Since finding out I was pregnant with twins, I began researching strollers. M had just turned one when we learned I would be having twins, so I knew I would prefer a stroller that could accommodate all three kids. While preparing for twins, I became somewhat of a stroller nerd. As I learned about different strollers I began to realize that I couldn’t afford most of the top recommended strollers. They often had a base price close to $1,000 and required you to buy various add on pieces. I just couldn’t justify that sort of money on a stroller.
However, in the past 14 months I have used four different more budget friendly strollers. One was a baby shower gift, two were purchased used, and the last was purchased new. I want to share with you what I love(d) about each of these strollers, which are all under $500.
I am Amazon Affiliate and this post contains affiliate links. While I will earn a commission off of qualified purchases, all of these items were purchased because I truly love using them for my family.
Baby Trend Universal Double Snap-N-Go Stroller Frame
This double frame stroller was gifted to us by an awesome couple in our church at our baby shower. The retail price is right at $100. This stroller does not accommodate a “plus one”, however ,it was perfect for the first year of my girls’ lives when they spent most of their time in their infant car seat. This was also the stroller we used for my girls’ first shopping trip. It is universal so it works with any brand car seats. It has a strap that clips over the car seat to hold it to the base of the stroller. That means that it works with any brand infant car seat.
The Baby Trend Double Snap-N-Go was perfect for quick trips into a store or when the babies were sleeping. When folded, it took up very little space. It has a large basket underneath for stowing things, although it could not hold a large diaper bag. I usually just stuck my changing pad carrying case and a few burp cloths under there. It also has two cup holders and a small tray with a lid that snaps closed. This stroller was easy to push and turn. Because of its length, however, it could be difficult to maneuver in tight spaces. I loved how easy this stroller was to use and genuinely missed it when we switch our girls to toddler car seats. I was able to resell this stroller at my local twin club’s consignment sale.
Joovy Scooter X2 Double Stroller
The Joovy Scooter X2 was my first love as it was my first personal double stroller purchase. When the twins were only about two months old I was able to venture (with help from my mom and sister) to the huge children’s consignment sale held in another county. I was specifically on the hunt for a double stroller and I found this. It retails for $280 (although it appears to be discounted now) but I nabbed this one for $75. It was clearly well loved and required some cleaning up. The stroller worked great though and served me well for almost a year.
This stroller is also not good for a “plus one” which is one of the reasons I did not want to keep it long term. Another reason is that it was very heavy. That made it difficult to get in and out of our van and situated properly. Some of the great features, however, are that it reclined very far allowing the girls to take naps in it. It had a great sunshade and a separated basket that went under each seat. Again, you couldn’t stick a large diaper bag under there and if you had too much stuff underneath it kept the seats from reclining properly. All in all I loved this stroller and would highly recommend it. It was easy to push and turn and it could fit through any standard size door. I was also able to resell this stroller at the multiple’s consignment sale.
Joovy Big Caboose Stand On Triple Stroller
The Joovy Big Caboose had many nicknames while in my house; The Limousine and The Monster being a couple. As the title suggests, this stroller can hold a plus one and, in fact, is made for three. As the title also suggests, this is long, like a big caboose. I read so many reviews, good and bad, about this stroller before purchasing it. I really wanted it to work out for me. It has so many awesome features: it can hold two infant car seats and comes with the universal attachments, it has a sit and stand area in the back for the third child, it includes a snack tray for the two front seats and had a large basket underneath. You can also purchase a third seat for the back for triplets or if your third child was small, like mine.
I purchased this stroller from someone local selling on social media for $175 if I remember correctly, which is great considering it retails for $400. Unfortunately, this was an older version of the stroller so the extra seat that I purchased was not compatible. The other downside of this stroller was, as you can imagine, that it was extremely heavy. Because of this, I only took it out of the house a couple of times. I probably would have stuck with it if the rear seat would have worked. Because it didn’t, M had to ride leaning over to not hit her head on the second seat (see picture). I was able to resell this stroller on social media.
ZOE XL2 Best v2 / XL3 Best
The ZOE XL2/XL3 is our current stroller and the only one purchased brand new. Once I decided to sell the Snap-N-Go and Joovy Scooter, I knew I wanted to put that money towards something that would be worth it. At $450 retail, this would be the most expensive stroller I bought. However, if you’re not concerned about it having been in someone else’s home, which I’m obviously not, you can look for deals on open box returns at the ZOE website. I was able to purchase the XL2 as an open box return and saved about $50 on the sale that was going on at the time.
The ZOE did not disappoint! This stroller works as a double or triple stroller with 3 full sized seats. It comes with all of the accessories you need to use the stroller as a double or triple; belly bars, snack cup, and cup holders. The only thing it’s missing is a parent tray, but it does include a parent cup holder. M loves being able to ride with her sisters. While the stroller is heavy with all three riding, it still handles very well. We have used the triple on outdoor walks and mall shopping trips and it does well with both. Like the Joovy, this stroller was made to fit through all standard doors. I am pretty confident this stroller will last us for a good long while. A more detailed review of the ZOE is coming very soon and I will link it here when finished.
I hope you have found this post helpful in your search for the perfect stroller for your family. Whether you have multiples or just multiple small children, these strollers are all great options. If you have more questions about any of these strollers feel free to send me a message or leave a comment below.