The Bugaboo Bee 3 is a great little urban stroller that’s great for taking the baby or toddler for quick little trips into town or around the city. It is a complete travel system, suitable from birth until the baby reaches 17 kg, at an age range of 0 to 4 years.
But what exactly are the various features of the Bugaboo Bee 3, and how does it measure up? That’s what this article is going to lay out for you. Let’s get started.
Features
Basics
So, the Bugaboo Bee 3 is often depicted as a stroller, but if you were to invest in the matching carrycot, it can be used from birth, since this allows the baby to lay down flat.
But that’s not all, you can also buy a compatible car seat, so when you get out of the car, you don’t have to transfer the baby from the car seat to the stroller’s seat, but instead attach the car seat to the stroller’s chassis.
So it’s very much an all-in-one system, and you won’t need to buy a separate stroller when the baby comes to outgrow the carrycot.
Seat unit
The seat can take weights of up to 17 kg, which means you can even comfortably seat your 3-year-old in it.
For anxious babies, you can reverse the seat so that the baby can always see whoever is pushing. And for curious babies who like to have a good look around them, you can have the seat facing forwards.
You can also set the seat to recline backwards. There are 3 reclining positions altogether, including a full-recline position which is almost lying completely flat. This is great if you want the baby to rest and have a little nap as you carry on with your various errands.
You can set the seat to recline one-handed, which is perfect if you happen to be holding the baby in one arm, as parents often do.
The seat features a five point harness, which features straps over each shoulder, straps over each leg, all met in the single buckle in the middle via a strap between the baby's legs. This is a very safe and secure means of holding the baby or toddler safely in place, while not being too tight or uncomfortable.
The seat also happens to be removable and machine washable, which is great news for cleaning up after the baby gets food and drink everywhere.
Canopy (Hood)
It comes with an excellent canopy. It’s both height-adjustable and extendable. But better yet, there’s also UV protection in the canopy’s fabric, so you can be sure that the baby’s well protected from the sun. And on a cloudy day, you can remove the canopy altogether.
And although the canopy is not strictly waterproof, you can buy a rain cover separately to keep off the rain.
Wheels and Suspension
This is a 4-wheel system featuring rubber coated wheels. And at 6 inches wide, they’re perfectly suited to urban terrain, sidewalks, and car parks. And if they were to get damaged, they are easily replaced.
The wheels offer plenty of swiveling, which is perfect for navigating tight corners around town. And when you’re on a hill, you can lock the wheels in place so that the stroller won’t ever roll away while you’re putting your groceries in the trunk.
There’s a suspension system in place present on all 4 wheels, an open spring suspension.
Brake
The brake is easy to use, you simply push down the pedal to bring the stroller to a stop.
Folding Down
The stroller folds up very compactly when not in use, and is straightforward to fold down. You can fold it down with the seat still attached, and regardless of whether it's in the forward facing or in the rear facing position.
It folds down to dimensions of 90 cm x 46.5 cm x 32 cm, which is usually enough to fit in your trunk, or take up minimal space on public transport. And once folded you can simply drag it behind you on its wheels rather than having to carry it under your arm.
Handlebar
The handlebar height is adjustable, thanks to it being telescopic, and you can set it anywhere between 89 cm to 106 cm in height, which is great if you have different people pushing the stroller.
It also features a safety wrist strap, so even if the brakes fail (which is unlikely) the stroller won’t be able to roll away into danger.
Basket
There’s a shopping basket positioned underneath the seat of the stroller that can be easily accessed from both the back and the front of the stroller. And it’s quite large, with a weight capacity of 4 kg, so you can use it to keep hold of baby gear, or any other items you happen to have with you.
Carrycot and Car Seat
As I believe we touched upon earlier, this stroller system can be used in conjunction with a compatible carrycot, which means that you can use the stroller from birth, since the baby will be able to lie completely flat.
The matching carrycot comes complete with special adapters, and features a handy carry handle above.
And you can also buy a matching car seat with special adapters for the stroller, too. And this means that rather than having to wake the baby to move them from the car seat to the stroller, you simply get the stroller ready for the car seat, and slide the baby in the car seat right into position.
Other Accessories
You can attach a cup holder to the stroller, which is great for keeping the baby hydrated while you’re on the move.
There’s also a rain cover included, so you can be confident that you’re prepared for any kind of weather.
Size and Weight
The Bugaboo Bee 3 is nicely lightweight at just 8.7 kg, which makes it a breeze to push around, even if you have a relatively heavy toddler on board and plenty of gear in the basket.
The unfolded dimensions of the stroller are 89 cm x 53 cm x 88 cm, which makes it easy to get into store doorways and through supermarket aisles.
When folded, the dimensions are just 90 cm x 46.5 cm x 32 cm, which is compact enough to get into the trunks of most vehicles.
However, if you’re not 100% sure if this folded version would fit in your trunk, we would recommend going to a retailer and asking if you can try to fit the stroller in your trunk. Some will agree, some won’t, but it’s worth asking if you’re not too sure.
Ease of Use and Maneuverability
Despite featuring 4 wheels rather than 3 and the wheels being a little on the small side, we would argue that the stroller is very easily maneuverable on busy sidewalks, provided that the terrain isn’t too rough.
This easy maneuverability is much to do with it being so lightweight, and with even weight distribution.
Overall Quality
We had high expectations for the quality of the materials that make up the Bugaboo Bee 3, but when we looked into it, we felt that the quality of materials was only just above average. The seat is made of a polyester fabric, but with plenty of padding for extra comfort. And the canopy is made from a spandex type material.
The frame of the stroller is both lightweight and sturdy, and can withstand a little heavy-handedness.
Drawbacks
With all these great features, you might be inclined to think that this is the perfect stroller. But it wouldn’t be a fair review if we didn’t note any of the drawbacks, and we’re sad to say that there are some.
Doesn’t Move Well on Rough Terrain
This stroller system is clearly designed more for urban areas, and does not perform quite as well on country trails, or anywhere where the ground can be a little uneven. The wheels, while not too small, aren’t big enough to handle rough terrain, or to be taken onto snow or ice for that matter.
Moreover, there are 4 wheels altogether, so it doesn’t have quite as easy a maneuverability as its 3-wheel counterparts.
No One-Hand Folding
Most new strollers these days offer one-hand folding down, which is perfect if you’re holding the baby in one arm. But unfortunately, the Bugaboo Bee 3 doesn’t offer that, and you will have to find somewhere safe to put the baby down before you can unfold the stroller to put it in your trunk.
Expensive
We all know that strollers and baby travel systems typically cost hundreds of dollars, and unfortunately, the Bugaboo Bee 3 is no exception. Especially if you mean to buy all the main accessories to go with it, such as the carrycot and the car seat.
But with all these features, and such good performance and quality, you may well decide that it’s worth the high ticket price and is actually good value for money, if you use it as intended from birth up to 4 years of age.
Wrap Up
All in all, the Bugaboo Bee 3 is a pretty good travel system if you have the budget for it. It has all the flexibility and features you could want. But while it’s great for getting out and about around the city, it’s not ideal for use in the countryside. And if you are going to buy it, you may want to invest in a rain cover, which you will find sold separately.