Choosing the best pram in 2026 means thinking about a range of factors, reflecting the busy, fast-moving lives of modern parents and their children. Budget is, of course, a key consideration, but it’s far from the be all and end all. Other crucial aspects to bear in mind include adaptability into real life, versatility across different terrains, ease of handling – steering, folding and unfolding – and, most pressingly of all, how comfortable a tiny passenger will find it for navigating the world (and napping).
The variety on the market right now reflects this, with an extensive range of prams, buggies and strollers out there – and whether you’re a new parent or preparing to welcome your next child, it can feel daunting trying to decide what the best pram for your precious bundle is. But the good news is that such a range of choice means there are options tailored to your specific lifestyle. There are ultra-compact designs, robust all-terrain models, options designed to transport multiple children, and even buggies for parents who simply want to go for a jog.
Drawing on hours of hands-on testing, expert insight and real-world use with a small child in tow, in this guide I’ve assessed which prams genuinely deliver on a range of core factors so you can make a confident, well-informed choice.
Read more: Best lightweight strollers 2026, tested by a parenting writer
The best prams for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Mamas & Papas ocarro 2 pushchair: £849, Mamasandpapas.com
- Best budget buy – Ickle Bubba aries auto-fold stroller: £159, Icklebubba.com
- Best bundle – Silver Cross reef 2 special edition travel system accessory bundle: £1395, Silvercrossbaby.com
- Best for all terrain – Thule spring 2: £449.99, Thule.com
- Best double pram – OutnAbout nipper double V6 pushchair: £725, Outnabout.com
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Mamas & Papas ocarro 2 pushchair
Best: pram overall
Pram comes with: Rain cover
Bundles available: Yes
Pram weight: 13.9kg
Why we love it
- Easy to assemble
- Smooth navigation in a range of settings
- Large storage space under the pram
Take note
- Heavy
- Higher price point
I absolutely loved this pram – and more importantly, my daughter did too. It looks great, is easy to use and felt reassuringly sturdy when navigating a mixture of bumpy pavements, busy city streets and muddy parks. I found it very easy to assemble (I think it took me about three minutes all in all) and it only took me a couple of attempts to master folding it down.
It slotted neatly into the boot of my car and the generous storage space on the base makes it practical for shopping trips. It performed brilliantly on long-distance walks across a range of terrains, with the five-point harness reassuring me that my daughter wasn’t going to be catapulted out if we came across a rogue pothole. She was clearly comfortable in the pram and fell asleep within 10 minutes of our first outing in it, even snoozing through me fitting the raincover (easy peasy to do, FYI) when an unexpected downpour began.
Buy now £849, Mamasandpapas.com
Ickle Bubba aries auto-fold stroller
Best: budget pram
Pram comes with: Rain cover
Bundles available: Yes, bundles with a range of different accessories are available
Weight: 6.1kg
Why we love it
- Super quick and easy to build
- Lightweight and compact
Take note
- Not great on bumpy terrain
- Not much storage space under the pram
It took me no more than two minutes to build Ickle Bubba’s aires pram. Beautifully lightweight, it’s a dream to push on smooth ground thanks to the swivelling wheels at the front and the locked-in wheels at the back, and is perfect for nipping around crowds and power walking with. It struggles on bumpier ground – this isn’t the pram if you’re a fan of regular rural walks, for example, and it struggled to navigate some kerbs.
As an overall runaround buggy at a great price point, it can’t be faulted. I loved how easy it was to strap my baby in and she was comfortable enough to fall asleep within about five minutes on our first journey. I was also impressed with how neatly it fitted in my car boot, and loved the extra details, such as the hood (which offers UPF 50+ sun protection), pop-out visor and viewing window.
Buy now £159, Icklebubba.com
Silver Cross reef 2 special edition travel system accessory bundle
Best: pram bundle
Pram comes with: Carry cot, foot muff, rain cover (for both carry cot and pushchair), backpack, cup holder, phone holder and universal car seat adaptors
Bundles available: Yes
Pram weight: 13.2kg
Why we love it
- Bundle incorporates everything you could need for taking your baby out and about, including a carry cot that can be used for overnight sleeping
- Pram is easy to assemble, fold and unfold
- Generous storage space under pram
Take note
- Heavy
- Only available to purchase as part of a bundle
Steeped in history that dates back almost 150 years, Silver Cross is a British baby brand that covers everything from nursery furniture to car seats – although it might be its pram range for which it’s most renowned. I found its reef 2 special edition model super simple to assemble – and it also wins bonus points for being one of the few brands that didn’t hide its instruction manual at the very bottom of the box.
The bundle comes with a range of thoughtful accessories, including a divine vegan leather backpack, footmuff, rain cover, mug holder and a divine bamboo-lined carry cot – the latter of which is easy to add or remove to the chassis. Its ‘magnetic genius’ buckle took me a bit of practice to get the hang of but once I’d worked it out, I felt confident that my baby was safely strapped in.
The large wheels performed well when tested in a range of settings, including bumpy country roads and weaving in and out of city crowds. I also really liked the adjustability of the handle, which made it practical for my husband to use.
Buy now £1395, Silvercrossbaby.com
Thule spring 2
Best: all-terrain pram
Pram comes with: Hood
Bundles available: Not for this specific Thule pram
Pram weight: 10.8kg
Why we love it
- Highly adaptable to its settings: performed well in both city and rural areas
- Easy to fold and compact: would easily fit in a tall cupboard
Take note
- Hood was fiddly to fit
- Carrycot available to purchase separately
Thule is known for its innovative product range that celebrates a life lived outdoors – and I think that the spring 2 is the perfect pram for families who love to head outside. Its soft-foam-filled three-wheel design has been created to cope with smooth and bumpy terrain alike, and it didn’t stumble over kerbs.
I found the hood harder to fit than I should have – I actually ended up watching a video to work out how to do it – but that aside, I loved the simple yet considered design. Details like the adjustable handle bar and the peekaboo canopy make it clear that parental ease-of-use was definitely considered, while the five-point harness and canopy with UPF 50+ UV protection ensure your child is safe.
Folding it is absurdly easy. I did try to test the brand’s claim that it can be folded with one hand while holding your baby in the other, although my daughter burst into tears mid-video. She clearly didn’t want to say goodbye to the pram…
Buy now £449.99, Thule.com
OutnAbout nipper double V6 pushchair
Best: double pram
Pram comes with: Raincover
Bundles available: Yes, bundles for newborns, toddlers and twins are available to purchase
Weight: 15.79kg
Why we love it
- Fantastic choice for two siblings aged up to four years. (Front rider also available)
- Designed to fit through doorways
- Sturdy design makes it great for outdoor adventures
Take note
- More in-depth build process but feels reassuringly sturdy once completed
- Large: wouldn’t fit in a small car boot
I had to head to YouTube to find a video to show me how to build this pram. Weighing in at more than 15kg, the OutnAbout nipper double V6 pushchair is certainly sturdy with a well-considered technical design: its three wheels need to be installed rather than simply slotted into place, and a wheel pump is even included for extra peace of mind. It had no issue with a walk over our local nature reserve, navigating bumps and tussocks with zero drama.
My baby and four-year-old sat happily next to each other – the latter was delighted to be back in a pram and I can definitely see the value of this pram and its generous size on days out when little legs become tired. Folding it up is more of a process than just pressing a button – for the ultimate fold, the brand even advises removing the front wheel. An older child can also benefit from hopping on the pram’s front rider, available to purchase separately.
Buy now £725, Outnabout.com
Elodie mondo stroller
Best: travel pam
Pram comes with: Mondo Stow & Go Backpack
Bundles available: Yes
Weight: 6.7kg
Why we love it
- Designed for travel: perfectly sized for travelling on planes and trains
- The pram’s fabrics are made from 100% recycled and certified polyester
- Gorgeous, stylish design
Take note
- Small storage space under the pram but ideally sized to fit the included Elodie Stow & Go backpack, which can be attached to cabin luggage
- Lightweight spec means it struggles with bumpy terrain
It’s almost heartbreaking to imagine a pram as beautiful as Elodie’s mondo to ultimately end up coated in sticky crumbs and milk spit-up. My daughter and I tested it in the stunning ‘pimpernel’ colourway (part of the brand’s collaboration with Morris & Co), which combines a green floral print with rose-gold hardware. It was easy to build – the pram simply folds out and the wheels need slotting into place – and my baby was very comfortable once strapped in.
The pram is designed to be the just-right size for flight; with travel in mind, the pram’s canopy offers UPF 50 protection, making it a great choice for hot holidays. While it would clearly be fantastic at gliding across a smooth concourse (pushing it with one hand is a breeze), it does require extra control when it comes to rougher terrain.
Buy now £244.3, Elodiedetails.com
Joolz hub²
Best: pram for city life
Pram comes with: Seat and cot
Bundles available: Yes
Weight: 8.8kg (with seat)
Why we love it
- Takes seconds to set-up, from box to use
- Designed with a carry strap for easy transporting when folded
Take note
- Hand-wash only if any accidents happen
The Joolz hub² comes with its wheels already fitted, which meant it took less than a minute to unfold and erect from its box. The base flits perfectly from a cosy carrycot for newborns to an upright seat for older babies. I loved how easy it was to use: from steering it with one hand when walking my older daughter to school to nipping around crowds in the local city centre, it didn’t falter.
Design details like the adjustable handlebar and the generously sized basket underneath make it feel like a pram that’s been considered for real life, rather than just what looks good. (Don’t get me wrong, though – it looks good, too.) An extra cute touch? An older child would love the cardboard packaging, which can be fashioned into a race track.
Buy now £899, Joolz.com
Nuna mixx next
Best: pram for comfort
Pram comes with: Rain cover and apron
Bundles available: Yes
Weight: 11kg
Why we love it
- Five recline positions, ensuring your baby is comfortable at all times
- Great design: looks and feels premium
Take note
- Carrycot is available to purchase separately
Thanks to its five recline positions, the mixx next ensures your baby is perfectly snug when they’re in the pram. My baby sat cosily in it during a range of activities, including a visit to a busy kids’ playpark, a trip to my older daughter’s school for an art exhibition and a Sunday morning family walk through woodland – with plenty of naps enjoyed along the way. I loved how easy it is to use: it folded up easily, slotted snugly into my car boot and was easy to reopen when we arrived at our destination.
I liked that I could confidently steer with one hand, meaning I could hold hands with my four-year-old while pushing my baby. The brand’s ‘magnatech’ buckle was really easy to use for both strapping in and removing my daughter, and felt intuitive rather than fiddly. Details like the small zipped-up storage compartment (great for keys or a phone) and the tough tyres help add to the pram’s overall premium feel.
Buy now £660, Nunababy.eu
Stokke yoyo3 stroller with newborn pack
Best: lightweight pram
Pram comes with: Newborn pack, 6m+ pack,
Bundles available: No but the set includes both a newborn pack and 6m+ pack
Weight: 6.59kg
Why we love it
- Extremely lightweight and folds down small
- Performed well on different types of terrain
Take note
- Complicated to build
- Smaller basket area
The Stokke yoyo3 arrives in three pieces: a frame, a newborn pack and a 6m+ pack. It took me so long to build this pram that I literally had my birthday in between removing the various pieces from the box and finally completing construction (with the help of a YouTube how-to video and my husband.) Exasperated, I was prepared to not include this pram in my round-up until I actually used it – and then I was impressed.
Lightweight and easy to operate (hello, one-hand steer), it performed unexpectedly well at a tussock-adorned countryside fete, as well as on smoother terrain in a busy city centre and residential areas. My baby was happy and content throughout thanks to the five-point harness and cosy chair, and I loved the leopard print pattern on the 6m+ seat we were using. It loses points for having a small storage basket, although the zipped pocket is handy for small valuables.
Folding the pram involves more work than other models on this list – it’s less “press this button” and more “let’s begin the process”. Once it’s folded, it can be easily carried on your shoulder in the included carry bag and it also sat neatly in our car boot.
Buy now £594, Stokke.com
Thule glide 3
Best: running pram
Pram comes with: N/A
Bundles available: Not for this specific Thule pram
Weight: 11kg
Why we love it
- The perfect pram for parents who like to run
- Reassuringly safe and sturdy design
Take note
- Wide: not one for taking on a spontaneous shopping trip
For parents who miss the ease of “popping out for a run”, Thule’s glide 3 is here to get your heart pumping again once more. It slotted together in a couple of minutes and was instantly ready to go. Due to its fixed front wheel, you can feel confident that the pram won’t twist and turn when you’re running and its handbrake is a neat safety feature that trumps the foot brake when exercising at speed.
A generous canopy meant my baby felt protected against the spring sunshine and I liked that the basket underneath was so spacious – allowing plenty of room for milk/water bottles, snacks and more. This isn’t the pram you’d use to grab a pint of milk on the way home, though – that fixed front wheel makes it harder to twist around tighter bends and its width is definitely designed for the great outdoors rather than, er, shop doors.
Buy now £649.99, Thule.com
Cybex platinum e-priam
Best: premium pram
Pram comes with: Rain cover
Bundle avaliable: A 3-piece comfort set that includes the bassinet and seat is available
Weight: 15.2kg
Why we love it
- Extremely wow-worthy: electric pram that makes hills a breeze and can rock your baby for you
- Lightweight to use, despite weighing 15kg
Take note
- Needs to be charged to enjoy the impressive e-features
- Bulky: might struggle to fit it in a smaller car boot
If you thought all prams were essentially the same, you haven’t discovered Cybex’s impressive e-priam. This electric pram can rock your baby to sleep, while its electric motors promise to make walking up hills easier. Setting up the pram is pretty straightforward; it took about 10 minutes from start to finish.
We left the pram to charge up for six hours, during which time I downloaded the accompanying app. It was easy to pair the app to the pram via Bluetooth; from the app, you can set the pram to rock at one of three speeds, as well as choose how long you want it to rock for. My baby seemed to enjoy being rocked by the pram, though it was slightly strange to watch as the movement was so physical that you’d almost think a ghost was doing it.
Despite weighing in at 15.2kg, the e-priam is somehow lightweight to move; navigating kerbs, potholes and all the other delights of our local pavements was no fuss. I loved using it and my baby was safe and comfortable sitting up and reclined back. The quiet “revving” noises when we went up a hill were impressive but when I turned the pram off to test it in offline mode, it was just as usable.
Buy now £1649.95, Cybex-online.com
iCandy core 2 pushchair, carrycot and 360 car seat bundle
Best: pram for babies with siblings
Pram comes with: A cup holder, a snooze shade, a parasol, a pushchair footmuff, everyway changing bag and two rain covers (for car seat and carrycot/pushchair)
Bundles available: Yes, a complete bundle or 360 car seat bundle
Weight: 7.8kg lightest weight
Why we love it
- Carrycot approved by The Lullaby Trust for overnight sleeping
Take note
- MiStand carrycot stand is sold separately
Reviewed by Leeanna Lock
There are so many impressive features of the iCandy core 2 that make travelling with a baby smooth for parents. The collapsible carrycot is genius for neat car storage in a small boot. Plus, it's suitable for overnight sleeping, saving you from lugging a travel cot on holidays. It is also a great option for travelling with older siblings, as an integrated ride-on board is included. My toddler particularly loved this asset, which helped him transition away from wanting to be carried so much.
Even if you don't opt for the iCandy cocoon 360 car seat bundle, 14 other branded car seats are compatible with the travel system. During those early postpartum weeks, a swivel car seat was my best friend because it prevented extra strain on my back when buckling up the little ones. Plus, it's much easier to brush off snack crumbs directly outside of the car when they are older.
The UPF 50+ extendable carrycot and car seat canopies are ideal for nap times, while the blackout, breathable iCandy sunshade, or included parasols, make al fresco naps even more snug. Raincovers are also included to protect the full travel system in wet weather and I adored the machine-washable bassinet fleece liner for keeping newborns comfortable and cosy.
The pushchair has a one-handed seat recline, allowing your little one to sit upright, lounge back, or lie flat. I can also fold it up with a one-hand snap, making it super convenient when I'm juggling keeping a baby and a toddler safe. Considering it's a pretty lightweight pushchair, I was impressed by its sturdy wheels and enhanced suspension, which made the ride smooth on city day trips and off-road forest walks.
The wide basket can hold up to 10kg of storage and perfectly fits changing bags, raincovers and blankets. However, the storage side panels are low, so avoid leaving any small and valuable items loose in the base. The black waterproof ‘everyway bag’ features helpful bottle compartments and a travel changing mat. It uses convenient iCandy loop clips to easily attach to the pram, making toys and snacks super accessible for on-the-go entertainment.
Buy now £1199, Icandyworld.com
Your questions about prams answered
What is the best pram?
Ultimately, the best pram is the one that will both provide reassurance that your child is safe and comfortable while also making daily life that bit easier. Whether you value storage space, a light-weight, easy fold or something that’s appropriate for taking on holiday, there’s a pram out there to match your needs. For classic stability, I highly recommend the Mamas & Papas Ocarro 2, while those looking for travel-ready simplicity should look to Elodie’s mondo. That being said, every option in this round-up has impressed, proving that there are prams to match every family, budget and style.
Encouragingly, the standard across the market is high. While premium models often justify their price tags with superior materials and smoother handling, there’s also a wide range of other options out there that deliver impressive performance without overstretching the budget.
Our advice? Prioritise the features you will use every day – be that a one-handed fold, generous storage or space for another child – and, if possible, try before you buy. A pram is an investment but choose wisely and it will prove its worth from its very first outing. And a quick note to pram manufacturers: make your instruction manuals clearer! New parents have enough to contend with without having to try to decode wordless diagrams.
How to choose between a pram or stroller
The main and most important difference between prams and strollers is that the former is designed for younger infants and babies, and they’re generally suitable to use from birth. On the other hand, strollers are designed for older infants and toddlers. This is down to the positioning of the seat or carry cot – while prams feature a flat position, strollers are more upright, which suits infants who are capable of sitting up independently.
Pram
Stroller
How I tested prams
I tested a range of prams alongside other parent testers and assessed them on a number of different factors, including:
Other factors that were considered include packaging, ease of instruction guides, sustainability features, thoughtful design details and basket storage space.
All prams listed are suitable from birth until the child weighs 22kg (approximately four years old), unless otherwise stated, with bassinets/carry cots typically available to purchase separately or as part of a bundle.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
The Independent’s product reviews section, IndyBest, hosts product reviews from expert testers. Our knowledgeable reviewers use these products as you would in your own home to bring you an impartial list of the very best. IndyBest’s expert parenting writers have tested everything from baby monitors to high chairs and travel cots.
Katie Byrne is an experienced parenting writer and product tester. The mother of a four-year-old and a nine-month-old, she’s been navigating life with a pram for several years. She has previously tested best pregnancy pillows and the best maternity and nursing bras for IndyBest.
Mum Leeanna Lock is head of audience for ecommerce at The Independent and has written several product review features for IndyBest in the baby and parenting space, such as gifts for new parents, hospital bags and nursing chairs.
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