Peg Perego Pliko Mini stroller review

Peg Perego may not have been on your radar until now, but it’s a family-owned brand that has a decades-long history and distributes across 100 countries around the world.

Ever seen those fun mini Fiat 500 cars, John Deere tractors, or Vespa motorcycle battery operated ride-ons? Well they’re from Peg Perego, which also produces travel systems, strollers, car seats, and high chairs.

Still headquartered near Milan, where the business was started in 1949 when Italian father-of-three Giuseppe Perego produced his first baby carriage, the brand launched in the UK in January 2017.

Peg Perego is a household name in Europe - a fact I soon found out on the school run, when an Italian friend asked how I liked my new pushchair.

"I always had them for my daughter," she explained, telling me how much a part of baby culture that Peg Perego is in Italy.

The Pliko Mini is the brand’s lightweight stroller and, at £150, it’s comparable to other lightweight strollers such as the Recaro Easylife (£189), the Silver Cross Zest (£145) and the Mee Go Feather (£130).

It may not be as light as the Graco Featherweight (£149.99), which at 3.6kg is the lightest pushchair out there, but it weighs around the same as the new Silver Cross Avia (£225) which is 5.5kg but costs 50% more.

Buyer’s guide to lightweight buggies

You can buy the Peg Perego Pliko Mini from Amazon, and Kidsroom.

Watch 5 things you need to know about the Peg Perego Pliko Mini

This buggy is sold on being lightweight and compact, how does it compare to the other lightweight and non-lightweight buggies you’ve used?

Living in a flat in London, having a lightweight and compact buggy is pretty much essential for daily life, so I was keen to see how the Peg Perego Pliko Mini would fare.

My first impression of the Pliko Mini was that it looked very chic, with its all-black frame and quality fabrics, trimmed with white stitching. It’s neat and compact – basically the embodiment of Italian style.

I liked the lack of heft to the Pliko Mini, which at 5.7kg is much lighter than other compacts I’ve had, like the Bugaboo Bee 5 (8.9kg), and Maclaren Techno XT (7.1kg).

And while it may seem that one lightweight is much the same as another, unless you’re paying top whack, there are certain features that make the Pliko Mini stand out.

These include its genuine one-handed fold, steady freestand keeping the fabrics off the floor and saving your back, and the generous seat size.

Ok, it’s not one I would use from birth, as there’s no carrycot, it’s not travel system compatible, and the seat is only forward-facing. But for a lightweight compact, it is pretty special.

Exactly how light is it? Does its weight hamper its durability?

5.7kg. It does feel really light, yet robust enough to withstand daily use. I could easily carry it with one hand up and down stairs and loved how light it felt to lift it into the car boot.

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How compact is it when unfolded and when folded?

This is a compact pushchair when unfolded – measuring 50cm wide x 101cm high and 84cm long. This compares to similar lightweight strollers such as the Maclaren Techno XT, which is 49cm x 112cm x 80cm, and the Chicco Echo, at 47cm x 105cm x 82cm.

When folded, it measures 34cm x 32cm x 94cm, compared to the Maclaren Techno XT’s 29cm x 30cm x 107cm and the Chicco Echo’s 26cm x 41cm x 105cm.

10 of the most compact folding buggies

What do you think of the fold system – is it really one-handed?

I absolutely loved the fold system on the Peg Perego Pliko Mini stroller. It was so easy – and yes, it truly is one-handed, hoorah!

There are essentially three steps to the fold:

• Curl a finger around the latch on the handle
• Pull upwards until it clicks in place and shows a red marker, then repeat on the other side
• Grab the oval handle at the back of the stroller and pull upwards – the buggy folds in on itself

It really could not be simpler – the fold is so intuitive and smooth. This is one of my favourite features of the Pliko Mini as having to fold buggies one-handed is pretty much synonymous with being a parent!

Unfolding it is equally easy – you just have to remember to undo the locking catch on the left side first, then it opens out pretty much by itself. There’s a foot pedal at the back that locks out the frame, you click the prongs on each side of the seat down onto the main frame, and you’re set to go.

10 of the easiest to fold buggies

Watch how to fold and unfold the Pliko Mini here

How easy is it to store?

The Peg Perego Pliko Mini is very easy to store and the main reason for that is that it has a freestanding fold. Basically, this means that once it’s folded, the two side parts of the frame form little legs, which keep it standing up sturdily in one place.

I loved the fact this meant it could be slotted behind a door, next to a desk or chair, in the hallway of a flat, or pretty much anywhere you have a small space.

And the beauty of the freestanding feature is that it keeps all the fabrics off the floor, so if you do have to put it somewhere that might be wet or a bit dirty, the buggy is not going to get mucky.

How is it on public transport?

I took the Pliko Mini on several bus journeys and on the tube - and found it completely stress-free, not a phrase I regularly associate with kids and public transport.

Its compact size meant the Pliko Mini easily fit down the aisle of the bus, even the single deckers, which I always find to have slightly narrower gangways.

It was also easy to fit in the buggy space alongside another pushchair, when I travelled with a friend who had a much larger, double Phil & Teds.

The fact I knew I could fold the buggy incredibly easily meant I didn't have the usual sense of dread at the possibility of having to wait while buses went past if they already had two buggies on board.

On the tube, the Pliko Mini was easy to carry up and down the stairs at the station, and didn't take up too much room when we were actually on the train.

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Would you be able to take the Pliko Mini away on holiday, and how do you think it would fare?

The Peg Perego Pliko Mini is a great buggy for holidays. We actually did take the stroller away with us in the summer, and I loved that it was easy to fit in the boot with all our holiday gear – I travelled with a friend and her child, and we easily fit all the luggage for the two of us, plus our three children into the car, as well as the Pliko Mini!

It’s easy to fold, and the freestanding feature is excellent for handily propping the buggy up if you stop anywhere.

The only thing that slightly let it down was the extension of the hood, as it doesn’t fully extend down over the seat, unlike strollers like the Mee-Go Feather (£130), and Ickle Bubba Aurora (£145).

What do you think of the seat size?

It is wide and deep, and large enough for my almost-three year old to ride comfortably without being squashed up at all.

At its widest point it is 34cm (31cm across at the very back), and the height of the backrest is 46cm, so it is a generous size.

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Does it recline?

Yes, there are three recline positions, and it reclines down to more than a 150 degree angle. So, it’s almost lie flat, but not quite!

Although Peg Perego says this buggy is suitable from birth, the fact it’s not completely lie-flat would make me hesitate to use it with a newborn.

Why your newborn needs a lie flat buggy

It is fairly easy to recline too, but both sides do need to be released, it is not a single movement. I found it trickier to do when my daughter was in the seat, as I needed to push the seat backrest slightly up to release it before it would then recline down.

What do you think of the height of the buggy?

I thought it was a good height for interacting with my daughter (especially through the in-built viewing window in the hood) and she sat at a good distance from the ground.

For me using the buggy was great, as the 101cm height worked well for me at 5ft 3ins. The fact the handlebars extend is a very useful feature, as it made the height suitable for my husband, who is a foot taller than me!

Is the frame strong, durable?

Yes, the Pliko Mini does feel robust, and the design and manufacture seems strong and high quality. The frame is made from aluminium, so it is lightweight, yet durable.

What do you think of the carry handle – does it make it easy to carry?

I liked the carry handle, which is positioned in the middle of the back of the stroller. It means that when it is folded, you can use it to carry easily with one hand, or (and this is an ingenious feature) pull it along on its wheels, like a suitcase.

What do you think of the handle bars?

The handles are described as ‘ergonomic’ and they are certainly very easy to hold. They are made from a smooth moulded plastic, rather than being covered in rubber or foam, and I like this about them.

I’ve had a lot of problems in the past with foam covered handlebars cracking and bits breaking off, which makes your buggy look really unsightly and more uncomfortable to push. Plus you then have to fork out for replacements!

With the Pliko Mini handles, there’s none of those issues.

They are height adjustable too, so you can find a comfortable position for pushing. The only thing with strollers with two handles, rather than a continuous handlebar, is that they are more tricky to push with one hand. You can do it, it’s just harder to manoeuvre with one hand.

How comfortable does it feel for your little one?

Very comfortable. My daughter Zohra had no complaints being in the Pliko Mini, and happily dropped off for a snooze in it. She liked using the footrest, and was equally happy whether upright or reclined.

The easily adjustable harness meant I could always be sure she was safe and comfy in the Pliko Mini, and the fabric of the seat felt soft. It’s not an overly padded seat fabric, but then I wouldn’t expect a lightweight stroller would have thick padding.

How is interacting with your little one when in the buggy?

It was easy to interact with my daughter while she was in the buggy as the design is open and unobstructed, so I could pop my head around and check on her or have a little chat.

One of the lovely features is the large panoramic viewing panel – a window in the hood which meant I could look at my daughter while I pushed her along. And of course, she loved being able to look up and see what I was up to!

What do you think of the hood? Can it be used as sun protection?

The hood is made of a thick and durable fabric, with a strong frame to it. It is great quality and the window at the back is excellent for keeping an eye on your little one.

My only niggle with it is that, while it is large and wide, it doesn’t extend fully enough over my daughter to give really good protection in bright sunshine. It is definitely larger than some lightweight strollers, such as the Graco Featherweight and the Chicco Miinimo, however.

But, if you’re using it in the UK, then most of the time the lack of full hood extension wouldn’t be a huge issue!

What are the basket and storage pockets like?

I was pleasantly surprised with the basket on the Pliko Mini. I thought I would be seriously hampered by the X-shaped metal frame that sits above the basket and below the seat, but it didn’t actually cause too many problems.

I was able to fit in a decent amount of shopping, as the basket fabric is quite flexible, so I could pull down the sides to pop items in. It can also be detached from the frame really easily as it simply hooks on.

There are no extra storage pockets, so bear this in mind if you usually like space for wipes, phone, snacks and drinks on the buggy itself.

How easy is it to push?

Super easy. The front wheels can be used either swivel or in a fixed position, and the back wheels are fixed. This means it’s good at manoeuvring around, especially in tight spaces. Plus the fact it’s so light meant it didn’t tire out my arms, even when I had it loaded up with my daughter and my shopping!

How does it ride on different surfaces?

I tried out the Peg Perego Pliko Mini on virtually every surface you can think of – and the only one that grounded it was sand!

Without doubt, it’s most at home on paved streets, as the swivel wheels mean you can whizz about easily. But grass, earth tracks, uneven ground and even cobbles proved no problem for the Pliko Mini – I just clicked on the locks on the front wheels when I wanted to head for somewhere more challenging than a pavement.

It was also easy to get up and down kerbs, as it’s so light.

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Tell us about the brakes.

The brakes are really easy to use, and just click on and off on both back wheels. And I would definitely say they are flip-flop friendly, as I used them while away on holiday as well as on my regular urban outings.

Does it fit in the boot of your car?

Easily! We have a VW Golf and there was no problem fitting the Pliko Mini in the boot. It was a complete pleasure folding it up and lifting it with no effort into the boot – very happy mummy!

What age child is it best for?

I think it’s best for a child from 6 months, as the seat is forward-facing only and doesn’t recline fully lie-flat.

What’s in the box?

• Pliko Mini stroller
• Shopping basket
• Wheels

Is it easy/hard to build the product?

It was super easy to build the Pliko Mini and took me less than 10 minutes from start to finish! It was quite intuitive anyway, but if you get stuck, there is a user guide/instructions on the Peg Perego website, along with videos.

Who would the product be most useful for?

The Pliko Mini would be useful for families wanting a nippy and easy to fold stroller for the nursery run, for holidays or for leaving at the grandparents.

What is the price? Is this good value for money? Do you have to buy a lot of additional extras, which all add up or is everything included?

The Peg Perego Pliko Mini costs around £150, which is reasonable value for money as I would expect it to last for the full three years, and even beyond to a second or third child. In terms of looks, design and quality of materials used, it’s superior to some cheaper lightweight strollers, and the frame is robust.

If you do buy extras then the cost would soon start to add up – there’s no rain cover included, which is pretty essential in the UK. It costs around £26 for the universal Peg Perego rain cover, which fits the Pliko Mini. There are also accessories including a front bumper bar (£39.99), parasol, foot muff, cup holder, mosquito net and travel bag, but most of these are yet to be available in the UK market.

MadeForMums verdict:

A stylish and good value lightweight buggy, that is simple to use and has the kind of intuitive features that make family life that little bit easier. I would definitely recommend this pushchair for families looking for a holiday buggy, a second pushchair, or simply to move on from a newborn pram to a lighter, more compact option.

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