A Double Stroller Buying Guide

In two months our son will be born and we will be forced to graduate to the dreaded double stroller. We’re going to be those people that are constantly hogging entire aisles so no one can get past and running over pinky toes without even noticing.

I apologize in advance.

As an avid Consumer Reports researcher (which I cross reference with reviews that I find on Babies R Us—I know, nerdy right?), I learned a lot about what’s out there. Anyway, if you are in the market for a double stroller, hopefully this list saves you a lot of time.

Consumer Reports Top-Rated Double Side-by-Side Stroller: Maclaren Twin Triumph

Unfortunately, this stroller was not an option for me since I was looking for something that I could clip my Chicco infant car seat into. But, if you are looking for more of an umbrella-type stroller, people seem to like it. The features that people liked best were that it is durable, easy to maneuver and lightweight. The biggest complaints were the small storage space, the lack of cup holders or trays and incompatibility with infant car seats. Don’t buy a used Maclaren though—their strollers manufactured before 2009 were recalled for amputation hazards. Strollers sold after May 2010 are not affected by the recall.

Consumer Reports Top-Rated Double Tandem: Graco Quattro Tour Duo

Again, this stroller wasn’t compatible with my Chicco car seat, but if you have a Graco SnugRide or infant SafeSeat car seat, you’re in luck. People really like the storage space, multiple cup holders, ability to hold two infant seats and durability of this stroller. The biggest complaints were that it is heavy and cumbersome. I would have gotten this one, but didn’t want to also buy a new infant seat.

Kelli’s Practical Pick for Chicco Car Seats: Chicco Cortina Together Double

Because none of the top-rated strollers are compatible with my car seat, I had to do a little more research to find something that worked for us. After reading a lot of reviews we settled on the Chicco Cortina Together stroller. The biggest pros are the smooth ride and maneuverability, durability and the ability to open and close the stroller with one hand. The biggest complaints were the heaviness/bulkiness of the stroller, and the small size of the canopies.

Kelli’s Dream Pick: BOB Revolution SE Duallie

I was hoping I could find a double jogger that would also hold an infant car seat so I could get by with just buying one. Consumer Reports didn’t have any information on double jogging strollers so I just asked around and looked at reviews on other websites and found the Bob Revolution Duallie. It’s rated highly by people that have them, with easy steering and durability as features they like best. Like all the double strollers, the bulkiness and heaviness were the biggest drawbacks. Another drawback is that it’s only designed to work with the Graco SnugRide and SnugRide 30. After doing a little bit of research I learned how people could “make it work” with a Chicco seat too and I got my hopes up about it. But after seeing the price tag of $659 (not including the infant car seat adapter), I thought twice and put it on my wish list instead. Just in case I have a rich relative I don’t know about out there, I added it to my registry anyway. 

How would you rate your double stroller?