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Mar 30, 2023

Best Umbrella Strollers 2023

If you’re shopping for the best umbrella strollers, you might be looking for a

If you’re shopping for the best umbrella strollers, you might be looking for a secondary, lightweight stroller for travel or just to accommodate your growing toddler on quick errands and outings. You might also discover pretty quickly that it's an umbrella term (pardon the pun). Many different types of lightweight strollers often get lumped into the same category. A true umbrella stroller, however, has two defining features: It folds into a long, thin bundle with two separate handles that look like an umbrella hook at one end.

"Umbrella strollers fold up like and resemble an umbrella," explains Denver-based baby gear expert Jamie Grayson. "It's a taller fold compared with a trifold stroller."

The best umbrella strollers make for the ideal toddler set of wheels or for any family looking to ... [+] travel a bit lighter.

An umbrella stroller is also what you want when you just need to get from point A to point B, no bells and whistles necessary. They’re typically the most affordable lightweight option—and from the 1960s, when a British former test pilot by the name McLaren invented them, until about 10 years ago, they were the only lightweight option.

They may have lots of competition today, including feature-laden travel strollers, but sometimes a classic umbrella stroller is the best tool for the job. They’re ideal for stowing in the trunk for grocery runs, at the grandparents’ house or toting along to a theme park. They’re also great if you’re short on storage space, because umbrella strollers often fit neatly into a closet or a corner.

An umbrella stroller isn't an umbrella solution, though. It doesn't fit into an airplane overhead bin easily, the wheels aren't usually made to tackle uneven terrain like cobblestones or grass and the split handle can make them harder to push. Most aren't for newborns either.

As a parent and a parenting gear writer, I scrutinized dozens of umbrella strollers, focusing on weight, child weight limits, sun canopy and safety features to determine which offer the most value. I also interviewed experts to learn which ones they recommend. Read on to find the best umbrella strollers to fit your lifestyle.

Amazon

If you’re planning to use an umbrella stroller as your only mode of kid transport on a vacation, we think it's worthwhile to spend the extra $30 for this upgraded version of the Summer Infant umbrella stroller. Compared with its slimmed-down sibling, it weighs a pound more but has a larger sun canopy with a peekaboo window, an easier to use and more adjustable recline, more durable fabric and a sippy cup holder pocket in the seat for your little one. You may also appreciate the padded carry strap when you’re hustling across the airport or theme park.

Amazon reviewers also praise this sturdy stroller as a great option for toddlers, thanks to its wide, padded seat and 50-pound weight maximum.

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Amazon

All of the experts I interviewed agreed there's really no competitor to the Uppababy G-Luxe stroller when it comes to the best umbrella strollers that pack in the features. In the umbrella category, it's the queen of upgrades. It has the high-quality 5.75 inch wheels, one-step brakes, all-wheel suspension you expect from Uppababy, which make it a pleasure to steer. The canopy is UPF 50, and it comes with a perfectly fitted rain shield. You can easily adjust the seat back and footrest to accommodate growing kids, from 3 months to 55 pounds—and it just feels easy and smooth under your grip.

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Walmart

Umbrella strollers come cheaper than this one, but many of those slim down by leaving out some basics like a canopy or a padded seat. This Kolcraft model comes with both of those features and yet, weighs in under 10 pounds (it's only 9.5 pounds). Its canopy is generous, and the shock-absorbing, swiveling front wheels make quick errands a bit less stressful. Parents might also appreciate the padded handles and cup holder. A mesh seat back lets baby catch a breeze, so it's especially nice for warm-weather vacations.

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Amazon

Few umbrella strollers let you connect your newborn's car seat to make them useable from birth, but this Diono model does just that. Sure, it's pricey, but it fits car seats from Nuna, Maxi-Cosi and Cybex with an adapter, and you can also opt to purchase a newborn pod. Because it has all-wheel suspension and double back wheels, it's sturdy and smooth steering, too. It's a bit heftier than some other umbrellas at 18 pounds but folds into that typical upright standing position for easy storage. The seat reclines nearly flat, too.

The Graco Breaze and Chicco Liteway Plus used to offer solid midrange options, says Grayson—particularly the latter, which could hold the popular Chicco KeyFit 30 car seat—but both have been discontinued by their manufacturers. So while Diono stroller is pricey, it possesses a rare set of features, and you may not need another stroller after this one, making it a worthwhile purchase.

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Amazon

This sturdy yet lightweight Uppababy double umbrella stroller is one of the slickest ways to head out the door with two babies. At about 22 pounds, it weighs less than many single strollers, making it easy to maneuver. It also fits through standard doorways and aisles. Since it has a 55-pound weight limit for each seat, you can use it with a 3-month-old baby in one seat and a 4-year-old preschooler in the other. Each seat reclines independently with three position options. The extended UPF 50 sun canopy is great for outdoor adventures.

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Amazon

It's hard to find a lightweight stroller with a parent-facing seat. It's more often found in newborn or baby strollers. Travel system strollers, like our Uppababy Cruz, have reversible toddler seats, but they’re heavy. Many travel strollers like the Babyzen YoYo2, can accommodate a parent-facing bassinet, but don't have a parent-facing option for older babies. As I researched this problem, I found the Cybex Eezy S Twist +2 stroller as the ideal solution.

It's not a true umbrella, but it is lightweight, narrow and folds compactly. The genius seat twists around 360 degrees while installed, so you don't need to lift the seat out in order to turn your baby around. I ordered one myself and found the mechanism to be very sturdy. Keep in mind that there are only three recline positions, though it does go nearly flat. I didn't find the recline ideal for a 1-year-old, but it might work for another child. There's an adjustable footrest, max weight limit of 55 pounds and all-wheel suspension. (Note: The older model of this stroller is slightly cheaper at $270 and up right now.)

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We take baby gear—including all types of strollers, from travel systems to travel strollers—seriously. Many of us are parents, and we look for what we would buy for ourselves: problem-solving products that are functional, durable and above all safe. (It doesn't hurt if it's stylish either.) We do our own research and consult industry-leading experts for their recommendations and advice before making our selections. As a team, we also constantly research and test new baby gear items coming onto the market.

I have personally been on the hunt for a lighter stroller for months now. I hadn't investigated umbrella strollers, but I was happy to have the opportunity to do so for this assignment. I put together a list of questions I had about umbrella strollers: How much does a good one cost? What features matter most? I put out a call for advice to stroller boutique owners and baby gear experts, and then I spent hours on sites like Amazon, Strolleria and Albee Baby, comparing the top-rated umbrella strollers. I chose picks from brands that the experts I spoke to recommended, with features that matched their guidelines and fit the requirements that I as a parent would want.

This article is frequently reviewed and updated for accuracy. It was most recently updated in May 2023.

Umbrella strollers typically are designed to accommodate babies ages 6 months and older. Newborn babies need a seat that can lie fully flat until they develop enough neck strength to sit at more of an angle. If an umbrella stroller can fit a car seat or another newborn attachment, then it can be safe for a baby under 6 months old. There aren't many of these out there, but we included two on this list: the Diono Flexa Lux and the Cybex Eezy S Twist +2. Many more trifold compact strollers than umbrella strollers have attachments for babies under 6 months old.

An umbrella stroller is a great solution for a variety of families, and each should look for unique features that make getting around easier for them. For starters, urbanites with limited closet space: "City families who plan to use the umbrella stroller for running errands in an urban area will care about the size of the storage basket," recommends Natalie Poston, cofounder and COO of JoyLet, a premium baby and toddler gear rental company based in Washington, D.C. "Families who plan to use their umbrella stroller for international travel will care about wheels and maneuverability because of the uneven or bumpy terrains they might navigate such as grass and cobblestones."

The simple, familiar folding mechanism can also make it a nice option for grandparents, says Kyleyn Gosewisch, customer care specialist at Strolleria, a luxury stroller boutique in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Amy Lundy, the founder of The Mother of All Baby Showers (MOABS), points out that umbrella strollers are ideal for toddlers. "I personally loved mine when my kids were about 10 months or older and started walking and could get in and out of it themselves," she says. "I think of umbrella strollers as perfect for trips to the grocery store for a couple things with my child, to Disney when the day would be longer and they would be jumping in and out, and we needed to keep parking and moving it and when they wanted to nap," she says. "It's a great lightweight travel option for your child that won't require as much ‘manual labor’ as a bulkier stroller." She recommends looking for one with a five-point harness to ensure that they’re buckled in securely.

Here's another excellent use case: "Preschool dropoff if it can be stored," adds Grayson. An umbrella stroller that's freestanding when folded can tuck neatly into a small closet.

As with any baby item, check the height and weight limits. The use you’ll get out of it depends on how quickly your child grows. It's easier to find the weight limit when you’re shopping online; most umbrella strollers go up to 40 pounds, but some hold children weighing 50 or even 55 pounds.