On this page
  1. Part 1: Your baby
  2. 1. Will you use it from birth?
  3. 2. How long do you want it to last?
  4. 3. Do you plan to have another child soon?
  5. Part 2: Your home and transport
  6. 4. How wide are your doors and lift?
  7. 5. Where will it live when folded?
  8. 6. Will you carry it?
  9. 7. Do you fly?
  10. Part 3: Your streets
  11. 8. What surfaces will you push on?
  12. 9. Will you run?
  13. 10. How’s the weather?
  14. Part 4: Features that matter
  15. 11. Seat direction and recline
  16. 12. Car-seat compatibility (travel system)
  17. 13. Basket and handlebar
  18. Part 5: Safety and money
  19. 14. Safety basics
  20. 15. What’s the real total price?
  21. Seven common mistakes
  22. Try before you buy
  23. Quick decision guide
  24. Printable checklist
  25. FAQ
  26. Related guides
  27. Sources (checked 2 November 2026)

Last checked: 2 November 2026 · StrollerScoop editorial team · Research-based, no hands-on testing (our method)

A stroller is one of the most-used things you’ll buy for your child, and prices in Europe run from under €200 to well over €1,500. The good news: you don’t need to compare fifty models. If you answer the 15 questions below honestly, most of the options rule themselves out.

Take a tape measure and this list to the shop, or use it while comparing brand pages online.

Part 1: Your baby

1. Will you use it from birth?

Newborns need to lie flat. That means one of:

  • a carrycot (bassinet) on the chassis;
  • a seat that reclines fully flat and is approved from birth;
  • a newborn pack (for example, the Stokke YOYO³ 0+ pack);
  • an infant car seat clipped on as a travel system, for short trips.

Many compact buggies are only for babies from about six months. Check the age range on the brand’s page – the Cybex Libelle, for example, is listed from six months, while the Cybex Beezy is listed from birth.

2. How long do you want it to last?

Most strollers are rated to 22 kg or about four years. That figure reflects the European standard EN 1888-2, which covers pushchairs for children above 15 kg up to 22 kg. If you want one stroller from birth to four, look for a 2-in-1 or a from-birth seat with a 22 kg limit.

3. Do you plan to have another child soon?

If yes, consider a convertible stroller that takes a second seat (e.g. Bugaboo Donkey 6, Joolz Geo3, Cybex Gazelle S, UPPAbaby Vista V3) or check whether your single pram takes a ride-on board. See best double stroller.

Part 2: Your home and transport

4. How wide are your doors and lift?

Measure your narrowest door and your lift. Most single prams are 52–61 cm wide (Bugaboo Dragonfly 52 cm; Bugaboo Fox 5 and Cybex Priam 60 cm). Side-by-side doubles are wider – the Bugaboo Donkey 6 is 74 cm in double mode.

5. Where will it live when folded?

Compare the folded dimensions with your hallway and car boot. Note whether the stroller stands on its own when folded, and whether it folds with the seat attached or needs to come apart. The Bugaboo Fox 5, for example, offers a one-piece fold (45 × 60 × 90 cm) and a two-piece fold (89 × 53 × 34 cm).

6. Will you carry it?

Stairs, trams, buses, trains and car boots all mean lifting. Rough weight bands from brand specs:

  • 6–7 kg: ultra-light buggies;
  • 7–9 kg: light everyday strollers;
  • 10–13 kg: compact to full-size prams;
  • 16–20 kg: doubles.

See best lightweight stroller.

7. Do you fly?

If you fly more than once or twice a year, a cabin-size fold (about 55 × 45 × 25 cm or smaller) makes airports easier. See best travel stroller for flying in Europe.

Part 3: Your streets

8. What surfaces will you push on?

  • Smooth pavements and shopping centres: small wheels are fine.
  • Cobbles, gravel, forest paths, snow: look for larger wheels, all-wheel suspension and either air-filled or quality puncture-proof tyres. See best stroller for cobblestones.

9. Will you run?

Only use a stroller the manufacturer approves for jogging, usually with a lockable front wheel, air tyres and a wrist strap. Thule recommends waiting until your baby is at least six months old. See best jogging stroller.

10. How’s the weather?

Northern Europe means rain, wind and cold; southern Europe means sun and heat. Check for a large canopy (many brands list UPF 50+), a rain cover (included or extra?), ventilation in the carrycot or seat, and whether a footmuff fits.

Part 4: Features that matter

11. Seat direction and recline

A reversible seat lets your baby face you or the world. Check the recline positions and whether the backrest is upright enough for a curious toddler.

12. Car-seat compatibility (travel system)

If you drive, check:

  • which infant car seats fit, and whether adapters are included (the Cybex Priam includes them; the Bugaboo Fox 5 needs them separately);
  • that the car seat is approved to UN R129, ideally i-Size; since 1 September 2024, seats approved only to the older R44 can no longer be sold in the EU;
  • that the seat fits your car.

Read our stroller vs pram vs travel system explainer.

13. Basket and handlebar

A basket of 10 kg is generous on a full-size pram; 5–8 kg is typical on compact buggies. If parents differ in height, look for an adjustable handlebar – the Bugaboo Fox 5 lists 92–108 cm.

Part 5: Safety and money

14. Safety basics

  • Look for compliance with EN 1888 (Part 1, plus Part 2 for seats rated over 15 kg).
  • Check for a five-point harness, an easy-to-reach parking brake, and locks that prevent accidental folding.
  • Never hang heavy bags on the handlebar.
  • Buying second-hand? Check the model on the EU Safety Gate recall portal and the brand’s website, and inspect brakes, harness, locks and frame.

15. What’s the real total price?

Headline prices can mislead. Before comparing:

  • Is the carrycot included or extra? (The Cybex Priam frame, seat pack and carrycot are sold separately; the Bugaboo Fox 5 Renew 2-in-1 includes bassinet and seat.)
  • Are car-seat adapters, a rain cover and a footmuff included?
  • What’s the warranty? Some brands extend it when you buy direct or register the product – Bugaboo, for example, says it offers four years on strollers bought on bugaboo.com.
  • Prices vary by country and week. We only quote euro prices we’ve seen ourselves, with a date.

Seven common mistakes

  1. Buying for the showroom, not your stairs. A pram that glides around a shop floor may be a struggle up three flights. Check the weight and whether you can lift it folded.
  2. Forgetting the boot. Measure the boot opening as well as the floor, and remember the shopping that goes in with the stroller.
  3. Comparing headline prices. A frame-only price and a complete 2-in-1 price aren’t comparable. Add the carrycot, seat, adapters and rain cover.
  4. Choosing a six-months-plus buggy for a newborn. Check the age range, not just the price and weight.
  5. Assuming “travel system” means any car seat fits. Check the brand’s compatibility list and adapters for your exact infant car seat.
  6. Ignoring handlebar height. Tall parents who stoop for a year notice it. Look for an adjustable handlebar range.
  7. Running with a non-running stroller. Only jog with a model the manufacturer approves for it.

Try before you buy

We don’t test strollers ourselves, so here’s what we’d suggest you check in a shop:

  • Fold and unfold it yourself – with one hand if that’s what the brand claims.
  • Lift it folded to boot height.
  • Push it with weight in the seat if the shop allows, and steer one-handed.
  • Adjust the handlebar to both parents’ heights.
  • Fit your infant car seat if you already have one.
  • Ask about the return policy – some brands offer trial periods when you buy direct.

Quick decision guide

If you mostly…Start with
Walk long distances from birth2-in-1 pram (Bugaboo Fox 5, Cybex Priam, Mutsy Evo + carrycot)
Live in a city flat with lifts and tramsCompact pram (Bugaboo Dragonfly) or from-birth buggy (Bugaboo Butterfly 2)
DriveTravel system with an R129 / i-Size infant car seat
FlyCabin-size buggy (Butterfly 2, Stokke YOYO³, Cybex Libelle)
Have a tight budgetFrom-birth budget buggy – see best budget stroller under €300

Printable checklist

  1. From birth? Carrycot / lie-flat / newborn pack / car seat
  2. Rated to 22 kg?
  3. Second child planned? Convertible or board
  4. Narrowest door and lift width: ____ cm
  5. Boot and hallway space: ____ cm; folds in one piece?
  6. Weight I can lift: ____ kg
  7. Cabin fold needed?
  8. Surfaces: smooth / cobbles / gravel / snow
  9. Running? Jogging-approved only
  10. Canopy, rain cover, footmuff
  11. Reversible seat, recline positions
  12. Car-seat compatibility, adapters, R129 / i-Size
  13. Basket capacity, handlebar range
  14. EN 1888, harness, brake, recall check
  15. Total price with carrycot, adapters, accessories; warranty

FAQ

What’s the most important thing when choosing a stroller? For a newborn: a safe flat position. After that, fit with your life – door width, fold size and weight.

Should I buy a stroller before the baby is born? Most parents do, because you’ll need a lie-flat option and, if you drive, an infant car seat from day one.

Is a more expensive stroller safer? Strollers sold in the EU are designed to the same safety standard, EN 1888. Higher prices usually buy comfort, materials, suspension, fold design and accessories, not a different safety baseline.

Sources (checked 2 November 2026)