Best Baby Strollers

Quinny, a European manufacturer of baby products, is gaining popularity in the US market with its stylish, modern strollers and baby carriers. Moms (and especially dads) who are tired of babyish strollers with cartoon character fabric and clunky styling will appreciate the Quinny Zapp, a lightweight travel stroller with a modern esthetic.

Quinny has managed to make a stroller that looks sporty and chic. The Zapp is truly a unisex baby stroller. Dads love the Quinny Zapp’s minimalist, curvy brushed aluminum frame and vivid, eye-catching colors. Despite being a compact stroller, the Quinny Zapp has ergonomic handles that are comfortable for even tall men to use. The Quinny Zapp features a solid colored seat in aqua, orange, bright pink, and lime. A black version of the Quinny Zapp stroller is also available but hard to come by. The black version of the Zapp can cost up to $50 more than the other colors.

Quinny didn’t sacrifice function for form with the Zapp stroller—something that happens far too often in the trendy, stroller-of-the-minute market. The Quinny Zapp is the most compact stroller on the planet (or so Quinny claims), making it perfect for travel or keeping in the trunk for running light errands or cruising the mall. When folded down, the Quinny is remarkable 12” x 27”! That makes the Quinny Zapp small enough to fit in the leg room beneath your baby’s car seat or carry on a plane. The Quinny Zapp comes with a carrying bag to protect the stroller during travel.

Parents who use the Quinny Zapp rave about how easy it is to push and maneuver. Tales of weaving effortlessly through crowded shops abound. One mother said the Quinny Zapp is to easy to use, she can push the stroller with one finger over flat surfaces. Unlike most other light strollers, the Quinny Zapp has wide 2” wheels that allow it to travel over moderately rough road—but certainly not as well as a larger stroller would. Folding and unfolding the Quinny Zapp is pretty easy once you get the hang of it, but be prepared to use both hands rather than one as you would with a Graco model.

The Quinny Zapp featured on the American market is slightly different than the model found in the UK. The American Zapp has four wheels instead of three like all the UK models. More wheels mean more stability, and Quinny seems to have responded to complaints that its three-wheeled strollers were too unstable and prone to tipping, especially if bags were hung from the handle.. The American version of the Zapp also features an under-seat storage basket, a feature the UK parents sorely missed. The UK version also lacked adjustable shoulder straps. Some British parents complained that the Quinny Zapp’s straps were far too small for their older kids. Quinny has addressed this problem in the American model by including adjustable straps. Neither model features a reclining seat, something that many parents are upset with. Quinny had to sacrifice a reclining seat for the Zapp stroller in order to make it fold so compactly. While some bemoan this fact, it shouldn’t really be a problem if you are using the Quinny Zapp as it is intended: as a travel or second stroller. Babies can sleep in the Zapp if parents use it as a travel system with the Quinny Maxi Cosi car seat.

If you are looking for a lightweight, super compact stroller that is high on style and daddy friendly, the Quinny Zapp may be just right.

Quinny has addressed the needs of parents who travel a lot with the Quinny Zapp—a stylish lightweight pushchair that Quinny claims is the most compact pushchair in the world when folded. Whether or not Quinny is right isn’t as important as what parents say: the Quinny Zapp is a fabulous pushchair for going on holiday with baby.

The Quinny Zapp pushchair is, like most Quinny models, three wheeled. The front swivel wheel makes the Quinny maneuverable and easy to steer. Parents across the board say that the Quinny Zapp pushchair is a dream to walk with and can even be pushed with one finger on a flat, level surface. The Quinny Zapp’s rear wheels are much wider than most lightweight strollers, allowing the Zapp to ride over moderately rough surfaces like bluestone and pea gravel. The Quinny Zapp comes with a pushchair carry bag that makes it easy to pack the Zapp for the boot, plane, or train. Quinny even makes a bicycle attachment that allows you to carry the Zapp pushchair when cycling.

Quinny is known for their stylish pushchairs, and the Zapp is no exception. If you want a pushchair that will turn heads, the Quinny Zapp is an excellent choice. The Zapp almost looks futuristic with its bowed out, pod-like frame. Quinny makes the Zapp in an array of beautiful eye-catching colors along with some more neutral favorites for the understated mum. The Zapp is also easy to collapse and store. Although some parents found the Quinny Zapp pushchair hard to work with, most sang the praises of the Zapp’s easy folding and unfolding. The Quinny Zapp’s handles and breaks were also rated as comfortable and easy to use.

The Quinny Zapp is not ideal for all parents. Quinny designed the Zapp as travel and light use stroller rather than an all around performer. Do not purchase the Quinny Zapp as your only pushchair as it lacks some of the most basic amenities. Quinny made a major oversight by not including a reclining seat in the Zapp. Many parents complain about their children being unable to sleep in the Quinny Zapp pushchair (but if your baby is like mine the lack of recline doesn’t matter as he won’t sleep in a pushchair anyway). The Quinny Zapp also lacks any storage at all—not so much as a cup holder or small bag. Hanging anything other than the lightest of bags from the Zapp’s handle will cause it to tip dangerously backwards. Optional bags are available, but they are expensive and don’t perform to most parents’ standards.

Another drawback to the Quinny Zapp is the quality of its accessories. Many parents complained that the sunshade doesn’t stay on very well, and nearly everyone mentioned that the rain cover included with the Quinny Zapp pushchair was so flimsy that the slightest gust of wind would send it crashing down on the baby. Some parents found the very lightness of the Quinny Zapp disconcerting as the pushchair felt flimsy and insubstantial.

Overall, the parents who rated the Quinny Zapp the highest were the ones who were using the pushchair the way it was designed to be used: for travel and running errands round the shops. If you are looking for a pushchair to take on holiday or to keep in the boot, a Quinny Zapp may be a good choice. Otherwise, look for a pushchair with more features.

If you are looking to buy a Quinny Zapp, there is something you should know. Quinny makes two models of the Zapp, one for sale in Europe and another available in the United States. Which Zapp is better? The American version seems to be a newer design, and in many respect it outshines its European counterpart.

Style
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but this is one department where the European version of the Quinny Zapp seems to outshine its American rival. The main difference between the looks of the two strollers is the number of wheels. While Quinny’s American Zapp has four wheels like a traditional buggy, the European version only has 3. The overall shape of the Quinny Zapp is something of an oval, and the single wheel beneath the foot well on the European version completes the streamlined look. Quinny tried to address this by moving the front wheels closer together, but it just isn’t the same. If you are in to a minimalist look, the European Quinny Zapp is more appealing as it has no baskets, bags, or trays marring the sleek design. If you have your heart set on a certain color, you may be forced to by one Zapp or the other. Quinny features forest green and red on it European model and lime green and orange on its American Zapp. Both strollers come in back, aqua, and bright pink,

Function
Both models of the Quinny Zapp are light, easy to push, maneuverable, and compact folding. The extra wheels on the American Zapp don’t affect the tiny folding size. However, some parents with the European model claim that the Quinny Zapp is unstable and tips easily when going over curbs or rough terrain. Quinny has addressed this concern in the American model by adding the extra wheel in front, making the Zapp slightly more grounded. The European model also features fixed shoulder straps, making a tight fit for older kids. The American Zapp has two slots for shoulder straps—not a perfect fix but a definite improvement.

Convenience
This is where the American model of the Quinny Zapp shines. While the European Zapp has absolutely no storage, the American stroller comes with a mesh shopping basket beneath the seat. Both of Quinny’s Zapp models have convenient foot brakes and comfortable handles. Neither model has a recline seat, making the Zapp impractical for very long days with baby.

Value
Parents on both sides of the ocean complained that the included rain cover for the Quinny Zapp was flimsy and virtually useless. On the plus side, parents are happy that both Zapps come with car seat adaptors. In America, the Quinny Zapp sells for between $200 and $240 (£97-£116). In the UK, the European model sells for £150, about $310. Clearly, the American Quinny Zapp is more affordable and an improvement over the European Zapp in many respects.

The Quinny Buzz, introduced in 2006, was supposed to be Quinny’s entry in the new urban pushchair market, competing against models like the Bugaboo Chameleon (Quinny seems to have borrowed Bugaboo’s look), Stokke Xplory, and Silver Cross Dazzle. This is a tough playing ground, and Quinny has struggled to come up with some innovative features to set the Buzz apart from the rest of the pack.

Like most expensive “urban” strollers, the Quinny Buzz has slick design and is very comfortable to push. The Buzz comes in safe colours that won’t go out of style, and Quinny’s 3-wheeled design on the Buzz’s chassis is quite striking. The Quinny Buzz has a reversible pushchair seat so you can face your baby which ever direction you prefer or move her when the sun gets in her eyes. Unlike some other trendy models, the Quinny is almost reasonably priced at about £270, but it lacks many of the accessories of the Bugaboo and other models. If you purchase the Quinny Buzz along with the Dreami carrycot and Maxi Cosi car seat, you’ll end up paying around £500, still less that you would pay for the Bugaboo Gecko alone.

The Quinny Buzz’s most celebrated gimmick is its ability to unfold on its own using a “gas spring technique.” When folded down for storage or transport, the Quinny Buzz is quite compact and easily fits in most car boots. The Quinny Buzz’s wheels can also be removed to make it fit in even smaller spaces.

Unfortunately, the Quinny Buzz’s unfolding trick is also is major downfall. Numerous parents complain that the Buzz has sprung open unexpectedly and trapped their fingers in the chassis. More than one mum wondered what would happen if it were a child’s finger caught by the Quinny Buzz. Once a finger is trapped in the Buzz, it is impossible to close it on your own as it takes two hands to fold down. One poor mum was trapped in the parking lot in total agony until a kind passerby helped her escape. Even the best pushchair in the world simply isn’t acceptable if it could seriously injure a child the way the Quinny Buzz could.

If Quinny were to recall the Buzz and fix the finger-snapping problem, I could recommend this pushchair to anyone who wants the look of a modern buggy without the huge price tag. But until Quinny takes the sting out of the Buzz, I advise parents to stay away.

If you are looking for an alternative to the pricy Bugaboo Gecko, the Quinny Buzz may be on your list of potential candidates. It’s true that the Quinny Buzz looks something like a Bugaboo, and, like the Gecko, the Buzz is a stroller that any dad would be happy to be seen pushing. However, the Buzz is not a perfect stroller, and some of its main selling points are also its downfalls.

Folding Mechanism
The Quinny Buzz’s most unique feature is its gas spring unfolding mechanism that allows the stroller to unfold by itself. True to Quinny’s word, the Buzz glides open with a gentle nudge. Unfortunately, the ease of folding only goes one way. Collapsing the Quinny Buzz can be a challenge since you have to work against the very gas spring mechanism that makes opening the Buzz so easy. Some parents have also reported the Buzz opening unexpectedly and trapping their fingers.

Styling
The Quinny Buzz is definitely a great looking stroller. The Buzz looks like something designed to haul around sports equipment—but only really cool sports equipment. Quinny is going for a minimalist look similar to what you’ll find in the Bugaboo brand. Dads might love the simple grace of the Quinny Buzz, but moms are sure to bemoan its lack of amenities. The Quinny Buzz has no cup holders, parent tray, or child snack tray. Storage on the Quinny Buzz is limited to the “Buzz Box,” a zippered bag that hangs off the back of the stroller. The Buzz Box is only large enough to hold the bare essentials, so shopping can be problematic.

Ergonomics
Quinny designed the Buzz to be very comfortable to push, and they have succeeded in large part. One of the best features of the Quinny Buzz is the adjustable handle that not only rises up but also out, making it easier for tall people with longer strides to push. Quinny has made the Buzz feel light and agile with a 3-wheel design that makes turning tight corners a breeze. The seat on the Quinny Buzz is also very snuggly and comfortable for young children. However, the three-wheel design of the Quinny Buzz is slightly unstable and prone to tipping when going over large bumps or curbs. Some parents complain that the Buzz doesn’t do well in snow or over rough pavement unless you pull it rather than push it. The Quinny Buzz’s seat is great for small babies, but toddlers will find that the foot rest is far too short and the shoulder straps are overly snug even when loosened all the way.

Value
At first glance, the Quinny Buzz seems like a good value compared to other designer strollers like the Bugaboo. The Quinny Buzz costs about $500 and includes the chassis, seat, Buzz Box, rain cover, tire pump, and car seat adaptor. This may seem like a good deal compared to the Bugaboo Gecko which costs $679, but the Gecko comes with the same things as the Buzz (minus car seat adaptors) as well as a carry cot and mosquito net. Purchasing the Dreami carrycot to go with the Quinny Buzz costs an additional $190, making it more expensive overall.

If you read the tabloids, or even just glace at them while standing in the checkout line at the grocery store, odds are you’ve seen a Bugaboo stroller. Hollywood has gone crazy for Bugaboo. Stars like Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Maggie Gyllenhaal have all been photographed with their babies strapped into a Bugaboo. The Bugaboo brand has even been placed on hip television shows like Sex and the City. So, is all this hype supporting a substantial product or is the Bugaboo just another Hollywood trend?

There are two things to know when buying a Bugaboo stroller. First, you are getting a quality piece of baby gear that is unlike anything else you’ve ever tried. Second, you are going to pay a small fortune for the Bugaboo brand, probably more than any stroller is really worth.

Bugaboo’s two most popular models, the Frog and the Gecko are essentially the same stroller. The Gecko is slightly cheaper. Both strollers come with Bugaboo’s unique chassis—this is really what makes Bugaboo special. The Bugaboo chassis features two sets of wheels. One set is air-filled and the other is traditional swivel wheels. What makes this combination special is its ability to transform a Bugaboo stroller from an agile, maneuverable stroller suited to city life to a rugged, smooth-riding all-terrain buggy. Best of all, the Bugaboo’s transformation happens with the flip of a switch in the reversible handle. Parents across the board give Bugaboo high marks for this innovative feature. Virtually everyone who writes a review on any of the Bugaboo strollers talks about the brand’s smooth, comfortable ride. Numerous parents compare their Bugaboo to a sports car. You don’t push a Bugaboo, you drive a Bugaboo.

The Bugaboo Chameleon has the same chassis as the Frog and the Gecko, but it goes beyond them by adding adjustable swivel wheel suspension and a height adjustable handlebar. The Chameleon also features larger storage and fancier custom fabric options.

All three Bugaboo models above come with a fabric stroller seat and a fabric bassinette with one frame to share between the two, so switching between pram and stroller is a lengthy process. The Bugaboo Frog, Gecko, and Chameleon come with two piece folding; i.e. the seat and the chassis fold separately. This can be something of a pain if you plan on using your Bugaboo to run errands with the car. None of the Bugaboo models above are very compact, making them a poor choice for traveling.

Bugaboo has tried to address some of its shortcomings with the Bee stroller, Bugaboo’s most compact model. The Bee lacks the fancy chassis of the other models, but it still features suspension on all wheels and easy maneuverability. The Bee can be folded in one piece or two, making it easier to transport. The Bee also requires fewer fiddly adjustments than the Frog, Gecko, or Chameleon and is cheaper than the other models by a fair amount.

Don’t let the word “cheaper” mislead you. Even the Bugaboo Bee is expensive at $530. The Gecko and Frog range from $679 to $760. A standard Chameleon will run you $800 while a limited edition model like the new Neiman Marcus metallic silver edition will cost you an outrageous $1,200. No wonder Hollywood likes Bugaboo so much; Bugaboo is a stroller and a status symbol all in one.

Ultimately, Bugaboo strollers are nice, very nice, but for the price Bugaboo charges, I would expect a little more convenience and little less Hollywood.

Bugaboo pushchairs have been gaining in popularity since their introduction in 1999 in their home country of Holland. Since then, sightings of movie stars with Bugaboo pushchairs have rocket the brand into the public eye and made Bugaboo the must-have pushchair for any mum that can afford one (and some who can’t). When Bugaboo’s creator, Max Barenbrug, started out, he set a goal to create a pushchair that was equally at home in the city or the country and, furthermore, to make this pushchair appealing to dads and mums alike.

By all measures, Barenbrug’s Bugaboo pushchair is a success and meets or exceeds his original goals. The Bugaboo family of pushchairs features models that come equipped with a revolutionary chassis that converts from city-smart to country-ready simply by changing the direction you push from. Large air-filled wheels provide a smooth ride in both modes, and when the smaller swivel wheels are in front, the Bugaboo is effortlessly maneuverable. Parents rave about how easy the Bugaboo is to push, even with one hand. Most Bugaboo pushchairs can also be converted into a two-wheeled cart suitable for pulling through sand or snow.

Dads will love the Bugaboo. Some dads claim that using a Bugaboo pushchair is like driving a sporty car. Unlike some other pushchair manufacturers, Bugaboo doesn’t make cutesy pushchairs with whimsical or juvenile fabrics. Bugaboo pushchairs come in combinations of solid colors that are stylish without being overly trendy. A Bugaboo pushchair could almost pass for a piece of sports equipment, a look that any dad would be happy to associate with. Handy dads will also appreciate all the ways you can adjust and tweak a Bugaboo pushchair, even if all those levers and knobs are baffling to the rest of us.

As you would expect from a luxury stroller, most Bugaboos come with a pram and a pushchair seat, both of which are reversible, so you can keep an eye on your baby or let her look out at the world. All Bugaboo models come with rain covers, mosquito nets, and under-seat bags. However, other essentials like a sunshade, car seat adaptor, and cup holder must be purchased separately, and Bugaboo accessories are not cheap.

Expect to pay well over £500 for the most basic Bugaboo model. With all the accessories, you can end up shelling out £700 or more! Bugaboo pushchairs are not only expensive, they fall short in some important ways. Because Bugaboo pushchairs (with the exception of the Bee) fold in two parts, they take up a lot of space in the boot, assuming they even fit in the first place. You can forget about taking a Bugaboo pushchair on the bus since carrying the chassis, seat, your bags, and your baby all at the same is nearly impossible. While the Bugaboo Bee features a one piece fold, it is still larger than most other light strollers.

If you can afford it, by all means, buy a Bugaboo and enjoy going anywhere without having to switch pushchairs every time the terrain changes. What’s more, your husband will probably be the one doing the pushing. If you’re like most of us and can only dream of spending £600 on a pushchair, you can always enjoy Bugaboo dreams while pushing your old buggy around town.

Bugaboo, the Dutch buggy manufacturer, makes several unique buggy models. If you can afford a Bugaboo, you’ll be getting the best buggy money can buy. Bugaboo is renowned for their smooth-riding buggies and their appeal to movie stars and the social elite. Here is a comparison of the different Bugaboo buggy models available in the UK.

Bugaboo Gecko
The Bugaboo Gecko buggy is the base model for the Bugaboo brand. Bugaboo is phasing out its earlier model, the Frog, in favor of the Gecko which costs less but has extra features the Frog lacks. The Gecko buggy comes with Bugaboo’s trademark go-anywhere chassis. The Bugaboo Gecko Buggy can go from easily maneuverable city stroller to sturdy all-terrain buggy simply by changing the handle from one direction to another. Reversing the Bugaboo handle is easy and fast, allowing for instant adjustment to any terrain. The Gecko buggy comes with a reversible pushchair seat and a pram, so it is suitable from birth to age 4.

While the Bugaboo Gecko is unquestioningly pleasant to push, it can be tricky to collapse and must be broken down in two parts. This makes the Gecko and inconvenient buggy for travel as it is quite large for most boots and impossible to take on the bus. The Bugaboo Gecko also lacks some important features like a sunshade and cup holder which must be purchased separately.

Bugaboo Chameleon
The Chameleon is Bugaboo’s deluxe buggy and comes with all the features of the Gecko plus a few more. The Bugaboo Chameleon buggy has adjustable suspension on its swivel wheels and a telescoping handle, making the Chameleon a comfortable buggy to push for people of all heights. The Bugaboo Chameleon features a larger under-seat storage bag than the Gecko buggy and comes in custom tailored colors, making it a more fashionable choice.

The Bugaboo Chameleon suffers from many of the same shortcomings and the Gecko, and most parents who have reviewed this buggy say that it isn’t worth the extra money for so few additional features.

Bugaboo Bee
The Bugaboo Bee buggy is the lightest of the Bugaboo models and is new in 2007. The Bugaboo Bee was designed to meet some of the shortcomings in the older Bugaboo models. The Bee buggy folds in one piece and is more compact, although still larger than most light strollers. The Bugaboo Bee Buggy comes with an ample sunshade and large shopping basket, but it lacks a pram. Unlike the Gecko and the Chameleon, the Bugaboo Bee is designed to be primarily a city buggy and lacks the large pneumatic tires of the other Bugaboo models.

Finally! Bugaboo has made a stroller that addresses the shortcomings of the Bugaboo Frog, Gecko, and Chameleon. Although the Bugaboo Bee is meant to be an entry level stroller, it succeeds where the other Bugaboo models fail. Better still, the Bugaboo Bee costs much less than the Frog or Gecko, although I still find its $530 price tag rather unreasonable.

Parents have been complaining about the shortcomings of Bugaboo strollers for a long time. While Bugaboo has always made a quality product, there are some design flaws in its hallmark models. The Bugaboo Frog, Gecko, and Chameleon all come as two part systems. Trying to pack up a stroller by disassembling it every time you get in the car is too much of a pain, especially when you’re paying over $700 for a Bugaboo stroller. Other complaints about the early Bugaboo models include their lack of sunshade and impractical storage basket. The Bugaboo Frog, Gecko, and Chameleon are also far from compact, making them less than ideal strollers for city dwellers who need to save space.

All of these problems have been addressed with the Bugaboo Bee stroller. The Bee is the first Bugaboo stroller that has a one piece fold, meaning that parents in a hurry no longer need to worry about wrestling with their stroller or putting the stroller seat on the dirty ground. The Bugaboo Bee comes with a huge sunshade, which is a great plus in my opinion. Not only does the Bugaboo Bee’s sunshade give the stroller its iconic profile, it also protects your baby from UV rays. The Bugaboo Bee’s storage basket is still not ideal, but it’s much better than the bizarre drawstring bags that come with the Bugaboo Frog, Gecko, and Chameleon.

The Bee continues the tradition of Bugaboo’s ultra-smooth ride. While the Bee doesn’t have the unique chassis that make the Bugaboo Frog, Gecko, and Chameleon stand out, it does have front and rear suspension and a “swivel wheel system” (swivel wheels are a “system” now?) that make the Bugaboo Bee super maneuverable and easy to push. The Bugaboo Bee also features a one-handed seat adjustment that is a huge improvement over the other Bugaboo models. The Bee is much more stable than the Frog, Gecko, and Chameleon. Some parents report that they can actually hang bags off the Bugaboo Bee’s handle without having to worry about it tipping over.

While the Bee is an improvement over the other Bugaboo strollers in many respects, it does have its own faults. Yes, the Bee is a one-piece system, but it still doesn’t fold down as compactly as most other light strollers. The Bee will easily fit in an SUV, but a standard car trunk may be a tight fit. Like the other Bugaboo strollers, the Bee can be a little tricky to figure out at first. While the Bee’s adjustments are a little more intuitive than the Frog or the Gecko, they still require practice to master. While I’ll still look for something more affordable for myself, I’m glad to see that Bugaboo is listening to parents with the Bugaboo Bee.