Buying a stroller is a big decision to make before your precious bundle of joy comes along. It should be able to last and deal with all terrains, be practical, uncomplicated to put up and take down and should be a quality product to last the distance.
I consider myself a particular expert in this field, as we landed up buying 5 strollers, yes you read right 5! We were so excited by the prospect of the tiny person growing in my belly that our first stroller we bought was the biggest and the best, and the most expensive, as that must be good right? Well not always! What I failed to do was think about what we really needed, how practical it would be, and where I would be using it.
So, with big smiles on our faces, we happily walked out with our purchase and looked at in amazement at our choice. We really were very clever. So our boy was born, and once I’d fully recovered I went walking and it was great, it was a massive big 3 wheeler that allowed me to go wherever I wanted to. Good thing! Then came the time that I had to pack it into the car, with a baby in tow, no one to help me and it was like a rock and felt like you needed a science degree to operate the thing. This stroller lasted 3 weeks and I can tell you that our favourite online baby shop after that loved us, the delivery guy even knew us personally by name!
My biggest advice to you is to think about what you need it for, where you’re going to be taking it, are you travelling a lot and that it’s easy to operate…yes very easy! Make sure that you decide beforehand what you need, so that you can make an informed decision and like me don’t make the mistake of landing up having to buy stroller after stroller as I certainly didn’t do my homework!
This guide will help you to understand what functions each stroller has and you can decide which works best for you! I’d love to hear your thoughts on strollers too, so leave some comments if you think I’ve missed any gems out. I’ve checked out all the latest baby strollers, which I think make the grade, from budget beaters through to excellent investments.
The Best Budget Beater
Graco LiteRider Stroller
Price: US$60 to US$90
Overview: This is great lightweight option that’s really easy to fold and even better it seamlessly fits a Graco infant seat.
Features:
- Suitable for children from 5 to 40 pounds.
- One hand folding.
- Organiser tray perfect to store your stuff.
- 2 built-in cup holders.
- Two options available, the Classic Connect (2-step car seat attachment) and Click Connect (one-step car seat attachment).
- It is 27 x 19 x 39 inches when unfolded.
- It weighs 17 pounds.
- Lockable front swivel wheels with suspension for fantastic manoeuvrability.
- Removable child’s tray which helps you to get baby in and out of the stroller easily.
- There is a stroller harness.
My thoughts:
This isn’t the fanciest stroller out there, if you consider the price, but I still love this budget beater. It’s a great everyday stroller, at a great price that you don’t have to sell the car to buy. The one-handed folding is awesome, which is essential when you have a tiny little person to consider. Your hands are always busy! And, it really is one-handed. It’s smooth and nimble, which is quite something for a stroller in this class. If you need a second stroller then this is a great choice when ease of use is needed and budget is important.
There a couple of things to consider if you’re going with this option. There are only two seat positions which are fully upright or fully reclined. Also there is not a chest harness, so this is something to consider. This is definitely not an off-road option.
The Best Versatile Stroller
Chicco Bravo Stroller
Price: About US$230
Overview: This is a fantastically versatile folder with a brilliantly simple easy-fold mechanism.
Features:
- Suitable for children up to 50 pounds.
- All-wheel suspension and linked rear brakes too, which is very handy.
- Multi-position reclining seat, this is awesome as you don’t just have two positions you can put baby in a position that they’re most comfortable with.
- Brilliant height-adjustable handle so you won’t be hurting your back!
- Easy clean, as you can just wipe the seat with a wet cloth.
- Parent tray with cup holders.
- Large basket, which you can easily get to from both the front and the back.
- Single-handed easy-fold.
- You can remove the seat, to use it as a frame only stroller with the KeyFit seat.
- It is 35.5 x 21.75 x 43 inches when unfolded and 16 x 21.75 x 28 inches when folded.
- It’s slightly heavier than the Graco LiteRider at 23 pounds.
My thoughts:
This stroller is compact and adaptable for most occasions with its super user-friendly recline and fold mechanisms. It is made to work seamlessly with the Chicco KeyFit infant seat as a travel combination called the Bravo Trio. An all in one option. These are sold separately though.
But the stroller alone is awesome. With a baby on your hip, squirming about, the pull-handle couldn’t be easier, massive bonus. Once it’s folded it won’t be falling all over the place as it balances on its own. The seat doesn’t recline fully flat, it does however sit straight upright, which is great for baby and toddlers to take a look at the world around them. I love the fact that the basket is large enough to fit a bag of groceries, and you can easily get to it. There’s nothing worse than struggling to get to your basket with a crying baby around. If your baby is still really little, and you want to use the frame for the infant seat it comes out and it’s really easy to install and reinstall.
There are a couple of things to consider with this stroller. It is a great mid-range option, especially if you’re going to use it as a travel system at first, but it’s not the ultimate in luxury or all-terrain. It does take 2 hands to push. It’s great on smooth surfaces but you won’t be off-roading with this one.
An all-round Winner
Baby Jogger City Mini
Price: US$190 to US$250
Overview: This is another light-weight, award winning stroller that’s compatible with most infant seats, so will last for a while. It’s great on most terrains, so whether you’re in the park or a city slicker, this is a great option and one of my all-round favourites.
Features:
- Suitable for kids from birth up to 50 pounds or 44 inches.
- The seat reclines to a near flat position, giving baby a good sleeping spot.
- Brilliant front-wheel suspension for a super smooth ride.
- Fantastic one-handed folding system that also has a nifty automatic locking system which is great when you can’t fiddle about.
- It can be transformed into a travel system too which is great.
- It weighs only 16.8 pounds.
- When it’s unfolded it is 42 x 24 x 41.5 inches and when folded is 9.25 x 24 x 31 inches.
My thoughts
This is a seriously popular stroller amongst moms and me too. Why? Well it steers and moves about like a dream, on both even and uneven terrain. It comes with a massive SPF 50 sun shade with two peek holes for you to keep an eye out for your precious bundle and to protect those little ones skins. It looks great too. This is actually one of the easiest baby strollers out there to fold while holding a squirmy kid! It’s as simple as pulling the strap to collapse the stroller, which turns into a handle and you’re off. If you want to convert it into a travel system you can use car-seat adaptors, which are compatible with a huge amount of different seats. Also, heaps of cool colours to choose from.
Again a couple of things to watch for, even though it’s called the Baby Jogger, it’s not meant for jogging but as I said, it’s still good on different terrains, just not the jungle. As a travel system it doesn’t feel as sturdy as a four wheel model.
Techie Delight
4Moms Origami
Price: US$850
Overview: If you want all the gadgets, and a wow factor then the 4Moms Origami is a great choice.
Features:
- Minimum weight recommended would be 27 pounds up to 40 pounds.
- Power folding stroller, the first ever. The 4Moms Origami folds at the touch of a button. Simple!
- This is a self-charging stroller, yep you read right! There are generators in the wheel that charge the stroller as you walk along or run. You plug it into a power point only once every week or two. You can even charge your cell phone!
- It’s got daytime running lights which makes sure you’re always seen, and in low light conditions there are lights at the bottom of the stroller that automatically turn on.
- It has an LCD Dashboard which includes a thermometer, a speedometer and trip and lifetime odometers.
- There’s loads of storage space, including cup holders, storage holders as well as a large removable storage bag.
- When unfolded the stroller is 41 x 28 x 39 inches. When folded it’s 38 x 14 x 21 inches.
My thoughts
It’s got some wow features as I mentioned before and kind of looks like a transformer when you’re folding it up with one button, only easier than a transformer. If you’re into techie gear then this is great.
There are a few things to watch out for however, it is only meant for babies from 6 months old, so you might need another stroller initially, or you can get a Graco SnugRide Series car-seat adaptor that costs another US$60. There are some high tech functions here, so there is the possibility of things going wrong, but its other awesome features are worth it.
Active Family Dream
BOB Revolution
Price: US$500
Overview: If you’re active parents then this is just the stroller for you! It handles all terrains like a dream!
Features:
- Suitable for babies from 8 weeks old up to 70 pounds. It can be used from birth if you use the infant car seat adaptor.
- It is 28 pounds in weight.
- 25 x 48 x 33 inches in size.
- Hand activated rear drum brakes to conquer hills and slopes.
- Adjustable padded handlebar is the perfect fit for any height with 9 position options.
- The swivelling front wheel gives you fantastic manoeuvrability. It also locks forward to keep you stable when jogging or if you hit some tough terrain.
- Easy, two-step folding, lightweight frame.
- An absolutely state-of-the-art, adjustable suspension system gives an awesomely smooth ride.
- You can create a complete travel system with their matching infant car and an infant car seat adaptor.
- There’s an accessory adapter which allows you to quickly and easily attach the infant seat adaptor or a snack tray.
- It has got ultra-padding, with an adjustable reclining seat for a comfortable ride. There is also a five-point padded harness which is not only comfortable but secure too.
- There’s a canopy that has loads of different positions with a viewing window so you can keep an eye on your little one.
- High-impact polymer composite wheels with pneumatic tires and tubes take on tough terrain.
- Plenty of undercarriage storage, plus there’s even more space in the seatback pocket as well as the internal seat pockets.
- A simple twist of the front wheel tracking adjustment knob keeps you rolling straight.
- The wrist strap allows you to secure the stroller when strolling and also gives you a handy fold lock when folded.
My thoughts
If you’re an active family, then this is absolutely perfect for you! Also, it’s actually well worth the investment for performance and versatility. This jogger has outperformed every jogger out there! The baby stroller hits the perfect balance between a jogger and an everyday stroller to use. It has been made with the best materials out there, is sturdy and a seriously high quality stroller and takes seconds to open and close. It’s even great for rain and snow!
One thing to watch out for is that if you’re getting it in and out of your boot, it could be a bit big to manage this easily. But a great option for a stroller all-round.
There are my reviews of the best strollers out there, that all offer so much, but for different needs. As I mentioned, think carefully about what you want and choose wisely. Let me know if you think I’ve missed any out that you think make the grade.
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