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4Moms Origami Review by Best Buggy


The 4Moms Origami is a pushchair like no other!
It has been 4 years since we first saw the 4Moms Origami here at BBHQ, and finally we can do a proper review of this futuristic self opening pushchair. Little Miss BB has grown up since we took this initial video which shows how the awesome Origami opens and closes by a simple turn and press of a button. It is this amazing fold which is the huge selling point of this luxury stroller.

First Impressions

You absolutely can not fail to be impressed by the 4Moms Origami. A pushchair which opens and closes at the touch of a button is guaranteed to turn heads wherever you go. To be honest, this mechanical action is quite mesmerising and you could stand and play all day. However, ultimately the battery will run out, so don’t forget to charge this stroller before you leave home! So, after a full battery charge overnight, how did we get on?

Child Comfort

The Origami is truly a luxury pushchair which comes with a big price tag. However you can be sure that your child will be extremely comfortable in the large seat with its super thick, snuggly liner. 5 year old Master BB fits really well in the seat, and has plenty of room for his feet. There are several inches of space above his head which is pretty impressive for any pushchair. With a maximum load of 18kg, he is still well underweight, so there is room to grow.
The seat forward faces and is suitable from 6 months of age. There are carrycot and infant carrier (US Graco) options for a newborn baby.
There is a very slight recline on the Origami which is limited by the curved upright of the chassis. It is just sufficient for a child to nap, but is not ideal for a younger child. Whilst there is a good footrest, there is no lift up leg rest for a sleeping child.
The 5 point harness is simple to do up and feels robust. The harness has plenty of length for even a bigger child. There are thick harness pads. The child also has easy access to 2 cupholders – one on either side of the seat. It is possible to personalise your Origami with an optional coloured liner.

Hood, Raincover and Storage

The Origami hood is a 2 panel stretchy Lycra hood. There is a flick out sun visor at the front. The rear panel can be pulled forwards to reveal a mesh panel which will allow airflow as well as the ability to keep an eye on the child. The hood sits well back behind the child when closed, which gives the child a good view around, and allows the adult to see the child in the seat from behind.

At first glance storage may seem limited on the Origami. However, there are a number of small storage options. There are a total of six cupholders / small pockets: two fabric holders / pockets either side of the seat for the child; two fabric cup holders / small pockets at the rear of the seat on each side; and two cupholders in a plastic console by the handlebars. There is also a good sized removable storage bag underneath the pushchair, and a good sized storage pocket on the rear of the seat. Yes, the storage means you will need to plan your changing bag carefully, and this is not a pushchair to do the weekly shop with, however we have seen pushchairs with less storage.

We did get a raincover with our Origami, but it is very large when folded – like a flat kite – and we have no idea where 4Moms expect you to store it when not in use.

Wheels, Brake and Handling

Wow! Simply Wow! We have had literally hundreds of pushchairs through the doors of BBHQ, but there has been nothing quite like the 4Moms Origami. The 4 wheels suspension is absolutely awesome and the Origami is like pushing a cloud. It takes no effort at all to push even larger Master BB, and there is absolutely no doubt that despite the relatively small hard wheels, that he is travelling comfortably on board. We have to admit that we found the push rather strange and a bit wobbly at first. It took some getting used to, but the push is so smooth, and the manoeuverability is outstanding. The Origami literally leans around the corners without even trying, and it could literally be pushed one fingered! It is no problem to get up kerbs. The front wheels unusually for a pushchair, do not lock straight, so this is really an urban pushchair.

The handlebar is covered in quite squashy foam which adds to the strangeness! The handlebar is also relatively high which is great for us, but it is not adjustable, so this needs to be considered if you are of shorter stature.

The footbrake is situated near the rear right hand wheel. It isn’t the most obvious brake but it is a simple step on, step off brake, so easy to do.

Fold, Display, Lights and Electrics!

The 4Moms Origami has an electrically operated open and close system. Simply turn the silver dial on the handlebar, wait for the blue light, and press the large circular yellow button. The Origami will then open or close automatically. The fold / unfold movement can not fail to cause your jaw to drop in amazement because it is awesome. The wheels tuck in underneath the pushchair seat to form quite a neat slim package – just look how narrow it is in our car boot especially when compared to the tiny folding Baby Jogger City Mini Zip. However, it is quite long when folded, and we had to work out which way it fitted into our car best.
However, the Origami is heavy for a single pushchair, and whilst it opens and folds on its own, it doesn’t pack itself into your car boot for you as well! So, you still have to bend down, and pick the Origami up to put in your car which may not be ideal if you have just had a C-Section. There are two small roller wheels on the base of the Origami, so that the pushchair can be pulled along which will save your back across bigger distances. It is possible to remove a child from the seat, tuck the child under one arm; then fold the pushchair, and tow it onto say a train with your other hand; and open it at your destination all one handed. If this is useful to you, then the Origami could be the pushchair for you.

The Origami has a futuristic LED screen. This shows an image of the stroller on a countryside background. The pushchair can detect if a child is in the seat. The on screen seat appears empty when there is no child in the seat. When a child is in the seat, an image of a baby appears on the screen. It is important that the pushchair can detect whether a child is in the seat because the Origami will not fold when a child is in the seat. It will only fold when the seat is empty. The carrycot does need to be removed before folding. There is a child lock on the side of the round fold button. However, it is not child proof, and you really need to take care of little inquisitive fingers.
The screen also gives information about the temperature; your speed and the distance travelled. There is a tripometer too. It also gives you the battery status.
The Origami recharges itself as you push which is really handy if like us, you have mislaid the battery charger! Oops! There is also a back up manual system which allows you to use the pushchair without the electric open and close. However, given the weight of the Origami, this is not the easiest manual open and close ever!

The 4Moms Origami also has running lights above the front wheels,. These lights each have 3 bright LED’s which can be switched off or on. There is a bright and dimmed mode. There are also two smaller lights underneath the chassis. Lights are very useful for dark winter nights. The piping on the seats is also reflective.

It is also possible to charge a phone via a USB cable, as you stroll along. This also comes with an add on storage pouch. However, this is an additional optional extra.
Our concern would be what if any of the electronics went wrong, and how easy it is to get this pushchair serviced. However you do get a 24 month warranty. The company who sell the Origami here in the UK usually have excellent customer service, so we would hope that they can offer after sales support to Origami users.

In Conclusion

The 4Moms Origami is more than simply a novelty pushchair. It is a truly luxury, quality, stroller which will guarantee an older child a comfy journey. The push is absolutely superb – there really is nothing on the market quite like it. Easy and highly manoeverable.
We would be more hesitant about recommending the Origami for a smaller child who still needs to nap as we would prefer a deeper recline with some leg support. However, the Origami is also a statement piece pushchair, and is designed for the geeky modern parent, and there is no question that the strange but good suspension and comfort will ensure an older child travels in style. We feel that the storage could be better, and the heavy weight of the Origami to lift and carry may well be an issue.

The high price tag that comes with the Origami plus the price of an additional carrycot will put this fun pushchair out of the reach of many. We feel privileged to have been able to try this awesome pushchair out for ourselves because it really does stand out from the crowd. However, we are not sure we could have the Origami as our one and only pushchair, as the small storage spaces, recline and weight could potentially make this impractical for every day living. However, the Origami is genius and we do take our hats off to 4Moms for being so innovative and exciting. We have on balance awarded the 4Moms Origami a 4 and a half star Best Buggy Gold Star Rating.

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