Best Strollers of 2023

A stroller should offer your child a smooth ride and car-seat-like safety, and allow for easy handling as you lug it from your trunk or hallway and push it around town.

You can score a great stroller in a wide price range, from a $100 umbrella to a $900 jogging stroller. Some fancy stroller wagons and double strollers for twins and multiples can cost more than $1,000. In our ratings, you’ll find a wide variety of strollers that we test in our labs and score based on ease of use, maneuverability, and safety. They include strollers from more than 25 brands divided into categories that include traditional strollers, double strollers, and travel systems. Below, we highlight the models that rose to the top in several of those categories, because choosing the ideal stroller depends on your family’s specific needs.

Once you’ve settled on the type of stroller that accommodates your child’s age and development, think about features like these:

Harness: A harness that buckles easily and securely is vital for safety. While you can use three- or five-point harnesses for toddlers, it’s critical to use a five-point harness for kids under 6 months of age so that they don’t get jostled during strolls. A seat that folds back for nap time is very useful, too.

Onboard storage: Will it store a diaper bag, purse, or cell phone? And does it have cup holders?

Stroller weight and size: Is it easy to lift and navigate narrow spaces like crowded sidewalks or theme parks?

Folding and storing: Ideally, you’ll want a stroller that easily folds tightly (preferably with one hand) and fits into a car trunk or closet without a hassle.

Canopy: Look for a stroller with a safe canopy that shields your child from the sun and elements.

CR tests dozens of strollers in our Yonkers, N.Y., lab: traditional strollers (including umbrellas and joggers), doubles, travel systems, joggers, convertibles, side-by-sides, and even car-seat strollers. We put each of them through its paces, just as a parent would, evaluating it for ease of use, maneuverability, and safety.

To assess ease of use, we adjust the safety harness, fold and unfold the stroller, adjust the backrest, lift and carry it, engage wheel brakes, and gauge car-seat removal and installation. We navigate each stroller—loaded up with a weight in place of a tot—through an S-curve test course, steering it between cones and over obstacles that simulate curbs, grass, mulch, and tree roots. In our stroller ratings, we even note which strollers satisfy strict requirements at Disney theme parks.

We also subject each stroller to standard safety tests patterned after the CPSC/ASTM standard, as well as CR-designed stability and braking tests. When CR discovers a stroller that’s unsafe, we make sure consumers know about potential dangers.

If you’re just starting your stroller search, check out CR’s free stroller buying guide. CR members can access test scores and all the details on our top picks below, as well as full ratings for more than 75 strollers we’ve tested in our labs.