Having two kids is no walk in the park, but the stroller you choose should be. The two main choices for carting two kids around have long been side-by-side strollers that struggle to fit through doorways, or tandems, with seats positioned one in front of the other, that are hard to steer and push up curbs. Consumer Reports recently put some newer double “convertible” strollers through their paces in our tough stroller tests. These hybrids offer more versatile sit-and-stand or stadium-style seating, or the option of using an infant car seat. Here are the details on our latest stroller picks.
A maneuverable top scorer. The phil&teds Navigator, $650, double convertible stroller scored as well as our top side-by-side. This colorful three-wheeler offers superb maneuverability thanks in part to a pivoting front wheel. It has a comfortable handle that’s adjustable and lots of storage. The Navigator converts to a carriage for babies who can’t sit up but does not accept a car seat without the purchase of an additional adapter. The restraint system was easy to adjust and the stroller has one-touch brakes. But it’s heavy and cumbersome, so it may be tough to get in and out of a car trunk.
A pricy and versatile top pick. The UPAAbaby Vista with RumbleSeat, $830, costs more than five times the price of the least expensive recommended model in our tests. For that price, you get a lot of flexibility—it converts to a single stroller with either a bassinet that lies flat for infants or a stroller seat with a 5-point harness for babies who can sit up. It can also be used as a double stroller using the RumbleSeat attachment. When used as a tandem, the seats are closer together, making it much easier to push. The stroller comes with all the seating modules and there’s lots of storage space. On the downside, the stroller is heavy and the swivel wheel lock is hard to operate. And while folding the stroller is easy, it requires an initial learning curve.
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Two low-priced options, but just one bargain. Two sit-and-stand-style convertibles rolled into our labs at about the same price, but only the Baby Trend Sit N’ Stand Deluxe, $150, earned our recommendation. It’s easy to use and features a full stroller seat with a 5-point harness and also accepts an infant car seat without needing extra adapters. The Baby Trend Sit N’ Stand also has a rear-facing bench seat and stand-on platform in the back. It has an excellent safety score and a very good score for maneuverability, though it was difficult to go up and down curbs. And like the others, it’s heavy.
The Safety 1st Stand on Board, $150, also got an excellent safety score and some convenient features, but it was harder to maneuver. It has a full stroller seat and bench seat with standing platform in the rear, and it can accept an infant car seat with no adapter. But the long wheelbase, heavy weight, and difficult maneuverability lowered its overall score.
Two top-performing conventional doubles. Our newest recommended side-by-side stroller, the Bugaboo Donkey Duo, costs $1,400 but it can accommodate a child from birth through toddlerhood. The sturdy, smooth-riding, and versatile stroller allows for multiple seating configurations, and can be made wider (into a double) or narrower (into a single). As a double stroller, it accepts the included carrycot and regular seat, or two seats (which can also recline flat for two infants). It has superb maneuverability (even through narrow spaces), a very good score for safety, and an adjustable handle. But testers found it heavy and cumbersome to fold and unfold.
The Joovy Too Qool, $700, is the first recommended tandem in our tests. The sturdy stroller earned very good scores for safety and has harness buckles that are easy to manipulate. The front seat can face forward or back, the handles are adjustable, and it has one-touch brakes. An extra perk is that the seats have extra cushioning for long rides.
For more detailed information about these and dozens of other double strollers, traditional strollers, all-terrain strollers, and joggers, see our full Ratings and recommendations, and buying advice.
—Artemis DiBenedetto
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