Baby equipment & accessories

Welcome to The Mum Test, where we'll be running reviews of relevant products from our tried and tested panel of mums just like you.

Each month we will be adding more products and reader reviews in The Mum Test section of the blog. If you are interested in participating then please contact us here.

Prams and pushchairs
Car seats
Baby carriers

The Stokke Xplory

Price: £519.99 (RRP)

Retailers:

Kiddicare
Bambino Direct

"I had dreamed of pushing this stroller for months, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. On tearing the box open, I was pleased to find it was very easy to put together – only took me around 15 minutes, and pram assembly is not my forte. So, where to begin? The obvious difference setting the Xplory apart from its competitors is the height factor. It is beautifully constructed so that your baby sits up high off the ground, away from dirt and pollution, with a great view of everything that’s going on, and much closer to you.

Baby is in the perfect position for lots of interaction, which is said to aid development. My little boy has absolutely loved his new outlook of the world - he is constantly looking around and babbling away contentedly. The seat has a super simple 5 point harness for safety, and three positions (which are so simple to adjust, even one handed), so your little one will be comfy whether awake, relaxing or snoozing. The other exciting aspect of the design, is being able to go “two wheeling”, by adjusting the chassis, the back wheels can basically be folded in, allowing you to go up escalators and make light work of public transport. It takes a little practice to get the knack, but once you do, it’s brilliant - so clever.

Perhaps most importantly, the Xplory is just a dream to push. It easily manoeuvres through tight gaps and round corners with very little effort. The handle is fully adjustable, letting you find your own perfect pushing angle, and the expanding shopping bag is an absolutely genius idea, with loads of room for baby bits and/or must have sale bargains! Technical brilliance aside, this is quite simply a great looking stroller, which is sure to stand out from the crowd. It’s available in several striking colours (we have turquoise, it’s gorgeous!), and the textile pieces are beautifully made to an extremely high standard. Even the rain cover fits on easily! The only downside is the temptation to keep buying additional textile sets & accessories to ‘pimp your ride!’ In short though, I love it, and would highly recommend the Xplory to others.."

Leslieanne Barclay, 29, West Sussex Rating:

Tippitoes ‘Max Viz’ Stroller

Price: £44.99 (RRP)

Retailers:

www.Tippitoes.com
Kiddies Kingdom

"This is a fantastic lightweight stroller. It came ready assembled, some you have to attach the wheels yourself. It’s easy to open and collapse with a great handle to carry it. My daughter is really fussy with strollers and the moment but she loved sitting in this, the back can be adjusted quite a lot so she can recline or sit forward which she likes. She didn’t fidget once in this stroller. It’s easy to push, very lightweight and the handles are not too low so you don’t hunch over it, my other half is 6 foot tall and he had no problem pushing it. I was surprised at how stable it was, though I don’t know how well it would hold up under everyday use. It’s a perfect, light weight stroller; we now have it in the back of the car for day trips."

Carol Smith (http://mummynew.blogspot.com/), 29, Lincs Rating:

Leebruss TakeOff

Price: £159.00 (RRP)

Retailers:

Kiddicare
www.leebruss.eu

"As soon as I saw this pushchair on The Apprentice I thought it looked fantastic! I was impressed by the way it folded down to the size of an overnight bag, and could be opened with just one hand. It took me a few attempts to master, but once I got the knack, it really did seem to almost open itself. As a city mum I use public transport a lot, so I love the fact it weighs just 8.4 kgs, and can be lifted on and off the bus without too much trouble. It steers easily and smoothly, and I also really like the high handles, as I always felt like I was stooping over my old pushchair. The only downside is that the wheels look like they could get damaged if you take them over rough ground. But otherwise it’s perfect."

Jacqui Paterson, 36, London Rating:

Rio Plus Jeep Stroller

Price: £159.99 (RRP)

Retailers:

Kiddicare
Littlewoods

"This is a nice lightweight stroller, it looks great and I love the colours, but I think it should recline a bit more – my seven-month-old looked a bit squashed when he was lying down. Also, the only way to get things out from the basket underneath is from the back, which means you have to take out all the contents - not very practical when you’re out and about."

Catherine Shipley, 35, Manchester Rating:

Silver Cross Halo Pushchair

Silver Cross Halo Pushchair (www.silvercross.co.uk)

Price: £249.00 (RRP)

Retailers:

Mothercare
Toys R Us
John Lewis

"Sturdy, easy to use and fold up, light and so compact you can fit it into the boot of even the smallest car. It looks nice and stylish, too, and it’s quite unisex – my husband doesn’t mind pushing our daughter in it at all, which is definitely a bonus."

Vicky James, 29, Tunbridge Wells Rating:

Britax First Class

Price: £128.69 (RRP)

Retailers:

Tesco

"When it comes to choosing a child’s car seat the driving force behind every mum’s decision is safety. And, boy, does this seat look like it would keep your little one safe. With side impact protection and Click & Safe on the 5-point safety harness – so you can hear when it’s been tightened enough – this kiddy seat looks like something from NASA rather than Britax. This seat is sturdy and looks like it’s built to last. It can be used rear-facing for a newborn (birth – 13kg) and forward-facing for bigger babies, toddlers and kids aged up to four. That means one size really does fit all – and is kind on the bank balance too. And it can be an infant carrier too, so is practical and economical. It’s not going to win any awards for looks though. Black, and bulky (it weighs 7.5kg but at least I can work off my bingo wings while carrying baby Anais) it’s all about comfort, not style. It’s also tricky to install.

I became frustrated after ten minutes and had to ask my husband to help me fit it, which he did after reading the instructions several times. They’re not the simplest to follow but, to be fair, our last car seat was easy enough for a baby to fit and we had a demonstration from the shop we bought it from. But our baby was soon sitting comfortably and loved it. There are five recline positions including an extended one that means Anais can lay back when she falls asleep. It didn’t take long before she was dozing in the back. While she slept, I could relax safe in the knowledge she had the maximum protection around her. This seat comes with performance chest pads and a unique pitch control system, which reduces forward movement in an accident. Everything had been thought of – and I’d swap safety and substance over style any day. This is the perfect seat if you do a lot of driving. Brilliant for safety, tricky to fit."

Karen Pasquali Jones, 42, London Rating:

Concord Ultimax Car Seat

Price: £199.99 (RRP)

Retailers:

Kiddicare

"A bit heavy and fiddly to fit - but once my husband put it in it felt really secure and offered serious protection. A big bonus is that your child can use it from 0 to four and that it can be both forward and rear facing - so no need to buy another car seat until they're older. My two-year old seemed to think it was comfy enough that he didn't want to get out, plus when he nodded off it was easy to put the seat in a reclining position without disturbing him. The chair is well padded and the fabric is soft, plus I love that the seat cover is easy to remove for washing. As car seats go, this one certainly is value for money and offers a high level of protection - which is all you really need."

Anastasia Fraser-Robinson, 39, London Rating:

Tomy Premier Freestyle All Seasons Baby Carrier

Price: £54.99 (RRP)

Retailers:

Kiddicare
www.tomy.co.uk

"Not your usual average baby carrier because it includes a rain cover for baby and so can be used whatever the weather. It states 0 -12 months for use but I guess it depends on the weight of your baby as it takes the weight of a baby up to 20lbs and we used it with our 14 month old, but I have another one due in 2 weeks and I can see this carrier being an absolute life saver with two under two as it will enable me to have my hands free to deal with Lucy when I am out and about whatever the British summer might throw at us. Needed a few adjustments to straps to get it to be comfortable for both parent and child but once completed it was well supportive of the back, weight is well distributed and Lucy seemed very comfortable. You can carry baby either facing you or facing outwards. On the whole a good, well thought through practical product with nice touches like a detachable dribble bib for when a small baby is facing you so you don't get covered it dribble, sick, milk etc.... and a neck support for use with small baby."

Angela Larkin, Sheffield Rating:

LivingwithKids