Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery ...
The Major Elite has been around for years, the first choice special needs pushchair issued by the NHS, funded by Charities, purchased by Families, and enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of children around the world.
The patent has now run out so anyone can copy it and with a product as successful as this it was inevitable that someone would.
There's nothing fundamentally wrong with a copy, they do comply with all of the necessary tests required by regulatory authorities. Do not think that because they are cheaper they are not safe or appropriate.
But they are different, they have some advantages and some disadvantages. For you to know which one to choose, which one is best for you, you need to know what the differences are.
As a retailer we sell both the original Major Elite and a copy the Excel Elise or Budget XL so we know the strengths and weaknesses and it doesn't make much difference to us which one you choose provided you are happy with your purchase.
Both the original Major Elite and the copies are now used by the NHS.
Firstly, what names are the copies marketed under (the ones we know of):
Features & Benefits Compared
Price Copies are cheaper, some cheaper than others so shop around.
Warranty
Major Elite has a Lifetime Frame Warranty*, copies one year only (* note you do need to register the Maclaren warranty)
Seat Design
Seat fabric wraps around the sides of the frame on the copies not on the Major Elite.
Footplate
Major Elite is easy to mount/remove, the copies are fiddly (the footplate on both has to be removed each time the pushchairs are folded).
Harness
Major Elite harness has four height adjustment and longer shoulder straps one extra to the three height adjustments on the copies.
Build Quality - Materials & Finish
The Major Elite is superior, both the pushchair and accessories compared to the copies.
Colour Options
Although the most expensive of the copies the Mobiquip is the only one available in Pink.
Secondhand Re-sale Value (when you are finished with it)
Ebay/Gumtree/wherever the Major Elite is almost always much higher.
Delivery
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