Best For Smaller Kids: Keenz Stroller Wagon 7S Pull/Push
Pricey but beloved, the Keenz Stroller Wagon is a parent favorite and an excellent splurge-worthy choice.
This is our pick if you are looking for a stroller wagon for smaller kids or younger toddlers. That’s because it is more compact in size compared to others we tested.
We tested the latest model and liked the double five-point safety harnesses with height adjustments, one-step brake and height adjustable handles—one on either side of the stroller so you can pull or push.
Here’s more pros and cons:
What We Liked
• Full canopy.
• 11″ rear wheels makes this wagon a good bet for the beach. Stroller wagons with smaller wheels can struggle in sand.
• Great for special needs. The safety harnesses and 110 lb. capacity makes this model great for all kiddos, but especially for parents of kids with special needs.
• Accessories! This wagon comes with a cup holder, storage cover, canopy storage bag and grey cooler bag. So, yes, it is more pricey but you do get more value here. FYI: A rain cover is an extra expense, however.
• Nap ready. Kids can lay down and nap in this wagon.
What Needs Work
• Heavy. The Keenz stroller wagon weighs 32 lbs.
• No back rest. Other strollers had semi-solid surfaces that serve as backrests for kiddos—the Keenz stroller wagon lacks this feature.
• Takes up a good amount of trunk space. This model folds down into a 31″ by 12″ rectangle—you’ll need some trunk space to haul this around.
• Small footprint might be too small for larger toddlers. The interior dimensions are roughly 26″ by 20″. Its competitor, the Veer wagon, is 37″ long and 25″ wide for comparison.
• Can be hard to steer when weighed down. This is true for many stroller wagons, however.
• Canopy can interfere with getting kids in and out. We love Keenz canopy, but we note a few complaints about this.
Best Budget-Friendly: Radio Flyer Convertible Stroller Wagon
Strollers wagons are an excellent travel solution if you need to move two (or more) kids at the beach, soccer game or just for a stroll to the park.
For some reason, however, stroller wagons are often priced like they’ve just emerged from a hotel mini bar. But there is good news: we found one model that is both good quality and easy on the wallet: Radio Flyer’s Convertible Stroller Wagon.
This wagon did well in our real world tests—easy to fold, sturdy and easy to maneuver.
What We Liked
• Pull or push.
• Good maneuverability.
• Affordable.
• Foam-covered adjustable handle on one end. Pull handle on opposite end like a traditional wagon.
• Rear foot brake.
• Smaller fold than other wagons we tested.
• Sturdy wagon with 120 lb. capacity.
• Easy to assemble.
What Needs Work
• Canopy could be more sturdy—no frame.
• Wagon sides are too low for younger toddlers, in our opinion. As a result, you have to use safety harnesses.
• Cushion could be more thick.
• Hard to push or pull once you get near top of weight limit.
Best Individual Canopies: Evenflo Pivot Explore All-Terrain Stroller Wagon
Most stroller wagons have one big canopy that covers the entire wagon.
That’s nice, but as most parents of kids know, there is always one child that wants the sun—while the other prefers the shade.
A stroller wagon with individual canopies is the solution—and for this, we’d recommend the Evenflo Pivot Explore.
Best known for its less expensive strollers, Evenflo’s entry into this category has been a best-selller. And our testing verified that: it is well designed.
One key feature here we liked: the handle flips so you can push or pull from either side of the stroller wagon. That was impressive in our testing.
Here’s more on why this choice came out on top.
What We Liked
• Two independent canopies for shade. You can shade one or both seats.
• Easy to set up.
• Wheels don’t go flat. Air tires are nice for bumpy terrain, but this stroller’s foam/plastic tires never go flat. That makes this stroller easier to love in the long term.
• Car seat compatibility (at least with Evenflo infant seats). This requires a separate adapter, however.
• Storage! This stroller wagon has both an undercarriage basket and traditional storage pockets. The basket attaches to either end of the wagon, which is nice.
• Good legroom for kiddos.
• Removable snack tray.
What Needs Work
• Heavy. At 34.7 lbs., the Pivot Explore All-Terrain Stroller Wagon is a beast to haul in and out of a trunk.
• Better with two kids than one. With only one child, we found the stroller wagon becomes unbalanced in our testing.
• No sleeping. Some stroller wagons double as playpens that enable kids to take a nap. The maker of this stroller wagon says no to naps. And the footwell inside the wagon makes napping difficult away.
• Fold could be easier.
• No full canopy. Other stroller wagons have canopies that cover the entire stroller—and these work better for older kiddos.
Why Trust Us
We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability. When we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.
Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!
About the Authors: Denise & Alan Fields
Denise & Alan Fields have made a career out of chronicling life’s milestones: getting married, buying a home and raising kids.
As best-selling authors, the Fields have written a series of best-selling consumer guides, including Baby Bargains (over two million copies in print).
With detailed reviews and recommendations of cribs, strollers and car seats, Baby Bargains has helped multiple generations of parents pick out the best gear for baby since 1994
Inside, Baby Bargains, you’ll find:
• CHEAT SHEETS for your baby registry―create a baby registry in minutes with our good, better, best ideas.
• SEVEN THINGS no one tells you about baby gear, from nursery furniture to feeding baby.
• Dozens of SAFETY TIPS to keep baby safe and affordably
baby proof your home.
Co-author Denise Fields is one half of the team that wrote the beloved baby care series, Baby 411.
Covering pregnancy, baby and toddler years, the Baby 411 series is both fun to read and informative—the inside scoop on your child’s growth, development and health.
Think of it as the ultimate FAQ for new parents:
• Sleep. The best way to get your baby to sleep through the night.
• First aid—when to worry, when not to . . . and what to do when baby gets sick. No-nonsense, down-to-earth advice you can trust.
• Fussy baby 411. Is it colic? Acid reflux? Or something else? Discover the secrets to soothing a fussy baby.
• Detailed nutrition info with a step-by-step guide for successful breastfeeding, introducing solid food and the ‘‘new and improved’’ formulas. Plus: simple steps to avoid food allergies!
Denise Fields
Raised in Loveland, Colorado, Denise Fields caught the writing bug early in life. She won awards for her essays at the tender age of 12, all while tending her family’s pet donkey at a farm in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains.
Fields received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Colorado before co-founding a publishing company in Austin, Texas in 1988.
As the co-author of 23 books, Fields has written extensively on consumer topics, including real estate, parenting and children’s products.
A frequent guest on television, radio and online, Fields has been cited as an expert source by the New York Times, who hailed her Baby Bargains book as “the Bible of baby gear.”
Fields also has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and on TV shows like Good Morning America and the NBC Today Show.
Alan Fields
Alan Fields grew up in Dallas, Texas before attending the University of Colorado and receiving a Bachelor of Science degree.
Fields worked both in newspapers and radio before launching a career as a book author.
Together with Denise, Fields moved to Austin, Texas where Fields received a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Colorado.
Fields co-founded Windsor Peak Press, a boutique publishing company now based in Boulder, CO.
As a consumer advocate and money-saving expert, Fields has been quoted in the Washington Post, New York Times and even People Magazine.
Denise & Alan Fields talking money-saving tips with Katie Couric.
How We Come Up With Recommendations
Let’s talk about how we pick products to recommend.
In a world full of influencers paid to shill a product, you deserve unbiased recommendations based on solid research and testing.
That’s why we are here.
Here’s three reasons why folks trust our recommendations and advice when it comes to selecting products for your home and family:
- Experience.
- Independence.
- Expert.
Experience
We have been researching, reviewing and rating products for families and the home since 1994. (Yes, that long!). This is what we do—we obsess about gear so you don’t have to.
We have many fine competitors online but we challenge you to find one who has as much experience in the family category as Baby Bargains. Go ahead, we’ll wait right here.
We do hands-on research.
What does that mean?
How we research varies by the product category. For some products used in a home, we purchase them with our own money (no freebies) and test them in-house.
Example: for a review on the best vanilla bean paste (part of our series on baking products), we compare the thickness of several brands in our test kitchen:
For other recommendations, we tap our vast readership (our books have 3 million copies in print) for their feedback. We look for real-world product reports from our readers to narrow down the vast field of choices in many categories.
To keep things fair, we also do blind taste tests when it comes to items like food. We’ll gather a panel of ramen enthusiasts, for example, and then have them chow down on mystery bowls to see which scores best.
To get insights beyond our own testing and reader feedback, we interview industry experts to get the inside scoop on what separates a quality product from an inferior choice.
Finally, we regularly meet one on one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. On a recent trip to a Ohio, we visited the factory that makes mattresses we review to watch the manufacturing process:
The result of all this effort: you get the most reliable gear reviews you can find, online or off.
We aim to give you additional insight beyond what you can find yourself via online descriptions and reviews.
How do we get to do this? That brings us to reason number 2 . . .
Independence
Let’s do something you won’t hear from our competitors: we’re going to tell you exactly how we make money.
We make a living from sales of our print books and affiliate commissions. What does that mean? When you purchase a recommended product that is linked in an article, we may get a small commission.
Do you see anything missing? That’s right—we do NOT take money from the brands we review. No cash, no free samples, no gift baskets. When we fly to see a manufacturer’s factory, we pay ALL of our travel expenses. The result: we tell you how it really is.
Let’s talk about a dirty secret of influencers who “review” gear. Many take free product to give away in contests. Others accept samples in exchange for a review. Some insist on cash.
That compromises independence, in our opinion.
To keep it real, we insist on being independent from the brands we review.
Expert
Want to see something really scary? Take a look at this:
Yes, that my friends, is a luggage scale. It strikes fear and terror in the hearts of a certain group of people—baby stroller makers.
Why?
That’s because stroller makes often brag about how little their strollers weigh, knowing that’s a key feature consumers look for. Lightweight strollers are preferred over those that weigh more than 25 lbs.
So here’s our secret sauce: we carry a portable luggage scale with us when we evaluate new strollers. And wouldn’t you know it? The ACTUAL weight of strollers is often more than what marketers state. Surprised?
It’s that little bit of fact checking that separates Baby Bargains from other gear review sources. Most simply take the maker’s word on a stroller’s weight. We verify.
We take that same approach to all the products we review, aiming to produce thorough research that goes deeper than our competitors.
So there you have it—who we are, how we got here and how we come up with our recommendations. As always, we value your feedback, so drop us a line via our web page or social media channels. Thanks in advance for your support.