Maxi-Cosi Kaia

My husband and I are not the most harmonious “assemblers,” so when the Maxi-Cosi Kaia arrived on our doorstep one afternoon and he was still at work, I jumped at the chance to set it up on my own and wow him with my finished product. To my absolute shock, no more than 10 minutes later, and completely on my own, I had a functioning, good-looking stroller completely ready for a long walk. The well-organized bag included everything I needed, which I found to be only three or four additional parts, the most exciting being the mom cup holder that hooks onto the handle, and a small manual. All the assembly that was required was popping on the wheels (which easily “click” into place to assure you that they are on correctly), and the nice images and easily understandable instructions in the manual made that a breeze. A few minutes of orienting myself with the instructions on the foot brake, the wheel locks, the canopy, I put the manual away for good, feeling completely comfortable with my new stroller.
The Kaia is a great-sized stroller. With four rubber wheels, the stroller seems a smaller one, but it has enough room to fit everything you need in the bottom cargo kit, have your child in safely and snugly, and still feel that it’s sturdy and strong enough to handle lots of wear and tear and adventures. The seat seems very comfortable, the padded straps are adjustable, and the material is easy to clean with a damp, soapy cloth. The seat reclines a bit with a loosening of a strap from behind the seat, and with a small tug, pops right back to sitting upright. The footrest can move to a few different positions to adjust to different sized little legs. The canopy is adjustable and has very full coverage when opened completely, although there is no peek-a-boo window to see your little one. This stroller is perfect for city life or suburban life. It’s is easily maneuverable, turning tightly and quickly. The front wheels swivel quickly and smoothly, but can be locked to remain straight. The parking brake is enacted by a simple engagement of a red latch on the right wheel that takes a light tap and released with a tap of the green button on the left wheel. I would not recommended the Kaia for rough-terrain trails.
The easiest part of this stroller? With a pull of the levers on both handles and a small upward movement with your foot, the stroller collapses on its own, falling into a completely compact and easy-to-maneuver piece of gear—seat, canopy and all. It even stands on its own when folded. The stroller is certainly not the lightest, but at 19 pounds, it’s not bulky either; it’s a sturdy, well-made piece of equipment. It is easy to throw in the back of your car, but does take two hands. Once in your trunk, it will not take up much room.

While this stroller doesn’t have all the attachments and seating options to grow with your growing family like many of the other high-end strollers on the market, it does come included with an infant carseat attachment, but one that only works with Maxi-Cosi’s Mico and Prezi. This allows you to use the stroller from infancy. With the adapter, you can leave the stroller’s seat in tact (which I chose to do), or very easily remove (which I did to see the ease of this—it took about two minutes and was easy to attach right back in). To connect the two adapters, they easily slide into place and click to lock on the side of the handles. With one quick drop, my Maxi-Cosi Prezi carseat slid right into the adapter and clicked again to let me know it was in tight. While it certainly is locked in well (you can even lift up the entire stroller from the carseat handle), the carseat does rock back and forth a tiny bit. The look of the black stroller with the black matching carseat is very nice, even with the stroller’s seat left intact.
If you are looking for a simple yet competent stroller for one child that accomplishes most of what you need in the suburbs or the city, this is the stroller for you. Unlike many other more expensive stroller options available, there isn’t the long list of fun and exciting accessories, such as rain canopies, second seats, snack trays, or parent consoles. The stroller comes in black and red. For the price and the ability to use this stroller from birth to 50 pounds with peace of mind that you have a great piece of equipment, Maxi-Cosi does a very good job with their new stroller.
Price: $199
To buy: wayfair.com