Bugaboo Bee or Babyzen Yoyo?

[LadyPenelope3]

.... yet another buggy thread from me!

Think we have narrowed it down to these two choices. The main factor in our decision is that we live in London in a second floor flat (no lift).

The Yoyo is a better value option than the Bee, but I don't like that they have to go front-facing as soon as they grow out of the carry cot.

Which one would you choose?! Or do you have something else to suggest?

Thank you.

[Sparklyuggs]

Hope you don't mind me hijacking but I'm interested in the answer to this too!

[JohnLapsleyParlabane]

2nd floor. Yoyo. No question.
They both hold value well so you could resell or swap if you wanted to.

[LadyPenelope3]

Thanks John. Would it not bother you that they have to front face after outgrowing the carrycot? Or do the pros of the Yoyo outweigh that con?

Hi Sparkly. Let me know if there are any others you are considering!

[JohnLapsleyParlabane]

My friend has one and her little boy loves it. She's the only one of my friends who has not talked about changing to a different buggy (our kids are one year old).
If you have a car or a storage space on the ground floor I'd say the Bugaboo is better because you do get to keep the parent facing option but the weight and space issue would swing it for me.

[Naughtysausage]

I have a yoyo (but have never tried a bee)

It is brilliantly light and folds really easily. Fab travel pram - but no suspension on the wheels (I think the bee does?) so can rattle on cobbles or uneven ground.
Bear in mind you will need to buy the yoyo parasol (£40) as the pram hood doesn't block out much sun at all in the +6month seat.
It is not a quick job fitting a car seat onto the base, you have to dismantle it first!
Also worth bearing in mind that the 6+ month seat doesn't recline fully - so not the most comfy for long naps?

We use it for our second pram, we couldn't find one pram that did everything so we also have a huge off road baby jogger too.

[LadyPenelope3]

Thanks all for your advice. As you say Naughty it is hard to find the one pram that does everything! We live in a city but still plenty of uneven pavements so no suspension doesn't sound great...

John there is the option to store it in the boot of the car and we usually find a space within about 100 feet of our flat but I'm wondering if I'd find it annoying to have to get it out of the car all the time!

[Sparklyuggs]

Hmm I live somewhere with cobbles so doesn't sound ideal. Might see if I can get a second hand one to keep at my parents place (we visit frequently).

Thanks for the feedback so far!

[AveEldon]

I think the yoyo is fab
iirc you can't fold the bee easily if it's parent facing
no one seems to keep their bee parent facing beyond 6 mths

[LadyPenelope3]

Thanks Ave. I'll have to test folding it parent facing.

[JohnLapsleyParlabane]

The Bee is a better all rounder. If you go for a Bee then a sling will help you manage baby & stuff up and down the stairs.
Yoyo has a very small basket too.
If you're not sure, don't buy either, just buy a sling and a car seat!
I wish I had waited till I'd had DD before buying our buggy. I wouldn't have bought one till she was about 4 months old.

[LadyPenelope3]

Thanks John. That is good advice. Definitely going to get a sling. Maybe I should have mentioned I'll be using lots of public transport/walking because of where we live - car probably not so much!

[Bear2014]

We have had our Bugaboo Bee Plus for 3 years and absolutely love it. It is a perfect all rounder from birth up to 3+. We also used to live in a top floor flat. Is it a block or in a big house? We had a word with our downstairs neighbours and they agreed that we could fold it and keep it in the downstairs hallway. Failing that it isn't too bad to lug up the stairs, but I wouldn't have done it for the first couple of months after my section.

[Bear2014]

AveEldon we kept our bee parent facing for 12 months and never had a problem folding it. We would have kept it parent facing for longer but there's nowhere to rest their feet.

[LadyPenelope3]

Thank you Bear. It's a small block and there isn't any space on the way up to keep it unfortunately. Glad to hear you liked your Bee. As you mention, I'm also worried what I'll do for the first few months if I have to have a section...

[Artandco]

I would get the bugaboo bee

In comparison to others, everyone I know has kept the bee parent facing until no longer used at 2-3 years. Almost all in flats.

The BAByzen is a good nifty pram, but the wheels aren't up to every day use. It's good if just used travel or not every day. If you plan to use sling at least 1/2 the time, then the BAByzen will probably last the 2-3 years.

The bee has better suspension though, comfier to make cost and warm for winter, fits on buses and escalators well for travel. Make sure you don't buy the bugaboo bee carrycot part for newborn, but the baby cocoon instead as that folds whilst on pram.

We have the bugaboo chameleon and the brand is very well made. I would have got the bee in future though ( but it wasn't really around when my eldest was born). We have lift to our flat though, and just used sling to go on tubes and buses. Ps the boba 4g is really good as a newborn to toddler sling

[LadyPenelope3]

Really helpful Art thank you.

I see your point about not getting the carry cot so it can fold but I was thinking I could detatch the cot and carry them up in it if they're asleep (is that wishful thinking though?! First time mum if that's not completely obvious!)

[Bear2014]

On the subject of wheels, you might think it's not massively important in a city pram but near us, pavements can be terrible so suspension is actually quite vital! Also, you'll be amazed how much time you spend in the park wheeling the buggy across big stretches of grass. The Bee copes with this, just. A lesser wheel wouldn't.

[Bear2014]

I would have actually liked the carrycot when I lived in a flat, as coming up into the flat would always wake up DD when she was lifted out of the coccoon.. But only the most recent Bee will fit a carrycot. So no, not wishful thinking at all!

[CookieLady]

Loved my Bee. Can't praise it highly enough.

[LucyLocketLostIt]

No experience of the yoyo but had a bee for over 7 years, 2 children. I love it. Never needed a carrycot. I've never owned any other pram/pushchair. Never felt the need to.

[Artandco]

I don't think the bee carrycot detaches very easily. And costs £200! You could just slip straps off cocoon and carry baby up in cocoon. But TBH it's probably easier to just take baby out and carry up in arms and put in safe place in flat (sheepskin rug on floor for example) and then get pram. Or transfer into sling. They get used to falling back to sleep between transfers if you do often

[LadyPenelope3]

Thanks Art. Those are all good points. I haven't seen the cocoon in shops (understandable if they're trying to push the more expensive carry cot!) so it hadn't actually occurred to me they could be carried up in the cocoon.

[Artandco]

You can also look at using the Phil and teds soft cocoon in the bee instead. That has handles and fits fine

[Snifftest]

Buy a stretch sling and learn how to use it. We bought a bugaboo (chameleon) and didn't use it for 6 months as baby hated it and the sling was so much easier on public transport. At 6months plus, we got we an umbrella folding buggy that reclines flat.

Wait until baby is here to see if you need it.

[LadyPenelope3]

Interesting Sniff. I hadn't really thought of that. Whenever I see my friends with babies they always have their prams/buggies. But worth thinking about.