If you're on the hunt for a compact, lightweight stroller—sometimes referred to as an "umbrella" stroller—we think the best is the Kolcraft Cloud Plus (available at Amazon for $51.51). Though it's more of a lightweight standard stroller than a true umbrella model, it is maneuverable, lightweight, costs less than $70 on sale, and has features we typically expect to see only on larger, more expensive models.
How do we know it's the best? We've spent months researching every single stroller on the market—over 230 of them—and have tested more than 30 in person for things like maneuverability, ease of use, build quality, and to see how well they fold up and store when not in use.
For lightweight and umbrella models, this means placing a particular emphasis on how well these things fold up and store in tight spaces, such as on public transit or the overhead compartment of a plane. For most people, a lightweight model like this is a backup, or something you take on trips. None of the ones we tested hold a candle to our favorite stroller—the Baby Jogger City Mini GT—but they are ideal if you don't need a full-size model or just want a low-cost backup.
I'm a parent of a little one, and I know sometimes you just need a way to get your kid from Point A to Point B. The models we tested are perfect for that. Most cost less than $100, weigh less than 15 lbs and fold down to a relatively compact size—or at least a long, narrow shape that's easy to store. There are exceptions, of course, but to find out about all the models we tested and which ones we think are the best, read on.
Kolcraft Cloud Plus Stroller
Summer Infant 3Dlite
Cosco Umbrella Stroller
How We Tested
Things To Consider About Lightweight Strollers
Other Strollers We Tested
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The Kolcraft Cloud Plus is the best lightweight stroller we tested in this roundup.
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My name is TJ Donegan and I'm the Executive Editor of Reviewed.com. I'm also a dad to two little ones, and I've been the lead editor in a number of our parenting guides, including our roundups of the best strollers, the best diaper pails, and the best bottle warmers.
Of all the things we had to buy when my wife and I had our daughter, the stroller was the trickiest. There are just so many of them, and when you start considering adapters, infant car seats, bassinets, prams, whether you need a double for a second kid down the line—it just feels overwhelming, never mind that some strollers cost $50 while others go for well over $1,000.
While it would've been easy to just check out a few popular models and call it a day, we put in months of research to find the best stroller on the market. We spoke to every major manufacturer, researched and compared over 230 models, and called in over 30 strollers for in-depth, hands-on testing across several different guides.
For lightweight and umbrella strollers, our focus was primarily on finding models that were lightweight, compact, easy to fold, but still maneuverable. While many people opt for an umbrella stroller because they want something compact, it's still a stroller. Though some super-cheap umbrella models are great as a backup for a quick trip to a museum or the zoo, we wanted to find a well-rounded model that could still do it all.
To pick our winners, we involved not only our in-house parents but other real-world parents as well. Testing consisted of unboxing and assembling every stroller, as well as rating them for things like build quality, maneuverability, weight, storage, and how easy they were to fold and unfold. For umbrella strollers, we paid special attention to how compact the models get when folded, which is critical when traveling.
In the end, we found that the best lightweight and umbrella models work very much like larger, standard strollers. They fold up easily, they don't take up a ton of space, they don't get caught on little dips in the road and minor obstacles, and it's easy to get your kids and bags in and out without too much fuss.
Though our testing resulted in some pretty clear winners that should suit most people, here are some other things to keep in mind when selecting a lightweight or umbrella stroller for yourself:
You may still want a second stroller. Umbrella models are great for travel or in a pinch, but they don't make great primary strollers for most people. The biggest reason is they typically do not accept infant car seats the way a standard stroller will, which means they aren't useful until your baby is closer to 6 or 7 months and can sit on their own safely.
You can get around this by getting one of the few umbrella models that do accept infant car seats (and buying a compatible one), or picking up something like the Baby Trend Snap N Go which is a "caddy" that basically turns a compatible infant car seat into a stroller. Once your baby grows out of the infant car seat and can sit up safely, just use the lightweight model as normal.
There's no cutoff for "lightweight" strollers. For the most part, models in this guide all weigh 15 lbs or less. That said, there are a few umbrella models like the Summer Infant 3D tote (reviewed below) that weigh closer to 20lbs. They are larger and don't fold as compactly as even our favorite standard stroller, the Baby Jogger City Mini. If you are okay with a model around that weight, we highly recommend jumping up to the City Mini.
Umbrella models often lack storage. Though our top pick has some storage options available, umbrella models often have little or no storage at all. We note this for all models where it's relevant in this guide, but if you get one without enough storage you're going to have to gameplan what you do and don't bring with you.
Umbrella strollers fold up more compactly. Our top pick for this guide is not exactly an umbrella model, because while it can fold flat vertically, the frame is rigid horizontally. This means it becomes long and flat, rather than long and skinny (like an umbrella). In reality, there's very little difference between the two. The Kolcraft Cloud Plus is just as light as most umbrella models, it has more storage, it's more maneuverable, it's much easier to fold, and it travels exceptionally well.
Higher price does not necessarily mean higher quality. Though none of the lightweight models we tested were egregiously overpriced, there are still some big differences. Though the $30 and under models looked and felt cheap (because they are), there wasn't much difference between the $75 models and the $150 ones. Pretty much all of these models use plastic pieces, small wheels, and thin fabric seats without much backing—it's how they stay so light. As a result, once you get to the $50 range and up you shouldn't feel like you're getting a substantially better product just because it's more expensive.
There are different types of strollers. Here's a basic primer on the differences between types of strollers:
TJ is the Executive Editor of Reviewed.com. He is a Massachusetts native and has covered electronics, cameras, TVs, smartphones, parenting, and more for Reviewed. He is from the self-styled "Cranberry Capitol of the World," which is, in fact, a real thing.
We use standardized and scientific testing methods to scrutinize every product and provide you with objectively accurate results. If you’ve found different results in your own research, email us and we’ll compare notes. If it looks substantial, we’ll gladly re-test a product to try and reproduce these results. After all, peer reviews are a critical part of any scientific process.
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