Buying guide
How to choose a pushchair for your baby
Start from your building’s stairs, your boot and your pavements, not from the model. Five questions that narrow the choice and four pushchairs at different budgets.
In short
- Choose first by your everyday life (stairs, lift, boot, type of road) and only then by brand.
- A newborn needs a flat surface to sleep on – a carrycot or a seat that reclines fully.
- A “3 in 1” is convenient, but the car seat in the package is worth checking separately, as a car seat.
- Weight and how it folds matter more than any accessory.
The pushchair is usually the biggest purchase before the birth and the one most often got wrong. Not because there are “bad” pushchairs, but because the same model is perfect for a family with a house and a yard and a torment for one on the third floor with no lift. That is why this guide does not start with models, but with questions.
Five questions before you look at models
1. Where does the pushchair live and how does it get there?
If you carry it up the stairs daily, every kilogram counts, and a pushchair that folds with one hand and can be carried on the shoulder is worth more than one with big wheels. If you have a lift, measure it: some old lifts in blocks of flats have doors narrower than the chassis of a classic pushchair. If you leave it in the stairwell or in the car, weight comes second.
2. What kind of road do you walk most often?
Good pavements and the mall: almost any pushchair copes, and small wheels mean a more compact fold. Broken paving, kerbs, a park with gravel, a country road: you need big wheels, suspension and a rigid chassis. Small wheels get stuck in gravel, and you push twice as hard.
3. Does it fit in the boot – together with everything else?
Measure the boot and compare with the folded dimensions in the manufacturer’s data sheet. Keep in mind that the boot also takes shopping, and luggage on a long trip. A pushchair that takes up the whole boot is a problem you only discover on your first holiday.
4. From when do you use it?
The European standard for pushchairs, EN 1888, requires the manufacturer to state from what age and up to what weight the product can be used. For a newborn, the usual recommendation is a flat, firm surface: a carrycot or a sport seat that reclines fully. A car seat attached to the chassis is practical for short trips, but is not designed as a sleeping place for long walks.
5. How long do you want to use it?
Most pushchairs today are rated up to 22 kg, that is, roughly up to 4 years. In practice, many parents move on at around one year – one and a half years with a lighter pushchair. If you know from the start that you will do that, there is no point paying for the best-equipped “3 in 1”.
Types of pushchair, in plain words
| Type | What it means | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| 2 in 1 | Chassis + carrycot + sport seat | You want a real carrycot in the first months |
| 3 in 1 | 2 in 1 + car seat that attaches to the chassis | You drive often and want a single package |
| Sport with fully reclining backrest | A single seat, used from birth | Affordable budget or little space |
| Compact (travel) | Light, very small fold | Stairs, public transport, aeroplane |
| Three-wheeler (jogging) | Big, air-filled wheels | Rough terrain, running |
| Double (side by side or tandem) | Two seats for two children | Twins or siblings close in age |
If you are expecting twins or already have a small child, we looked at the differences between tandem and side-by-side models in the guide to pushchairs for twins.
What really matters in the data sheet
- Weight of the chassis with the sport seat. Under 8 kg is light, between 9 and 12 kg is normal, over 13 kg starts to be felt at every kerb.
- The fold. With one hand or two? Does it stand up on its own when folded? Does it fold with the seat fitted in both directions?
- Reversible seat. Facing you in the first months, facing the road later. Compact ones almost always lack it.
- Shopping basket. Check the stated maximum load, not just how big it looks.
- Brake and handle. A brake that is easy to operate in sandals and a handle with adjustable height, if the two parents are of different heights.
- Covers. Removable and washable – you will need that.
Four pushchairs, at different budgets
We have not tested these pushchairs ourselves. We chose them based on the specifications declared by the manufacturers and the criteria above, as good examples for four different situations. Always check the exact version and what the package contains.
Joie Litetrax
Budget-friendlyWho it suits: families who want a single simple pushchair, from birth, for city pavements, without investing in a whole system.
The Litetrax is the kind of pushchair that does few things but does them without a headache. It has no carrycot in the package (an optional one exists), so in the first months your baby sits in the reclined seat. It is a reasonable choice if the budget goes more towards the car seat.
Pros
- Folds with one hand, by pulling a strap on the seat
- Backrest that reclines for a newborn, according to the manufacturer
- Roomy basket and a parent tray at the handle
- Accepts Joie car seats, with adapters
Cons
- The seat is not reversible: your child always faces the road
- The wheels are designed for tarmac, not gravel
- Folded it stays quite long; measure the boot
Cybex Balios S Lux
Mid-rangeWho it suits: families who want an “everyday” pushchair for a city with imperfect pavements, with a reversible seat and the option of a carrycot and car seat.
The Balios S Lux is the benchmark of the mid-range: robust enough for kerbs and the park, manoeuvrable enough for the shop. If you have a lift and a normal boot, it is the kind of pushchair you use from birth until you stop using a pushchair.
Pros
- Reversible seat, with a fully reclining backrest
- Big wheels and suspension on all wheels, good on uneven paving
- Folds with the seat fitted and stands up on its own
- Compatible with Cybex carrycots and car seats
Cons
- Hard to carry on stairs: it is a pushchair of over 12 kg
- Takes up a lot of room in small boots
- The carrycot is usually bought separately or in a package
Bugaboo Butterfly
PremiumWho it suits: parents who climb stairs, take the metro or travel often and want a very compact but comfortable pushchair.
The Butterfly is not a first pushchair for everybody, but it is an excellent second pushchair – or the only one, if in the first months you carry your baby in an ergonomic carrier. We wrote more about compact ones in the recommendations for a walk-up flat.
Pros
- Very quick one-handed fold, into a small package
- Light (around 7 kg), with a shoulder strap
- Large basket for a compact pushchair
- High backrest, usable up to 22 kg according to the manufacturer
Cons
- The seat is stated from 6 months; for a newborn you need another solution
- Not reversible
- Small wheels: you feel it on gravel and broken paving
Bugaboo Fox 5
PremiumWho it suits: families who walk a lot, on any kind of road, and want a single complete pushchair, from carrycot up to 4 years.
The Fox 5 is the choice for those who make walking their main means of transport. The difference from the mid-range is felt mostly on bad terrain and after a few years of use, not in the first weeks.
Pros
- Big wheels and suspension on all wheels, for varied terrain
- Carrycot and sport seat on the same chassis
- Reversible seat, adjustable handle
- Pushes easily with one hand, thanks to the rigid chassis
Cons
- It costs a lot, and the accessories add up
- Bulky when folded; not for small boots
- On stairs it is hard for one person to carry
Our recommendation
If we had to boil everything down to a single rule: buy the pushchair for the hardest part of your day, not the prettiest. If the hard part is the stairs, get a compact one and cover the first months with an attachable carrycot or a baby carrier. If the hard part is the road, get big wheels and accept the weight.
For most families in the city, with a lift and a compact-class car, a mid-range pushchair with a reversible seat and big wheels – like the Cybex Balios S Lux – covers the first three years best. On an affordable budget, a fully reclining sport pushchair like the Joie Litetrax, plus the money put into a good car seat, is a wiser split than a cheap 3 in 1.
Next step: choose the car seat and tick off the rest of the newborn checklist.
Frequently asked questions
From what age can a pushchair be used for a baby?
A newborn needs a flat, firm surface – either a carrycot or a sport seat with a fully reclining backrest approved from birth (under EN 1888). A car seat fitted on the chassis is practical only for short trips.
Is a 3 in 1 pushchair worth buying, or is it better to buy the parts separately?
The 3 in 1 package is convenient, but the included car seat must be checked carefully as a car seat (R129 approval, fit with your car). It is often wiser to buy a 2 in 1 pushchair and an approved car seat separately, with adapters.
What weight is acceptable for a pushchair if you live in a flat with no lift?
If you climb stairs daily, choose a compact pushchair of 6–8 kg at most, which folds quickly with one hand and can be carried on your shoulder. For a city pushchair with a lift, 9–12 kg is the normal weight.
Think it could help someone else?
Send the guide to your partner or to a friend who is expecting a baby.