Britax Smile Review
Britax Smile
Reviewed by Gemma Berkul
I was extremely lucky enough to be chosen to review the Britax Smile Pram travel system.
When I took the pram out of the box it was easy to assemble. I didn’t need to look at the instruction booklet but you do receive one in the box just in case. This instruction booklet is explained in 29 languages and is easy to read and follow.
The 4 wheels were easy to fit on as they just clicked straight in the chassis. The rear wheels are air filled which definitely made the journey for my child smoother and the front wheels are easy to swivel. This made the pram easy to manoeuvre which was great when walking around the supermarkets. It was easy to push through doors and around the aisles. I used the pram to go for a walk and I locked the wheels into a fixed position, so my child was more comfortable as we had to walk over cobbles and bumpy pavements.
I like many features on this pram. I think the most striking feature of the Britax Smile is the generous sized basket under the pram which is great and very practical. I could see people looking at the pram when I was walking around. One lady even commented on the size of the large basket as she had a pram worth twice the price of the Britax Smile and yet she had half the basket storage space! And we all know how us women like to fill the basket! It’s great that you can remove the basket fabric to clean it too by just removing all the buttons and zipper holding the basket fabric.
I also loved the adjustable handle bar. Being short this came in very useful. I found the pram very comfortable to push and my husband was able to adjust the handle bar when he pushed it and he said it was comfortable too. This feature of the adjustable height range is excellent and it will certainly be comfortable to virtually all who pushes it.
Holding the Britax stationary is handled by a press on/off brake located on the right hand side. This brake is light and easy to use- another great safety aspect to this pram. To engage the brake you press the brake down until the red marking is visible in the indicator window. Then you push the brake pedal down again to release the brake, until the green marking is visible in the indicator window. The main chassis of the Britax Smile is beautifully made as it has clean lines and just looks stylish.
My child seemed very comfortable in the seat whilst I pushed him around. I was able to recline the seat so he could sit up and be nosey and lie down too when he was tired. The 5-point safety harness straps were easy to fasten and were comfortable as they are padded and height adjustable. It also has a nice, large button in middle which allows adults to open it but certainly not any children. The seat unit was also easy to clip in and out of the main frame. I tried the seat unit in both positions, rear facing and forward facing. I was still able to keep checking on him by using the viewing window at the top and when he was facing me I was able to maintain eye contact and talk to him. What I really like is the fact that the hood extends right over my child, which is great when he is trying to sleep as he is less distracted by the environment and seems very cosy. It will also be great for when we are on holiday to keep him cool and keep the sun off him. The mesh flap on top of the hood allows for ventilation and also another way of keeping an eye on him. This mesh flap can be moved back and forth and is held shut using magnets which is nice and quiet. The bar across the seat allowed extra safety and I was able to clip a toy and a book on it too, to keep him entertained. The bar is also covered in wipe able, smooth material which I found easy to wipe clean. I love the fact that’s the footrest is adjustable so my child’s legs will always be supported as he grows. It can be placed in three different positions. This is the best seat unit I have seen for a pram.
The pushchair is suitable from 6 months but I was lucky enough to try the luxurious carry cot too which is suitable from birth. The carry cot fits easily onto the chassis. It is very stylish and comes with great features. It has a ventilation on the mattress and on the bottom of the carry cot. It also has ventilation window in the hood at the back. It has a cute little storage pocket on the front of the carry cot which is handy for those few bits. You could even just pop your keys, purse or phone in it if you didn’t want to take your handbag out. What is really great is the mattress cover and lining are removable which is very practical as you can hand wash it. The mattress is beautifully soft and allows for the child to be padded and protected from birth. It is very roomy and really does ensure even large babies will have plenty of space. The carry cot hood is fully detachable too which meant I could take it off using the zip and put it back on if and when needed, very easily. You can also buy the car seat too which attaches to the chassis. This is definitely worth buying as this will allow the car seat and the carry cot to click in and out of the pushchair easily, which will be handy when you have a sleeping baby who you don’t need to wake.
I did have to read the instructions to know how to put the pram down once the carry cot/seat was off. It was a bit tricky at first but once I had a few goes it became easier to do. When the pram is folded it fits neatly and nicely in my car boot as well as the carry cot/seat. The wheels release easily too which makes for easy storage.
The pram and the carry cot also come with a rain cover each, which will definitely come in handy living in Manchester! Both rain covers are very quick and easy to put on and take off. The carry cot rain cover has a Velcro flap at the front to allow you to reach your baby if necessary. Just in case you need to put a dummy back in or stroke your baby’s head to soothe them. You can also access the handle of the carry cot easily by lifting the Velcro flap which is good if you are taking the carry cot off the frame whilst your child continues to sleep. The rain cover for the pushchair has also been well thought out as it allows you to still access the peep hole at the top of the pram to check on your child.
All in all I would give this pram 4.5/5 as it is beautifully made and very practical. It does everything a parent requires with no fuss apart from perfecting folding down the pram. The first thing that’s strikes you is the uncluttered nature of the design. I think it is stylish and unisex as it is available in different colours including blue, red, silver and black which all enhance this practical pushchair. The material allows for an easy wipe down so you can keep it nice and clean. Both are comfortable and I feel they were very safe too. This travel system allows the seat, carry cot and car seat to simply interchange without the requirement of adapters. I would say this pram has all the features you would expect from the high quality brand that is Britax.
Thank you Britax for this reasonably priced travel system which I would fully recommend. You only need to make one purchase decision: you can buy the pushchair, car seat and carry cot all in one go, which all match. Although with the range and choice of colours available, I suppose you could have a different colour carry cot to seat unit? My husband and I are happy with it. It’s great to agree on something! The Britax Smile is a perfect travel system for me and my family and it will probably be perfect for you and yours too. It is excellent… what are you waiting for… Go and buy one today!
Rating: 4.5/5
RRP: £450 (pushchair), £139 (carrycot).
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