17 best pushchairs, strollers and buggies for every kind of terrain

Score: 93/100

This is an update to the brand’s popular all-terrain Reef pushchair and is ideal for those looking to get outdoors. The Reef 2 has bigger wheels and a softer suspension than its predecessor, giving a smooth ride over even bumpy ground.

There’s an extendable hood that offers UPF 50+ protection, blocking 98% of UV rays while you're out and about. It also has a reversible, lie-flat seat, so it's suitable from birth, but you can buy it as a bundle if you want a carrycot suitable for overnight sleeping and a car seat.

The harness has a clever magnetic buckle that snaps in place – handy if you’re holding a wriggling baby – and there’s a large, wipe-clean storage basket underneath. The fold takes a moment to master, but once you do, it’s quick and easy. Our panellists also loved that it folds down without you having to remove the seat. It is fairly heavy, so keep scrolling if you're after a lightweight stroller, but everyone was impressed by the build quality.

Overall, this is a luxe pram with plenty of add-ons that make it the perfect travel solution.

Score: 93/100

This buggy is simple to set up and our tester found it stylish and well made, offering everything a parent could need. We've linked to the pushchair and carrycot option, but it also comes in a handy bundle, which includes the stroller, carrycot, car seat adaptors, rain cover and other iCandy accessories for an extra £100 (it's currently reduced). The carrycot itself has a luxurious, fleece lining, which makes it super cosy. And despite being sturdy, it’s lightweight and easy to steer over different surfaces (albeit slightly harder to push on grass).

Folding it down is a little fiddly and it’s still fairly large, but overall, this is an impressive design. “My baby preferred this to her normal buggy and slept so soundly!” said our at-home tester. They confirmed they would definitely recommend it to friends and family, adding that it was “a joy” to use.

Score: 91/100

With a from-birth, lie-flat seat, the option of adding a car seat, and an innovative fold, this is our top pick for those who like to get away. “This pram is easy to drive with one hand, which makes it great for manoeuvring through busy spaces like airports and public transport,” said one happy panellist.

It’s light at just 7.5kg and folding and unfolding is easy once you know how – we had to refer to the instructions provided. The whole stroller folds down into a nice, neat package and the bumper bar acts as a useful pull-along handle for the airport (a feature our panel loved).

You can add accessories, including a foot muff, snack tray and phone holder and it comes in three colours: cinnamon, mineral (a greyish blue) and space (all-black). It also has a UPF50+ hood with a sun visor and a mesh panel for ventilation, making it perfect for warm holidays. All the fabric is made from recycled bottles as well, so it’s a more sustainable choice as well as a functional one.

Score: 91/100

This is an update to the brand’s popular Vista V2 and, impressively, it can carry three children at once with additional accessories. It comes with a toddler seat and carrycot (that’s suitable for overnight sleeping) and you can also buy an additional rumble seat. There's a ride-on board for older children as well. There are plenty of ways to customise your set-up too, making it ideal for growing families.

It has a large shopping basket that can take up to 13kg, and accessories include a storage bag for the carrycot and insect nets and rain shields for both the carrycot and toddler seat.

“Love this pram! It's incredibly easy to assembly, and feels like a high end premium product from the moment you open the bag,” said our at-home tester who also told us it was easy to swap between the bassinet and seat and praised the sun canopy on the bassinet.

The wheels are large and can tackle most terrains with ease, but do bear in mind that it can get quite heavy with multiple children onboard. It’s easy to fold but it’s not small, so check if it will fit in your boot before buying. Overall, this is a great solution if you’re starting a family and plan to add to it.

Score: 89/100

If you’re looking for a solid pram that can handle heavy use by growing families, this is the one. Our panel member backed this up, saying it felt “well built” and “sturdy”. Note that we’ve linked to the 3 piece bundle with the frame, carrycot and seat pack, but you can also buy the frame by itself and then choose your seating and any accessories at an additional cost. It's a large, robust pushchair, but what it loses in heft, it makes up for in durability and looks (Cybex is known for its designer collaborations).

The frame is based on the classic Eames chair, and all fabric and accessories are high quality, as is the leather handle and bumper bar. It also has good all-round suspension, and large, sturdy wheels for a comfortable ride. It’s easy to push over several types of terrain, although it’s not as good on grass and due to its weight, it’s not the easiest to get over kerbs.

It has a generous hood, a one-hand recline and fold system to make things easier, an extra-large shopping basket and a harness that opens at the push of a button. Our expert also liked the high position of the reversible seat unit and generously-sized carrycot, which is suitable for overnight sleeping.

Score: 89/100

Another model from Cybex, this one is a modular design with an impressive 20 possible configurations, which means it’s ideal if you have (or are planning for) a big family. You can attach any combination of seats, car seats and carrycots (all sold separately) to suit your needs, and even add a ride-on board so it can accommodate three children at once.

Our panel member really rated this design, telling us: “Having been fairly against the one-up-one-down tandem double pushchairs previously, I have been extremely impressed with this model. The ability to adjust the seats for good visibility of both children has been very reassuring.”

The fabrics feel luxurious with good padding, there’s an extra large hood and sun canopy, and the seat is a generous size. This is also the one to choose if you need to do the family shop. The large basket can take up to 13kg and you can attach an extra 10kg-capacity basket to the handle. Despite the sturdy chassis, it folds down compactly to fit in the boot and you can remove the wheels and seat if needed.

Score: 88/100

The newest release from iCandy, the Orange 4 can accommodate two children straight out of the box, making it a great choice for families with two young children. It also has a ride-on board for an older child. The extensive bundle features a chassis, a seat unit (suitable from around four months) and a carrycot for newborns, along with a whole range of accessories.

The pushchair's chassis is nice and sturdy, while our expert loved the 10kg shopping basket, which can take three to four bags. The rear wheels are large, delivering a smooth ride, while the front wheels swivel to make nipping around the shops easier.

It has quite a wide wheel base, so check it will fit through your front door. The seat unit can be reclined through three positions, facing either outwards or towards you, and it can be placed at different heights – handy if you want to raise your child up to interact with them.

“I like that this is a single to double pushchair with an integrated ride-on board – great for my son who can’t walk that far yet but loves to ride,” said our at-home tester, who also praised the buggy’s “quality” design and “good manoeuvrability”. They found it harder to get up steps than their previous pushchair, but added, “This is understandable as it’s bigger and heavier with two kids on board.” This one will be with you for the long-haul.

Score: 88/100

This lightweight stroller has small wheels and is easy to move around corners and in shops, but it didn’t tackle tougher terrain well, so this one is best for city dwellers. It’s suitable from six months but can be used from birth if you purchase it with the newborn pack or buy the more structured bassinet in addition to the frame.

It folds quickly and can fit in an overhead locker (although check your airline’s guidelines before travelling). You can also carry it on your shoulder thanks to the handy strap. It comes with a storage bag too, making it a good portable option. “Once folded, it goes easily into the luggage holder on planes and trains, which is a great benefit,” said one of our panel members. “Unfolded, it's very narrow, so it's very convenient and it can be stored easily in your hallway.”

The shopping storage is fairly small but fine if you’re just nipping to the supermarket to grab something for tea.

Score: 87/100

An update to the popular Triv pushchair, this one has bigger wheels than its predecessor and it folds down more compactly too, making it a great city stroller. It can also transform into a travel system with the addition of a carrycot and car seat (if this is what you're looking for, choose the travel bundle). The neat, swivelling front wheels are ideal for nipping around the shops, it has an easy-to-use, one-touch brake, and the large shopping basket has a useful extra zipped storage pocket.

The handle can be adjusted through five positions to suit parents of all heights; the three seat positions include a lie-flat option for newborns; and it's extra cosy thanks to the Merino wool insert. Plus, it faces both ways, so your baby can either look at you or watch the world go by. These smart features went down well with our panel, who liked how easy it was to adjust the seat, including changing it from back to front-facing, and praised the generous shopping basket.

Other highlights include a handy footrest for toddlers and a UPF50+ hood. Folding is simple, too.

Score: 87/100

“This pram is fabulous and perfect for little ones! It feels lovely and safe, pushes well, and the wheels are a great size,” was how our panellist summed this one up. We're not sure we need to go on but we will...

This all-terrain pushchair offers a smooth ride and one-handed operation. It glides well over a range of different surfaces and although it’s not as light as some on our list, its good centre of gravity means it takes kerbs well. It can be used with the generous carrycot for the first few months until your little one is ready to move up to the seat unit, at which point you need to remove the carrycot fabric and attach the seat fabric to the frame (there’s a handy video to show you how it’s done).

There’s a large shopping basket, which can be accessed from the front and back so you can grab baby gear easily when you need it. Overall, this is a sturdy, functional pushchair that makes use of one frame for both carrycot and seat, which means you don’t have lots of spare parts cluttering up your home. The seat, canopy and carrycot also come in a range of colourways, which sit on the stylish black or graphite frame.

Score: 86/100

This pushchair is handmade in Italy and was described by our tester as a “large and stately” design. The included carrycot is generously-sized and beautifully made. It’s also suitable for overnight sleeping and even comes with a stand so it can be used in place of a crib or Moses basket.

The seat unit has a seven-position backrest so you can find a setting to suit your baby from birth to around four years old. It provides a smooth ride thanks to the large rear wheels and dual-setting suspension, but it’s heavy to get up kerbs and the bouncy suspension makes stairs tricky (although you can switch to the harder suspension setting to make things easier).

Our panellists agreed that this is a very comfy buy, praising the “high quality” design and “fluid movement and good suspension.” It’s also easy to fold and you can even roll it along behind you like a suitcase. To open it up again, you simply press the button on the side of the frame and it slides up.

Overall, this is a large, elegant pushchair that will be a cosy place for your baby to sleep from birth.

Score: 84/100

This sporty, three-wheel pushchair has been designed with runners in mind. It has a wrist strap and hand brake on the handle, which makes it safer if you have to come to a swift halt – essential for any good running buggy. It also has large wheels, a good suspension and the front wheel can be set to swivel when walking or locked in place for running. Because of the big wheels, it’s a breeze to use on any surface and there’s a large hood to keep wind and rain off your baby.

The smooth handling went down well with our at-home testers. “It provided a comfy ride for my little one and I found it really easy to push; it glides over surfaces and you can use it one-handed if needed,” said one.

The stroller's generous seat can lie flat, making it suitable for newborns, although our expert suggests checking out the additional newborn nest and bassinet for added comfort.

There are extra storage pockets for your keys and phone and you can engage the brake with your toe so there’s no need to bend down. It’s quite wide and has a long wheelbase, so it's not as easy to manoeuvre as some smaller pushchairs, but if you want a design for long walks and running, it's worth the trade-off.

Score: 84/100

This is a good price and delivers everything you want from a pram. “The best pram I've ever used (I have three children and this is the 4th pram I’ve had),” was one impressed panellist's feedback.

It’s easy to assemble, with the four-position seat and wheels clicking straight in. It felt a little stiff to push at first but it soon loosened up and is a good option for zipping around town. It’s also great on grass if you fancy stopping off at the park.

Both the seat back and the leg rest can be adjusted up and down independently, giving you all seat options from flat to upright, so it’s suitable from birth to two or three years.

Note, that one of our panel members did struggle to fold it at first and said the small wheels did make it tricky over some surfaces, so it may not be the best all-terrain option but it does the job for everyday urban use.

The seat can be front- or rear-facing and it’s easy to swap direction using the sliding buttons on the sides. There’s a generous basket with two internal pockets for your phone or water bottle and it comes with adaptors to attach a carrycot or car seat. A neat buy.

Score: 83/100

This compact, lightweight stroller complies with airline guidelines, so it’s ideal for taking on holiday with you. It also comes with its own carry case for storing in the overhead locker, or in your boot. The seat is adjustable with three positions in total, and it lies flat so it’s suitable for newborns.

It’s easy to recline when your baby is asleep, although it’s not as easy to raise again with your baby in it. The hood also has good ventilation panels to allow the air to circulate during warmer weather.

The front wheels swivel, making it a good mover and it goes through doors and up stairs easily, as it’s so light. When you need to put it in the boot or the airline locker, just push the lever and button on the handle and it concertinas right down and locks when folded. It’s a smart buy for those who want to get away in those early years.

Score: 82/100

This three-wheel stroller is made for long walks through rough terrain, so it’s great for going off-road. One of our panel members took it out for a jog and found it really easy to steer. They confirmed it also “handled all types of terrain really well.”

Though it’s large, it’s lightweight, thanks to the aluminium frame, and the generous seat and large footrest are suitable for children up to the age of three or four. The seat can be used from birth (although don’t use it for jogging if your baby is less than six months old), but there’s also a carrycot that can be added, which faces you so you can bond with your baby on walks.

There’s an additional storage pouch on the back for valuables and the front wheel can be set to swivel for moving around town, or locked in place for jogging or going across rougher ground. Note, there’s a wrist strap but no handle brake, so it’s not one for serious runners, but it makes short work of kerbs and stairs.

Score: 75/100

This is an innovative product that’s ideal for short trips to the shops when you don’t want to disturb your sleeping baby. It’s essentially a car seat that converts into a stroller. We haven’t tested it as a car seat (it has passed car seat safety regulation ECE R129/iSize) but as a stroller, it’s undoubtedly very convenient.

It has three recline positions, including a full recline feature for cosy snoozing, as well as an adjustable headrest and a padded harness and handle. The fabrics are breathable and can be removed for washing.

It's rear-facing and only suitable for little ones up to 13kg, but if you drive frequently and need a smart solution for running errands, this may be the answer.

Score: 75/100

This is a small, compact and affordable stroller that’s great for public transport, holidays and trips to the shops, but perhaps not as your main pushchair. The small wheels make it easy to negotiate the shops but aren’t as good on rougher terrain. The seat is comfortable and ergonomic, with lots of padding and a number of recline positions. It also turns into a little bassinet for newborns, using just the seat’s fabric and some clever poppers.

You can add a car seat to create a from-birth travel system using adaptors and it arrives ready in the box, making this one of the most easy to set up and compact strollers around.

Our panellists liked the compact fold and peekaboo flap, along with the fuss-free set-up, but did say they struggled to unfold it, so it may take a bit of practice before you head out.