Strollers are one of the most defining and important purchases for a family with a new baby–and especially so if it is your first child.
Getting the best stroller for you and your family is rewarding and will make your life much easier, but getting the wrong stroller will likely result in a difficult and frustrating experience at best and a change in lifestyle and a reduction in the quality of your outings at worst.
We’ve searched and scoured and have come to the conclusion that there is no “one” perfect stroller because all moms are different. Some of us prefer joggers, others are toting around with twins. Some are on a limited budget, and others are able to spend more. But the good news is, there’s something for everyone!
Best full-sized stroller
Full-sized strollers are pretty much the ideal stroller for the parent and toddler. Strong, rugged, durable, comfortable, with plenty of storage space, these are more the SUVs of strollers. They include the ability to attach toys, tray tables from which your little one can eat or play, cup holders, large storage baskets, fully reclining seats, and so much more. They are easy to fold, too, but are somewhat bulky when folded (compared to umbrella and lightweight strollers).
Although not particularly easy to navigate on crowded sidewalks nor the perfect stroller to take for a 5k run, full-size strollers excel at the non-specific situations where you do not need a specialty stroller, but rather a stroller that provides a luxury solution for both you and your baby.
Our pick for the best full sized stroller goes to the Britax B-Agile 3 Compact Stroller. It’s light weight and maneuverable for almost any kind of everyday use and it will last a while since it can hold up to 55-lbs. of little one!
Britax B-Agile 3 Compact Stroller
The B-Agile 3 is Britax's best-selling, lightest and most easily maneuverable stroller so you have the freedom to get where you need to go.
Specifications:
Weight capacity: For use with children from birth up to 55 lbs
Product Weight: 18 lbs
Open Dimensions 38.5"L x 23"W x 40.5"H
Folded Dimensions: 29"L x 23"W x 11"H
Best bang for the buck
Let’s be honest, strollers are not cheap. But they are an investment into a few years of easier moving around. Having said that, the Baby Jogger Mini GT2 Compact Stroller is useful with a good shelf life – AND easy to store and take along wherever you want to go!
And at under $400 and a weight limit of 65-lbs, it won’t break the bank.
Baby Jogger City Mini GT2 Single Compact Stroller
The Baby Jogger® City Mini® GT2 Stroller provides uncompromising agility on any terrain thanks to forever-air rubber tires that will never go flat and all-wheel suspension. It is enhanced by upgraded fabrics in rich colors that have a soft, textured feel you and baby will love.
Specifications:
Weight capacity: Up to 65 lbs.
Product Weight: 21.4 lbs
Open Dimensions 41"L x 25.7"W x 42.8"H
Folded Dimensions: 13"L x 25.7"W x 32.5"H
Best expandable stroller
What could be better than a stroller that grows with your baby?
A stroller that grows with your FAMILY!
The UPPA Baby Vista V2 is purpose-built for growing families and can accommodate 1-3 children. Leave the multi-stroller system behind in favor of this sleek and versatile stroller that will keep the whole family moving!
UPPAbaby Vista V2 Stroller - Stella
The UPPAbaby Vista V2 Stroller expands to accommodate1-3 children of varying ages and stages. It allows up to 2 infant carseats, 2 bassinets, 2 seats or a combo!
Specifications:
Weight Capacity: Up to 50 lbs.
Product Weight: 27 lbs.
Open Dimensions: 36” L x 25.7” W x 39.5” H
Folded Dimensions: 17.3” L x 25.7” W x 33.3” H
Best travel system
A travel system is the combination of an infant car seat that works with both an infant car seat base for your vehicle and the stroller you use every day. The infant car seat clicks right into the car seat base and the stroller–making it a “click and go” setup that’s easy for mom or dad. The nicest part of a travel system is that you can take the sleeping baby from the car and move them to the stroller without waking them.
It can be more affordable to purchase a car seat and stroller as a travel system, although many brands allow you to “build” your own travel system out of select models (and, sometimes, more than one brand’s infant car seats will work with the same stroller).
Our pick for the best travel system is the Apex Chicco Viaro because it’s affordable, discounted, AND engineered with features that install easily while keeping your baby safe in and out of the car. The carseat itself is a great find because it’s one of the few that have indicators when it’s installed correctly.
Apex Chicco Viaro Travel System
This Apex travel System has an easy click-in attachment for the #1-rated KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat (included!), a sleek 3-wheel design and lightweight frame and free-standing quick fold for easier maneuvering and storage!
Specifications:
Weight Capacity:
Carseat: 4-30lbs
Stroller: up to 50lbs
Product Weight:
Carseat: 7-9 lbs
Stroller: 18 lbs
Open Dimensions: 38" L x 25.5" W x 41.25" H
Folded Dimensions:13.5" L x 25.5" W x 33.25" H
Best for multiples
Double strollers and tandem strollers allow you to transport two children in cozy comfort. The biggest difference is simply that double strollers are side-by-side where in a tandem stroller, the children sit one-in-front-of-another. Thus, tandem strollers are a little easier to navigate through malls and crowded sidewalks. They also tend to fold up a bit more compactly than double strollers, so if limited trunk space is to be considered, perhaps the tandem is for you. On the other hand, double strollers don’t sacrifice quality for convenience. Tandem strollers usually have a weight-limit requirement for one seat vs. the other. With double strollers, both seats have a high weight limit (much better for twins!).
If twins are in your present or future, you need a stroller that comfortably fit both kids while being easy to push around. The Cybex Gazelle double stroller does just that. Oh, it also has an EXTRA basket that can handle another 22-lbs!
Cybex Gazelle S Double Stroller
The CYBEX Gazelle S is a superb stroller including a removable shopping basket with an impressive additional carrying capacity of 22 lbs. Adapting to the changing needs of your family, the Gazelle S can easily convert from a single to a double stroller without additional adapters.
Specifications:
Weight Capacity: up to 50lbs/seat
Product Weight: 27.7 lbs
Open Dimensions:41.3" L x 25.4" W x 43.1" H
Closed Dimensions: 32.5" L x 25.4" W x 12" H
Best light weight/compact stroller
he next step up from umbrella strollers is the lightweight stroller. While they don’t fold down into the umbrella pattern, they are typically a mix of full-size strollers and umbrella strollers in that they hold more storage and offer more sturdiness than an umbrella stroller but are lightweight and easy-to-manage like umbrella strollers. (Full-size strollers aren’t difficult to manage, but are larger and heavier than lightweight strollers, which can make them a little more tiring to push and more complicated to travel with).
Whether the lightweight stroller is right for you is a personal decision. Some families like the size and options that come with full-size strollers but also have an umbrella stroller for those rare occasions that they’d rather have a small stroller than the storage and ruggedness of a full-size. Others who constantly travel city streets and small spaces want a smaller stroller as their main stroller but don’t want to go with an umbrella stroller, as they typically have less storage space, no cup holders, etc. So for those in places like NYC or Chicago, a lightweight stroller might be the perfect choice.
Some lightweights also work with infant car seats. If yours does not, lightweight strollers will come into the picture for your little one around the age of six months.
The UPPAbaby Minu Compact stroller is a little bulkier than an umbrella stroller, but still very compact and lightweight.
UPPAbaby Minu Compact Stroller
Designed for your daily adventures and exciting excursions, the MINU offers modern conveniences in a portable, lightweight stroller. Go where you want, how you want – there’s nothing extra holding you back.
Specifications:
Weight Capacity: 3 months to 55 lbs.
Product Weight: 14.8 lbs
Open Dimensions: 35.5″ L x 20.5″W x 41″H
Folded Dimensions: 11.5” L x 20.5” W x 23” H
Best wagon
We wouldn’t necessarily call this a stroller – but it’s a wagon with seats, so it still counts!
For picnic days, moving around the airport or zoo, or any of your various excursions, the WonderFold is a must-have.
WonderFold W4 Luxe (W4S 2.0) Multifunctional Quad (4 Seater) Stroller Wagon
For the family - this 4-seat stroller wagon is perfect for mobile adventures. It has magnetic harnesses, reclining seats and plenty of storage on its own, with add-ons available!
Specifications:
- Weight Capacity: up to 300 lbs.
- Product Weight: 58 lbs
- Open Dimensions: 33" L x 21" W x 19" D
- Folded Dimensions: 20" L x 29" W x 44.5" H
Best jogging stroller
Jogging strollers are great for parents passionate about the outdoors and/or exercise. And just because you are now a mom or dad doesn’t mean that you need to give up what you love to do.
Jogging strollers are much more suited for (you guessed it) running/jogging/and exercising. They have larger wheels, stronger suspension, and are rugged as can be. They’re designed for both paths in parks and, many times, extremely rugged off-road adventures. They are not, however, ideal as a replacement for a full-size stroller. Although they excel at adventure, they don’t always provide what you would need in amenities to enjoy a week walking around Disneyland.
Jogging strollers also often include several standard features that are usually unavailable or require additional accessories on a lightweight or full-size stroller, such as a hand-braking system (like a car), a fixed front wheel (for maneuverability), air-filled tires, sun shields to prevent sunburn, and other features for those daily runs through the park.
If you enjoy running, exercise, and adventure, get a jogging stroller and then get out, run, explore, and see the world as you share your love of physical activity with your child.
BOB Revolution Flex 3.0 Single Jogging Stroller
With the BOB Revolution Flex 3.0, you can say yes to any type of outing—whether prepping for a 10K or heading to the zoo. Mountain-bike-style suspension keeps you running smoothly from sidewalk to hiking trail and six storage pockets make room for more gear
Specifications:
Weight Capacity: 8 weeks to 75 lbs
Product Weight: 28.5 lbs
Open Dimensions: 24.5" W x 34.5-48" H
Folded Dimensions:39" L x 24.5" W x 16" H
Looking for something different?
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