Bababing travel stroller review: “The accessories make it amazing value for money”

Available in black and almond, at just over £200 this travel stroller from Bababing is sure to tick many parents boxes if you're looking for a compact travel stroller that can do it all. With an effortless one-hand fold, lie flat seat back and generous storage for its neat dimensions it's perfect from birth up to 4-5 years.

Most impressively, the accessories that come in bundle with this travel stroller include rain cover, cup holder, and even a travel bag with shoulder straps - so you're ready wherever your adventures take you. Hub editor Stephanie Spencer tried the Bababing travel stroller out for herself...

Testing the Bababing auto fold compact stroller

Second to purchasing a travel system or study pushchair that will see baby through those first few months in comfort, next on my list when it came to getting around, was definitely a travel stroller. I was hoping for something compact and easy to fold, ideally with a travel bag. So, I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to test out Bababing's newest compact travel stroller, which ticked all of these boxes!

From first impressions I was encouraged by the size of the box it arrived in, it was certainly a neat package - when I got the stroller out it was also good to see minimal packaging. The stroller doesn't come fully assembled, as some travel/compact strollers do, but there was very minimal assembly required so that didn't bother me too much. Set up took all of 5 minutes, then another 5 minutes figuring out the fold etc - which is pretty good going for a brand new pushchair!

The quality of the pleather on the handlebar and bumper bar was lovely, it felt more luxuorious than I'd expected and something I immediately noticed. The pushchair material also seemed sturdy, wipeable and that it will last a toddler, so that's ideal. The black is classic and looks very smart. It is a bit annoying that you can't adjust the handlebar height, my husband is over 6ft so he doesn't look quite as comfortable pushing this as our normal stroller, but I know other travel stroller brands which also don't have this feature.

When it came to manouverability, despite it being a lightweight stroller I was impressed at how well it coped over grass, up and down curbs and even on stones and cobbles. The wheels are all a good size for a compact stroller, with all round suspension. Its so easy to fit through doorways and cramped spaces, and to fit in the car boot too.

Before I get onto any other features, I do need to mention the fold - it is so satisfying, I can't even begin to describe the ease with which you can fold this pushchair down and up. All you do is press the button on the handle, twist the handle slightly to release the chassis frame lock, and push the handle forward. It's like it wants to fold itself, it needs barely any encouragement once the lock is released, and it tucks itself into a lovely neat little bundle. Then to unfold, you just grab the handle and pull it up until you hear the chassis frame click back into place. The frame is so light that it's no effort at all and it really does only take one hand - I think I could even unfold it with one finger it's that easy.

I was super impressed by the accessories that came with it, I hadn't expected to get the bag and cup holder etc, so I felt a bit like a kid at Christmas unwrapping surprise presents! Many brands would charge extra for these additions, particularly the travel bag.

The cup holder does look a bit odd when the stroller is folded down, and doesn't fit into the travel bag when attached - but it's easy enough to remove and pop back on again. There isn't really anywhere it can tuck into on the travel bag, so that's something to note, I ended up popping it in after the stroller was away but if you were taking it on a plane I wouldn't be convinced that the cup holder would survive.

The basket size and storage space in general is great for a stroller of this size, the basket is certainly enough to pop in your changing bag, or if you were nipping out for a bit of shopping. It's not particularly deep but there is a fair amount of space there. I also loved that there's a zip pocket on the back of the seat where you can slip small items such as dummy and teether, or even your phone.

One thing I did notice was the seat depth looked quite narrow - it worked fine for the 1 year old I tested this with, and they were perfectly comfortable, but I do think a larger child could struggle. Other than that, the range of adjustments you can make to this seat are numerous.

The footrest is adjustable to three levels, and the bumper bar is detachable, and you can also swivel it so it's easier to get your child in and out without needing to completely detach it. The seat can easily be laid completely flat and everywhere in between thanks to the pich lever. Now I'm not normally a fan of these types of seat back adjustments, but I have to say that this one was very easy to use and seemed a lot sturdier than others I have seen and tried in the past.

The 5 point harness is easy to use and adjust both in height on the seat and length of the straps. The magnetic buckle makes it much easier to clip it all together, especially with a wriggly toddler.

In terms of ventilation, which is actually a great design feature when considering these strollers are often used abroad and in hotter climates, the team at Bababing have excelled. Not only is there a peephole in the hood (and I much prefer when these are made from mesh rather than a see-through plastic which just steams up) you can also extend the hood to reveal a larger mesh section.

Plus, in the back of the seat are two zippers - if you unzip these all the way up and roll the fabric panel up the whole back becomes a ventilation net. There's a little toggle to secure the back panel too.

While I haven't had the opportunity to use the back ventilation net to it's full potential yet, having not been abroad with this stroller and testing it in a British winter, it's a feature which I'm quite looking forward to taking advantage of in the summer, and for trips next year.

Talking of taking this stroller abroad, this is where the bag is ideal. The bag is not particularly sturdy but it's a good way to pack it up and reduce damage when you drop it off at the plane to be put in the hold. The Bababing travel stroller is also described as being cabin friendly for particular airlines, so you'd have to double check with the airline whether they'd allow this in the cabin before you travel. Again having it in a bag for this will make it a lot easier to get on board, it just becomes a large rucksack.

Would I recommend the Bababing compact travel stroller?

The answer to this question has to be yes - for the quality of this stroller and the accessories that are included, I think it is amazing value for money and I would have no hesitation at recommending it to parents. It is both sleek and modern in its design, yet has good quality wheels which stand up better to different terrains than other compact pushchairs at a lower price point. The amount of adjustability for the seat and the well thought out design for ventilation also provide added value.

The only things I would suggest that could be improved/tweaked would be making it so the handle height can be adjusted. I would also love to see a pocket added to the travel bag, even if just a small one with a luggage tag insert where you can add your contact details - I'm just going to attach a separate tag instead, but having something like that would be a handy addition.

Stephanie Spencer is the Hub Editor at Mother&Baby and currently pregnant with her first baby. She is also a proud auntie to four nieces and nephews. With a particular interest in health, she loves discovering products that make parent’s lives easier.