Graco Metrolite LE Baby Stroller

The Metrolite is a good, sturdy, everyday-use stroller that is much less expensive than comparable styles by Maclaren and Peg-Perego. The Metroliite is not only less expensive than some of the other leading mid-size strollers, but also has more bells and whistles.

Although we also reviwed the Maclaren and Peg-Perego strollers, we like the Graco for the following reasons:
1) The wheels were much larger, and therefore make for a smoother ride for baby.
2) The storage basket is much larger than others that we looked at, and can still be accessed without waking your baby even when the seat is in full recline.
3) Both baby and mommy have drink holders, and baby has a nice tray for snacks
4) The stroller can be used with the Graco infant car seat until your child is old enough to sit in the seat.
5) It comes in hip colors (we chose the "Metropolitan"...shades of silver, pewter, and black)
6) Priced at $180, it is a bargain compared to the Maclaren Techno XT at $300.
7) The shade canopy is actually large enough to keep your baby safe from the sun, and has a little window in the top so that you can keep an eye on your baby while you are pushing the stroller. (I was amazed at how tiny the canopies are on the Maclarens and Peg-Peregos).
8) The pushing handle is a single bar as opposed to two handles, so you really can push it with one hand (while on the cell phone with the other, etc)
9) The seat has three different settings from sitting up to full recline...great from when your baby is napping.

There are, however, a few drawbacks. Although this is listed in the "Light weight" category, I would have a hard time if I had to frequently lug this in and out of the trunk of my car. We keep a lighter travel stroller in our car trunk and really use the Metrolite as our 'everyday" stroller for heading out on foot in the neighborhood. The one hand fold is a bit of a push....I've always had to use two hands to fold, and even then, it is not a keep job. My biggest complaint, however, is removing the seat for washing...granted that this material is fairly easy to wipe down and generally, you do not need to remove the seat for washing...but if a major mess has occurred (and they do occur) that warrants throwing the seat in the wash, be ready for a hassle with the metrolite. Both my husband and I struggled for sometime to figure out how to remove the seat (the directions were incredibly vague) and we ended up have to cut some of the openings with scissors in order to make them large enough for the buckle straps to pass through.

All in all, though, the benefits far out weight the negatives. The Metrolite is great if you are looking for a sturdy, everyday stroller without breaking the bank.