what's the best stroller for newborn to toddler?

From your experience what is a good 4 wheeled stroller up to $300 that folds away, not too heavy can be taken on planes and public transport, and can seat/lie down a newborn, ie that is padded as some as so thin?

I've been looking on line and there are so many brands I thought personal experience was a good. I've seen steelcrafts, macclarens, bebes, bugaboo bees, etc.

I can't put our Strider pram in/out of the car (it was given to us) so I think I should invest in something for getting out and about.

Also DD will have a hip harness put on soon so would have to be able to fit her splayed legs.

I have the Maclaren Quest which I LOVE and although it doesn't fold way down if I had my time again I would get the Maclaren that does instead of a pram- I think it is Triumph. They are super lightweight, I can fold it with one hand holding child, umbrella style do it doesn't take any room in the boot and they seem comfy for bubs. I would think the lying down one would be around that price mark as well! :) I think it also comes with a cocoon thingy as well.

I had a Steelcraft for Charlotte...not sure which model. but it layed completely flat if need be, 4 wheels, reversible handle, was lightweight and compact enough it travelled all over the country and back again with us and stood up well, but was comfy enough for her (with an infant head insert you buy from KMart in it she was just fine) and I loved it!

Would be using it this time but gave it away (Martryoshka took it off my hands if she is still around, she could tell you about it) when we were only planning on having one)

I just bought a Steelcrsaft Cruiser - sooo light weight, I lifted it off the shoulder-height shelf at Target the other day by myself, easy to fold, use, will fit a Strider Plus (or has a matching one of its own) bassinet and costs under $300. (The seat comes out like the Strider, so you can flip it around to face you, it reclines, etc, it is basically a smaller, no toddler seat version of the Strider Plus.) But I was amazed how light it was and easy to steer- put Charlotte who is 3 next month in it and could still wheel it around and steer it one handed.


HTH :) Duck into Target and check out the Cruiser.

i love my maclaren vogue!! its more exxy but worth it!

I brought a Valco Titan for DS2 and used it from 5 months, so not newborn, but it is very suitable for one. I just gave it to SIL to use for her bub and he fits fine in it. It doesn't lay completely flat, when fully reclined it still has a bit of an incline but I found that to be very good because of his reflux. It was only $140, but I think the new ones are about $160. It is umbrella fold and we took it everywhere with us. Not too heavy either.

I have a Maclaren Techno 2 years old Now - Brought it when she was 12 months but it is suitable from Newborn - if i was to go again wouldnt use anything else . its been fantastic both in and out of all sorts of tight car boot spaces , interstate and international travel i have no issue folding if one handed nor pushing it the same - also used a Valco Skateboard on the back of it for a period of time .

I have a bebcare one. We lusted after the McLaren but couldn't afford it, and side by side the two are very similar. My DS has been in it since birth and DD has used it on occasion too. It came with all the accessories and is quite tall for a stroller as my DH is 6'2" so we needed a tallish one.

I just bought one from either Kmart or BigW and it was so good that I have now used it for 3 children. I think it was a Steelcraft Stroller and it folds up super small, is quite lightweight and reclines fully for newborns. It was only about $120 to :)

Just scribing cause I'm on the hunt for a stroller too.

hmmmm..it's a tricky one if you are going to need room or a hip brace cos you will need the width......you mentioned the bugaboo bee which is what we have and would work well with a brace but it is way out of the price range you set....... I have seen a bub with a hip cast in a quinny zapp...it's a three wheler but has a double front wheel. there is an australian forum called strollersandprams where you would get some good advice...they are real pram nuts and knows the ins and outs of all of them!!

Mclaren vougue here love it!!!! Worth the money

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I brought a Valco Titan for DS2 and used it from 5 months, so not newborn, but it is very suitable for one. I just gave it to SIL to use for her bub and he fits fine in it. It doesn't lay completely flat, when fully reclined it still has a bit of an incline but I found that to be very good because of his reflux. It was only $140, but I think the new ones are about $160. It is umbrella fold and we took it everywhere with us. Not too heavy either.

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:yeahthat:we had the same one for our DD and funny enough we bought it when she was 5mths old just as she was at the ends of her severe colic, we found the Beema pram we had not necessary for her at that age and we still used the Valcro Titan stroller until she was about 4years old (and it's still going strong) :D

Great to hear your experiences/advice!
Mel I just realised I was looking at a hood for a Bee that cost $99 not the whole stroller *&$%^! Whoops, they do look very groovy and practical though.

I saw a Valco TXR yesterday reduced to $109 from $219, its 9.5kg

The other stroller I liked was the Steelcraft Eden layback for $180 which is 7kg or the Steelcraft Profile on sale for $150 7.5kg.

I think weight it an issue as we fly a fair bit so I'm erring on the side of the Steelcraft.

I can't work out why there are some strollers like the Maclaren Vogue that are $499 but look exactly like the ones above. Am I missing something?

quality is usually the key to the price tag thing...you will find in general the cheaper prams may look almost identical but the build quality will be different, most maclarens look almost identical but small things such as the gauge of the aluminium etc etc make the difference......if you have a read around of the strollers and prams forum or even have a look at the productreview website you can quickly see which prams hold up to the wear and tear and which seem to have a lot of niggly issues and recurring faults. For example steelcraft prams in general are known for having a lot of vibration though them compared to other prams..... Maybe punch a few models into the productreview site and see what people say about them.....