iCandy Peach Blossom 3 Pushchair Review

iCandy as a brand are well known in the market thanks to so many celebrities making them their personal choice and with a British-made accolade, they are widely known for their quality of product and manufacturing and their iCandy Peach Blossom pushchair is their 2016 model.

Considered to be a luxury pushchair creator, iCandy have a number of models available that vary widely in pricing however they are more expensive than many other brands across the industry but that is the sort of thing that you can expect when you are looking for quality.

By no means are iCandy a new kid on the block, they have been established for over 80 years but their creations have only really gathered their ‘head of steam’ in the past 5 years, finding themselves at the forefront of the brand ladder that parents are looking at when trying to find their next pushchair.

The iCandy Peach Blossom has been given a revamp for 2016 and that makes up the latest version of a popular model that has been seen to be the stroller of choice for the likes of Victoria Beckham and Abby Clancy and when Ian asked whether I was interested in one, it was quickly a case of ‘if it’s good enough for them, its good enough for me’.

iCandy Peach Blossom 3 Review

I guess before I get into my review, I should point out that the iCandy Peach Blossom is not traditionally like the other strollers that you may have seen here on the site, initially it comes as a single seat pushchair however it quickly converts into a double stroller that can accommodate twins, hence the reason that I have taken the time to share my thoughts on it with you.

Handling

I won’t keep going into the fact that as a mother that makes use of a buggy on a daily basis, the way in which a double stroller can handle the challenges that we face on the school run or as you navigate the supermarket is vital, in fact I would dare to say that a heavy, hard to steer pram would be a deal breaker for me.

As the iCandy Peach Blossom is a model that makes use of a four wheeled frame with wheels closer together, I expected that the handling of the pushchair would be better than those that use a more traditional four-wheel system and I was right.

The rotating wheels at the front of the stroller makes turning a breath of fresh air, quick and without snags or issues, even when you find that you are taking on the autumn seasonal ground challenge, something that some of the prams that I have reviewed before struggled to navigate in.

With three wheels ready to take some of the work off me, I thought that I would also attempt to see how the pushchair performed when taken onto grass and although there was a very slight increase in the pressure needed to move forward, it handled everything that we came across and it was still much less work than I have experienced before.

One thing that I did find was that usually I like to be able to push buggies from the middle of the handlebars, however with the iCandy Peach that wasn’t possible as the fold button is located there, meaning that you are likely to press that by accident if you attempt it, so that is something that iCandy should consider altering the next time that they update their design.

Storage Space

I have mixed thoughts on the storage that the iCandy Peach 3 offers, mostly because when used in single mode you have a vast amount of space that is ready to take care of your changing bag, handbag and more but the moment that you add the second seat in, your available space is reduced quite a lot.

One thing that I did notice is that with the weight capacity that the stroller can hold, you need to make sure that you are working out as closely as possible as going to heavy with your bags will add more weight onto the suspension on the wheels, so it can increase the work needed to push the pram, but it doesn’t make it unmanageable at all.

It was also a shame to see that the storage on the double stroller was missing pockets in the back of the seat, which I did think would have been there so again something else that iCandy could maybe think about but that could be me just being picky as I know that many don’t use the pockets when they have them anyway.

Seating

The seating arrangement on the iCandy Peach follows a tandem style format, with an older toddler seated behind an elevated infant, both of which will be forward facing in order to fit both seats in together.

When used as a single seat stroller the seating will see an infant child being placed just in front of the pushing handle, facing towards you which is a nice touch as I like to be able to interact with our 6 months old while we walk down the street where possible.

Converting the iCandy Peach Blossom from single to duo seat is quick and easy once you have figured out how it is done, with a matter of clicks and fastenings you can quickly get on your way but I recommend that you have a couple of attempts at doing it when you first get it delivered as finding the instructions at a later point is a nightmare if you don’t keep them safe!

One thing that I did find to be an issue was that the harness used in the seats locks into a fastener that has a large button on it in the centre of the child’s chest, which seemed to draw wondering hands like a moth to a flame, so I had to make sure that I was keeping my eye on what they were up to in order to make sure that it stayed fastened.

Ease of Use

Parental life is certainly never dull and that means that you have to be able to be mobile at the drop of a hat, or it does for me anyway and that means that I need a pushchair that is easy to use and ready for action almost as soon as I need it.

I have to admit that the prospect of interchangeable seating filled me with a little fear as that meant that while I had my eye on both children, I would have to be able to securely fit the stroller together but things didn’t play out like that thankfully.

When the Peach Blossom arrived it was boxed and on opening it I was pleased to see that it wasn’t going to need a lot of time spent building it as it was mostly done for us, meaning that Ian didn’t have to spend two hours reading over the instructions over and over again before he attempted his first time to put it together.

My worries about the seating wasn’t valid either as that was quick and easy with quick release system in place so after seeing how it was done I was then able to do it in a matter of minutes, which is just about the time that I have free with the children before they got bored or I need to do something else before we go out.

Folding the pram down into a flat position is quick and easy too, with the release button located on the pushing handle in plain sight, so as soon as you remove the seat and press the button the frame will begin to fold and then it is just a case of lifting the frame for it to complete it’s transformation.

Appearance

The iCandy Peach Blossom pushchair has become the chosen stroller for many based on its looks and functionality, so it comes as no surprise that when we had it all set up and seats fitted, it looked fantastic.

It showcases quality and class and the frame is by far one of the better looking ones that I have seen during my testing and reviewing, not because iCandy have done anything spectacular with it but more than it compliments the whole look of luxury that comes with owning one of these.

Modern, sleek and certain to catch the eye, this one is definitely up there as one that we would have chosen if we are only allowed to pick one based on looks alone.

For me it does look a little odd once you have dual seats fitted into it due to the positioning of the younger child being elevated and pushed forward a little but that is something that I will get used to quickly and will certainly not put me off recommending it to others if asked for my thoughts on it.

Overall

In summary, the iCandy Peach Blossom pushchair is brilliant both in terms of looks and functionality with real attention to detail throughout the whole of the stroller and with iCandy behind it, that doesn’t come as a massive shock.

Billed as a luxury double pram, I think that it really comes into its own with just a single child seated in it, however that isn’t to say that it can’t measure up when you opt for a dual seating arrangement as it still produces a great experience.

The five point harness did have what I would consider to be a design issue as our toddler seemed to figure out quickly that the big button in the middle of his chest was how it released, so I had to make sure that I kept an eye on that so maybe iCandy need to take a little time before the next upgraded version comes out to move that or make it a double latch.

A fantastic pushchair that is easy to push and ready for action quickly, it shines with luxury looks and finish but unfortunately for me, it just didn’t measure up to the Bugaboo Donkey Duo that I already have so it seems to be a secondary choice.