Silver Cross Cove pushchair review

The Silver Cross Cove is a lightweight, agile and stylish pushchair that's perfect from those first newborn outings to toddler adventures. The bundle (£945) includes a lie-flat carrycot for on-the-go power naps (and overnight sleeping), a reversible pushchair seat and is compatible with the Silver Cross Glide Plus 360 i-Size car seat.

Dubbed Silver Cross's ‘smoothest ride yet’, the Cove features bump-absorbing RideTech wheels and improved suspension, so you can stroll easily in the city or the countryside. The additional features really make this pushchair stand out: the elevation brings your baby closer to you (and saves your back!), the panoramic ventilation was ideal in a rare UK heatwave, and the adjustable sun shade meant no faffing with additional covers.

With its premium price and all-terrain design, it's competing with pushchairs like the Bugaboo Fox 5 and the UPPAbaby Vista V3, but how does the Cove compare for parents looking for a pushchair that can handle both city streets and countryside paths?

How easy is the Silver Cross Cove to assemble and set up?

The Silver Cross Cove travel system is easy to set up. I was immediately impressed by how smoothly it unfolded straight from the box and how light the frame was (as someone who’s 5’1, this is particularly important to me).

It comes compact with the pushchair seat attached, but it’s simple to remove and replace with the carrycot, which clicks into place very easily.

Like other Silver Cross instructions I’ve followed, I found some of the steps a little simplistic with lots of arrows and ‘clicks’, so it took me a few YouTube videos longer than I had hoped to set up.

The metal bars to build the carrycot are quite stiff (requiring a bit of strength), and there’s a knack to the one-hand fold, but once you get the hang of it, you won’t want a pushchair without it.

How well does the carrycot work for a newborn?

Luca loved the carrycot. We used it for travel naps, longer sleeps during the day and even at night when we struggled to settle him anywhere else. The bamboo-lined interior is super soft and breathable, and the panoramic ventilation panel was a lifesaver during the hot weather.

The adjustable sun shade is amazing and removes the need for a SnoozeShade or cover, as it blocks out the majority of the light.

I found the shape of the carrycot a bonus too, the length gives ample room for Luca to grow, and it’s slightly narrower than other prams I’ve used, making it easier to manoeuvre through doorways and on narrow paths. It’s deeper, too.

What is the push and ride like with the carrycot?

This pushchair is nimble, it glides along pavements and shop floors like a dream. The larger textured wheels make turning a little harder, but it’s a fair price to pay for how well it handles itself on cobbles, grass and uneven terrain.

The suspension is markedly better than our other Silver Cross pram and most others I’ve tried. I think that the pushchair attachment will likely provide a smoother ride for little ones as they would be fastened in. The carrycot only has two points of contact with the frame, which can make for a bit of a bouncy ride – although this could be a bonus if your baby likes movement to get them to sleep.

The one handed steer was ace – I was able to walk the dog and hold a coffee while pushing (impressive, I know).

How well does the Silver Cross Cove perform day to day?

The carrycot is quick to click on and off the frame and the handlebar has a button on the crossbar which allows for smooth one-handed adjustment (unlike our other pram, which has a button further down the frame). It adjusts easily and the three different carrycot heights are ideal for taller people, my dad is 6'3 and enjoyed being able to adjust the level.

The shopping basket is a good size with a 10kg capacity and fits a large changing bag and other essentials for a day out, or a small food shop. It’s extendable too with a magnetic fastening and accessible from the front and back. The only downside is that it can be tricky to access if you’re trying to get your changing bag or larger items in and out while using the carrycot.

How does the Silver Cross fold and store?

Like many parents, I regularly feel like I don't have enough hands, so I’m obsessed with the one-handed fold. Admittedly, it took me a YouTube video and a couple of goes to figure out how to do it seamlessly, but once you have the knack, you’ll love it.

It unfolds smoothly, too, all you have to do is pick it up by the handle and it all pops into place. Plus, it’s freestanding when folded (on its wheels) and has a handy strap to sling over your shoulder. Tick, tick, tick.

To fold:

• Remove carrycot
• Hold handle, press button and push down

To unfold:

• Hold handle
• Lift

The Cove is much more compact than our other pram. It’s light to lift and it leaves more room in the boot of the car – we have a Mini Countryman, so this is ideal.

I expect this will be even better when we use the pushchair seat as it folds with that attached. At the moment, the carrycot goes in the back seat, but if you have a bigger car boot, it would fit alongside the frame.

It’s easy to store at home, too. We would put it under the stairs, but we have been using the carrycot so much it just stays in the living room.

Can you use the Silver Cross Cove with a car seat to create a travel system?

The Cove is compatible with the Glide Plus 360 car seat, which is a real bonus, meaning you can lift your little one straight from the car onto the pushchair frame and get going in a matter of minutes.

The adaptors are included in the Cove bundle and slot onto the frame quickly and easily in place of the carrycot adaptors. At times, lining them up with the slots on the car seat was tricky as I couldn't always get the angle right – I felt more confident loading the car seat onto the frame without the baby in it first.

It felt sturdy when pushing him around during short trips or running errands, and he was well supported and content – so much so, he even fell asleep and didn’t bat an eyelid when we put him back in the car.

What do you think of the style and build quality?

I have to say, I think this is one of the best-looking pushchairs on the market. It’s design-forward with aesthetically pleasing curves and a tonal matte frame that comes in a range of stylish colourways (I chose Maple).

The fabric is butter soft but still water repellent and UPF50+, making it ideal for the great British weather.

Like other Silver Cross products I’ve tried, it feels premium and built to last, and despite being a lightweight model, the quality and durability aren’t compromised.

What’s in the box?

• Cove pushchair seat and chassis
• Bamboo-lined carrycot
• Vegan leather changing backpack
• Footmuff
• Cup holder
• Universal car seat adaptors
• Rain cover
• Manual

Sustainability features

Most of the packaging is recyclable cardboard with some plastic wrap, which probably isn’t essential.

The pram itself is built to last and is the quality you’d expect from Silver Cross. It feels too soon for us to be thinking about future children at the moment, but if we do have another, I can see us using this again before passing it on for someone else to enjoy.

Silver Cross partners with Baby Basics – the UK’s biggest network of baby banks to support parents in need through their donations programme – they collect, clean, and test baby items for free before donating them.

This is something I would consider doing too — it would be great if Silver Cross included information about this in the box to raise awareness, as I only found out from doing my own research.

Is it worth the money?

At £945, it's not the cheapest in the Silver Cross portfolio, but it does sit in the mid-range price bracket for this type of pushchair.

I have the Silver Cross Tide (their lightest and most compact all-terrain pushchair at 10.7kg), which we bought for the weight, as we needed something I could lift in and out of the car on my own.

The Cove is definitely more compact, but a little heavier at 12.2kg and more expensive; however, I feel like it’s worth the extra pounds and kilos. Had we tried the Cove before, we might have ended up purchasing it instead as our main buggy.

Where can I buy the Silver Cross Cove?

It is available from Silver Cross, Argos, John Lewis and Natural Baby Shower

MadeForMums verdict:

I would 100% recommend the Silver Cross Cove to families looking for a stylish newborn-friendly travel system (spoiler alert: I already have), and I now use it as my everyday pushchair.

The overall handling across a variety of terrains, compact nature and one-handed fold, plus thoughtful features (carrycot height adjustment, panoramic ventilation, extendable sun shade) left me really impressed – not to mention she’s a beauty!

On a more personal note, as a new mum, I was anxious about my first solo trip further afield with Luca. Especially after C-section recovery and having to lift a buggy. The way this travel system is designed helped minimise my stress levels as it was light, quick and easy to load in and out of the car, so we had no tears – from either of us!