Joie Aire Twin Pushchair review

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Price: RRP £170

What we like

Lightweight double stroller
Stands on its own when folded
Reversible, double sided seat liners
Compact when folded flat
One handed fold and unfold
Separate seats can be customised to each child

What we don't like

Doesn’t have an extendable handlebar
Tricky to fit through some door sizes
Shopping basket hard to reach when seats are flat

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Key specs

Our verdict

Assembly: 5/5
Safety: 5/5
Stability: 4/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Ease of folding/unfolding: 3/5
Comfort: 5/5
Design: 4/5
Ease of cleaning: 4/5
Value for money: 5/5

If you were to rewind to June 2022, you would find me frantically trying to find a pram that would accommodate both our toddler and baby while travelling abroad. With just 15 months between the two of them, I needed a sturdy, spacious pram that could be customised to suit both their schedules while we survived enjoyed our first family holiday abroad. Our pram also needed to fit in a car boot, along with a few suitcases, and be easy to handle as we passed through Manchester Airport’s rather thorough security checks.

The only pram available that met this criteria for our young family was the Joie Aire Twin Pushchair. Fast forward three years and it’s still our trusty go-to pram for family days out together and trips abroad that require both kids - of different ages - to be comfortable and contained.

In fact, a recent holiday abroad involved a few days in Disneyland Paris and I am so glad we took the double buggy. There were plenty of other families with two young children with the same pram, too. I wasn’t surprised to see so many, though. This double duty cruiser is incredibly lightweight for a double pram at just 12kg and folds up flat in an instant with just one hand.

I love the fact that you can adjust each seat to suit either child, too. There’s 15 months between ours and while that isn’t as obvious these days, it certainly was two years ago when I first purchased the Joie Aire Twin. Back then, our youngest was nine months old and the pram was perfect for his schedule, which of course, was different to his older brother’s. His seat could lie flat for nap time while his brother sat comfortably watching the world go by, which was particularly handy when I would venture out to the shops with them on my own.

My favourite feature is the very large shopping basket underneath. I can easily fit everything I need for two kids underneath there. I also love the multi-position calf support, which can be adjusted on each individual seat to suit your child’s height.

Final verdict: After personally using a tandem pram for my kids and a single stroller with a buggy board, I can confidently say that the Joie Aire Twin is the best option. Whether you have twins or children close in age, Joie’s double stroller is a breeze to handle, will carry everything you need for your DC (and then some), and is compact enough to travel with. And despite appearances, it does fit through a standard doorway, albeit with a nudge or two.

Read next: Best double buggies

Joie Aire Twin Pushchair: how we tested

Used daily as the main pram for a family of four for two years.
Children were nine months and two years old when purchased, they’re now 33 months and four years old respectively.
Taken on an airplane to Greece and packed in a car to drive to France.

It’s fair to say I have tested this pram rather thoroughly over the last two years. I personally decided on the Joie Aire Twin after seeing recommendations on our Mumsnet Forum. We’d had a Silver Cross Wave for when our youngest arrived but quickly realised this wasn’t the most lightweight or most practical option for our lifestyle.

As a result, we landed on Joie’s double pram offering and I was initially attracted to the individually adjustable seats. This meant I could customise each seat for both children - harness strap heights, recline, as well as the adjustable hoods. It also takes up a lot less space in my car boot compared to a tandem, and is easily stored at home without taking up a lot of floor space (it stands upright).

Joie Aire Twin Pushchair: what’s in the box?

Joie Aire Twin double pram chassis and chairs
Reversible seat pads x 2
Handlebar and wheels packed separately
Adjustable hoods x 2, each with a viewing window
Rain cover

At around £170, this double buggy by Joie is arguably one of the more affordable options on the market. However, it also means you get the basics. Upon purchasing, you’ll get the pram and a rain cover. No footmuffs, cup holders or other accessories are included. So much so, I ordered two universal footmuffs from Amazon that fit on the pram for the colder months.

Joie Aire Twin Pushchair: how easy is it to assemble?

Very easy, actually. The main chassis and seats come already attached. The wheels come separately, so you need to click these into place. This is easy enough with the front swivel wheels. The rear wheels are attached together with a wire that needs to be secured to the pram’s rear bar.

The handlebar also clicks into place with ease. This feature I do love as it provides some extra security while the kids are in it. The adjustable hoods for each seat also click into place easily. The shopping basket, I found, was a little trickier to install but once done, doesn’t need to be reattached again.

Joie Aire Twin Pushchair: how does it look?

After hunting for the light grey version and failing, I settled on the black Joie Aire Twin with the rosy and sea coloured seat pads. In hindsight, this was actually the best option as I’ve found the black easy to keep clean.

Admittedly, it’s not the most stylish of prams and is quite basic in looks. But it does the job keeping my children secure and comfortable while out and about. I do wish there were more choices for seat pad colours. As my kids have grown, I’ve actually removed these so we have just the black seats, which I prefer the look of.

Read next: Best pushchairs

Joie Aire Twin Pushchair: what’s it like to use day-to-day?

For a family without a car or who own a smaller car, I’d advise you to carefully consider whether the Joie Aire Twin would be the right one for you. Despite being lightweight, it folds flat and does take up quite a bit of space when laid flat. We have a large SUV, so this hasn’t been a problem for us when travelling via car.

It’s easy enough to navigate public transport with, like buses and trains, as it folds up and can stand in the storage units on both. Plus, with its all wheel suspension, it handles well on rougher terrains - including gravel, cobblestone and grass.

With its one hand fold and unfold, it’s very easy to set up when it’s needed. Previously when we’ve travelled as a family, one of us has kept hold of both our children while the other collapses the pram, which takes no time at all. Although, if you have a full shopping basket, all of your items will need to be removed before collapsing or risk losing them. A small issue if you’re in a rush, but not unmanageable.

I would recommend avoiding attaching too many bags or accessories to the handlebar. I learnt this the hard way when my youngest was one - my eldest had hopped out, but our backpack was still attached to the back and the pram fell backwards with his little brother in it. Thankfully all was fine, but definitely something to bear in mind. It might be a double pram, but it is indeed lightweight and can topple if the back is overloaded. And I know how easy that can be to do when you have so many things to carry.

Joie Aire Twin Pushchair: how easy is the fold?

Thanks to its one handed fold and unfold, it’s very easy.

Joie Aire Twin Pushchair: can it be used as carry-on on airplanes?

Regrettably not as despite folding flat, it is still too big to be used as a cabin-approved stroller while flying. It can, however, be stowed in cargo - most airlines will allow you to use it until you reach the plane itself, where you can gate check the pram with staff.

If you’re travelling with a toddler and younger sibling, I’d recommend baby-carrying your youngest off the plane as with some airlines, you may not receive your pram again until the luggage carousel - and, as we learnt the hard way, that can be quite a distance from the plane through security.

Read next: Car seats to take on the plane

Joie Aire Twin Pushchair: who is it best suited for?

Growing families expecting twins or who have children close in age. If your four or five-year-old children are confident walkers, you might be better investing in a single pram for your newest addition and a buggy board.

However, if you know that you’d rather keep both safe and comfortable while out and about, while still customising their seats to suit each child’s schedule, then the Joie Aire Twin is for you. With adjustable hoods, recline seats, adjustable calf rests, and five point harnesses on each seat with three heights - it truly is one of the best double prams I’ve come across and does the job you need it to do.

About the author

Rebecca Roberts is a writer, editor, and content marketing expert hailing from Leeds. Here at Mumsnet, she commissions, writes, and edits to bring parents content designed to make life easier. Having birthed two DC just 15 months apart, she knows all too well how stressful it can be trying to find the right pram to suit your family's needs. So, she's fully invested in finding the best prams and pushchairs for new and growing families.

Beyond her role as an editor here at Mumsnet, Rebecca can be found balancing life as a working mum of two toddlers and when she’s not at her desk, you’ll likely find her at a local playgroup, in a nearby coffee shop, or walking the dog.

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All prices correct at time of publication