Bugaboo Butterfly Review: The Ultimate Compact Stroller for Urban Parents and Travelers

Travelling with a young child can be challenging, but having a reliable stroller can make the experience much easier. While travel system strollers are ideal for everyday activities, investing in a smaller travel stroller can simplify life when navigating an airport, tight city streets or crowded places like theme parks.

One of the most popular travel strollers is the Bugaboo Butterfly, and for good reason. This premium stroller is ultra-compact, folds in just one second—making getting in and out of a car a mostly tear-free experience—and boasts a good-sized storage basket. Perfect for urban families, it excels at navigating tight spots and cracked sidewalks.

This stroller is also an excellent luxury gift for the family, and I can confidently say it's worth every penny. Here’s my thoroughly detailed Bugaboo Butterfly review.

What is the Bugaboo Butterfly stroller?

The Bugaboo Butterfly stroller is a compact stroller designed for families on the go. It folds down to fit in airplane overhead compartments. To offer some perspective on how space-saving this stroller is, I can easily fit it in the trunk of my Fiat 500C convertible, which is around a quarter of the size of the average sedan trunk.

One of the best features of the stroller is that it easily collapses with just one hand. I’ve even collapsed my Bugaboo Butterfly and put it in the trunk while holding my 20-pound daughter, Carlin, in the other hand. So, if you frequently travel solo with your little one—I can’t imagine a more convenient option.

Key features of the Bugaboo Butterfly

The Bugaboo Butterfly folds down incredibly small, making it easy to fit in any car trunk or overhead bin. While made from sturdy aluminum alloy, it’s still remarkably light at just over 16 pounds. One of my favourite features is the five-point harness. It’s so easy to get Carlin in and out of, and I can unbuckle it with just one hand.

It’s also incredibly comfortable for your little one. The ergonomic seat is easy to adjust, giving it a custom feel. Generously padded, it’s made from a durable, high-quality fabric that’s easy to clean. Milk and juice spots can be wiped off effortlessly with a damp paper towel or baby wipes. There's an adjustable leg rest, which is a pleasant surprise for a stroller of this size.

The Bugaboo Butterfly travel stroller is aesthetically designed. Bugaboo’s core collection includes five colours: Forest Green, Desert Taupe, Dark Cherry, Stormy Blue and Midnight Black. I have the Forest Green and am very happy with this choice because it’s practical yet contemporary.

While the Bugaboo stroller basket is smaller than that of a standard-sized stroller, it's large enough to fit a day’s essentials and perhaps a little more, which is crucial for travel. I often fill the basket completely and there's always enough space to tote around everything I need.

Lastly, the wheels of the Bugaboo Butterfly are super sturdy. I’ve taken it on a variety of terrains from concrete to dirt paths, and the strollers can handle even the most cracked sidewalks in Los Angeles.

Car seat compatibility

One of the main reasons to buy the Bugaboo Butterfly—and what makes it worth the cost—is that it's compatible with a variety of popular infant car seats: the Bugaboo Turtle Air Shield by Nuna, Bugaboo Turtle Air by Nuna, Bugaboo Turtle One by Nuna, Nuna Pipa, Nuna Pipa Lite, Nuna Pipa Lite LX, Nuna Pipa RX, Clek Liing, Cybex Aton 2, Cybex Aton Q, Cybex Cloud Q, Kiddy Evolution Pro2, Maxi-Cosi Mico and Maxi-Cosi Mico 30.

This extensive compatibility makes air travel easier. You can seamlessly take your infant from car to plane, check your Butterfly stroller at the gate or put it in the overhead bin, all while keeping your infant in their car seat during the flight.

A required car seat adapter must be purchased at an additional cost. However, reviewers note that the adapters are convenient, easy to use and can even remain on the stroller when folded.

Bugaboo Butterfly stroller accessories

The Bugaboo Butterfly stroller has a variety of accessories available from Bugaboo and other retailers that sell the stroller. One of these accessories is the rain cover, which ensures your little one stays dry and protected from rain and snow. I live in California, so I don't plan on purchasing this, but it’s a must-have if you live in a more seasonal climate.

While I wish the transport bag came with the stroller, this useful accessory protects your stroller if you plan to check it on a plane or store it in the overhead bin. Made of durable and water-repellent fabric, it can be carried by the handle or worn as a backpack.

One of the best cold-weather accessories for the stroller is the footmuff, which keeps your little one’s feet warm and cozy on cold days. It’s also compatible with other models, so it’s a smart buy if you have more than one Bugaboo stroller.

There’s also an organizer/diaper bag that attaches to the handlebars. This gives you easy access to your wallet, phone, keys and other essentials, especially if you’re on the go. Lastly, there's a cup holder for drinking water or an essential coffee beverage on the go.

How the Bugaboo Butterfly performs in real life

I’ve been using the Bugaboo Butterfly travel stroller for over a month and am extremely impressed. As someone with a very small car, the fact that I can keep this stroller in the trunk simplifies car trips and shopping with my daughter.

The stroller is sturdy and durable, ideal for long walks on city streets. The lower basket, while not huge, can fit my diaper backpack, a large Stanley cup and a small bag if we’re out shopping. While it’s certainly too small for a full grocery run, I can usually stuff one or two items in the basket if I carry my diaper backpack separately.

What makes the Bugaboo travel stroller portable can also make it a little challenging to use. The wheels are slightly small so it sometimes requires more effort to navigate high sidewalks without a ramp. This only bothers me on occasion. Another minor issue is that while the stroller performs well on dirt paths, the wheels and lower basket can become a bit dirty. A wet paper towel or baby wipe is all that’s needed to clean it off.

Despite its small size, the Bugaboo Butterfly is surprisingly capable. I’ve found it easy to use when walking uphill or even down a steep hill, though it’s definitely not a dedicated jogging stroller. I also feel my daughter is very secure in the five-point harness. While she typically dislikes her car harness, this one is so easy and comfortable that she doesn’t squirm too much when I’m securing her.

Like most kids, Carlin loves eating snacks on the go. Crumbs and bits of snack bars in her stroller are inevitable—but the Butterfly is so easy to clean that I let her make all the messes she wants. After taking Carlin out of the stroller, I usually put her in her car seat and flip over the stroller to shake out all the crumbs. It’s so light and easy to handle that this doesn’t take much effort.

Who is the Bugaboo Butterfly best suited for?

The Bugaboo Butterfly is an ideal travel stroller or second stroller for just about any parent. It could be the primary or only stroller for urban parents of toddlers, although you would need to use something else for an infant. While you can technically use this stroller for infants when paired with a car seat, that might not be the most convenient choice.

Final verdict

While the Bugaboo Butterfly isn’t cheap, you get what you pay for. It’s convenient, sturdy, easy to use and a breeze to collapse. If you need a lightweight stroller that can handle almost every situation with all the accessories of a standard travel system, you won't regret adding this stroller to your cart.

Pros

• Convenient one-second fold
• Lightweight
• Extremely compact
• Compatible with many popular car seats
• Easy-to-use and comfortable five-point harness
• Easy to keep clean
• Lots of accessories available
• Assembles in one minute out of the box

Cons

• Small wheels
• Only forward-facing
• Low basket gets dirty easily
• Premium price tag