Best Baby Strollers

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.