Side by Side or Tandem? The First Decision to Make
Before you look at a single model, it's worth settling one question: do you want your two children sitting side by side, or one in front of the other? This one decision shapes almost everything else, from how easily you'll get through your front door to how the pushchair feels to push with two on board.
Side-by-side pushchairs put both children at the same height, facing the same way, which many parents love because it means no arguments about who has the "better" seat and no jostling for a window view. The trade-off is width. Even the slimmest side-by-side doubles are wider than a single pushchair, so it's worth measuring your front door, your car boot opening and the aisles in shops you visit regularly before you commit.
Tandem pushchairs, where one seat sits behind the other, keep the same narrow footprint as a single pushchair, which makes them the easier choice if doorways or public transport are a daily concern. The compromise is usually seat size and legroom for the older child, plus the extra length can make manoeuvring around tight corners a bit more of an art.
There's no universally "right" answer here. It genuinely comes down to your home, your car and your day-to-day routine, so it's worth thinking practically rather than just picking whichever looks nicest in photos.
Twins or Same-Age Siblings? Our Side-by-Side Picks
If you're expecting twins, or have two little ones close enough in age to need equal seating, a side-by-side pushchair is usually the natural fit. Here's where we'd point you first.
The Joie Estrella is a great everyday option for twins from birth to around four years old. Each seat reclines independently, so one child can nap flat while the other sits up and watches the world go by, and the one-hand fold means you're not fighting with the pushchair while holding a toddler.
For families who like to get outdoors, the Out n About Nipper V6 Double is worth a close look. Despite carrying two children up to 22kg each, it's just 72cm wide, so it still fits through a standard doorway, and its all-terrain wheels and suspension make it genuinely capable on grass, gravel and uneven pavements. If you're an especially active family, the Nipper V6 Plus adds larger wheels and a handbrake, and is approved for running.
The Nuna TRVL Dubl is a stylish, doorway-friendly choice too, folding with one hand and taking a Nuna PIPA car seat directly onto the wider seat without an adapter, which makes it a smart option if you're starting out with a newborn and a toddler who'll eventually move into their own seat.
If you'd like something with a slightly plusher feel, the Jovikids Ayla Twin offers individually reclining, well-padded seats and a genuinely compact fold for a twin pushchair, with footmuffs included as standard for cooler months.
Siblings of Different Ages? Why a Tandem Might Suit You Better
If your children are a couple of years apart rather than twins, a tandem pushchair often makes more day-to-day sense, particularly if you're navigating narrow hallways, buses or busy shop aisles.
The iCandy Peach 8 Double is our standout pick here. It's built specifically as a single-to-double pushchair, meaning you can start with just the one seat for your newborn and add the second seat when your older child needs a ride too, all on the same narrow footprint as the single pushchair. It's suitable from birth up to 25kg per seat depending on configuration, so it genuinely grows with your family rather than becoming redundant after a year or two.
The Cybex Gazelle S works the same way. It's a modular single-to-double pushchair that starts life as a single seat and takes a second seat, carry cot or car seat as your family grows, with over twenty configuration options to suit newborns, toddlers or a mix of both. Each seat attaches in an upper or lower position rather than side by side, which keeps the whole pushchair to a tidy 65cm wide, no broader than most single pushchairs, and it folds compactly even with both seats fitted.
The Joie Evalite Duo is worth considering if lightness is your priority. It's one of the lightest double pushchairs available, folds with one hand into a compact, freestanding shape, and the rear seat reclines fully flat for a newborn while the front seat suits a child from around six months. It won't feel quite as substantial as some of the premium options, but for parents managing stairs, buses or a smaller car, that lighter weight makes a real difference.
Doorways, Boots and Everyday Life: Getting the Width Right
Width is the detail that catches parents out most often with double pushchairs, so it's worth a proper check before you buy rather than after. Among our side-by-side options, the Nipper V6 Double and Joie Estrella sit around 72 to 72.5cm wide, the Jovikids Ayla Twin is 76cm, and the Nuna TRVL Dubl is 78cm. Most UK internal doors measure around 76cm, so a few centimetres either way can be the difference between gliding through and having to fold the pushchair to get inside.
Tandem and single-to-double options sidestep this issue entirely, since the seats sit front to back rather than side by side. The iCandy Peach 8 Double, Cybex Gazelle S and Joie Evalite Duo are all no wider than a typical single pushchair, which is worth bearing in mind if you live somewhere with narrow doorways, a compact hallway, or you rely on buses and trains regularly. The trade-off, as with any tandem, is a longer pushchair that takes a little more care to steer round tight corners.
It's also worth measuring your car boot before you buy rather than guessing, particularly with side-by-side models, since folded width doesn't shrink as much as folded length. If you're not sure how a particular pushchair will fit, bring your car along to our shop and we can check the fold against your boot in person.
Making the Right Choice for Your Family
The best double or twin pushchair isn't necessarily the most feature-packed one. It's the one that fits through your door, folds into your boot without a fight, and suits the age gap between your children. Twins or same-age siblings tend to do best with a side-by-side, while a bigger age gap often points towards a tandem. From there, it's about weighing up width, weight and how much flexibility you want as your family's needs change.
If you're still torn between a couple of options, our team is always happy to talk through your specific doorways, car and daily routine in our shop, and to set up different models so you can see how they steer and fold in large indoor and outdoor areas before you decide.
