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Best Overall Stroller
Baby Jogger GT2 City Mini
Best City Stroller
Thule Shine Stroller
Best to Fold and Carry
Nuna TRVL
Best Lightweight Stroller for the Money
Zoe Tour
When I started shopping for a stroller, I purchased the cheapest one that worked with my car seat and called it a day. To no one’s surprise, that stroller was terrible. Both my child and I hated using it.
A good stroller goes a long way for you and your little one’s enjoyment while going for a walk, running errands, or just lugging them from one location to the next. When your kid is small, safely using a stroller requires car seat adapters or the right bassinet-style attachment. Then, they get bigger, and so does all the stuff you have to carry around. But if the wheels don’t work or something breaks? I don’t know about you, but I’m going home.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the options and scared off by the sticker shock. After a bad experience with a cheap stroller, I’m here to tell you it’s worth investing in a great one. After months of testing by two different parents, these 11 strollers are all fantastic and cover a wide range of styles and budgets. If you aren’t sure what type of stroller you need, get our tips over on How to Shop for a Stroller. And don’t miss our other parenting guides on baby carriers, baby monitors, and our favorite baby gear.
Updated April 2024: We’ve added new double stroller, wagon, and jogging stroller picks, plus a new honorable mention. There’s also a new section on how we test strollers and how to choose one.
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Photograph: Nena Farrell
Best Overall Stroller
Baby Jogger GT2 City Mini
Baby Jogger combines the best of city and jogging strollers to create the GT2 City Mini. It has the suspension of a jogger, but still folds down easily with one hand, is fairly flat, and has small wheels that make it much more convenient to store. Even though Jogger is in the name, it’s not made for jogging–that’s just the brand name, not the stroller type.
The GT2 City Mini comes with an adapter that works with a handful of major car seat brands, such as Graco and Chicco, for use with an infant. Many stroller brands will make you purchase an adapter to work with other car seats, so it’s nice that this one comes with it, and there are other adapters you can buy if you have a car seat that isn’t compatible with the included one. Without the infant adapter, the stroller only faces outward. It doesn’t stand up while folded, but it folds nearly flat and has such small wheels that I could lean it against wall by my entryway table and genuinely barely notice it, which is not the case with most other strollers I tested (including some compact ones!)
Overall, this full-size stroller is a smooth ride, with great maneuverability and beautiful fabric, too. The only thing missing is an option to face inward, but instead your kiddo can stay in the car seat until they’re ready to face the great big world.
Infant car seat adapter (included). Weight limit: 65 pounds.
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Photograph: Nena Farrell
Best City Stroller
Thule Shine Stroller
This full-size stroller does it all, particularly for that first year of your baby’s life. The Thule Shine (9/10, WIRED Recommends) works with both an infant car seat adapter and a bassinet attachment (both the adapter and bassinet are sold separately, though), making it a nice modular stroller or full travel system that can grow with your child. The default seat also faces both inward and outward. It’s not cheap, but it’s priced a little better than other popular strollers with similar features. The small wheels still provide a smooth ride and can handle your regular bumps better than lightweight strollers can.
The Shine’s handle has four adjustable heights, which is fantastic if your household has a lot of heights (and even with only a few inches between us, my husband and I both had different handle height preferences). It has a slim profile that feels comfortable on busy sidewalks and store aisles. I also love how low the canopy can go to shade my little one’s eyes when we take late afternoon walks. The stroller folds pretty easily too—just make sure you do all the steps (folding the front down, then activating the handlebar release) in the right order. I will say it doesn’t fold quite as small as I’d like, and it was a pain to fit into a smaller sedan trunk, but it still had a nice enough fold for daily use. I also wish it came with a cup holder, but you can buy both a cup holder ($25) and a snack tray ($41) as separate, attachable stroller accessories.
Infant bassinet attachment (sold separately), infant car seat attachment (sold separately). Weight limit: 49 pounds.
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Photograph: Nena Farrell
Best to Fold and Carry
Nuna TRVL
I live in an apartment building that has a small staircase right before the path to my door, which means I need to break down my stroller in the parking lot before lugging it, and my baby, inside. So many strollers require me to fold the stroller flat and then lean all the way down to grab it again, while balancing my baby and a diaper bag. Not this stroller. The Nuna TRVL is a lightweight stroller (also known as a compact stroller or umbrella stroller) that basically folds itself after I hit the buttons on the handle. Once it’s folded, it has a bar that sticks straight up so I can grab it and start walking down the stairs without bending over. It sounds lazy, but after a day of bending over to pick up my child and everything he throws on the ground, it’s a relief to not have to bend and lift a larger item while balancing my son at the same time.
The stroller is lightweight and super easy to carry while also carrying a kid. It has a large lower pocket that fits a large diaper bag backpack and a couple water bottles while walking around Legoland or the zoo. (It doesn’t have room for more than that, though, if you plan to shop.) It also comes with a travel bag to place it in, so you can bring it on a plane. It’s pricier than other travel strollers that have just as many features, but I love it now that my kid faces forward, and he looks the most comfortable lounging in this soft stroller. It’s not as full-featured as something like the Thule Shine, and doesn’t have storage extras like the Joovy Kooper or Zoe Tour, but I love the easy fold and standing feature so much that I come back to it every day.
Compatible with Nuna’s car seats only. Weight limit: 50 pounds.
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Photograph: Zoe
Best Lightweight Stroller for the Money
Zoe Tour
Looking at the Zoe Tour stroller next to the Nuna TRVL stroller, it’s hard to tell the difference right away. These compact strollers have similar-looking materials, designs, and colorways. But the Tour is almost half the price of the TRVL, and comes with stroller accessories that allow for more storage, including a removable parent organizer and kid snack compartments you can install instead of the stroller grab bar.
The Zoe Tour isn’t quite as easy to fold and won’t stand up on its own like the TRVL will, and the material feels a little cheaper. It was also easy for my son to dislodge the canopy from the stroller when he got annoyed with it. But for half the price, it’s a pretty great travel stroller with just as much class as the TRVL. It also comes with cup holders for both parent and baby that you can attach onto the stroller (the baby ones would replace the belly bar).
Zoe also makes a double stroller, the Twin v2 ($529), which looks very similar to the Tour. I haven’t tested it yet since I only have one child, but I like that it’s still compatible with infant car seats.
Infant car seat adapter (sold separately). Weight limit: 45 pounds.
★ An alternative: The Joovy Kooper ($200) is the same price and has a similar non-stand fold, but comes with a full tray for your kiddo if you’re looking for something with more kid storage. It also has a higher weight limit of 55 pounds.
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Photograph: Doona
Best for Newborns
Doona Car Seat & Stroller
I remember looking at the Doona while I was pregnant, seeing the price tag, and closing the tab. But I had assumed, wrongly, that the $550 price tag was for a car seat plus a separate car seat carrier, like the Baby Trend Snap-N-Go ($77), and figured I could create the same configuration for cheaper. It’s not! It’s a two in one! The legs and wheels fold into the car seat itself, so you can easily switch it from stroller mode to car seat mode, no additional stroller or wheeled device required. Instead of needing an entire travel system for that first year, you can just get the Doona and have everything you need to go for a walk or a drive.
It takes a little practice to get the motion right, but I was impressed with how easy it was once I got it down. I was also pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t heavier to carry than the Graco infant car seat I had used, even though it comes with wheels. The price tag of $550 is scary, but many of us will spend that much on a car seat, stroller, and bassinet accessories anyway. This way, you can buy just one device you know you’ll use right away, and decide what kind of long-term stroller you want once you’re more settled into parenthood.
Built-in infant car seat. Weight limit: 35 pounds (and 32 inches).
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Photograph: Cybex
Best Electric Stroller
Cybex E-Priam
If you think an electric stroller is overkill, then you’ve never walked down a steep hill while holding on to 60 pounds of stroller and kid, terrified that a trip or misplaced step will send your little one careening into traffic.
Yes, Cybex’s E-Priam is a very glamorous luxury stroller, with leather trim, front suspension, and never-flat tires. But sensors in the handlebars also deliver carefully calibrated electric assistance when you’re going uphill, downhill, or even struggling across rough ground. It’s a little difficult to assemble, and I wish you could manually adjust the assistance level, but it has provided much physical and psychological relief. —Adrienne So
Infant car seat adapter (included), infant cot attachment (sold separately). Weight limit: 55 pounds.
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Photograph: Nena Farrell
Best Double Stroller (Or Even Quadruple)
Veer Cruiser and Cruiser City
The Veer Cruiser (9/10, WIRED Recommends) stroller wagon has been reviewer Adrienne So’s favorite stroller for years. She took it everywhere as a double stroller from when her son was 5 months old until her two kids were 6 and 8. The rugged wagon is made of matte-black aluminum, with a locking handle that allows you to either pull or push it. The airless tires have made it through muddy trails, beaches, and gravel paths. It is large and folds down flat rather than into itself, and feels similar to a large boogie board in the fold formation. There’s also the Veer Cruiser City, which is the exact same as the Veer Cruiser but with the wheels swapped (aka big wheels next to the handle instead of in the front of the wagon). If you aren’t hitting rugged trails and tougher terrain often, you might prefer this arrangement. It was frustrating to drag the City Cruiser along the beach, but great to tote my kid on sidewalks or grassy parks.
What’s especially impressive about this stroller wagon is that it’s great for hauling multiple kids or other stuff. Adrienne has hauled chairs for a picnic in the park, or fit four kids under 7 years old into the four-seat formation. I’ve used it to tote around two toddlers on the beach and around town or to carry a bulky diaper bag on one seat while my son sits on the other with his soccer ball. It’s a great wagon for multiple kids and multiple stages of life, which is more than almost any other double strollers can say.
Infant car seat attachment (sold separately). Weight limit: 55 pounds per seat (two seats, can have two or four seatbelts).
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Photograph: Nena Farrell
Best All-Terrain Wagon
Evenflo Pivot Xplore Stroller Wagon
The Evenflo Pivot Xplore is a nice middle ground in the world of stroller wagons. It’s on the pricey side compared to other wagons, but not as expensive as others with the same abilities.
The soft stroller is nice and deep so my toddler is secure while he sits inside. It’s raised so I don’t have to bend as far over to reach him, and gives nice leeway for the wheels when you’re bumping over rough or loose terrain. I really like the included attachable storage basket, which is big enough for a small soccer ball and various toys. There’s a snack tray, too. There are also two little sunshades on either side, though they’re too short for full sun coverage overhead. It’s on the bulky side while folded, and is very annoying to move around or lift while folded–it reminds me a bit of lugging around a jogging stroller.
My favorite feature is Evenflo’s handlebar. Not only is it nice and big like your standard stroller handlebar, but you can switch which side it’s on to make it more of a wagon or a stroller-style push. The stroller style crosses over the stroller wagon, bringing you closer to your kiddo, while the wagon-style extends outward and makes it a little farther away. Wagon-style puts the bigger wheels in front, to help push through harder terrain. It’s adjustable by a few inches, so you can adjust it for your height. On the body of the wagon you can add on an infant car seat using an adapter ($56) or attach a toddler seat ($148) if they’re too big for a car seat but too small to hang out in the base of the wagon. My toddler loves it–but mainly because his dad pretends it’s a race car. My stress levels are fine, thanks.
Infant car seat attachment (sold separately). Weight limit: 55 pounds per seat (two seats).
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Photograph: Nena Farrell
Best Jogging Stroller
Thule Urban Glide 3
Joggers are big, but the Thule does a good job of not being too big—or at least not as big as the competition. The Thule Urban Glide 3, like its predecessor the Urban Glide 2, has a slim enough form to pass through the walkway dividers meant to discourage my local skateboarders, and folds a little flatter than other joggers, so it’s easier to walk past in my entryway. It’s a smooth ride and easy to fold with one hand, though at 26 pounds it’s too heavy to carry with your kid in your other arm safely.
There are a few changes on the new Thule Urban Glide 3 from the earlier model. One is the hand brake, which is now less circular and instead designed for ergonomic hold to make it easier to use. I personally preferred the earlier version, but the new one is a little more straightforward for where to place your hand and pull from and works just as well to help control your downhill speed. There’s also a new, extended canopy to better shade your little one on your runs, and it comes in a bunch of fun colors similar to the Thule Shine. Finally, there’s a new built-in footrest for kids to place their feet instead of dangling. I didn’t really notice the footrest improving my son’s comfort while in this jogger, but my kid is also only a year and a half, so it might make a bigger difference for bigger kids.
Thule also sells stroller accessories that let you use this jogger with an infant, either with Thule’s bassinet attachment or one of the various car seat adapters. There are also attachable cup holders ($25) and water bottle cages ($30) you can purchase separately to add onto the Urban Glide 3.
★ An alternative: The BOB Gear Wayfinder ($476) is pretty similar to the Thule, but folds a little bigger, is a few pounds heavier, and stands taller than the Urban Glide 3, so it’s a good fit for taller folks. I found the height a little uncomfortable, but I’m only 5’4″. It’s also a little cheaper than the Thule.
Bassinet attachment (sold separately), infant car seat adapter (sold separately). Weight limit: 49 pounds.
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Photograph: Thule
Best Stroller and Bike Trailer Combo
Thule Chariot Lite 2
If you bike, run, hike, or ski with your children, you might want to consider investing in a multisport trailer. When my children were in preschool, I biked my children around our neighborhood in the Thule Chariot Lite 2. It’s 28 pounds, but light for its size.
When we get to our destination, I click the front wheels out of their holders and convert it into a stroller. If you want to pack a few groceries or backpacks in there with your kids, it has a weight capacity of up to 100 pounds, and it folds down small enough to fit into a car trunk. There’s also a ski attachment, which I highly recommend if you like snow sports and you have one or two kids that are just too small to strap into skis. —Adrienne So
No infant options. Weight limit: 49 pounds per seat (two seats).
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Photograph: Doona
Best Trike Stroller
Doona Liki Trike S3
This handy trike stroller (7/10, WIRED Review) lets your kid feel a little more involved in your strolling adventure. The cute folding trike has five different modes to grow with your child from 10 months old all the way to 3 years old, and even becomes a regular trike they can drive once they’re big enough. It travels nice-ish, since it breaks down super small and has a soft carrying handle, but the large parent handle doesn’t fold and has to be removed (Doona sells a little backpack that can hold both the trike and handle). The seat cushions are thinner and there’s less room to lounge, though, so my 1-year-old got more annoyed with longer walks in this trike than he would in a regular stroller. It’s great for short walks on nice days, though.
No infant options (only for ages 10 months and up). Weight limit: 37 pounds.
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Photograph: Joovy
Honorable Mentions
More Strollers
- Guava Roam for $550: I love the Guava Roam jogging stroller (7/10, WIRED Recommends) for its compact fold, but the lack of a hand brake makes it better for power walkers than for runners. If you like nice long walks and want your kid to be comfy in a midsize stroller, this is a solid choice.
- Nuna Mixx Next for $800: This stroller has a smooth ride that rivals a jogging stroller. It’s great for the first year, as it works with an infant car seat and can face both inward and outward. It folds better while facing outward, though, and the controls aren’t as intuitive as other strollers. It also works only with Nuna’s infant car seat, so if you have a different car seat, you’ll need to purchase a bassinet attachment to use it for the first few months.
- BOB Gear Revolution Flex 3 for $550: This is a popular jogger, but I found it frustrating to fold and was disappointed it didn’t have any hand brakes. It’s only $30 cheaper than the Wayfinder, so you might as well go with that one. I’d only recommend the Revolution Flex 3 for shorter runners who won’t be folding it often, since the Wayfinder is quite tall.
- Joovy Tricycoo 4.1 for $130: This trike stroller is cheaper than the Doona, but is larger and doesn’t fold. If you don’t intend to take it anywhere beyond walking distance of your home, though, it’s a fine trike stroller.
- Colugo The One for $395: This was a solid stroller, and I liked that it came with a parent cup holder that fits my 40-ounce tumbler. It’s a compact stroller style like the Zoe Tour with a little nicer fabric, but the harness clasp is a little more complicated. If your kid tends to escape the harness, this could be a good choice for you, but otherwise, I prefer the Zoe or Nuna.
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Photograph: Guava Family
How We Test and Compare Strollers
Initially, I test all strollers the same. I grade how easy they are to set up, how smooth the ride is (taking type of wheels and price point into consideration) and how easy it is to get my kid in and out of them. I take them on walks with my kid through the neighborhood and park, testing on sidewalks, streets, grass, and flat trails. I also compare how easy they are to fold, how large each stroller is when folded, and place them all into a sedan trunk to see if it fits.
Joggers I take on both streets and trails, and test the hand brakes on hills to confirm they help my posture and control. I am sometimes spotted going for a jog with weights in the stroller instead of my son, since he isn’t always available (or interested) in partaking in my comparison runs. Wagons also get more tests on tougher terrain to see how the wheels and control hold up.
I grade lightweight and compact strollers more strictly on the ease of fold and lift, since that’s a primary feature. If a stroller has multiple modes (like inward and outward facing), I make sure to test those both, too, though sometimes without my toddler since he won’t face inward any longer.
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Photograph: Nena Farrell
How to Choose a Stroller
There are several different kinds of strollers: everyday or full-size strollers, lightweight or compact strollers, jogging strollers, double strollers, and even trike strollers and wagons. It can feel overwhelming to try to predict what kind you need before your kid arrives, and to invest in something you’ll use for years to come. We dive into more buying advice in our guide on how to choose the right stroller.
My top advice? Ask yourself what you’ll use the stroller for most, and check how difficult it’ll be to lug heavier strollers out of your home and into your car. That can narrow down several choices quickly. For me, a lightweight option has been best, but that’s because I have a staircase outside my front door and no garage.
Another easy option is whether you already have an infant car seat. If you do, you can use that to narrow down strollers that are compatible. Some brands like Maxi-Cosi have a ton of compatibility, while UppaBaby’s car seats have much more limited lists. You can also buy a travel system if you want your stroller and car seat to be a matching set that works from the infant stage to well beyond.
