Best Reviewed
Umbrella Strollers
- Best lightweight umbrella stroller UppaBaby G-Lite *Est. $100
- Best upscale umbrella stroller Maclaren Triumph *Est. $170
- Best umbrella stroller for newborns Chicco Liteway *Est. $125
- Budget umbrella stroller Kolcraft Tour Sport *Est. $50
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Best umbrella stroller for newborns
- Stylish
- Loads of features for the price
- One-handed fold
- Maneuvers nimbly
- Fully reclining seat good for newborns
- Some durability complaints
- Tall parents give mixed reviews for ergonomics
- Heavy for an umbrella stroller
- Small storage basket
If you need an umbrella stroller to accommodate your newborn (who needs
a fully reclining seat), the Chicco Liteway is one of your few choices --
and luckily, it's a very good stroller, experts and users say. It competes
capably in reviews with the pricier Maclaren Techno XT (*Est. $305), another
fully reclining umbrella stroller. Both the Chicco and the Maclaren are stylish,
critics say, and both include plenty of features to make you and your child
more comfortable, such as wheel suspension for a smooth ride, a five-point
harness and a canopy with a viewing window.
The Liteway stroller also comes with an adult cupholder, a hideaway baby bunting (although users say this fits babies only for the first few months) and a storage basket that can detach and become a parent backpack (users say this, too, is small). Users and experts agree that the Liteway is especially maneuverable and easy to fold one-handed, locking itself in place. We did find some durability complaints, and tall parents can't agree about the Liteway: Some say it's a great height, while others find it too short. The Liteway's 40-pound weight limit is lower than the Maclaren's 55-pound limit -- and despite its name, reviews say the 17-pound Liteway is pretty heavy for an umbrella stroller, outweighing the Maclaren Techno XT by 2 pounds. If you don't plan to use your umbrella stroller until your infant is 6 months old or so, you can choose from a variety of much lighter-weight strollers, including the top-rated, 8.3-pound UppaBaby G-Lite (*Est. $100).
The Chicco Liteway is a popular stroller model that gets plenty of expert and user reviews. ConsumerReports.org tests the Liteway, as do its counterparts Which? magazine (in the U.K.) and Choice magazine (in Australia). Denise and Alan Fields' "Baby Bargains" book -- the baby-equipment Bible -- could not test the new Liteway before the latest edition was published, but it provides a good overview of the Liteway's features and Chicco's reputation. Parenting.com recommends the Chicco based on its features, not testing. We found ample user reviews -- both pro and con -- at Buzzillions.com and Diapers.com.
| Chicco Liteway Stroller, Fuego | |
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Our Sources
1. Baby BargainsDetails/Subscribe
The Chicco Liteway had just hit the market when the latest edition of this baby gear book was published, and we didn't find an updated review on the book's website. Still, Denise and Alan Fields do give a brief synopsis of the Liteway's features as well as a thoughtful overview of Chicco's quality in general, based on their years of testing and comments from parents.
Review: Strollers, Denise and Alan Fields, Eighth edition
2. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
ConsumerReports.org tests the Chicco Liteway alongside dozens of other strollers in this recent review. The strollers are ranked from best to worst based on how maneuverable, easy to use and safe they prove in ConsumerReports.org's tests. The main drawback here is a lack of any meaningful narrative description about the strollers and their features.
Review: Traditional Stroller Ratings, Editors of ConsumerReports.org
3. Which? magazineDetails/Subscribe
Which? magazine -- the U.K. equivalent of ConsumerReports.org -- names 41 best buys after testing 135 strollers (including the Chicco Liteway) for ease of use, ease of car seat attachment, capability on rough terrain and general handling.
Review: Pushchairs: Best Buys, Editors of Which? magazine
4. Choice magazineDetails/Subscribe
Choice magazine is ConsumerReports.org's equivalent in Australia. Editors test the Chicco Liteway along with 11 other strollers for safety, durability and ease of use, naming six to their "what to buy" list.
Review: Strollers and Prams Review and Compare, ditors of Choice magazine, April 2010
The Chicco Liteway is one of the best-liked strollers in user reviews here, maintaining an average rating of 4.4 stars (out of 5) with nearly 200 reviews posted. Pros and cons are summarized in a handy list; for example, most reviewers agree that the Liteway is stylish, comfortable and easy to set up, maneuver and stow. The most common complaints are that the Liteway's basket is small and it's heavy for an umbrella stroller.
Review: Chicco Liteway Stroller, Contributors to Buzzilions.com
6. Parenting.comDetails/Subscribe
Margaret Williams praises the Chicco Liteway's smooth ride, easy folding, fully reclining seat and more, naming it one of the nine best strollers you can buy. Each stroller gets only a very short synopsis, and no testing is mentioned.
Review: 9 Best Strollers, Margaret Williams
7. Diapers.com
The Chicco Liteway is one of the top-rated umbrella strollers at this retail website, with an average of 4.5 stars (out of 5) in about 30 reviews posted by customers. Each written review provides pros and cons, and negative reviews are posted.
Review: Chicco Liteway Stroller -- Fuego, Contributors to Diapers.com
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