Bugaboo Bee 5 Stroller Review

The Bugaboo Bee 5 is a fourth generation of a Bee model which is a luxury lightweight stroller that has a reversible seat. For some reason, they did skip the number ‘4’.

The Bee 5 model is designed for an urban lifestyle where parents live life on the fly. It’s good for running errands, using public transit and traveling.

The large basket can fit a lot of stuff when going grocery shopping. The narrow frame allows you to navigate in tight spaces like elevators, narrow store aisles, or doctor’s offices.

The extendable reversible seat grows with your baby providing her with much-needed comfort.

The deep one-hand recline is great for long naps and quick diaper changes. The wheels are small but will be able to tackle SOME mommy terrain like grass, mulch, or gravel.

The all-wheel suspension helps to absorb the bumps. Keep in mind that this is NOT an all-terrain stroller so long walks at the park or around town with uneven surfaces might be very bumpy.

You can turn your stroller into a pram by getting a bassinet. This is a great option for parents who want to buy only one stroller. This way you can walk with a pram for the first 6 months and then replace it with a seat.  Or you can convert it into a travel system by replacing the seat with an infant car seat.

For 2017 here have been a couple of minor updates from the Bee 3 model:

1) They’ve added new color combinations and different customization options so you can customize it from top to bottom

2) It’s now easier to adjust the height and the depth of the seat

3) They’ve added a small pocket inside of the basket for small essentials so you have place to put your keys. I would rather see them add a small pocket in the back of the seat.

4) The suspension on all wheels was improved to provide a smoother ride.

Note: There has been NO change for 2018.

OVERALL

I gave Bee 5 stroller 4 out of 5 stars because despite some of the updates it’s still missing a peekaboo window, has a hard-to-access basket, the fold is very bulky, it doesn’t include a cup holder, and the buckle is a puzzle-piece.

But, the main problem I have with it is the very high price. If a compact one-hand fold is important for you, I would suggest looking at the Cybex Iris M-Air model. Iris is also light, and compact, and has a reversible seat and a huge basket.

Overall, I think Bee 5 is a great stroller for on-the-go parents who want a lightweight stroller with a bassinet option and a reversible seat. Even after all of the great upgrades, it still looks like a wheelchair. Right? LOL.

Unfortunately, the price didn’t get any lower. You can get the stroller frame with the seat and a canopy for around $789 depending on the color.

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Features

CANOPY

I think designers were reading my review of the Bee model where I was complaining about the canopy size. I am not complaining anymore since the canopy is huge now.

It has an additional panel that you can unzip if you want full coverage. That way the canopy goes down almost reaching the seat. There is still no peekaboo window.

HANDLEBAR

The adjustable telescoping handlebar goes from 34″ up to 42″ from the ground. It’s great for taller or shorter parents. This is one of the features that you are not going to get in the umbrella stroller. 

To avoid tipping the stroller backward when the seat is fully reclined, hang your diaper bag on the frame using stroller hooks. You can also use it to hang your water bottle or shopping bags.

Usually found on joggers the runaway strap is used to prevent your stroller from getting away from you in case you let go of the handlebar.

SEAT

The seat is 14″ wide with 18″ seat back that can adjust to 21″ which is a very tall seat back. The seat height and depth are adjustable. It goes from 11″ deep up to 15″ deep. Great for a growing child.

The seat has a new more breathable fabric. Of course we all love the one-hand lever recline that goes to almost flat position making it suitable for a newborn.

The seat is also reversible. You will need to take your child out of the seat before switching the mode. It can accommodate a child from birth and up to 37.5 lbs.

HARNESS

The harness is still a four-piece harness meaning the shoulder straps are not attached to the waist straps so you will need to lock each strap separately. I think this is a big drawback. I wonder if designers of the Bee 5 have any kids …

When my 2-year old is in the bad mood laying on the floor at the mall, screaming at the top of her lungs, the last thing I want to do is deal with four straps. This is where the speed matters. I try to strap her into the stroller and run out of the mall as fast as I can.

The hardest part is when she starts to fight with me while I am putting the shoulder straps on. BTW, the new buckle is very easy to unlock so your toddler will be able to escape. This will definitely not work with my child.

BASKET

The basket is large and easy to access from the front. The back access is still blocked by a crossbar. They also added a small pocket for small essentials. For even more storage I would recommend getting an universal stroller organizer.

That way you can take not only your coffee cup, but also a LOT of stuff including keys, phone, water, wallet, snacks, diapers, toys, and more. The amount of stuff it can fit is unbelievable.

WHEELS

It rolls on four 6″ hard rubber wheels with front swivel wheels that can be locked straight for rougher terrain. This stroller is designed for flat surfaces so don’t count on it to tackle terrain that well.

The all-wheel suspension helps to absorb the bumps making the ride a little smoother.

BRAKE

There is a foot activated parking brake located between the rear wheels. it’s NOT flip-flop-friendly.

FOLD

The fold is very easy, but you will need both hands although Bugaboo claims it’s one-hand one-step fold. Right…  You can fold it with the seat attached. The fold is very bulky and will take a lot of room in your trunk.

But from my experience most of the strollers with a reversible removable seat are bulky. Once folded there is an automatic lock and you can also roll it behind you like a luggage. There is NO standing fold. The folded dimensions are 35″L x 18″W x 12″H.

BASSINET OPTION

This is a great option for parents who want to turn there stroller into a pram. You would replace the seat with an optional bassinet. The bassinet comes without the canopy because you would use the one from your stroller.  

It can accommodate a child from birth and up to 20 lbs. The sides of the bassinet are soft, but the bottom is made out of hard plastic so you can use it as a carrycot in your house. You can also use it as a frame by replacing the seat with the infant car seat.

TRAVEL SYSTEM OPTION

You can easily convert it into a travel system by replacing the seat with an infant car seat. Bugaboo works with popular car seats like (with a purchase of a car seat adapter):

• Britax B-Safe
• Chicco KeyFit/Chicco KeyFit 30
• Maxi-Cosi Micro/Micro AP/NXT/Prezi
• Cybex Anton 2/Anton Q

RAIN COVER

INCLUDED! It comes with a rain cover, but there is no cup holder.

Cons

-Bulky fold. The fold could be a little more compact, but this is typical for a stroller with a reversible removable seat. If a compact one-hand fold is important for you, I would suggest looking at Cybex Iris M-Air model. Iris is also light, compact, has reversible seat and a huge basket.

-No peekaboo window. I don’t know what’s up with the Bugaboo and peekaboo windows. Where are they? Why not add one? Such a huge canopy is screaming for a peekaboo window.

-Hard to access basket. I like the size of the basket, but it’s hard to access in the back because of the crossbar.

-Low weight limit. The seat can accommodate a child only up to 37.5 lbs, which can be a problem for larger kids.

-No bumper bar. Most lightweight strollers don’t have a bumper bar and it’s perfectly fine. But, this buggy weighs almost 20 lbs so I feel like it should have a bumper bar option.

Video Review

Here is a video review.

Specs

Stroller weight: 19.2 lbs
Weight limit: 37.5 lbs
Folded dimensions: 35″L x 18″W x 12″H
Handle bar height: 34″ – 42″
Seat to canopy height: 24″
Wheels: 6″
Overall length: 35″
Overall width: 18″

Warranty

Bugaboo provides 3-year warranty from the original date of purchase and you have to be the original owner.

Available colors

The Bugaboo Bee 5 is available in 64 different color combinations. To personalize your Bugaboo Bee 5, you can choose the chassis, canopy, seat and bassinet fabric in the color of your choice. I really like the black frame option.

Where to buy it

You can completely customize your Bugaboo Bee 5. It retails for around $789 depending on the color choices. The stroller comes with a rain cover.

Buy Bugaboo Bee 5 Stroller »