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The best travel systems for under £500
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Many parents choose a travel system because it comes with everything you need to get out and about with your baby.
A travel system is a type of pushchair that can be used with a rear-facing car seat and usually a compatible carrycot, too. The car seat and carrycot can both click on and off the stroller's chassis, which can be handy when you don't want to wake a sleeping baby.
Lightweight (and often cheaper) stroller models don't always have a separate carrycot, just a from-birth pushchair seat that converts to a bassinet. This can't be used for overnight sleeping. With prices ranging from around £300 to over £1200, it's important to find a travel system that suits your budget as well as your lifestyle.
Here are our favourites that come in at under £500 (if you've got pounds to spare see our round-up of more expensive models here) with strollers from brands such as Joie, MiniUno, Maxi-Cosi, Graco, Kinderkraft and My Babiie.
1. MiniUno TouchFold £239.99
*All-in-one package with car seat and carrycot included at a very affordable price
*There's also a footmuff and rain cover
*Suitable from birth
Lightweight and smart-looking, this is a very modestly priced travel system that can be used from birth to around three years. The stroller comes with a newborn carrycot with a padded footmuff, a car seat and all the easy-to-attach extras you need. The stroller can be folded quickly with just one touch and has an adjustable backrest and footrest, generous hood with viewing window and five-point harness. The carrycot clicks easily on to the chassis and the car seat is suitable from birth to 13kg, with a newborn padded head hugger, harness and adjustable canopy.
2. Joie LiteTrax, £240
*Has a multi-position, flat reclining seat
*With a large and extendable hood
*Easy to use, one-handed fold
This brilliantly-priced travel system is a sporty three-wheeler designed to carry your baby in the pushchair and car seat from birth. Its best feature is probably its super quick, one-handed fold mechanism which makes it easy to collapse, while holding baby in the other hand. It's made from aluminium to keep it light and has an adjustable leg rest and harness. It comes with the Gemm car seat, suitable from birth to 13kg, with good side impact protection, a newborn insert and curved base for rocking. It clicks, rearward facing, on top of the pushchair seat for easy transport between car and the shops.
3. Cosatto Giggle £299
*Suitable from birth to 22kg
*Comes with carrycot and car seat
*Fabulous fabric choices
The Cosatto travel system usually retails at over £600 but you can occasionally pick one up for a bargain price when the fabric style is an older one – but they are all so vibrant, you won't mind! This popular pushchair has three wheels and great suspension for easy steering around the shops or outdoors, and a comfy carrycot that can be used for occasional overnight sleeping. It has a flat folding, lightweight chassis and an adjustable handlebar with leatherette covering, plus a generous UPF 100+ hood. The car seat is the Hold, suitable from birth to 13kg that has a five-point harness, adjustable head cushion and easy to clean covers. It fits in your car with the seatbelts, or you can buy an additional base.
4. Graco Evo Trio, £250
*Has a reversible seat so you can either have your baby world or parent-facing
*Adjustable handle and calf support for added comfort
*Comes with Graco SnugEssentials I-Size car seat and carrycot
This versatile and well-priced travel system comes with a seat that can be forward or rear-facing. It can be used from birth through to approximately three years old and comes with an apron and raincover included in the price. Details include a three-position reclining seat that lies flat, height-adjustable handles and a five-point harness for added security. The luxury carrycot converts it to a lie-flat pram, has a padded carrying handle and collapses flat for easy storage. The car seat is compatible with the isoFamily base (available separately) and it has energy-absorbing foam that keeps your baby safe, an easy fit system and machine washable covers. It can be used from birth to 75cm.
5. Maxi Cosi Zelia S Trio £299.99
*Flexible stroller from birth to 4 years
*Folds up small and is lightweight, making it easy to carry
*Large, accessible shopping basket
This travel system is perfect for nipping around narrow city streets, and can be folded up and carried, or stored in a small space. The seat transforms into a from-birth bassinet that makes it look like a pram and it comes with a smart matching bag. Fold it up using just one hand, then carry around or pop into the boot of your car with ease. It comes with the CabrioFix S i-Size car seat, which can be easily attached in just two clicks using the travel system's memory buttons.
6. Kindercraft Juli 3-in-1 Set £229
*Lightweight alloy steel chassis
*Comes with pushchair seat, car seat, rain cover, apron and adaptors
*Shock absorbing wheels
A very well-priced set that gives you all you need to take your baby whenever you go from birth. The pushchair seat converts into a bassinet that looks like a smart carrycot and when you use it as a seat, it can face the front or rear. It has a generous basket and adjustable handle and its front swivel wheels make it easy to steer. The brake is well located on the rear bar of the chassis. It comes with the car seat that has a three-point harness that can be quickly attached to the pushchair chassis. It also has a newborn insert and canopy.
7. Hauck Pacific 4 £299
*Seat unit converts to bassinet
*Folds compactly
*Front swivel or locked wheels
This is an ultra-light pushchair with a forward or rearward facing seat that converts to a bassinet that can be used for newborns. It's suitable from birth to an amazing six years and has lockable, front swivel wheels, a five-point harness and good suspension. It comes with a Group 0+ car seat with good side impact protection, suitable from birth to 13kg. It comes with a newborn insert and a quick release harness buckle and it clips directly onto the stroller frame.
8. My Babiie MB250 Billie Faiers Travel System £369
*Celebrity endorsement
*Comes with all the accessories you need
*Lightweight yet strong aluminium chassis
My Babiie offers a range of well-priced nursery items including a set designed in collaboration with Billie Faiers that comes in several colours including pink fabric with rose gold hardware, giraffe print and this sleek black quilted model on rose gold. It comes with a carrycot that can be used from birth and a separate pushchair seat that can be reclined flat and faces the front or rear. The handlebar is not adjustable but should be fine for all but the tallest pushers and the brake is located conveniently on the rear chassis bar. The car seat clicks directly onto the chassis for easy transporting, even for their first trip home from the hospital. It's a Group 0+ car seat that can be used from birth to 13kg.
What is a baby travel system?
A baby travel system is a pushchair that's designed so you can attach different pieces of baby equipment to its chassis depending on your needs. It is suitable from birth and has everything you need to transport your baby for the first few months.
Travel systems normally consists of a seat unit, a carrycot and a from-birth car seat, which can all be clicked on or off a pushchair chassis. It has great advantages over a normal stroller, as you can leave your baby to sleep in the car seat and then move it from car to pushchair chassis (and back again!) without disturbing them.
Some travel system just have a pushchair seat that can be reclined completely flat to be used by a newborn, with no separate carrycot. This type of pushchair is fine if you don't have space to store a carrycot when it's not in use.
How should I buy a travel system?
Though you can buy the different elements of a Travel System separately, it's often better to buy them together. This is because
- You often get a bundle price, making it cheaper than buying individually
- Many retailers also offer all the accessories you need such as a rain cover, footmuff and changing bag
- Your items will all be in the same, matching fabric
- You have peace of mind that all the different parts will fit your chassis
Why should I buy a baby travel system?
A Travel System is great if you use your car frequently, as you can move the car seat from your car to the pushchair and back again without waking your baby.
What should I look for in a baby travel system?
The most important thing to remember about choosing a travel system for your baby is that it's not just about the pushchair – the car seat is just as important – if not more so! Before buying, you need to check that the car seat fits your make and model of car – many retailers will be able to help you with this and you can find helpful charts online too. Here's what else to look for when choosing:
The Pushchair
- Does it convert to a double pushchair? There are several models that convert from a single to a double pushchair by adding extra seats, carrycots and car seats. This is a great choice if you intend to have a couple of children within a couple of years.
- Does it come with lots of handy accessories? A rain cover is essential but other things are handy too such as a changing bag.
- Does it have a generous basket? This is a great place to store not just your baby gear but your shopping too.
- Is the sun canopy large and does it have UPF protection? A mesh ventilation panel and a viewing window are also great features.
- Is the brake well located and can you put it on and off easily?
- Does it have good suspension and wheels that will be large enough to tackle bumpy ground?
- Can the wheels be quickly removed for more compact storage?
- Is the handle adjustable for use by parents of different heights?
- Does the seat recline for naps? And is it well padded?
- Is it easy to fold and compact when folded? Check it fits in your house and your car boot.
The Car Seat
- Does it have good safety features such as Isofix, side impact protection and a good harness?
- Can you fit it in your car easily? Some car seats fit with the car's three-point seatbelt but an Isofix base is a safer option
- Your child should be rear-facing in the car up to four years.
- A lie-flat model is the best type of car seat for a newborn to travel in, meaning that your child can spend longer in their car seat with minimum risk to their health or development.
- Does it have a good carrying handle?
The Carrycot
- Can it be used for overnight sleeping? Check it is certified for that and that it has a flat, form mattress and a ventilated base.
- Is it easy to store? Some carrycots fold flat, which is handy when you are not using it.
- If you don't want to have a separate part of the pushchair to store, considering a model where the seat unit converts to a bassinet, rather than having a separate carrycot.
Read on
The best lightweight travel systems
The best travel systems for your baby
