Quinny Buzz 3 Parent Review

I'm Rachel and I'm nearly 30. I am married to Paul and we have a lovely little boy called George who was born in June 2012. We are a forces family as Paul is currently serving in the Royal Air Force. When not on maternity leave I work full time specialising in accounting roles. Our many hobbies include camping, running, going for days/weekend breaks to National Trust & English Heritage sites, animal centres and aquariums, and of course my favourite one - shopping! We are looking forward to giving this pushchair a very good trial and hopeful it will rise to the challenge well.

Quick Summary: It is well built, easy to use and looks quite trendy. You definitely don't feel a slummy mummy whilst pushing it. Also whilst out and about I have seen many different colour combinations, so is very easy to personalise to your own taste. Although the classic colours do look very stylish as they are.

Whats good?

• Lightweight and easy to manoeuvre
• Parent and forward facing
• Wheels and seat unit detach easily for flat fold

Whats not so good?

• Doesn't fold in one unit
• Basket is small and shallow
• Wheels and seat unit detach easily for flat fold

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First impressions

We were really excited to be chosen as testers for the Quinny Buzz 3, even better that we could choose the colour, we went for Rebel Red which looks really smart with the silver and black frame.

When the courier arrived with the box I was quite surprised how compact it was, the box for my Silver Cross 3D was huge, and when it came to unpacking it most of the space was taken up with packaging.

Once I had extracted the parts from the box, laid them out on the floor and located the instructions I found it fairly easy to fit together. Although the instructions are more for daily use than for initial set up, one thing that maybe could be included on a separate sheet. I loved the way it unfolds automatically, that is going to be a great feature when out and about in the car.

I made the mistake of not looking through everything in the instruction booklet before fitting the wheels as then had the problem of trying to remove the front wheel unit so I could put on the basket, obviously with being new it was quite stiff to take off.

The seat unit and hood attachment were both very easy to clip on, although not being used to this type of pushchair I was a bit baffled by what I later figured out to be the carrycot adapters.

Tilting the seat unit is a bit fiddly for me, but I’m sure with a bit more practice it will become easier, we haven’t yet tested out the raincover though as I will save that for when it is needed.

I put George in it to test out the straps and fastening and he seemed comfy enough too. So far we are quite impressed and looking forward to taking it for the first outing.

October 18th 2012

We were looking forward to the first outing with the Buzz 3, we decided to take it for our walk to the local baby group. George had fallen asleep after a few minutes so I reclined the seat. This was fairly simple to do but the buttons were a little stiff to push, tilting the seat unit back was fairly easy though. The Buzz 3 is so easy and light to steer it requires minimal effort, very welcome on a bit of a windy day. It also feels very sturdy, solid and well made.

October 23rd 2012

We were going to a friends house for coffee, the weather looked rather threatening so packed the rain cover in the basket. After about 5 minutes it started to drizzle so went to put the cover on. It was so easy and took less than a minute – exactly what you want it to do and no fumbling wondering which end is which. The cover even has little press studs to shorten it at the bottom if you don’t have the foot rest down, this is a small detail that does help make a difference. It fits the Buzz 3 very well and looks all clean lines and quite stylish (well as much as a raincover can) not like you have just thrown a clear plastic bag over like some of them do. This in turn would function well in the wind as no spare cover to blow around and let the cold and wet onto your little one. There is also a zip along the top for if you need to reach in to your little one whilst out and about, this is another great feature not many others do, no battling with folding over and making sure the Velcro sticks does makes for a more pleasant journey.

October 27th 2012

We were invited to a charity Gruffalo hunt this Saturday evening in a local wood, and thought it was an ideal opportunity to test the Buzz out.

The weather had been a bit wet and cold leading up to the event so expected it to be a bit muddy in places. We all wrapped up warm and put our wellies on just in case. Going round the set course by torchlight to find the Gruffalo story book characters was on the main walkways, but they were littered with potholes, puddles, large twigs and rocks. The Buzz performed very well and was still just as easy to push over all of these obstacles even in the dark, the ride was still quite smooth too as George managed to sleep the whole way round the 50 minute walk and didn’t get woken up once. There was the odd very boggy patch where one of the wheels got a little stuck but was easy to pull it back out and steer around it. One of my friends even had a push around part of the route to see how it faired and was very impressed. As you can see we did find the Gruffalo then enjoyed some hot chocolate and ‘Gruffalo’ crumble to celebrate.

November 2nd 2012

With the miserable weather we have had the last week we haven’t really been out anywhere to use the Buzz. When we had an hour or two of sunshine I decided to take George out for a walk around the camp.

The one thing that I have found that niggles me a bit is the ground clearance of the wheels/basket. When going through the front door or anywhere else with steps I find the basket catches as it is quite close to the wheels. Also when going down a step the front wheel can be awkward, so you have to push it back and forth a little to make sure it’s sturdy before lifting the back wheels over. It’s not a major problem but I have found that it is a lot easier going through the front door with my eight wheel pushchair.

November 5th 2012

As usual on a Monday morning we went to tots, but on the way there noticed a twig of bramble got stuck to one of the wheels. I had hoped it just caught on the tyre, but when tots had ended and we got ready to go home the tyre had gone flat.

Luckily there is a pump attached to the inside of the basket, so I was able to pump it up to enable me to get it home. It was quite awkward to attach the pump with the wheel still on the frame, with George being in the seat I was unable to take it off. Pushing it home was hard work as it had become very heavy, the puncture was a fast one so the air was coming out fairly quickly.

When I got home I managed to fix it with a normal puncture repair kit for a bicycle. It was easy to get the tyre and inner tube off the wheel but was more work to get it back on and a lot more difficult than a normal bike wheel. I had to give up using the tyre levers in my kit and resorted to using a teaspoon for a bit more surface area.

Once it was fixed the Buzz was back to its normal light and easy steering.
The pump included in the basket is a very good and handy idea, but would be even better if there were a puncture repair kit included too. As if I was out and about on a long walk, having to pump the wheel back up every 5-10 minutes would not have been ideal.

November 6th 2012

My Sister-in-Law had come to visit for a few days, so we decided to go shopping for the day. As I live fairly close to Birmingham and it is only a mile walk to my local station, we got the train to the Bullring.

There are two flights of steps up to the platform (no ramps or lifts unfortunately) so we managed to lift the Buzz up them with George still strapped in. It was fairly easy with it being a lot lighter than some pushchairs, but was a bit awkward on the front as there isn’t an easy place to hold without using the seat unit.

November 6th 2012

My Sister-in-Law had come to visit for a few days, so we decided to go shopping for the day. As I live fairly close to Birmingham and it is only a mile walk to my local station, we got the train to the Bullring.

There are two flights of steps up to the platform (no ramps or lifts unfortunately) so we managed to lift the Buzz up them with George still strapped in. It was fairly easy with it being a lot lighter than some pushchairs, but was a bit awkward on the front as there isn’t an easy place to hold without using the seat unit.

Getting on the train wasn’t too bad, I pushed the Buzz onto the train and then folded it down to put in the luggage rack, it fit quite well but was in the middle of the carriage so was awkward carrying down the aisle. I would have left it by the doors but there wasn’t enough room for passengers with luggage to get by. I’m pleased Helen was there otherwise I definitely wouldn’t have been able to manage holding George whilst folding it down, I would have had to of kept George strapped in and stood by the doors for the journey.

It was very handy with the gas lift mechanism for unfolding and the seat unit being easy to clip in, it really does help in making the Buzz very easy and quick to put together on a busy platform.

Shopping was relatively hassle free but with the Buzz not having any handles it was hard to hold onto the bags as not all of them would fit in the basket, especially the large paper/card bags you can get from some shoe and clothing stores.

Getting around a few shops was a bit troublesome with the wheels catching on the edge of shelving, racks, displays etc. I don’t think this was because of the width of the Buzz though, rather just the way some shops have been laid out i.e. in a zigzag format.

The train home was very busy so was unable to sit down, we had to stand near the doors instead. The brakes are very good, when the train was moving/stopping there was no movement of the Buzz at all and also was stable to hold onto.

Leaving the platform via the flight of steps to road level was a bit trickier with it being dark, I opted to push it down using the back wheels. The size of the back wheels helped a lot, also with them being air filled, it caused less impact and George remained asleep throughout.

I would take the Buzz on a shopping trip again, but would have to make sure I got a buggy hook first, especially if on my own.

November 16th 2012

Paul had a week off work with George whilst I started back from maternity leave.

He took the Buzz out almost every day to run errands or just go for a walk. After a few quick instructions from myself I left him to it. He found it very easy to put up but struggled a bit with folding the frame down, he said the two buttons to push down whilst also trying to fold the handlebar down was a bit much but managed it eventually. Tilting and removing the seat unit was a doddle, but the mechanism is still a bit stiff with being fairly new. Adjusting the handlebar was the easiest thing for him to do, with him being 6″4′ he needs it a lot higher up than myself being 5″4′, a simple push and hold button on the handlebar whilst you extend to the desired height, then just as easy to put it back down.

Yesterday Paul went for a quick jog and ventured out with George in the Buzz, he thought with it being three wheeled and air filled tyres on the back the ride would be fairly smooth, even though it isn’t specifically a pushchair for this purpose.

The jog went well, he found it easy to steer whilst jogging and also George was very happy throughout, although he did fall asleep halfway round. The front wheel lock was also handy for jogging down the straight roads.

All in all a successful week and Paul is quite chuffed he managed to use it without any hiccups.

November 18th 2012

We went away for the weekend visiting family, this always requires a nearly full boot without a baby.

We put the biggest things in first – the travel cot and the pushchair frame and wheels. The frame took up next to no room when the wheels were taken off and laid on the bottom of the boot quite happily next to the travel cot. It was also very light to carry from the house to the car. The wheels fit in the gaps and even with the seat unit on the top there was plenty of room for the trunki, our two small holdalls and a pillow or two.

I was quite surprised it fit so well as was awkward trying to fit everything with our other pushchair being a similar shape and size to the travel cot. The only niggly thing are the two parts that attach to the frame sticking out on the side of the seat unit. As it wont go completely flat due to these, and can be a little awkward when everything else is flat and no gaps to accommodate them.

We will definitely be taking the Buzz on a weekend away again though, with it being so user friendly both for build/collapse and storage space, it made packing the car a lot less stressful.

November 25th 2012

This weekend we had some complementary tickets for the Birmingham International Tattoo at the NIA. As the German Christmas market is also on we decided to get the train rather than drive.

The journey there was relatively hassle free apart from the train being full, but George was perfectly fine in the Buzz, and with the brake on it didn’t move once.

At the NIA there is a lot of steps up to the entrance, luckily Paul could carry the Buzz up them easily with it being fairly light.

On the way back to the train station we picked up a puncture, on the same wheel as before, this again made it more difficult to steer and push, and was a bit of a downer on an otherwise lovely day.

Unfortunately by the time we got home it was a bit late to be fixing wheels so have had to leave it until we have time to do it, therefore will be using my other pushchair for the next day or so.

I think maybe they should have as standard the sticky stuff inside the inner tube to reseal any small punctures.

November 30th 2012

We didn’t get to take the Buzz out much this week due to the puncture the wheel acquired on Sunday. With being busy and back at work I had to leave it a few days until I could repair it. This was just as easy to do as the last time.

After some further thinking, if this had been my only pushchair it would have been very awkward. Maybe an improvement on further models could be to design wheels like the run flat ones on cars where the foam automatically inflates upon a puncture.

After it was repaired Paul has mainly used the Buzz for taking George to nursery. Upon regular use he still really likes it, with it’s light steering and easily adjustable handlebar. Only thing still a little stiff to put on is the brake.

December 6th 2012

This week we went to the German Christmas market on our day off work.

We took the train which was relatively hassle free, apart from having to keep George in the Buzz again with it being busy. It was quite cold so we had put George in his furry snowsuit and then covered him with a blanket, as the Buzz doesn’t have a cosy toes with it like our other pushchair. It was a bit windy so we pulled the hood down, it really isn’t long enough and could do with being a bit longer to keep the wind off George’s head.

I kept worrying George would get too cold, so ended up having to put the rain cover on.

It did the job though of stopping the wind getting to him and his blanket from falling off the seat.

December 13th 2012

On Wednesday I took George with me Christmas shopping. Going midweek and afternoon seemed a good idea as was less busy than usual.

In most shops I managed to manoeuvre the Buzz quite easily around racks, rails and displays, although there were a few I had to turn around and leave quite swiftly due to lack of room for any type of pushchair.

Luckily I didn’t have too much to get, after visiting four shops the basket was full. With it being quite shallow it is hard to fit a lot under there, and then some items I had to wedge under the frame for the front wheel being careful not to crush any breakables. A few small items managed to fit in the sides, but I was then struggling to find any room for anything else. I then had to balance my last few purchases on the footrest, which was a bit awkward as George kept trying to kick it off. With no hooks or handles on the push bar there is nowhere else to put it.

If the basket sides were a bit higher it would be much better, but is not too bad for a small spree.

December 17th 2012

This weekend we went to Leeds for a Pre-Christmas family get together. On the Saturday we took the train into the town centre, no dramas there as the carriages were a lot more roomy and accommodated the Buzz very easily in the pushchair / wheelchair area. The afternoon was spent at the Leeds Christmas market, with it being a weekend and one of the last days it was very busy.

The Buzz was easy to steer through the crowds and with it being a single wheel unit at the front it didn’t tend to catch people on the back of their ankles.

Being able to be parent facing was a relief as would have worried if George was okay and not being knocked by the crowds if it was forward facing only.

I kept the rain cover on as it served as a good tool to stop the wind blowing across George and kept him toasty. The zip across the top of the cover is good and in an ideal place for reaching inside, but can be a little awkward to do up one handed at times when unzipped all the way across.

December 21st 2012

We are away for the Christmas holidays for a week. Unfortunately with the volume of bags, presents and other baby essentials we are taking with us there is no room for the Buzz. Even though it is quite flat in the boot when the wheels are removed and the seat unit can lay flat on the top of everything, it just simply wont fit with everything else we need. A shame really that we don’t have a Maxi-Cosi car seat as could have just taken the frame.

I will miss being able to use it for the odd sales shopping trips, but after neglecting my slings will be nice to make use of those for the week.

Hope everyone has a fabulous Christmas and New Year.

January 2nd 2013

Happy New Year! After a lovely not so relaxing break we are finally back home.
We went out for a walk to the shops to get some essentials. This time we decided to put the Buzz forward facing.

George loved it being able to see everything, well when the sun wasn’t shining on him, the hood doesn’t come down enough to shade his face even when on one of the more upright positions.

It was a bit strange as I’m used to being able to see him and how he is, but the little flap on the top of the hood is handy, it has a little window underneath so you can check on how they are doing. I will definitely be putting George forward facing more often now though, as its nicer for him to see where we are going.

January 8th 2013

After struggling to fit all of our shopping in the basket a few times now, we decided to get a buggy clip to put on the handlebar. It’s really easy to put on with the handlebar being quite flat, and then even easier to load the shopping bags onto with it being like a caribiner. It’s very handy for the odd shaped items that won’t fit into the basket, but for heavy items you have to be careful otherwise it tips the Buzz over if you aren’t holding onto it. One way to get around that would be to put a weight on the front of the Buzz. This made the shopping trip a more pleasant experience by not having to worry if everything was going to fit in the basket. Also with the shopping bags on the clip it didn’t make it any more difficult to steer/push, it was still as light and easy as usual.

January 14th 2013

It snowed here last night and this morning, so once it settled down a bit we went to run a few errands.
After a bit of rain it was a bit slushy on the pavements, with it being a bit difficult to walk on I thought the Buzz might struggle a bit.

It wasn’t too bad, a few times the front wheel got a bit bumpy with various icy lumps it encountered, but overall fairly easy to push.

I did struggle a bit with the rain cover and trying to put it on in a hurry, but this was mainly due to Paul having unzipped it and not fastening it back up before removing. The zip goes right across and comes apart with the two sides not being attached at one end. Once I had worked this out I zipped it up and it went on as easily as usual, although George wasn’t too impressed he was getting a bit wet while I was doing this.

January 19th 2013

It’s been snowing quite heavily where we live since Thursday so I haven’t really ventured out anywhere.

After going a bit stir crazy staying in the house, I wrapped George up warm and went out for a walk.
After the slushy snow on Monday this proper thick fluffy snow was a bit different. The back wheels being air filled glided over the top, the front wheels being both solid and double dug through. It was a little more effort to push the Buzz as the snow built up on the front unit in between the wheels.

Also with the basket being low down it dragged through the higher patches of snow, slowing it down a bit and filling the basket up through the mesh sides. If it gets any deeper, as it’s still snowing, I will have to remove the basket when we go out for our walk to baby group on Monday. After we got back in I gave the Buzz and rain cover a good wipe down with a soft dry cloth, it didn’t take long and was easy to do after removing the seat unit and back wheels.

January 28th 2013

With the recent snow, rain and ice it’s been safer to drive the last week, so we haven’t been out with the pushchair.

Now the weather is a bit better we can go out for some walks. George has had a bit of a growth spurt so I will need to adjust the straps before we do. I’ve put the instructions somewhere safe so will have to locate them first. I can’t for the life of me work out how to lengthen the straps from up by the shoulder pads, as just loosening by the buckle isn’t enough now. I’m sure it’s going to be something really simple after looking it up, I will let you know how I get on shortly.

January 31st 2013

The last week due to the wind we haven’t been out anywhere with the pushchair, it’s been easier to take the car. Paul has been walking George to nursery as usual in the Buzz though.

To keep George from the wind he put the rain cover on and wrapped him up warm in his snowsuit and blanket. The rain cover did the job and shielded George well. Even with the strength of the wind it didn’t flap about much as is quite snug to the shape of the seat and hood. It also must have been quite cosy in there as George fell asleep and didn’t wake up the whole journey home.

February 7th 2013

We have all had the norovirus the last week so haven’t been anywhere.

Today I managed to muster up enough energy to adjust the straps on the Buzz. They were beginning to get a bit snug and hard to click into the clasp without squashing George.

I had a look around the seat unit and couldn’t find anywhere to get behind the seat cover, I’ve misplaced the instruction book so had a fiddle around.

It turns out the straps are attached to the neck pads by a press stud, there is a toggle on the strap near the top that adjusts the length, then the other toggles are at the bottom by the clasp fastenings.

The loop for the next height on the seat is under the slot for them, after a feel around it was easy to pull it through. There are two loops on this setting at different heights, both have press stud fittings and the strap attaches easily by a metal fixing on the end.

It was very easy to adjust and George can now fit easily even with his big thick snowsuits and coats.

February 12th 2013

It’s good that the Buzz comes into two pieces when folding, it fits in the boot so much better when packing it up for weekends away etc.The