Great Baby Stroller with Attached Car Seat

When you’re expecting your first child, you naturally want everything you buy to be absolutely perfect. Only the best will do, and of course safety is a must as well. When my sister-in-law and her husband were expecting their first child, they came to me for advice. They knew that I did some extensive research on the stroller that my wife and I chose for our child, and they wanted me to do the same for them. They wanted a stroller with an attached car seat, so it was one less thing they had to buy. I researched with the same amount of scrutiny and care I did for our own, and I came up with a list of features that the best stroller with attached car seat would have to have: safety features, lots of storage, easy to maneuver and store, easy to fold, reasonable price and a good warranty. There are several brands that made the short list, including Safety 1st, Chicco and Britax. The overall winner, though, was the Graco Spree Travel System. It got the best reviews online, has plenty of safety features, lots of storage and it looks great too.

The biggest advantage of having a stroller with attached car seat is that you don’t have to disturb the baby when going from the car to the stroller. (For those of you that don’t have kids yet, trust me when I say babies really don’t like to be woken up!!) With the Graco Spree Travel System the car base stays in your vehicle, and the car seat easily snaps in and out of the base. It can then be snapped into the stroller, all the while allowing your baby to sleep peacefully. It’s nice to have an ‘all in one’ system. It makes it easy on parents too. Less stress is a good thing! When you are out running errands with your little one in tow, everything takes longer; having a car seat that you can quickly snap out of its base and onto the stroller will save some precious minutes so you can get home and grab a quick cup of coffee before your little bundle of joy wakes up and wants to be fed. There are some strollers that are compatible with different models of car seats, but it’s nice to have an all-in-one system that you know was made by the same manufacturer.

After many hours of research, The Graco Spree Travel system is the one I recommended for my sister-in-law and her husband. I studied sites like Amazon, Overstock, Babies “R” Us and some independent sites, blog posts and manufacturer’s sites. One of the factors that swayed my decision was the fact that the infant car seat is a top rated model by many consumer publications. There aren’t many brands that can say that. The stroller itself holds a child up to 40 pounds, while the car seat holds up to 22 pounds. I also liked the fact that it specifically states it’s been extensively tested to exceed or meet all safety standards as set out by U.S. agencies. The stroller itself is fairly lightweight at only 23 pounds, and the car seat weighs about 7 and a half pounds. There is a removable infant head support in the car seat to cradle baby’s head and keep them snug and secure. The stroller and car seat have 5-point safety harnesses that are adjustable and can grow with your child. The dimensions of the stroller are 24.2” x 17.5” x 26.7” (height, width, depth). The width of the handle is 15.75”.

This travel system seemed to be the best choice for several reasons, some of which I’ve mentioned above. Another big benefit is the one-handed folding mechanism. With a quick flip of a switch, the stroller folds quickly and easily, and stands on its own once it’s folded. This is a huge advantage when you have your arms full and need to organize things when you get to your vehicle: getting the baby into the car, putting the groceries in the trunk, and then storing the stroller. Every little bit helps when you’re running errands with baby in tow. Storage is always a huge issue for parents, and the Graco Spree doesn’t disappoint. There is a large basket on the bottom of the stroller that holds even the bulkiest diaper bag. And for parents there are two deep cup holders, so you can have a large latte without having to hold on to it. The front wheels swivel and are lockable, which makes it a good choice for almost any terrain including indoor malls and such. There is also a child’s tray for the stroller with a cup holder, so when your child outgrows the car seat, they can use the tray. The stroller seat also reclines so your child can sleep comfortably.

This Graco stroller is also priced to fit most budgets which is a great deal when you consider that you are getting a stroller, car seat and a car seat base. My sister-in-law and her husband took my advice and bought the system, and they are quite pleased so far. They had a boy who is now 3 months old, so he hasn’t graduated to the stroller yet. They love the fact that the fabric is removable and easily washed. The frame can be wiped down with some mild soap and water. If you purchase the product from Amazon you may qualify for financing. Amazon also offers ‘frustration free’ packaging which is nice; it won’t take you hours just to open the package. My brother-in-law said it was fairly simple to put together and came with clear instructions. If you’re looking for a complete travel system, give the Graco Spree Travel System a closer look. It has all the features a parent could want, and is comfortable and safe for your baby, which is the most important feature of all.