Recaro Easylife review

The lightweight buggy market is quite crowded already, but the Recaro Easylife stands out for a number of reasons. At 5.7kg it’s one of the lightest, and its fantastic one-hand folding mechanism is outstanding.

The fact it folds lengthways and not like an umbrella (umbrella fold), like many of the strollers, makes it much easier to carry and much more compact to store.

It's also much cheaper than other combat rivals like the Babyzen YOYO (£339), so the Easylife seems to have found the right balance between style and value for money.

How comfortable is the Recaro Easylife stroller?

My 21-month-old son Fergus looks comfy in it, the seat is padded and the bright yellow fabric looks durable as well as cheerful.

The Recaro has a total of four recline positions, but surprisingly, it doesn’t have a lie-flat option. Fergus naps quite happily in it regardless, but this is something I would have wanted to know before purchasing.

How does the Recaro Easylife push?

The stroller has eight wheels with full suspension and it’s great to push on smooth surfaces and even along short grass in the park, while mounting kerbs is no problem.

The two wheels can lock in position, which makes it slightly easier to push on rougher terrain, however, I find it tricky moving along gravel, or going through longer grass.

The breaks are very easy; you simply push on and push off. However, because of where the levers for the breaks sit, it makes going up and down stairs difficult.

When pulling the buggy up stairs I found the levers for the breaks catching. And when I tried to bump it down the stairs outside my house, it ended up pushing the breaks on – leaving me stranded midway down the flight of stairs, which was very awkward.

Can the Easylife be folded with one hand?

Yes, it can. The one-hand fold system is fantastic; there is a subtle illustration on the handle reminding you how to do it, but it's very easy.

But opening the pushchair out is a bit harder; I employ a very unglamorous ‘shaking it out’ method.

Is the stroller a compact fold?

Yes, when folded down the dimensions are just 50/59/27cm (W/H/D) making it very easy to store, and it stands upright when folded.

Is it travel system compatible?

No

Has the lack of weight compromised the durability?

It's difficult to tell, although it feels less sturdy than a heavier buggy, it doesn’t mean it wouldn’t last as long.

What do you think of the 5-point harness?

The 5-point harness is great. Although the clasp is plastic and feels a bit flimsy, it's secure and difficult for little fingers to open, although Fergus has a good try.

One thing he can do with the Easylife, which he hasn’t been able to do with other buggies is wriggles his arms out of the shoulder straps, something I am not thrilled about.

Tell us about the handle

The continuous handle is brilliant. It's so much easier to push if you need to use one hand. In fact, you can push with one and stand to the side of the buggy and have a little chat with your little one, which I liked.

A handbag can still be looped over the back and I was impressed that even with bags on the back it remained upright when taking Fergus out, unlike our Chicco London.

At 5ft6 the handle is at a good height for me, although my 6ft husband thought it could be too low for anyone taller than him as he found his legs kicked the wheels a bit as he walked.

What about the basket?

The basket under the pushchair is useful, it’s a decent size and it’s easy to access.

How does it compare to other strollers?

I used to use a Chicco London, which was initially bought for nursery runs, but while it can easily fit on a bus, I don’t use it for long trips as I find it heavy to push and my son can’t be secured properly in it.

Everything has changed with the Easylife, which is 5.7 kg and really is lightweight and also so compact it's very easy to carry, exactly what I wanted in a stroller.

Compare the Recaro Easylife to other light and compact buggies:

• Ickle Bubba Aurora stroller
• Mothercare XSS Pockit stroller
• Baby Jogger City Tour

Would you take the Recaro on holiday?

Yes, because of its lightweight and its breathable mesh panels, the pushchair is ideal for holidays.

But while it also has features that make it a great day to day summer stroller, I'm not sure how it would be in colder weather; you can't get a foot muff for it and while it’s very easy to steer, I'm not sure how we'll the wheels would handle in snow or ice.

What’s in the box?

• Chassis
• Seat unit
• Wheels
• Basket

Any additional extras?

Rain cover - £20 (It has a front zip which makes it easy to pass things to your child and it also has reflective strips on it, which I was very impressed by.)

How is assembling the stroller?

The stroller arrives complete in the box, the only thing you need to do is attach two of the wheels, which is straightforward and takes a matter of seconds.

It comes with instructions, which are quite confusing because of the number of languages on each page. However, it’s pretty self-explanatory so putting it together shouldn’t be much of a problem.

Is it value for money?

At £189 I think you are paying a premium for all its special features but if you are short of storage space this could be a great value buggy for you.

MadeForMums Verdict?

A brilliant light-weight option for those who have limited storage. Great for taking on holiday and for day trips.

Read more...

• 10 of the best lightweight buggies
• 10 of the most compact folding buggies
• 10 of the best convertible buggies

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