What to Look For in a Compact Double Buggy
Kerry says this side-by-side is light enough to pass through the majority of doors and be used with two car seats or carrycots. It has a self-standing fold and a handy carry strap for easy schlepping.
It's also very light to lift and wheel up and down stairs. The canopies are large enough to accommodate windows and peekaboo openings.
Size
Double buggy features that you should look for include the large shopping basket, rear and front suspension, and strong frame. You might also want to consider whether it's a travel system or the possibility of adding a carrycot or car seat. Those are important considerations if you have to take your children in public transport or on longer journeys.
If you're in search of a compact double buggy that can be used from birth, consider the Leclerc Kooper X2. This clever model is a side-by-side buggy with a frame that can expand widthwise to accommodate two children. The seats come with the option of recline and can be positioned independently, which gives you the choice of one child leaning back taking a nap while the other looks out at the world around them. You get a big UPF 50+ canopy, with an open window.
Another great option for newborn twins is the Mountain Buggy Duet. It is the thinnest side-byside twin pushchair available and only 63cm wide so will fit through most doors. It can take two car seat or one carrycot and has lying-flat seats that can be used from birth.
Tandem double buggies are popular with parents of twins or who have a baby and toddler. However, they tend to have a larger footprint than single-seaters and can be difficult to manoeuvre on narrow streets or through doorways.
The iCandy Orange is a popular tandem buggy that has been designed to grow with your family, with 30 different seating options. The iCandy Orange tandem buggy is suitable for twins, a child and a toddler or even three kids when you add the iCandy 'PiggyBack board' (available separately). It features a soft suspension that can take care of kerbs. It is used in mono or double travel stroller mode. You can also attach one stroller to the top to store additional items.
Weight
A good double stroller sale buggy is lightweight and easy-to-push. It should come with a large shopping basket with front and back suspensions to make it easier for the child to maneuver through rough terrain, and be suitable for twins and other siblings of different age groups.
Many compact double buggies come with frames that are designed to fit infant car seats and come with adaptors with branded brands to match the most popular models from Cybex, BeSafe and Maxi-Cosi. These are great options when you are looking to stay clear of separate strollers for your smaller children with medical issues.
They are generally larger than side-byside buggies and are difficult to fit in doorways or on public transport. Check the product details for alternatives in case this is important to you and your family.
Mountain Buggy Duet is the smallest double pram pushchair stroller on the market. This is the slimmest side by side available at 53cm in width and can be used for newborn twins or one toddler and one baby. It has a robust design and a superior function with big air-filled tires that can be used on all terrains but are also able to zip around the city.
The UPPAbaby Vista 2 is another fantastic option. It can hold twins as well as a baby and toddler or two children with the piggyback board (which is required to be purchased separately). It comes with an adjustable carry strap that can stand on its own and fold to make it easy to move around. It also has front and back suspension to help you deal with rougher terrain. It's heavier than the Joie Evalite Duo but still lighter than the majority of tri-fold buggies. It's a great value option for older kids.
Folding
A great double tandem pushchair buggy has to be slim to store, and a ideal choice is the Baby Jogger City Select 2. This side-by-side model has an extremely smooth fold and the clever frame expands widthways as you fold to make it smaller than the standard stroller. This makes it easier to navigate doorways and on public transportation, and it also means that you don't require an additional vehicle to transport the buggy around.
It's a great choice for parents with twins, because it can be used in mono or duo mode with two seats and car seat adaptors. It can hold an additional child on the 'piggybackboard that is part of the buggy. It also has many different configurations, including elevated stadium-style seats to give both kids a view of their surroundings. There's even a brake on the adjustable handlebar that makes it easier to push it up and down hills.
Another good alternative is the Mountain Buggy Duet, which has the smallest double buggy footprint side-by-side available at 64cm. It is perfect for parents who worry about fitting a double inside the doorway or on public transport. However it is still able to tackle rough terrain as an off-roader. It can be used for twins or a toddler with a baby, or two children who are similar age. Each seat reclines independently, which ensures that the kids are comfortable.
The iCandy Peach is a good option. It can be utilized in a mono mode, and it can fit 2 car seats/seats, or a carrycot with the option of a toddler seat. It's slightly larger than other doubles, but it provides excellent manoeuvrability, particularly on smooth surfaces and is an excellent option for those who want an elegant but practical buggy.
If you're on a tight budget there are plenty of affordable double buggies available such as the UPPAbaby Vista 2. It's a compact side-byside that can accommodate a newborn in a carrycot, the toddler in a seat, or three kids if you add the Pizazz-branded PiggyBack ride-on board. It has a simple, self-standing fold as well as a big canopy that gives the kids some protection and also has a peekaboo window. It's also fairly light for a double stroller and features a large undercarriage storage basket that can be used to store your the shopping.