The Nipi is a lightweight, compact, umbrella-fold buggy, with carry handle, lockable front swivel wheels and soft foam handles. It’s marketed as suitable from birth to 15kgs, which is roughly the 3-year mark. For your little one’s comfort and safety, it has a reclining backrest, adjustable footrest and 5-point safety harness.
An accessories pack, including sun hood and rain cover, is available separately.
What we love
At 6kg, the Nipi really is light – making it perfect for days out, summer holidays and slinging in the boot of your car. Yet it feels pretty sturdy for a lightweight stroller.
It’s also extremely quick and easy to push, and its compactness means it’s easy to manoeuvre when you’re out shopping or squeezing down bus aisles. All this means the Nipi is, well… quite nippy! And it looks fantastic – the zingy ‘Kiwi’ and ‘Jam’ colourways are really summery.
Another major plus is that the Nipi is genuinely easy to fold. I can just about manage it with one hand while I’m holding Zoe. Once collapsed, a catch keeps the folded buggy closed. There’s also a useful carry handle. The folded Nipi fits neatly into the boot of my VW Golf.
The foam covered handles are comfortable to hold and at a good height (I’m 5ft 8 in), which is a good thing as they’re not adjustable. And the fabric’s easy to clean – I’ve found chocolate ice cream wipes off no problem!
The reclining seat allows comfortable napping for your baby, and the adjustable footrest supports little legs. These are easy to work but require both hands.
What to watch out for
Although the Nipi is advertised as suitable from birth, I wouldn’t be happy using it for a baby below 6 months. This is because of the lack of support around the seat, the fact that the seat doesn’t recline totally flat and also because, of course, in the Nipi your little one is facing away from you rather than towards you. But Zoe – now 10 months – seems quite happy being pushed in it.
I’ve been using my Nipi for about a month now. Two small negatives I’ve discovered are the small and inaccessible shopping basket (to be expected with such a compact stroller) and slightly squeaky wheels, neither of which bothers me very much.
More of a pain, however, is that the brake levers (situated above the back wheels) are in exactly the wrong place when you’re bumping the buggy backwards up over steps. They catch, activating the brakes and making the whole process much more difficult. I also find the brakes quite tricky to release when I’m wearing flip-flops or sandals.
Also, £40 for the accessories pack seems a bit steep. I think the sun hood and rain cover should be included in the basic stroller package – after all, who buys a buggy in the UK without these?! And it would be handy if there was a parasol available too.
Finally, while it’s great on pavements, it’s worth bearing in mind that the Nipi’s not great for rugged terrain – pushing it cross-country through our local park feels like hard work, even when Zoe’s not sat inside it. So if that’s something you plan to do lots of, you’ll definitely need to choose a different kind of pushchair.
Who is the Mamas & Papas Nipi best for?
Mums who often nip out with their baby or who need a public transport friendly option.
The Mamas & Papas Nipi is a lightweight, compact and fun stroller that’s great on pavements and is truly easy to fold. The sun hood and rain cover don’t come included, so be prepared to pay extra for the accessories pack. While the manufacturer says it’s suitable from birth, you may find its better when your baby’s slightly older.
Originally reviewed in 2009, last update 21/04/2015
