01.Introduction
Test results for 12 strollers priced from $299 to $1600
Buying a stroller can be a complicated exercise. There are some things you can check for yourself in the shop — such as size, features and manoeuvrability — but how can you tell whether the model you're considering is safe, durable, and easy to use?
This is where CHOICE comes in. We've bought five three-wheel and seven four-wheel strollers and sent them back to our lab for a thorough test. We focused on durability and safety assessed against the Australian Standard AS/NZS 2088:2000, plus ease of use.
See our latest article on prams and strollers, as well as our tests of double strollers and four-wheel strollers.
Please note: this information was current as of August 2008 but is still a useful guide to today's market.
Our testers checked the stability of each stroller, the quality of the brakes, strength and adjustability of straps, and that there were no possible entrapments or sharp edges. For ease of use, they looked at adjusting the seat and straps, loading and unloading the basket, folding and unfolding the stroller, fitting it into a car boot, using the brakes, locking the front wheel, and coping with challenging terrain. To test durability, each stroller spent the standard 64 hours on our 'rolling road' rig (running at 5 km/h), and the three-wheel models spent a further 10 hours at 10 km/h to test them at jogging speed. We also checked them against the new mandatory safety standard for strollers.
And our findings? Five strollers passed our key safety and durability tests; all the rest failed at least one safety and/or durability test. Also, although the three-wheel configuration may be perceived as being a 'jogger' stroller, none of the manufacturers of the tested models actually recommend jogging with them.
Our objective: To help you buy a stroller that is safe, durable, easy to use, and has the features you want.
Brands tested
- Bébé Care Caprice 015415-172 #
- Bertini X2 Automatic 004863
- Bugaboo Cameleon 74100 RD01
- Childcare Hola 015410-140
- Love N Care Uni Coupe BP9756N
- Maclaren MX3 W0730014
- Mountain Buggy Single Urban Elite
- Peg Perego Uno
- Phil & Teds Dash SPD
- Red Castle Shop'n Jogg Disc II
- Steelcraft Strider 30132T
- Swallow Whisper
# Discontinued.
15 May 2013
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