Babylist Gear Editor Picks: Strollers

When someone asks me what stroller they should buy, what I always ask back is where they live (city, suburbs, etc.) and what their lifestyle is like. When it comes to strollers, what works for one family may be a terrible choice for another…that is, unless you’re talking about the City Mini.

The City Mini GT2 is one of the few strollers that I can say with certainty will work well for almost any family. It’s great for babies and older kiddos but it isn’t overly cumbersome and easily fits through narrow doorways. It’s affordable, especially considering all of the high-end features that are included. It’s easy to maneuver and has forever air rubber tires and a good suspension system that makes it ideal for both city or suburban streets. And the fold—it’s what stroller dreams are made of. With an swift pull of the strap, the GT2 folds itself quickly and easily. While other strollers may claim a one-handed fold, the City Mini genuinely delivers. It’s a standout feature that truly can’t be beat.

Sometimes it’s the little details that really matter when you’re evaluating a stroller. This Mixx Next is packed with so many smart, thoughtful and innovative features that it’s a no-brainer to give it a spot on my favorites list.

First things first, though—the biggies. The Next features a smooth ride (thanks to a great suspension system), high-end fabrics, a full recline, great undercarriage storage and oversized foam-filled tires that easily tackle all types of terrain. It’s a breeze to push and steer and will take you from the newborn days all the way through until your kiddo is 50 pounds or so.

And then there’s the attention to detail, what I really love about this stroller. The harness buckle is magnetic and self-guided, which means it snaps together easily and pops apart with one hand (this is clutch!). There’s a huge canopy that makes naptime on the go much easier—and much more likely—and a modular seat that parent-faces and forward-faces. The seat fabric has two modes, one with standard padding and one that’s completely mesh to keep your little one cool in the stroller when the temps rise. And the stroller’s fold is one of the best and most compact for strollers its size. It’s really easy to break down and the axle folds away which means the Next will take up a lot less space than many competitors.

You may recognize the Thule brand for products like roof racks and cargo carriers, but did you know they make strollers, too? They do, they’re awesome, and the Spring is one of my favorites for a few reasons.

There are three things I love about this sleek stroller: the weight, the size and the maneuverability. The Spring clocks in at a little over 20 pounds, making it easy to pick up, take in and out of your car or even travel with. It’s also really compact—30% smaller than traditional three-wheel strollers, to be exact—both when it’s open and especially when folded. Why is this a big deal? It makes the Spring easy to maneuver in all types of spaces, from store aisles to crowded sidewalks. It also makes it a dream to store. The one-handed fold is super easy, and the stroller’s wheels fold in on themselves, creating a compact, self-standing stroller that’s easy to stash away in a trunk, a hallway or just about anywhere else.

This stroller’s compact size doesn’t take away from its functionality—there’s still great storage, and the stroller works for kids up to 64 pounds, a really high weight limit. The suspension is impressive and the Spring is easy to push, steer and turn. It’s also compatible with a wide selection of top rated infant car seats so you’ll be able to use it from birth.

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• Out of Bugaboo’s line of single strollers, the Fox3 is my fave. It’s pricey, but it’s well made, comes with a bassinet, lightweight for a full-size stroller (about 20 pounds) and features a great suspension system.
• You may know UPPAbaby for their popular Vista model (more on that below), but don’t discount their more streamlined single stroller, the Cruz V2. The incredibly smooth ride, massive storage basket, telescoping handlebar and modular seat are just a few of my favorite things about this stroller. It’s a perfect choice if you’re looking for something a bit smaller than the Vista that doesn’t convert to a double stroller.

I. Love. This. Stroller. Now I’m probably a bit biased as the Vista was my stroller of choice day in and day out for almost four years, but I promise you, this stroller does not disappoint.

UPPAbaby’s Vista is a true workhorse. (A luxury workhorse, yes, but a workhorse nonetheless.) There are so many things to love about it that it’s tough to pick just a few, but here goes. The Vista is incredibly well-made and unbelievably durable. It handles bumpy streets, curbs, stairs and even snow with ease—and the suspension system is so great that your little one will hardly feel a thing. The under basket storage can hold a ton, including a huge grocery haul, a big plus for city families who rely on their stroller as their main form of transport. Well thought-out features like a reversible seat, a telescoping handlebar, a full recline, a bassinet and an extended canopy all make a day out with your baby or toddler that much easier. And the stroller grows with your family. It can handle up to three (yes, three) kids with the addition of a toddler seat and a ride-along board. Swoon.

Although my love for the Vista knows no bounds, there is one thing I don’t love about it: the price tag. That’s why I was so excited when the direct-to-consumer Mockingbird stroller first launched and even more excited when they released their Single-to-Double model in 2020.

At almost one third of the cost, the Mockingbird Single-to-Double gives the UPPAbaby Vista V2 a real run for its money. To learn how these two popular convertible strollers really stack up, you can check out my head-to-head comparison, but suffice it to say the Mockingbird is a solid option if you love the idea of the V2 but don’t love the cost. It’s a similar weight and size, holds up to two kiddos (with the option of a ride-along board coming soon), maneuvers really well and boasts lots of great features like an adjustable handlebar, a large, waterproof extendable canopy, the ability to add bassinets or infant car seats, an extra-large storage basket, a standing fold and more.

While there are some discrepancies between the two (there are a few seating configurations the Mockingbird can’t do that the Vista can, for example, and the suspension on the Mockingbird is good but not quite as good as the V2), there are also aspects of the Mockingbird that win out (it accepts a wider variety of the best car seat brands than the Vista, and it folds with one hand rather than two). And then of course there’s the elephant in the room: the price. It’s a phenomenal deal all around and easily nabs a spot on my favorites list.

I love a stroller that (brilliantly) solves for a common problem that so many parents face on the daily. In this case the problem is trying to lug around two young kiddos at once—a younger one who needs to ride in a stroller and an older one who thinks they don’t but…is wrong. The solution? The Joovy Caboose.

As its name implies, the Caboose is an in-line stroller built for two. It has a ton of different configurations, but the one I love the most lets a younger baby sit up front (either in a car seat or in the stroller seat) while the older sibling rides in the back either standing or in a bench seat.

Why is this a big deal? In my experience, lots of older toddlers put up a big fight over riding in a stroller. But since the idea of your three-year-old wandering free around the zoo probably doesn’t sound like a fun day out to you, you need a way to convince them to ride along that also allows them some freedom. And Joovy’s bench seat does just that. Most kids get a big kick out of it and happily jump right in to go along for the ride. It keeps them safe and happy while keeping you sane—a true win-win.

I know, I know—the price tag on this one is tough to take. But stick with me.

Finding the “perfect” double stroller is no easy feat. In-lines can be hard to push and steer, while side-by-sides can be too wide to fit through many doorways and too cumbersome to maneuver easily. The Donkey overcomes all of these obstacles (and more) with incredible ease. If you’re willing to splurge, it’s the most perfect double stroller I’ve ever encountered.

The Donkey is an absolute dream to push, even one-handed. It’s so narrow and easy to maneuver that you’ll almost forget you’re hauling around two heavy kids (each seat can hold up to 50 pounds) and all of their stuff. There are 17 different configurations, including two bassinets, two infant car seats, a bassinet + toddler seat and lots more, that allow you to customize the seating in whatever way works best for your family. You can even use the stroller as a single alongside a side-luggage basket that holds up to 22 pounds. And speaking of customization, you can choose your own chassis color and your own base fabric colors, a fun extra. This stroller is truly designed to last forever and will come along on any adventure you and your family can dream up.

HONORABLE MENTION

• I couldn’t let the convertible and double stroller category wrap up without a mention of another amazing pick, Baby Jogger’s City Mini GT2 Double. It features the same (amazing) fold as its single stroller counterpart, awesome maneuverability and a very affordable price point for the quality.
• For a lighter weight double (that’s also really affordable), I love the Zoe Twin+. It weighs in at only 19 pounds and features a quick, compact fold. It’s also Disney-approved.

There are lots of pros to buying a travel system, two of which are convenience and cost savings. (Both pretty significant things.) The Modes makes my favorites list because it combines one of Graco’s most popular strollers with their bestselling SnugRide 35 Lite Elite infant car seat.

This travel system works as an infant car seat carrier (you can click the car seat directly into the stroller frame), a built-in bassinet and a toddler stroller. The seat is modular, meaning it can parent- or forward-face, and you can also adjust the height on the seat in any mode, a really unique feature that I like.

And then there’s the price. Although the stroller wheels are plastic, which means it won’t tackle uneven terrain all that well or hop curbs easily, the whole system comes in at about $400. Considering the features included and the quality, it’s pretty impressive. It’s an affordable travel system that garners lots of positive reviews from Babylist parents for good reason.

Looking for even more affordability in a travel system? Evenflo’s Pivot Travel System is my hands-down favorite because it offers so much for so little.

The Pivot boasts features I expect from much pricier strollers, like six different riding configurations (including the option to turn the regular seat into a newborn bassinet), a large canopy, a modular seat and a removable snack and drink tray. The storage basket is large and the stroller’s ride is smooth, especially considering the price point.

And then there’s my favorite thing: the car seat. The Safemax is an infant car seat that far exceeds industry standards. The base is made of impact-absorbing materials and has an anti-rebound bar to deflect the force of a crash, along with lots more impressive safety features. It’s the icing on the cake in this already-impressive travel system.

There’s a reason the Chicco Bravo Trio is one of the best selling travel system among Babylist users. It’s a great combination of features, price and performance and another travel system I regularly recommend for any parent who’s in the market for one.

There are a few standout features that I always point out when mentioning this popular travel system. First off, the car seat—it’s super easy to install and features a bubble level to let you know if it’s properly positioned (or not). The stroller also has a removable seat, meaning it can go from a lightweight skeleton frame that can carry your infant car seat to a full-featured stroller for bigger kids when you add the seat back on.

Other pluses: a parent tray with cup holders included, a height-adjustable handle, and a self-standing fold that you can do with one hand. Like the Modes travel system, some parents do complain that this travel system isn’t the most robust. But again, for the price, it’s a pretty amazing deal, and a solid option if you don’t want to break the bank on a stroller + car seat combo.

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• If you’re a Nuna-loving family who doesn’t own a car and uses rideshares or rental cars frequently (city folks, I’m looking at you), you’re going to love the brand’s new urbn infant car seat. (You can add it to the MIXX, the TRIV and the TRVL strollers to make a travel system.) The urbn is the only baseless infant car seat on the market. It uses a rigid latch that’s built right into the seat itself to attach to a vehicle in about two seconds, and the whole seat weighs about seven pounds. It’s a huge deal in the car seat world and I can’t wait for this type of technology to become more common across the board.

Travel strollers have become one of my favorite categories of baby gear over the last few years. They’ve come so far; features you used to find only on a full-size stroller are now available in a much smaller package, small enough that they can fold up to fit in the overhead bin of an airplane or be tucked under a seat. A good travel stroller can make getting out with your little one a whole lot easier and I am always a big fan of anything that helps accomplish that.

The Aer+ tops my list of favorites when it comes to travel strollers. It does come at a price, but it’s truly worth every penny. The push is ultra easy, and it turns and maneuvers just as well as some larger strollers that cost over a thousand bucks. (This is thanks to built-in four-wheel suspension, a really big deal on a stroller of this size and weight.) The seat is ridiculously soft and comfy and there’s a storage basket that actually fits what you need rather than one that can hold only one or two small items as is the case with many other compact stroller models. There’s a one-handed fold (a must in my book for any stroller you’re considering for travel) and you can even click in an infant car seat with the addition of adapters to make the Aer+ work for even the youngest of riders.

I’m a big fan of the Aer+ both for travel and everyday use and find myself recommending it over and over again to parents and families on the go.

For all the Bugaboo fans out there (myself included, of course), I couldn’t not mention the Butterfly, the brand’s new entry into the lightweight stroller market. While the Aer has my number one spot, the Butterfly is a very, very close second. It’s an amazing compact stroller that you can use for travel, errands or even on the regular if you don’t need to lug around a ton of stuff.

Like any good travel stroller, the fold on the Butterfly is super quick and super easy, and you can do it one-handed. It checks all of my other must-have travel stroller boxes, too: extremely compact when broken down, shoulder strap for easy carrying, a not-too-tiny basket, a reclining seat and solid suspension. I also absolutely love that there’s an adjustable footrest; it’s a feature that’s not found on many travel strollers (including the Aer), and it makes a big difference comfort-wise for lots of kids.

The Butterfly accommodates a few different infant car seats with the addition of separate adapters, and you’ll be able to us it until your little one reaches 50 pounds.

My top two lightweight stroller picks are expensive. This favorite will cost you a bit less (yay!) but packs just as much awesomeness as the others (double yay!). Colugo, a direct-to-consumer brand, makes its way to the top of my list for a few reasons.

The Colugo is my ideal mix of form, function and price. I love the design and the out-of-the-box fabrics and limited edition colors and I think the price point is more than fair considering the stroller’s quality. Functionality is really where this stroller shines, though. It pushes well and features a full seat recline, good storage, a machine washable seat and an extended canopy. And the fold…oh, the fold! It collapses with one hand down to a small rectangle (17” x 24” x 10”, to be exact) that weighs only 16 pounds and includes a built-in carry strap. I love that it’s compact enough to work as a travel stroller but substantial enough to function as an everyday stroller too. And that leopard print is pretty awesome, in case you were curious.

One more to round out the list: an umbrella stroller. Umbrella strollers used to dominate the travel/lightweight stroller category, but have since started to be replaced by compact strollers thanks to their smaller, more convenient fold. If you don’t mind the umbrella fold, though, the Summer 3D Lite is the best of the best and comes in at a really affordable price point.

Things I love about this stroller, in no particular order: the weight (13 pounds!), the fold (pretty easy for an umbrella, and pretty compact too) and the value (under $100!). Combine all three of these features and it’s pretty easy to see why this one makes my list. The two other standouts are the storage basket, which is a decent size for an umbrella stroller, and that the seat lays nearly flat, making naps on the go a little more likely.

HONORABLE MENTION

• The Nuna x Babylist TRVL Easy Fold Compact Stroller & Carry Bag is not only a cool collab—it’s a really awesome travel stroller (in an exclusive pine colorway). The TRVL weighs a little over 13 pounds and has all the features I love in a travel stroller, including a quick, easy and compact fold, one-handed steering and front- and rear-wheel suspension.
• A total one-of-a-kind, the Doona is a hybrid that transforms from an infant car seat to a stroller with the click of a button. It’s amazing for cutting down on the amount of gear you’re lugging around when traveling, but just as great for city dwellers who are using ride shares or rental cars. Things I don’t love about, though: there’s zero storage, the handle is fairly low and tougher to push if you’re tall most babies grow out of it before they hit one year old.
• UPPAbaby’s Minu is not only a great travel/lightweight stroller option but a good everyday choice, too. There’s solid shock-absorbing suspension, a roomy storage basket and a one-handed fold that also features a carry strap for easy portability. You can also add a kit to use the stroller with your newborn.
• Last but definitely not least, it’s worth showing some love for the Babyzen YOYO2 6+ Stroller. It’s ridiculously lightweight (13 pounds), super compact when folded and can be configured for a newborn all the way through the toddler years. It also comes in lots of fun colorways.

A jogging stroller is an investment, but one I think is well worth it as it makes incorporating exercise into your routine a lot easier since you can bring baby along for the ride. And you can’t talk about jogging strollers without talking about BOB.

Going strong for five decades and counting, BOB strollers are a favorite among parents on the move. They’re ultra durable, include a ton of thoughtful features and boast incredible suspension for a smooth ride no matter the terrain. The Revo Flex features all of these things and more. The giant wheels and suspension system are the best of the best. The adjustable handlebar is also clutch. It has nine different positions, so parents or caregivers of different heights can all run with the stroller comfortably. The basket can easily hold all the gear you need when you’re running with your baby (think snacks, toys, etc.) and there’s a near-flat reclining, ventilated seat. If running is a big part of your life, this stroller is a must-have.

A newer favorite on the jogging stroller scene, I’ve been so impressed with the Thule Urban Glide 2 since its release a few years back. (And so have lots of other running parents.)

This stroller is sleek, adaptable and nimble enough to navigate urban settings or take offroad. In addition to its streamlined design, my other favorite feature is the fold. It’s one-handed and more compact than the BOB, a feat that’s tough to accomplish in a large jogging stroller.

Like the BOB, the Urban Glide features oversized rear wheels and all-wheel suspension so you’re guaranteed a smooth ride whether you’re running over rough terrain or just taking a walk down a bumpy sidewalk. I like the twist-break on the handlebar, which makes it easier to stay in control of the stroller’s direction especially when you’re running downhill, as well as the ease of maneuverability.

Yes, Roam is a jogging stroller, but it’s so much more than that. A true hybrid, this innovative stroller can be used as a jogger or, with the simple turn of a dial, as a traditional stroller. I love how easy it is to switch between the two modes and how it eliminates the need for a separate jogger.

The other thing I love about the Roam is the size. Jogging strollers are amazing, but there’s no getting around the fact that they’re enormous. (And heavy. And bulky. And almost impossible to fit in a car trunk.) The Roam solves for this disadvantage beautifully. It’s about 50% smaller than traditional joggers, so folding, storing and carrying it is a lot more effortless than doing the same with a Bob or Thule jogger. And thankfully the compact frame doesn’t impact function or storage. The Roam provides a cushy, supportive ride, even over uneven terrain, and the storage basket can hold a ton.

One more unique feature that’s worth noting: the directions (with pictures!) for folding the Roam are on a label located at the top of the stroller’s canopy. So even when you’re running on a few hours of sleep, or haven’t used the stroller in a while, or simply forgot how to fold it (because, hi, parenting is hard), it’s right there for you to easily access every single time. Seriously genius.

HONORABLE MENTION

• Looking for a great jogging stroller that’s also eco-friendly? Check out Bumbleride’s Indie All Terrain jogger. It features all the things to love in a high-quality jogger—solid suspension, a lightweight(ish) frame, a one-step fold—and is made from eco fabric and recycled plastic.