Soon to be a mum for the first time, I’ve been on the lookout for the perfect pram. This is currently one of the most popular choices, I’ve put it to the test – and I’m seriously impressed
Pram, pushchair, buggy, stroller… Whatever you call it, it’s probably one of the most expensive purchases you’ll have to make when you’re expecting a baby. But with so much choice out there, it can be tricky to know which one to pick. If you’re looking for a tried-and-tested recommendation, however, this one gets my vote.
At a John Lewis nursery advice appointment at the end of last year, in which we were shown a number of different models of pram, I asked the helpful sales assistant which one she thought was the most popular one, and her reply was the Silver Cross Cove, the relatively new model from the heritage buggy brand loved by the Royal Family. Supporting this, if you browse the baby travel systems and travel bundles section on the John Lewis website and filter by ‘popularity’, the Silver Cross Cove comes up top.
What’s more, a number of real people have told me how much they love this buggy too: a friend with two children and who writes about parenting as a job, and a mum from our antenatal class. Priced between £945 and £1,450 depending on how many accessories you buy, like most prams it isn’t cheap, but I was convinced to give it a go – and here’s why I think it’s worth the hype…
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First of all, I think it looks great – really sturdy and luxe. We went for the champagne colourway but there are four other muted shades to go for, including classic black. The design is simple but expensive-looking, and even the changing bag looks just like a chic leather backpack that you’d happily wear at any time. Out of all of the buggies we saw in John Lewis, this was the one that caught the eye of my partner, who knows even less about these than I do.
It’s also very easy to set up from the box. In our testing process we’ve found that some pushchairs take a long time plus several YouTube videos to assemble, but this one was pretty quick and straightforward.
Silver Cross Cove Travel System
from £945
Silver Cross
Buy here
The Cove pram from royal favourite brand Silver Cross is one of John Lewis’s most popular – and we love it too.
Looks great; very smooth to push and steer; easy to fold up; compatible with popular baby car seat brand; good for parents of all heights
Heavy; I found it was a two-handed job to fully fold up
Once up and running, we loved how smooth it was to push and manoeuvre it was (“great suspension,” my partner said). As two fairly tall people, was also appreciated the three different height settings for fitting the carrycot, while the storage basket underneath had a decent amount of room.
One of the most important things to assess when buying a buggy is how easily it folds up, and I’m pleased to say that the Silver Cross Cove nails it here too: simply remove the carrycot, lower the handlebar to its lowest setting, then pick the frame up from the handle; it’ll fold up on itself. There’s also a handy strap for carrying it – although be aware that this is one of the heavier styles of buggy to transport about.
Other nice features include unzippable sections for ventilation, machine-washable fabric and the all-important cup holder, essential for coffee runs. Another key reason that we chose this one is because the baby car seat we have – the Maxi-Cosi Pebble 360 Pro2 – fits onto its chassis too (it’s available to buy together from a number of retailers, including John Lewis).
The cons I can think of are, firstly, the cost – although I struggled to find many all-inclusive baby travel systems under £1,000, there are cheaper ones available, such as the Joia Versatrex or the iCandy Peach 7, the model of choice for celebs such as Molly-Mae Hague and Michelle Keegan. Secondly, it is fairly bulky and heavy – perhaps one more suited to countryside or suburban living rather than city dwellers. However, I love the choice we’ve made in picking this one, and can see it lasting us for years.
And if you’re looking for a buggy to take on holiday, I’ve also reviewed the lightweight and airline cabin-approved Joolz Aer2, which is currently reduced to £345.
