Bugaboo Bee Stroller Review

Bugaboo Bee is a luxury stroller that is the lightest model in the Bugaboo collection. Parents love it for its great maneuverability, easy fold, and reversible seat option. You can take to the mall, doctor’s office or public transit with no problems. It is very compact and is designed for on-the-go parents who live in an urban environment and who has a LOT of money. Since it rolls on small 6″ wheels, don’t expect it to do well on grass or mulch. The Bee model is designed for flat surfaces ONLY!

The seat has almost a flat recline so you can use it from birth and up to 37.5 lbs. You can also use it as a frame by removing the seat and replacing it with an infant car seat (you will need to purchase a car seat adapter compatible with your car seat). Weighing 18.5 lbs, the Bee model is somewhere in between a regular stroller and the umbrella stroller. I think it is a little too heavy to be an umbrella stroller and at the same time, the wheels are too small for a full size one. However, it costs like two full featured size strollers. LOL.

I gave it 4 out of 5 stars mainly because of the canopy, small wheels and bulkiness. The canopy doesn’t have a peekaboo window, doesn’t go all the way down to the bumper bar, and doesn’t convert into so called ‘floating canopy’. Also, the wheels are way too small to handle any terrain. I was not crazy about hard-to-access basket. Finally, the fold is VERY bulky. It will take up the whole trunk. This stroller is more about status than functionality. And doesn’t it look like a wheel chair? LOL.

The lowest price I was able to find is $649 for a yellow one on Amazon. Ouch! The price does vary depending on the color and the seller. I also found a special edition model that is retailing for whooping $749! The only accessory included with the stroller is a rain cover. Everything else like cup holder, bumper, or tray has to be purchased separately.

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Pros

-Ok canopy. The canopy looks quite large, but I wish it would go down farther. Also, it’s attached to the back of the seat and does NOT convert into a ‘floating canopy’. Like all of the Bugaboo strollers, it doesn’t have a peekaboo window.

-Adjustable handle bar. It is a telescoping handle bar that goes from 34″ all the way up to 41″ from the ground. The handle bar is made out of foam and has the convenient one hand grip in the middle for one-hand navigation. Great feature! I always push my stroller with one hand.

-Reversible seat. It is a roomy seat that is 15″ wide. The back of the seat extends up to 24″ from the back of the seat to the top of the canopy. The great thing is that the canopy extends with the back of the seat. The bottom of the seat also extends forward to accommodate an older child. Very cool! As you can see, the Bee truly grows with your child. The seat has 3-position one-hand recline that goes to almost flat position so you can use it from birth and up to 37.5 lbs. BTW, this is a very upright seat. The weight limit is not very high comparing to other strollers that can accommodate a child up to 45 -50 lbs. The seat can be reversed, so your child can face you or the world (don’t forget to remove your child before reversing the seat).

-5 point harness. I has a padded 5 point harness with a center release button (that is easy to unlock). When you raise the back of the seat, the harness also moves up with the seat, so you don’t ever need to re-thread it. Easy!

-Large basket. Although the basket underneath the seat is large, it is very hard to access. The easiest way to fit in a diaper bag in it, is from the front (if your child is not in the stroller). Getting things out with the child is in the seat, is quite challenging.

-Wheels. It rolls on four 6″ foam filled tires meaning you will never get a flat. The front wheels are swivel, but can be locked straight for tougher terrain.

-Parking brake. It has a single foot pedal brake in the back that locks both of the rear wheels. It is not flip-flop friendly.

-Easy fold. It has a two-hand fold, so you will NOT be able to hold your child and fold a stroller at the same time. It is a one-piece fold, meaning you don’t need to remove the seat before folding. Although they are saying you can extend a handle bar and carry it on your shoulder, I found it very inconvenient. At 18.5 lbs it is too heavy to carry on the shoulder (at least on my shoulder) plus you will have your child and a diaper bag. Warning, serious exercise required! LOL. Also, it doesn’t have the compact fold that most umbrella strollers have. You will be knocking people left and right if you try carring it on your shoulder. The good news is that the frame is pretty narrow making it great for public transit. If you lock the front wheels before folding it, you can just roll it behind you like a luggage. It does have an automatic lock.

-Rain cover. INCLUDED! That is the only accessory that is included. Everything else is sold separately.

Cons

-No accessories. No snack tray, no bumper, no cup holder. For that price, I would expect to see at least a bumper bar or a cup holder. But no luck. With Bee model, you have to buy everything separately.

-Price. At $650 I think it’s wayyyyyy overpriced for the features you are getting. At every store I went, I was recommended other strollers before Bee.

-Basket access. The basket is large, but it’s very hard to access especially from the back. If it was an umbrella stroller (it’s too heavy for that), I would understand. But it’s more like a regular stroller, so I do want to see an easy to access basket.

-No adjustable foot rest. I know that many lightweight strollers don’t have an adjustable foot rest, BUT many luxury strollers do. For that price, I expect an adjustable foot rest and a babysitter. LOL.

-No peekaboo window. For such a large canopy I would like to see at least one large peekaboo window. This is a deal breaker for me. I just love to look at my baby through the window and see where she is looking and how she is reacting for different things. They grow so fast and I want to enjoy every moment.

-Heavy weight. It’s too heavy for an umbrella stroller. Weighing 18.5 lbs, it is closer to a full size model.

Video Review

Baby Gizmo has a detailed video review that I found very useful.

Specs

Stroller weight: 18.5 lbs
Weight limit: 37.5 lbs
Folded dimensions: 37″L x 18″W x 12″H.
Handle bar height: 34″ – 41″
Seat to canopy height: 24″
Wheels: 6″
Overall length: 36″
Overall width: 18″

Warranty

Bugaboo provides only 2-year warranty from the original date of purchase and you have to be the original owner. Here is more information on the warranty.

Available colors

For 2013 Bugaboo Bee comes with black seat and 7 different canopy colors of: black, red, sand, pink, offwhite, and royal blue. All strollers come with a stainless steel frame.

Comparison Chart

If you want to see how Bee compares to other Bugaboo strollers take a look at this comparison chart.

Accessories

Accessories for Bee include: baby cocoon (just like a footmuff, but it is designed for newborns), footmuff, seat liner, organizer, umbrella attachable to the handle bar ($40), cup holder ($25), adult organizer/console ($30), snack tray ($37), glider board ($100), storage bag ($170), and different car seat adapters.

Where to buy it

My favorite place to buy strollers and a lot of other baby items is Amazon. It usually has the lowest prices, free shipping, free returns and no sales tax. How great is that? You can get Bugaboo Bee in one of the seven beautiful colors for $649 on Amazon (free shipping/free return and no sales tax). I didn’t find any good sales on this one. You can buy it, test it, and return it if you don’t like it for free.