Red Kite Push Me Quatro stroller review

There are 9 buggies in the Red Kite collection and the Push Me Quatro sits at the cheaper end, although all of the company’s models put affordability at the centre, with the most expensive priced at £275.

The Push Me Quatro is a simple, sleek, unfussy buggy that offers a surprising amount of features for its £50 price tag, including a multi-position seat recline, lockable swivel wheels, a 5-point safety harness, and safety folding joints. It’s suitable for toddlers up to 15kg.

Perfect for hopping on and off public transport as a second buggy, as an additional buggy for grandparents, or as a holiday stroller, some parents even report using it as their main pushchair after buying it in addition to a more expensive model and then preferring it.

Tested by:

Sybilla is a freelance journalist and mum of five, most recently welcoming 7-month-old baby Benjamin to her brood.

What were your first impressions of the Red Kite Push Me Quatro?

This pushchair reminds me style-wise of my two trusty Maclaren buggies, the Techno XT and the Volo, which are much pricier. It’s plain black, which is hard to find fault with and although it’s pretty no-frills, I like how simple it looks.

How does it compare to other similar pushchairs?

There are a handful of lightweight buggies around the £45-£75 mark and all are relatively similar in functionality, with minor differences in style and some features. The Cuggl Hazel Pushchair is a slightly cheaper option at £39.99 and it has over 450 5 star reviews on the Argos website, however some customers commented on its lack of raincover, which is included with the Quatro. It also differs from the Red Kite Push Me Quatro in weight – it’s 7.22kg while the Quatro is 6.9kg – but it does have an air vent in the hood for you to be able to check on your baby, something the Quatro doesn’t.

For £10 more than the Quatro, the Joie Nitro buggy offers fierce competition – a market-leader and hugely popular with parents, it has hundreds of 5-star reviews across many online retailers. Offering similar features to the Red Kite Push Me Quatro, including its maximum weight limit of 15kg and dual-wheel suspension, it only differs in size, look and weight – it’s slightly heavier, it has a marginally bigger fold and it comes with chest pads.

For something at a similar price and even more lightweight than the Red Kite Push Me Quatro, the Hauck Sport (£63.64 on Amazon) is a great option – at 6kg it’s lighter than the Quatro, it has a more compact fold and has a higher weight limit of 18kg, so it will last you for longer, but many shoppers feel it has a budget look and for some, its feather-light frame isn’t great on rough terrain.

What age is the Red Kite Push Me Quatro suitable for?

It says from birth, but there are no cushioned seat pads and your baby would be facing outwards, so I wouldn’t recommend it. The maximum weight is 15kg which is anything from 2 to 4 years of age, but my five-year-old daughter old sat in it comfortably. My 8-month-old, Benjamin, appears to be pretty comfortable in the roomy Push Me Quatro seat.

Does it come with a carrycot?

No, the Push Me Quatro doesn’t come with a carrycot.

What’s the Red Kite Push Me Quatro seat unit like?

The seat unit is perfectly fine. It was about the right depth for my eight-month-old baby Benjamin and our five-year-old daughter, Celestia, sat very comfortably in it too.

Some online shoppers found it too shallow and others said it sagged in the middle, but I didn’t have any such issues. It’s true that it’s not the most luxurious seat in the world, but the great value price tag reflects this.

How many recline positions are there?

There are three recline positions. This measures up to the competition – in this price range, the majority of buggies have a multi-position back recline, including the option to lie flat.

Can you interact with your child when they’re in the Red Kite Push Me Quatro?

There is no peek-a-boo window and the seat unit faces outwards so unfortunately there isn’t any close interaction with your child.

Does the hood give good coverage?

One online reviewer complained it didn’t shield the sun from his son on holiday. It is true that the hood isn’t generous like the Cuggl Hazel Pushchair, but it does provides more shade than the Joie Nitro, a market leader that lacks decent sun coverage, with many parents opting to buy an additional canopy separately.

How do you fold the Red Kite Push Me Quatro?

It’s not that easy to fold as there are 3 phases but I’ve definitely folded worse buggies (such as the much pricier Bugaboo Ant which is fiendishly complex). To fold it:

1. Push up with your foot between the two legs of the buggy at the back.
2. Press down at the catch on the right of the buggy
3. Repeat no 1 until it folds.

How compact is the fold?

It measures H103cm x W37cm x D71cm when unfolded, which feels compact when you’re pushing it. It’s not as big as the Joie Nitro, but bigger than the Hauck Sport, although not significantly different to either.

How big is the Red Kite Push Me Quatro when folded?

It is narrow and long when folded. Unlike its cousin, the slightly more expensive Red Kite Push Me Kwik (£85 on Amazon), it doesn’t fold like a cube but more like the old style foldable buggies.

It’s quite easy to store because it is narrow, but the wheels poke out a fair bit. When folded, it measures H22cm x W110cm x D22cm, which is marginally smaller than the Cuggl Hazel and Joie Nitro, although not noticeably, and a fair amount bigger than the Hauck Sport.

Does it fit in an airplane overhead locker?

No the Push Me Quatro does not fit in the airplane overhead locker.

Does the Red Kite Push Me Quatro fit in the boot of your car?

Yes, it fits in the back of our Land Rover Discovery with the back seats up with no problem. This is incidentally quite a tight, narrow space.

How light is the buggy?

It’s 6.2kg, which is very light in buggy terms – lighter than the Joie Nitro and Cuggl Hazel. Despite its feathery frame, the buggy itself doesn’t feel that lightweight though – it’s sturdy rather than flimsy.

What do you think of the buggy’s wheels?

The wheels are plastic and not great quality. One online reviewer said it looked like they had been through a war after three outings! However, they haven’t broken on me and I’ve certainly put the buggy through its paces – although they’re admittedly not the best, I haven’t had any issues with them.

How easy is the Red Kite Push Me Quatro to push and steer?

It is easy to push but slightly unyielding to steer. For example, it doesn’t handle corners nearly as well as more expensive buggies I’ve used, although it is passable, and it glides well on smooth surfaces.

How does it handle on more challenging surfaces?

It does push on grass and bumpy surfaces reasonably well, and it’s pretty good at mounting curbs, but it didn’t work well on gravel at all.

Is the Red Kite Push Me Quatro suitable for public transport?

I live in a fairly rural location, so unfortunately I didn’t test it on public transport, but given how narrow and light it is I think it would be an ideal travel companion.

Is the the Red Kite Push Me Quatro frame strong and durable?

Yes it is a strong frame. In fact, on the Argos website, where it’s rated 4.7 out of 5, many customers express their surprise and happiness at how supportive and sturdy the frame feels, considering the buggy’s price.

What do you think of the handlebar?

I am 5’5” and it worked well for me and a lot of taller customers also said it was well suited for them. Although, in comparison to other buggies – the Quatro’s 103cm handle height is 5cm shorter than the Joie Nitro and 2cm shorter than the Cuggl Hazel, both options that may be even better for taller parents.

Are the Red Kite Push Me Quatro brakes effective?

They’re ok and they work well, but a handful of reviewers found they stuck out at the back too much, making it difficult to take the buggy upstairs. The brakes are also not flip flop friendly.

Is the basket a good size?

One of the overriding gripes from customers of the Red Kite Push Me Quatro is the basket not being large enough, although it’s perfectly fine in my opinion; it’s big enough to keep a blanket, a nappy and some snacks inside.

A common theme amongst budget-friendly, lightweight buggies is the lack of a decent basket, but that is the inevitable downside of such a compact, zippy buggy.

Can the Red Kite Push Me Quatro be used as a travel system?

No the Push Me Quatro is not travel system compatible.

How did you rate the look of the buggy?

There are only two colours available, black (Humbug) and dark red (Damson) – I love its simplicity and with a classic colour scheme, it’s a very smart looking buggy.

What’s in the box?

• 1 x Push Me Quatro
• 1 x Raincover
• 1 x Instruction Manual

Is it easy to build the Red Kite Push Me Quatro?

It is very easy to build this buggy. It took about 5 to 10 minutes and is just a case of placing the wheels onto the chassis.

What would you have wanted to know before you purchased the pushchair?

That unfolding the buggy is not straightforward and that the wheels were made of flimsy plastic.

What was your favourite feature of the Red Kite Push Me Quatro?

It’s super easy to assemble and push. It is totally fuss-free and pretty much anyone can work out how to use it (apart from the fold mechanism, which does take practice).

My parents babysat my son recently and they loved the buggy – in fact, they said the super lightweight, narrow design made their life so much easier.

Is it worth its price tag?

Yes, for the modest price tag I would definitely recommend it.

Where can you buy the pushchair?

It’s available to buy from: Amazon, Asda and Halfords.

MadeForMums verdict:

A no frills, lightweight, easy to use buggy that’s a bargain for parents looking for a daily run-around or a second buggy for the grandparents. With flimsy wheels and a fold that’s tough to master, it’s far from perfect, but its excellent £50 price tag combined with its comfy, sturdy ride, make it a great value buy.

Read More...

• Best lightweight buggies and strollers
• Smallest folding compact folding buggies
• Best strollers for less than £50