Review and Competition: Maclaren Techno XT Pushchair

23rd August 2010 36 Comments

When I first had Toddler Boy I was given this sage advice ‘everybody ends up with a Maclaren’, so I bought a Silver Cross, then I abandoned that and got an Out and About, then a Phil & Teds then I ran out of money, so I managed to get the Maclaren Quest. I use the Quest, a lot. It has to be the most all round practical pushchair we own. What I should have done is just buy the Techno XT right at the start as it’s suitable from birth, then I wouldn’t have a garage full of pushchairs and I would have a lot more money in my pocket!

I was contacted by Maclaren who kindly offered me a double pushchair, I asked if I could have a
single basic one instead as Toddler Boy is getting to the stage where he mainly wants to walk. They came up trumps with this one; the Maclaren Techno XT pushchair. Their award winning, flagship pushchair! The one I have lusted after and wanted, no, needed all along. I really couldn’t wait to test it out. Was it as good as everybody say’s? Can it really be suitable for everyone?

The Techno XT is in my opinion, without doubt the most practical pushchair you could possibly want. Suitable from birth, it fits in the car, umbrella folds so it doesn’t take up the whole hallway, it’s comfortable for even the sturdiest three and a half year old.

My six foot four inches tall husband can push it comfortably thanks to the extending handles, this makes it one of only two pushchairs which he has been comfortable pushing. The fluorescent trims on the fabric and wheels means that you can be seen in the dark, which I find handy as I often stroll up to meet my husband after work. A rarity for a stroller, the Techno XT has suspension so your baby will not be bounced about, I checked this feature with Fifi on some cobbles by St Albans Abbey and she survived unscathed. One of the best features is the hood, which can zip off, but is lovely and big and has the benefit of a UV shield which comes down.

Really, you cant go wrong with this pushchair, if you buy it for your newborn you most certainly will not need to buy another. However, there are a couple of minor issues, after all nothing’s perfect. For me, it was slightly heavier than our Quest, it’s a bit more hefty lugging it in and out of the car boot. Nothing like a travel system though. The other problem I have is with the harness; I find it very difficult to clip together, that could just be me, but there is certainly a knack to it which I don’t have. That might be a problem if you have a struggling child.

I think the Maclaren umbrella fold pushchairs are a design classic, a real genius moment in engineering.Just look, what do you think is the better piece of engineering, the De Havilland or the Maclaren? (OK, this picture actually shows the florescent strips off well).

If you want to know more about the nitty gritty of the pushchair, have a look at the Maclaren website

The lovely people at Maclaren have actually offered the Readers of Being a Mummy the chance to win their own Maclaren Techno XT pushchair! To stand a chance of winning all you need to do is leave a comment below telling me what yuo think is a ‘must- have’ feature on a pushchair. The winner will be picked at random using the random number generator and in order for me to notify you, don’t forget to leave me your twitter, email or another contact. The competition is open to UK residents only and closes midday on Monday 30th August 2010. Good Luck

Claire Walsh

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36 Comments

  • PantsWithNames 23rd August 2010 at 7:15 am

    Having been through a fair number of pushchairs myself… and now finding myself in the situation of having thought I&#39;d got rid of them forever, needing one for the new baby. Gah! <br /><br />Must have feature? Oh there are many but my top two at the moment are:<br /><br />- can fit through front door and into car boot WITH EASE!<br /><br />- non puncturing wheels!<br /><br />twitter id @

  • Ang 23rd August 2010 at 7:54 am

    my must have on a push chair are swivel wheels that actually swivel and not just get stuck in one direction.<br /><br />my twitter id is @angelaelsworth

  • Coding Mamma (Tasha) 23rd August 2010 at 7:56 am

    Ooh, I would love one of these. There&#39;s no way I&#39;ll be allowed to buy another pushchair – didn&#39;t go quite as far as you, but did spend money on a travel system that we used for 6 months and then immediately swapped to the old Maclaren. <br /><br />For us, the must-have is a quick, easy fold, for speedy embarking on buses and trains.

  • Tina 23rd August 2010 at 8:18 am

    I may change my mind later about this but I think one of the most important things is that it be relatively light weight! :)<br /><br />editor.lfw@gmail.com

  • Jenny 23rd August 2010 at 8:55 am

    My friend has one of these which I have been lusting over! We&#39;re trying to choose a pushchair at the moment and the only &#39;must-have&#39; on my list is a drinks holder for me. We walk everywhere and I love having a drink to hand.

  • sweetiepie82 23rd August 2010 at 12:17 pm

    I think it has to be a shopping basket!! There are so many buggies that don&#39;t have them &amp; I wont even consider them, unless of course they have sturdy handles I can put the shopping on :)<br /><br />Thanks for the giveaway &amp; fab blog :)<br /><br />@sweetiepie82 on Twitter<br /><br />Jo Kelly

  • The Dotterel 23rd August 2010 at 1:55 pm

    Easy – adjustable handles. As someone just an inch short of your husband I risk severe back ache from anything without them!

  • Kimberlee 23rd August 2010 at 1:55 pm

    It has to be easy and small enough to store away where i cant see it,we live in a 2 bed flat,so space is at a premium!

  • Mirka 23rd August 2010 at 2:39 pm

    I would say it must be lightweight and very compact ;)<br /><br />@Kahanka

  • Glowstars 23rd August 2010 at 2:50 pm

    Durability. Our first push chair lasted less than a year, the second (a Maclaren at that) little over a year. Kids are expensive enough as it is without having to shell out another £100 for a new stroller every time one breaks.<br /><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/glowstars&quot; rel="nofollow">@glowstars</a>

  • scubamummy 23rd August 2010 at 5:35 pm

    Our firstborn is due in January and I&#39;m on the hunt for a buggy/pram that&#39;s suitable from birth to toddler. I don&#39;t want to fall into a pushchair-buying cycle, I just want one that&#39;s reliable, practical and looks good. Seems like the Techno XT fits the bill!<br /><br />My must-have feature is a sturdy set of brakes that are easy to access and that work – can&#39;t imagine anything

  • liveotherwise 23rd August 2010 at 6:16 pm

    Must have in a buggy – a true one handed fold mechanism. So many appear to be one hand, a knee and a foot, while you are pirouetting with a squirming baby on your hip a bag on your back and the bus approaching!

  • cnelson 23rd August 2010 at 7:24 pm

    Thinking about my current pushchair and what I would like to change about it I think the one thing a pushchair should have is adjustable handles. Thank you for running the giveaway, I am @nelsonclaire on twitter.

  • Marylin 23rd August 2010 at 8:06 pm

    The best thing I can think of for a pushchair (and ohh we&#39;ve had many too!) is having swivel wheels at the front. I remember buying a cheap one to do us at one point when our &#39;usual&#39; one broke and it didn&#39;t have the swivel wheels… I was lost!!<br /><br />Marylin<br />@softthistle

  • Anonymous 23rd August 2010 at 8:19 pm

    The thing I most look for in a pushchair has to be comfort for my little one great competition my twitter id is @xnonnynoox

  • Joanna 23rd August 2010 at 10:23 pm

    Must have on a buggy is an easily adjustible seat. Nothing worse than waking your little one up by reclining them when all you were trying to do was make them more comfortable! <br /><br />Would love the chance to win a Maclaren buggy. I can&#39;t stand either of the single buggies I have for Pickle. But can&#39;t afford a new one either. So to win one would be fab. Am crossing my fingers for the

  • sparkle 24th August 2010 at 6:41 am

    oohhh being able to lift it in and out of the car easily – am small! Also having a pushchair i can fit in the boot that baby can sit in for more than 2 hours. Cant fit pram in boot so end up with baby sat in car seat of travel system for hours at a time resulting in me carrying her round and pushing car seat as the evil 2 hours approach.<br />Looks are very important too – i get buggy envy all

  • WhiteLily 24th August 2010 at 1:37 pm

    My 2 must have features on a buggy are:<br /> reclining back rest. I wouldn&#39;t want to nap sitting up! <br /><br />and it being compact enough to fit in the car but roomy enough to be comfortable for a wriggly toddler!<br /><br />and a 5 point harness (sorry, I know that 3, but I&#39;m picky with buggys!) lol! I&#39;d love this one!<br /><br />Thanks for such a great comp! <br />I tweet as @

  • wheezeybouncer 24th August 2010 at 2:22 pm

    I have a few desires for my strollers…<br /><br />swivel wheels<br /><br />a pocket on the hood <br /><br />a cup holder<br /><br />wheels that don&#39;t wear down in ten minutes!

  • wheezeybouncer 24th August 2010 at 2:22 pm

    I have a few desires for my strollers…<br /><br />swivel wheels<br /><br />a pocket on the hood <br /><br />a cup holder<br /><br />wheels that don&#39;t wear down in ten minutes!

  • Kate 24th August 2010 at 3:06 pm

    For me the most important thing with a buggy is being able to open and close with one hand, as my toddler has a habit of running off if I let go of his hand! Also I love Maclarens because of their practicality and comfort for the baby in the buggy. <br /><br />Email Kate.fryer@googlemail.com

  • Sonia 24th August 2010 at 7:23 pm

    A must have for me is definately a shopping basket!! But also a 5 point harness, reclinable seat,swivel wheels and easy fold too! :)<br /><br />twitter – @SoniaThorpe<br />email sonia27@gmail.com

  • dawniebrown 24th August 2010 at 7:27 pm

    most important thing about a pushchair for me is that is has to be versatile – suitable for various ages and nifty to maneovre around the shops!<br /><br />I&#39;m @Dawnie_Brown on twitter 🙂

  • Bumbling 24th August 2010 at 9:36 pm

    Must have? Must be small enough to fit in my car boot. Which is teeny. We have issues…

  • Simone 24th August 2010 at 9:37 pm

    Well besides a shopping basket underneath to use to store treats (and shopping for mummy!) when wandering around it would have to be the ability to fold down with ease… having to juggle a toddler whilst trying to fold a buggy in the pouring rain or when going on holiday is not fun. So any buggy that can fold with minimal stress is a must have :O)

  • Mrs S 24th August 2010 at 10:05 pm

    Has to be a wide well padded seat, which is machine washable 🙂 got to keep my buggy looking good<br /><br />email is valstap@hotmail.com

  • beverly 26th August 2010 at 3:01 pm

    I have a few demands for my pushchairs:<br /><br />easy to fold<br />reclining seat<br />shopping basket<br />and swivel wheels.<br /><br />my twitter is @withthemost

  • missielizzie 26th August 2010 at 3:42 pm

    Personally I would say that a &#39;must-have&#39; is a parent-facing option. But this buggy doesn&#39;t have this, so maybe I shouldn&#39;t say it! In my opinion it helps enormously in language development. So my second &#39;must-have&#39; is a large shopping basket underneath. I spent a lot of time out and about on foot, so it is vital to have somewhere to store everything.<br />@missielizzieb

  • Snaffles Mummy 26th August 2010 at 6:37 pm

    As tall parents the option of extending the handles would be fab. I would also like something with a cup holder near the handles as it is impossible to try and hold/balance one on the hood. <br /><br />A clock would be nice idea too. <br /><br />@snafflesmummy on twitter.

  • Kat - Housewife Confidential 26th August 2010 at 7:56 pm

    Longevity – it has to outlast a year. My bugbear are the so called 3in1 pushchairs which do none of the jobs well.<br /><br />;) @that_kat

  • Rachelle 27th August 2010 at 11:57 am

    A really big basket. I seem to carry for too much stuff around with us.

  • Jemma 27th August 2010 at 1:47 pm

    For me one of the most important things is a decent harness, my lad is fantastic at working his shoulders out of his straps, also very necessary to get him both in and out quickly, to get him in when he is playing up and to get him out, especially the day when his vomited on the doctor&#39;s floor when i couldn&#39;t get him out fast enough. Very embarassing!

  • Nicola 27th August 2010 at 2:42 pm

    My must-have I&#39;d definitely a big shopping basket underneath, so that I can leave the car at home when I go shopping and we can both get some fresh air! <br /><br />@nictaff

  • Heidi 27th August 2010 at 7:24 pm

    I can&#39;t drive so for me my priority is being easy to fold, one handed, and it has to be lightweight too. That way it makes it much easier on public transport or if a friend offers me a lift.

  • Anonymous 28th August 2010 at 9:00 am

    adjustable handles, lightweight, large storage basket, stability &amp; comfort. to name but a few! 🙂 please enter me milkpetal@hotmail.co.uk

  • Charlotte 30th August 2010 at 7:52 am

    Ilove the maclaren as it&#39;s so compact when folded up compared to my quinny i first had and the adjustable handles are great :-)<br /><br />charlotte121d@hotmail.com

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