Mark Zalewski, Author at Fathercraft.com

Are wifi baby monitors safe?

Mark Zalewski — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 03:03:14 +0000

When parents ask the question, “are wifi baby monitors safe?” They’re really asking 4 questions:

Can wifi baby monitors be hacked?
What happens when when my wifi goes out?
What about EMF radiation?
Ok, given all this, what monitors should I actually consider buying?

We’re going to dive into all 4 of these topics. But, spoiler alert, we think questions 2, 3, and 4 deserve most of your attention. So, feel free to skip ahead by clicking, or tapping:

Wifi baby monitor hacking & security
What happens when your wifi goes out?
Wifi baby monitors and EMF radiation
The only monitors you should consider buying

Question 1: Are wifi baby monitors secure? What about hacking?

Consider the following:

Just about any device connected to the internet is hackable
This includes wifi baby monitors
Non-wifi monitors can also be hacked, but this requires physical proximity and higher skill
A wifi monitor’s security also depends on your wifi network security
There’s no financial incentive for hacking a baby monitor. You can’t extract money from the monitor, or from a baby
Wifi baby monitor companies know that parents are very worried about hacking. So, the big brands (see below) have put tons of money and research into security. All things considered, they’re probably over-engineered from a security perspective.

You are welcome to draw your own conclusion from these statements. Here’s our take: wifi baby monitor hacking is kind of like shark attacks… if the shark had no teeth and the tensile jaw strength of your neighbor’s Chihuahua. That is to say:

Extremely rare
Still scary
Even if it happens, you’re all gonna be fine

Action plan: buy from a reputable company, whether you choose wifi or non-wifi. Buying the cheapest monitor on Amazon ain’t gonna cut it. Our picks below.

Question 2: what happens if my wifi goes out?

Wifi baby monitor companies LOVE to brag about signal quality and 4k resolution. But here’s the thing: a wifi monitor is only as strong as its weakest link. And for most monitors, that’s your wifi network. So, if your wifi sucks or has dead spots or outages—your monitor’s going to as well.

There’s one more potential weak link you also need to worry about with most wifi monitors: your phone, and the monitor’s app. If you’ve got notifications silenced or if the monitor’s app is buggy, you’ve got problems.

Knowing this, here’s what your plan needs to be:

Test the location(s) you plan to have your baby sleep before buying a wifi monitor. Pro tip here: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies sleep in their parents room (though NOT their parents bed) for the first 6 months. So, if you have trouble watching Netflix in bed, chances are your monitor’s gonna have problems. Go ahead and test the nursery for months 7 onward, too.
Choose a reputable brand that’s thought through notification strategy and invested in a high quality app for your phone or iPad.
Consider a monitor with a dedicated “parent unit” (screen). All non-wifi monitors have these, but there are now a few wifi monitor companies that offer dedicated screens, too—more on that below.

Question 3: what about wifi baby monitors and EMF radiation?

If you’ve ever Googled “WiFi baby monitor radiation,” you know it’s a minefield of fear-mongering, marketing spin, and confusing science. Instead of trying to sort internet fact from fiction, I tested some of the most popular monitors myself, using a professional EMF meter and a repeatable setup. My goal? A definitive answer to a question parents have been asking for years—are wifi baby monitors safe, or do they emit harmful EMF radiation?

This is the companion blog post to our video — breaking down how we tested, what we measured, what the science says about those numbers, and how our results compare with published research.

Wi Fi baby monitors emit the same type of radiation as your microwave. Except instead of heating up leftover pizza, they’re pointed directly at your infant’s skull sixteen hours a day. So I bought nine of the most popular monitors, Wi Fi and non Wi Fi alike, and tested them with a two hundred dollar professional grade EMF meter. What I found completely flipped everything I thought I knew about monitor safety. I’m Mark with Fathercraft, and today I’m going to show you exactly what the data says, what it means for your baby, and which monitors you should actually be worried about. When parents ask, are Wi Fi baby monitors safe? What they really mean is three things. One, can they be hacked? Two, what happens when your Wi Fi goes out? And three, what about this thing called EMF radiation? In this video, we’re focusing on question number three. Do Wi Fi baby monitors emit radiation? But you should hit the subscribe button because questions one and two are legitimate concerns we’ll cover in a future video. Now before I show you the data, we need to talk about why this question is so confusing in the first place. Because if you go looking for clear answers on whether Wi Fi baby monitors are safe, you won’t find them. So let’s start with what the industry wants you to believe. Now you might be thinking, but baby monitors are FCC approved. They have safety certifications. There are standards. Yes. There are standards. But here’s where it gets weird. Phones are tested against something called the SAM Phantom. That’s specific anthropomorphic mannequin. Basically, a fake head modeled after a six two, two hundred and twenty pound military recruit. That test gives us a number called SAAR, specific absorption rate. Translation, how much radiation gets soaked up by a hunk of fake human meat. The FCC caps phones at one point six watts per kilogram. So, yes, your iPhone was literally tested by blasting a plastic soldier head until it glowed like a Hot Pocket. Now for reference, I’m six three, two thirty, probably. My scale is hiding from me. And here’s me holding my two year old son, Hank. So these standards were designed for the guy on the right, but are being applied to the baby on the left. Now baby monitors are tested a little differently than phones. They’re classified as mobile devices that must be kept eight inches or twenty centimeters away from people. So instead of measuring how much energy goes into your head, the test is how loud is the signal in the air eight inches away, which sounds fine until you realize those limits were still built to prevent adult tissue heating. Then we sit these devices next to infants whose skulls are about as thick as a graham cracker. So when companies brag about meeting FCC standards, what they’re really saying is, we’ve proven this won’t cook an adult brain at eight inches distance, which feels like a pretty low bar for infant safety. But here’s where this story goes from mildly concerning to genuinely what the actual A brand new peer reviewed study from SETIA published in twenty twenty five in the medical journal Curious followed a hundred and five babies for an entire year, measured the EMF radiation in their homes using medical grade equipment, and then tracked their development. And what they found should make every parent want to throw their baby monitor directly to the sun. In homes with the highest EMF exposure, infants were two point seven four times more likely to show fine motor delays and three point six seven times more likely to struggle with problem solving skills. That’s not a little concerning. That’s triple the odds in two core areas of early development. Oh, and living near a cell tower? No correlation at all. Which means the radiation messing with these babies wasn’t coming from outside. It was coming from inside the home from devices like this. Now, and this part is important, this is one study. It’s a data point, not an ironclad verdict. It doesn’t prove that every Wi Fi baby monitor is frying neurons like bacon in a pan. It does, however, raise a very loud, very uncomfortable question. Why on earth aren’t we using infant specific safety standards for this? Now you might think, well, okay, but if it’s safe for adults, it’s probably safe for babies. Right? Wrong. Catastrophically wrong. A baby’s skull is two millimeters thick. For comparison, an adult skull is six to seven millimeters thick. That means a baby’s skull provides about as much protection from radiation as a piece of cardboard from a cereal box. But it gets worse. Research shows that infants can absorb up to ten times more radiation than adults from the same source in certain tissues like bone marrow. That’s the difference between getting misted with a spray bottle and being hit with a fire hose. So when safety standards say, this is fine for humans, again, they’re basing that on preventing tissue heating in adults, not protecting developing infant brains that are still figuring out how to make their hands work. Now here’s what’s fascinating. Baby monitor companies clearly know that parents are worried about EMF, and they’re not saying relax, it’s harmless. They’re saying, don’t worry, we engineered around it, which is kind of an admission that there’s something worth engineering around. Nanit designed a directional antenna. Miku claims a thousand times less radiation than a phone. An outlet actually publishes their SAR numbers. So no matter what the marketing spin is, the fact they’re even talking about this tells you everything. This is a real concern and they know it. At this point in our story, it’s safe to say that I have become mildly obsessed. Everyone online says WiFi baby monitors are dangerous. Buy non WiFi monitors instead. So I thought, fine. Let’s actually test that claim. So I bought nine of the most popular baby monitors on the market, six WiFi monitors and three safe non Wi Fi alternatives, and then got one of these to test them. This is a Trifield TF two, a two hundred dollar professional grade EMF meter that measures radio frequency power density in milliwatts per square meter. This is what building biologists and EMF consultants use. Yes. Building biologist is a real career. Apparently, I chose poorly. Anyways, the point is it’s not a thirty dollar Amazon toy. And because I know you’re wondering how I set up this test, first, I measured the background radiation in my house to create a baseline and then tested my WiFi router and I iPhone to ensure the device was calibrated. Then I set up cameras in realistic crib scenarios, wall mounted positions both two feet and five feet above the device, and collected a series of data over the course of a few weeks. Finally, I averaged everything. In fact, I feel so strongly about getting this right that I published my testing methodology and raw data. Check it out at father craft dot com slash e m f. And what I found should make every non Wi Fi baby monitor company deeply uncomfortable. Let’s walk through it. In most homes, background emf is basically nothing. It’s around point zero two milliwatts per square meter. That’s the quiet of modern life. Now let’s talk about the usual suspects. Your phone, while on a call and making contact with the meter, averages around one point zero milliwatts per square meter with spikes up to fourteen. Back it up to two feet, averages drop down to point two, and at five feet, down to point zero five. Your Wi Fi router at contact averages two point o with peaks off the scale at twenty plus. Back it up two feet down to point four. At five feet, point zero eight. Why? Physics. Radio waves follow the inverse square law. Double the distance, intensity drops by roughly seventy five percent. So distance from the source matters. Great. Hold that thought. More on that in a minute. For context, the FCC public exposure limit is ten thousand milliwatts per square meter averaged over time. But remember, that’s designed to prevent adult tissue heating, not protect infants lying next to a device running sixteen hours a day. Alright. So I tested nine monitors. Let me show you what I found. Now before we dig into this, I want you to notice something. See these three monitors? The VTech, Hello Baby, and BabySense. These are the Wi Fi free monitors. The ones commonly thought of as the safer alternative to the big, bad, scary WiFi baby monitors. No WiFi needed, hack proof, radiation free. Except they’re not radiation free, not even close. Let’s start with the WiFi monitors that everyone is supposedly scared of. Peaks at two feet, Nanit Pro, zero point three five milliwatts per square meter, Miku Pro, point three five, Harbor, point six one, Owlette, point six two. Hubo, point nine four. And Cradlewise, two point six five. Pretty low numbers. All orders of magnitude under the FCC limit. Most are barely above background noise. Now let’s look at the safe non WiFi alternatives. Peaks at two feet. VTech, four point five two milliwatts per square meter. Hello, baby, five point one two. BabySense, twelve point six four. BabySense, the monitor that literally has sense in the name and markets itself as a non WiFi alternative, emits thirty six times more radiation than nanic. Thirty six times. Hello Baby and VTech aren’t much better. And here’s the kicker, every single one of these monitors, WiFi or not, operates at two point four gigahertz. That’s the exact same radio band. So what’s going on here? How can the Wi Fi monitors be so much cleaner than the non Wi Fi monitors when they’re using the same frequency? The answer is painfully simple, engineering quality. The WiFi monitors, Nanit, Miku, Harbor, Cubo, Cradlewise, and Owlette are made by companies with actual r and d budgets. They use directional antennas, which beam the signal where it needs to go, not everywhere. Power optimization, which means the signal is only as strong as it needs to be, and quality components, which means efficient transmission and less power is needed overall. The budget non Wi Fi monitors, they use omnidirectional broadcasting, which means they spray the signal in every direction like some possessed garden sprinkler. High power transmission, which means they crank the volume to boost the range and compensate for cheap components. And finally, no EMF optimization whatsoever because they’re marketed as Wi Fi free and safe, so why bother? It’s the electromagnetic equivalent of the difference between a laser pointer and a floodlight. Same light, completely different delivery. And this matters because these budget monitors are being bought by the most concerned parents. The ones who did the research saw WiFi equals radiation and specifically chose the non WiFi option to protect their baby. They paid eighty to a hundred and sixty dollars to expose their infant to up to thirty six times more radiation than the three hundred dollar WiFi monitor they were trying to avoid. And here’s the thing, these budget baby monitor companies know this. They’re not stupid. They just know that no WiFi needed sells better than we cheaped out on the antenna design. Now there is some good news here. Distance still matters. Look at the five foot measurement peaks. BabySense drops from twelve point six four to four point two five. Hello, baby drops from five point one two to one point three two, and VTech drops from four point five two to one point five four. Still way higher than the WiFi monitors at five feet, which dropped to basically nothing, but it does show that distance is your best friend no matter what monitor you own. Even the dirtiest monitor gets dramatically cleaner when you just back it up a few feet. Alright. Now that I’ve scared the out of you, here’s what you can actually do without moving to a cabin in the middle of the woods and putting grounding mats everywhere. If you’re buying a new monitor, the data is clear. If you want a monitor with lower EMF radiation exposure, buy a premium WiFi monitor. Nanit, Miku, Harbor, they’re engineered to be clean. Yes. They cost more, but you’re not just paying for the extra features. You’re paying for the engineering that makes them emit ten to thirty times less radiation. If budget is an issue, buy one of the cheaper monitors, but mount it six plus feet away. Our testing shows that by doubling the distance, you cut exposure by seventy five percent. If you already own a baby monitor, first, check your distance. Most people, myself included prior to this research, mount these two to three feet away from the crib. I’ve also seen a bunch of those cute little articulating arms that mount the monitor on the crib. Do not do that. Back everything up. Six feet minimum. You can do this before your baby’s next nap. It’s free and it’s effective. Second, smart usage patterns. Turn it off when no one’s sleeping. Use audio only during naps if your monitor has that option. You don’t need twenty four seven live streaming like it’s Twitch for grandparents. Look. I get it. This is terrifying information. Maybe you bought a WiFi free monitor specifically to protect your child, and now I’m telling you that it might be doing the exact opposite. It’s a bit like finding out that car seats are made out of dynamite. But here’s the thing. You now have information that most parents don’t have. You can make choices that dramatically reduce any potential risk while still monitoring your baby effectively. This also isn’t about becoming a paranoid parent who wraps their house in aluminum foil. This is about applying the same precautionary thinking that we use everywhere else in parenting. We don’t let babies play with small objects because they might choke. We don’t give them honey because of botulism risk, and we baby proof electrical outlets even though the odds of electrocution are tiny. So why wouldn’t we take these simple steps to minimize radiation exposure when they’re this easy and the potential consequences based on that twenty twenty five study could affect your child’s development. Your baby’s brain is developing at an incredible rate right now. Every connection forming, every neural pathway being built, the premium Wi Fi companies clearly think EMF reduction matters. They’re engineering solutions and marketing their safety features. Maybe we should listen to what their actions are telling us. So here’s what I’m doing. First, I’ve personally moved the monitor I use for my son, Hank, back a couple of feet. It’s free. It’s not really sacrificing image quality, and it feels like a no brainer. Second, I’m publishing all of our testing data and our full methodology to father craft dot com slash e m f. You’ll find the chart we referenced in this video so you can compare your monitor against the others. Don’t see your monitor? Drop it in the comments below. I’ll see if I can keep updating this data over time. And please share this with other parents because right now, most people are choosing baby monitors based on Wi Fi free marketing with zero idea that their eighty dollars safe monitor might be pumping out thirty times more radiation than necessary. Your baby’s developing brain deserves the same informed decision making that you’d apply to car seats, cribs, and baby food. So go check out where that baby monitor is mounted and maybe skip the BabySense. Alright. That’s all for today. Thanks for watching. We’ll see you next time. Adios.

How I tested

Meter used: TriField TF2 (RF mode, measuring in mW/m²).
Devices tested: Nanit Pro, Miku Pro, Harbor, Cradlewise, Owlet, Cubo, vtech, Babysense, HelloBaby. As benchmarks: a cell phone and a WiFi router.
Setup:
- Monitors mounted as they would be in real life.
- Distances tested: 2′ (approximate Cradlewise crib placement) and 5′ (Nanit wall-mount placement).
- Benchmarks (phone and router) also tested at contact (0″), 2′, and 5′.
- Meter placed at pillow height (baby’s head position), pointed up at the monitor.
- Monitors set to video streaming ON.
Recording: For each run, we logged:
- Average (big bottom number): a rolling time average, sampled at 1s, 10s, 20s, and 30s, then reported as the median.
- Peak (tiny top-left number): the largest burst captured in that window.

Device	Distance	Reported Avg (mW/m²)	Reported Peak (mW/m²)	Peak ÷ Avg
Nanit Pro	2′	0.051	0.434	8.6
Nanit Pro	5′	0.032	0.170	5.3
Miku Pro	2′	0.151	0.570	3.8
Miku Pro	5′	0.049	0.410	8.5
Harbor	2′	0.066	0.680	10.3
Harbor	5′	0.066	0.280	4.3
Cradlewise	2′	0.300	2.600	8.7
Cell Phone	Contact	1.000	14.0	14.0
	2′	0.200	1.800	9.0
	5′	0.050	0.600	12.0
WiFi Router	Contact	2.000	20.0	10.0
	2′	0.400	3.000	7.5
	5′	0.080	0.800	10.0
Background	–	0.020	0.055	–

For those of us who prefer data in graph form, here’s the 2′ and 5′ monitor numbers visualized:

What the science tells us

How to read the numbers:

Inverse square law: RF power falls quickly with distance. Move from 0″ to 2′ to 5′ and the readings collapse, even when the device is powerful.
Bursty transmissions: WiFi and phones don’t transmit smoothly. They fire short bursts of high power, which show up in the Peak number. That’s why the Peak ÷ Avg ratio is often 5–10×.
Relative scale: Phones and routers are much noisier than baby monitors.
- Phones at contact: peaks ~14 mW/m².
- Routers at contact: peaks ~20 mW/m².
- Baby monitors at 2′–5′: peaks <3 mW/m², averages <0.3.

The obvious takeaway from these relative scale numbers: 1) don’t put your phone up to your baby’s ear so she can hear grandma talk to her. And, don’t put a wifi router near where your baby is sleeping.

Context: The FCC/ICNIRP public exposure limit is 10,000 mW/m² averaged over time. None of these devices come close. The concern for baby monitors is not raw intensity but chronic proximity — a monitor inches from a baby’s head vs mounted across the room.

Our results vs published research

Published benchmarks line up with what we measured:

Smart Cam (20 cm, McKenzie 2024): 0.32–0.85 mW/m² averages.
Baby Monitor (1 m, EMF-Portal): ~0.42 mW/m² average.
High Exposure Homes (Setia 2025): median ~8.66 mW/m², high tertile ~32 mW/m².
ICNIRP Public Limit: 10,000 mW/m².

The bottom line

Your choice of monitor matters, but placement matters more.

At 2′ (Cradlewise distance): hotter than Nanit/Miku/Harbor, but still far below phones or routers.
At 5′ (Nanit wall-mount distance): monitors blend into background.
Phones and routers are the bigger offenders in most homes.

Rule of thumb: keep WiFi baby monitors at least 6 feet from your child’s head. That step does more than comparing brand marketing claims.

Methodology and full data

Trial-Level Numbers

Type	Device	Distance	A Peak	A1	A2	A3	A4	B Peak	B1	B2	B3	B4
	Background		0.055	0.016	0.019	0.02	0.015	0.059	0.016	0.017	0.018	0.021
Control	Cell Phone	0″ contact	15.19	0.50	0.61	0.46	0.53	—
		2′	0.898	0.056	0.066	0.063	0.073	—
		5′	—	—	—	—	—	—
Control	Wifi Router	0″ contact	too hot	8.98	11.73	7.23	9.4	—
		2′	18.3	1.16	2.01	2.6	3.4	—
		5′	7.7	0.5	1.04	0.92	0.71	—
Wifi	Cradlewise	2′	2.65	0.22	0.33	0.27	0.18	2.52	0.217	0.174	0.198	0.228
Wifi	Cubo AI	2′	0.941	0.10	0.092	0.15	0.107	0.837	0.095	0.084	0.093	0.091
Wifi	Owlet	2′	0.618	0.07	0.06	0.12	0.08	0.736	0.07	0.08	0.07	0.122
Wifi	Harbor	2′	0.61	0.075	0.06	0.056	0.055	0.68	0.11	0.06	0.106	0.056
Wifi	Miku	2′	0.57	0.149	0.174	0.123	0.152	0.51	0.131	0.112	0.10	0.119
Wifi	Nanit	2′	0.35	0.047	0.044	0.049	0.053	0.434	0.047	0.054	0.046	0.067
Non-Wifi	Baby Sense	2′	12.64	4.25	4.46	4.29	4.19	13.25	4.13	4.27	4.49	4.43
Non-Wifi	VTech	2′	5.21	2.20	2.19	2.11	2.25	4.52	1.54	1.39	1.74	1.58
Non-Wifi	Hello Baby	2′	5.12	1.32	1.03	1.10	0.98	2.63	0.51	0.56	0.48	0.58
Wifi	Miku	5′	0.41	0.046	0.039	0.040	0.041	0.22	0.042	0.058	0.044	0.053
Wifi	Owlet	5′	0.322	0.24	0.24	0.24	0.24	0.403	0.25	0.26	0.26	0.25
Wifi	Cubo AI	5′	0.315	0.225	0.230	0.221	0.229	0.307	0.229	0.236	0.227	0.232
Wifi	Harbor	5′	0.28	0.061	0.065	0.074	0.066	0.25	0.069	0.058	0.060	0.059
Wifi	Nanit	5′	0.17	0.024	0.027	0.023	0.026	0.13	0.026	0.037	0.24	0.027
Non-Wifi	VTech	5′	1.21	0.33	0.23	0.19	0.26	1.06	0.37	0.44	0.33	0.39
Non-Wifi	Baby Sense	5′	0.87	0.36	0.35	0.36	0.36	2.11	0.40	0.39	0.38	0.40
Non-Wifi	Hello Baby	5′	0.54	0.32	0.30	0.28	0.29	1.09	0.26	0.27	0.25	0.26

All measurements in mW/m² (milliwatts per square meter) using TriField TF2. Scroll horizontally on mobile →

Question 4: so… what monitor should I buy?

Alright, you have the full dataset and testing.

Taking into account EMF data AND which of these monitors are actually good across the other factors I’ve tested, here’s what I think is worthy buying.

If you want the monitor with the absolute lowest EMF ratings, you should go with Nanit. And, bonus, Nanit has been our top monitor pick for many years running—it’s what we’ve used most with our own kids.

Miku and Harbor, two other wifi monitors, also have low EMF levels and are very solid picks. Harbor, the new kid on the block in the wifi baby monitor space, is our up-and-coming pick with its dedicated parent unit and fallback to a local network if your wifi goes out.

If your heart is still set on a non-wifi baby monitor…

Step 1: reconsider. Because the options, when you try to find the center of the venn diagram between 1) lower EMF scores and 2) does not suck, you will find the middle is… kind of empty.

Step 2: Do NOT mount your non-wifi monitor close to your baby. Higher EMF levels need to be countered with distance.

Step 3: Do NOT buy Babysense monitor. Worst EMF ratings AND scored low in our best non-wifi baby monitor testing (our YouTube video here).

Step 4: Choose the Vtech (Amazon). Our top overall non-wifi pick AND much lower EMF readings that Babysense. Hellobaby had a lower reading at 5′, but… it’s unfortunately a POS on just about everything else.

Please note Fathercraft is reader-supported, meaning, at no cost to you, we may earn a commission if you buy after clicking an affiliate link. Learn more. Also, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

The best travel strollers of 2025: Real parents picked a clear winner

Mark Zalewski — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 22:17:49 +0000

We put some of the best travel strollers to the test: the Joolz Aer+, UppaBABY MINU 3, Bugaboo Butterfly, YOYO2, GB Pockit, the Colugo Compact Stroller+, and Baby Jogger City Tour 2

There are two kinds of travel stroller reviews: the ones written by someone who skimmed the product manual and maybe pushed the stroller across their living room—and the ones written by parents who’ve sprinted to a departure gate with a baby strapped to their chest and a preschooler yelling that they dropped their donut. Guess which one this is?

Kristan cruising through the airport with the YOYO2 and her socks/slides combo

At Fathercraft, we don’t mess around. We (Mark, toddler dad, and Kristan, bay and toddler mom) tested six of the best travel strollers in the wild—real-world conditions, real kids, and real travel chaos. In this article, we’ll break down what actually matters when choosing a compact stroller (and what doesn’t) when you’re trying to survive a trip with tiny humans in tow.

We put these six strollers through their paces:

Joolz Aer+ ($449)
UPPAbaby MINU V3 ($549)
Bugaboo Butterfly ($399-$479)
Babyzen YOYO2 ($449)
GB Pockit All-Terrain (~$270)
Baby Jogger City Tour 2 (~$260)
Colugo Compact Stroller+ (~$249)

Heads up: Fathercraft is reader supported, meaning, at no cost to you, we may earn a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Details in our policies.

Our travel stroller testing process

We didn’t just wheel these things around the driveway. This was real-world, real-parent testing in the chaos that is family travel. Mark—dad to a 20-month-old son—ran these strollers through solo airport missions, neighborhood walks, and daily errands, often while juggling a diaper bag and the squirmy toddler. Kristan—mom to a 3-year-old and a 7-month-old—tested the gear in full family-travel mode, including vacationing with two kids, a baby carrier, and a coffee run that became a full-body workout (more on that later).

Looking for our favorite full-sized strollers? Read about our top 2025 picks here.

Between the two of us, we folded and unfolded these strollers dozens of times, navigated TSA lines, fit them into overhead bins, and saw how they held up when pushed one-handed across gravel while balancing a drink carrier. We tested for what actually matters to make travel easier: ease of folding on the go, maneuverability, comfort for both baby and parent, and how much stress each stroller saved—or created—when it counted.

Is a travel stroller worth it?

If you’re looking at these prices, you might be asking yourself if a travel stroller is worth it at all? Can I just use my full-size stroller for travel?

If you’re traveling with small kids (4ish or under), the answer is a resounding yes. You’re going to need to move your kids around, just like you do at home, but your full-sized Mockingbird setup isn’t going to fit on a plane.

You might also be asking yourself if you can skip this review and get the $20 umbrella stroller at Costco. Kristan owns that stroller and has vacationed with it… and she wouldn’t do it again.

Two reasons:

This is how much luggage we (Kristan + my husband, Tim) brought with us when we were traveling with ONE kid. And we were packing light. It would have been really nice if that stroller would have folded up into a tiny square with a strap.

This is 6’0″ Tim trying to push that stroller. He ditched two things after this vacation: that stroller… and the beard.

#throwback

The best travel strollers, reviewed

When choosing a stroller for travel, here’s what to consider:

Is it lightweight and compact? Strollers that fit in overhead bins are really convenient—you’ll benefit from it in the airport. Plus, it won’t get banged up during the checked baggage journey. Weight matters too…at some point you will end up carrying this thing on your trip, and a your back will thank you for choosing a lightweight travel stroller.
How the stroller folds… and in particular, can you fold it one-handed?

The more you check these boxes, the more you can enhance your travel experience.

Feature	Joolz Aer+	UPPAbaby MINU V3	Bugaboo Butterfly	Babyzen YOYO2	GB Pockit	City Tour 2	Colugo Compact+
Price	~$499	~$499	~$399	$449	~$270	~$359	~$249
Weight	~13 lbs	16.7 lbs	~16.1 lbs	14 lbs	~10.5 lbs	~14 lbs	~16 lbs
One-Hand Fold
Smooth Ride
Carry-On?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Fits under seat	Yes	Yes
Storage
Harness

Joolz Aer+: The MVP

If you’re the kind of parent who wants their gear to just work—without a manual, without a meltdown, and preferably with a latte in the other hand—the Joolz Aer+ is your dream machine. This stroller was hands-down the favorite in our testing, thanks to a folding mechanism so smooth it borders on magic. It’s a true lightweight stroller, compact, and built with the kind of no-nonsense precision you want when navigating an airport solo. As Mark put it, “I could shut this thing down with a baby in one arm and a coffee in the other.” It’s not cheap, and the storage space is minimal, but for ease, reliability, and daily use? This thing takes the cake for the best travel stroller.

Best for: solo air travel, urban explorers, anyone who values smooth operation above all else.

What we loved: One-handed fold so smooth it feels like magic. Tight construction. Small footprint makes it a true compact travel stroller (and fits in the overhead bin). Just works.

“Holy crap” moment: “I could shut this thing down with a baby in one arm and a coffee in the other.” – Mark

Downsides: Modest storage basket. Premium price.

Overall Winner

Joolz AER+

True one-handed fold, smooth ride, and just works.

Shop on Amazon Shop on PBK

UPPAbaby MINU V3: The Cadillac

The UPPAbaby MINU V3 is practically neck and neck with the Joolz. Of the travel strollers we tested, it’s the one that oozes quality, from the plush seat fabric to the leather-wrapped handlebar, and pushes like a dream. Mark compared the experience to “driving a Cadillac.” It’s solid, stable, and feels premium in every way. The harness is secure and familiar if you’ve used UPPAbaby’s full-size models, and the fold is easy (though not quite Joolz-easy). The downside? It’s heavier and more expensive than its rivals. But if comfort, craftsmanship, and a brand name you can trust are your top priorities, the MINU V3 delivers.

Joolz Aer+ (left) vs. UPPAbaby MINU 3 (right)

Best for: Parents who value premium materials and don’t mind a slightly larger frame.

What we loved: Most solid in-hand feel. Leather-wrapped handlebar. Great harness system. Quality everywhere. Comes with a travel bag.

“Holy crap” moment: “Everything about this just feels nice—like driving a Cadillac.” – Mark

Downsides: Carry strap is weird. Said travel bag is huge and awkward. A little heavy. A lot expensive.

Premium Pick

UPPAbaby Minu V3

$499.99

This is the premium option for parents who want to travel in style. It looks good, it works well.

Shop on Amazon Shop on PBK

03/10/2026 04:02 am GMT

Bugaboo Butterfly: The Almost–Winner

The Bugaboo Butterfly sits comfortably in the upper tier of travel strollers—just a smidge behind the Joolz and MINU. It’s compact, well-built, and comes with thoughtful features like a roomy basket and a stellar canopy that actually blocks the sun (yes, it matters). It folds up small enough to fit in the overhead compartment, but finding the carry strap once it’s folded is a mini scavenger hunt—Mark gave up and just started carrying it by the frame. The brake system also left something to be desired, with Mark noting it was stiff and annoying to use. Still, it’s a well-rounded, everyday-use contender for parents who value premium functionality.

Best for: Families looking for a sleek travel stroller that doubles as a daily driver.

What we loved: Great canopy. Solid construction. Spacious basket. Compact fold.

Downsides: Brake is stiff. Carry strap is buried. Slightly behind Joolz in folding finesse.

The almost winner

Bugaboo Butterfly

$384.30

Lots to love with a few quirks.

Shop on Amazon Shop on Bugaboo

03/10/2026 04:01 am GMT

Babyzen YOYO2: The Smooth Operator

The YOYO2 is the stroller equivalent of a city scooter—slick, agile, and kind of expensive for what it is. It earns high marks for its maneuverability and ultra-smooth one-handed steering. Kristan pushed her three-year-old with one hand, while wearing a baby and balancing coffee in the other. That level of agility makes it great for urban parents who value portability and style. But the folding process? A nightmare. Kristan FaceTimed her husband in a coffee shop just to figure it out, but even together they were unsuccessful in getting it folded on the fly. The harness is frustrating, storage is minimal, and at nearly $500, you’re paying for brand recognition (the YOYO is now officially a Stokke stroller) more than convenience.

Stokke typically does make great products. Check out our Tripp Trapp high chair review here.

Mastering the one-handed push

Best for: One-handed steering lovers. Those interested in modular accessories (newborn kit, ride board).
What we loved: Rides like a dream. Extremely maneuverable. Compact. Carry-on compliant.
“Holy crap” moment: “I pushed my almost-4-year-old one-handed while balancing a coffee carrier and wearing a baby. This thing rocks.” – Kristan

Downsides: Folding is frustrating. Harness sucks. Pricey for what it offers.

Shaded? Yes. Easily strapped in? No.

Where to buy: Amazon

GB Pockit All-Terrain: The Tiny Marvel (that hurts to push)

If your priority is ultra-compact size and nothing else, the GB Pockit is…fine. It folds down small enough to fit under an airplane seat, making it a marvel of engineering—but not one of comfort. The handlebar is a nightmare for tall users (Mark is 6’3” and hated it), the harness system is weak, and the fold involves more steps than you’d expect. It’s not intuitive or fun to use, but it’s lightweight and good in a pinch. Think of it as your “emergency stroller”—the one you keep at grandma’s or in the trunk just in case. Just don’t expect it to feel good to push.

Best for: Packing into a backpack or fitting under a plane seat.
What we loved: It’s impossibly small. Like, fits-under-the-seat small.
Downsides: Two tiny handles. Terrible for tall people. Folding is multi-step and slow.
“This drove me insane”: Handlebar ergonomics and the harness system.

Where to buy? Honestly, don’t. But if you must, Amazon

Colugo Compact Stroller+: The best budget travel stroller

We’ve long been fans of The Colugo Compact. This stroller is for parents who want champagne on a white claw budget. And, in 2025, Colugo made some significant upgrades in the form of The Colugo Compact Stroller+, which upgraded the fold, the harness, and the push bar. Sure there are still a few tradeoffs but man is it a solid option. And, at literally $200 less than our best overall pick, it does warrant serious consideration. The Colugo will need two hands to fold, but its two-step fold action is smooth. It’s built sturdily and has a surprising number of well-thought-out features like an adjustable footrest and canopy.

Two hands to fold? Yes. Still smooth and satisfying? Also yes.

Best for: Those who want quality and features… but not $500 quality.
What we loved: Price. Sturdy build quality. Nearly flat recline. Features that punched above its price class.
Downsides: Bulkier and heavier than the Joulz Aer Plus. Smaller basket and less-intuitive recline.

Top budget pick

Colugo Compact Stroller+

$239.20

The budget pick with non-budget features and quality

Shop on Amazon Shop on Colugo

03/10/2026 04:02 am GMT

Baby Jogger City Tour 2: The Budget Backup

The Baby Jogger City Tour 2 is the kind of stroller you might begrudgingly accept as a hand-me-down. It’s affordable and reclines nearly flat (which is rare in this group), but that’s about where the praise ends. Mark was “over it before he even used it,” thanks to the awkward folding mechanism and cheap-feeling materials. It doesn’t stand up on its own when folded, and the handlebar flops around like it’s given up on life. It’s an okay option as a backup for occasional use, especially if you want something inexpensive, but it lags behind the rest in nearly every way.

Baby Jogger… best for stuffies

Best for: Secondary stroller at grandma’s house or for budget-conscious travelers.
What we loved: Price. Nearly flat recline. Decent canopy.
Downsides: Clunky fold. Cheap materials. Doesn’t stand when folded. Build quality = meh.

Budget runner up

Baby Jogger City Tour 2

$349.99

Shop on Amazon

03/10/2026 04:01 am GMT

Who Should Buy What?

Solo traveler: Joolz Aer+ all day
Luxury lover + accessory chaser: UPPAbaby MINU V3
Budget-conscious parent: Colugo Compact Stroller+
One-handed driver: Babyzen YOYO2
Tiny trunk or tight overhead space: GB Pockit
Just need something that works (and works well): Bugaboo Butterfly
Spare stroller for backup duty: City Tour 2

Final verdict: what’s the best lightweight, compact stroller for travel?

If you’re going to spend $400+ on a travel stroller, get the one that actually delivers on every front: Joolz Aer+. That one-handed fold isn’t just a gimmick—it’s a sanity-saver.

But the UPPAbaby MINU V3 is a very close second. And if you’re more into modular upgrades or one-handed steering, you might find yourself leaning YOYO2 despite some frustrations.

And, if you’re on a budget, the Colugo Compact Stroller+ is the way to go.

Bottom line: don’t buy based on hype. Buy based on what actually matters when you’re juggling bags, boarding passes, and babies.

Travel stroller FAQs

Can I use these strollers from birth?

Some travel strollers can be used from birth, but most are better suited for babies around 6 months and up. Models like the Babyzen YOYO2 and UPPAbaby MINU offer optional newborn attachments or car seat adapters that make them newborn-friendly. That said, if you’re traveling with a very young baby, wearing them in a carrier might still be your best move—especially when navigating airports.

Are they compatible with car seats?

Yes—many of the best travel strollers are car seat compatible, but it depends on the brand and adapter. The MINU, YOYO2, Joolz Aer+, and Bugaboo Butterfly all offer adapters that work with popular infant car seats. If car seat compatibility is a must for your travel setup, be sure to check the brand’s compatibility chart before buying.

Can you bring a stroller through TSA or onto the plane?

Yes—TSA allows you to bring a stroller through security, and most airlines allow you to either gate-check it or carry it onboard if it meets size requirements. In our experience, a quick fold matters most during airport security. Strollers like the Joolz Aer+ and Bugaboo Butterfly made the process smooth, while others like the YOYO2 required a full-on folding tutorial (and, in one case, a FaceTime call to a spouse).

Do they work on rough terrain?

Travel strollers aren’t built for trails or cobblestones, but some handle bumps better than others. The UPPAbaby MINU and YOYO2 were the best performers on uneven sidewalks or gravel. Just don’t expect all-terrain wheels or suspension systems—these are designed for portability, not off-roading.

What accessories should I consider?

Travel stroller accessories to consider include:

Cup holders or snack trays
Travel bags (some are included, some are sold separately)
Ride-along boards (especially for the YOYO2)
Car seat adapters
Rain covers and sunshades

Meet Fathercraft

Looking for more Fathercraft? Check out our list of baby essentials or our other product reviews.

Editor’s note: this list was originally published in May, 2025, but was updated in July, 2025 with information on the Colugo Compact.

An in-depth Cradlewise review — a smart crib with built-in baby monitor and white noise

Mark Zalewski — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 13:29:45 +0000

The Cradlewise is the first smart crib on the market to combine the trifecta of baby sleep products: a “smart” bassinet/crib, a baby monitor, and a white noise machine. For the modern parent who knows that helping a baby to sleep can be an event (think: more bachelor-party-gone-wrong than charity golf tournament), the Cradlewise might sound too good to be true. So… is it?

At Fathercraft, we decided to find out with this in-depth Cradlewise review. We tested the smart bassinet + crib comb o for over a year with two families. As the technology evolved, so did our verdict.

Read on to go with us on our Cradlewise journey. We’ll cover:

An introduction to the two families who tested Cradlewise
Unboxing, setup, and daily use
Mark and Marian’s Cradlewise review
Our ultimate verdict, including:
- Does the Cradlewise work?
- Did the technology improve?
More to know about Cradlewise
Pricing and where to buy
Cradlewise vs. Snoo
Wrapping up

That’s a lot of info. Feel free to click the links to jump to what you want to see most, or read straight through for the full experience, jokes and all.

No time for reading? We get it. Check out our ~7-minute video review (it also has jokes):

Editor’s note: Fathercraft is reader-supported, meaning, at no cost to you, we may earn a commission if you buy after clicking an affiliate link. Also, our testers received a free Cradlewise to complete this review. Learn more.

Cradlewise: Unboxing, setup, and daily use

Unboxing

The first thing you’ll notice about Cradlewise is how big and heavy it is. The box arrives with one of those “team lift” labels, and the label not kidding. Be careful carrying this box around, especially if you’re pregnant. Get help from a partner and maybe a friend.

Aside from the literal maneuvering of the box, unboxing is a pleasant and well-thought-out experience. Parts and boxes are well-labeled, and you’ll find fun baby facts and affirmations sprinkled throughout—a nice touch. Unboxing provides a peek into product quality and aesthetics, too.

You’ll also find that the Cradlewise is heavy for a reason—it’s built with high-quality materials that have a premium feel. It’s also heavy because of how big it is (more in a sec). Finally, it’s a good-looking contraption that’ll fit nicely in a modern nursery (or parents’ room, where the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends your baby sleep for at least the first 6 months).

One of our reviewers Jon starts in on the assembling experience

Assembling Cradlewise

Cradlewise setup and assembly involves two big steps:

Assembling the physical product
Setting up the mobile app

Assembling the crib involves a lot of steps. Like, the instruction booklet has a spine number of steps. But, while it takes a while to put together, the assembly instructions are actually helpful. It’s kind of like putting together a piece of Ikea furniture, except that the instruction booklet includes written instructions in addition to diagrams. It also makes sense that assembly involves a lot of steps as the assembly for a newborn starts with the crib and then adds the bassinet as an “overlay,” so you’re essentially setting up both the crib and the bassinet (and that baby monitor).

One-person assembly is perfectly possible, though there are a couple of steps where two would be nice (one unskilled laborer to hold stuff while the other uses an Allen wrench).

Mark remarked (see what we did there?) that Cradlewise is one of those companies that thinks of everything. It seems like they truly care about the parents they serve. For example, Cradlewise includes a screwdriver that caused us to think, “We have a new screwdriver! And it’s nicer than any of the ones we have here …” There are extra parts, but they come in a plastic bag clearly labeled, “spare parts.”

Just a couple of steps involved trial and error/futzing around with stuff, such as inserting bolts into the mesh tensioners.

Cradlewise App setup

Setting up the Cradlewise app should feel familiar if you own any smart-home-type gadgets already. Download the iOS or Android app, connect the device to your internet, register your Cradlewise, and complete a few in-app setup type steps.

A few key features of Cradlewise

Quickly (and if you know this already, jump ahead), what does Cradlewise do, again?

Bassinet/Crib in one. The core structure of a Cradlewise is a crib … and a bassinet. The ‘bassinet’ is an insert that is placed on top of the assembled crib, and kind of floats, suspended. Why? Your back, friend. Picking up babies from a crib requires bending way down. Your baby can use a bassinet until they’ve reached the stage where they might pull themselves up over the side and fall out. Your back will thank Cradlewise for this feature.

Editor’s Note: This is also helpful for anyone recovering from a c-section.

Bouncing. This is where things get interesting. The whole crib structure literally bounces up and down, mimicking the bounce that every parent quickly learns as a soothing technique (soothing because that’s how it feels to a baby in the womb).

Side note: In a video on their site, Cradlewise shows a parent bouncing on an exercise ball, which we’ve not tried but is a good idea … because babies seem to know immediately if you go from standing up and bouncing them to sitting down and trying to mimic this motion while sitting. Sorry.

Video baby monitor. Built into the crib (it’s on the arc of wood that sits over where your baby’s head will be) is a video/audio baby monitor. This provides a bird’s eye view of your baby, popularized recently by monitors like Nanit since it provides a much clearer view than a monitor that sits on a dresser and attempts to peer through the crib’s bars to see your baby.

Bird’s eye view of Mark and Marian’s baby, Henry, in the app

White Noise. No explanation needed, but built-in speakers play (you guessed it) white noise. You can choose from a library or bring your own.

Sleep analytics. Cradlewise uses data from its camera to determine what stage of sleep/alertness your baby is in and tracks this data through the course of a night or nap.

A recent screenshot of how sleep analytics looked for Mark and Marian

Using the Cradlewise

To use Cradlewise, simply put your baby in the bassinet or crib (all safe sleep practices apply: snugly-fitting pajamas/sleep sack, on her back, nothing else in the crib with her) and start the bouncing if you wish. To start bouncing, push the button on top of the wood arc, or use the Cradlewise mobile app. (You can push and hold the button to stop bouncing or use the app.

Within the app, you can do other things, too—use the monitor, turn on white noise, control bouncing intensity, and view sleep analytics.

Mark and Marian’s Cradlewise review (October 2023 – September 2025…)

My wife Marian and I tested (and are currently still testing… our son Hank will be able to use it until around September of this year) Cradlewise.

We love the Cradlewise. So, let’s start with “the awesome.”

The awesome

Cradlewise’s bouncing worked

I felt like I got more sleep thanks to Cradlewise nearly from the beginning.

Hank was just two weeks old when the screenshot from my Cradlewise mobile app was taken. The dark blue is deep sleep, the light blue/purple is fidgety, and the yellow is awake. The dots on the right side represent the times the Cradlewise was able to successfully “soothe” Hank back to sleep:

This is a great example of how much extra sleep that Cradlewise technology can give you.

There’s real merit to the integration of crib, baby monitor, and white noise

Marian and I found the integration of the three key elements of the modern baby’s sleep setup — a safe crib, white noise, and monitoring — together in one package to be really nice. No need for three separate systems.

We also didn’t feel the need for something like an Owlet. This preference for a separate monitor is a personal decision for your family, but Marian and I felt we had enough monitoring with the Cradlewise system.

Safety

Cradlewise doesn’t make any official claims about safety, but I felt like the extra sleep my wife and I got because of the Cradlewise helped prevent accidentally falling asleep in bed with their baby. Of course, there’s no way to know if this would have happened without the Cradlewise, but I enjoyed the extra peace of mind.

Versatility, longevity & aesthetics

The lifespan of the Cradlewise is a huge plus. Many of the things we buy as parents just don’t have a long useful lifespan—sometimes it feels like you’re using that cute onesie you got at your baby shower for a few weeks before it’s too small on your ‘little one’. This is also a downside of Snoo, which is designed for the first 4-6 months.

Cradlewise, by contrast, with its two-year useful life, is a breath of fresh air in this department. And, with the integrated, removable bassinet, you’re getting a bassinet when it’s useful that transitions to a crib in a few minutes when it’s time to make the switch.

Finally, this is undeniably a good-looking piece of baby gear. It’s right at home in the modern nursery (and parents’ room at first).

Quick shameless plug: If you’re looking for another product with a long lifespan and a cool aesthetic, we’ve got you. Check out the Fathercraft’s dad bags , designed to be versatile enough to grow with your kids, and cool enough that you can rock it anywhere.

The people

I was also impressed with the people behind Cradlewise. From assembly to the actual direction of the motion of the Cradlewise (up and down, mimicking what they experienced in the womb), it seems like they thought of everything and genuinely cared.

The wish-it-were different

Honestly, I had a difficult time coming up with a downside to Cradlewise. But, there are a few things you should be aware of…

Amount of alerts

I received a TON of alerts, especially when Hank was a newborn. This really bother me, because as anxious new parents, Marian and I almost welcomed them.

Lack of a physical button for white noise

The Cradlewise has a button on the crib to turn the motion on and off but he mentioned it’d be nice to turn the white noise off without using the app (yeah, this is nit-picky; there just weren’t many problems.

Lack of a light

The one thing sleep item I felt was missing? A light.

It’s not that a baby necessarily needs it. But it’s helpful for those middle-of-the-night diaper changes (Cradlewise can do a lot, but it can’t change a diaper).

Price

There’s no way around it: Cradlewise is pricey (even at its new, permanently lower price). Even so, in my estimation, a combination of a few things made this worth it:

Marian and I got more sleep as a result of Cradlewise, period.
Longevity: Because it’s a bassinet and crib, you could end up using it for a few years
Multiple products in one: You’re not buying a white noise machine and baby monitor on top of the bassinet and crib

So what’s the ultimate verdict?

Our ultimate verdict: Is Cradlewise worth it?

This depends on the answers to

We’re pretty impressed by how hard Cradlewise worked to improve their technology, and our ultimate verdict is a positive one: We’d buy this again.

If you’re still on the fence about price, here’s my thought: if you’re going to invest in one pricier baby item, a bassinet or a crib is what I’d recommend. Your baby spends so much time there, it’s worth the investment.

But if you’re still undecided beyond that, keep reading. Because this is Fathercraft, and when we review a product, we obsess over it. Here are a few more things that are good to know, plus how the Cradlewise stacked up against the Snoo for us.

More good things to know about Cradlewise

Since we go deep on our reviews here at Fathercraft, here are a few more things you might consider.

Th further out from your due date you buy Cradlewise, the cheaper it gets. If you’re considering Cradlewise, the best time to buy is now. Here’s why: the closer you get to your baby’s due date, the more expensive Cradlewise gets. This isn’t some trick Cradlewise is using to get you to buy it, rather if you order further out, it helps them coordinate their supply chain to save money. Check the price calculator here.

Weight. Cradlewise is very heavy. Especially compared to Snoo. This, of course, makes sense since it’s so much bigger, and not that big a deal unless you think you’re going to move it back and forth for naps and bedtimes or travel with it. This is a put it in a spot and move it when it’s time to transition to the nursery type of heavy.

Moving Cradlewise might require resetting it. According to Cradlewise, you may need to recalibrate your settings when you transition from the bassinet to a crib. Additionally, if you move the bassinet to an area with a different noise level (e.g., from your bedroom to the living room where your family keeps congregating to see the new precious bundle of joy), you will likely need to recalibrate. In between the above-mentioned weight and the recalibration, this is not something you buy for portability.

Cradlewise caused some sort of interference with The Owlet Smart Sock. We had a second couple test Cradlewise before Mark and Marian. They used the Owlet Smart Sock and Cam. When their son was in Cradlewise, the Owlet Sock base station had to be moved closer to him to prevent this interference.

However, as noted Mark and Marian didn’t use the Owlet and didn’t feel they needed it. So, this is where you insert your family’s unique needs to make a purchasing decision that’s best for you.

Pricing and where to buy

Cradlewise has an interesting pricing model—the further out you order it, the cheaper it gets. So, planning ahead saves you money. If you need immediate delivery, the price is $1,749 as of the time of this review. But you can save up to several hundred dollars by ordering up to 6 months in advance. (And, worth noting, sometimes immediate stock isn’t available.)

Cradlewise is currently only available directly from the Cradlewise website.

Cradlewise vs. Snoo

The Snoo has been around for 7+ years now. And you can tell that the Cradlewise team studied it, and tried to improve on some of the “issues” or shortcomings the Snoo has. Issues are in quotes here because some of these, while notable, are actually features of the Snoo—yes, it can be annoying to clip your baby in each time, this is exactly what prevents your baby from rolling over. If you ask the folks over at Happiest Baby, they’d undoubtedly tell you their white noise and rocking motions are the best, therefore you don’t need to switch them up.

With that in mind, here are some of the things Cradlewise attempts to improve upon or change from the Snoo, with varying degrees of success:

Snoo has no built-in baby monitor, Cradlewise does
Snoo has precisely one white noise setting, Cradlweise allows you to change the sound, and even play your own tracks
Snoo uses a back-and-forth rocking motion, Cradlewise uses a bouncing motion
To use Snoo, you need to clip your baby in. Cradlewise, like any normal crib or bassinet, you just place your baby in
The Snoo is pretty small, so your baby will grow out of it quickly. Happiest Baby advertises 6 months, Gordy, a bigger baby, grew out of the Snoo in 4.

So, how do Snoo and Cradlewise stack up? Let’s review key differences—we based this on our own testing of the Snoo, Mark and Marian’s testing of Cradlewise, and a couple who are friends of Fathercraft, Jon and Andrew, who used both Snoo and Cradlewise with their son Gordy.

Rollover safety. The Snoo is the only baby sleeper product on the market that’s designed to physically prevent your baby from rolling from her back to her front. Therefore, it’s the gold standard (and, quite literally received FDA De Novo approval for safely keeping sleeping babies on their backs). Kinda hard to beat that.

Though, as many billions of babies have been kept safe the old-fashioned way—by being placed on their back to sleep with a firm mattress, fitted crib sheets, and a crib free of toys and blankets, it’s worth noting for the many parents that can afford neither the Snoo nor any other smart bassinet that doing these things is safely putting your baby to sleep. Cradlewise is in that regard like a traditional crib—it uses a firm mattress, fitted sheets, and breathable mesh sides to keep your baby safe when sleeping.

All that said, Jon and Andrew said they felt safer when Gordy was sleeping in the Snoo, especially when he started trying to roll from back to front. Mark and Marian were satisfied with the Cradlewise.

Ease of putting your baby in and taking him out. Edge also goes to Cradlewise here. There’s no clipping in (again, note Snoo’s clipping is a feature). But also, Cradlewise is literally both taller (in bassinet mode) and bigger. With the Snoo, especially if your baby falls asleep in your arms, guiding him into the Snoo can feel like a high-stakes game of operation. With Cradlewise, your target is bigger and your back will thank you for less bending over.

Ease of cleaning. Cradlewise has the edge here—its mesh sides are removable (though that takes some doing), so in the event of a disaster (yes, you may experience projectile vomiting as a parent, exorcism not required), you can wash all the pieces of Cradlewise more thoroughly, vs the Snoo, which requires spot cleaning for the sides.

White noise flexibility and options. Again, Cradlwise wins here — white noise volume is adjustable, you can choose from several options (including playing your own music through its speakers). Again, we’d call out that the makers of Snoo are pretty confident they’ve developed the world’s best white noise option for babies, but that’s up to you to decide.

Sleep tracking reliability. Both Snoo and Cradlewise claim to be able to track the amount your baby sleeps. And, at least in Gordy’s case, both were wildly inaccurate. Jon and Andrew found their Owlet baby monitor to be much more accurate in this department. Mark and Marian reported that the Cradlewise would sometimes start tracking sleep a bit earlier than when Henry actually fell asleep, but they weren’t bothered by this.

Read (and watch) our full Snoo bass i net review.

By the way, if you’re interested in what Cradlewise has to say on the matter, here’s how they compare themselves to other smart bassinets.

The overall lesson? All babies are different. Snoo and Cradlewise technology both had a hard time tracking Gordy’s (Jon and Andrew’s baby) sleep. But Mark and Marian have had an easier time.

Who are Cradlewise competitors?

While the Snoo is Cradlewise’s most well-known competitor, others include the Halo BassiNest, the Graco Sense2Snooze, and the 4Moms Mamaroo Sleep bassinet. We’d note these others are quite a bit less expensive, and not on par with either Cradlewise or Snoo from a features or a build quality perspective.

Wrapping up

I wasn’t kidding when I say we go deep on baby gear reviews Hopefully, that was helpful as you think about your baby’s futuristic sleeping arrangements. While you’re here, hi, we’re Fathercraft. In addition to reviewing products, we create cool stuff for new parents and have a YouTube channel full of parenting-related videos.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally posted on May 4, 2023, and has been updated numerous times since then with more testing information..

The 8 best baby strollers of 2025: From compact to luxury

Mark Zalewski — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 19:52:47 +0000

One of the first big purchases I made as a parent was my soon-to-be baby’s stroller. And to be honest with you, I wish I would’ve spent more time making the decision. We didn’t realize quite how much time we’d spend with our stroller and how much we’d need it to make sense within our lifestyle. There’s a lot to consider:

Do you want it to grow with your family (a question I definitely should have asked, but didn’t)?
Do you need something big and sturdy? Or something more compact?
Do you need your stroller to be compatible with a certain car seat (i.e., do you need a travel system)?
Plan on taking a jog with it (not all strollers are joggers!)?

It can feel overwhelming, but we’re here to simplify the process. We’ve compiled a list of the best strollers of 2025, and we like to think there’s something on this list for everyone… whether you’re pining for luxury, hoping to keep up your workout regimen, or strolling on a budget:

Most versatile stroller: Mockingbird Single-to-Double 2.0
Best compact stroller: Colugo One
Best jogging stroller: Thule Urban Glide 2
Jogger that doubles as everyday: BOB Revolution
Best luxury stroller: UPPAbaby Vista V3
Best wagon stroller: Wonderfold W2 Elite
Best umbrella stroller: Summer Infant 3D Lite
Best budget stroller: Graco FastAction Fold Sport Travel System ($339.99)
Best double stroller: Mockingbird Single-to-Double 2.0

One more thing before we dive into our list of best strollers of 2025: please note Fathercraft is reader-supported, meaning, at no cost to you, we may earn a commission if you buy after clicking an affiliate link. Learn more. Also, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

How to choose the best stroller for your family

With so many different types of strollers to choose from you can fit your needs with just about any one of them. First, consider your lifestyle. How big is your home, and how much storage space do you have? How often do you travel? What’s your budget?

Then, consider the age and needs of your children:

Age:
- 0-6 months: Your child isn’t old enough to sit in a typical stroller seat yet, so you’ll want to make sure you have a bassinet attachment and/or that your infant carrier is compatible with your stroller (bear in mind most jogging strollers aren’t safe until your child is between 8 and 12 months–check the weight minimum!)
- 6-12 months: Most stroller seats should work with your child!
- Toddlers and beyond: Many toddler seats can accommodate most children up to 3 or 4 years, but you may also consider special attachments like riding boards
Special needs:
- If your child has special needs, you will want to check with your medical provider for stroller recommendations
Number of children:
- If you have (or plan to have) multiple children you may want a stroller with multiple seats or attachment options

Finally, consider your needs. What accessories do you need? Organizers? Cup holders? With all the different options below, you’ll find a stroller that works for baby and you.

Our top stroller picks for 2025

Most versatile stroller: The Mockingbird Single to Double 2.0

Infant carseat + toddler seat + riding board

If you want to cover more than one base, the Mockingbird Single to Double gets our vote for most versatile stroller.

Why we love it: Built from sturdy aluminum with a utilitarian fabric pattern, cargo sling underneath, and the option to add another seat for another passenger, this stroller is like the Jack of All Trades when it comes to strollers. It’s also compatible with other makes of infant car seat with the use of an adapter (sold separately).
What you need to know: This stroller gets the job done right out of the box, but you could find yourself on a slippery slope when it comes to add ons. $15 here, $30 there, you might be tempted to add another seat, cupholders, snack trays, and even footmuffs.
Our review: In short, a strong buy that would suit any family with plenty of room to grow. You might get nibbled to death by ducks with all the add-ons however.
Price & where to buy: Buy directly from Mockingbird on their website to save some money. It runs about $450 for the single and an addition $120 to add another seat.

Check Mockingbird pricing here.

Read and watch our full Mockingbird stroller review here.

Best compact stroller: The Colugo One

This stroller might just be the one (sorry, bad pun). But seriously—it’s compact enough to quickly fold up into an airplane overhead bin, but equipped with enough features (car seat compatibility! cup holders!) to be your one and only. By the way, head over here deep dive the best travel strollers.

Why we love it: The Colugo One can go everywhere. The market? Obviously (see the above picture). The mall? Sure. An airplane. Why not? Big city stroll? This is the one. Plus, it’s a smooth ride for baby and boasts many of the same features as larger strollers, like the car seat attachments (in the picture above, the little one is sitting in a Nuna carseat). We can break it down with one hand, but we don’t need to worry about it literally breaking.
What you need to know: Colugo has another compact stroller (appropriately named the Colugo Compact) that’s a bit cheaper. But the Compact doesn’t have the same car seat compatibility featured by the One. So, if that’s important to you, it may be worth the extra buck to get the lastest and greatest from this brand.

Read our review of the Colugo Compact if you’re interested in that option.

Our review: If you need a stroller small enough to fit basically anywhere, and you don’t care about the fancier, bigger strollers (see Uppababy for a good contrast), the Colugo One is perfect for you.
Price & where to buy: You can buy directly from Colugo’s website for $395 and receive free shipping and a 100-day trial. Until recently, Colugo was a direct-to-consumer brand, but you can now also buy the stroller on Amazon and at Target for the same price.

Shop Colugo One on Colugo’s website

Shop for the Colugo One at Target

Shop for the Colugo One on Amazon

Best jogging stroller: Thule Urban Glide 2

You can just feel the gentle breeze flowing through that mesh, cooling your child, as your sculpted calf muscles power you past even kid-less runners at the local park

For the parent who just can’t sit still or enjoys the rush of the wind through their hair, the Thule Urban Glide 2 (Amazon) is our pick for best jogging stroller of 2024.

Why we love it: This stroller is an absolute beast when it comes to jogging strollers. With 18″ rear wheels and a 16″ front wheel, this tricycle design lets you cover lots of ground on your daily run over just about any kind of ground. It features a handbrake, spoked wheels, and the harness keeps your kid where you buckled them, so no more surprise exits!
What you need to know: Like many jogging strollers, it is sturdy and built for speed more than maneuverability with a fixed front wheel. Also more expensive than the BOB (below). Reflectors on the body and wheels help provide visibility. Jogging with infants isn’t recommended until at least 6 months of age. Ask your pediatrician!
Price & where to buy: Buy from Amazon, that free Prime shipping is going to help with a big heavy box. The Glide 2 starts at $649.

Check Urban Glide 2 pricing on Amazon.

Read (and watch) our Thule Urban Glide 2 review

Go-to sturdy built jogger: The BOB Revolution

If the last stroller was a beast, this one is a tank. The BOB Revolution (Amazon) is another tricycle type stroller with large wheels and inflatable tires to handle the bumps in the road.

Why we love it: This stroller is a solid build with a handbrake, the ability to convert to a double stroller, and the ability to incorporate other brands of car seats with the use of an adapter. The stroller is built tough for all-terrain use, whether it’s the beach, a mountain trail, or a run through the park. Also often retails for considerably less than Thule (above), our top jogging stroller pick
What you need to know: This stroller is heavy and cupholders come separately. Adapters could be better marked and less confusing to use. Overall, this stroller feels a bit clunkier and didn’t ride quite as well as the Thule (above), hence why it comes in second in the jogging stroller category. But, it does the job, and there’s a reason it’s the 800-lb gorilla of the jogging stroller space …
Our review: Worth the price, durable, and you will use it every day, especially if you are active. It is durable and you won’t feel like you are breaking it when you collapse or open it up. Loved it!
Price & where to buy: You can buy this stroller on Amazon by using our affliliate link! It helps us continue to bring you quality content and also with jelly removal. Right now it starts at $439, but lists as high as $549.

Check pricing on the BOB Revolution (Amazon).

Read (and watch) our full BOB Revolution review.

Best money-is-no-object stroller: UPPAbaby Vista V3(best luxury stroller)

We were big fans of the UPPABaby Vista V2. In fact, we deemed it the “Cadillac of strollers” after spending some time with the absolute beauty. The Vista V3 makes some deisgn improvements while keeping its leather-wrapped handles, noticeably smoother ride, and green-light indicator to show you when your brakes are engaged (if you’ve ever operated a stroller, you know what a big deal this is). The only downside? The new model no longer includes a bassinet with purchase.

Why we love it: The Vista V3 makes things easy. The braking system is operated with a one-foot pedal (plus, you get the fancy green-light indicator), and it breaks down quickly. Plus, it takes care of a few different needs. It’s compatible with our car seat (Nuna), and we used the bassinet stand to use the attachment as a secondary standalone bassinet when it wasn’t attached to the stroller.
What you need to know: This stroller has one genuine drawback—it’s huge. We actually found it to be a bit too big for a trip to the mall. But we used it in plenty of other environments, and we like that it can grow with our family. The V3 also doesn’t include a bassinet attachment.
Price & where to buy: You can buy the UPPAbaby Vista V3 on the company website for $899.99.

Shop the UPPAbaby Vista V3

Best wagon stroller: The Wonderfold W2 Elite

When if comes to wagon strollers, you might feel a little bit like you are playing Oregon Trail again with all the stuff you can haul with the Wonderfold W2 Elite. A two-passenger stroller wagon with built in sun shade that easily adjusts, all sorts of zippered storage panels, and ease of use when if comes to folding and opening on the go, you might not want to go back to a conventional stroller again once you’ve used this wagon stroller.

Why we love it: Not only can you carry two kids, buckled in and facing each other, this stroller wagon makes transporting a sleeping newborn simple when converted to a bassinet. With plenty of storage, leg room, and a sturdy design you can easily maneuver, your kids can enter and exit through a fun hatch, and it folds up neatly for transport.
What you need to know: This stroller wagon is heavy, and though it folds up, it still has a fairly large footprint which could eat up a lot of space in your vehicle. The seats are adjustable, but for laying back you have to slide the seats up, at the expense of leg room. Though the fabric is washable, it might be less time-consuming to spot clean with a wet cloth and soap than it is to dismantle the whole assembly to wash on a delicate cycle.
Our review: Overall a quality stroller wagon that will be a joy to use. With plenty of storage space, solid construction, and clean looks it’s a solid buy, if not on the higher end of the price scale.
Price & where to buy: Starting at $529, you can purchase the W2 Elite on the Wonderfold website or on Amazon.

Shop Wonderfold W2 on the Wonderfold site.

Shop Wonderfold W2 on Amazon.

Read (and watch) our full Wonderfold Wagon review.

Best umbrella stroller: Summer Infant 3D Lite

Umbrella strollers are a common staple in just about every parent’s assortment of kid gear, especially when space is a commodity and comfort can be sacrificed for portability. That isn’t to say that you can’t have those features as well as durable, quality design and the convenience built in. And that is where the Summer Infant 3D Lite (Amazon) shines as our pick for the best umbrella stroller of 2024.

Why we love it: It is a cut above most other umbrella strollers, with ergonomic push handles, a light yet durable aluminum frame, and cup holders, of course! The seat is padded for comfort and features a padded, adjustable five point harness. Unlike other strollers of this type, it features a cargo area underneath the seat and four anti-shock dual wheels. And, all this comes in at just under $100.
What you need to know: A little on the heavy side, the Summer Infant 3D Lite weighs in at 13lbs, but the wider seat means more comfort, especially for bigger kids. The seat features a four position recline for comfort, naps, and relaxation for your passenger. A sunshade keeps your little one protected from the elements when outside. While this stroller is cheaper than the others on our list, it’s not the lowest-price umbrella stroller you can find (and there’s a reason for that—build quality is better).
Price & where to buy: Purchase from Target or on Amazon. Prices start at $99.99.

Shop Summer Infant 3D Lite on Amazon.

Shop Summer Infant 3D Lite at Target.

Best budget stroller: Graco FastAction Fold Sport Travel System

The Graco FastAction Fold Sport comes from a pedigree of tried and tested strollers and other kid gear from mega baby brand Graco. This quick-folding, tricycle type stroller is more like the Honda Civic of strollers compared to the Bee6 above. But it does come with cupholders, a sunshade, and snack tray.

Why we love it: It’s a combo! (Exploding head emoji ) Meaning: this is both a stroller and a car seat, and they work together! Not only do you save money buying as a package, you’ll also get to experience the joy of taking your sleeping baby out of the car and putting her in the stroller without disturbing her slumber — the car seat clicks into a base that stays in your car, and clicks into the stroller base, too.
What you need to know: While this stroller’s wheels are marketed as ‘off road’, we found that to be a stretch. Big rocks and sidewalk bumps can bring the front wheels to a grinding halt.
Price & where to buy: Purchase on Amazon.com through our affiliate link! Prices start at around $330.

Shop Graco FastAction Fold Sport (travel system) at Amazon.

Shop directly on Graco’s website.

Read our Graco FastAction Fold Sport review

Best double stroller (and best stroller for twins)

Our pick for best double stroller goes to a familiar favorite—the Mockingbird single-to-double. Yep, our pick for best overall is also our pick for best double. And for good reason. In addition the what we mentioned above, the Mockingbird has a key double stroller design — it is NOT a side-by-side design. Allow us to shoot you straight—side by side doubles are enormously wide. They’ll drive you crazy trying to Tetris them through doors, they’ll take up the whole sidewalk and cause dogs walking the other way to try and jump into traffic … we could go on. But, just don’t. Get a Mockingbird instead.

What to know. Mockingbird does get pricey when adding a second seat (which is why it’s nice you can do it later if you only have one baby right now). Learn more about the Mockingbird stroller by reading our review.
Price and where to buy. A Mockingbird with a second seat kit retails for $595. You can buy it from the Mockingbird website and Target (note you need to add the second seat kit separately. And you might need to use the search function on Target’s site to find it if you go that route.

Honorable mentions in the double stroller category go to the Wonderfold W2, also mentioned above (though note your kids need to be old enough to sit up on their own for this option), and, for you hardcore running parents out there, BOB does make the Duallie, and absolute beast of a double jogging stroller. Find wide paths for running and prepare to see pedestrians jump for their lives like you’re living a car chase scene in a Bond movie.

Other stroller shopping considerations

Chances are you’re going to be using this stroller through the majority of your child’s early years. Be warned, though—strollers multiply like rabbits, so start with two at your own risk. And unlike random pens and hair ties, strollers can take up a lot of room. Choosing the right stroller will help you cover as many bases as you can without having to add a stroller parking garage to your home. Like any good tool in your garage (or kitchen) a stroller should be good for more than one specific purpose, otherwise, you’ll have a surplus of the things in no time at all. Pay attention to durability, too, if you plan on using your stroller for more than one kid over the years.

Looking for more? Check out all of our stroller reviews here.

A Colugo Compact Stroller review

Mark Zalewski — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 16:26:37 +0000

Welcome to our review of the Colugo Compact Stroller. Use this handy decision tree to decide what to do next:

If you prefer to watch your reviews, there’s a video review right below. Then, you can skim the written review for more details.
If you prefer to read your reviews, scroll past the video, and you’ll find our written review.

Editor’s note: Fathercraft is reader-supported, meaning, at no cost to you, we may earn a commission if you buy after clicking an affiliate link. Learn more.

Colugo, like us, was founded by a dad who wasn’t able to find the products he was looking for after becoming a parent. We strongly relate to this, so we decided to check out the Colugo Compact Stroller. In this review, we chat about benefits to a compact stroller, how easy it is to break down, accessories, what we loved, and what we wish could be different.

Looking for our Colugo Carrier review? It’s right over here!

Our Colugo Compact Stroller Review

A compact stroller is (you guessed it) smaller than a full-sized stroller, and is likely to be lighter on features than its bigger, heavier brethren.

Small, but mighty. The stroller and the kid. Note this pic is the Gen 1 Colugo Compact so you can see a baby in it. Subsequent pics are of the Gen 2

Compact strollers are great in a few scenarios:

If you’re living in a city, where you’re likely to have a smaller living space
If you travel with your baby on airplanes
If you’ve got a smaller car with a smaller trunk
If you’re looking for a second stroller for travel

Compact strollers aren’t likely to be good for:

Infants (the Colugo Compact, as an example, recommends babies be 6 months old). But, they released “The Infant Kit” – a $95 add-on that turns the Colugo stroller into an infant-ready “bassinet” type stroller. We haven’t personally tested this accessory, but we love the idea of not having to buy a whole separate infant stroller.
Jogging (most compact strollers lack the suspension and big wheels that make for a good jogging stroller)

Alright, now that we understand a bit more about compact strollers, let’s talk about the Colugo Compact Stroller.

The Colugo Compact in its natural habitat — a city park

Colugo Compact Stroller stats

The Colugo Compact stroller is designed with urban & on-the-go parents in mind. It’s lightweight (just 16 pounds), it folds and unfolds with one hand in (according to Colugo) 2 seconds or (according to Fathercraft) in 3 seconds. Either way, it’s fast and doable while holding a baby in your other hand. Once folded, the stroller is just 17” x 24” x 10” and features a carry strap that allows you to carry it like a (somewhat bulky and hard) messenger bag.

It’s also designed to fit into an overhead bin on a plane, and it comes with a carry bag. Though we tested it in the suburbs of St. Louis, we could certainly imagine a New York mom or dad navigating subways and taxis with ease.

The next thing we noticed about the Colugo was its handling. We did some testing in a crowded Sunday morning farmer’s market and wove through the crowd with ease and a shockingly smooth ride and balanced feel.

Colugo also does a great job with its canopy—it’s UPF 50+ rated, easy to manipulate, and large enough to provide good coverage. You can unzip it to provide even more coverage.

The canopy also has a “peek-a-boo” cover for playing the namesake game, or just quietly gazing at your adorable little one.

Accessories

The Rain cover (included with stroller)

The rain cover was included in the base stroller price (it’s often sold by other companies as a separate, and pricey, accessory) and was really easy to put on without needing the instructions. It covered the whole stroller and was pretty roomy for the kid inside.

The carry bag (included with stroller)

The carry bag, also included with the stroller, was a nice to have, not super easy to get stroller in b/c it was tight. It’s worth noting that the diaper backpack won’t fit in carry bag with the stroller.

We’ve seen other stroller models you can roll behind you like a rolling suitcase, but we don’t think that was the use-case Colugo was going for, and we’re not sure just how necessary that is–why not just put your kid in the stroller and push her?

The cupholder

If you’re seen any of our other stroller reviews, you might know we’re not fans of stroller companies that don’t include cupholders with the base model. I mean come on, parents need coffee 24×7. Fortunately, Colugo includes theirs with the Compact at no extra charge.

The diaper tote (sold separately)

Colugo’s diaper tote is a small, no-frills (but thoughtfully designed) tote designed to hold the essentials for your baby (diapers, wipes, a bottle, and a few other things of your choice, which gets its own insulated pocket). The tote does not include a changing pad. Shameless plug, if you’re looking for a more, we here at Fathercraft make a bigger, full-featured diaper bag.

The organizer

Out of the box, the Colugo stroller doesn’t have any zippered pockets. The On The Go Organizer is a new product (we haven’t tested it yet) that attaches to the handle of the stroller, adding 2 cupholders and 3 zippered pockets. Like other Colugo products, it’s waterproof & machine washable, which we appreciate knowing how gross anything like this can get. It also converts into a fanny pack or cross-body bag, so you can take valuables with you, and rock that oh-so-cool fanny pack look if you want.

The cozy

The Cozy basically turns the stroller into a mini-sleeping bag for your kid for cold days. It’s got a polar fleece lining on the inside and is water-resistant on the outside for Sex-in-the-City-type sprays of water from taxis. And yes, it too is machine washable.

Plus, crucially, the stroller can still fold flat with it attached.

Alrighty. Let’s jump into what’s awesome, what we wish was different, and our final verdict.

The awesome

Size, weight, and ease of carrying/manipulation

The Colugo, when folded, is small. It sort of accordion-collapses in thirds, into a relatively neat brick of stroller. Whether you’re carrying it over your shoulder, putting it in your trunk, or storing it in your small apartment, small is much appreciated. It’s worth noting that just because a stroller is labeled as compact, that doesn’t mean it’ll fold up super small. We’ve got an UPPAbaby compact stroller that’s folds in half, but is still a solid 45 inches tall when folded.

The size, combined with the carry strap placement and the three-second, one-handed fold makes the Colugo super easy to carry around, lift in and out of the trunk of a car, onto an airplane, or wherever your adventures take you.

Press to fold …

Colugo has some nice animations of this folding and storage on their website here.

Maneuverability, ride, and build quality

As we mentioned above, the Colugo stroller has a surprisingly smooth ride and feels well-balanced, making one-handed turns a breeze.

This is due in part to a balanced design, and in part to the wheels, which are puncture-proof but also not the hard-plastic versions you’ll find on other compact strollers like the Colugo competitor Mountain Buggy Nano.

Finally, the Colugo looks and feels well-built. It’s got curb appeal (and with its variety of designs, you can match your style), and is solidly-built despite the lightweight design.

100-day trial

We love that you can try out the stroller at home (or wherever it is you take your kids) for 100 days. If you decide it’s not for you, you can send it back risk-free.

Machine washable, removable inserts

As we noted above, baby gear gets gross. You will (trust us) let your kid eat in the stroller eventually. And crumbs and food packet gunk will get everywhere. So machine-washable removable inserts are a key selling point you’ll thank us for pointing out.

The wish it was different

Straps & buckling/harness system

The straps and buckling system on the Colugo Compact received an upgrade in the second generation model. While the straps are still a bit flimsy and made of the same generic canvas-y material you’ll find you’d find on cheaper products, they do have shoulder padding, but are a bit on the harder end of things to tighten or loosen. We’re delighted that Colugo brought the magnetic buckling system from its the Colugo baby carrier to the Compact Stroller. It still takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it works well—magnets in the buckle help with final alignment and security.

Seat-back design

In order to achieve its extremely compact fold, the seat back on the Colugo stroller can bend in half. This can (and did once during testing) result in your child pulling himself forward into an awkward position. But, this just happened once and is another common complaint of the sector of compact strollers that fold like this.

We also felt the Colugo could stand for mesh sides we’ve seen on some other compacts vs its very open design–when it’s in the upright position there’s not a lot of side wall.

A lack of built-in frills

Out of the box, the Colugo is fairly no-frills. (Again, this is true of many compact strollers.)

Final verdict: is the Colugo Compact worth it?

Overall, the Colugo Compact Stroller is our top choice in the compact stroller category. And for parents who live in small or urban spaces, we think the Colugo could easily be your one and only stroller (assuming you purchase the Infant Kit).

The combination of design, size, features, buying experience and price are unmatched. And, while there are some quirks and small annoyances (we haven’t found a stroller that doesn’t have these), we feel like these are heavily outweighed by an overall excellent product at a great price.

Where to buy & pricing

Colugo started as a direct-to-consumer brand (meaning you could only purchase Colugo products online through their store), but now you can find Colugo at mass retailers like Target, Walmart, and Amazon.

But, if you want the 100-day trial, you’ll need to purchase directly from the Colugo website:

The Compact stroller is available as a standalone item (with rain cover and carry bag included) for $325 (though, it does go on sale with some regularity).

Optional accessories pricing:

Infant Adaptor Kit – $95
Cozy cold weather cover (sleeping bag might be a more accurate description, this thing is warm and delightfully puffy) – $95
Diaper Tote – $95
Organizer/cupholder – $45

That’s all for this review! Want to see the full list of items that made the cut for our baby essentials list that the Colugo stroller and carrier are a part of? Head on over here to see the full list.

Still got strollers on the brain? Well, then, check out all of our stroller reviews.

Editor’s note:

This review was originally published as just the video in January, 2019, but was updated with a full review in February, 2019, and updated with a review of the second generation compact in January, 2022. It was updated once more in January 2024 with new information about where and how to buy Colugo items.