Ten to fifteen minutes in the shop, working through each point below with the actual pushchair, catches problems a quick glance never would — a fold that needs two hands, a handlebar that stops short of a comfortable height, a basket that's awkward once it's loaded.
Don't watch a staff member fold it — do it yourself, with one hand, the way you'll actually need to while holding a baby or a bag with the other. A fold that takes two hands and your full attention in the shop will be worse in a car park in the rain.
Walk it one-handed down an aisle, including turning a corner. You'll do this constantly in real use — reaching for a door, holding a toddler's hand, carrying shopping — and a pushchair that pulls to one side or needs both hands to steer straight is a daily frustration, not a minor quirk.
Find the tightest corner or doorway in the shop and turn the pushchair through it. This tells you more about how it'll handle a crowded shop aisle, a narrow hallway or a packed café than any spec sheet number does.
If you need it to work from birth, recline the seat to its flattest position and check it's genuinely flat, not just "mostly reclined." Some pushchairs marketed as newborn-ready only get close to flat, which matters for young babies who need to lie fully flat.
Set the handlebar to your own height, and your partner's if they'll also be pushing it regularly. A handlebar that doesn't adjust far enough means pushing hunched over for years — test this with both of you in the shop, not just whoever happens to be there.
If you're buying as part of a travel system, click the car seat onto the frame and take it off again yourself, more than once. This should be a quick, obvious motion — if it's fiddly in a calm shop with no distractions, it'll be worse outside a car with a crying baby.
Put a bag with some real weight in the under-seat basket and check how easy it still is to fold, push and turn. Baskets that look generous empty can become hard to access once there's a changing bag and shopping in them.
Fold it and let go — see if it stands on its own or falls over. A pushchair that needs to lean against something every time is a small but constant annoyance in a hallway, on public transport or anywhere you don't have a wall to hand.
FAQ
How long should I spend testing a pushchair in the shop?
Ten to fifteen minutes doing all of the above is enough to catch the issues that matter — rushing this is the most common reason people end up unhappy with a pushchair after a few weeks of real use.
Should I bring my own bag or car seat to test with?
If you can, yes — testing the basket with your actual changing bag and, if relevant, your actual car seat gives a far more accurate picture than using whatever's in the shop.
What if the shop won't let me test the fold myself?
Ask directly — a shop confident in the product should have no issue with this. If they're reluctant, treat that itself as useful information before buying.
Does it matter if I'm buying online instead of in a shop?
It matters more, not less — check the retailer's return window and make sure it's long enough to fold, push and test the pushchair at home before the return period closes.