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Why trust this guide? I’m Mark Hartshorne, founder of MyPushchair.co.uk. I’ve had a proper play with the Bugaboo Donkey 6 in a shop, including testing the single-to-double conversion myself, not just reading about it.
Bugaboo Donkey 6 — At a Glance
- Reality check first: it’s expensive, heavy, and needs muscle to lift. Any one of those three factors could rule it out for you, and it will for plenty of people.
- If those don’t put you off, it’s genuinely excellent. A superb all-terrain pushchair that’s surprisingly easy to steer.
- Storage capacity is outstanding. One of the best in its class.
- Converts from single to double and back in moments. Three clips, a press, and a slide — widens by 14cm and still fits through standard doorways, just about.
Let’s start with a reality check, because that’s genuinely the right way into this one. The Bugaboo Donkey 6 is expensive, it’s heavy, and you’ll need to be comfortable lifting a heavy pushchair into the car boot regularly. Any of those three factors could rule it out for you, and it’s going to rule it out for quite a lot of people. There’s no point pretending otherwise. The folded chassis is still sizeable too, so I’d check it against your specific car boot before buying — this isn’t a pushchair designed to disappear into the smallest hatchbacks.
Now, if those three factors haven’t put you off — it’s actually a really good pushchair.
Is the Bugaboo Donkey 6 right for you?
Good choice if:
- You’re planning a second child within a few years, or already have two close in age
- You want genuine all-terrain capability, not just a city pushchair
- You have the budget, the car boot space, and the upper-body strength to manage a heavy pushchair daily
Think carefully if:
- The price is a stretch — this sits firmly in premium territory
- You struggle to lift heavy items into a car boot regularly
- You only ever need a single pushchair, with no plans to convert to a double
A genuinely good all-terrain pushchair, easy to steer
Past the reality check, the Donkey 6 is a properly capable all-terrain pushchair, and it’s easier to steer than its size might suggest. Independent testing backs this up directly — one reviewer who used it for weeks with a newborn and toddler found it felt lighter to push than she expected, managed tight circles and one-handed steering well, and handled kerbs with ease. It is harder to manage in double mode than single, simply because of the extra weight, but that’s an honest, expected trade-off rather than a flaw.
Storage capacity is genuinely superb — among the best in its class, with a large underseat basket plus a side bag that doubles as a changing bag. For families who walk a lot and carry plenty with them, this is a real practical advantage that shouldn’t be overlooked alongside the headline single-to-double feature. The trade-off is size: even though it fits through most doorways, the sheer width in double mode means shopping aisles and tighter spaces can feel noticeably more cramped than with a narrower tandem double.
The single-to-double conversion — how it actually works
This is the Donkey’s real party trick, and having tried it myself, it’s genuinely as straightforward as Bugaboo claims. You open three clips, press a button, and slide to expand the frame — it widens by 14cm in the process. Then you swap the side bag for a second seat, and you’re in double mode. No tools, no separate adapters needed for the basic conversion, and it takes less than a minute once you know what you’re doing.
At 74cm wide expanded, it will fit through a standard internal doorway — just, and possibly needing a small wiggle to get through cleanly. If your home has particularly narrow doorways or hallways, it’s worth measuring before you commit, but for most standard UK doorways, it should get through without serious drama.
One thing I noticed handling it myself: the expansion mechanism felt reassuringly solid. There wasn’t any wobble or flex when widening the frame, and once locked into place it felt like a single-piece chassis rather than something that had been extended. Removing the seat unit before folding isn’t difficult, but it is one extra step compared with a single pushchair — worth knowing rather than a real complaint.
Key specifications
| Detail | Spec |
|---|---|
| Width, single mode | 60cm |
| Width, double mode | 74cm — fits standard doorways, may need a slight wiggle |
| Weight | Around 15.3kg in single mode |
| Suitable from | Birth (with bassinet), up to approx. 22kg per seat |
| Conversion | Single to double via three clips and a slide — no extra adapters needed for the basic conversion, under a minute |
| Basket capacity | Around 15kg underseat, plus a separate side bag (capacity reduces when mounted on the handlebar in double mode) |
| Price (approx.) | From £1,245 single, £1,560 double — check current pricing before buying |
- Helping My Daughter Choose a Double Pushchair — for a wider look at double pushchair options
- Best All-Terrain Pushchairs — see how it compares against other genuinely capable options
Is the Bugaboo Donkey 6 worth buying?
If you’ve got the budget, the boot space, and the strength to manage a genuinely heavy premium pushchair, and you want one that converts properly from single to double without buying two separate pushchairs over the years, the Donkey 6 is excellent. The steering, the storage, and the conversion mechanism all live up to the price tag.
If any of the three reality-check factors — price, weight, or the lifting involved — are a genuine concern, it’s worth being honest with yourself before committing. Viewed as a long-term purchase, it can represent good value if you genuinely expect to use both single and double modes. If your second child never arrives, or ends up much older with very different needs, you’ll have paid for flexibility you didn’t actually use. Our Choosing a Pushchair guide and our guide to choosing a double pushchair can both help you think through what matters most for your situation.
Bottom line: the Bugaboo Donkey 6 is genuinely one of the best single-to-double pushchairs around, but it’s not for everyone, and it doesn’t try to be. I’d recommend it to families who’ve decided the conversion flexibility is genuinely worth the price, weight, and boot space it demands. I wouldn’t recommend it if any of those three factors are a real stretch for your situation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Bugaboo Donkey 6 convert from single to double?
You open three clips, press a button, and slide to expand the frame, which widens by 14cm. Then you swap the side bag for a second seat. It’s genuinely straightforward and takes under a minute once you’ve done it.
Will the Bugaboo Donkey 6 fit through a standard doorway in double mode?
Yes, at 74cm wide it fits standard UK internal doorways, though it may need a slight wiggle to get through cleanly. Worth measuring your own doorways if they’re on the narrower side.
Is the Bugaboo Donkey 6 heavy?
Yes — this is a genuine consideration, not a minor detail. You’ll need good upper-body strength to lift it into a car boot regularly, and it’s heavier still once converted to double mode.
Can the Bugaboo Donkey 6 be used for twins?
Yes. Bugaboo sells a twin configuration that allows two bassinets from birth and later two seats, making the Donkey 6 suitable for twins as well as siblings of different ages.
Is the Bugaboo Donkey 6 good value?
It’s expensive — there’s no getting around that. But if you genuinely use the single-to-double flexibility rather than buying it speculatively, it can work out better value than buying two separate pushchairs over the years.
Considering the Bugaboo Donkey 6 and want a second opinion on whether it fits your situation? Get in touch — happy to help.