Luxury Strollers

Designer strollers: worth the expense?

The Bugaboo Frog (*Est. $760) became the first must-have stroller after being featured on "Sex and the City" in 2002. The Frog's claim to fame was style, flexibility and maneuverability. Seven years later, it's only one of dozens of expensive luxury strollers. Other than style and a seemingly endless array of optional features, though, reviewers say you're not necessarily getting a stroller that's more functional and practical than one costing a third as much.

Among high-end strollers, the UppaBaby Vista (*Est. $680) gets the most consistently good feedback from experts and parents. Highlights include rubber-coated tires designed not to go flat, a one-step fold, an elevated seat position and a large storage basket. It comes with both a bassinet and stroller seat, making it appropriate for newborns to toddlers weighing up to 50 pounds. You can add a car seat adapter (*Est. $30 to $40) for Graco, Chicco, Maxi Cosi and Peg-Perego infant car seats.

If you have two kids, you can add an optional RumbleSeat (*Est. $130) to your UppaBaby Vista. There's also a running board, called the Piggyback (*Est. $90), for older kids who just like to hop on for a ride when they get tired. These add-ons turn the Vista into a workable solution for parents with an older child who's not quite out of the stroller stage. The Piggyback can accommodate a child up to 50 pounds; the RumbleSeat maxes out at 35, but it can be used for the lighter child while the heavier one (again up to 50 pounds) sits in the main stroller seat.

At just under $700, the Vista is hardly a budget stroller, but several user reviews say it compares favorably value-wise with luxury strollers from Bugaboo and Stokke. One of the Vista's claims to fame is that the baby rides up high, closer to the parent and out of the way of traffic fumes. It's also a good option for taller parents and caregivers; one parent posting to Amazon.com says the Vista has the highest extending handlebars. The no-kick rear axle is another nice feature for parents with long legs who tend to bump up against the stroller as they walk. The big downside, according to some posters, is that the stroller seat doesn't recline to totally flat (though the bassinet can be used for infants). The Vista stroller also loses marks for bulk and weight (24 pounds with the seat; 27 pounds with the bassinet). The extra-wide wheel base (25 inches) makes it less than ideal for cramped walkways and bus aisles. On the other hand, parents say it's maneuverable, easy to steer and extremely durable.

I'coo and Micralite also make similar stroller/bassinet combos that impress expert testers -- but both get mixed reviews from parents. The I'coo Targo (*Est. $600) comes with a bassinet attachment as well as a car seat adapter, adjustable handle and footrest, and rain cover. Although it doesn't fold quite as small as the UppaBaby Vista, one top expert source recommends the I'coo as a good alternative. Parents say it rolls very smoothly, but some find the Targo stroller too heavy and hard to fold, and we saw several complaints about its dinky sun canopy.

The Micralite Toro (*Est. $550) charges extra for its Carrycot bassinet accessory (*Est. $195). One top expert source finds the Toro exceptionally safe and maneuverable and very easy to use, and parents like its smooth ride and ability to stand on its own when folded. However, parents caution that the Toro will sometimes tip backward if you hang a diaper bag or something else on the handlebars.

Another similar product, the three-wheeled Quinny Buzz (*Est. $500), offers its own optional bassinet attachment called the Dreami (*Est. $200). A four-wheeled version, the Quinny Buzz 4 (*Est. $630), is a top recommendation of one reliable expert source, whose testers find it easy to use and maneuver and comfortable on a variety of surfaces, thanks to its pneumatic tires and all-wheel suspension. The Buzz's seat also reverses quickly and easily in the test. However, testers do say the Buzz 4 is bulky and offers little storage. One major selling point is the Buzz's "automatic unfold," but some parents find the Buzz very hard to refold and too bulky once they do get it folded.

Maclaren is one popular brand. Although this company is known more for its lightweight umbrella-type strollers, it has introduced a hefty model that does not fold umbrella-style -- the Maclaren Grand Tour LX (*Est. $700), a full-featured stroller with a "strollometer" that measures how far you walk. It doesn't figure prominently in professional reviews, although we did find a few mixed reviews for this stroller from parents. The most notable complaint is about weight: This is a 40-pound stroller. Like all Maclaren strollers, Grand Tour LX models sold before November 2009 were recalled after 12 children reportedly had their fingers amputated in Maclaren hinges (new models have protective hinge covers). You'll find more discussion of Maclaren strollers in our report on umbrella strollers.

For parents still loyal to Bugaboo, there are two options in addition to the Frog: the Cameleon (*Est. $980) and the Bee (*Est. $650). The Cameleon has adjustable suspension for different types of terrain, as well as a height-adjustable handlebar. The handlebar also reverses for "city and woods," but reviewers say this really isn't an off-road stroller. There is also a large canopy and storage bag, which reviews suggest can be a bit tricky to access. The Bugaboo Cameleon weighs about 20 pounds. Still, users mention problems with folding the stroller. Some also mention that the large tires are awkward, especially when used in cities and other places where frequent maneuvering is required.

The Bugaboo Bee is more compact than either the Frog or the Cameleon. It weighs 17 pounds and has four 6-inch wheels, eliminating the awkwardness associated with the large 12-inch rear wheels found on both the Cameleon and the Frog. The seat is also a bit narrower -- too narrow even for some children under 2, according to parent reviews -- and the under-seat storage isn't as roomy. Bugaboo has recalled about 22,500 Bees sold from August 2007 through April 2009 after 121 owners reported that their brakes failed. Some parents complain that their Bee's wheels, frame or rain cover also quickly broke, and some waited weeks for replacement parts. Although Bugaboo says it has improved the 2010 Bee stroller, these bad experiences prompt some parents to warn against the Bugaboo brand.

If you have your heart set on a luxury stroller, we found the best reviews overall for the UppaBaby Vista. This stroller is a good choice for urbanites who use a stroller as their primary vehicle, and the optional second seat extends its life enough to make it a relatively good value despite the initial high price. If making a fashion statement isn't a priority, though, reviewers say you'll do almost as well with a high-quality mainstream stroller.