Cosatto is known to be among the funkiest brands on the market, their slogan ‘Baby stuff with personality’ hits the nail on the head across their range. Their latest offering is the me-Mo a 3-in-1; we consider its pros and cons and serve them up in our review.
Quick Summary: Exterior design is the essence of Cosatto and the me-Mo has had bags of sassy ideas poured into the fabrics and styling. The charcoal fabric in the 'Walk on the wild side' theme is durable and slick and the lime green and chalk detailing, not forgetting spike, all combine to make this a very attractive looking 3-in-1.
Whats good?
- Great styling
- All-terrain frame with hydraulic opening and unisex bag
Whats not so good?
- Fiddly niggles in the engineering
- Large when folded
The me-Mo is the latest development from Cosatto and it shares all the aesthetic care and attention given to every pushchair from the Bolton based brand.
Named the me-Mo by Cosatto’s online fanbase, it was originally going to be a new evolution of the Budi, but was developed so extensively that it became it’s very own model.
The new personality to adorn the ‘Walk on the wild side’ theme is a very cute hedgehog that nestles beautifully on the printed and stitched leaf design in lime and chalk that appears on all three modes – carrycot, pushchair and car seat.
We love the fact that all the accessories are included in the package such as the footmuff, rain cover, change bag, basket bag. This way you can get going without having to incur extra cost to simply get out of the door.
Wheels
The frame is the power house of any pushchair and is the focus for functionality. Starting at the top, the handle height is controlled by a button in the middle of the handle. It is variable enough to make it comfortable for the tallest or the shortest person extending from 94cms to 106cms.
The bulk of the frame is in black with the axles and cross bar in a highly polished aluminium. The basket sits astride the crossbar like panniers (as in the Babystyle Vision Impact). The brake is centrally located on the back axle and holds the pushchair firm when applied.
Large rear air tyres sit wide on the back axle and smaller plastic moulded front wheels extend out on the polished aluminium front fork. Such a long wheel base makes manoeuvrability very fluid and responsive. However this also makes the frame very long when folded, 112cms to be precise.
Fold
To collapse the frame may seem a little tedious at first but when you’ve got the knack it takes no effort at all, it’s literally as easy as 1, 2, 3. Push and twist button 1 on the left side of the frame then button 2 on the right, then press button 3, just above the back axle, with your foot. Push down on the handle until it clips into the latches next to the back wheels. The width of the folded frame can be diminished slightly by removing the large back wheels. Note, you don’t have to remove the chair unit to fold if it is in the forward facing position.
The hydraulic mechanism in the frame means the chassis virtually unfolds itself. To open you need to release the clips located inbetween the handle and the back wheels. You will need slim fingers that you don’t mind getting dirty as the gap to reach the buttons is narrow. However, when unclipped the frame springs into life and you’re ready to go.
Carrycot
To attach the carrycot to the frame, the forks on the unit need to line up with the holes on the chassis. The same mechanism applies to each mode; carrycot, chair and carseat. These forks are definitely not our favourite way of joining a unit to a frame. There are two holes on the chassis that are located very close to one another and the forks are fairly long so it’s not hard to get the wrong hole. However removing the unit is a doddle, press the two grey latches on each side and lift!
Two straps extend from the carrycot base and snap to the front of the frame to add stability and eliminate any wobble on your travels. This unit is sturdy and safe; the slight lip on the apron adds a cosy, windcheater for more blustery days.
The outside is where we start to get a taste of the super styling. The black, high lustre, wipable fabric with the lime and chalk leaf design and hedgehog detail are splashed on the apron and hood. Inside, the soft cotton mattress and lining of the hood are white with a printed grey leaf pattern.
Seat
The attractive theme continues in the seat unit. Once again the high lustre fabric incorporates the design detail on the hood and the footrest. Suitable from 3 months, the seat unit can face you or face outwards but the pushchair will only fold, with the seat in situ, in the outward facing direction.
The one thing that lets the seat down is the recline; instead of the recline control handle being easily accessible at the top of the seat, it is adjusted using two large grey buttons near the release latches. They are stiff and hard to press which you have to perform simultaneously while adjusting the angle of tilt, annoyingly awkward.
The same cannot be said for the angle adjustment on the bumper bar, the smaller buttons make it easier to tilt but it cannot be removed without first taking off the hood.
The covers on the seat and bumper bar are all removable and washable, a blessing when ground in snacks and sticky finger marks are unavoidable. Another inevitability is mud on the fabric covered foot rest, like the Norton Storm, Cosatto have extended their seat to wrap around the bottom bar of the chair frame and before long muddy shoes will take the shine off your lustrous ‘Walk on the wild side’.
The hood has a sun protection factor of 50+ but could do with being a little larger to give a more protection from direct sunlight. Brackets on the side brace to make it rigid and there’s a peephole on the top for spying on your passenger when the seat is facing outward.
The five point harness can be threaded to three heights and has two ultra soft chest pads themed in the same hedgehog/leaf design.
Footmuffs rarely vary, but the me-Mo footmuff is very well thought out. It has a central zip for easy in-and-out access and a kangaroo pouch for keeping chilly hands warm.
Accessories
The change bag that comes with the me-Mo is large, practical and attractive. It contains a plastic wallet they call a messy bag; great for containing wet or smelly clothes. plus a PVC change mat. Styled to match the pushchair it is very utilitarian and could just about pass in the man bag category, so dad won’t look to girly.
If that wasn’t enough space, the large pannier bag sits astride the crossbar under the seat (as in the Babystyle Vision Impact). It has a zip close lid, but ingeniously the contents can be accessed via zips on the sides when access is more limited (i.e. when the seat is in the parent facing direction). Inside a pump and a spare tyre are supplied in case of emergencies.
Raincovers….my favourite subject and my biggest bug bear but with the me-Mo their combination raincover really fits both the chair and the pram beautifully. With the velcro fasteners, it’s easy to whip it on or off in a hurry. Job well done here!
Conclusion
Exterior design is the essence of Cosatto and the me-Mo has had bags of sassy ideas poured into the fabrics and styling. The charcoal fabric in the ‘Walk on the wild side’ theme is durable and slick and the lime green and chalk detailing, not forgetting spike, all combine to make this a very attractive looking 3-in-1.
Where the me-Mo falls from grace is in the engineering. Buttons and clips are unnecessarily stiff or hard to press especially on the recline. The folded frame is large and the release buttons are tricky to press located the small gap between the handle and wheels. The forked unit attachment that slides into holes on the frame, can be a hit or miss affair. These niggles are frustrating when the hydraulic automatic opening of the frame is a dream and the styling has been so caringly and thoughfully put together.
