What pushchair should I buy? And the one I wish I got first

When I imagined being a mum, I’d think about pushing around a bassinet pushchair. It’s a classic image of a new mum.

When asking, “what pushchair should I buy?” you’ll need to think about a few things…

1. Will you be mainly in a town/city
2. Will you go off road
3. Do you need it to fold small and into a car boot?
4. Do you think you’ll want to add an additional seat to the pushchair at some point?

I’ve had six different pushchairs. Some I got for free, some I got second hand, some I got new. Here are four I’ve had.

• Mamas and Papas Occaro Travel System
• Joie Evalite Duo
• Out n About Nipper Single
• Hauck Runner

Then I’ve had two pop up pushchairs that I got second hand. I can’t remember the brands or types though. I had the baby jogger too, but I don’t think they make those running buggy’s any more.

Mamas and Papas Occaro Review

It’s a great pushchair, and one you will see around town lots.

Pros

• Chunky wheels
• Folds up small
• Easy to open and close
• Can lift and put in the boot with one hand
• Big basket
• Can attach car seat to it with adapters
• Fits the buggy board easily

Cons

• My three year old stopped fitting in it when she was two, which was a little bit of a negative on it.

Joie Evalite Duo

This is a double pushchair. It was a GODSEND on our holiday as the kids had joint naps in it and we got to walk without kids asking for a carry.

Pros:

• Back seat lies flat
• Folds up small
• Can put car seat on the back seat
• Big basket
• Lightweight
• Narrow – good for living in villages with narrow paths

Cons:

• When weight is at the front you have to get used to pushing it
• Can be hard to push when the curb is dropped

HAUCK Runner

This is technically a running buggy but we used it as an everyday one for a while as it suits our off road village lifestyle.

Pros

• It is rugged and strong, both my girls would sit in it together
• It has three wheels and is great for off road
• You can fix the front wheel
• You can recline to almost flat
• You can add a bassinet (but don’t run with that obvs.) We had the Phil and Teds one
• The handle bar adjusts
• It has a bright yellow trim
• It folds well
• Big basket

Cons

• When the hood is up it feels wide, even though it’s not
• The wheels are huge. You can take them off for putting in the car easier
• No suspension

Out N About Nipper

The Out N About Nipper is a single pushchair, but you can also get the double version which I’ve seen childminders hack with additional seats and buggy boards. I kept it simple with a single. This pushchair is INCREDIBLE. My friend had it for her first when I had my first and I wished I knew her when we were choosing pushchairs. Someone who had four kids told her it was the one to get, and isn’t it just. Here’s the pros and cons of the Nipper.

Pros

• You can run with it (if that’s your thing)
• It is lightweight
• It folds well, and quite flat, too
• It is narrower than it looks
• It is great off road
• It has suspension
• You can buy all the bits you need to fix it/ refresh it
• It’s made in the UK
• It’s sturdy
• The handle bar adjusts

I LOVE IT. So far. I have no cons.

No surprise, I wish I got the Out n About Nipper first. It is by far the best pushchair I’ve had across five years and three babies. My friend who also has it still uses it for her three year old comfortably. My five year old even fits well in it.