UK-based iCandy is a much talked about name in the luxury pushchair market. Innovative design and rigorous testing has elevated the brand to must-have status. The forerunner to the Peach – the award-winning Pear – flew off the showroom floor and the new offering is set to follow in its footsteps. The Peach Blossom is a multi-mode tandem pushchair that uses the chassis of the single stroller, the iCandy Peach, and adds another seat unit. You can buy the iCandy Peach stroller, £499.99, for your first child, and then purchase a converter, for £159.99, once your second comes along.
The Peach Blossom is suitable for baby and toddler and it retails at £659.99 as a pushchair. Costing extra on top of this to make it a travel system are one (or two) Maxi-Cosi CabrioFix car seats, £115 each, and car seat adaptors, £29.99 each. That means if you plan for the Peach Blossom tandem as a travel system for your baby and just as a pushchair for your toddler, the total – for tandem pushchair, one Maxi-Cosi CabrioFix car seat and car seat adaptors - would be £804.98.
The car seat adaptors allow you to fit one (or two) Maxi-Cosi CabrioFix car seats in a stacking system, facing rearward. The Peach Blossom can also be used with one rear facing car seat in the lower position and a seat unit in the upper position or a car seat on top and a carrycot (which costs extra) below.
Investing in that additional carrycot (from £119.99) is an expensive extra but it allows you to ditch the Moses basket on overnight trips. The carrycot is safety tested and certified to BSEN 1888 for the UK and Europe and is approved for overnight sleeping, saving you room in the car.
This is a pricey way to travel. But, for your money you get high-end innovation - the corrosion-resistant, polished aluminium metal work makes the chassis a feather-light 8.9kg (with wheels and shopping basket) and most of the adjustments, including folding the chassis, can be made with one hand. Additional features include lockable front swivel wheels, puncture resistant rear tyres, full suspension and an extra large shopping basket.
What we love
This iCandy Peach Blossom tandem travel system is a grower. What seems at first like an expensive travel system that demands lots of costly extras is an expensive travel system that demands lots of costly extras but the design, handling and attention to detail sets this head and shoulders above the many on the market.
The manufacturer claims that the iCandy Peach Blossom tandem stroller has the footprint of a single stroller, thanks to a stacking system that places the seats in an upper and lower position. With my Minnie, 7 months, and her friend Jack, 15 months, on board it did handle like a single, the only difference being the extra length.
Most of the adjustments such as seat removal and fold down can be made with one hand, leaving the other genuinely free to hold a child.
Going off road onto the paths in our local park wasn’t a problem. The full suspension handled bumps and adverse cambers easily, despite the heavier weight being in the upper position.
When folded, the chassis is very compact and stands upright against a wall or in a corner – good news if you live in a shoebox like me.
What to watch out for
The lower seat is suitable from 6 months to 15kg, and the upper seat is suitable from 6 months to 20kg. So if you want to use the iCandy Peach Blossom with a newborn, you might prefer to buy the additional carrycot, for an extra £119.99 to £124.99, rather than always transport your baby in the Maxi-Cosi CabrioFix car seat for the first six months.
The seat units are not overly generous. In the upper seat unit, suitable for a toddler of up to 20kg, Jack was snug. Minnie, in the lower seat unit, which will take a child of 15kg, fitted perfectly (she weighs 7.5kg) - in other seats she rolls around like a marble.
Once using the double system you will need to put the baby in first because the seat for the older child needs to be placed into position afterwards.
The bumper bar takes some tugging to get out and you need a cosytoes (or lots of blankets) for each seat unit in winter (RRP £64.99).
The design is a question of taste. If you like the bling of polished aluminium you’ll love the iCandy Peach Blossom – you can see your reflection in the metal work, handy for rushed lip-gloss application!
Who is the iCandy Peach Blossom tandem travel system best for?
Parents happy to pay a premium for style and versatility when transporting toddler and baby.
The iCandy Peach Blossom tandem travel system is multi-mode system for moving your toddler and baby. It’s well designed and cleverly constructed but expensive and without buying an additional carrycot, it’s not suitable for your second child from birth unless you want to use the car seat for the first 6 months. However, if you used the Peach as a single pushchair for your first child and like it, converting it into the iCandy Peach Blossom tandem would be logical.
