Buying for two children at once narrows your options fast, and the mistakes are more expensive to walk back than with a single pushchair. The layout you pick first — side-by-side or tandem — shapes almost every other decision that follows.
Here's how to choose properly.
Step 1. Decide Between Side-by-Side and Tandem
Side-by-side — like the Out n About Nipper Double V6 — puts both children next to each other, level, facing forward. Both get an equal view and equal access to you, and it's usually the easier fold of the two layouts. The trade-off is width — these pushchairs are noticeably wider than a single, which matters the moment you meet a narrow shop doorway, a bus aisle, or a lift.
Tandem (in-line) — like the Graco Blaaze Duo — stacks one seat behind the other, keeping the overall width close to a single pushchair — genuinely useful if you're dealing with narrow UK doorways or tight pavements regularly. The trade-off is length: tandems are longer, can be harder to manoeuvre round tight corners, and the rear child often has a more restricted view than the front one.
The practical question: do you more often struggle with narrow gaps (doorways, aisles) or with turning in tight spaces (busy pavements, shops)? Side-by-side favours the second; tandem favours the first.
Step 2. Measure the Width Against Your Actual Doorways
This is the step that causes the most regret when skipped.
Side-by-side doubles commonly run wider than a standard UK internal doorway once you account for wheels and hand rims — some are built specifically to fit through a standard door (check the exact width in centimetres, not just "narrow" as a marketing claim), others aren't and assume side or garden access.
Measure your front door, any internal doors it needs to clear, and your car boot opening before you buy — not the folded pushchair, the assembled one, since that's what has to get through the house daily.
Step 3. Check the Weight Limit on Each Seat, Not Just the Total
A double pushchair's weight limit applies per seat, not combined — check both individually, especially if you're buying for two children of different ages rather than twins.
Limits around 20–22kg per seat are common and generally cover a child to around 4 years old. If you're buying for a newborn and an older toddler rather than twins, also check whether one side accepts a carrycot or car seat while the other takes a standard seat unit — not every double supports a mixed setup, and this matters more than the headline "double pushchair" label suggests.
Step 4. Expect a Genuinely Heavier, Bulkier Fold
Two seats means more frame, more fabric, and a fold that's rarely as quick or compact as a single pushchair's. This isn't a flaw to work around — it's a real, permanent trade-off of buying for two.
Check the actual pushchair weight, not just the folded dimensions — a double that's light to fold but heavy to lift into a car boot or up a step still costs you effort daily. If stairs or regular lifting into a boot are part of your routine, weight matters as much as the fold mechanism itself.
Step 5. Confirm Visibility and Interaction Between Children
Side-by-side seats let both children see each other and you equally — genuinely useful for twins who settle better within sight of one another. Tandem seating means the rear child usually sees less, and interaction between the two is more limited unless the pushchair specifically supports a face-to-face or double-facing configuration.
If keeping both children able to see each other matters to you, this is worth testing in person rather than assuming from photos — seat height and canopy design affect the sightline more than the layout alone.
Quick Picks by Budget
Budget: Graco Blaaze Duo Tandem — £99.95, front apron included.
Mid-range: Puggle City Traveller Twin — £189.95, side-by-side with a compact fold.
Premium: Out n About Nipper Double V6 — £725, fits standard doorways, newborn to 4 years.
FAQ
Is tandem or side-by-side easier to push?
Neither is definitively easier — side-by-side steers more predictably in a straight line but is harder to turn in tight spaces; tandem turns more easily but the extra length takes getting used to on kerbs and corners.
Will a double pushchair fit in a normal car boot?
It depends entirely on the model and your boot size — folded dimensions vary significantly between side-by-side and tandem layouts. Check the folded length, width and height against your specific boot before buying, not just the general category.
Can I use a double pushchair for a newborn and an older toddler, not twins?
Yes, but check that the specific model supports a mixed setup — one seat accepting a carrycot or infant car seat while the other takes a toddler seat unit. Not all doubles are built for this, even when marketed generally as "double pushchairs."