Cosatto Giggle 3 review

The Giggle 3 – 3 for the number of wheels - is one of Cosatto's pram-into-pushchair combos featuring a carrycot, chassis and seat unit for £499.95. Its pram-into-pushchair packages are cheaper than those offered by the likes of Bugaboo, Silver Cross, iCandy, and are arguably as stylish (if you like like funky prints) while being just as durable.

However as the Giggle 3 is only tested up to 18kg it might not suit families who want to carry tall children all the way up to age 4, or who want a pram that will adapt to carry a second child – it won’t take a buggy board, for instance, and you can’t attach a second seat, as you can with more expensive units by the manufacturers listed above.

Tested by:

Frederika tested the Cosatto Giggle 3 with 8-week-old baby Benjamin up and down wonky kerbstones and over the potholes of central London and on its tubes and buses.

First impressions?

I was very happy with the colourful woodland print – so much more fun to push around than something in boring black or grey. My 4-year-old was also over the moon with the free cuddly toy!

How is the Giggle 3 different from the Giggle Quad?

For me the best reason to buy the Cosatto Giggle Quad instead of the Giggle 3 is the extra shopping space. The Giggle Quad (£465 on Amazon) can carry 3.5kg of shopping, while the Giggle 3 can only carry 2kg. I do all of our family food shopping on foot, and we eat a lot more than 2kg of food in a week.

Cosatto suggests that the extra £25 buys you a few more months using your pushchair, because the Quad can take children up to 20kg, rather than 18kg. However, although the seat can carry extra weight, it’s exactly the same size as the Giggle 3.

My 4-year-old (who’s almost 5 and admittedly tall for her age at 111cm) weighs 20kg and there is no way she could fit into the seat of the Giggle 3. The seat is very shallow and the back is too low. She climbed in to test it and her knees were up by her chin, and she could not fit under the hood without putting her head on her knees.

What age range is the pushchair suitable for?

The Giggle 3 starts as a newborn pushchair with the carrycot from birth to 9kg, and is suitable for children up to 18kg with the seat unit.

What do you think of the carrycot of the Cosatto Giggle 3?

It is comfy, well made, and pops on and off the chassis with just one click thanks to easy-release buttons. It can take babies up to 9kg and definitely spacious enough to do so. It also has a zip-off washable cover, which is handy because the bright white background of the print shows up every bit of lint or dust that lands on it.

I am not sure what it will look like a few years down the line – but given that you will only use it for six months for each child, you should be able to get a family’s worth of use out of it. My little one (now 8 weeks old) was entranced by the design from the moment I put him in it.

The carrycot is apparently suitable for occasional overnight use, but as it is not rigid, it flattens under pressure. I’m a little bit nervous about leaving it on the floor near older, rowdier toddlers and preschoolers – my little girl laid straight on top of it and the sides began to lower.

What do you think of the seat unit?

The seat unit is easy to attach, it slots in with a satisfying click and seems very secure. It looks easy to clean – the liner is removable and can go in the washing machine. My baby boy, Ben, is still tiny so I haven’t had a chance to test the seat yet.

What age is the Cosatto Giggle 3 seat unit suitable for?

Cosatto says it can be used when baby is ready to sit up. The seat does go all the way back into the lie-flat position, but I intend to use the carrycot up until at least six months, because baby is more contained and secure.

Although the maximum weight for the seat is 18kg, I’m sceptical about my little boy still fitting into the seat by the time he has reached that weight as I think he will be too tall. The seat unit is very shallow – it’s barely deep enough for my 20kg/111cm 4-year-old to perch her bum on, so I am struggling to imagine my son still being able to use it at age 4.

Does the seat recline?

Yes, it reclines in five increments, all the way down to horizontal.

Is the seat on the Cosatto Giggle 3 reversible?

Yes, and it’s easy to reverse – you simply press the two bright blue release buttons on either side of the seat and lift.

What did you think of the seat harness?

The seat harness isn’t too fiddly, the catch is a bit stiff but this is probably a good thing, as it’s just stiff enough to deter toddler fingers from undoing it while on the move.

How easy is the Cosatto Giggle 3 to manoeuvre on smooth surfaces?

The Giggle 3 is a very smooth operator, and glides over pavements and kerbs. The steering is so light and with the 3-wheel design it turns a full circle in the tiniest of spaces.

I pushed it with one hand a lot of the time during the trial, so I could hold my older child’s hand, and it was easy to do that. There was no noticeable difference between carrycot and pushchair mode.

How does the pushchair ride on challenging surfaces?

There is a long section of pavement on our school run that is very broken up with tree roots, potholes and so on, and thanks to its all round suspension the Giggle 3 bounced over this easily enough, both with the carrycot and seat unit. It feels robust enough to cope with those surfaces without incurring any damage.

What do you think of the wheels on the Cosatto Giggle 3 – are 3 better than 4?

My older child used a pram/pushchair with these same wheels and they lasted her through its entire time of use without any problems. There was no noticeable difference between 3 wheels and 4 – if pushed, I would say the 3-wheeler was a little bit more stable.

What is the buggy like on public transport?

The buggy is absolutely fine on double decker buses, but the wheels are too wide to enter a single decker bus at the front, so you have to ask the driver to let you on through the middle doors. It is somewhat cumbersome to carry up and down the stairs to get on the train, but it can be done, if you have help.

Does the brake work well on the Cosatto Giggle 3?

The footbrake is in the centre between the wheels and it felt effective and strong when using the pushchair.

How sturdy is the pushchair?

The pushchair feels very sturdy – like it will easily last the 4 years – if your child isn’t too tall for it.

How much does the Cosatto Giggle 3 weigh in each mode?

It weighs 11.9kg in carrycot mode, and 10.7kg in pushchair mode (the chassis alone weighs 7.2kg).

How easy is it to lift?

It is awkward to carry up and down stairs when it’s put together because of its size, although it is light to carry. The problem with carrying it when assembled is where to hold it – if you are carrying it by yourself up a flight of stairs, with the baby in, the logical thing to do is to stand to one side and put it under your arm, but when I did that my hip triggered the quick-release button, and separated the carrycot from the chassis on one side – which was not a good outcome when you are halfway down a flight of stairs!

However, I wouldn’t think twice about moving it around when it is dismantled.

How does the Cosatto Giggle 3 fold?

To fold, the chair must first be separated into its 2 component parts – the chassis and either the carrycot or seat. It cannot be folded with one hand, you have to depress two buttons on opposite sides of the handlebar at once.

How compact is the buggy when unfolded and folded?

It’s not especially compact when folded and I found it took up a fair amount of space.

Does the Cosatto Giggle 3 fit in the boot of your car when folded?

I don't have a car, however the chassis measures 97cm x 62cm x 25cm when folded so I imagine it would fit but you would need to place either the carrycot or the seat unit on top of it.

Is the basket large enough for everything you need?

The basket is the only storage in the whole of the pushchair, and it’s not very big, the sides are quite low, and it feels rather flimsy. It’s also much easier to access in pushchair mode; in carrycot mode it’s difficult to get stuff in through the narrow gap.

What did you think of the hood on the Cosatto Giggle 3?

The hood judders when it opens, and I always worry about that waking the baby. But it does give good coverage. I frequently forget to take the rain cover and this covers baby enough to see us through light drizzle.

What do you think of the rain cover?

The rain cover feels really good quality, very durable and well made.

What do you think of the car seat?

I’ve only used the car seat once so far – to bring baby home from the hospital. But it was quick and easy to fit, and to fasten.

What’s in the box?

• Chassis
• Carrycot
• Seat
• Hood
• Footmuff
• Raincover
• Cuddly toy

Is the Cosatto Giggle 3 easy to build?

It’s extremely easy to put together, and we found we didn't really need the instructions as it is so intuitive; just clunk-click and you’re ready to go.

What would you have wanted to know before you purchased the item?

With hindsight, I should have checked that it could take a buggy board, as that would have been useful to me with having a 4-year-old. And I would have liked sturdier and bigger storage.

What do you think of the design of the Cosatto Giggle 3?

I absolutely love the look. Cosatto have so many great designs in their range, it was hard to choose.

Although the designs may not be to everyone's taste my baby loved looking at up at the pattern. Cosatto has a team of designers backed by scientists, who create bold, bright, carefully placed, baby-friendly characters and patterns which aim to attract baby’s attention and develop their sensory skills which we certainly found.

Who would the product be most useful for?

This is most useful for families with one child up to the age of 3, who want a comfortable, ultra stylish pram to walk around town with.

If you plan on having another child, you might want to go for something else as the Giggle 3 won’t take a buggy board. Having said that, it does steer very easily, so you could probably do the school/nursery run by pushing the buggy with one hand while coaxing a child on a scooter along with the other.

Is the Cosatto Giggle 3 good value?

As it’s suitable from birth to 3 years I would say it's good value, especially considering you get a 3-in-1 pushchair/pram combination.

Are there are any extra accessories that you need to/can buy?

Everything you need is included. A matching bag is available for £69.95. If you change your mind about the design, you can buy alternative patterned hoods, pram aprons and footmuffs and completely change the look of your pram for £50. I quite fancy getting the space shuttle next!

Where can I buy the Cosatto Giggle 3?

It is available to buy from Amazon, Cosatto and Argos

MadeForMums verdict:

I absolutely love the look of this pram and it is well made, comfortable, feels light and is very easy to push. My children also love looking at the patterns in the hood.

The downsides are the storage, and size of the seat – it looks small compared to my almost 5-year-old, but for 0-3+ for one child, it’s good value. If you are planning a second child, you might want to go for one of their other packages which are designed to adapt to transport two children.

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