How to Choose a Pram

Mother with a stroller

There are lots of things to consider when choosing a pram, below are some questions to ask yourself before you make that decision. Also, browse our “Top 10 Pram” list. 

How? How might seem like an odd question as “how” you use a pram is really obvious, but it’s important to consider how you might be using your pram.

Will you be using it while doing a lot of shopping, and so a large under carriage might be a really important feature for you?

Do you plan to take it on long walks, so the size and quality of the wheels might be something to consider?  Or perhaps for running and jogging – there are prams that are designed for this purpose too.

Will you be taking it on public transport or regularly in and out of the car, so you might want something light weight, compact and easily collapsed and opened?

How much use will you get out of your pram? This might be something to factor in when deciding on a budget, if you are likely to be spending hours a day pushing your pram you’ll likely want to spend more than if it’s mostly going to live in the car boot and rarely be used.

Who? Who is the person who’s most likely to be spending the most time behind the pram? Whoever is going to be pushing the pram the most probably should have the most say about what they are looking for in a pram. Also consider if you and your partner are dramatically different in height looking for a pram with an easily adjustable handle height.

What? What features are you looking for in a pram? Do you want 3 or 4 wheels? Accessories included such as rain covers, drink holder, sun shades, boot cover etc.? Do you want rear and forward facing on the seat? Are you looking for something that’s compatible with a travel system (car capsule which clicks into the prams frame)?  Or an optional second seat?

When? Make sure if you are buying a pram for a newborn that it is suitable from birth, as not all prams are – or some prams  may require you to buy additional seat to be suitable for a newborn. Also check the weight limits as some prams have a lower weight limit which may not be suitable for heavier babies and toddlers or children over 2.

Where? Are you looking for a pram to go from the car, to the shops, cruise around on a flat shopping mall floor, then back into the car and no further than that? Then you would probably be looking for a light weight collapsible umbrella stroller. Or do you want a pram to take across grass and various terrains? Then a bigger sturdier pram with larger wheels might be a better option.

Budget. You really can spend as much or as little on a pram as your budget allows. My experience with prams has been in a lot of instances though you do get what you paid for. You can buy a second hand pram from sites like Ebay or Gumtree, depending on the brand and condition often for about half the purchase price. In department stores, like Target and Kmart, particularly shopping during baby sale times, you can get an inexpensive umbrella stroller for under $100 or a pram $200-$400. At speciality baby stored (such as Baby Bunting) while you can still pick up a pram for around the $200, generally $400-600 for a pram that’ll often come with extra features compared to the department store prams and usually steer and roll easier. You can also spend well over $1000 on a pram in a Baby Store, the more expensive prams often have innovative design and are of great quality. Be clear what you are happy to spend on a pram before you go looking because the pricing varies dramatically depending on where you shop and what you need. Always cross check pricing online, as a lot of stores will price match.

Reviews. Once you’ve decided on a pram you like, it’s a good idea to check out review websites and see what others have experienced with the pram prior to purchasing.

Still having trouble finding ONE pram that meets ALL your needs? A lot of people do buy two prams, because you might not be able to get all the features you’re looking for in one single unit. For example, if you do a lot of walking and need a sturdy, big wheeled pram, with a large undercarriage for carrying all that you’ll need on a big outing without a car, but you also frequently go to shopping centres or multiple shops in one trip, and want something compact for in and out of the car, you may find it easier to get two different prams to meet all of your needs.

If you have any further questions we would be happy to help. Please feel free to comment below and we will do our best to assist you. 

Rachel Stewart

Rachel is the founder of Parenting Central. She is raising two children, boy and girl, with her partner. Rachel is obsessed prams, car seats, carriers and all things baby. She has worked in the baby industry for several years, for both suppliers and also in a retail setting and has developed a passion for connecting parents with the right products to make their lives easier. When Rachel isn't playing with prams she's enjoys crocheting, drinking coffee (sometimes wine) and spending a little too much time on Facebook.

8 Comments

    1. Hi Evan, Thank you for your question. There’s no one double pram that is “the best”, all prams have different features that suit different people’s needs. Though, if you give me a bit of an idea about what you’re looking for in a double pram I’d be more than happy to make some recommendations.

  1. Hi,

    I am a first time mum and need help buying a pram!

    Ideally my pram would have the following features;

    – Safe (I tend to be a bit of a Choice addict – Choice has not been overly helpful in the pram department)
    – 4 wheels
    – Suitable for newborn (lying flat option preferred)
    – Either toddler skateboard attachment or second seat (we are hoping for a 2.5 year gap between children)
    – Lightweight
    – Easy to fold
    – Narrow enough for shopping / food shopping

    Also, do you think the transferrable baby capsule / car seat option is a good idea? I would be open to looking into them but am a bit sceptical.

    I look forward to your response 🙂

    1. Firstly, with regards to travel systems (capsules that a compatible with prams) I was fortunate enough a friend let me borrow her capsule for my second baby and I will say it was extremely convenient not having to wake her or unbuckle her between the car and the pram. I wouldn’t have bought one myself, because they’re really only useful for a short amount of time – however if you are planning a second baby in the nearish future you might get value out of it. It was really convenient, but definitely not a necessity. Sorry if that’s not a very helpful answer!

      With regards to prams I would recommend looking at a Baby Jogger City Mini 4 wheeler. It’s light weight (8.1kgs) suitable from birth, it’s 60.9cms which is fairly narrow but it still has a roomy seat and a reasonable undercarriage. The fold on the Baby Jogger City Minis is AMAZING. (Baby Gizmo do a great video review, but to see the fold it’s between 2:40 to 2:41 – not kidding it’s literally 1 second to fold it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_frcLK2Vmo ) It can also take a “gliderboard” for a toddler down the track and also has the option of purchasing car seat adaptors if you decide you want a travel system.

      The only drawbacks is that the handle isn’t adjustable and also that it doesn’t have rear and forward facing option.

      Let me know if you want some more suggestions. 🙂

      Regards, Rachel.

    2. Rachel,

      Thanks for your fast response – I will definitely be looking at that one. Do you have one or two more recommendations so that I might be able to compare in store? Sorry to be a pain! Will let you know how I go – thanks again!!

      Emily

    3. Hi Emily,

      No worries at all, I honestly enjoy researching prams (a little more than I should admit)

      So, a couple more suggestions – if a second seat is something that is important to you another pram to consider is a Strider Compact. They are 12kgs and 62.5cms wide – so it’s a medium sized pram. It does has a simple fold mechanism though. According to their website the main seat it comes with is suitable from birth – however you can purchase a bassinet attachment separately so baby can completely lay flat. It also has a travel system option and the great thing about that is the capsule can actually be used as a second seat (with adaptors) so when you have your second baby your toddler stays in the main seat and new baby has the second seat position. Or you can purchase a full sized second seat as well. It’s explained a lot better in their promo video here —> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5htHz0zEuT0

      If a second seat or skateboard option isn’t so important, Phil and Ted Smart Lux is another compact pram. It’s 12kgs but it’s only 55cms wide – which is very narrow. Cool feature with this pram is the main seat converts into a bassinet, so there’s no need to purchase a bassinet separately for bubs to lay completely flat. The fold mechanism looks pretty simple. Here’s their promo video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oypuTlGEr3I#t=205

      One other thing to consider, if light, narrow and easy to fold are your highest priorities I’d suggest looking at a quality umbrella stroller – such as a Maclaren Techno XT. Though it won’t hold much in the way of shopping (I know, I’ve tried. A Maclaren Techno was my first pram – I do like it for a lot of reasons, but it is not a great shopping pram)

      Alternatively the lightest, narrowest, most compact option I’d personally recommend for food shopping is Babywearing – that way baby is just on you and your hands are free to push the shopping trolley. Here’s all our articles about Babywearing if it’s not something you’ve considered. https://www.parentingcentral.com.au/category/baby-articles/baby-wearing/

      I’d love to know how you go with your pram shopping!

      Regards

      Rachel

  2. Rachel,

    Thanks for all your help.

    After investigating all your suggested options my mum came accross the UPPAbaby Alta 2015 – I’m in love!

    Can’t thank you enough for your suggestions!!!

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