You Don't Have to Spend $1000 to Get a Great Stroller And We Can Prove it

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I have been testing and writing about baby strollers for years, and the one question I'm asked the most often is "Are there any decent, affordable strollers?" And I always answer with the same response — "Yes." Of course there are. And they're just as safe, and have many of the same accessories and features of pricier strollers. The biggest differences between something like an UppaBaby Cruz ($700) and the EvenFlo Pivot ($279 for the whole system) are in the finishings and materials. It's not less safe to choose an affordable stroller, it's just not as fancy, and you might lose a few of the luxuries such as premium tires or multiple configurations.

There are loads of brilliant reasons to choose a more affordable stroller, whether you're buying it for yourself, or as a gift for a friend or loved one. First is the obvious: strollers can be ridiculous budget-busters, making you choose between Kardashian-level luxury wheels (at least one of them had a Nuna Pipa, which is $1200) — and not having to eat ramen for a few weeks or months. An affordable stroller also makes sense if you're buying a second stroller to keep at Bubby's house or to take on trips. Buying an $800 stroller twice seems wild to me. If you have that budget, good for you, I know that I don't. And yes, there is a double stroller on this list.

Best Affordable Strollers

• Best Overall: Evenflo Pivot Vizer System

• Best Jogging Stroller: Graco FastAction LX Jogger

• Best Lightweight Travel System: Graco FastAction with SnugRide

• Best Sit and Stand: Baby Trend Sit and Stand

• Best Double Stroller: Baby Trend Sit and Stand Double

What to Consider

Whether you're spending $200 or $1200, there are a few basic things you need to consider when you're buying a fresh stroller; what are the age and weight limits, what's it like to clean, what's it like to fold, how does it recline, and are there car seat adapters?

• Age and Weight Limits: Most strollers aren't meant to be used from birth to toddlerhood, but when you can start using them, and when it's time to stop can vary pretty widely depending on how it reclines, if it's car-seat adaptable, and what sort of harness it has.

• Cleaning: Honestly, cleaning strollers can be a gigantic pain in the you-know-what. Some of them have machine-washable fabrics, which helps a great deal.

• Recline: Strollers have a variety of recline abilities, from just a bit back, to lie-flat. Needless to say, this can make or break naptime if your little needs to be lying down flat to sleep.

• Car Seat Adapters: If you can put an infant car seat on the stroller, like you can with the Graco FastAction Jogger it extends the use of the stroller by at least 6 months. Just make sure that the brands the adapters use match your car seat.

How We Chose

I have tested every stroller on this list. I've pushed them, traveled with them, and cleaned each piece. I've talked to parents who use these every day, and parents who only use them sometimes. These were not the only affordable strollers I tested, either. Some stroller brands on Amazon, like the MomPush Nova, were tested and didn't perform as well as I thought they should to make this list. Primarily, I couldn't figure out how to fold it for the life of me. I am looking forward to testing the Meteor by MomPush, which seems to be more popular.

Check out my favorite, best-tested picks below!

Pivot Vizor Travel System with LiteMax Infant Car Seat

Stroller travel systems are notoriously pricey picks. Because you're getting not only the stroller, but the car seat as well, it can be cost-prohibitive for many. EvenFlo takes the bite out of the spend with the Pivot Vizor and LiteMax.

These are slightly pared-down versions of the Pivot Xpand system, which is modular and can become a double stroller with an added jump seat. The Vizor is a single-stroller only, but the base is very similar to the Xpand. The wheels are a bit smaller, and the car seat itself is a bit lighter, but overall, it's a wonderful system.

What I love about it is that the Vizor, too, is modular, even if only in single-seat style. There's the car-seat mode, carriage mode, and the toddler seat, and both can face inwards towards the parent or outwards towards the world at large. Everything is easy to set up, to change, and to collapse.

It comes with the car seat, and there's no adapters needed. The car seat itself is pretty great, with an easy, lock-in base, no rethread harness, and machine-washable fabrics that don't require a medieval codex to get off and on. I've previously had to wrestle with car seat covers just to get them around the harness, and I had no problems with the Pivot Vizer.

The big peep-in picture window on the UPF 50+ rated shade is one of my favorites in any stroller because of the way the rain beaded and ran right off of it, even though it doesn't have that "treated like a tent" feeling to it. (Or that awful smell.)

The storage could be deeper, and I'd love if it was closed, but it's not bad or small at all. And EvenFlo has been at this for so long, they sell roughly a bajillion accessories for all of their products, so if you want more storage, or a snack tray, or somewhere to put your phone, they have it.

Pushing it was lovely and easy going with the never-flat tires, making it over New York City sidewalks and the bane of my existence — cobblestones — with no problems. I did get caught in a rainstorm as well, and puddles weren't fun, but that's only because my feet got wet, not because the stroller couldn't handle them. (If you like wet socks, I don't think we can be friends.)

FastAction Jogger LX Stroller, Redmond

There's a chance that once I learned how the one-handed fold worked on this jogging stroller, that I may have started to show-off a little bit, doing it casually in front of onlookers so that they could see the impossible greatness before them, but I digress.

This was a joy to push and to run behind. I run every day of my life for the most part. (My ADHD sends electricity through my blood that requires hamster-wheel like levels of activity and a boatload of Vyvanse to calm.) I've spent so many hours pushing babies on long training runs, and not all of those hours have been equal. I'm pleased to say that I really liked the FastAction, and so did my tiny companion.

The air-filled tires and stabilizing suspension system with lockable front wheel make long runs, even a little speed work, as easy and comfortable as running pushing a sometimes angry toddler can be. Thankfully, it comes with a snack tray, so that when you finally slow to a walk again, you can shove some crackers and juice in their direction and hope for a reprieve for the screaming that occurred when you dared run by the ducks instead of stopping to greet each by name.

It is car-seat compatible for the Graco line, and that's wonderful, but when they're that little, you should stick to quick walks instead of runs that will have their head bobbling on their wobbly necks.

One thing I loved about this stroller, other than the smooth ride and easy push, is the handlebar. Not only does it have three positions, making it comfy for taller and shorter caregivers, it has not one, but two cup holders. You know what that means! Iced coffee and water bottles at the ready. (But maybe avoid the coffee on long runs with no bathrooms immediately available, if you know what I mean.)

I did not love the Graco tether, as I found it sort of itchy, but that's no big deal, as there are a ton of aftermarket tethers available that are cheap and comfortable. However, the storage on this bad boy? A dream and a gift. It's huge, it's deep, it's big enough to stash an entire 6-pack of jumbo rolls of paper towels. As for cleaning? It depends on the fabric you choose, but I washed this model in the washer, and it was fine.

FastAction SE Travel System

Did you think I'd include only one travel system on this list? Nope! The Graco FastAction SE travel system is definitely worth the spot on this short list. Not only does it have the standard version of the jogging stroller above, but it also comes with a lighter version of their incredibly popular SnugRide infant car seat, which is one of my favorites of all time.

Everything that makes the jogging stroller good is here on this stroller as well, but for walking, not running. Also, it folds up a lot more compactly than the jogging stroller. The one-handed fold is the same, the ride is just as nice, the cupholders and handlebar are very similar, and yes, there's a snack and activity tray for the rider as well.

I will say that I don't love the basket on this one as well as I do on the jogging stroller, but that's really the case in most lightweight strollers. You give up a bit of the convenience of storage for the convenience of an easy, compact fold and lightweight body.

Sit N Stand 5 in 1 Shopper Stroller

If you've ever walked with one baby in the stroller and an older toddler beside you, you know the pain that happens when that toddler has had enough walking. Sit-and-Stand strollers make life so much easier when that misery occurs and makes it manageable.

The Baby Trend is the original sit-and-stand, and it's still one of the best, and one of the most affordable. It's a basic stroller for ages 6 months and up, with a seat in the back for older kids who need to hitch the occasional ride.

Like the Gracos on this list, it has multiple cup holders and snack spaces, but something a little extra is given with this one — a cell phone stand. It is glorious. I held an entire FaceTime conversation with my best friend in the UK whilst I traversed the streets of Brooklyn, sipping from my McDonald's Diet Coke and a bottle of water. My nephew and I both shared a large fries, and a shake. The shake was spilled everywhere, as I was fully expecting, and this is the only part of the Baby Trend I don't like. It's spot-clean only. It is pretty water-resistant, so nothing really soaked in, but cleaning the pad was just sponging it down and letting it dry. Not my favorite.

The cargo basket, though? It holds 30 pounds worth of stuff, which ended up being my nephew's elderly canine companion, which is not proscribed by the manufacturer, but happened nonetheless. It is car-seat compatible as well, so this is a great choice as your everyday stroller.

Sit and Stand Double Stroller, Onyx

Have a few kids? I have you covered. This is a double sit-and-stand stroller. Two seats, two places for car seats, a place to stand, and the back seat comes out to become a bench seat when and if you need it. Everything that I said about the other Baby Trend sit-and-stand is true with this one, down to the cargo net. One difference is that I will not lie — this one takes a bit of learning to figure out how to fold it, and even then, it's not the easiest you'll ever do.

They call it a one-hand fold, but I call that hogwash, honestly. But it's nowhere near impossible, and for a double stroller that's reasonably lightweight, with great steering, and tons of space in general for under $200? Take the folding on the chin if you can, and you won't regret it. It is spot-clean only as well, but again, it's pretty resistant to water and stains, even the storage areas and canopies.

The convenience of this stroller cannot be overstated. You can have two kids riding, and another standing in the back, and still steer it with ease. The tandem style means it has no issues getting through doors, and it fit reasonably well in an accessible bathroom stall. I think that this is an overlooked stroller, but not for long.

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