This article provides the background information you need to choose the best stroller for you. It is related to and intended to complement our comprehensive side-by-side review of the top-rated full-size strollers.
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Finding an excellent stroller can be confusing, but we've tested various options to help you make your best decision.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Most parents feel a natural urge to buy every little thing a baby might need. A stroller is no doubt on the list, but do you need one?
The answer is maybe not, at least not in the first year. Here's why…
The purpose of any stroller is to make it easier to transport your baby while you walk. At its purest, it is an alternative to carrying your baby in your arms or on your hip. However, your baby will almost always prefer to be held instead of riding.
Wearing your baby in a carrier can be a joy for both baby and parent.
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A good alternative, especially in the first six months, is wearing your baby in one of the best baby carriers. Infants love the snug hold of being carried on your chest, and toddlers often like to be carried on your back. The best carriers distribute weight so well that you can wear your baby for hours, leaving your hands free to perform other tasks. While strolling is very convenient, a baby carrier offers a practical alternative, and baby carriers are a lot less expensive and take up a lot less space. The other bonus is, carried babies tend to be less fussy than babies sitting in a stroller.
A great baby carrier can help you get things done while you bond and nurture your little one. We find that holding the baby helps reduce baby meltdowns and increases your freedom to resume your normal daily activities.
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It is also worth noting that too much time in a car seat, baby bouncer, or favorite baby swing can contribute to plagiocephaly, or flattening of the back of baby's head. What does this have to do with strolling? In the first six months, most parents use their car seat for strolling, connecting it with a car seat adapter to the frame of a stroller. Pediatricians consider it relatively acceptable for a baby to spend 1.5 to 4 hours per day in a combination of the best infant car seat, a favorite baby bouncer, or the best baby swing. However, if your little one spends more than 4 hours in these devices, especially in the first few months when their skull is soft, they will have a higher risk of developing a flattened area in the back of the head. Using a baby carrier in a parent-facing chest position can help by taking pressure off the back of the head, and in combination with supervised tummy time, can help you avoid flattening the head.
The Thule Urban Glide 2 is very easy to maneuver with a swivel front wheel that manages tight spaces with ease and rubber air-filled tires that can traverse almost any terrain.
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For most of us, even the most hard-core fans of baby carriers, the convenience of strolling makes a stroller an essential tool that will get daily use for years. The main advantages are:
A full-size stroller might be one of the most expensive baby gear items you purchase.
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Unlike many other baby products, a quality strolling option will serve you for years. We consider this to be one of the categories where you might want to spend extra to get what you want in a stroller. A quality stroller will serve you between the ages of 6 months to 3+ years, and it can work well for multiple children or as a hand-me-down to friends and relatives. Many of the best products enjoy a significant resale value.
There are six main types of strollers:
The UPPAbaby Cruz v2 is a good example of a full-size stroller suitable for everyday activities.
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A traditional, standard-size stroller is the most common type. These full-featured products offer ample storage, comfortable seats, bigger canopies, more maneuverable wheels, and weigh 16-37 lbs. Most offer a car seat adapter of some type, and a minority offer a sufficiently flat, fully reclined seat (less than 10 degrees) that can work as an alternative to a bassinet (all recline, but most end up at too steep to be safe for infant sleeping). Some higher-end products include a bassinet for infants.
The good frame stroller can be a a useful option for strolling until you determine your longterm needs.
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Less well known, but one of our favorite options for the first 6-12 months while your baby is in an infant car seat is a frame stroller. These products provide a frame that the car seat can click in. For a first-time parent, this seems like an odd approach, but many second-time parents wish they knew about them earlier. A car seat frame is inexpensive, compact, and light, with the average weight being 11 to 16 lbs. This lighter weight can be good for moms who've just had a baby or C-section and may be limited to what they can carry.
The lightweight travel stroller like the Babyzen can be a great choice for crowded places and smaller spaces.
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Great for travel, lightweight strollers, sometimes referred to as umbrella or travel strollers like those found in our best umbrella stroller review. These options have a smaller folded shape, and are light and more compact, usually weighing between 8-17 lbs. But, they cut some corners compared to full-size strollers. Most don't offer car seat adapters and aren't usable until your baby is at least six months old. They also use smaller wheels, and this makes them less maneuverable and more difficult to push on rough surfaces.
A good jogging stroller, like the BOB Revolution Flex 3.0, can be useful for more than jogging.
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Outfitted with large air-filled tires and shock absorbers, top-ranked jogging strollers are specially designed to roll smoothly and straight while running and reduce the impact of bumps and curbs on your baby. Most weigh anywhere from 23 to 38 lbs.
Double strollers seat two kids at one time and come in various shapes and sizes.
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A double stroller provides two seats side-by-side or in tandem and is essential with twins. A double can also work for two kids, such as a baby and an older sibling, but we think using a baby carrier and a single one is often more convenient. Most are in the 21-36 lbs range and narrow enough to fit through most doorways. If you are expecting twins, keep in mind that car seat frame strollers come in double versions and could be a better option in the first year. Plus, some top-ranked double strollers won't accommodate two infant car seats, making them virtually unusable until your babies are at least six months old.
Technically, these are not a type of stroller but just a bundle package that combines a car seat with a strolling product in a single package. We advise caution before buying a travel system as many parents later regret the purchase. Why? Because the product quality in these bundles is often lower. While these bundled systems have attractive prices, they are typically bulky and heavy compared to a car seat frame stroller and may offer poor performance in the long term compared to competing products sold separately.
There are unique options that are both a stroller and an infant car seat, like the Doona shown here.
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We advocate splitting your thinking into two periods:
Helpful Tip: Consider holding off on buying a full-size product until your baby is 6-12 months old. In the meantime, get a car seat frame stroller that works great until your child outgrows their infant car seat at around 9-12 months.
Many strollers offer adapters to start strolling using your infant car seat.
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We encourage new parents to consider starting off with either a car seat adapter for their stroller or a car seat frame (and delay buying a full-size product until you have a better sense of what your long-term strolling needs will be). While most full-size products offer car seat adapters, a full-size product with a car seat adapter is more cumbersome and more laborious to use than a car seat frame product.
In any event, make sure you get a car seat adapter or frame stroller that provides a click-in method of securing your specific model of car seat rather than a strap-in. The click-in method is much faster and easier than the two-step strap process.
Strolling with car seats helps make your full-size stroller easier to use with infants.
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Why start with using a car seat for strolling?
Here are a few reasons to consider:
Important Safety Tip: do not use an infant car seat as a replacement for a crib. Always take the time to transition your sleeping baby to a crib rather than leaving them in the car seat. Only use a crib for unobserved sleep.
The Vista v2 comes with a bassinet, something some parents might find useful with infants before they are able to roll over.
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OK, we admit it. We love a top-ranked bassinet. But there are limitations you should know.
Some high-end strollers come with a bassinet that can attach to the frame and may (or may not) be suitable for sleeping. The UPPAbaby website prominently notes that their bassinet is appropriate for overnight sleeping as well as strolling. But, as you'll read in our safety tips below, we're a bit anxious about bassinets for unsupervised sleeping due to suffocation risk.
As much as a bassinet is dreamy for strolling, we feel obligated to note that it is a luxurythat you will only use for a brief period, typically no more than three months. Once your baby can move around, a bassinet is no longer safe for sleeping or strolling because they are shallow and often lack a safety harness. It is easy for a mobile baby to fall out of one and become injured. A crib is a better investment for sleeping; your baby can sleep in a crib from day one. On the other hand, a bassinet is nice to have, fun for strolling in those first few months, and allows the baby to be right next to you for night feedings.
From a practical point of view, a car seat can work much like a bassinet for infant strolling; the advantage is one may walk for a full year instead of only a couple of months and maintain greater utility and improved safety. Transitions between cars and strolling are vastly simplified. Plus, using your car seat eliminates the need for extra baby gear.
In the end, a bassinet comes and goes so darn fast. If you are on a tight budget or even an above-average budget, this is one place to save some money that you can put to better use elsewhere.
Important Safety Tips: if you use a bassinet, please keep in mind the same: if you use a bassinet, please keep in mind the same guidelines to prevent SIDS in cribs apply to bassinets. Avoid having soft bedding, loose pillows, plastic bags, or stuffed animals in or around the baby's sleeping area. The mattress should be firm and tight. In one study, looking at data over a 14-year period, 74% of babies who died in bassinets had blankets, pillows, or plastic bags in them.
We're also concerned that the safety standards for sleeping in bassinets haven't met crib standards. For example, padded bumpers are no longer recommended for cribs due to the risk of the baby getting into a position where their mouth and nose are pushed up against the side and suffocating. We are concerned that the bassinet's sidewalls present a similar suffocation risk but haven't been given as much attention as cribs. Because of this, we advise parents to closely supervise a baby sleeping in a bassinet (or use a crib instead). Also, a bassinet's lack of a restraining harness increases the risk of falling accidents or tip-overs. Be extra careful.
We're not saying don't use a bassinet; we like them ourselves. However, parents who use a bassinet should be aware of the risks and use appropriate caution.We're not saying don't use a bassinet; we like them ourselves. However, parents who use a bassinet should be aware of the risks and use appropriate caution.
A full-size stroller, like the Britax B-Free, is good for little ones up to about 50 lbs, depending on the manufacturer.
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Many people buy a full-size product for strolling earlier than they need to when their baby is an infant (or before their baby is born). Most parents find that they stroll most when their baby is between six months and three years.
To find the right option for you, try to envision how and where you'll stroll on a day-to-day basis when your baby is older. It takes a little imagination when your infant is one month old to contemplate what your daily routine might be with a one or two-year-old, but doing so can help ensure your purchase is satisfying in the long term.
We can provide some rules of thumb that may be helpful.
If you are like most parents, you will start taking more extended strolls as your baby becomes a toddler, and you'll spend more time at parks nearby. As your little one gets older, you may want to take in museums, the aquarium, or visit other baby-friendly venues that take you further from home.
Rather than a quick out-and-back, your walks with a toddler become longer expeditions and the stroller will become your base camp. You'll be bringing more stuff to support an extended time away from the house. That means storage for a well-stocked diaper bag, food, bottles, clothes, and toys. But, storage is not the only way your needs will change over time.
You may need to move across a broad range of terrain, the grass and gravel areas of parks being most common, and you may travel more often in a car or on public transportation as you start venturing further from home.
Strolling around your neighborhood without putting your stroller in a car might mean you can get away with a bigger model.
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A lot of people concentrate their walks in their neighborhood, at least initially. When strolling out your door, a more substantial product is not a problem (in fact, its additional storage and performance can make it great). However, they make up for their higher weight and larger size with better everyday performance. A few extra pounds and added dimension are not that big of a deal if you are mostly strolling around the neighborhood.
If you need to drive to the place where you will stroll, the stroller folded size will become more important.
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If you think you will frequently drive or use public transportation before strolling, a larger folded size may become annoying. If you travel frequently, you might want to consider a lightweight travel stroller to augment or replace a full-size product. It can be very convenient to have both a lightweight product when on the road and a standard size for use in your neighborhood. But you'll need to consider whether the convenience justifies the additional expense. A rare few can double as a travel and full-size choice without sacrificing too much.
Depending on your stroller plan, finding an option that is easy to maneuver over uneven terrain will be important.
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Every day that you stroll, the maneuverability performance of your stroller will be noticeable, and it degrades as your baby gets heavier. During the period you'll do the most strolling, ages six months to three years, your baby will grow from an average of 16 to 32 lbs. The extra weight of your growing baby and the pile of gear you'll need to bring will increasingly impact maneuverability. Almost all products are easy to maneuver when empty.
Pushing over uneven surfaces is where you determine which strollers are easiest to push and turn.
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Trying out products in a store can be misleading, especially if you push them empty over a smoothly polished floor, as most people do. Our tests found significant differences in maneuverability between competing products, especially when fully loaded. And we pushed them all over various terrain and with varying weights in the seat.
To properly test a product in a store, we recommend that you put 25 lbs of weight in the seat, simulating an average 1.5-year-old and a diaper bag; now try to maneuver it with one hand. We're not kidding. When you load them with the weight, you can feel the differences, and one-handed steering will help you appreciate subtle differences between products.
Maneuverability can be impacted by different surfaces and thresholds.
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Consider whether the parks near you will require pushing over unpaved surfaces like grass and gravel. If you need to push over 50 yards of grass or gravel, your small-wheeled product may seem Sisyphean. Will winter change the game for you? Most people go on strolls year-round. If you suspect you will be pushing on unpaved surfaces or dealing with seasonal ice and snow, then you'll want to focus on products with higher maneuverability and larger wheels.
You may never traverse through snow, but we tested various terrains so you don't have to.
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We've read some buying advice guides that describe three-wheeled products as superficial, just going after a "jogger" look. These same "guides" suggest that there is no benefit to these features.
We beg to differ.
In our tests, some of the three-wheeled products kicked some serious butt in maneuverability tests. One of the top performers is a jogger.
The Revolution is one of the easiest strollers in the review to push and turn. It excels over uneven terrain and off-road hiking with rubber, pneumatic tires, and dense wheels that make it easy to push even with one hand.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Intuitively, the three-wheeled products, with their big air-filled tires, are significantly more substantial and bulkier when folded.
But the reality is not as dramatic as you might expect. Plus, thanks to the large tires and other features, it scored way ahead in maneuverability, arguably one of the most important metrics for this kind of product.
Key features make the difference between an easy-to-push stroller and a frustrating experience. After pushing, pulling, turning, and finagling more strollers than we can count, you can trust we know a thing or two about strollers.
Front-wheel comparison. The BOB Revolution on the left is a pneumatic tire (air-filled), and the UPPAbaby Vista on the right uses foam core rubber tires.
Credit: Shellay Glatz
The one product component that most dramatically impacts good and bad performance is the size and type of wheels. Maneuverability is directly affected by these, and thus, the best scores were obtained by larger rubber wheels using air-filled tires, most commonly found on the jogging options. As we noted earlier in this article, maneuverability is one performance factor that will impact your daily strolling experience.
In our tests, we found bigger wheels to be significantly easier to push and roll over bumps and non-paved surfaces. That translates into less effort for you and less stress for your baby. Air-filled tires make for a smoother ride, but they can go flat just like a bicycle tire. Some people prefer to avoid larger air-filled tires because they are heavier and might go flat. We believe air-filled tires are worth it if you stroll long distances over unpaved surfaces or rough pavement. Flats are rare, but you might want to get a spare tire tube and have it available if you need it.
Some of the higher-end products offer "never-flat" tires that use a foam-filled rubber to provide more cushion than solid wheels, but without the risk of flat tires. We found these are a good compromise if you are anxious about a flat. While not as smooth rolling as an air-filled tire, the foam-filled tires did absorb bumps better and performed well compared to their plastic counterparts.
So, why not get the biggest wheels possible?
The downside of bigger wheels is that they are heavier and bulkier. For those who frequently need to load in and out of the car or travel on public transportation, large wheel sizes can be a negative. Several in this review have larger foam-filled rubber tires that aren't as big as those found on the jogging products but are more significant than the traditional wheels that used to be the gold standard for this kind of stroller.
Our review includes specifications of both front and rear wheel sizes and the type of wheels. This information is presented to help you compare competing products.
A twisting fold handle is a newer style of fold we absolutely love because it is quick and requires only on hand.
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Our favorite folding mechanisms can be operated with one hand. We like the capability and simplicity, but should you walk away from products that require two hands to fold? No.
While it is convenient to be able to fold your stroller with one hand, we think manufacturers make a bigger deal of the feature in their marketing than it deserves.
While the UPPAbaby Cruz v2 has a two-hand fold, it is still quick and relatively easy to complete.
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Simply put, using one hand over two doesn't mean your other hand is free to do your taxes or diaper a baby. Folding is a quick process that doesn't give you time for anything else. So even if your stroller is a one-handed fold, it's over so fast that your free hand will likely be doing nothing, or it will be supporting the product and thus still involved.
The inside of the UPPAbaby Vista storage bin has several individual pockets for quick organizing that makes smaller items easy to find.
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All of the products offer a basket for storage underneath the seat. A large storage basket can make daily use more convenient.
An easy-to-access storage bin is key to ease of use.The Race Tec child's tray can be helpful to keep snacks nearby for older toddlers.In our storage rating, we factored in the size of the basket, ease of access, and whether additional storage is provided, such as a pocket behind the seat or seat pockets next to the baby.
Comfortable seating with a sling-style seat, padding, adjustable recline, and leg rest are key functions that keep little ones comfy.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The quality of seating materials and padding varies considerably between brands. We suggest looking for a generously padded seat covered with a durable material that cleans easily. Additional pluses include using eco-healthy materials and seat covers that are removed easily for cleaning.
Telescoping handlebar adjustments are our favorite method because they put taller pushers further from the rear axle to avoid kicking the stroller when walking.
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In our review, we note whether the handlebars are adjustable. Is it necessary that handlebars be adjustable? We don't think so.
The theory of an adjustable handlebar is that it makes pushing more comfortable for parents who are taller or shorter than average. Since many moms are shorter than dads, it would seem that many couples would find this feature useful. But, our testers of different heights found comfort more related to maneuverability than to handlebar height. Simply put, a highly maneuverable product was comfortable for testers short and tall, even if the handlebar was not adjustable.
It gets a bit more complicated. We found that many of the adjustable handlebars introduced some "play" into the steering, and this means that maneuverability performance can feel "loose" and potentially degraded. As a result, an adjustable handlebar is a trade-off.
The Revolution's adjustable handlebar provides a variety of options for parents of different heights. Unfortunately, the pivot design means that taller parents will be closer to the rear axle and more likely to kick it while strolling.The new Cruz handlebar has a leather cover, but it still has the center adjustment button that makes one-handed pushing a challenge.Another factor is how the bar adjusts. Some adjust by rotating on a pivot point on each side, so when the handlebar is at its highest point, the pusher is closer to the frame, which results in several testers kicking the back of the strollers while walking. Other handlebars adjust by telescoping in and out of the frame sides, and when the bar is at the highest point, the tallest pusher is furthest away from the back wheels and, thus, less likely to kick the frame. The products with telescoping handles had less flex or play in them than those with the pivot point.
Some parent consoles are more useful than others, and we'd rather forgo a console before trying to use one that is less useful.
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A parent tray would seem a simple and logical feature to add. Why not offer a convenient place to store keys or personal items and one or two cup holders?
Well, not one of the top-scoring products in our review came with a parent tray as a standard feature. Very few strollers offer a parent console.
What gives?!
Similar to adjustable handlebars, a parent tray offers both a positive and a negative. On the positive side, a parent tray increases ease of use by providing some additional storage at your fingertips. But, on the downside, they can get in the way of folding and make for a bulky, awkward folded size. Also, most parent trays have cup holders that are too shallow to securely hold one of the best water bottles for kids (over your baby's head). Shallow cup holders translate to items falling out of the console and onto your baby while strolling. Our two favorite parent consoles are both optional and typically have a reasonable cost.
For more rocking cradleinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.
A child tray also seems like an obvious feature and one that should be on every product. But, in fact, similar to parent trays, none of the top-scoring products offered a child tray as a standard feature. Funnily, only the products with the lowest list prices offered a child tray as a standard feature.
A child's tray is largely only found on lower-priced strollers and is likely less useful than you think.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
A child's tray is an accessory marketers love, and new parents intuitively think it is essential, but in practice, neither you nor your baby needs one. More importantly, like a parent tray, a child tray can be detrimental in practice, making folding more awkward and bulky. Alternatively, some of the jogging strollers have two passenger stow pockets on the inside of the seat, which is very useful. These pockets can hold most bottles and sippy cups, don't drop items while moving, and children don't have to reach forward to use them. Interior pockets are a better alternative to the plastic tray that sticks out from the front and can be hard for a baby to reach while buckled and too shallow to adequately hold anything.
Forgoing a safety harness is never recommended, as little ones can easily fall or hop out of the stroller, creating the potential for serious illnesses.
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We don't want to scare you, but we do want to make you aware of the types of injuries that happen and introduce some expert advice on how to stroll more safely.
Use the safety harness every time you use your stroller, even if you aren't going very far.
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According to studies published by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the most common strolling-related injuries are a result of falls, representing more than half of all injuries. The second most prevalent cause of injuries is tip-overs. Experts believe that most of these injuries were preventable if the baby was properly restrained with the safety harness.
Each year, a few strolling-related deaths are reported. Again, experts believe that using the safety harness would have prevented most of these fatalities.
TheIn 2010, the Consumer Products Safety Commission issued a Safety Alert warning that serious injury or death can occur if children are not properly restrained. An infant's body can pass through the leg holes or handlebar, but their head and neck can become entrapped. The risk of strangulation is highest for infants under 1 year of age asleep in a fully reclined seat.
Credit: CPSC
The CPSC advises to use the safety harness every time
Every full-size product sold in the US offers a safety harness. In our tests, we found that the best solution is to provide a 5-point harness with an easy-to-use latching mechanism. We suggest parents make a habit of buckling their baby into the stroller with a properly fitting harness every time, no matter what, to avoid accidents and injuries.
Folding a full-size stroller has a lot of moving parts and little ones can get injured if not kept at a distance when folding.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
One of the most disturbing strolling-related injuries is the amputation of a baby's fingertips after being pinched in the hinge while folding. This type of accident only occurs rarely, but as recently as the summer 2012 Kolcraft recalled 36,000 products following reports of three fingertip amputations. In 2009, Maclaren announced a recall of more than 1 million products following reports of 12 fingertip amputations (another five fingertip amputations occurred in the two years after the recall). UPPAbaby also recently (in 2022) had a recall for its jogging stroller for finger amputations.
To help avoid this problem, always ensure your baby is a safe distance from the stroller before folding or unfolding.
It is easy to only partially unfold and leave the product in a state where it might collapse under a baby's weight. Make sure to listen for a reassuring click sound indicating it has reached its fully locked and ready-to-use position before use (depending on the model). Also, ensure you are using all the applicable safety features to keep it open.
Always check the stroller's movement after setting the brake to ensure it is properly set.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
We discovered some products in our tests had parking brakes that could appear locked but would occasionally release when bumped. If such an unplanned brake release occurs in a train station or near a busy road, the results could be tragic. We recommend always giving a little shake after setting the parking brake to ensure the brake is fully engaged. It takes only a moment, but it could prevent injury or death.
The CPSC notes one report of a stroller that rolled off of a dock and into a bay, which resulted in the child drowning.
We love a hot coffee every morning as much as anyone, but cup holders (which are typically too shallow in our opinion and placed dangerously above your little one's head) should never contain hot beverages. A spill of hot liquid can result in terrible burns that not only hurt but leave scars that last a lifetime.
Avoid drinking hot liquids while pushing your child. Only use the cup holder for cool liquids. Seattle Children's Hospital Avoid carrying children while holding hot beverages; never hold a cup of hot coffee or tea in the beverage holder. The Burn Center at St. Barnabas
Although fall injuries are the most common strolling-related risk, most result in minor injuries to the head and face. However, stairs change the potential risks of a fall.
One fatality reported to the CPSC occurred when a parent attempted to take a stroller containing an unrestrained and sleeping baby up a set of stairs, and the baby tragically fell out, resulting in a fatal injury.
Falls are the most common injury related to strolling, and a fall on stairs is obviously significantly more dangerous. Escalators add the additional hazard of moving mechanical parts. Experts advise that you should never take any strolling product on an escalator or stairs. Find a nearby elevator or ramp and use it instead. If there is no alternative, get some help. Take the baby out of the harness and carry the baby up or down the stairs or escalator, holding onto one handrail. Have someone else bring the empty stroller up or down separately.
Do not try this at home folks; we're professionals…
While we test products going up and down curbs and stairs loaded with a test dummy in our review process, these tests are intended to determine if a product has a risk of tip-over or collapsing, not to prescribe a recommended use with an actual baby. We do not use real babies during in-house lab testing for potential safety hazards or concerns.
It is wise to make a quick search on the Consumer Products Safety Commission website to see if a product is part of a recall. This research is particularly important for hand-me-down products from relatives, friends, or any used products. The CPSC does a good job of documenting any active recalls, and their database is easy to search by product name.
Just because a stroller is a "Baby Jogger" and has a 3 wheel design does not mean you can run with it. You should only use dedicated jogging strollers for moving at any speed over walking.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
We cringe when we see user reviews where someone says they have been jogging with a standard product or any jogging before eight months of age.
Why?
A baby's head is large, and its spine and neck muscles are not yet fully developed. The jarring bumps and shocks encountered in normal jogging are not bothersome to the parent but can present real health risks to a developing baby or toddler.
Also,
You should never run with a stroller unless it is specifically designed for jogging, and even then, not before the manufacturer's recommended minimum age. Very often, we find parents are confused about what products manufactured by Baby Jogger are joggers and which aren't. Or, products that look like a jogger (i.e. have three wheels) are NOT always designed for jogging. Joggers incorporate additional suspension systems, reclined seating, and locked front wheels to reduce the impact and make them suitable for running.
You should only ever run with a stroller designed specifically for jogging.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Even so, most jogger manufacturers recommend waiting until a baby is at least eight months old before using the product for running or jogging. Before then, brisk walks and a strolling workout can help get you back into shape.
Despite the brand name being Baby Jogger, none of the Baby Jogger products in this review are intended for jogging.
Tip-over is the 2nd most common cause of injury when using a stroller, and back-tipping is the most dangerous since your baby is more likely to fall on their head or sustain injuries.
We test for front-tip, side-tip, and back-tip risks in our review process.
But, many parents make the back-tip risks more severe by hanging a diaper bag or groceries on the handlebar.
We understand why. It is so compelling to hang a bag on the handlebar, where it is easy to access and might seem stable. But, don't do it! Depending on the product, the weight you put on the handlebar, the weight of your baby, the angle of the terrain, and the weight in the bottom storage basket, tip-over risk varies dramatically. In many cases, just going up or down a curb can turn a seemingly stable situation into something dangerously tippy. Tip-over is most common with infants, who are lighter and provide less counterbalancing center weight.
Place your items in the bottom storage basket instead of hanging them from the handlebar. Doing so will increase stability by adding more weight at a low center of gravity.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
There are a few simple steps you can walk through to find the best product for your needs. Asking yourself the following questions can take the guesswork and frustration out of finding the right stroller at the right price.
These are some of the strollers we tested in combination with infant car seats in our car seat stroller combo review.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
If you never intend to attach your infant car seat to any contraption for strolling, then you can skip this step. However, if you do plan to use your infant seat while strolling, we suggest you choose your infant car seat first. Why? Finding a quality infant seat that is easy to use and safe is more important for the baby's overall well-being, given that you will likely be using it more frequently, or at least it has the largest related safety risks. So choose your best infant car seat, then follow the remaining steps for the options that are compatible with your choice.
The BOB Revolution Flex is a nice quality choice that is put together well even if it lacks the sleek styling of many modern day full-size strollers. This BOB earned the highest score for maneuverability, easily moving over almost any surface.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Maneuverability is important. Being able to stroll with ease is arguably one of the most critical aspects of this kind of product. Pushing with one hand and the ability to turn in tight spaces are important, as is being able to roll over various surfaces. If you plan to stroll only inside the mall or around a paved sidewalk, you can choose almost any of the contenders we tested. If you need to roll over grass or gravel for any period, a green belt outside your house, or a nearby park, then you have fewer options to choose from.
The UPPAbaby Cruz offers many features, like a storage bin, canopy, adjustable handlebar, adjustable leg/foot rest, belly bar and cup holder accessory (sold separately).
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff
There is a difference between the features you think you need and those you truly do. There is also a difference between a product that doesn't offer a feature, like a parent tray, and one that offers an accessory for purchase after the fact. You should consider which features are important to you and which you can do without. If you love a particular product that doesn't have one of these options, determine if you can purchase it after the fact or if you'd be without it forever. We think some non-negotiable features include a reclining seat, giant canopy, and storage basket with at least 10 lbs of maximum storage. Interesting but not necessary features include a parent or child tray, cup holders, bumper bars, and a one-handed fold. None of the top products in this review offer all the features you may need or want, but they have parent consoles/cup holders for purchase, which many parents feel are non-negotiable.
A quick and easy fold, like the handle on the Britax B-Free can be very useful when boarding public transportation.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The last thing to potentially consider is whether or not you will need to fold and transport or carry it frequently. All of the products are relatively easy to fold, but some have a quick one-hand fold. Alternatively, if you stroll out your front door and are unlikely to use public transport or need to fit it in your trunk, then a larger option could be a good choice. This impressive option can grow with your family up to three passengers, has the largest storage in the group, and offers more versatility than any of the other products we tested.
With so many strollers to choose from, we have the details you need to make an informed decision.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
There are so many options to meet your strolling needs that it can be overwhelming trying to narrow them down to find the best stroller for your family. After testing more than 90 strollers across categories since 2012, we feel uniquely qualified to help you decide the most important performance metrics and features. If you stick to the basics, you can find the right option for you. We think there are several possibilities in our award winners and top scorers. While we pick winners with real families in mind (after all, we have kids), they may not meet your specific needs, which is where the comparison feature in our Best in Class review comes in handy. With this comparison tool and our insider details, you can determine which stroller meets the needs of your family and budget.
What’s the best car for your family? There’s no one answer. It depends on whether you want a luxurious ride or something more economical. The size of your family and your garage. Whether you’ll be navigating the streets of a crowded city or off-roading on trails. Even your sense of style influences the car you buy.
Buying a baby stroller involves the same decisions, which can be similarly overwhelming. A stroller is one of the biggest and most important purchases you’ll make for your baby. As with a car, it’s something you’ll use every day, and finding a stroller that’s comfortable and safe is a top priority.
We’re here to help you choose the right stroller for your family. In this stroller buying guide from Strolleria, you’ll learn:
Stroller buying basics and factors to consider in your purchase
Characteristics of full-size, convertible, lightweight, double and jogging strollers—and the benefits and limitations of each type
Features and accessories to look for in a stroller
How to test-drive a stroller
Ready to stroll? Read on!
You’ll need a stroller when your baby is a newborn—and when they're a toddler who can’t trek across the zoo on their own. You’ll want one that’s lightweight and easily foldable for errands, but you’ll also need something more sturdy (with plenty of storage) for walks and long periods of time away from home. Maybe you’ll want to take your baby out for a run. And if you have another child, you might want a stroller built for two.
You probably won’t find a single stroller that meets all of your needs. That’s why the average family owns two or three, according to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association.
There are several stroller categories and hundreds of models to choose from. How do you start narrowing down the field? Keep these factors in mind.
Strollers for infants
Some strollers are intended only for certain ages, while others can be adapted as your baby (and family) grows.
Until your baby is about six months old, when they can support their head, they need to be fully reclined when riding in a stroller. That means strollers that require a baby to sit more upright, like jogging strollers and umbrella strollers, can't be used until later on.
To start, many parents look for a stroller that’s compatible with their infant car seat, which is typically used for the baby's first year until she graduates to a convertible car seat.
By using a stroller/car seat combo known as a "travel system," you can let sleeping babies lie while transitioning from the vehicle to the stroller.
But you can also attach a bassinet to your stroller—or simply use the stroller seat itself, as long as it reclines to a flat position that's safe for an infant.
For babies younger than six months, most parents start with one of these options.
Stroller with infant car seat (travel system)
While some manufacturers sell "travel systems" as a set, most strollers and car seats are sold separately.
With the exception of lightweight umbrella strollers used mainly for travel later on, all strollers sold by Strolleria are compatible with infant car seats. We typically recommend picking out your stroller first—you'll likely have at least a few choices for a compatible car seat.
Some manufacturers, such as UPPAbaby, Nuna, Cybex and Peg Perego, manufacture both car seats and strollers. For these brands, the car seat either connects directly to the stroller or connects using adapters that are included with your stroller purchase.
Other brands only manufacture strollers, not car seats. Still, these strollers can be paired with another brand's car seat with the purchase of car seat adapters (an accessory that typically costs between $20 and $50).
With higher-quality stroller models, the seat is removable so that you can replace it with the infant car seat.
In other cases, the stroller seat cannot be removed, but the infant car seat can be inserted on top of the stroller seat. When your baby is ready, you can use the stroller without the infant car seat.
Stroller with bassinet
Some high-quality strollers can be used with a bassinet in place of an infant car seat.
Not only is a bassinet more spacious, it's also safer for long-term use. Experts recommend that infant car seats be used only for traveling in the car—not for hours of sleeping. Plus, bassinets tend to be more ventilated and breathable compared with car seats, which, with their protective foam, can make babies hot and sweaty.
Strollers including the Bugaboo Fox and Donkey; the UPPAbaby Vista and the Silver Cross Wave come included with a bassinet approved for overnight use. Bassinets are sold as accessories for several other stroller models.
Rather than purchasing a separate bassinet, many parents use the stroller bassinet as baby's first bed next to their bedside. A bassinet also makes for a portable sleeping option for weekend trips and nights at the grandparents' house.
Stroller seats are safe for newborns as long as they fully recline to a flat position and have a footrest designed to fold upwards and create an enclosed space (for example, the Nuna MIXX Next, TAVO, and Bumbleride Era strollers). Some brands also make infant accessories, like a seat insert with plush head support, to provide additional stability for the baby's head and neck.
As an alternative to a stroller in the first few months, parents can purchase a car seat frame or car seat carrier. These products are sometimes referred to generically as a "Snap-N-Go," which is the name of a specific model.
With these products, the infant car seat becomes a minimalistic stroller by snapping into the lightweight frame, which does not include a stroller seat and could not be used as a true stroller after your child has outgrown their infant car seat.
Pro: Frames are inexpensive and easy to use. Con: You won't be able to use them once your baby outgrows her infant car seat—and still needs to ride in a stroller. Additionally, stroller frames have lower-quality wheels and can be more difficult to maneuver on different surfaces.
A similar option in a category all its own is the Doona, a car seat with built-in wheels that tuck under the seat when not in use. Like a car seat frame, the Doona can be used only until the baby outgrows the infant car seat.
Urban dwellers who get around on public transportation probably wouldn't buy the same stroller as parents cruising the suburbs in an SUV.
Ask yourself these questions when choosing a stroller that fits your lifestyle:
If you expect to have two children who are both stroller-age, consider a convertible stroller: one that converts from a single stroller to a double stroller.
Convertible strollers give you the flexibility to change the stroller based on your needs and spare you from having to purchase two strollers over time.
Start with it as a single stroller, add a second seat for a double, then take it back to a single when your older child doesn't ride in a stroller anymore.
Sometimes included - and often sold separately - as an accessory for your stroller's toddler seat, a bumper bar is a piece that attaches in front of your child to either side of the seat, and provides a place for them to hold on or rest their hands while you stroll.
If you're shopping in-store, follow these tips for test-driving a stroller.
Try some turns, stops and, if possible, curbs to get a feel for the stroller's maneuverability. If you're in Strolleria, make sure to try our stroller track to try the different terrain!
As you're testing the stroller, don't forget that you'll someday have a child who weighs as much as 50 pounds sitting in it. Throw in your purse to see how easily the stroller pushes with added weight.
To see how sturdy the stroller feels, give it a little side-to-side shake. Activate the brake to ensure it stays put.
See if the handlebar is comfortable for both you and your partner, and make sure you both have ample leg room as you walk with the stroller.
Every model folds differently: some in a single step, some in a two-step process after you remove the seat. A two-piece fold isn't necessarily worse than a one-piece fold, as it may make the stroller easier to lift into the car.
Don't be discouraged if you don't master the fold on the first try: You'll need a bit of practice before you get the hang of it.
That said, if you truly struggle with the fold, you may want to consider a different model. Folding the stroller is something you'll do every day, multiple times a day—sometimes with one hand, when you're holding the baby!
Lift it as if you're loading it into the car to see how heavy it is, and practice unlocking it to see how easily it springs back into place. Note how the stroller functions when folded. For example, Nuna strollers can be trolleyed like luggage, and the UPPAbaby Vista and Cruz strollers stand when folded for easier lifting and storage.
Look at infant car seats that are compatible with your stroller and see which one you like best, both off and on the stroller.
Test how easy the car seat is to attach and detach, keeping in mind you'll be doing this multiple times per day. Does the car seat connect directly to the stroller frame, or do you need to purchase a car seat adapter? Can the stroller seat be replaced by the infant car seat, or does the car seat sit on top of the stroller seat?
If possible, fold the stroller and see how it fits in the trunk of your car. Check out where you'll store your strolling essentials, like your diaper bag, snacks and phone.
Thanks for reading Strolleria's Ultimate Stroller Buying Guide! We hope we've helped make the decision a little less confusing.
What's Strolleria, anyway? We're a retailer of strollers, car seats and baby gear from exclusively high-quality brands. Whether you're shopping at Strolleria online or in our showroom in Scottsdale, Arizona, we're here to help you find the baby gear that's right for your family unique needs. We also offer the lowest prices available, plus a loyalty rewards program and free shipping on orders over $49.
At Strolleria, our mission is to make the gear-buying experience easier on parents. That includes you! Feel free to e-mail any of our baby gear specialists with questions at customercare@strolleria.com.
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