I have been asked to do a review of the Venicci baby-mobile. This was the “travel system” we chose to transport Bebe FF in his first months on the outside. When we were looking, as I mentioned, we found all the information out there to be a bit confusing and unnecessarily complex; the car seat and adapter situation in particular. There weren’t many helpful reviews and by their nature the reviews were super subjective (or sponsored) so it was hard to take much from them.
Well, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. So, to add to the confusion, here’s my subjective review of the Venicci 3-in-1 system. Hopefully it will at least answer some questions – and if not feel free to ask.
Our “travel system” criteria were:
- sturdy – i’m not being OTT here but I just grew a whole baby in my tummy, it took 9+ months (and the rest) and sh!tload of energy – he was safe and protected in there – if I have to put him in a box on wheels, and push him around the bumpy, dangerous and broken pavements of Britain, I want sturdy!
- suspension – ref the aforementioned pavements
- tall – we are not giants by any stretch (even stretching wouldn’t help) but being hunched over and lifting bebe from a low starting point didn’t appeal
- portable for weedy, tiny weeny arm muscles
- easy to assemble – for tired, delirious parents
- weatherproof – Britain
- not insanely expensive – it’s not an actual car
- a bit different
I believe it was my sister Em who first sent me a link to the Venicci promo clip. You could be forgiven for thinking it was a joke. A lady with high heels that Christian Louboutin would be proud of, painted nails and a mini skirt demonstrates how to assemble the different parts of the pram. I hadn’t heard of Venicci, and I can’t say the video massively swayed me to purchase, but it did give me new hope about the world of motherhood and, ok, it did look like it could potentially do the job. I put the dramatic filmography down to “being Italian” and carried on with the endless research.
Anyway, long story short we had the romantic trips to test lots of the obvious models in M&P’s, Mothercare and, of course, John Lewis. But we couldn’t decide, and always found more negatives than positives for each one. So in the end (i.e. 3 months before bebe FF was due to arrive) we just went for it and ordered the Venicci online, without physically seeing one or testing it (we’re crazy like that).
So what did we think? I’ll break it down into pros and cons.
PROS
- the flatbed/bassinet/carrycot thingy (what are they actually called?!) was great. Strong, warm, snuggly if you add a lambskin in there, big enough for bebe FF to sleep in until 5-6 months old, which is pretty good going (some babies grow out of them around 3 months). It has an adjustable base so if bebe has a cough or as they start to want to see more, you can elevate the head area. It also can be folded down flatfish for storage, and to squish in the boot. Bebe FF liked being in there so much that in the early days he would sleep in there downstairs, or even upstairs when he decided he didn’t like the moses basket. Or his crib. Coquin.
- the frame is super sturdy. There are no issues weighing it down with many mummy clips and your changing bag along with hundreds of bags of shopping (would I?!).
- the suspension is excellent. Bebe FF is comfy riding his venicci and not being projected out into the road or having his two teef clattering against … his gums.
- the handle bar is adjustable so catering to our giant needs. It is easy to get it to a comfortable height.
- the various pieces clip onto the frame easily – clips are in red, and you can clip and unclip one side at a time which is significantly easier than having to do the double whammy, especially when you’re balancing bebe on your hip!
- The brake is very simple to use, a pedal on the chassis which is easily accessible.
- The wheels come with covers (we immediately lost them), and there is also a rain cover (very handy) and a mosquito net (also MIA within minutes of being unpacked – Boots do a good back-up).
- The basket size is fair, it’s not enormous but it seems to be as big if not slightly bigger than the competition. It is quite deep so things stay in. I can fit my change bag in there, plus back up blanket and rain cover. Occasionally a pizza comes sipping out but that’s my fault for overloading 🙂
- We went for the white frame as it was a bit different and I’m glad we did. Purely aesthetically it is joyous. Plus my mum always told me to try to “stand out in the dark” which explains a luminous white michelin puffa jacket I wore for most of my teens.
- It has a cup holder, or “roadie” holder, which we dedicate to our Texas friends – handy for the endless water drinking required for feeding.
- the price – the Venicci when we got it was just over £500 including the travel seat adapters. That seemed like a reasonable middle of the road price, compared to say the “egg” which looked fabulous but was over £1,000 before you even added on the cotbed. As it turns out, I’m glad we didn’t spend more, as it won’t be in significant use for much longer. As soon as you can use a stroller, you will!
- Colour combos – quite simple but good, strong quality materials. Being semi-Parisienne we went for black with white chassis. I sometimes regret the choice of black as it is a bit morose in the sunlight, but I don’t think there were many other options when we bought it – it seems there are a few more now, and also a silver chassis. I was nervous about getting a light colour, but I think the material would wear pretty well and stay clean.
CONS
- It is pretty heavy. If you want strong and sturdy, you have to accept some weight. I managed fine, but now I have the choice between the Venicci and the ultra-light Babyzen yoyo stroller, I know which my arms prefer. The Venicci is still the vehicle of choice for local strolls and park trips, but it is a pain hauling it in and out of the boot.
- The chair part is messy. I can’t quite put my finger on what is wrong with it, it just doesn’t look very comfy or slick. Bebe FF is happy enough in there, and it can go forwards facing or facing mummy, although he seems to slump over a bit. He likes putting his feet on the bar. But the hood and straps in particular look a bit cheap, for want of a better word. The seat does recline and goes fairly upright. It has a foot / body muff but it’s not very thick or lined, so unlike some of the competition would definitely require an additional blanket.
- I don’t like the fastener on the chair – it is the type that catches your skin and gives you blood blisters. I’ve shouted merde! a few times…
- The car seat is a bit of a waste of space as it’s very basic. There is limited padding in there and the material is the same as the rest of the set, i.e. sturdy and rough and not necessarily what you want rubbing up against your newborn’s delicate skin. Most people I’ve spoken to opted for the MaxiCosi as their carseat, as others don’t really compare to the safety standards. In any case you need to get the isofix base. I think you can buy the set without the car seat, which would obviously save a bit of money – we didn’t know we could do that so didn’t explore that option.
So, from a quick squiz of the number of respective pros and cons, it is apparent that the Venicci, in my very humble opinion, was a good choice.
Any more specific questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
Bisous
Be My Bébé 