iCandy Peach 4

Retailing at around £1,245 for the double and £999 for the single, this is a luxury buggy at the top end of the market - but with the capacity to convert from a single to a double and back again, it is designed to last.

It’s in a similar bracket to the Bugaboo Donkey, Babystyle’s Egg, UPPABaby Vista, and Joolz Geo.

The Peach has been reimagined a few times and is now in its fifth generation. We've reviewed the 2017 double/tandem version of the iCandy Peach here and tested it in single mode too!

For help with choosing the right double buggy for you, read our guide.

What’s the difference between the Peach 3 and the new Peach 2018 pushchair?

One key difference to the Peach 3 is that the seat unit and carrycot now come as a two-in-one function, with one frame that can be converted into both.

Functionality is key to the new 2018 version of the Peach. It is 2kg lighter than the Peach 3, has a bigger basket and the footbrake has been repositioned to the side, to make it easier to tap on and the recline has been moved to the back of the seat and is now one-handed.

The seat unit and carrycot is now a 2-in-1 function, meaning you convert one to the other, saving space and a redundant carrycot after 6 months of use.

This saves the need for a separate carrycot that quickly becomes redundant. The size of the seat and carrycot has increased too. The latest version is also 2kg lighter than the old Peach and has a bigger basket. The footbrake has been repositioned to the side and the recline has been moved to the back of the seat and is now one hand operated.

The size of the seat and carrycot has been deepened and lengthened, to make it bigger for baby.

When in double mode you will no longer have to buy a smaller second carrycot addition as you did with the Peach 3 and what’s more, you get one carrycot included in the price and not sold as an additional extra, like it used to be.

You can buy the Peach 4 (2018 model) at John Lewis, at Uber Kids and direct at iCandy.

First impressions of the iCandy Peach 4 - 2018 model?

As you would expect of a buggy with these design and manufacturing credentials, the Peach feels very sturdy. I put it through its paces bumping up and down steps and kerbs and over rough terrain and never had any concerns about it not standing up to knocks and jolts. The chrome finish on the frame of the chassis is beautiful and looks unlikely to scratch easily - I didn’t notice any damage in the time I was testing it out.

What age is the iCandy Peach suitable for?

The Peach can be used from birth with the carrycot and has been tested up to 25kg, which should last a toddler well into their fourth year (if they don’t outgrow the seat).

The new iCandy Peach has a maximum capacity of 25kg, can it really handle that weight?

I mainly used the buggy with my nine-month-old baby but my almost-three-year-old also had a go. She weighs around 15kg, and it could certainly handle her clambering in and out. As it seems so sturdy and well made I can imagine that the Peach probably could handle up to 25kg - my only query would be if a child of that weight would simply be too big to fit in the seat, which is relatively narrow.

How does the Peach 2018‘s one-touch buckle work. What do you think of it?

The one-touch buckle is incredibly simple - it’s just a big round button that you push and the straps pop out. I found it very easy to use, both buckling and unbuckling my little one.

How does the iCandy Peach 2018 fold/collapse?

It took me a while to master the folding mechanism - essentially you push down on the handle and it folds in one motion, so you can do it with one hand. But the instruction manual wasn’t very clear and when I tried it the first few times nothing happened. I ended up watching a video on YouTube to check I was doing it right. With a bit of perseverance I got the hang of it and eventually it became quite easy - then I had to try and explain it to my husband, who also struggled.

What do you think of how the various parts adjust?

The folding mechanism was probably the only bit I found awkward - everything else adjusted and moved beautifully, and mostly with just one hand. There’s a button in the middle of the handle bar to adjust the handle height, which has four adjustable positions, ranging from 95-105cm. Another button at the back of the seat hood reclines the seat. The hood was quiet when folding and unfolding - no risk of it waking my sleeping baby - and has an extendable peak to provide extra protection from the sun, as well as a mesh ventilation window. In the latest version of the Peach, the brand has also updated the bumper bar to include a swivel mechanism, so you just pop out one side and swing it out of the way rather than removing the whole thing. In addition, the leg rest is adjustable.

How compact is the Peach when folded and how easy is it to store?

The chassis folds separately from the seat unit or carrycot, so you have to store them separately, which doesn’t make it the most compact option. However, with folded dimensions of 70x54x28cm for the chassis (without wheels) it’s trimmer than the Cosatto Wow I usually use, which comes in at 82x58x31cm folded. Once folded the Peach’s chassis is free standing, which is handy if you’re keeping it in a narrow entrance hall.

How comfortable does it feel?

The quilted fabrics are very luxurious and I liked the fairly deeply tapered seat unit - it seemed well designed to hold my baby in just the right position. Whether upright or reclined she didn’t loll to one side as she can in less supportive pushchair seats. In fact I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look so comfortable! For the parent, the leatherette finish on the rounded handle is nice and tactile too, so it’s comfortable to push.

How is interacting with your child when in the buggy?

With parent and world-facing options you can have your little one in sight all the time, or turn him or her out to enjoy the view. The mesh peep hole in the hood allows you to check on your child when they are facing forward. The Peach also comes with elevators, so the seat unit can be positioned higher and closer to parent eye-level. Some parents might welcome this but I didn’t see any particular benefits to using the elevators, and in fact when the seat unit was higher the buggy felt too top-heavy and I was nervous about bumping it up and down kerbs or steps.

What’s the basket like?

The basket is a very decent size - after doing a birthday party shop I easily fitted in a rather hefty bag of goodies, along with the folded raincover. It is slightly shallow and open to the elements, with no internal pockets, so not ideal for valuables or lots of loose odds and ends that might fall out along the way. However, there are a couple of storage pockets on the back of the seat unit which are perfect for storing your phone, keys and wallet, and are very easy to access.

How does it ride on different surfaces?

I really put the Peach through its paces, taking it on pavements, cobbled streets, grass, gravel and rocky, bumpy terrain, and it handled everything smoothly. The wheels have puncture-proof PU tyres and all round suspension, and you can lock the front wheels for extra stability. With two hands, the Peach was a breeze to push and felt like it could take pretty much anything in its stride. Manoeuvring it one-handed was a bit trickier as the button to adjust the handle height is right in the middle of the handle, so you have to position your hand to one side or the other, making it harder to steer.

It was fine taking kerbs with just the baby on board, but when the basket was loaded up it felt quite heavy mounting pavements. And as mentioned, when using the elevators it felt top-heavy and I didn’t like going up and down kerbs or steps in this mode.

How is the iCandy Peach on public transport?

I took it on a train and managed to get it up the step into the carriage on my own (I’m always amazed when other travellers stand by and watch as you struggle with a buggy alone). Getting out at the other end and on the way back some kind people stepped in to help me lift it in and out - it’s very easy to get a grip on the frame at the front so no-one seemed to have any problem giving me a hand. The carriages we travelled on were very quiet so I was able to find space to park the buggy without folding it. But as you need to take the carrycot or seat unit off the chassis to fold it, on a busier train or bus it might be more of a hassle and you would probably need someone to help you, or a sling to pop baby in while you deal with the buggy.

Does the Peach 2018 fit in the boot of your car?

We have a Ford S-Max with a very spacious boot so yes, it fitted in easily. It should fit in the boot of any family-sized car.

What do you think of the raincover?

I managed to put the raincover on upside down at first! But once I’d got it the right way round I thought the raincover was brilliant. Covers often come with lots of fiddly tabs and bits of velcro but this one just stretches in one piece around the seat unit. It’s compact to store, very easy to fit into place and did a good job of keeping the rain off.

What’s in the box?

• Chassis
• Seat unit/carrycot frame
• Canopy
• Carrycot fabrics (apron, liner and mattress)
• Raincover
• Elevators
• Car seat adaptors

What accessories are available?

• Parasol (£30)
• Lower carseat adaptors (£30)
• Main carseat adaptors (£30)
• Sunscreen (£29)
• Cup holder (£15)
• iCandy Travel Cup (£7)

How easy is it to build the product, were the instructions useful?

I didn’t find it very easy to put the Peach 2018 together as it came in lots of pieces that I had to put together myself. This is partly because there is just one frame that you can use either as a seat unit or carrycot. I can understand that you have to attach the fabrics to the frame yourself depending on the format you need, but I felt that some of the work, such as attaching the basket to the chassis or constructing the canopy, could have been done by iCandy in advance to save the customer a bit of work - especially at the price. I felt quite overwhelmed when I opened up the box and saw how many different parts there were and it took me the best part of an hour to get everything out and put together. The process wasn’t helped by rather basic instructions that consist simply of photos, with no written directions. More than once I found I’d misunderstood what the picture was telling me to do and had to take everything apart and start again. It was particularly fiddly zipping the carrycot fabrics onto the frame. I would definitely have wanted to be aware of how much construction would be needed at home before purchasing the buggy, as this might influence my decision to buy the Peach.

Who would the product be most useful for?

If you’re style conscious (the Peach comes in 10 different styles and colourways!) and have money to spend, then the iCandy Peach is a good investment for a growing family - it’s a beautifully built design classic with lots of innovative and clever features. And its ability to convert from a single to a double and back again in a single footprint makes it a great choice if you want a buggy that will last through multiple children. But it’s not cheap - the single Peach retails at £999 and you then have to buy a converter base for £240 and second seat fabric for £139 if you want to upgrade it to a double.

For more inspiration on double buggies, read our Buyers Guide

Is the product value for money?

There are cheaper options that offer a similar single to double model - the Baby Jogger City Select starts at £394 for the single and the UPPAbaby Vista starts at £699 for a single - so the Peach certainly isn’t a budget option. But if you have the money, for the style, design features and durability it is probably worth it. It comes with everything you need to use it from birth to toddlerhood but you do need to purchase extra accessories separately, such as a cupholder, parasol and footmuff.

MadeForMums verdict:

Putting this buggy together was a bit of an ordeal, but once it was constructed it was very easy to use, and both stylish and functional. It looked good, everything worked as it should, and it handled off-road terrain and city strolling admirably. Aside from a warning about the self-assembly, I would recommend the Peach to anyone with a healthy budget looking to invest in a luxury buggy that will see them through first and second babies and beyond.

For more options, browse the following reviews:

• Baby Elegance Cupla Duo tandem pushchair review
• Babystyle Hybrid Edge pushchair review
• Phil and Teds Voyager pushchair review
• Best travel systems