'A remarkable piece of baby kit' - new mum puts the iCandy Orange 3 Designer Collection Crush pram through its paces

Claire McCrory and her 10-week-old son Cathal tested out the new iCandy Orange Crush 3 pushchair bundle. If you're looking for the best pram for you and your most precious cargo, then the iCandy Orange Crush 3 is well worth considering, seeing as it makes out list of the best buys out there.

The iCandy Orange 3 Crush is aptly named… because we have a bit of a crush on it. Make no mistake; this is a designer pushchair with a designer price tag. But we’re not easily wowed when it comes to baby gear. For us to even contemplate recommending spending hundreds of pounds on a pram, it would have to boast some pretty special features. And the iCandy Orange 3 Crush has those in spades. Chic, premium fabrics that ooze elegance and style? Tick. Super-useful integrated ride-on board for siblings? Tick. Clever multifunctional design that converts to a double pushchair - without giving you a hernia? Tick.

This is iCandy’s third generation of the Orange so, as you might expect, they’ve given it something of a glow-up. It's a sophisticated, modern multifunctional pushchair that's impressive to look at - sleek, streamlined and oh-so-stylish. But it's even more impressive when you take it for a spin, according to our tester.

Design

Weighs: 12.1kg | Age: Birth – 25kg

The new iCandy Orange 3 is suitable for use from birth and comes with a brilliant integrated ride-on board for toddlers, so it's a great option for parents with more than one child. The carrycot is approved for permanent overnight sleeping so it's handy for nights away from home without needing to invest in a travel cot (and that's one less thing you need to remember to pack!). It has a super spacious 64-litre shopping basket - plenty of room for spare nappies and a day's groceries - and it also comes with a changing bag and coordinated footmuff and liner included.

The chassis is surprisingly light for such a sturdy and sizeable pram, while optimised tyre tread means you can take this everywhere from muddy parks to shiny shop floors without worrying about whether the wheels will cope.

We particularly love the integrated ride-on board. It's such a useful feature if you have an older child who isn’t quite ready to give up the buggy altogether - they can still hitch a ride home from school after a long day.

And if your baby nods off when you're out and about, it's easy to recline the seat without startling them awake. 

The pram is freestanding when folded so you can pop it in the corner of a cafe or store it in your hallway without it springing open and doing someone an injury.

'The new iCandy Orange Crush 3 is very robust and can manage all types of terrain thanks to its sturdy wheels and frame,' says our tester Claire. 'It looks and feels very 'luxe' and it's less heavy than I expected and surprisingly compact. It seems to tick all the boxes: a beautiful-looking yet robust buggy/carrycot combo that is suitable from birth onwards, with added bonuses such as the integrated buggy board and potential to convert it from a single to a double pushchair.'

Comfort and features

'I was pleasantly surprised by how light and easy it is to unfold the pram, making those panicked transitions to the car that bit less stressful,' adds Claire. 'My only bugbear is that the latch (which keeps the frame secure when folded) is very awkward to undo at times and does require some extra effort to operate.'

The carrycot on the iCandy Orange 3 is another standout feature. 'It's very snug with a soft inner lining which Cathal absolutely adores,' explains Claire. 'The cot is safe for sleeping in overnight too, which is super helpful for overnight trips to visit friends and family.'

Fully compatible car seat adaptors are included, which our tester loves as it spares her the expense of buying these separately: 'Not to mention the provision of the second pair of adaptors which allow us to heighten Cathal's seat at any point to give him a different view of his surroundings.'

'For a pushchair of this size, I was genuinely pleased with just how light it is,' adds Claire. 'Perhaps not as light as some travel strollers, of course, but highly impressive given its sturdiness and adaptability to most terrains. Another clever design feature is the pushchair's easily adjustable handle which my husband and I can adjust according to our height - and to avoid any slouching!'

What's included in the box?

• Chassis
• Carrycot and mattress
• Seat unit
• Canopy
• Footmuff
• Change bag
• Car seat adapters
• Raincover
• Parasol
• Screen
• Cupholder

Value for money

It can be a surprise - especially if you're a first-time parent - to learn that you can spend upwards of £1,000 on a baby's pram. But it's no exaggeration to say that once you've taken the iCandy Orange 3 for a spin, it's easy to see where your money goes. The craftsmanship and build quality are first-rate - not only does it look like a luxe piece of baby gear but it handles beautifully and makes easy work of the sometimes-daunting prospect of getting out and about with a baby. 

Our tester didn't hesitate to hail this worth every penny of its price tag. 'The luxe look and feel of the iCandy Orange 3 and its clever design features - from the integrated ride-on board to the fact that you can easily convert it to a double pram if you're hoping to have another baby within the next few years - make it a remarkable piece of baby kit,' says Claire. 

'I have already recommended it to a few friends given that we've had such a positive experience of using it.'

Who should buy the iCandy Orange 3?

A premium brand with popular appeal, the iCandy Orange 3 is the perfect pram for first-time parents, since it's suitable from birth and comes with a carrycot that's approved for overnight sleeping, allowing your to head of overnight without having to pack a travel cot. But it doesn't end there - it also easily converts from a single to a double pushchair in the event that your family grows - with 30 possible seat configurations

But if you are working to a tighter budget, or aren't fussed about a designer brand, there are cheaper prams available. You might prefer something like the Ickle Bubba Stomp V4 pram, which is our number one pick of the best prams overall.

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An iCandy never disappoints, in my experience, and the Orange Crush 3 certainly wowed our tester who told us it’s the perfect pram for first-time parents. The beauty of this particular iCandy design is the fact that you can convert it to a double so it’s a really good choice if you’re hoping to hear the patter of tiny feet all over again in the not too distant future. If it’s less than you want to spend but you still need a robust pram that can handle off-road adventures, check out the ABC Salsa 4 as an alternative.

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