Shopping for Strollers: Ratings and Review
by Robert Meyer, Ph.D.

Have you ever made a purchase and the later experienced cognitive dissonance or buyer's remorse? That is, you regret making the purchase for a variety of reasons. One of the most common reasons for cognitive dissonance is that you discover you could have purchased a better quality product for the same money or you could have purchased the same product for less money elsewhere.

The best way to avoid being disappointed with your decision is to first due some research. Many consumers, including myself, rely heavily on Consumer Reports for their testing and rating of products. Then the consumer can choose a product with greater confidence that it is a quality product.

This however, only satisfies half of the equation. The consumer now knows the relative quality of the product they want to purchase but they do not yet know where they can find the best price. This half of the equation requires additional research on the part of the consumer.

The internet is an invaluable tool when it comes to comparison shopping. You can compare the price of the product you desire without ever leaving the comfort of your home. You can then decide to purchase it online (for convenience) or drive to the retailer that offers the best price.

This article will hopefully help you in making a decision on which stroller to purchase for your new baby or babies. I use Consumer Reports' ratings for the relative quality rating of the strollers and add my own price comparison research to assist in your decision.

Guide to the Ratings

Overall score is based primarily on performance, maneuverability (all-terrain strollers), ease of use, and safety. Performance is panelists' impression of ease of pushing and maneuvering on varied terrain while walking (all-terrain strollers) or running (jogging strollers). Ease of use is primarily based on ease of safety harness use, folding and unfolding, adjusting backrest, lifting, carrying, and engaging wheel brakes. Safety for each stroller was assessed by testing for compliance with ASTM F 833-05a voluntary standard and a stability test designed by Consumers Union. Strollers that did not meet the standard or had relatively lower stability on an adjustable inclined plane were downgraded. Price is approximate retail for stroller. Maneuverability was assessed by trained staffers on how well the strollers maneuvered S-turns through cones, narrow sections, grass, dirt trails, uphill, downhill, and steps while walking. Durability was assessed by rolling the strollers 19 miles over 150,000 bumps with a 40 pound bag in the seat, then each stroller was folded and unfolded 10 times to check for mechanical failure or unusual wear.

Traditional Strollers
The traditional strollers listed below are rated in four categories: day-to-day use, folding, reclining and maneuverability.

Graco Quattro Tour. The Graco Quattro Tour was top-rated and a Consumer Reports "Best Buy" with an overall score of 84. It was rated excellent in folding, reclining, and maneuverability, and very good in day-to-day use. It includes the following features: one-touch brakes, car seat compatible, safe for newborns, trays for parents and child, extra storage basket, stands when folded and weighs 27lbs. The suggested retail price is $130.

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