Bugaboo Dragonfly review: the new innovative city pushchair with bags of storage

Overall star rating: 4/5

Price: £695 (£945 with carrycot) | Buy now from Bugaboo

Key specs

Suitable from: Birth to approx. four years old | Maximum load: 22kg (50lbs) on the seat; 10kg in the under seat basket plus extra 2.5kg when rear pocket is placed on handlebar | Orientation: Forward- and world-facing | Weight: 7.9-10.4kg | Unfolded dimensions: 106 x 52 x 104cm | Folded dimensions: One-piece self-standing fold with seat 36 x 52 x 90cm; one-piece self-standing fold with carrycot 32 x 52 x 90cm | Materials: 100% polyester fabric; 100% vegetarian leather handlebar grips | Included accessories: Carrycot (with bundle), bumper bar, carry strap, and Bugaboo Parasol+ attachment clip

What we like

• Carrycot can be collapsed with the buggy

• Generous amount of storage space

• Rear storage pocket can be detached and hung on the handlebar

• Freestanding when folded

• Huge sun canopy with extra extension for sunny days

• Sliding, easy-to-adjust five-point harness

• Harness straps slide up and down

What we don’t like

• Stiff and clunky recline

• Tricky to fold and unfold (takes time to master)

• No rain cover included

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Our verdict on the Bugaboo Dragonfly

• Safety: 4/5

• Durability: 4.5/5

• Comfort: 4.5/5

• Ease of folding and unfolding: 3.5/5

• Manoeuvrability: 4/5

• Ease of assembly: 4.5/5

• Ease of cleaning: 4/5

• Design: 5/5

• Value for money: 4/5

Released in June 2023, the Dragonfly offers the same superior quality that we’ve come to expect from Bugaboo. After two months of testing this pushchair out with my 15-month-old daughter and seven-week-old nephew, I have been impressed with its performance with both newborns and toddlers, especially when it comes to comfort. 

Made of high-quality fabrics with some great features that include a sliding harness, a huge extendable sun canopy and a rear storage pocket that detaches from the basket to be hung on the handlebars like a changing bag, the Bugaboo Dragonfly is as stylish as it is practical. 

Designed as a city stroller, the Bugaboo Dragonfly is more compact than other Bugaboo travel systems like the Bugaboo Fox 5, but it’s not as lightweight as urban buggies like the popular Bugaboo Bee 6 or Babyzen Yoyo2 - although it is more expensive. 

While it does stand upright when folded, the one-handed fold and unfold take time to master, and I’ve found that the recline mechanism is still quite stiff even after two months of use. 

With that said, the Dragonfly is the ideal pushchair for city dwellers. Its carrycot is unique in that it can be folded down with the pram, rather than needing to be detached beforehand, which makes the Dragonfly the first of its kind. It’s also compatible with a baby car seat.

Bugaboo Dragonfly with carrycot and rain cover

How we tested the Bugaboo Dragonfly

• Two months of using the Bugaboo Dragonfly

• Used while on country walks and while visiting the local town and parks

• Tested with a 15-month-old toddler and seven-week old newborn

As a mum to a toddler, I was able to thoroughly put the Bugaboo Dragonfly through its paces over the course of two months. I enlisted the help of my daughter’s grandmother, who used the pushchair when looking after her one afternoon a week. To check the reliability and performance of the buggy with a newborn, we also used the carrycot with my nephew, who was just seven weeks old at the time of testing. However, I didn’t test this travel system with an infant car seat. 

As I live on an estate just outside of town, I was in close proximity to the likes of gravel paths and grassy fields, so was able to test the Dragonfly on all types of terrain. It was used on grass, tarmac, gravel and bark, and taken to the local park, into town, to and from the grandparents’ house and on daily walks. Although I didn’t try this buggy on public transport, I did put it in my car boot to test how it fared on car journeys. 

Read next: Best pushchairs for newborns

Bugaboo Dragonfly: what’s in the box?

• Bugaboo Dragonfly chassis with wheels

• Seat unit

• 1x sun canopy

• 1 x under seat storage basket with rear detachable pocket

• 1 x integrated carry strap

• 1 x bumper bar

• Parasol+ attachment clip

If you want to use the Dragonfly with a carrycot, you’ll need to buy it as part of a bundle for £945. You can also purchase a number of accessories, including a rain cover (one isn't included unfortunately), car seat adapters, footmuff, changing backpack, cup holder, breezy sun canopy (which features mesh side panels), parasol, buggy board and organiser.  I bought the rain cover to test out with the pushchair and, while it is pricey and does feel thin, it does its job well.

How easy is the Bugaboo Dragonfly to assemble?

It took me around 20 minutes to set up the Bugaboo Dragonfly, but that mainly involved attaching the sun canopy as the pushchair comes mostly pre-assembled, with the wheels already in place.

You need to thread the two sun canopy wires through the fabric before attaching the two folding mechanisms, which was a bit fiddly, but all-in-all this pushchair is one of the easiest I’ve come across to assemble. The carrycot can also be unfolded straight out of the box and simply clicks onto the frame ready for use. You just need to attach the carrycot apron yourself. 

Bugaboo Dragonfly: how does it look?

As expected, the Dragonfly is extremely stylish. Bugaboo has chosen a more sustainable fabric for this buggy, claiming that “the pushchair has already reduced its CO2 footprint by 21%” thanks to the use of bio-based materials. 

You’ll find the recognisable Bugaboo logo on the hood, and a 100% polyester fabric has been used for the seat, sun canopy and carrycot. The bumper bar and faux leather handlebar are cushioned for comfort, and the carrycot and seat are both well padded to offer support to babies and toddlers. 

I tested out the Midnight Black colourway, with a black chassis, which I found to be very practical. But the Dragonfly is also available to buy with a Skyline Blue sun canopy, black fabrics and a graphite frame, a Forest Green sun canopy and fabrics with a black frame, or a Grey Mélange sun canopy and fabrics with graphite frame - all understated to suit different tastes. 

Read next: The best lightweight buggies for babies and toddlers

Five-point safety harness straps stay in position when unbuckled

Is the Bugaboo Dragonfly safe and sturdy?

Yes. The Bugaboo Dragonfly generally feels very robust, both with the seat unit and with the carrycot attached. There are no gaps where small fingers could get trapped and the lightweight frame and medium-sized wheels are sturdy and offer enough traction to handle the rigours of daily family life. The modular design also makes the pram simple to repair should that be needed. 

The seat has a five-point harness that’s easy to buckle and unbuckle, and the strap stays in position when open, which makes it easy to get a wriggly toddler in and out. 

One of the best features of this pram is that the twist straps can be adjusted without the need for rethreading, the same as on other Bugaboo prams like the Bugaboo Fox 5. You simply slide the harness straps up and down to the desired position as your baby grows. 

The brake is one of the easiest I've used and holds effectively. You simply press the brake down with your foot to engage and disengage it, and this can even be done barefoot or with flip-flops.

Bugaboo have recently recalled the first edition of the seat unit as they identified that, if the product isn’t correctly unfolded, the backrest may move downwards when in parent-facing mode, which could pose an injury. While I personally haven’t experienced this, Bugaboo are sending users a new seat to eliminate the potential for incorrect use. 

Bugaboo Dragonfly rear pocket detaches to be hung on the handlebar

What's the Bugaboo Dragonfly like to use day-to-day?

Day-to-day, the Bugaboo Dragonfly ticks a lot of boxes. Designed as an urban pushchair, it’s the ideal size for city living. 

Compared to the Bugaboo Bee 6, which is popular with city-dwellers, the Dragonfly has a higher seat that’s closer to you (50cm from floor to seat versus 40cm) and a much larger storage basket (10kg, plus an additional rear pocket, versus 4kg). The fact that it folds up with the carrycot - one of my favourite features of the Dragonfly! - only makes it the more attractive buggy of the two. 

While the Dragonfly does feel bulky compared to other, much smaller travel systems like the Babyzen Yoyo2, the extra features it offers makes it a worthy contender. 

I love the expandable rear storage pocket that attaches to the basket and can be removed to hang from the handlebar, as well as the sun canopy that extends to offer complete coverage, but only if the seat is fully reclined. I would also have liked to have seen a more easily accessible peekaboo window in the sun canopy so that I could keep an eye on my toddler. The mesh window is only really accessible when the hood has been fully extended.

When it comes to the recline, this is controlled by a lever that sits at the back of the seat. It’s stiffer and clunkier than I would have liked and one of my least favourite parts of this buggy, but this is offset slightly by the fact that the seat reclines to fully lie flat for naps. 

I used the Dragonfly both in town on pavements when shopping, off-road on grass and gravel when on walks near my home, and over bark when in the local park. Thanks to the swivel front wheels, it has a tight turning circle to handle narrower spaces like supermarket aisles and it moves well on a variety of terrain. While the suspension is good, the pram doesn’t bump up kerbs easily, which is its only real downside in terms of movement.

I didn’t use the Dragonfly on public transport, but considering the space typically available on local buses and trains, the Dragonfly may be a bit bulky. However, it can be folded one-handed with the carrycot and seat in place, even while holding a baby (although this takes practice), so it’s one of the more versatile buggies in that regard. 

Read next: The best car sunshades for babies

Front-access storage basket holds 10kg

How comfortable is the Bugaboo Dragonfly?

Very! My daughter enjoys a ride in the Bugaboo Dragonfly and has fallen asleep in the toddler seat multiple times. 

She likes gripping onto the bumper bar when on the move, and the number of recline angles on the seat means she always sits or lays comfortably. The seat can also be used rear-facing for younger babies and forward-facing for toddlers wanting to look out at the world. 

The footrest can be tilted to different positions depending on preference and even tucks underneath the seat if you don’t want to use it. For parents, the Dragonfly has three handlebar heights, so it will suit multiple users well. 

I tested the Bugaboo Dragonfly out with the carrycot

What’s the Bugaboo Dragonfly like to use with a newborn?

We tested the Bugaboo Dragonfly carrycot out with my nephew, who was just seven weeks old at the time of testing. He fell asleep soundly for the entirety of our walk. The carrycot is spacious and the mattress is thick, firm and well padded for newborns. It also comes with an apron that is plush and stays in place perfectly. 

It’s easy to switch between the carrycot and seat when the time comes - you simply unclip the carrycot and seat on and off the frame using the two side buttons.   

The same sun hood, which features mesh panels for optimal airflow, is used for both the carrycot and seat unit, so will need to be switched between the two, but this is fairly simple to do. Realistically, you’ll only need to do this once. 

If you want to keep all your newborn essentials to hand, the detachable rear pocket is particularly useful in the newborn days. 

While I didn’t test the Dragonfly out with an infant car seat as I didn’t have a compatible one on hand, this travel system is compatible with car seats such as the Bugaboo Turtle Air by Nuna as well as Maxi-Cosi seats. 

Read next: The best baby carriers, wraps and slings

Bugaboo Dragonfly folded with carry strap

Bugaboo Dragonfly: how easy is it to fold?

The Bugaboo Dragonfly folds up about as small as but more easily than the Bugaboo Bee 6 (dimensions are 32 x 52 x 90cm versus the Bee 6’s 36 x 47 x 90cm).

While I still don’t think the fold is particularly compact, the fact that it can be collapsed with the carrycot (and, of course, the regular seat unit) still in place is, quite frankly, revolutionary. It also doesn’t matter which way the seat faces - the pushchair will fold regardless. 

Once folded, the Dragonfly is self-standing for easy storage, but it unfortunately doesn’t lay flat in small car boots, like my mum's Mini Cooper (you need to take the parcel shelf out or remove the pushchair wheels). It will, however, fit well in most medium-sized cars.

The Dragonfly is generally very lightweight. Its highest weight, depending on whether you have the seat or carrycot attached, is actually the same as the minimum weight on the Bugaboo Fox 5. The bumper bar also clips onto the carrycot for easy transportation (although we don’t recommend doing this with your baby inside) and there’s a built-in carry strap for transporting the Dragonfly once folded. This sits in the middle of the frame, however, which unfortunately makes the buggy uncomfortable and unbalanced to carry using the strap. I tend to carry the buggy using the frame itself.

In theory, the Dragonfly can be folded and unfolded in a matter of seconds with one hand, but I’ve yet to master this - it takes some jiggling of the frame to get it to fold. To fold, you need to adjust the handlebar to the correct height (you’ll find the word ‘fold’ on the handlebar to help you), then slide the fold/unfold lever to the left and hold down the button simultaneously (the lever and button can both be found in the middle of the handlebar), and pull the frame upwards so that it collapses down and the seat folds over, locking automatically once folded. You then lower the handlebar completely. 

To unfold, you first slide the fold/unfold lever to the right and then hold down the button at the same time, pull the handlebar up to its maximum height and then push outwards so that the frame unfolds. You then recline the seat back to your desired position, although I’ve generally found the recline mechanism to be a bit stiff.

Is the Bugaboo Dragonfly easy to clean?

While I haven’t actually used the washing machine to clean the Dragonfly seat fabric, it is machine-washable at 30°C. 

The carrycot fabric isn’t though so will need to be cleaned with a damp cloth alongside the faux leather handlebar. Any spills my daughter has had in the buggy have been wiped clean easily, although it goes without saying that the black colourway I tested naturally hides stains well. 

Read next: The best toddler car seats as tested by parents

Bugaboo Dragonfly versus Bugaboo Butterfly

What are the main differences between the Bugaboo Dragonfly and the Bugaboo Butterfly?

Released in mid-2022, the Bugaboo Butterfly is also one of the brand’s more recent models, scoring well in lab tests from the likes of consumer champion Which?. 

While lighter than the Bugaboo Dragonfly, the Butterfly has much smaller wheels and less storage space (8kg versus the Dragonfly’s 10kg) plus a lower handlebar height. 

The Butterfly is also only suitable for use from six months, although it’ll last up to 22kg or age four like its counterpart. Overall, the Butterfly has been designed as a travel buggy for older babies and toddlers rather than as a travel system from birth like the Dragonfly. As such, they both perform different functions depending on your needs. 

About the author

Laura Westerman is an editor, writer and Deputy Head of Editorial Content at Mumsnet, and mum to a one-year-old.

With over seven years' experience as a full-time editor, five of which have been spent writing, commissioning and editing product reviews and round-ups, Laura has a keen eye for what parents love and likes nothing more than putting together honest reviews to make parents' lives that little bit easier. 

In addition to her work as a writer and editor, she has also appeared in a number of baby product review videos for Mumsnet's YouTube channel.

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