So you're having a baby. Congratulations, and welcome to the vast world of buggies. Until this moment, prams were things with wheels that transported a small person from one place to another. But now, it’s the vehicle that will become as familiar and crucial to you as your car. There are about as many models, and they can cost about as much. So where to begin?
Let’s narrow it down. What do you want it to do? Fold up in the corridor when you're not using it? Fit your twins in? Or expand to take two kids if you're planning on another? Are you worried about spending a fortune on the wrong one?
Whatever your situation, you’ll find our straightforward guide to picking the best pram for you just below, followed by quick reviews, key specifications and buying links for our favourite top five buggies. With prices ranging from a seriously affordable £40 to top end models which tickle the £1,000 mark, the perfect pram is just a few minutes away.
How to buy the best buggy for you
It can be daunting, especially for first-time parents, to find the right buggy. One solution is to aim for one product that will take that child up until they’re happy to walk, run and gallop on their own two feet all the time. That means it needs to act as a carrycot (or have an actual carrycot attachment) from when they’re newborn until they can hold their head up independently: normally between three and five months. After that, they can be using a child's seat for the next few years, and then they‘ll be walking, on balance bikes, or perhaps standing on a board attached to the back of the buggy. So what should you look out for?
How important is build quality?
Obviously, you can only find this out by trying them out in a shop (or reading reviews). Be wary of anything with too much flex or play in them – not only does it make harder work for you to manoeuvre up kerbs and stairs, but the constant bounce ages the buggy so quickly that chances are in a few months it'll be worse. The best models are simple: overly 'showy' mechanisms are high-maintenance, eg buggies with wire running inside the frame to allow one-handed folding. Wire can fray, leaving you with a broken pram a few months later.
Should I think twice before buying a huge buggy?
If you've got a big house, a big car and aren't planning on using public transport, fine. If not, imagine getting on a bus with it, whether it'll fold up in the car, if you can lift it into the house without putting your back out (and most likely while holding your other little one's hand). You should also consider, if you're getting a 'travel system' with a variety of attachments such as a carrycot, seat and car seat which will fit onto the basic buggy frame, where you are going to store them all.
What else should I consider before splashing out?
Are extras included? Rain cover? Carrycot? Car seat? Adaptors to fit these parts? Cosy-toes? Buggy board? The initial cost might not include everything you need, so check.
If getting back to fitness after the birth is on the agenda, you can buy 'sport' models that you can comfortably go out jogging with, and your baby will happily sleep through your keep-fit plan! But do bear in mind that buggies with little wheels won't allow this. Ask yourself the right questions about what you need and want, and make sure to check whether the buggy ticks the right boxes.
But wait – are you expecting twins, or are you already planning another one? The more expensive buggies tend to have expansion built into the design, so that a single pram can become a double, thus saving you money in the long run. Expensive prams will also hold their value better when you come to sell them.
The best baby buggies, pushchairs and prams to buy
1. Bugaboo Chameleon3: The best pram under £1,000
Price when reviewed: From £754
The latest incarnation of a buggy that first hit the market 15 years ago, the Cameleon3 is the toast of any parent who can afford it (or has found a decent-condition second-hand model). This is Dutch design at its best: iconic in its shape and bold colour options, versatile in its easy handling of most terrains and highly functional for all its bells and whistles. The latter includes the usual reclinable seat, height-adjustable handlebar, reversible seat and two-wheel position – meaning you can have it locked for bumpy paths or loose for tight cornering. But it also includes the carrycot that converts into a seat (no need for extra cupboard space) and the option of having the baby facing you or the world via a simple switch and lock of the handlebar. Comes with most accessories, including rain cover and sun canopy. Highly recommended.
Buy the Bugaboo Cameleon3 Base now from Mothercare
Key specs – Age range: Suitable 0-36 months; Tyre type: Foam-filled rubber tyres; Weight: 9.6kg, Folded dimensions: 90 x 50 x 31cm, Unfolded width: 59cm
2. Zeta CiTi Stroller: The best budget pram there is
Price when reviewed:£40
It's unlikely you'll ever regret buying an umbrella-style buggy. They take up barely any space and weigh next to nothing. The CiTi Stroller folds umbrella-style into a 28cm-wide and 109cm-long package and weighs under 7kgs. It can recline to a near-flat position for newborns (alright it's not the lap of luxury but for a baby three or four months' old it's fine) and comes with a basket, hood, peep-hole viewer, lockable wheels and adjustable footrest. It might not last a lifetime, and let's be honest, you're not going to be putting your newborn in it anyway. But for under 40 quid, you'll probably congratulate yourself more than once on the purchase.
Key specs – Age range: Suitable for 0-12 months; Weight: 7kg, Folded dimensions: 28 x 109cm; Unfolded dimensions: 105 x 30 x 22cm
3. Phil & Teds Sport 2: 3The best pram for jogging and off-road walking
Price when reviewed:£449 (Newborn cocoon: £59; Extra seat: £150; Raincover: £20)
Phil & Teds have a reputation for creating highly adaptable and cleverly designed models and the Sport is a good example. While it doesn't have the biggest wheels, the ride is very comfy and the handlebar has an autostop bar and wrist tether for peace of mind. A single lockable wheel at the front means steering is light and easy to control. The seat reclines all the way to flat for newborns, although you'll want to get the soft 'cocoon' carrycot for £59 if your child is going in it before six months. An extra toddler's seat is available for £150, which sits above the newborn seat. Perfect if you have babies close together, although you couldn't have two newborn twins in this.
Key specs – Age range: Suitable 0-5 years; Weight: 12.5kg, Folded dimensions: 39.8x58.9x87.8cm, Unfolded dimensions: 102.87x58.9x105.9cm.
4. Silver Cross Surf 3: The best travel system – if you can afford it
Price when reviewed:£845 (car seat: £150; buggy board: £75)
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge may have opted for Silver Cross's rather traditional Silver Cross Sleepover Elegance, but for the most practical and yet luxurious system out there, the Surf 3, which includes a carrycot, toddler's seat, cross-country single front wheel, hood, apron and basket, is hard to beat, and doesn't look quite so, well, traditional. There's also a 'surf board' rider (£75) for the when the elder sibling doesn't fancy walking, and a car seat (£150) to give you the complete system – although these are extra and so will push your budget over £1,000.
Buy the Silver Cross Surf 3 Pram and Pushchair now from Mothercare
Key specs – Age range: Suitable 0-3 years; Weight: 11.3kg; Folded dimensions: 71 x 58 x 28cm; Unfolded dimensions: 98 x 58 x 92-100cm