What to Look For in a Compact Double Buggy
Kerry says this side-byside is small enough to fit through most doors and take two car seats or carrycots. It folds up self-standing and handy carry straps for easy schlepping.
It's also very lightweight double buggy to carry and wheel up and down stairs. The canopies are spaciously sized and have peekaboo windows.
Size
Double buggy features that you must look for include a large shopping basket, front and rear suspension and a sturdy frame. It is also advisable to consider whether it's a travel system, or if you can add a car seat or carrycot. These are crucial considerations if you have to take your children on public transport, or on long journeys.
If you're looking for a small double buggy that you can use from birth, consider the Leclerc Kooper X2. This model is a side by side buggy that has an adjustable frame that can expand widthways in order to accommodate two children. The seats have a recline option and can be positioned independently, giving you the choice of one child leaning back and relaxing for a nap, while the other is looking out at their surroundings. You will get a huge UPF 50+ canopy with the option of a peekaboo window as well.
Mountain Buggy Duet is another fantastic option for twins. It is the tiniest side-by-side best twin buggy pushchair on the market and only 63cm wide so should fit through most doorways. It can accommodate two car seats or a carrycot, and comes with lay-flat seats that are suitable from birth.
Tandem double buggies that feature the children sitting side by side is a popular option for twins, or parents of a baby and toddler. However, they tend to have a larger footprint than single-seaters and can be difficult to maneuver on narrow roads or through doorways.
The iCandy Orange tandem buggy is a well-loved tandem that will grow with your family. It offers 30 different seating options. It can be used with twins, a baby and toddler or three children if you purchase iCandy's "PiggyBack" board (which you can buy separately). It is equipped with an easy suspension system that makes kerbs simple to navigate. It can be used in either single or double travel stroller mode. It is also possible to connect a single stroller to the top of it to provide additional storage space.
Weight
A good double buggy is light and easy to push. It should come with an ample shopping basket with front and back suspensions that make it easier for the child to traverse rough terrain, and be suitable for twins as well as siblings of different age groups.
Many double buggies are compact and include frames that can be used to store infant car seats. They also come with branded adaptors that match the most popular models from Cybex BeSafe and Maxi-Cosi. They are a great choice for families with children with medical issues and would prefer not having to use separate strollers.
They tend to be wider than buggies with side-by-sides, and are harder to fit into doorways and on public transportation. Check the product details for alternatives if this is important to you and your family.
Mountain Buggy Duet is the most compact double stroller on the market. It's the slimmest side-by-side available with a 63cm width. It can be used to carry twins or a baby and a toddler. It offers robust engineering and superior functionality with large air-filled tyres that are all-terrain but equally comfortable cruising around town.
Another great option is the UPPAbaby Vista 2, which can hold twins, one toddler and one baby or two kids, with piggy back boards (which you need to buy separately). It folds up with a self-standing design and carry strap, making it super-easy to schlep, and has front and rear suspension to help you cope with rougher terrain. It's a little heavier than the Joie Evalite Duo but still lighter than the majority of tri-fold buggies and is a great value option for older children.
Folding
The Baby Jogger City Select 2 is a great choice for storing two strollers. This side-by-side model features a smooth fold, and the clever frame expands in width when folded so that it's smaller than a single twin stroller side by side. This makes it much easier to navigate through doorways and public transportation, and it also means you don't need an additional car to push the buggy around.
It's a good option for parents with twins, since it can be utilized in duo or mono mode with two seats and car seat adaptors. It can also accommodate an additional child on the 'piggybackboard that is part of the buggy. It also comes with an array of options, including seats that are elevated to give both children a view of their surroundings. The adjustable handlebar comes with a handbrake, which makes it easier to push the buggy up and down hills.
Mountain Buggy Duet is another excellent alternative. It has the most compact footprint side-by-side available with a footprint of 63cm. This makes it ideal for parents who are concerned about fitting a double through doors and on public transport, and it can also be able to handle rough terrain as an off-roader. It can be used for twins, a toddler and a baby, or two children with similar age. Each seat reclines independently, so the kids are comfortable.
One final good choice is the iCandy Peach, which can be used in mono or tandem mode and can take 2 car seats or an infant seat and carrycot. It's slightly larger than other doubles but it offers an excellent maneuverability, particularly on smooth surfaces. It's an excellent option for those who want an attractive but practical buggy.
There are a variety of budget double buggies, such as the UPPAbaby vista 2. This is a small side-by-side that fits a newborn in a carrycot, an infant in a seat, or three kids when you add the Pizazz-branded PiggyBack ride-on board. It has an easy-to-stand fold, a canopy that offers protection for children and an option to peekaboo. It's also quite light for a double stroller, and features a large undercarriage storage basket that can be used to store your the shopping.