Are Peg Perego and McClaren strollers really better than the department store ones?

[roliepolieoliefan]

DD (2) needs a new stroller. Are the more expensive ones really better than if I just bought one at Target or toys r us? What are the differences?

 

[karenTX]

I bought my Mac from Target.com actually. I LOVE my Mac Quest!! If I had thought better about it, I never would have bought my huge Graco Quattro and just gone with the Mac. It's all I use now..the graco's sitting in the garage. It handles wonderfully and is so nice & light! My DH calls it the Lexus of strollers!
The Quest reclines and has a slightly bigger basket & sunscreen then the Volo. The only downfall is the lack of cupholders but that was taken care of by the Prince Lionheart attachment we bought at B-R-US.

 

[bartleby1]

While I liked having a full size stroller for my kids when they were little (up to about 1 yr old), I LOVE my maclaren. Keep in mind, that most strollers only hold up to 40 lbs, some only go to 35 lbs, but Maclarens are rated to 55 lbs and can handle the height of an older child. They are lightweight, easy to push, and taller so you don't break your back pushing them like you do with cheap umbrella strollers. They are more expensive, but well worth the money.

 

[WAHMto5]

We have a double Peg Perego and LOVE it! I don't think I would go with anything else after having it. You will be able to see how the difference in the construction of them and I know that ours we love that the seats are larger and able to hole up to 45lbs each, perfect as they get older! Our double also folds VERY compact and light to carry. I believe they will save you money in the long run with not having to purchase other strollers as they grow, ect..

 

[CRSNDSNY]

I love my Pliko 3!!! Took it to WDW in May and it was the best money we spent!

 

[kaysmommie]

I have the Perego Aria and I hate it! It is total crap and I wish I got the Mcclaren which pushes much easier and isn't as wobbly. THe Pliko is a tiny bit better but $100 more.

 

[Tiger926]

kaysmommie - Not trying to hijack this thread, but what is wrong with your Aria? I love my Mac Triumph, I'm currently trying to sell the Graco, Eddie Bauer and Kolcraft strollers that I bought before it, and am considering a Peg Aria for next child. I did notice the Aria didn't seem as sturdy as my Mac, but it's very lightweight, which I need since I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis a few years ago at age 30, and so being highly fracturable, I need lightweight strollers!

Please let us know why you don't like your Aria? Thanks, Tiger

 

[SILLYANDI]

That sums it up, I have owned 6 strollers over the course of four kids. I will never go back now that I am a proud Maclaren Owner.

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

our PegPerego is 8 years old and still rolling though we're over the weight limit (35#) by almost 20. Still steers well, nothing broke on numerous car and airline trips. The main reason I recently bought a MacLaren is for the umbrella fold option which is much easier on WDW busses. The 55# weight limit gives me a warm fuzzy that my kids can continue to use it at WDW for a few years and it handles very smoothly and easily even weighed down with 55# 49" child and gear. We've been mall walking in "training" for next weeks trip to WDW but 5.5 year old just can't do it. (Pediatrician has checked her muscles, bones and iron - all good, so he said to buy the stroller with the higher weight limit because some kids are just more "fragile" than others until age 8 or so...) Any stroller still being used after 8 years has to be good and if you consider the cost per year, was a really good deal. Friends get new strollers with each child - cheaper at first but more expensive in the long run and they must not have found a "keeper" yet.

 

[wrldpossibility]

You asked why the Mac or other high end brands are better than department store ones, and while the features are better, the strollers are lighter and last more years, for me, I think the #1 answer is the resale value. I can't sell my Graco travel system or my cheap umbrella strollers on Ebay or even at consignment shops. They just don't sell well used, IMO. And I'm an experienced seller. The high end brands sell so well. I almost consider investing in them to be like "leasing". If I buy one for say $150, I know I can sell it in a few years for about $75. So that's a quality stroller for a $75 price tag. I've done that several times, not for the sole point of selling...I don't make a profit...but I do get strollers for great deals in the long run that way. Granted, I don't keep strollers for years and years, so the models I'm selling are not too outdated, but this way I have new strollers for my kids (I find they need different types at different times in their lives) and barely pay for them.

 

[In Luv with Disney]

I have the Perego Aria and I hate it! It is total crap and I wish I got the Mcclaren which pushes much easier and isn't as wobbly. THe Pliko is a tiny bit better but $100 more.

I agree! I had the Peg Pereggo Aria Twin and I had to return it THREE TIMES! I LOVED LOVED LOVED how light it was, though. It is only 17 pounds, which was awesome! But when a bigger kid is in it, it doesn't push very well...it's SUCH a workout! My sunshade's ripped on two of the models, the front tray locks broke on two of the models, the whole storage basket collapsed and broke (although that basket was AWESOME while it worked...HUGE!...but if you put too much stuff in it, it drags on the floor and can rip the fabric), my brakes broke on one of the models...I could go on and on.

Now, I have a Maclaren Twin Techno (I bought for $160 BRAND NEW on ebay!!!!!! BARGAIN!!!!) and it is awesome! It isn't as light as my old Peg Aria Twin was, but it is SO much easier to push and so much sturdier. It will last FOREVER!!!!! My oldest is 4 1/2 and I plan to use it for a few more years of Disney trips! Then I will sell it!

Oh, I also have a Maclaren Quest Mod single for my little girl (she's 1) and I LOVE that stroller! It is as light as can be and pushes like a dream.

I wish I bought Maclaren's to begin with! I will never buy another stroller!!!

 

[kaysmommie]

kaysmommie - Not trying to hijack this thread, but what is wrong with your Aria? I love my Mac Triumph, I'm currently trying to sell the Graco, Eddie Bauer and Kolcraft strollers that I bought before it, and am considering a Peg Aria for next child. I did notice the Aria didn't seem as sturdy as my Mac, but it's very lightweight, which I need since I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis a few years ago at age 30, and so being highly fracturable, I need lightweight strollers!

Please let us know why you don't like your Aria? Thanks, Tiger

Sorry to take so long to post been busy with the kids activities. It is wobbly and hard to push and steer. My DS is 2 now and weighs about 29 lbs. and it seems like he is much too heavy for it. Also when I first got it, it was still hard to steer and push and DS was only 1 and weighed about 20 lbs. The only good thing about it is the snack tray for DS on the front. The storage basket is very small and will only fit a small Diaper bag. I wish I would have spent the extra $ and bought the McClaren. The Aria is lightweight and fairly easy to fold but with Osteporosis I would think how hard it is to push would not be too good. Also after trying the McClaren I know you can steer it with one hand which is also a plus.

 

[pjupton]

I LOVED LOVED LOVED how light it was, though. It is only 17 pounds, which was awesome! But when a bigger kid is in it, it doesn't push very well...it's SUCH a workout!

I feel the same about our Twin Aria. I loved that it was lightweight but it got hard to steer as the kids got bigger.

Now I've got a Safety 1st/Eddie Bauer Transit Tandem for errands and a 2004 Mountain Buggy Urban Double for walks and all-day trips. The TT doesn't have great steering but works well in stores. The MBUD is wonderful! I can steer it with 2 fingers even when loaded up with 55 pounds of kids + bags. I wish I'd just bought something like it two years ago, even at full retail price!

 

[my4kids]

Thing I look for in a stroller regardless of brand (but keeping price in mind)

Height of handles - (Am I going to be stuck pushing it all the time because DH has to uncomfortably bend to push it?)

Comfort of stoller for sleeping in - (We are always on the go, and more than a few naps have to happen in the stoller) Does it recline fully and have a foot rest that will raise so his little feet aren't dangling?

Head rest on sides of back rest - Neccessary for keeping head from flopping around while napping (especially in a double that you may not be able to reline fully) also hieght of backrest must come above their head for comfort.

Weight of stroller - I'm always lifting it into the car.

Ease of pushing and handling.

Cup holders and hooks for bags, and under storage (I think all are neccessary)

Ease of cleaning (does the covercome off to wash?)

Sun shade.

With all that said, the only stoller that I have found with ALL of the above is my GRACO FROM TARGET!!! I love it! I've had PEG Perego before, and although it was very comfortable for my child, it weighed a ton and was impossible to push.

 

[dismom22boys]

We had a Peg Perego and a Maclaren, and I disliked both. The Peg was just too heavy and cumbersome. The Maclaren was nice and light, but the basket was impossible to access if my son was sleeping, and never fit anything anyhow. I now have an Inglesina - nice big basket, I bought cup holders for it, and I love it.

 

[KristinU]

You asked why the Mac or other high end brands are better than department store ones, and while the features are better, the strollers are lighter and last more years, for me, I think the #1 answer is the resale value. I can't sell my Graco travel system or my cheap umbrella strollers on Ebay or even at consignment shops. They just don't sell well used, IMO. And I'm an experienced seller. The high end brands sell so well. I almost consider investing in them to be like "leasing". If I buy one for say $150, I know I can sell it in a few years for about $75. So that's a quality stroller for a $75 price tag. I've done that several times, not for the sole point of selling...I don't make a profit...but I do get strollers for great deals in the long run that way. Granted, I don't keep strollers for years and years, so the models I'm selling are not too outdated, but this way I have new strollers for my kids (I find they need different types at different times in their lives) and barely pay for them.

This is exactly my higher-end stroller philosophy! In fact, I've "leased" a couple of Macs for just the cost of shipping. I also like the idea of buying something not totally disposable (or at least not as quickly).

My current and all time favorite is the Peg Perego P3.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

I agonized over the decision whether or not to buy a Mac stroller. In fact, I had never heard of them until I joined the Dis

We went to WDW last fall with then DS2.5. At home we still used his heavy Graco travel system but it was getting very old and creaky and just plain heavy and hard to manuever. I bought a BabyTrend Lightweight at BRU for $40. It seemed perfect- until day 3 of our 8 day trip when the back wheel began to continuously fall off

Knowing that we were going again this winter I wanted to get a new stroller but wasn't sure if I could justify the price of a Mac (even by getting it from Allbee Baby on line for about 1/2 the price as BRU). DH finally agreed that the travel system had worn out and just get a new stroller that go on the trip and be used for everyday use.

We chose the Mac Techno XT because it goes up to 55lbs and has adjustable handles (DH is 6'4"- another reason to hate the BabyTrend- it was too short!!).

I LOVE my Mac! It is so easy to push, it folds up very compact, DS3 loves riding in it and he is not crowded at all and he is about 42" tall. I only wish I knew about them sooner so I could have saved the $40 I spent on the BabyTrend and invest it toward the Mac.

 

[pigget74]

I love my Peg Aria. It weighs about 12lbs. We bought it just for disney---we were looing for higher handles, large basket, and a compact fold. We got all of this in our stroller. My DS is already 23 lbs at 8.5 months when we went and we did not have any troube with this stroller. We were able to fit normal diaper bag and the soft sided diaper bag with cooler that the hospital gave in the basket. Fitting all that in took a little time but it was done. We got the orange and tan colored stroller and we were able to find out stroller very easily. We will be taking this on our cruise when little man is 18 mths. Only thing I wish was different is that the shade was bigger. Other than that I am happy with it. I bought this on ebay new for $104 and then paid about 25 in shipping.