Expectant Parents, Looking at Prams without The Ridiculous Price Tag, Possible?

davidinho on 24/04/2022 - 19:22

Hi all,

Not sure if this has been covered, but looking for a pram in the next 6 months.

So my wife found all these mainstream retail brands that cost between $1-2k which everyone tells me is standard but I think it's ridiculous.

I feel like it's like a mainstream tax, same as what you pay when you buy Apple products.

So my questions is, to be concise, what are the 'Android' brands of prams? Half the price with comparable quality/features.

Maybe it doesn't exist but thought the best answers I'd get would be here.

Cheers!

Toys & Kids Stroller

Comments

  • bobolo on 26/04/2022 - 10:07
    -1

    2 options;

    1. buy Kmart if you don't care about image/brand. Throw them out when you don't need them.

    2. buy branded crap and pay through the roof - but at least you can sell it for not much loss as everyone else is after them 2nd

    Go with option 2.

  • knitwear on 26/04/2022 - 10:10
    +6

    First of all, congratulations and hope everything goes well.

    My advice to new parents are:

    • Don't forget to prepare your centrelink claim beforehand. Don't need to claim it but at least know what's involved.
    • Go with second-hand prams, if you don't mind. Otherwise you would want prams that can last for a good 3-4 years. Avoid the baby capsule thingy as it's quickly become irrelevant.
    • The baby does not mind whether you buy IKEA/Kmart stuff or branded stuff. Choose according to your budget.
    • Babies will outgrow their clothes fast, so if you want to buy everything brand new make sure you don't buy too much. Otherwise second-hand clothing are also great.

    And the most important one:

    • Forget about all the debate on breastfed vs bottlefed. Fed is best.
  • Pturtle on 26/04/2022 - 10:12
    +2

    The most important things when looking for a pram are 1: will it fit in your boot with other baby items and groceries
    2: can it easily be set up and packed up by Mum
    3: how long does it take to set up and pack up and does it take an engineering degree, 2 people and 2 hours later that quick trip the shops has resulted in tears from Mum and bub.

    I had a Steelcraft for all 3 of my kids, then went on to be used by my sister for her 2 kids. It was quick and easy to set up, had enough room in the bottom for a small grocery shop, could easily hold more than one child when little legs got tired out shopping or anywhere really. I could have it in the boot and still fit the weekly shopping in there too.
    Save on the pram and put it towards other things

  • Yamete Kudasai on 26/04/2022 - 10:25

    buy 2nd hand, and get them profesionally cleaned. end up much cheaper than buying brand new.

  • AusGeno on 26/04/2022 - 10:34
    +1

    Go second-hand!

    We sold our $1.5k limited edition all-black Bugaboo for about $400 in mint condition. It was in such good condition because we bought cheap strollers for traveling.

  • roy125 on 26/04/2022 - 11:05
    +2

    I can honestly say when we had our first and my wife wanted to spend 1.5k on a bugaboo camellion I thought it was absolutely insane. We looked at heaps of cheaper ones and eventually I caved.

    3 kids later though the bugaboo is still in good condition and i'd say the amount it has been used (including numerous overseas trips) it definitely has been worth the money.

    Given your wife is going to be pushing this thing around probably daily for a period of time, get her something she wants.

    • sardines on 26/04/2022 - 11:43
      +2

      agreed, keep whoever is staying home with the baby happy. By all means you can look on gumtree or cheaper brands but something that your wife will be pushing around filled with baby crap and shopping needs to have good solid big wheels (suitable for all surfaces), light and easy to fold and lift into cars etc. No point buying a $300-400 cheap kmart pram with tiny wheels that is heavy and hard to fold as you will pay with a frustrated partner when you get home from work. Also if wife is going to mothers groups she will be judged on the pram by some mums - I know it sounds petty and people who judge you on a pram are assholes but first year is full of lack of sleep and just want everyting to go with least resistance

  • mroarsome on 26/04/2022 - 11:30

    Lots of people saying buy 2nd hand, but if you get a desirable pram brand new you can sell it and recoup a lot of the cost. We purchased a Babybee Rover for $799 and kept it in good nick and sold it 18 months later for $500. So math tells me the pram cost us $300. This applies to almost every pram no matter how expensive or cheap.

    I know you can sell 2nd hand prams as well for even better cost savings but you can never be 100% sure of the quality or if parts are missing which can impact resale price as well as the usefulness of the product.

    • rheem on 26/04/2022 - 16:36

      We went with Babybee as well, we bought the duo2 new for $850 with 2 seats and a bassinet used for $50. The price seems to have gone up a fair bit this year though.

      It's a good pram, no complaints.

  • yeeha87 on 26/04/2022 - 11:44

    if its your 1st child my best advice is to buy a 2nd hand pram to start with. you can read a million reviews and hear advice from everyone but at the end the day, everyone has different priorities and what one person loves about a pram, someone else hates. you don't know what you value in a pram until you start using one. i went through about 5-6 different prams with my 1st child and 2nd time around i wanted to treat myself as everything else was basically 2nd hand and knew what would work for me. i bought a bugaboo fox brand new, used it for approx 2 years and sold it in immaculate condition with extras for nearly 2/3 of what i paid and then purchased a 2nd hand smaller, travel pram. Also want to add there is a huge difference in cheaper prams vs the more expensive ones, they might feel similar when they are empty but once the kid is in there, plus shopping, nappy bag etc thats when you notice the difference

  • Needausername on 26/04/2022 - 11:44
    +1

    If you are thinking of having 3+ kids, better to get brand new.

  • sub7er on 26/04/2022 - 13:08

    just get baby jogger mini gt 2 on a deal which comes ever now and then will cost u around $450-500

  • AnotherCheapo on 26/04/2022 - 13:52

    I would recommend Redsbaby Jive/Metro.

    Australian company and can get the full package pram with bassinet and chair for ~$800

  • apoy98 on 26/04/2022 - 14:27

    we used baby jogger. Nice big wheels.. but the best part was you tug on the handle and it folds just like that. A bit on the heavy side though.. but that's because it was quite sturdy.

    Our kid was born 2018.. so we hit all the kid and baby and toddler shows 2016/17/18 until he was born. Dunno how it is post covid though. there were a lot of samples (walked in .. immediately handed a kg tin each of stage 1 and 2 formula). On the pram side.. there were heaps of options and an area where you could try them on.

    Congratulations and all the best!

  • MrMoo on 26/04/2022 - 14:28

    We bought a stroller for $20 from Kmart. If you are interested in just chucking your baby in that. Big savings there.

  • TheBean on 26/04/2022 - 16:09

    Had a redsbaby and it was really good, but once we decided to go for a nice overseas trip we got a smaller stroller, City Mini I think.
    Subsequently we have only ever used the stroller, just so much easier to pack away and take anywhere. I little bit of balancing act at times to hang bags but no real issue.

  • yoquierotaco on 26/04/2022 - 16:13
    +2

    if you can convince your wife to get second-hand for the pram, then awesome. If you can't, then just make peace with it and buy whatever. If emotions are involved, it doesn't matter what you say, you're not winning this. Pregnancy may not be fun for your wife (morning sickness, not sleeping, pain, hormones, etc) so rationale is usually thrown by the wayside. You can decide if this is the hill you will make your last stand.

    Everyone is different but if you can get your wife to talk to someone else that has gone through it, she might be easily convinced from someone with experience (that she trusts).

    You could have an easy child and all smooth sailing, however, I have known many parents get into the silliest fights because everyone is stressed and sleep-deprived. Save yourself this potential fight and just go with the flow if you can't convince her once or twice. You will spend more money but you will save your sanity.

    Congrats and All the best!

  • 811b11e8 on 26/04/2022 - 16:25

    Second hand for the win.

    If she doesn't like it just claim someone at work gave you a pram.

    We have been given a hand me down bugaboo and it's all machine washable.

    We were also given a bunch of accessories for it like a little umbrella and extra covers that have never been used. Looked online and it's about 500 bucks worth of accessories.

    The baby tax is real nobody in their right mind would pay RRP on this stuff.

    Plan on spending my savings on some help with the actual baby when its born..

  • Buckshot on 26/04/2022 - 16:51

    Don't buy new- buy second hand. We bought a Bugaboo Chamelion 3 for $550 in great condition.
    Save yourself the money and put that to something else.

  • gorgeous5 on 26/04/2022 - 17:25
    +1

    For me it's all about light weight, easy one handed fold and manoeuvrability with one hand (when loaded up).

    I use a baby jogger, bought it second hand on gumtree. Lays flat for newborns and has attachments for a carseat.

  • Trioboy on 26/04/2022 - 17:28

    I paid like $699 for a baby jogger running pram not long ago. I thought that was expensive.

  • Misterpompom on 26/04/2022 - 17:31

    I will definitely agree that some of the costs are out of whack but then again people will folk out the money nevertheless. Fingers crossed for a generous gift from a family, friend, or side person lol.

    We personally set a budget into what can be new so we can prioritise the non-negotiables such a baby seat but I couldn't bring myself to buying new a pram that would likely be passed on within a few years for close to half price or less.
    I think it was a great decision as we were able to get an "auto" folding pram/buggy later on for convenience and size after getting a feel of what we felt was right for our use and safety.

    Echoing what is being said on this post and buying second hand is a good choice which you can bring out the Ozbargainer in you to seek a good deal.
    I ended up buying a 1-2 year old Buggaboo pram for I think around $400 which retailed at about the range you mentioned and a price that I couldn't really justify to myself.

    Though the problem is with some older models (even bought as new) can become obsolete which may mean you can't source replacement parts.

    Good luck!

  • Worf on 26/04/2022 - 17:35

    I found the valco baby snap ultra pram a good balance in terms of cost and features.

  • bobokingdom on 26/04/2022 - 17:46

    You don't need to over baby a baby :). But you need a safe one which is easy to move around and store.

    https://www.target.com.au/p/steelcraft-stroller-lite-grey-me…

    This is $119 and it can go flat for a newborn and will be good for a couple of years.

    My thought is to save the $1000, you will need them down the road :)

    The straps on my Steelcraft stroller broke at around 2 years…I then moved to this stroller: https://en.pegperego.com/store/pegen/en/strollers/pliko-mini…

    It feels flimsy BUT it is lighter and narrower and we travel around the world with it (It actually managed to pass through the gates at Japanese Train station!)

    Surprisingly, it never broke down! And I still have it in my storage!

  • drprox on 26/04/2022 - 19:25

    Guessing second hand is a hard no go. But then if it is I suspect brands without street cred are too.
    I feel sorry for you OP (I did not have this problem, we went second hand and less trendy) but the good news is even an expensive new pram is pretty insignificant compared to the car you may "need" to cart around the tiny human and monster truck pram!

  • smoothymcmellow on 26/04/2022 - 19:37

    We ended up going with a Joie pram that worked with a bassinet. Was small, lightweight and around $500 I believe. We bought the bassinet and sold it 6 months later for $50 less than we paid.

    But if your partner has her heart set on a big fancy pram then this post might not help!

  • maverickjohn on 26/04/2022 - 21:07
    +1

    I have a silver cross. Don't buy them. The wheels are atrocious on anything that's nit footpath quality. I've heard redsbaby is good

  • DeeTrance on 26/04/2022 - 21:27

    After a three months of searching and countless shop visits, I almost bought a the Upper Baby Vista for $2k at Baby Bunting, however I stumbled upon the Babybee Rover gem that I find equally as good and as high quality for sub $1k.

    It's so so good.

    https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/babybee-rover

    https://babybeeonline.com/

  • BartholemewH on 26/04/2022 - 21:40
    +1

    Uppababy Alta/Cruz if you can afford it, City Mini GT if you can't.

    • binti33 on 30/04/2022 - 05:37

      Agree with uppababy. Mine gets 2 hours+ of use a day and is still holding strong and in great shape.

  • dimes on 26/04/2022 - 22:24

    I had the same sentiment as you a year ago. I ended up forking out about $1200 for the Bugaboo Bee 6 because I figured it was worth the money for something that could be folded/unfolded easily. It also came with the car seat, which was good otherwise you will need to ensure they are compatible if you are buying separately.

    At the end of the day it's a matter of deciding what's important for you. For me I wanted convenience and ease of use, and because it is a safety thing, I didn't mind paying for it. But I went cheap on other baby stuff like toys, clothes and play mats.

  • GourmetFoodie on 26/04/2022 - 22:26
    +2

    There is a reason they are expensive.

    1) stability
    2) smoothness of ride
    3) weight of frame (usually lighter and easier to fold and get in and out of car boot)
    4) general sturdiness (especially if you plan to use for multiple kids).

    Get bugaboo or uppababy.

    I found second hand prices a rip off generally. Maybe it was just the time I was looking but people were asking a lot for second hand well used stuff. Bear in mind prams are one of the baby items that get the hardest roughest workout. I just waited for a good sale and got it new. Also worth it for warranty if you ever have any issues.

  • p1 ama on 26/04/2022 - 23:37
    +1

    Expectant Parents

    I know it's exciting to start shopping for things ASAP, but don't feel the pressure / rush to buy now. All you need in the first few weeks are nappies, some warm clothes, a cot, a capsule / car seat to take baby home, and bottles / formula (if you're formula feeding). It's not too bad now, but I remember when my son was born, there was this crazy formula shortage and I spent hours trying to find a can of formula after he was born (ended up finding some Big W that had some stock).

    All the rest can wait until you have a clearer idea of what you need and how you will use it.

    As for pram recommendations, I got one from Target for like $300 that I thought did the job perfectly fine for the first year or so. After that, I got a Baby Jogger Citi Mini GT on sale for like $230, and that lasted until he was a bit over 2 and didn't need a pram anymore. I got a Britax Holiday for $100 or so on sale, which was a good pram for very occasional use (e.g. whilst travelling) after that.

    I personally wouldn't fall for all of the marketing gimmick. For the first few months, prams are just a small cot on wheels and a place for baby to sleep whilst not at home. These need to be sturdier and bulkier, and are less practical for toddlers that are learning to walk.

  • geosta on 27/04/2022 - 01:36
    +1

    TLDR: if your wife is going to be the one using the pram every day, let her pick it. If you force her to get something that she's not happy with, it's seriously not going to be worth the money you save.

    We initially had planned on using a hand-me-down Steelcraft Strider which had served our friends well. The thing is great, very compact and indestructible.

    Trouble was, it weighs a tonne. When the wife had to have an emergency C-section, there was just no way she could lift it in and out of the car without popping stitches and further delaying healing of her stomach.

    So we bit the bullet and bought a Mountain Buggy Cosmopolitan. It was about $650 new, plus we bought the adapter kit that allowed us to move the car capsule straight onto the pram, rather than having to wake the baby up by transferring from the capsule into the pram. I think it was about $50 and worth every damn cent!

    There were lots of great things about this particular pram: it was relatively light, the seat could be made to fold flat like a bassinet, it could go both forwards and backwards, and the hood over it was excellent. And whilst it folded down really easily, it wasn't the most compact. It easily fit into the boot of our Camry, and it only took 2 seconds to fold up and down. We used to feel sorry for the poor mums spending 5 minutes trying pull apart and put together the multi-piece prams. Whilst they may have been more compact, this was an easy tradeoff for us.

    In the end it was well worth the money. It was great for both our kids, it copped (and handled) a flogging over 6 years.

  • Chickenlaksa on 27/04/2022 - 08:25
    +2

    We used this pram from Big W
    https://www.bigw.com.au/product/mother-s-choice-haven-ii-str…

    It doesn't have all the bells and whistles but it's fairly compact (for a pram) and wheels around well. Worked well for us. Baby doesn't know the difference.

  • wimphrel on 27/04/2022 - 10:14

    If you can't buy 2nd hand - The Steelcraft Agile series were reasonably affordable back when I was looking (I think BB (baby bunting) sold a rebranded version as well?)

    I ended up getting a 2nd hand Agile for $50, figured out how to disassemble it far enough to take apart all the fabric (legrest & hood included) - it only took 1 hour max. Napi-sanned everything overnight, and it was as good as new.

    Glad I didn't spend too much as I preferred the baby carrier more - we splurged on a new brand-name one (oz-bargained of course) after testing out the experience on a $50 mothers choice one first.

  • jedimaster on 27/04/2022 - 10:44

    Go to upcoming PBC expo in sydney and buy the display floor stock(brand new and assembled) at Baby Bunting stall @ 15% off. This is what I did. Make sure to go in the early slot as towards the end of the day, most of the stuff is marked sold. Only downside is that you will get the item end of the day only around 5 pm.

    https://www.pbcexpo.com.au/promo/sydney-expo

    • richmond12 on 27/04/2022 - 11:34

      So what happens if it gets thrashed during the day?

      • jedimaster on 27/04/2022 - 11:53

        How do you think it will get thrashed? I am keen to know. They mainly sell car seats and strollers.

  • bakko on 27/04/2022 - 11:20

    We have used a Valco Baby Snap 3 for 8 years with 3 children and it's still going strong today. Super lightweight, manoeuvrable, easily collapsible and affordable. Don't buy into the BS of all these overpriced designer items. It should be practical. Parenting isn't meant to be glamourous.

  • MassEffect on 27/04/2022 - 11:30

    What are people's thoughts on capsules? I see varying opinions. The convenience you get from the capsule to be able to move the kid from the car to the pram without having to take them out of the seat is hard to ignore.

    • jedimaster on 27/04/2022 - 11:54

      Short lived use of a capsule. Baby outgrows them soon

    • zonra on 27/04/2022 - 13:23

      Never felt the need to have one across my 2 children.
      YMMV obviously but some (including myself) have mentioned not taking bubs out too much in the first 6 months or so.

    • kickling on 27/04/2022 - 22:46

      I'd highly recommend. Loved transporting the baby in and out of the car with no disturbance.

      Aim of the game is not to wake the baby. It makes life easier in every aspect.

    • geosta on 27/04/2022 - 23:28

      Not having to wake the baby up to transfer is absolutely worth every cent!

      That said, you will only use the capsule for a very short time (relatively speaking). You can usually rent one from the hospital or mothers groups that are guaranteed not to have been involved in an accident, well worth it in my opinion if you can go that route.

      We were lucky enough to receive one as a hand-me-down from trusted friends, and we were able to get an adapter to be able to drop the capsule straight onto the pram - gave us lots of additional hours of sleeping baby.

    • whitelie on 28/04/2022 - 10:57

      We didn't see the value in it with our first one but decided to get one with the second purely on the convenience/speed of getting the baby from pram to car or vice versa whilst also wrangling a potentially moody toddler. Got one second hand, sold it 4 months or so later for the same price. I wouldn't recommend buying new.

  • Littlevu on 27/04/2022 - 11:37

    I got this for our second. Has a built in bassinet or can change to a seated position. Good value as okder kids went in the bassinet when the other got older or she crawled into the bottom and folded herself in.

    https://www.babybunting.com.au/product/childcare-vogue-lite-…

    We are now using a compact stroller with a seater board (paid for the attachment).

    https://www.babybunting.com.au/product/bundle-13010-bundle-1…

    The Yo-yo is by far the most convenient. We got it so we could take the pram through Customs and onto the plane (carry on approved) and just made life easier when you get to your destination.

    The one thing I really love is that it’s very smooth and manoeuvrable so can be steered with one hand if needed.

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 27/04/2022 - 12:04

    You can always go 2nd hand however i'd advise for a pram and a car seat you buy a quality new product then what your child grows out of it you can sell it 2nd hand to someone else thus not costing you any more then buying it 2nd hand, but you get all the benefits of the warranty.

    They spend a lot of time and many years in the pram and car seat they are probably 2 things i didn 'cheap' out on and i have to admit i dont regret it there is a lot of stuff you can get hand me downed and 2nd hand ie cots, bassinets, cloths, toys etc

  • Itsajoke on 27/04/2022 - 13:25

    Thinking this is all you need.

    This is what we bought!! Fortunately my wife doesn’t like spending heaps!!

    https://www.babybunting.com.au/product/steelcraft-one2-v2-st…

  • Morphio25 on 27/04/2022 - 14:08

    We wanted a new pram and a new car seat, everything else we've bought or been gifted secondhand.

    The pram we got is the Steelcraft Strider Premium V5 (model name words may not necessarily be in that order). Came with a bassinet and an upright seat and you can use both at the same time for if you have two kids. Has a leather handle, UV/water protection in the fabric, suspension etc and a neat little bag that straps to the front handle. Folds pretty flat as well.

    Got it from Baby Bunting for $800 on sale. You can certainly spend a lot more but you can also spend less. This seemed to be a middle of the road "has some bells and whistles bang for buck" kind of model.

  • voiletmay on 27/04/2022 - 14:09

    Oh goodness, I find discarded prams on the street when walking in the morning. One morning I stuck my dog in one and wheeled it around for an hour and left it at the lifeline bins.

  • Ravensbane on 27/04/2022 - 14:43

    Our 3 children were all around 12 months apart and we used a double pram, seat in front and 1 behind, from BigW for our kids and it never missed a beat. Was about $270 or so. Comfortable to push around long distances, we didnt have a car, easy to get on the buses and also easy to fold up. Never saw the need to pay $1k for a pram besides paying for brand name.

    tldr: BigW/Kmart/Target prams are fine unless you care about brand name. Check them out in store.

  • mightyfes on 27/04/2022 - 14:50

    Just carry it everywhere and save the money. Alternatively put a pillow in a coles cart and call it.

  • macrocephalic on 27/04/2022 - 15:35

    Don't hurry. Our kids never really liked the pram, so they were carried in a sling wrap when they were tiny, then a baby bjorn type thing when they were a bit bigger, and once they could walk they wanted to walk. At the shops they sit in the trolley, at the beach or park they go in one of those beach wagons. The pram is only used every now and then, and they'll be grown out of it soon enough (they're now 2 and 3).

  • MassEffect on 27/04/2022 - 15:57

    What are people's recommendations for newborn babies in terms of car seats, capsules, prams and bassinets? I'm inclined on getting a capsule that fits onto a pram. There are so many choices and I know so little about these products, its just overwhelming.

    • Real Bill Pullman on 27/04/2022 - 16:09
      +1

      We didn't get a bassinet for the pram, but the capsule was handy. They can be awkward, but our car park was downstairs and being able to strap her in before the walk down was great. I'd suggest a pram suitable for newborns (goes all the way flat) and, if you decide on a capsule, just get whatever goes with the pram. You'll be using it 6 months max.

      Go to a shop and play around with some prams, fold and unfold a couple of times and see what you like. Think about what you'll be doing with it, what sort of surfaces you'll be going over too. Eg ours doesn't fold very flat and we have a hatchback so that's pretty much the entire boot filled in one go. Not at all something I was thinking about until we had the baby.

      • MassEffect on 27/04/2022 - 16:16

        Thank you. Some people here recommended Baby Jogger City Mini GT which I've been eyeing. Is that newborn suitable? I've seen some videos where people say that it's newborn suitable because the seat can recline to a flat position. But I feel like the space is too big for a tiny newborn. Sorry, you probably can't answer this question if you haven't used this pram, but just hoping I can catch the attention of someone who has.

        • Real Bill Pullman on 27/04/2022 - 16:21
          +1

          Haven't used that one specifically, but looks like it would be fine. You can usually change the straps so they're way lower than they look in photos, so it should be a decent fit. Newborns look tiny in everything but the harness should keep them in.

          You can also get liners that sort of cuddle a newborn but I don't know how safe they are and we never tried because our's hated being bound up like that.

        • NigelTufnel on 27/04/2022 - 16:45
          +1

          We have a City Mini GT as well as an infrasecure arlo infant carrier. You can get a adapters so you can slot carriers/capsules onto the Mini GT. Pretty handy to go straight from car to stroller.

        • binti33 on 30/04/2022 - 08:33

          I wouldn’t say it’s suitable for a newborn

    • geosta on 27/04/2022 - 23:38
      +1

      As per my comment above, we had the Mountain Buggy Cosmopolitan and loved it. Could have the kid facing forwards or back, could lay them out flat (essentially a bassinet) and before they were in the pram proper, we got an adapter which meant we could put the car capsule straight onto the pram. Overall we loved it.

      It looks like they have retired that model but the Nano seems to have a lot of the same features and if I was to be buying a pram again would definitely go that one. The fact that it's only 6kg is also amazing. When you're exhausted, every kilo counts.

  • moza on 27/04/2022 - 16:40
    +1

    I highly recommend the Valco Snap4.

    There is an "ultra" version that spins around for baby to see you, but that's for such a short period of time it's not worth losing the airflow on the back. Just go with the normal Snap4, it's light, simple, compact, great.

  • toille4 on 27/04/2022 - 18:57

    Redsbaby :)

  • boopaloop on 27/04/2022 - 19:05

    We had a baby jogger mini gt and I never once wished we had another. Light, easy to maneuver, and can fold lift and chuck in boot of car in one movement.

    That said, the best advice I can give is to have a good think about what you both actually want from it and what you are willing to sacrifice. There is no one magic pram that is great at everything. What are your priorities, how do you think it will be used day to day, how long you want it to last, how much you are actually going to use each feature. I appreciate this may be difficult as first time parents, but I expect you still have an idea of the kind of lifestyle you would like to maintain.

    My sisters priority was storage for shopping, so she wanted something heaver and more stable in order to load up with stuff. I prioritised ease of use to make being travelling easy. Our mini gt travelled the world with us over 8 years and 3 kids and never skipped a beat. Fits on most escalators and through most doors and aisles so rarely had to make detours to find a lift or ramp or wider space. We had things so down pat with that thing we didn't even have to stop walking when we got to staircases. Getting on and off trains, trams, planes, boats, fair rides … all so smooth. Sold it a while back but to this day I still find it hard wiping the smirk off my face watching other parents deal with their unwieldy prams.

  • Jebus on 27/04/2022 - 19:07

    Bugaboo Fox 2 secondhand.

    We use it almost every day, and every time I'm glad I chose it. So smooth and I can manoeuvre this thing with a pinky finger. Initially had the same reservations as OP, but a quality pram is worth its weight in gold.

    We caved and bought a second tiny pram for travelling (yoyo secondhand) that we leave in the car at all times. Even though the yoyo is tiny, the Fox 2 is still easier to manoeuvre, which says a lot.

  • Calibradib on 27/04/2022 - 21:06

    https://www.motherschoice.com.au/grace-stroller

    Comparable with prams in the $1k plus range at 20% of the price according to a well known independent review site.

  • happyhammer on 27/04/2022 - 21:51

    Our Valco has lasted us a couple of kids. Light weight and easy to put up and down. Got it from baby bounce when it went into administration, but they're often on offer in bunting. also go to baby expos as they have loads of offers. Congrats btw

  • bmerigan on 27/04/2022 - 22:00

    When we were shopping the only overpriced brand was Bugaboo.
    We ended up getting a full pram with all the features for about $500. Could convert from laying down to sitting up. This was 10 years ago so I don't remember the brand.

  • MoonlapseVertigo on 27/04/2022 - 22:04

    Firstly congrats

    Secondly I’m a proud parent of 2 under 3 so I’m in the zone for knowledge and experience recently

    We have the uppababy vista. You get what you pay for. Effortless steering. Can collapse and expand in a heart beat. Works every time.

    It’s big though so you’ll need a big boot in ur car

    And try to think ahead for 2nd kid (if planning) as most high end prams can expand to two rumble seats using adapters. Uppababy vista is market leader for this reason. We only needed to buy a 2nd seat and an adapter and all done!

    In comparison, you’ll buy a single kid pram for baby 1, then have to buy another pram when 2nd kid comes

    Oh and also, it’s like the Porsche of prams so other parents look at you like ur a legend or a (profanity) but still, it’s high end

    TLDR uppababy for the win, get one

  • kickling on 27/04/2022 - 22:56

    Steelcraft Strider Compact is what we got given by our neighbours. Lasted through our two kids, and recently sold onto another family for it's 3rd life.

    • Good sized wheels, not large like on a running pram (Mountain Buggy etc) and not small like on those real compact ones (bumpy ride).
    • Many options, inc a rear skateboard & 2nd seat, for if you have a second child and your first child can easily come along for the ride.
    • Good price, I think brand new they were only $600 but don't know if they still exist. Would be plenty second hand.
    • Good underseat storage, could do a decent amount of grocery shopping in this thing.
    • Good solid construction, ours had been through 5 kids and still strong for the next family.
    • Boot space hog, unfortunately it took up most of the boot space in our Forester.

    Buy second hand. And buy something that folds easily/logically and doesn't take all your boot. Get something that rolls well. Get something that isn't too wide (will be super annoying at the shops).

  • furyou on 27/04/2022 - 23:00
    -1

    Our 1st pram was $400 new. It was fine. Doesn't do cartwheels, no phone holder, can't transform. It could even face front & back.
    I know that's not OK nowadays. Prams need to be oversized, with huge air filled wheels, designer label tag on it, wider than a supermarket aisle. 1st world problems.
    yeah wouldn't get 2nd hand. U know how much puke & poo a pram experiences?

  • nephilim on 27/04/2022 - 23:03

    Get a capsule that comes with car base and pushable base, after 6-8months get the pram
    Be it 2nd hand for $100 or friend, or spend tons.

    Most prams are woeful for newborns, even if it costs 2k.

  • giventofly on 28/04/2022 - 10:47

    The only thing I ever bought for my young family was a mattress.
    Everything else was either gifted or found on the side of the road.

    Cot, pram, for example were found on side of road for hard rubbish.

    Don’t buy new. There are tons of second hand items

  • Lexar ANZ Chris on 28/04/2022 - 12:19
    +1

    Gotta say, my wife spent roughly 8K around 1 month before our first child was born.
    Despite lots of people offering free ones to us, wife rejeceted and insisted the first one needs to use all new and good items.

    Then few years later, we had second one, and then we did get all the good stuff out and reused most of them again.
    and now the little kid is 2 and old one is 5. We have stuff that cost us a lot more than 10k doing nothing at home.
    That is after we gave away a lot of the stuff to our friends who is expecting a child.

    I know it's useless to say this because it seems all new parents do this anyways…but I just have to tell you this: don't buy too much stuff and try not to spend money on kids stuff.
    they grow pass it way faster than you think.

  • kellycarlos on 28/04/2022 - 13:12

    went through and liked every post that recommend Redsbaby.
    we are on to bub no.2 and still using our original redsbaby pram. easy to fold and light to pack away

  • brawndo on 28/04/2022 - 17:33

    More expensive is not necessarily better. e.g loads of people recommending Redsbaby, but those handles are real awkward to hold. Some other brands fold awkwardly and can clip your hands of you don't do it properly. Others you have to take apart if you want to fit them in the car etc etc Just find a reasonably priced one that works for you. You may end up buying a couple of different cheaper ones to suit different situations so don't go looking for one that you think will do everything.

  • ChaLuo on 28/04/2022 - 21:42

    Steal a Woolies trolley and do a DIY conversion

  • GotSomeTime on 29/04/2022 - 11:09

    There are decent ones you can get from online-only stores.

    We are the type to buy second-hand for most things that are specific to us e.g. Salvos for clothes. Some reason, we wanted to buy our first child new things. Financially we knew it was stupid, but there was something about it.

    That being said, we only bought a handful of items 'new' and others we bought second hand (e.g., Cot frame, nappy changer).

    The pram was one of the 'new' items we wanted buy, but just like you, people around us were saying $1-2k is normal. Hell no for us.

    Did some digging and we ended up going for BabyBee. Fantastic pram for around $800 during a promotion and it comes with the bassinet.

  • michaelc33 on 29/04/2022 - 11:29

    Have a look at redsbaby for prams. They have 20% every few months. Good quality and comparable to brands in baby bunting.
    Also a good idea is to get baby bunting to price match as they beat it by 5%.

  • [Deactivated] on 29/04/2022 - 11:45
    -1

    I guess that's why I have 2,000+ bottles of wine, no wife and no baby 🤣🤣🤣

  • trapper on 05/05/2022 - 18:24

    Get one second hand. You can have one of the trendy brands for much less than $500.

    Also there are much cheaper options out there, if you can convince wifey. Good luck. :/

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