Lisa West 'Living With' the iCandy Cherry

Living With Review

 

Jump to a Month: March 2012 | April 2012 | May 2012 | June 2012 | July 2012 | August 2012 | September 2012 | October 2012 | Six month Summary | November 2012 | December 2012 | January 2013 | February 2013 | Final Summary

First Impressions: 

My first impression of the iCandy Cherry.......

Love love love the colours. I have the Mulberry pushchair and the Blue Berry carrycot so Olivia has her very own pushchair in the West Ham colours.

It’s had a quick whizz around the living room and the first thing I noticed was how light it was to push. I’m not keen on the plastic wheels but I like the way they are easily removed. The brake seems too big and clunky and I really don’t like that to take the brake off, you need to place your foot underneath and lift. Also, I’m 5ft 6 so have always gone for pushchairs with adjustable height handles which the Cherry doesn’t have.

Despite the odd niggle which is really down to personal preferences, it really is a great looking pushchair.

I’m taking it for a test drive now as it’s time for the school run so with the next update, will give some feedback regarding how the iCandy behaved on its first trip out.

14th March 2012

I took the Cherry with me on the school run this afternoon. It was lovely to push but i found that the suspension is very stiff which made it awkward going up and down kerbs. Olivia looked nice and cosy and fell asleep after 5 minutes so it has her seal of approval :)

Did a bit if iCandy spotting at the school gate. 2 Cherrys (1 Fudge, 1 Liquorice) and 1 Strawberry (in Assam Grey - really nice colour)

16th March 2012

I used the carrycot for the first time today. Struggled with the support bars at first. I've never used a proper carrycot as I've always had pushchairs with a pramette. The difference is amazing as it felt sturdy and very roomy.  We're going away for a few days next month and will be using the carrycot overnight as it folds quite flat so will not take up as much room in the car as the travel cot would.

21st March 2012

As much as I love the Mulberry colour of the pushchair, I will now have to go clothes shopping as I've realised that the majority of the colour of my wardrobe is made up of purple and pinks.

Nothing like my 7 year old pointing out as we left the house this morning that my top matches the pushchair as does Olivia's coat !

March the 27th 2012

While my car is in for repair I have been  given a Nissan Note as a courtesy car.

First thing I did was to see if the Cherry fitted in the boot and it does :)

Still plenty of room for shopping etc.

Might need to replace my car soon !

March the 29th 2012.

So I have finally found a way to get my 7 year old to walk home from school without him whinging the whole way.

He has now discovered if he pushes his baby Sister in the pushchair, he can put his book bag and lunch bag in the basket underneath.

Have I mentioned the basket before? It's huge ! This afternoon, as well as the school bits, it also held 2 bags of shopping, a blanket and Olivia's oxygen cylinder

April the 13th 2012

So the car is all packed up for our first weekend away and Olivia's first "holiday"

I really wish I still had the courtesy car from a few weeks back as the Cherry just about fits in the boot of my Toyota Yaris and that's with the front wheels off :(

Our bags etc have been squashed into the footwells which isn't ideal but thankfully it's only a few hours drive in the car.

We've finally arrived at the hotel after hitting some pretty bad traffic on the M6

As we are only here for 2 nights, we've decided to try Olivia in her Cherry carrycot overnight as her Angelcare monitor works with it thankfully.

Moses basket sheets fitted the mattress  fine and Olivia settled down for a snooze in her carrycot while we unpacked.

We are now off to Birmingham for the afternoon/evening to do a bit of shopping.

April the 14th 2012

The large Cherry basket was put to good use after our shopping trip to the Bullring Shopping Centre yesterday.

I still have a major gripe about having to remove the seat unit to fold the pushchair and also having to remove the wheels every time I need to put it in my car.

I wasn't a happy bunny this morning as I ended up covered in the wheel grease/oil on my hands and arms as well as over my jumper as we were heading off out for the day so I had to go back to the hotel to change.

April the 22nd 2012

I've noticed that the Cherry bumper bar marks very easily (especially as Olivia uses it as a foot rest) so I'm hunting around for a cover and matching chest pads to complement the Mulberry.

The carrycot has now been packed away as Olivia no longer fits in it. Very sad as I loved the carrycot and Olivia settled so well in it. I definitely prefer a separate carrycot to a pramette now.

I love my pushchair.... Honestly I do !

May the 9th 2012

Woo hoo ! The sun came out. Ok it was only for about an hour but we managed to fit in a visit to the park.

The wheels on the Cherry got a bit muddy but it was really easy to pop the wheels off when we got back to the car.

May the 16th 2012 

I'm now back at work :(

My Husband Dan took Olivia on the school run this morning and sent me the attached photo !

The first thing I noticed was not the sleeping baby but that there is food in the pushchair !

Poor Olivia had to share her Pushchair with a French stick !

Dan hasn't really used the pushchair before and his feedback was that it was really light to push  he had no problem with the handle height (he's 5ft 11)

May the 30th 2012 

I'm taking James to school with Daddy today.

 

Poppy the Cat checks out the Cherry while Olivia has a snooze.

June the 2nd 2012

Today saw the West clan venture off to Milton Keynes for Collectormania.

Hubby and James are sci-fi fans so we got to meet John Barrowman, a few Doctor Who's and Darth Vader amongst others :)

Once again, the Cherry's huge basket came into use. I don't think I could ever cope with a Pushchair with a tiny basket again !

Taking a Pushchair to anywhere with crowds is always a nightmare as I was panicking that someone would fall on Olivia what with all the pushing and shoving. I managed to whack a few ankles during the day as well what with the Cherry frame being so long.

June the 17th 2012

For Fathers Day this year we went to Westfield Shopping Centre on the Tube.

Even with the brake on, the Cherry was moving so much around the carriage due the front wheels not having a brake that we had to take Olivia out.

I also used the full recline for the first time when Olivia had a snooze. I wasn't too impressed with how it lays as although the body of the pram was flat-ish, the leg rest remained up and even on the lowest setting Olivia's legs still looked uncomfortable.

June the 20th 2012

The main raincover was used for the first time today. It's a really good quality  cover and was easy to fit.

It would be handy if it extended to cover the basket though.

June the 21st 2012

Olivia is nearly 10 months and has started to try to lean out of the pushchair when it's in parent facing mode so on the school run, I decided to switch it round. She loved it and was chattering away at everyone that went past us.

I can't explain why but the Cherry feels more comfortable to push in forward facing mode and I think it actually looks better this way round.

 

July the 21st 2012

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside.....

Taking advantage of the sun while we can, we went to the seaside today. It was the first time Olivia had seen the sea.

We went for lunch while we were there and had a bit of a problem due to the Cherry not being able to fold with the seat unit on as I was told it was too big unfolded to have in the restaurant.  I was asked to leave the pushchair at the front of the restaurant but wasn't comfortable doing so as it was out of sight. I had to walk it back to the car which was 10 minutes away.

July the 25th 2012

We went out for a walk today by a nearby river and canal.
The Cherry coped really well with the uneven canal path once the front wheels were locked as unlocked, poor Olivia was being bounced around her seat.

Olivia is 11 months now and is in a group 1 carseat so the Cabrio and car seat adaptors have been packed away

The sunny weather has meant that I had to purchase a parasol, especially now that Olivia sits forward facing. I found that the official iCandy parasol were quite expensive for how much use it would get so I bought a universal one. I felt like a bit of a traitor what with it not being an iCandy branded one but it did the job.

August the 12th 2012

I thought it was time I gave the Cherry an MOT.
The wheels show quite a lot of wear and marks from our gravel drive but did clean up nicely.

Frame - there's a big scratch on the side :( not a clue where it came from as I'm uber careful seeing as it's not officially my pushchair.  Hopefully it will polish out.  There's also a few scuffs here and there which will hopefully come off with a bit of elbow grease

Fabric - really disappointed that the hood has marked so easily. I got caught in the rain last week and there are large watermarks on the hood where the raincover leaves a gap. No idea how to get rid of those :(

There are also marks where the fabric meets the frame, it's quite bad around the basket and sponging it doesn't seem to have helped.

Apart from the above, it's not looking bad after 5 months of use

August the 20th 2012

After spending the day stuck indoors with a poorly baby, I decided to take her out in the pram for some fresh air.
We stopped to feed the ducks en-route and then managed to get lost (I've lived here for 5 years as well) and had to ask for directions.

The Cherry is so lovely to push. Definitely my favourite thing about it.

August the 20th 2012

We're off on our hols to Wales this morning.

The weather isn't looking too good but fingers crossed we'll get some sunshine while we are there.

On packing up the car, as you can see by the photo, once the Cherry is in the boot, there's barely any room for anything else. I managed to resist the temptation of buying a lightweight stroller for the holiday but definitely regret not getting one now.

August the 28th 2012

We're in Wales and it's sunny yay :)

I tried the Cherry without the bumper bar this morning as Olivia keeps putting her feet up against it and trying to lift herself out of the pushchair.

Some covers for the holes where the bar clips in would look better as it looks untidy without

August the 31st 2012

We've just returned from our hols and I thought I'd update about how I got on with the Cherry while we were away.

On Tuesday, we went to Rhossili on the Gower Peninsula. The walk up to Worms Head unfortunately wrecked the Cherry.

What with dodging sheep poo and pot holes on a very uneven path then up a steep grassy hill and back (Hubby had to push the pram as it was too much for me) by the time we got back to the car, the Cherry was not looking it's best.

One of the wheels seems out of line so I'll have to try and fix it as it makes the pram awkward to push so I was without a pushchair for the last few days of the holiday.

September the 29th 2012

After the problem with the buckled wheel which has now been sorted, the Cherry is back :)

I borrowed a friends lightweight stroller as a stop gap but its made me realise what a fantastic pushchair the Cherry is. It was definitely missed.

October the 1st 2012

As the weather has turned, I'm on the hunt for a footmuff for the Cherry. Budget wise, I can't stretch to buying an official iCandy one so have been checking out the custom websites/Facebook groups for inspiration. It's now on order so photos to follow once It arrives.

October the 4th 2012

My previous updates have been a tad whiny about how the Cherry fits doesn't fit the boot of my car. Luckily I don't have that problem in my new one (Peugeot 208) as it fits flat in the boot with plenty of room to spare.

October the 11th 2012

I had some help in the school run this morning :)

Six Month Summary

As I'm half way through the 12 months I am testing the iCandy Cherry, I thought it was time I gave an overall review as to how things have gone since March.

The best bits....

• It's a great looking pushchair I love the colour options, especially the 2012 colours that have been recently launched. It's lovely and light to push - having the one handle means it's comfy to push even one handed.
• The basket is HUGE !
• The wheels pop off easily for storage or cleaning
• Quality - you get what you pay for with iCandy pushchairs and going back to a cheaper make, you will notice the difference straightaway.
• The fabric is easy to clean
• It's a solid pushchair. There's nothing flimsy about the frame at all.
• Easy to fold once you know how.

The niggles....

• Two part fold. This would put me off buying the Cherry personally as I have never gone for a pushchair that doesn't fold in one.
• The raincover doesn't cover the basket.
• The wheels do not like rough-ish terrain
• The recline isn't that great as although it folds relatively flat, the leg rest stays up higher than the seat unit leaving Olivia's legs up what I feel is too high (Photo 1)
• It's a very long pushchair compared to others I have had
• The handle isn't height adjustable
• The recline buttons seem to stick. I have to lift the back of the seat while pushing the buttons in at the same time to "unlock" it. Not easy when you're on your own !  The buttons are also partially covered by the seat fabric which is a bit odd. (Photo 2)
  
• The tread on the wheels wears down very quickly.
• The frame seems to scratch too easily
• The accessories are quite expensive. I was quoted £80 for a footmuff, £55 for a changing bag and £25 for a parasol. Going universal for all three cost me just £60 and while I know the quality is not quite the same, it's a big difference in price.

So that's my thoughts and if I am honest, I would not have bought this pushchair originally as I would have switched to a stroller by now but being without it for a few weeks when I had the wheel problems made me realise how much I missed it. I think it's a case of if you are going to spend this sort of money on an iCandy, you'll only get your money back so to speak by making it last as your main pushchair as long as possible.  

Out of 10, I'd give the Cherry a 7 as there are a few things that if I could, I would definitely change but it's a personal choice and what doesn't quite work for me, might not bother the next Cherry owner :)

October the 20th 2012

I went into town today and took the Cherry on the bus for the first time. Big mistake on a Saturday as there was barely any room for it and I had to contend with a grumpy bus driver who did not believe the pushchair would not fold down. We took a taxi home but as the Cherry does not fold in one, I had to instruct the taxi driver how to take the seat unit off. I'll definitely take the car in future as at least I can leave Olivia in her car seat while I sort out the pushchair.

November the 4th 2012

Shopping trip to Lakeside this evening. I do wish the seat unit would go more upright as Olivia keeps trying to throw herself forward as the highest recline still means she is laying back slightly. As I've mentioned before, the basket on the Cherry is great as I managed to fit plenty of shopping in as well as the changing bag although I do miss not having handles to hang the odd bag or two on. Earlier in the year when I started testing the Cherry, I only noticed the odd iCandy when I was out and about but it seems like they are everywhere now.

November the 17th 2012

Today is World Prematurity Day and as a Mum to three premature babies, one of whom we sadly lost at 3 days old, I was pleased to read that iCandy are supporters of Bliss, the premature baby charity. Bliss were an enormous support to me during my pregnancies so it made me even prouder to be testing the iCandy Cherry.

November the 19th 2012

I mentioned in a previous post that I was on the hunt for a footmuff/cosy toes for the Cherry. As the testing comes to an end early next year, I didn't feel I could stretch to an official iCandy footmuff that I'll be stuck with so I went down the custom route instead. Excuse the grumpy look on Olivia's face, she was full of cold when I took the photo.

November the 29th 2012

Big problems with the Cherry seat unit at the moment :(  For some reason, the buttons keep sticking and I was caught out today with Olivia fast asleep in the pushchair with her head falling forward as I could not recline the seat. It was then stuck in that position and would not let me press the buttons to take the seat unit off. I had to fold the Cherry as best as I could with the seat on and shove it in the car (I had to put one of the back seats down to get it in)  Typically once I got it home and out of the car, I was able to take the seat off but I had to do my usual trick of kneeling on the bottom of the seat while pushing the buttons in to "release" it.

December the 9th 2012

I have to admit there are days where I wish I had a lightweight stroller (just for the convenience really) but today, I was so pleased to still have the Cherry that had the parent facing/front facing option. I decided to walk to town and typically whilst heading out, It was cold but the weather was fine. Got 10 minutes up the road and the path was quite exposed to the elements, Olivia and I were battered by the wind and rain.

I was able to reverse the seat quite quickly with Olivia still sat in it (thankfully she's still little enough that I could) so she faced me and with the raincover on, she was nice and snug and the Cherry seemed easier to push against the wind

January the 11th 2013

Aside from popping into town etc before Christmas, I haven't really needed to use the pushchair over the last few weeks. This has got me thinking to life after the iCandy Cherry testing comes to an end. I've been trying out other pushchairs as I'm lucky enough to have a Kiddicare within 30 minutes drive but I'm really struggling to find a replacement as nothing is coming close to the Cherry as a pushchair.

Hopefully iCandy will bring out a lightweight stroller in the next few months :)

January the 30th 2013

Olviia is now 17 months and is not a fan of sitting in her pushchair for longish periods of time. A trip to Lakeside this evening for a bit of retail therapy turned into a bit of a nightmare as she only seemed happy when out of the pushchair and trying to push it herself. Had to apologise to fellow shoppers on a few occasions after she bashed a few ankles.

I've realised that over recent months.The two part fold no longer bothers me as much (aside from when using public transport) and I'm finding it much quicker to put the Cherry together. Timed myself as an experiment and I can get it out of the boot and ready for Olivia in 35 seconds :)

February the 4th 2013

So pleased the Cherry is light to push as I managed to fracture a bone in my wrist so it's in a cast at the moment. Luckily Olivia climbs in and out of the pushchair herself so apart from clipping her in, it's not been too much of a hassle to get out and about, especially where I can't drive. I haven't had to put the raincover on yet but can imagine it'll be great fun once I attempt it.

February the 19th 2013 

 

 

Final Summary                      

So my time as a tester for Pushchair Trader/iCandy has come to an end.

I’m very grateful to have had the chance to test such a fantastic pushchair , especially as it was one I had liked the look of beforehand but discounted as it was a little out of my budget at the time.

To help me with this summary, I had a read through my previous review posts and it was obvious from day 1 that the size of the basket was the biggest plus for me at the start of the testing as Olivia’s oxygen cylinder fitted perfectly. This was such a help as the cylinders are very bulky and not the easiest things to carry around and made a huge difference to us as a family.

I would give the iCandy Cherry 4 out of 5, as there have been some issues with the back wheels that have left me without a pushchair on a few occasions now while it was being repaired and for a pushchair in this price bracket and from such a highly regarded brand, I have to admit I was disappointed as the wheels buckling was not caused through my being heavy handed with the pushchair. Even after 12 months of testing, the pushchair still looks in fab condition as I was always over cautious of damaging it.

Aside from the wheels issue, I can’t really fault anything else about the Cherry. There were obviously the niggles that you get with any new purchase and they are more down to personal choice than anything. 

My final pros and cons/niggles are;

Pros

Quality – you get what you pay for
Basket size – Huge !
It turns on a sixpence (love that phrase!) – very easy to push
Easy to keep clean

Niggles

The recline –  the Cherry doesn’t sit upright enough which became an issue as Olivia got older
The wheels –  Mine had to be replaced twice as they kept buckling
The size of the pushchair – I struggled to get anything else in the boot           

Thank you again to Pushchair Trader and iCandy for allowing me to test the iCandy Cherry.

 

 

iCandy Cherry stockist