Mamas & Papas Airo Pushchair review

Our Mamas & Papas Airo pushchair review will help you decide if this is the best lightweight travel-friendly set of wheels for you and your little adventurer.

If you're dreaming of sunnier climes or even a Christmas getaway, this Mamas & Papas Airo pushchair review might convince you that you need a new set of wheels for your adventure. This is the brand's lightest pushchair yet. If you're looking for a travel-friendly set of wheels, this is one of the best pushchairs you could choose. It's light enough to carry up a flight of stairs or lift on and off a train. It's super compact when folded, so you can pop it in a small car boot without losing luggage space. Whether you're weaving through narrow shop aisles or dodging crowds on busy pavements, the Mamas and Papas Airo is the perfect pushchair for city life. It's suitable from birth and available in five colourways -  Black, Black/Rose Gold, Grapefruit, Grey Marl, and Mint.

How we tested it

Suitable for: 0-22kg (birth to approx. 4 years) | Weighs: 7.6kg | Price: £399

We asked journalist Lynsey Hope to put the Mamas and Papas Airo pushchair to the test with her third child, Ivy, aged 16 months. They tested it together on different types of terrain over several weeks and submitted their feedback to us for the purposes of this Mamas and Papas Airo pushchair review.

Design

If you want to travel with a newborn, it can be tricky to find the perfect pram. Many prams that are suitable from birth -  such as travel systems - are heavy and cumbersome. That's not ideal for stashing in your boot alongside your luggage or lifting on and off tubes, trains, or buses.

However, the Airo pushchair is light and compact, easy to fold, and suitable from birth. It has a carrying strap and you can even wear it like a backpack. That's andy for dashing through the airport or train station. Our tester was impressed from the moment it arrived before she even started writing her Mamas & Papas Airo pushchair review.

'Both my husband and I really loved this pushchair,' says Lynsey. 'It's incredibly light - the lightest pushchair I've ever used - and it folds up very easily. We've always used an iCandy which is great for off-road walks. But it takes up a lot of space so we keep it stored in the car boot. The Airo takes up so little space that we're able to keep it in the hall without it getting in anyone's way. That saves lots of time as we're not fetching in and out of the car for the school run every day.'

And can you really fold it with one hand? That's a bold claim made by lots of pushchair brands. In practice, it's not always so easy. It's a useful feature for a travel pushchair or if you use public transport regularly. It means you can perch your baby on your hip or hold your toddler's hand while you fold it. Lynsey managed to fold the Airo with one hand. However she says it's so easy to fold with both hands in seconds that she's not sure it's a necessary design feature.

Comfort and features

The Mamas and Papas Airo pushchair arrived ready for our tester to use. So it's a good choice if you're not a fan of assembling fiddly bits of baby gear. 'There was no faffing around trying to put it together and it only took minutes to work out how to put it up, says Lynsey. 'The handle has a twist mechanism which you use to open and fold it.'

A standout feature for our tester is the Airo's height-adjustable handlebar. 'We are both tall - my husband is 6ft 3ins - and we both feel it is a good height for pushing,' says Lynsey. 'This is one of the biggest issues we had when choosing a pushchair as many have low, fixed-height handles so we'd have to hunch over.' There's also an adjustable footrest to support tired legs.

The Airo also has an extendable hood for protection from the elements. It has a bumper bar as well as adjustable straps and a five-point harness that's quick to fasten and undo. 'Ivy is a big fidget and tends to lean forwards and out to the side, so the bumper bar was a great feature as it meant she was extra secure,' adds Lynsey.

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The seat unit on the Airo is particularly noteworthy. You can lay the seat flat for younger babies or nap time. You can also position it upright for older babies and curious toddlers. 'Ivy loved it as she could sit upright and take in the sights of wherever we were,' says Lynsey. 'For her, it was like sitting in one of those toddler tricycles. But we were able to lay it flat to keep her comfy when she nodded off.'

One of our tester's favourite features of the Mamas and Papas Airo pushchair is a small design detail. 'It has a really handy pocket for stashing your purse, phone, and keys,' she explains. 'It sounds insignificant but I really loved this as it meant I didn't find myself constantly rummaging around beneath the buggy looking for things.'

On the other hand, the basket on the Airo isn't huge. We can forgive that since it's so compact. But factor in that you might need to carry a change bag with you. 'I could just about slip my daughter's school book bag underneath but there wouldn't be room for a rucksack or picnic bag.'

At 7kg, this is one of the lightest pushchairs you can buy. Our tester found it easy to lift and would recommend it to anyone with back problems. However, she's not sure it'll suit her daughter all the way up to age four. 'Ivy (18m) is very big for her age but she looks rather large in this so it might not suit a much older child, especially if they're particularly tall,' she says.

The Airo gives a smooth ride over both shiny shop floors and uneven pavements. However, this probably isn't the pushchair for you if you do lots of 'off-road' walks. 'If you're looking for something to drag over a pebble beach or through the woods, this might not suit,' agrees Lynsey. 'I had a little trouble dragging it over my gravel driveway so I'd say it's very much a city living pushchair. Or one you'd take on holidays or long journeys.'

Value for money

This is a great everyday buggy, according to the parent tester who helped us compile this Mamas and Papas Airo pushchair review. 'The absolute best thing about it is how lightweight and compact it is,' she says. 'It folds up smaller than any other pushchair I've seen. At £399 it's also great value for money with trimmings that make it look much more luxurious.'

The Mamas and Papas Airo pushchair is excellent value for money. It's half the price of many prams but has many similar premium features. For example, the reclining seat suitable from birth and the height-adjustable handle. You can also attach an Airo infant car seat. This creates a travel system so you can move your baby between the car and the buggy without removing them from the car seat. The Airo pushchair and car seat adaptors, £29, are sold separately) Factor in how light and compact it is and the longevity it offers - from birth until your child is of the age where they'll prefer to walk - and we think the Airo is one of the best lightweight pushchairs you could buy.

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