💸 Budget Doubles
How we rank: Ranked from the prams in our comparison — the products we track in Australia. “Best” means best of these, not every model sold in Australia.
Reviewed by the BabyCosts editorial team
| Feature | UPPAbaby Vista V3 | Cybex Gazelle S |
|---|---|---|
| Best Price | $1439.00 View full comparison → | $990.00 View full comparison → |
| Price (AUD) | $1,439 – $1,599 | $990 – $1,299.99 |
| Warranty | 3 years (frame) / 2 years (fabric) | 2 years |
| Age Range | Birth to ~4 years (single); birth to ~5 years (double config) | Birth to ~4 years (22 kg per seat); double mode for 2 children |
| Weight | 12.4 kg (chassis + main seat) | 12.9 kg (single mode, chassis + seat) |
| Folded Size | 93 × 60 × 42 cm | 95 × 60 × 42 cm |
| Safety Standard | Australian mandatory standard based on AS/NZS 2088:2000; exact model certification evidence not published in the reviewed public source | Australian mandatory standard based on AS/NZS 2088:2000; exact model certification evidence not published in the reviewed public source |
| Fold Type | Self-standing fold with seat attached | Self-standing fold with seat attached |
| Terrain | Urban and light gravel | Urban and light off-road (air-filled tyres option) |
| Included Accessories | Bassinet, rain cover, insect net included | Shopping basket, rain cover included |
New budget side-by-side doubles are the honest answer to “cheap double pram” — and they’re safe, so don’t let anyone scare you. All meet AS 2088:2022. What the ~$400–$900 price buys is a simpler machine: a heavier steel frame (13-18 kg), a two-hand fold that takes practice, small solid or lightly-sprung wheels that are happiest on smooth pavement, and typically a 1-year warranty. They excel at the grandparents’ house, short local walks, and tight budgets where a premium double genuinely isn’t possible. Where they fall down is daily, all-terrain, one-parent use — pushing 25 kg+ of kids and cargo over uneven ground with one hand while folding a stiff frame with the other is a workout. If that’s your reality, save for a premium tandem or buy second-hand premium instead.
We stock two premium tandem doubles — the Cybex Gazelle S (from ~$$990) and UPPAbaby Vista V3 ($$1,439+) — and we recommend them not because they’re the cheapest, but because they’re the cheapest good doubles once you account for what a double pram does: carry two children daily. The Gazelle S is the value entry at ~$$990 + ~$399 second seat (~$1,389 all-in); its integrated shopping basket stays usable in double mode, which is a genuine win with two kids. The Vista V3 costs more (~$1,838 all-in) but includes a bassinet and has the larger basket. Both fold one-handed, fit standard doorways, carry two children from birth, and hold 40-60% of their value used — which a $500 budget double never does. The stretch from $600 to $1,389 is real; the daily difference is bigger.
UPPAbaby
The expandable pram that grows from one child to two.
From $1439.00
View details & buy →
Cybex GmbH
The single-to-double pram with integrated shopping basket.
From $990.00
View details & buy →
The cheapest new premium double-capable pram is the Cybex Gazelle S at ~$990 — plus a second seat (~$399) for true double mode. Budget side-by-side doubles from Joie, Babybee, and Redsbaby start around $400-$900 new. Below that, second-hand premium doubles (Vista, Gazelle, Donkey) sell for $600-$1,200 and are usually the best value — a used Vista with two seats beats any new $500 double.
Budget double prams are almost always side-by-side — brands like Joie and Babybee sell twin side-by-sides from ~$400-$900 because the frame is simpler. Tandem doubles at budget prices are rarer and usually heavier department-store models. Premium tandems (Vista V3 $1,439+, Gazelle S $990+) cost more but convert back to single use, fit through standard doorways, and hold resale value. Your layout choice should come before your budget choice.
Yes — every pram sold in Australia must comply with AS 2088:2022 (or the earlier AS/NZS 2088:2000 basis), including budget side-by-sides from department stores and specialist brands. What cheap doubles sacrifice is not safety but quality: heavier frames, simpler two-hand folds, small plastic wheels (pavement only), 1-year warranties, and low resale value. For occasional use a budget double is fine; for daily use with two children, stretch to a premium tandem or buy second-hand premium.
A second-hand premium double almost always wins under $1,000. A 3-year-old UPPAbaby Vista or Cybex Gazelle with two seats sells for ~$600-$1,200 and beats a new $500 budget double on fold quality, suspension, warranty remaining, and resale. Check the fold mechanism, brakes, fabric for mould/tears, wheels, and harness buckles. Avoid prams over ~6 years old. If you want new with a full warranty and can't stretch past $500, a budget side-by-side is the safe fallback.
How we compare budget doubles
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