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NerdWallet’s scoring of the best car seat strollers is based on our analysis of the opinions of experts and shoppers like you.
Choosing a stroller takes careful thought and consideration. After all, a stroller needs to keep your baby safe. We know what an important purchase this is, so we researched some of the most popular models on the market to help make your decision a little less overwhelming.
To narrow down the field, we looked at expert opinions from review sites such as The Sweethome, CNET and Good Housekeeping. After that, we analyzed user reviews to see what shoppers were saying about each stroller’s best (and worst) attributes.
We recognize that consumers look for different qualities in strollers, so we scored these based on user observations of a handful of different features, including ease of use, weight, safety and accessories.
Our analysis
Our final stroller scores run from a low of 1 to a high of 10. Here’s how we came up with the numbers:
Overall score: This score is indicative of reviewers’ overall satisfaction level with the stroller as a whole across 13 criteria, including ease of use, maneuverability, accessories and durability.
Functionality: This score, which factors into the overall score, is indicative of reviewers’ satisfaction with the stroller as it relates to the baby. Categories that factor into this score include comfort, safety features and noise level.
Ease of use: This score, which factors into the overall score, is indicative of reviewers’ satisfaction with how easy it is to use the stroller. Categories that factor into this score include ability to fold the stroller, weight of the stroller and maneuverability.
Let’s see which strollers made our list and how they fared. These are our top picks, ranked in order of overall score.
The strollers
1. Chicco Keyfit Caddy
Designed specifically for the Chicco Keyfit Infant Car Seat, parents loved the way the lightweight Chicco Keyfit Caddy unfolds with one hand, gives baby a smooth ride, adjusts to four different heights, and comes equipped with toe-tap locking brakes.
| Overall score | Functionality | Ease of use |
| 9.59 | 9.5 | 9.7 |
Buyers Like
- Effortless, one-hand open and close
- Car seat snaps in with ease
- Smooth ride, easy steering
Buyers Dislike
- Parental accessories are too small
2. Graco SnugRider Elite
Click your Graco infant car seat into the easy-to-unfold, ultra-lightweight Graco SnugRider Elite, and your car seat becomes a travel solution that parents love for its easy-open and -close convenience. Parents were less enthralled by the somewhat bumpy ride it gave baby.
| Overall score | Functionality | Ease of use |
| 9.08 | 7.5 | 9.6 |
Buyers Like
- Ease of opening and folding
- Lightweight and compact
Buyers Dislike
- Bumpy ride for baby
- Not enough storage
3. Baby Trend Snap-N-Go EX Universal
The lightweight Baby Trend Snap-N-Go EX Universal is easy to open and fold, allowing you to move your baby from car to stroller without waking. Although the manufacturer says it accepts a variety of car seats, some parents complained that it didn’t fit all car seats securely.
| Overall score | Functionality | Ease of use |
| 8.82 | 8.4 | 8.8 |
Buyers Like
- Lightweight and easy to open and fold
- Comfortable ride
Buyers Dislike
- Car seat connection felt unsafe to some
- Doesn’t work with all car seats
- Storage basket is difficult to access
4. Baby Trend Snap-N-Go Double
With its lightweight, easy-fold frame, the Baby Trend Snap-N-Go Double allows you to snap in two infant car seats, making it easy to move two babies from car to stroller without disturbing them. Again, while the manufacturer says it accepts a variety of car seats, some parents disagreed.
| Overall score | Functionality | Ease of use |
| 8.63 | 7.7 | 8.5 |
Buyers Like
- Lightweight and compact
- Smooth and comfortable ride
Buyers Dislike
- Storage basket doesn’t work with car seats in place
- Some parents say it doesn’t fit every seat
- Car seats feel loose even when secured
Best car seat strollers buying guide
Car seat strollers are great for on-the-go parents who want to be able to transport their baby from car to stroller without disruption. If you travel or live in a place where you’re constantly getting in and out of a car, this might be the type of stroller for you. But finding the right one can be confusing. Here are some factors to keep in mind while you’re shopping:
Safety
A travel system that securely locks your child seat in place is very important. Most of the travel systems in this roundup got high marks for safety, although some users had reservations about the stability of the two Baby Trend models.
Portability
Because these strollers are basically frames that connect to a car seat, they’re generally lightweight and compact — especially when compared with traditional strollers.
Foldability
The ease with which you can open and fold a stroller can be one of its strongest selling points. Parents could easily fold all of these strollers, but they singled out the Chicco Keyfit Infant Car Seat and the Graco SnugRider Elite for how easy they are to fold.
Terrain
Most strollers can navigate a lap or two around the mall with ease, but if you’re going to be walking an obstacle course of potholes, curbs, dirt trails or unexpected dips, you’re going to want a stroller that offers a smoother ride, like the Chicco Keyfit Caddy.
Accessories
Aside from holding your child, strollers can serve other purposes as well. For example, if you tend to shop while out with your kids, you’re going to want one that comes with a large, easy-to-access storage basket. None of these strollers earned very high marks in that area.
For more stroller roundups, check out:
- The best side-by-side strollers
- The best umbrella strollers
- The best double strollers
- The best jogging strollers
- The best strollers
- The best lightweight strollers
- The best travel system strollers
- The best sit and stand strollers
Compare other popular strollers here:
- Graco Snugride vs Chicco Keyfit
- BOB Motion vs BOB Revolution SE
- BOB Revolution SE vs Baby Jogger City Mini GT
For more stroller buying advice, check out:
Top image via iStock.
from NerdWallet
http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/shopping/the-best-car-seat-strollers/
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