babyworld - double buggies on test

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Double buggies: full test results

Graco Duo Sport

Mamas & Papas Twin Micro Coperto

Graco Stadium Duo

Babies 'R' Us Twin Stroller

Maclaren Twin Traveller

Cosatto Twin Kiwi

Where to next?

Graco Duo Sport

Manufacturer: Graco

Price: Ł179.99

Weight: 7.8kg

Features: Double buggy with two three-position reclining seats, two connected hoods, a double bumper bar, PVC rain cover and basket. Optional, lockable front swivel wheels.

Stockists: tel. 0870 9090510; www.graco.co.uk

Parents' comments:

Incredibly light but very stable.

Very easy to open and self-securing when collapsed.

Cross-bar handle is padded and comfy to push.

Seats are well padded and with comfy head rests at either side.

All covers removable and machine washable.

Deep, wide basket is easily accessible has pockets to keep essential items to hand.

Seats are quite narrow which means less comfy for bigger toddlers but very easy to manoeuvre through all doors.

Seats do not recline completely flat but are snug with hood secured around head area with Velcro.

Hoods work independently which adds versatility and allows new born to be snuggled down asleep without constraining toddler's view. They do not however have any viewing windows.

Quite bulky and not freestanding when collapsed - tricky to fit in a small car boot, estate cars no problem.

Babyworld verdict: This is an amazingly light weight double buggy and is very easy to use. The seats are quite narrow and as they do not lie completely flat, a head hugger is useful for use with a newborn. They are well padded and the independently operated hoods add to the overall versatility of the buggy. Check it in your car boot before you buy, but if it fits OK this is a real winner.

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Mamas & Papas Twin Micro Coperto

Manufacturer: Mamas & Papas

Price: Ł240

Weight: 9.44kg

Features: Double buggy with two fully reclining, three-position seat backs, two adjustable footrests, two viewing windows, double hood and PVC rain-cover, optional lockable front swivel wheels. Carry handle for when collapsed. Freestanding when folded.

Stockists: tel. 01484 438226; www.mamasandpapas.co.uk

Parents' comments:

Feels well made and stable but is extremely light.

Comfy to push and very manoeuvrable - swivel wheels very easy to lock or release.

Simple to open, straight-forward and compact when collapsed, easy to secure shut.

Free standing when collapsed and with a useful carry handle.

PVC rain-cover zips onto hood for good water-tight protection and has a light wiring through it to bow it away from the seated children - making it less in-your-face as some.

Basic but effective recline mechanism.

Minimal accessories: no shopping baskets or foot muffs

Babyworld verdict: This seems expensive given that you get very few accessories, but it is a well-designed lightweight buggy. Its features work well and have been carefully thought through. If money's no object this is a good one to go for and you can always buy more accessories.

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Graco Stadium Duo

Manufacturer: Graco

Price: Ł129.99

Weight: 11.73kg

Features: Tandem-style pushchair with one fully-reclining seat and one two-position seat both with foot muffs, hoods and removable bumper bars, PVC rain-cover and basket. Optional lockable swivel front wheels.

Stockists: tel. 0870 9090510; www.graco.co.uk

Parents' comments:

Very simple to put up and self-securing when collapsed.

Good sized, nicely padded seats with bumper bars.

Tandem style means children cannot poke or annoy each other

Rear seat fully reclines and creates a very flat, pram-like area for a new born. It is also set slightly higher than the front seat so rear seated toddler can see over the head of the child in front.

Two separate hoods work entirely independently and can be easily removed.

Solid, robust construction - feels very stable.

All seat covers and muffs removable and machine washable.

Long and quite heavy to manoeuvre but single buggy width means few doors are a problem.

Bulky when collapsed but free-standing.

Front seat only partially reclines so is not great if front seated child wants to sleep.

Babyworld verdict: The tandem style is ideal if you have a newborn and a toddler because they are kept separate and the seats work independently which gives far greater flexibility. This feels far more robust and stable than others, but is pretty bulky for getting in and out of a car.

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Babies 'R' Us Twin Stroller

Manufacturer: Babies 'R' Us

Price: Ł149

Weight: 12.8kg

Features: Double buggy with two three-position seat backs, two adjustable footrests, double hood with viewing windows, PVC rain-cover, two foot-muffs and two baskets. Optional lockable front swivel wheels.

Stockists: tel. 0800 0 38 88 89; home direct service tel 0845 7 86 97 78; www.babiesrus.co.uk

Parents comments:

Very simple to open, collapse and lock shut.

An excellent price for a comprehensive range of added features and accessories.

Double width hood works well and secures around reclined seat with Velcro for snugness and has large viewing windows.

Machine washable foot muffs extend at rear to form a seat liner right to the top of the backrests - adds light padding and helps keep buggy clean.

PVC hood is very easy to attach quickly and folds away compactly.

Seats are a fair width but lowest recline is not fully flat.

Heavy to carry but fairly easy to manoeuvre.

Pretty compact when collapsed but not freestanding.

Babyworld verdict: An excellently priced double buggy which although heavy is well-equipped, pretty compact and functional.

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Maclaren Twin Traveller

Manufacturer: Maclaren

Price: Ł199.99

Weight: 10.4kg

Features: Double buggy with two fully reclining, three position seat backs, two adjustable footrests, two baskets, double hood with two viewing windows and PVC rain cover, optional lockable front swivel wheels.

Stockist: tel. 01327 842662; www.maclarenstrollers.com

Parents' comments:

Straightforward to collapse and free-standing when down.

Easy to operate, five-position back-rest which is snugly enclosed when in full recline position.

Lightly padded seat plus good padding on the headrests for extra comfort.

Easy to manoeuvre and of a manageable total width.

The two hoods look as if they work separately but are joined so will not work independently. They do however have useful storage pockets on the back and form a snug environment for a new born.

Rain cover is basic but functional and easy to attach.

No foot muffs included.

The seats are narrow and quite restricting for a large toddler.

Babyworld verdict: This is a compact, easy- to-use buggy with some good quality features. It works well but its one drawback is that the seat widths are pretty narrow - fine for baby twins or a young toddler, but not for extensive use with an older larger child.

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Cosatto Twin Kiwi Buggy

Manufacturer: Costatto

Price: Ł199.99

Weight: 15.35kg

Features: Double buggy with two fully-reclining , four-position seat backs, two two-position foot rests, two foot-muffs, double hood with viewing windows, two baskets and two PVC rain-covers. Optional lockable front swivel wheels.

Stockists: tel. 01268 722800; www.cosatto.com

Parents' comments:

Seat width is considerably bigger than others so much more roomy for bigger toddlers.

Angled, padded handles aid manoeuvring and improve grip.

Good quality, well padded foot-muffs zip onto seats to add snugness.

Securing clips easy to use and fold away neatly when not needed. Freestanding when collapsed.

Unlike most double buggies this has only two handle grips at either side. This allows you to stand closer to the centre of the buggy but means your arms are always held wide apart when pushing, which some parents found uncomfortable.

Hoods operate independently which is useful but backs tend to slip off reclined seat reducing snugness - no poppers or Velcro to secure.

Separated out components were relatively quick to dry after washing which is simple.

The two PVC rain-covers can be used independently which adds versatility but they are quite fiddly to attach and getting both seats covered in a rainstorm can be overly time consuming!

Very simple to open but harder to collapse - especially with accessories fitted.

Heavy

Babyworld verdict: This is a solid, well finished buggy with some different design features and good wide seats but it's weight and general bulk scored against it and made it harder than some to use.

Score:

Where to next?

Check babyworld's advice on prams and pushchairs, including features to look for
Read babyworld's product test of all terrain pushchairs
Share your experiences – good and bad – of the baby products you have used on our Product talk discussion forum.