Baboodle

Baboodle: premium baby equipment rental in the UK

Baboodle is a British company specialising in the rental of products for babies and toddlers. Its catalogue includes items from well-known brands such as prams, travel cribs, car seats, baby carriers, highchairs, kids' bikes and accessories. The service is designed for parents who need temporary equipment, whether for travel, as their baby grows or to try products before buying.

Product catalogue for rent

The range is organised into several main categories:

• Prams: includes travel prams, running prams, double prams, city prams, off-road prams, all-terrain prams and accessories such as raincovers, car seat adapters and pram linings.
• Cribs: travel cribs, next-to-me cribs and smart cribs.
• Carriers: backpack carriers, shoulder carriers and baby wearing systems.
• Feeding: sterilisers, bottle prep, breast pumps and highchairs.
• Play: kids' bikes, bouncers, trikes, scooters, toys and rockers.
• Travel: travel prams, travel cribs, carriers, travel pram accessories and plane aids.
• Pregnancy: pregnancy pillows and TENS maternity machines.

The catalogue can be filtered by baby's age (0-6 months, 6-12 months, 1-2 years, 3-4 years) and by brand, and includes names such as Babyzen, Bugaboo, Cybex, iCandy, Joolz, Thule, Uppababy, Silver Cross, Nuna, Ergobaby, Artipoppe, Babybjorn, Stokke, Snoo, among others.

How the subscription service works

The rental process consists of three steps: the customer selects items from the catalogue, makes the first monthly payment and receives the products on the chosen date; afterwards, they can return them free of charge at any time. Baboodle offers UK-wide delivery for £7.95 and collection from its warehouse in central London. The subscription is flexible: it is charged monthly until the item is returned. Returns are free using a prepaid label or a QR code. The company pauses payments for five days while it waits to receive the items.

Damage, wear and repair policy

Baboodle covers general wear and tear (scratches and small stains). If an item is damaged beyond repair, lost or stolen, the company may charge the estimated replacement value. If the repair costs more than £20, it may charge the cost of the repair. According to the company, out of more than 10,000 rentals last year it only had to charge for damage in fewer than five cases.

Exchanges and product changes

Customers can request an exchange by emailing hello@baboodle.co.uk. Baboodle charges £7.95 for shipping the new product and updates the account once it receives the previous item.

Safety and hygiene

Every item undergoes a quality check and a thorough cleaning process. Potential visible damage, such as tears or cracks, is inspected, and functional components such as brakes, wheels and reclining systems are tested. Cleaning and disinfection is carried out with a baby-friendly sanitising spray from the brand Dew.

Value proposition and sustainability

Baboodle presents itself as an economical and sustainable alternative to buying baby equipment. The company states that, on average, its customers rent equipment worth £3,400 for short-term use for only £66 per month during the first year, which represents a saving of over 75%. It also highlights that the UK baby equipment market has an annual carbon footprint of approximately 280,000 kg of CO2e, and that the average footprint of a pram is around 450 kg of CO2e. Baboodle seeks to extend the useful life of products and reduce their environmental impact.

Awards and customers

The company has been recognised with the Made for Mums Editor's Choice Awards 2024 and has a 5.0 rating on Trustpilot. According to its data, more than 20,000 parents have used the service.