Maxi-Cosi Kori review

The muted tones and super chic design of the Maxi Cosi Kori Rocker is a beacon of style in amongst a sea of garishly-bright, all-singing all-dancing bouncers, chairs and swings that you’ll often find.

The rocker doubles up as a chair and is a sturdy, unassuming, grown-up version of a baby seat that picked up Bronze in the 2020 MFM Awards in the Bouncer/swing/seat category. Judges were impressed with its premium, pared-back design and supportive feel.

At £100, it’s aimed at the luxe end of the market, but this is clear from the outset – it’s attractive muted colour scheme framed against wood instantly give it a high-end impression. Suitable from birth up to 9kg, it’s available in 3 colours, has 3 recline positions and a 3-point harness.

Tested by:

Liz tested the Maxi Cosi Kori with her five-month-old baby boy, Aidan.

How does it compare to similarly-priced rockers?

In the context of the wider market, most other seats for newborns generally look less stylish and a lot more in-your-face but boast a few more features. The Mamas and Papas Wave Rocker (£69 on Amazon) is cheaper, but comes with hanging toys, 4 melodies, a vibration feature and has a gentle, battery-power rocking motion. Although it’s only suitable for babies up to 6 months compared to the Maxi Cosi Kori’s 9 months and while it doesn’t have a bright aesthetic, it’s certainly not as easy on the eye as the Kori.

Another alternative is the Joie Dreamer Rocker – at just £70 its £30 cheaper than the Maxi Cosi Kori and it can hold up to 15kg in contrast to the Kori’s 9kg limit. It also features lullabies, nature sounds and vibration, although like the Kori, it doesn’t have an automatic movement function and bounces with a push or from your baby’s movement. Again, while it has a pleasing, simplistic look, it’s not as luxe as the Kori.

An option that does give the Maxi Cosi a run for its money in the style stakes is the BabyBjorn Bouncer Balance Soft (£117.95 on Amazon) – similar in look and feel to the Kori, it’s a sleek and minimalist product that will set you back an extra £44.99, and like the Kori, doesn’t offer any sounds or vibrations, bit it is usable up until age 2 as a toddler chair and a wooden toy bar is available to buy separately.

What age is the Maxi Cosi Kori rocker designed for?

The product is suitable from birth up to 9kg, which is around 9 months, but in all honesty once my son reaches 9kg I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to get him to sit still in a chair for very long! He’s very nearly 6 months now and it works for short spells watching Hey Duggee while I make food or tidy up – but it’s not designed for longer stints unless your baby is still small and pretty immobile.

Compared to other pricier seats, a 9-month age limit is on the younger side – although the Mamas and Papas Wave Rocker has a limit of 6 months, many other chairs have a much bigger age range, including the Joie Dreamer Rocker at 15kg, while the BabyBjorn Bouncer Balance Soft is a whopping 2 years.

How does it work?

The seat has a curved based, which means that with a push it rocks. To convert from a rocker into a seat or vice versa, you simply pull out two leg extensions which keep the chair level and stationery. The recline positions are adjusted easily too – in a very similar way to most pushchairs – just by pulling a lever.

Something to note is the rocking motion is very limited – while many comparable products can be rocked by your baby’s natural motion, this seat is so sturdy it didn’t offer any independent rocking.

Does the Maxi Cosi Kori rocker need batteries?

Nope it doesn’t need batteries. You just need to be on hand to rock the chair for them, and even then, the movement is limited.

Does the seat feel sturdy and secure?

Absolutely - the high-quality materials really feel like the product is built to last.

How is strapping your child into the Maxi Cosi Kori rocker?

Strapping Aidan in is easy and doesn’t require me to manoeuvre him into any awkward positions or wrestle any limbs into straps (something he really hates with the car seat)! It’s a simple 3-point harness, but it’s surrounded by padding so it doesn’t feel restrictive – he barely even notices I’m doing it.

What do you think of the design?

The design is beautiful, the colours are sophisticated and the materials are obviously high quality. The zips, stitching and branding are all classy and in-keeping with the minimalist, Scandi-inspired design. The two MFM 2020 Awards home testers who were able to give the Kori a spin also agreed, with both singing the Kori’s praises for its luxurious finish.

What different recline positions are available with the Maxi Cosi Kori rocker?

There are three recline positions and switching between them is fairly simple. There is a lever at the back of the chair which, with a little help from your other hand on the seat support, can swiftly be fixed into place. Each position is labelled on the bottom of the chair – but while positions 3 and 2 are easy to navigate – getting the chair back into position 1 (the flattest position for newborns) is a little trickier. Aidan loves sitting in position 2, which allows him to practice sitting upright.

The straightforward functions of this rocker and just how simple it is to use is mirrored in many online reviews for it, which comment on how quick it is to get to grips with.

Is it easy to clean?

The actual seat is not wipeable, but the material can be removed. That said, taking it off isn’t as easy as it sounds and getting it back on isn’t a walk in the park either. My recommendation would be to avoid any feeding in the chair, to keep cleaning requirements to a minimum.

How big is the Maxi Cosi Kori rocker?

The chair is fairly compact – in fact, it’s smaller than the Mamas and Papas Wave Rocker, Joie Dreamer Rocker and BabyBjorn Bouncer Balance Soft. Although it’s petite, it’s still very roomy for a baby, a point that was also made by one of the MFM 2020 Awards home testers, who noted how much space their baby enjoyed. Aidan is definitely small enough to make good use of it, and I’m not planning to store it away anytime soon!

How does it fold away?

It folds away really quickly and easily – simply by using the recline lever at the back of the chair. The tiny, easy fold is another big selling point of the Maxi Cosi Kori Rocker. On Amazon, where it’s rated 4.7 out of 5, many reviewers love just how easy it is to store away or take away with them to friends and family’s houses. There’s also a pocket at the back to store the padding once your baby gets bigger, which is a really useful extra.

What feature do you like most about the Maxi Cosi Kori rocker?

For me (and incidentally for many online shoppers), it has to be the aesthetic of this chair. It just looks great! Despite its sturdiness, it’s also super light which means that once folded, it’s easy to transport to and from the office whenever I need to take Aidan to work.

What do you wish you had known before you got it?

The lack of movement was a bit of a surprise. The Maxi-Cosi Kori really is a seat – a very nice seat – but really no more than that. As a rocker, it misses the mark and it’s certainly not giving any competition to bouncers or swings. Parents expecting it to deliver on all fronts will be disappointed.

What’s in the box?

You get the chair and the instructions and in fairness, you don’t really need anything else.

Are there any accessories needed or available?

This this product is all about minimalism. There are no accessories specifically for this chair, but that’s not to say it wouldn’t benefit from a few more features aimed at keeping babies happy. There’s no music, no attachments and no battery-powered motion which means that if you have some clip-on pram toys handy, you might want to employ them for this chair too.

For one of the MFM 2020 Awards home testers, the lack of a toy bar was one of the main criticisms of an otherwise glowing review of the Maxi Cosi Kori. But, they admitted, the comfort of their baby, which seemed excellent in the rocker, outweighed the lack of toys and features available.

Is it good value for money?

The price point does seem a little bit steep, especially when compared to other less expensive rockers with more functions – but the Maxi Cosi Kori Rocker is built to last and I can easily see it being used again for a second and third baby, especially considering how easy it is to store. We’ve used it every day and it’s suitable up to around 9 months, so it does last longer than other cheaper options with a 6-month limit.

Where can I buy the Maxi Cosi Kori Rocker?

It’s available to buy from Mamas & Papas, Boots, Samuel Johnston and Baby Planet

MFM verdict:

The Maxi Cosi Kori rocker isn’t the most innovative or exciting on the market and at £99 it’s not the cheapest either, but the quality of the design and materials, as well as the comfort factor for your baby, make it a very chic option worth considering. If however you’re after a rocker that will entertain your little one, it’s not for you. I’d recommend it, on the understanding that this product delivers style over substance.

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