can sit on the side of the aluminium frame. Great for keeping that milk warm or juice cold.
Steering is a pleasure (it has lockable front swivel wheels) and if you’re tall like me, the height of the ergonomic handles will be perfect. The chassis bounces well over rough and smooth terrain alike, which surprised me. The straps to the 5-point safety harness click together easily, unlike some alternatives on the market.
The adjustable seat reclines back a very long way, and considering I use it to get my 21-month-old Esme to sleep in after lunch, I love the fact that she can recline so far. Esme has been having a very comfortable nap and has been sleeping longer than ever before - I don’t think that’s purely coincidence! Do keep in mind that the basket underneath isn’t accessible at all when the seat is fully reclined.
The Cosatto Bob comes in two designs and these I’m really pleased to report are not blue and pink! One is bright red with “Hello!” plastered over it and the other is grey with some colourful circles on parts of the fabric. These are certainly fun, which is something the company strives for, and indeed Cosatto’s ideal design is something that makes a parent smile.
The Bob is very sturdy and suitable for babies from birth with its supportive head-hugger, soft chest pads, reclining backrest and practical soft cotton reversible liner.
While there isn’t particularly anything about the Cosatto Bob that makes it stand out from its competition (aside from the mosquito net and its brilliant name) I do still believe its retail price is fair.
What to watch out for
The initial thing I ought to mention is that the first time I used the Bob, a part of the red clip on the back that’s responsible for seat leverage fell off. However, Cosatto assured me it was a one-off fault and rapidly sorted the whole problem out.
In order to recline or sit the seat up, you have to push the red clip together and slide it either up or down. The seat doesn’t sit up very high at all. My daughter pulls herself forward in it and holds on to the sides to keep herself upright. This isn’t conducive to a comfy ride.
The easy auto-lock feature isn’t trouble-free either. More times than not, when opening the Bob, the long labels sewn into the material on the side of the frame caught. I’ve had to cut them off completely to stop them trapping part of the seat. Before this, I had to collapse the Bob and carefully hold the tags when unfolding it again. This isn’t time efficient or possible if you’ve got a baby with you as you’re stepping off a bus. Also, I feel the lock needs to be much higher up the frame - where it is means the Bob doesn’t fold up as neatly as it could.
Who is the Cosatto Bob lightweight buggy best for?
Tall mums about town with a baby that can sit unaided.
The Cosatto Bob offers a good price and a nice easy ride for a mum that wants to pop here and there with an extremely light and easy to control buggy. While the Bob is great for a sleeping toddler, once they’re awake and want to sit upright, it won’t be such an easy ride.
