For the due Oct crowd (and anyone else) here are the best buys.
Pushchairs come in all shapes and sizes, from the lightest buggy to the chunkiest travel system. These types address different lifestyle needs and it?s almost impossible to choose a pushchair that can cover every eventuality.
A Which? Best Buy represents the best combination of features that make a good pushchair ? no matter what style it is.
As you?d expect, every Which? Best Buy has passed stringent safety tests at our expert laboratory. But they've also passed a trial-by-toddler, where we let parents and their babies loose on the pushchairs to check that they are easy to use.
Most importantly they?re easy to push ? smooth on bumpy ground, agile around obstacles and able to negotiate kerbs with ease.
Everyday features such as brakes work well and the pushchair is easy to fold and unfold. Fancy features, such as parent trays and cup holders only catch our attention if they add to the usefulness, as well as the cost, of the pushchair.
Best Buys
Graco AeroSport
Price: £160
Score: 82%
Type of pushchair: Stroller
The solid Graco Aerosport, which is available either on its own or as a travel system with infant car seat, is a great Best Buy for people who want lots of useful features and a smooth ride.
It is suitable from birth, but is good for larger babies too. We like the parent's tray with cup holders and its excellent under-seat basket that is easy to access, even with the seat reclined - it has a clip to open and close the space. It is also a pleasure to push, even around obstacles, on bumpy surfaces and on stairs and has a highly adjustable handle bar.
Micralite Fastfold
Price: £169
Score: 81%
Type of pushchair: Stroller
The Best Buy Micralite Fastfold stroller is the best stroller on test, it is easy to push and manoeuvre, folds down easily and small, but is not suitable from birth. It is a basic stroller and storage is limited.
The Micralite is a four-wheeled basic stroller weighing just 7.4kg. It is small, light and easy to manoeuvre, especially round tight corners. One mother described it as ?lovely to push, easy up and down kerbs and really light?.
Mamas and Papas Nipi
Price: £89
Score: 80%
Type of pushchair: Stroller
The Best Buy Mamas & Papas Nipi is the perfect buggy for parents who want something small and light to chuck in the car boot for shopping trips or take on holiday.
It's the easiest to fold and carry, especially as it has a carrying handle when folded. The foam covered handles are angled in to promote a neutral wrist position and it is easy to push. It weighs only 6.4 kg and folds down to a compact 30x26x110 cm (86 litres). It fits easily into the boot of a VW Golf, with plenty of room for other items.
Mothercare Trenton
Price: £240
Score: 80%
Type of pushchair: Travel system
The Best Buy Mothercare Trenton travel system pushchair includes a child car seat, and is easy to push, handles well and folds easily. Its one of the heaviest pushchairs on test though, and is large too, but storage space is generous.
This Mothercare is a large sturdy 4-wheel travel system pushchair that can be used from birth. It is easy to push and handles well, but is one of the heaviest pushchairs on test. It?s large too, but folds down easily.
Cosatto Diablo
Price: £140
Score: 79%
Type of pushchair: Stroller
The Cosatto Dioblo is an attractive and stylish Best Buy pushchair, which pulls off the mean feet of offering space and storage, while still being easy to fold, carry and transport.
The backrest reclines far enough for it to be particularly good for newborns and it has an adjustable calf support to keep their little legs comfortable as they grow. You can also keep an eye on your baby through the viewing window in the hood. It provides excellent storage space under the seat and in the additional storage pockets on the back.
Maclaren Quest Sport
Price: £110
Score: 79%
Type of pushchair: Stroller
Good for around town, the Best Buy McLaren Quest Sport is a basic lightweight four wheel stroller.
It is easy to push and steer, but the small wheels are not suited to rough ground, it folds and unfolds easily and has decent storage space under the seat.
Ziko Frankie
Price: £170
Score: 79%
Type of pushchair: Stroller
Our testers had lots of nice things to say about the funky Ziko Frankie which is a Best Buy. It appealed because of its good looks, apparent quality, sturdiness and lovely handling. You can also fold it with one hand.
It is excellent on most surfaces including pavements, bumpy ground and is even good on stairs. The spacious seat makes the chair particularly suitable for older babies - the harness is a bit baggy for smaller babies. The seat is well-padded and it has an adjustable leg support which is useful because the footrest is quite low. On the downside the clip that holds it folded is difficult to undo, and the brake levers will hit stairs. Even so, our testers were unanimous that they would buy it.
Silver Cross POP
Price: £100
Score: 78%
Type of pushchair: Stroller
The Silver Cross POP is an attractive lightweight buggy for nipping around the shops or strolls in the park on a rainy day.
It's compact when folded and easy to carry, but also stable and appears to be a good quality product. With its one-handed folding action, easy manoeuvrability is it a great choice for the baby about town, apart from on stairs where the brake levers can catch.
Chicco CT 0.4 Stroller
Price: £90
Score: 77%
Type of pushchair: Stroller
The sturdy Chicco CT 0.4 stroller, which is a Best Buy, is a great choice for long walks or off-road terrain - it's excellent on bumpy ground, provides a smooth ride and feels like a good quality product. Its large wheels make stairs reasonably easy to manage too.
It is comfortable for your child and the padded removable infant head hugger, adjustable leg support and flat recline make it suitable for newborn and small babies. It has a nicely padded seat with soft fabric, but larger children may find the backrest a bit short.
Maclaren Triumph
Price: £80
Score: 77%
Type of pushchair: Stroller
This Best Buy Maclaren Triumph is a great buggy for an older toddler or for using as a lightweight pushchair for holidays.
Its light frame, carrying handle and one-handed folding capability make it particularly suitable for public transport. It's very manoeuvrable, especially around obstacles, has nice handles and is great on stairs. On the downside, the backrest is not as easy to lower as other Best Buys and the jaunty nautical flag on the backrest is difficult to clean. It is difficult to access the storage when the backrest is reclined. Despite this most of our testers thought they would buy one.
Mamas and Papas Pulse
Price: £99
Score: 77%
Type of pushchair: Stroller
The zippy Best Buy Mamas and Papas Pulse is perfect for parents with no time to spare, who want a buggy that responds well when they are under pressure.
The Pulse is very easy to handle in most situations, except on steps where its brake levers can catch. Its sturdiness gives an impression of good quality. The backrest lowers to five positions including more than 150 degrees which makes it particularly suitable for very young babies. Other nice features include the padded chest straps, comfortable foam covered handles angled inwards to promote a neutral wrist position and the small storage pocket on the hood of the pushchair.
Quinny Speedi SX
Price: £220
Score: 77%
Type of pushchair: All-terrain
The Best Buy Quinny Speedi SX all-terrain pushchair is suitable for off road use, it is smooth and comfortable to push, has adjustable handles and bicycle-style handbrakes and the chair is spacious.
Folding and unfolding are straightforward, but it is quite bulky even when folded, and there isn't much storage space.
Jane Energy
Price: £100
Score: 76%
Type of pushchair: Stroller
The Best Buy Jané Energy, a lightweight compact stroller, is a good all-rounder: easy to manoeuvre, it can handle some bumpy terrain and it folds and unfolds easily.
The lack of storage space under the seat lets it down slightly.
Graco Mirage Travel System
Price: £130
Score: 75%
Type of pushchair: Travel system
The Best Buy Graco Mirage is asmall and light travel system pushchair, easy to manoeuvre and easy to move in tight spaces too. It folds and unfolds easily, and is compact and light when folded and has generous storage space.
This 4-wheel travel system can be used from birth. The handles are not adjustable, but are covered in foam for extra comfort. Small and light compared to the other travel systems, this pushchair is easy to manoeuvre.
Mothercare Maxim
Price: £120
Score: 75%
Type of pushchair: Travel system
An all-round good choice, the Best Buy Mothercare Maxim can be used as a travel system and is a large sturdy pushchair. It is easy to push, handles well and storage space is generous.
This pushchair is large and sturdy and can be used from birth.
Graco Mosaic
Price: £168
Score: 74%
Type of pushchair: Travel system
The Best Buy Graco Mosaic is alightweight travel system pushchair that is easy to easy to push and manoeuvre, and in particular is suited for use indoors and in confined spaces. It is stable even on uneven surfaces, and folds down easily to a compact size.
This compact 4-wheel travel system can be used from birth. It is a lightweight travel system and most parents commented on how easy it is to push along and manoeuvre, helped by the swivelling front wheels.
Mamas & Papas A3 Pramette
Price: £250
Score: 74%
Type of pushchair: Travel system
The lightweight Mamas & Papas A3 Pramette Best Buytravel system pushchair is easy to push and turn and makes light work of rough terrain.
Storage is very generous, it is bulky and some parents found the twist of the wrist motion to fold it down awkward.
Britax Trekker
Price: £170
Score: 71%
Type of pushchair: All-terrain;Travel System
The Best Buy Britax Trekker is a large all-terrain pushchair that handles rough ground well and has good brakes, but it?s heavy and isn't ideal to move in tight spaces.
It is straightforward to fold and unfold, has excellent storage space, and comes with a Best Buy car seat.