Buyer's guide to strollers

Comfort
Reclining positions

Ultra-simple: Cosatto's Comet at £42

As strollers are generally simpler than other pushchairs you'll probably find that you have fewer options when it comes to reclining positions, and many have just one position. If you need a stroller that goes fully flat for a newborn, or fully upright for an older child then check these positions are available. If you buy a stroller as your second chair and don't need it for a newborn then limited reclining positions probably won't be a problem for you. Reclining positions will similarly be lower down your check list if you intend to use the stroller only for brief spurts, rather than for long walks in the park.

Padding The more pared-down the stroller, the less padding it will have. As with the reclining positions, if you're using your stroller for specific purposes, short jaunts around the shops, between car and airport gate, quick trips out etc. and you need your stroller to be super-lightweight and portable, then the less-padded options might not be a bad bet. Limited padding shouldn't necessarily mean uncomfortable though, and the comfort of your baby is paramount, so if possible test a few different options to see which your baby seems to prefer - reclining options will also play a part here.

Portable & popular: Maclaren's Triumph £69

While you can now get lightweight and robust strollers, the two don't necessarily go together, so keep a careful eye on build-quality and look out for flimsy-looking features and handles.

Remember too that very lightweight strollers can be less stable than their more tank-like cousins, and many won't be suitable for hanging bags from the handles due to a propensity to tip. Pushchair weights are available to help balance the chair if you do want to use it for shopping trips occasionally, but generally want a very lighweight option. You can easily check the stability of the chairs when having a look in the shops by applying pressure or weight to the handles or by taking it for a quick spin around.

Foldability There are some impressive folding options available on strollers these days, and many have single-action folding and unfolding where you can operate the stroller with one hand. As strollers are so simple the folding action should be similarly simple, ideally you want to be able to hold your baby in one hand and collapse or open the stroller with the other. If you find it the least bit fiddly then you'll probably want to look elsewhere.

Your stroller should also fold down to a small size so you can fit it easily into the boot of your car, lug it on and off buses and use minimal storage space. Some models compact more successfully than others, so this is something to test in-store. You can usually use the forum or user reviews to find out whether a stroller will fit easily in the boot of your car.

Sleek & stylish: Quninny's Zapp £150

Build quality If you just want the most basic and inexpensive of strollers you might be prepared to compromise a little on build quality, particularly if you don't envision getting much use from the stroller. On the other hand a little investment in a more robust stroller and you'll find it a lot more flexible and will probably give it much more use. Check how robust the stroller feels overall, and check the quality of any mechanisms, fixings and the handles. Also check the wheels and brake functions.

Looks
Looks come firmly at the bottom of the list for a stroller, but super-functional and compact needn't mean that a stroller can't also be smart and sleek. For example, Quinny's Zapp is a particularly stylish option if you're willing to spend the money.