Maclaren buggies - reviews, sneak peeks and safety update

New affordable Maclaren nursery furniture

2012 sees the launch of Maclaren's new nursery collection - a more affordable range of cot beds and changers to sit alongside its luxury nursery furniture.

In 2011 Maclaren teamed up with designer David Netto to create a range of stunning nursery furniture. Stocked in Harrods, the price tag for each piece was rather high-end - £1,350 for the Cabine cot and £1,150 for the changer.

This diffusion range, also designed by David and Maclaren, features two collections: Louis (think country) and Cub (think contemporary) and will retail for half the price of its sibling.

Mixing wood and white this is furniture with longevity - the cotbed looks just as chic when converted to a toddler bed and the changer’s top can be turned over so the piece looks just like a grown-up dresser. But whilst the £550 falls way short of the luxury collection, the price tag might still make you wince.

Maclaren's other non-buggy offerings include the Maclaren Techno Baby Carrier and Maclaren Baby Rocker.

Why Mums love Maclaren

Mums have been pushing Maclaren buggies since 1965 when the blue and white striped B01 buggy was launched. British-based Maclaren is well-known and adored for its lightweight umbrella-fold buggies. Read why MFM mums love this brand and why they picked the Quest, Techno XT, Techno XLR and the Twin Techno pushchairs to transport their little ones.

Maclaren's objects of design, Quest Mod and Quest Sport

Maclaren’s objects of design range has already seen collaborations with the fashion set (Lulu Guinness, Juicy Couture and Burberry), and the music world (The Beatles). In 2011 the iconic British based buggy brand teamed up with the queen of the vintage floral, Cath Kidston, to give the Maclaren Quest a flowery makeover.

Fans of retro Liberty prints will swoon over the spray flower design, which includes a scrumptious footmuff. Here’s our review of the Maclaren Quest Mod and Maclaren Quest Sport, both of which made our 10 of the best lightweight buggies under 6kg and the top 10 buggies under £150 for 2011.

Maclaren Volo, Globetrotter, Triumph and Techno XT

Weighing just 4kg, the Maclaren Volo is marketed by Maclaren as the “lightest and simplest buggy for life on the go”. In our Maclaren Volo buggy review our tester explains why she rated it as an ideal choice for older children (the Volo is suitable for children over 6 months). Our review gives you all the pros and cons of this buggy.

An exclusive Volo called the Dylan’s Candy Bar Buggy is the latest addition to Maclaren’s Objects of Design range. Designed by Dylan Lauren, daughter of Ralph Lauren (the preppy polo shirt man!), the buggy's rainbow of bright candy-coloured stripes is a nod to Dylan's candy bar company. Selling more than 5,000 kinds of sweeties, sweetie-inspired fashion and jewellery, plus sweetie-themed bath and beauty products Dylan claims it's the world's largest candy store. We can't wait to find out!

The Volo isn't Maclaren's only super-light buggy - the Maclaren Globetrotter is 4.7kg, the Triumph is 5.2kg and the Techno XT is 6.8kg. For more specs, pros and cons, head to our Globetrotter review, Triumph review and Techno XT review.

Maclaren safety

After the safety scare of 2009, when Maclaren USA issued a safety warning over fingers becoming caught in some Maclaren buggy’s hinge mechanism, all new Maclaren buggies (from May 2010) feature a "next generation" hinge that's completely enclosed.

The company also announced that “As a precaution, Maclaren has taken the corrective action of placing additional warning labels on the buggy and in the instruction manual, stressing that carers should keep children clear of the buggy while it is being unfolded or folded."

Free hinge covers are still available to buggy owners in the UK with older buggies and can be claimed by calling Maclaren customer services on 01327 841320 for a free kit.

Maclaren agreed to compensate 40 UK families for injuries caused when using their buggies.

Maclaren double buggies

There are two double buggies in the Maclaren range, both of which are a lightweight, umbrella-fold twin buggy design. Our reviews of the Twin Triumph and Twin Techno have more on their performance, pros and cons.

Both buggies made our 2011 10 of the best double buggies for less than £250, 10 of the best easy-to-fold double buggies and 10 of the best lightweight double buggies. The Twin Techno also made MFM's 2011 round-up of top 10 twin buggies.