What Makes Good Prams?

A pram (also called a stroller or a pushchair) is the main form of transport for infants and toddlers. A well-designed pram is a combination of safety, comfort and style to make walking enjoyable for the entire family.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Joy Stylish Baby Stroller is a great pram for newborns to 3-year-old children. The reversible handle lets you to tilt the seat so your child can look at either you or the world around them.

Comfort

You want your child to feel comfortable when you're out with them. The good news is that there are prams specifically designed to ensure your little one isn't apprehensive.

The prams we've selected in this buying guide allow your baby to lay flat, which is important for infants as lying flat increases oxygen saturation and assists in the development of their hips and spine. They also come with seats which can be transformed to more upright positions when your baby is old enough to sit.

Venicci egg2 is a premium pram uk with a cocoon feeling for your baby. It has smooth, curvaceous lines, a bucket-shaped seat, which doesn't recline into an upright position, but it does have a padded mattress and liner. It's also lighter than most prams, at a weight of just 8kg. However, it still has a sturdy frame with finely textured leather and air-filled tyres which are puncture-proof.

The Minu V2 is a great option when you're looking for a model with a similar look but at a price that is lower. The sleek one-hand steer model isn't as lightweight as some of the other prams we tried however it comes with a large storage basket, as well as an extended hood with UPF50+ protection, which will keep your baby safe and shaded.

If you're a new parent we suggest you look into a travel system bundle that includes a pram and a car seat that are attached to the same frame. This will make it much easier to get your baby out of the car to the pram without having to wake them up and is ideal for parents who are always on the move. The Bugaboo Dragonfly travel system is a stylish and functional pram that can be converted easily from a 'pramette, or a lie-flat 'pramette to a stroller for toddlers compatible with the Graco iSize car seat.

Safety

The pram should come with five-point safety harnesses that will keep your baby safe. It must also be free of gaps in which their heads or legs could get stuck. The straps should be cushioned and easy to adjust as they expand. You should also inspect the buckles of your harness to make sure that they aren't cracked or showing signs of wear and tear. Each year, many children are admitted to hospitals because of injuries caused by prams or strollers. Tipping over is the primary cause of these injuries. Even the most robust prams could tip over if you hook bags onto the handles, or if a child with a wriggling is able to get into or out of the seat without harnesses being properly secured.

Another common cause of injuries is falling from the stroller or pram. If a child is not properly secured, they could fall out of the pram and suffer neck or head injuries. This is why it is important to make sure that the harness buckle is always locked in place.

Some good prams also have a reversible canopy that will protect your baby from sun in both directions. This is a useful feature since you will not be having to wake your child up when you are changing their position in the pram, or when you go to and from the shops. There are other features that are useful, like an eating tray for your child or toddler and drink holders. There is also an extra shopping basket under the seat.

Never leave a sleeping baby in a pram if you are not within reach. Babies are susceptible to wiggle while asleep and can cause them to roll out of the pram or stroller. This can lead to strangulation and suffocation. A pram or a stroller is not a substitute for the cot. It is best to use it for short periods during the day.

Most prams require you to disassemble them in order to fit them into the trunk of your car seat pram so it's a good idea to familiarise yourself with this procedure before you buy one. Check how easy it will be to put the parts back together.

Durability

A pram must be durable enough to endure several years of wear and wear and tear. This includes the need to endure muddy walks and getting through many car journeys, which is why you need to ensure that your choice can perform the task you want it to. It is also important for your pram to come in an image or color that doesn't get outdated so that you don't end up looking like you've gone out of fashion.

The top prams are constructed with high-quality materials. They are built to last, so look for durable fabrics, sturdy wheels, and an effective suspension system. The best prams are compact and fold easily, allowing you to put them in your garage or the boot of your car.

All the prams in this list allow infants to lay flat, which is essential for newborns as it improves oxygen saturation levels and supports the development of their spine and hips. A lot of them are designed to grow with your child with some featuring a carrycot, or a fully reclined seat that can be clicked off and back on the frame at a time when your little one outgrows it.

If you're buying a new pram for the first time, you may also be looking for a travel system which is a package that includes a lie-flat carrycot and car seat. Our test-driver for parents Jaya was a fan of the Graco Near2Me system that she used with her 10-month-old son. It comes with a clever feature that raises and lowers your child with the click of a button. This way you can keep eye contact and keep them close, which she said was really important for her son as he was in an exploratory stage.

Another alternative is the Bugaboo Fox 3 which our tester Jess Bird used with her two children, Effie and Boden (pictured above). It's a luxurious pram that converts from a single to double pushchair, with 30 different configurations, and comes with luxurious fabrics, an expandable sun canopy, and puncture-proof tyres. It's not cheap but you could use it for more than one child, if you need to and, like our winner the iCandy Orange 3, can be used from birth with the carrycot included.

Style

All prams should permit newborns to lay as flat as they can. This will help with their development and improve oxygen saturation in the lungs. Some models create a completely flat surface with a fully-reclinable carrycot, while others have seats that recline to an unflat position.

The Graco Near2Me works great for this, as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tried it on her 10-month-old daughter. She loved the ability to raise or lower her baby with a push of an button, keeping him in the same position and still maintain eye contact and proximity.

It's a great choice for those who wish to nip around town with ease as the frame is a good size for maneuvering, and the puncture-proof tyres permit you to move it off the road and on to rough terrain. It's also a great choice if you're planning on having a second child in the future since it can easily be converted from a single pram to a twin or double pushchair.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly looks and feels like a stylish, high-end option. It's ideal for infants as it comes with a lie-flat carrycot and is compatible with a car seat when you purchase it separately. It can be folded with the carrycot still in place, which is something that not all prams provide. This reduces time and makes it simpler to use.

Its luxurious fabrics, spacious shopping basket, and puncture-proof tyres are the kinds of features you'd expect to see on a premium pram and its sleek design makes it easy to maneuver on a variety of terrains. This is a great option for those who live in the city and have to navigate narrow streets or crowded pathways on a regular basis. Although it's not inexpensive however, the durability and quality of this pram will save you money in the end by avoiding the need to invest in a separate toddler foldable pushchair. You can choose from a variety of colors that will fit your personal style.