iCandy Orange 4 Review

The apron on the Orange 4 is very substantial and should help to keep your baby warm even in wintry weather. It press-studs onto the carrycot and the canopy structure to keep it neatly in place. Inside is polyester to keep the wind out and it has a foam topping for added insulation. An iCandy Orange 4 carrycot really is a cosy place to lie your newborn in. The apron is also washable should you need to at 30º, as is the fleece lining and mattress cover.

The Orange Carrycot comes with its own bumper bar which easily slots in place on either side of the carrycot. It is gate-opening so perfect for either left or right-handed parents.

How to attach and remove the carrycot

The carrycot is simple to attach to the chassis and in single mode attaches to the inbuilt adapters in the centre of the chassis. To remove it, you simply press the circular button below the bumper bar on one side with one hand. Gently tip the carrycot slightly and then release the other side of the carrycot in the same way. We would have loved to see memory buttons to make this process slightly less cumbersome but it is in no way tricky.

Seat Unit

When buying your first pushchair, many parents only look at or consider the carrycot part. However, bear in mind that your baby will be in the carrycot part for around 6 months. But they will be in the seat unit for 2 years +. It is therefore important to consider carefully this part of your pushchair too.

The seat unit comes ready to go in the box once your baby has outgrown the carrycot at around 6 months, all you need to do is attach the canopy. It can be used either world-facing or parent-facing. Most parents will choose to use this parent-facing as their little one transitions out of the carrycot. As your baby grows you do have the option to turn them world-facing should you wish.

As seat units go, it is lovely and spacious, with a back height of 47cm. This is slightly above average, although not the largest on the market. It is very durable, so spills and accidents should be wiped away easily. The material is soft and breathable. The seat unit just shouts practicality – so important when you have a growing and adventurous toddler! You can pop the footrest out to give extra calf support for a younger baby, something that we love. For older toddlers, there is a wipeable area where their feet go – a practical element parents will appreciate.

On the rear of the seat is a pocket or pouch which is of ample size. This is a really nice (and practical) touch and has an additional pocket on the front. The whole pouch does not zip off (as it does on the Peach 7). However, we do not feel that you would need or want to do this too often, so do not see this as a negative. The pouch is big enough to house a spare nappy and wipes (and maybe a babygrow) so you will be ready for an emergency even if you forget your changing bag!

How to attach and remove the seat

The seat unit is easy to attach to the chassis. it’s the same process as the carrycot. To remove the seat simply press the circles where the seat joins the chassis. As with the carrycot, we would have loved to see memory buttons to make life just that little bit easier.

Seat Recline

The seat has 3 recline positions in both parent and world-facing mode. It can easily be reclined using one hand. There is a lever in the centre of the back of the seat which you simply press in to move the seat. The movement is smooth and should not wake a sleeping child.

We love that the Orange comes with elevators which allow you to lift the seat close to you. We find this great for interacting with your little one when in parent-facing mode. When used in world-facing mode, it allows you to push your pushchair up to a table at mealtimes. This is very useful but bear in mind that you will need the space around the table and personally we prefer to use a highchair if available (largely to prevent your pushchair from getting covered in food!).

Harness

The Orange 4-seat unit comes with a 5-point harness and each of these straps is adjustable. You can split the shoulder straps from the waist straps should you wish, but most parents will keep them all in place. The comfort pads for the shoulder and the crotch area are substantial and very comfortable for your little one. They are also and rather importantly, washable. There is a large central buckle with the iCandy logo on it. Both sides easily clip in place with an audible click when secure. Some pushchairs now have a magnetic harness. However, the more old-fashioned method such as on the Orange 4 works perfectly well and as the analogy says, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it! To undo the harness, simply press the logo and the two sides quickly pop out.

Our only gripe with the harness is that you have to re-thread it to change the height of the shoulder straps. In theory, you only do this a couple of times as your baby grows. However, we do like the option to adjust the height perfectly for your little one which a sliding harness would have offered.

Bumper Bar

The seat unit has its own bumper bar, which like the carrycot, is gate-opening and can be removed from either side. It is covered in the same durable, leatherette as the handlebar and is glued in place, preventing your toddler from twisting it around. According to the ‘geek team’ at iCandy, the bumper bar is bite tested. We are not sure which member of the team sits for hours biting on a bumper bar, but it’s an amusing thought!

Canopy (Carrycot or Seat Unit)

The canopy for the seat unit and the carrycot are identical and easy to fit on either unit by slotting in the side. Two press studs secure the canopy firmly in place. The canopy has a sun visor which can be tucked back in place if not required. At the back there is a flap which can be lifted to reveal a meshed ventilation panel – this can also be used as a ‘peephole’ when the seat unit is world-facing or you are using the carrycot in double or twin mode. We love that when the canopy material is pulled up, it remains neat and there is no ‘flappy’ fabric! The lines of the canopy are maintained and it still looks nice.

The canopy has a zip which allows you to extend the canopy for sunnier days. This is also useful on breezy days to protect your baby from the elements. We think that most parents will use the canopy in its larger format most of the time but it is good to have options. The zip on the extension is high quality and the zipper has the iCandy branding on it. Once again reflecting the quality of the finish on the whole pushchair.

We love the look and finish on the new iCandy Orange 4 Canopy. It is water-repellant, and and far more durable than previous models. It is also UPV50, important in sunnier weather of course.

Footmuff

Another big tick for iCandy is that the Orange 4 comes complete with a footmuff / cosy-toes included. Having seen a lot of pushchair ‘bundles’ over the years, the footmuff is often far from impressive. We would even go as far as saying it is often a bit of an ‘afterthought’ by brands. However, we are pleased to report that the Orange 4 footmuff absolutely kicks that trend with regard to quality. It is very cosy and the inside is lined with the soft fleece that we love. The fleece goes all the way to the bottom so great for a baby but maybe if you have a toddler hopping in and out with wet shoes, it may not be quite so practical.

One of the points we notes is that you have to thread the harness through the footmuff. There are easier options for attaching a footmuff, but you are not going to do this very often so it’s not a big concern. There is also the option to zip the front of the footmuff off, leaving you with a practical seat liner. This is a nice bonus!

With regards to size, it goes nicely with the size of the seat reaching to the bottom (and it looks nice too). It is a big improvement on the Orange 3 footmuff and is 5cm longer. However, it may not be long enough for an older toddler so you may need to re-think in a couple of years if you still want to use a footmuff. In our opinion, this is one of the nicest brand-included footmuffs we’ve seen in a while.

Changing Bag

Again, we love that this is included with the Orange 4. This is a nice-looking bag and will suit most people. It’s always a black bag, whichever colour you decide for your pushchair. It’s a well-made and well-designed bag. It is big enough for all your essentials but not so big that it is bulky. It can either hang on the chassis of the pushchair or there is plenty of room for it in the spacious basket. There is also a carry handle which is long enough to use as a shoulder strap. There is a longer shoulder strap if you prefer.

The inside of the bag is well thought out and has several useful pockets, including a zipped pocket for your valuables.  In addition, there are two insulated pockets for bottles. There is also a decent-sized changing mat which is of high quality and fits neatly in its own pocket. On the front of the bag is an additional zipped pocket.

Rain cover

Most reviews do not include details about the rain cover, but at Parenting Expert we know a good (or a bad) rain cover when we see one. The iCandy Orange 4 comes with 2 rain covers. They are well made and fit the carrycot/seat unit well. Each one comes in its own little bag for storage.

How to fold the iCandy Orange 4

The iCandy Orange 4 can be folded using the triggers on either side of the chassis. These are positioned just below the handlebar. Push the buttons down and pull them upwards towards you. It automatically locks folded which is a bonus. The chassis will also free-stand and the rubber rectangle on the handlebar protects the handlebar from dirt or getting scratched on the floor. When folded, the front wheels neatly tuck under the underside of the basket ensuring the inside does not get dirty. It’s not the lightest chassis to fold, but you have to remember that this chassis is strong enough to carry two children. It is also useful to note that it does not have a carry strap which we would have liked to see.

We love that you can fold the chassis with the seat unit in situ when world-facing. You do have to ensure it is in the upright position though. It is quite heavy when folding in this manner, so we expect most people will remove the seat unit before folding, especially if you are lifting this into the boot of your car. When folded with the seat unit in place, you can self-stand and we are pleased to see that the canopy is kept well away from the dirty floor

Folding the stroller with the seat unit facing the parent or with the carrycot attached is not possible. However, this limitation is quite common and doesn’t worry us.

Unfolding is also fairly simple. You need to release the lock manually which you can find on the left inside the chassis. This is fiddly to find if you have folded with the seat on, but once you know exactly where it is, you should have no problems. Release the lock and we found it easiest if you place your foot on the ride-on board. Lift the handle upwards and push forwards with your foot and the wheels will roll out allowing the chassis to unfold.

Performance

The Orange 4 is not the lightest of options, but it does push well in both carrycot mode and pushchair mode. This is the case even when containing a heavier toddler. It is a large pushchair (needs to be as designed to also carry toddler twins!), but it manoeuvres well in tight spaces and over different terrains. It has a very good suspension and chunky tyres. Whilst we would describe this as a multi-terrain pushchair, it is not an all-terrain pushchair. It will manage typical family activities such as strolling through the park with ease. However, if you encounter rougher terrain, this pushchair may not be the most suitable option. For urban or rural families seeking an everyday pushchair, we anticipate minimal issues with its performance.

Single-to-double

Although for the purpose of this review, we are concentrating on the Orange 4 as a single pushchair, it would be remiss of us not to mention its full capabilities. The iCandy Orange 4 has a little trick up its sleeve. You get everything you need in your box to transform this pushchair from a single pushchair to a tandem (double) pushchair. This means you won’t need to purchase any additional adapters, which we consider a great idea. Nonetheless, ensure you store everything safely when you first purchase it!

The following are required (and included) to turn your single Orange 4 into a double Orange 4 –

• 2 x Orange 4 Elevators
• 4 x Orange 4 Risers
• 4 x Orange 4 Convertors

It does seem on the surface a little complicated, but believe us when we say it isn’t. Attaching the convertors is pretty simple and iCandy provides concise instructions. Once you know, you know! You cannot get the adapters in the incorrect position due to the clever design. If we were regularly using this as a pushchair for two, we would leave the adapters in place at all times.

There are a number of different options for this pushchair, over 30 in fact if you include using the car seat and the twin set-up. We LOVE the fact that to go from a single to a double, you don’t need to buy anything else. If you are expecting twins, you would simply buy the twin option from the start.

Warranty

We have to mention the iCandy 5-year warranty. This is a great length of warranty and longer than those offered by many of the other manufacturers, which gives parents peace of mind. You don’t even need to register your pram, however, you will need to keep your proof of purchase. You can find more details here. We love the fact that if you sell your Orange before the end of the warranty period or pass it on to a family member, the warranty will remain with the pushchair,

Conclusion

We must confess our admiration for the new iCandy 4; it fulfills all expectations of a pushchair of this caliber and excels in its performance. It represents a significant improvement over the iCandy Orange 3. While it may not be the most economical option available, we acknowledge this fact. Nevertheless, considering the quality and durability of this pushchair, we believe it provides excellent value for money compared to other models in its price range. We appreciate the aesthetic of the Orange 4; while it may not boast the same level of elegance as the Peach 7, it serves as the dependable workhorse of the iCandy range. In essence, it’s akin to a reliable family car—it fulfills its function with precision and finesse.

The overall quality is excellent. We would have loved to see the addition of a carrycot stand available for parents so that they really could make the most of the carrycot in the home environment. The harness niggles us a little given that many brands have more easily adaptable harnesses, however, this would not be a deciding point when purchasing.

We award the iCandy Orange 4 a highly deserving rating of 9/10 stars. If you’re in search of a meticulously crafted and versatile pushchair that can adapt as your family grows, then the Orange 4 is definitely worth considering. We strongly recommend adding it to your list of potential options and giving it a try firsthand. We’re confident you won’t be disappointed!

Pros:

• Stylish design and high-quality materials
• Excellent manoeuvrability and smooth ride
• Large storage basket
• Travel system compatible
• Grow with your family – no need to spend more money!
• Integrated Ride-On Board
• Good value for money
• 5-year warranty

Cons:

• Two-handed fold
• Heavier than some pushchairs
• Non-removable front wheels
• Harness needs rethreading to change shoulder height
• We would have liked to see a carrycot stand as an accessory

Would we recommend the iCandy Orange 4?

Yes, we would highly recommend the iCandy Orange 4, particularly for parents who are looking for style, comfort, and functionality for everyday use. We consider it to be a great choice for growing families, especially with its versatility and ability to accommodate a second child. However, parents seeking a lightweight travel stroller or one specifically designed for off-road adventures might want to consider other options.

*Correct at the time of publication

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