The Best Luxury Stroller for a Newborn? It's the Little Things That Won Us Over

We are very happy with our stroller.

And apparently, we're not the only ones who like it, because we get compliments on it all the time.

I understand why.

Our Austlen Entourage looks beautiful, feels substantial and has all those little details you expect when you're shopping for the best luxury stroller.

But the feature I appreciate most right now isn't something flashy.

It's where our baby sleeps.

A Bassinet Without Another Piece in My Garage

One of my favorite things about the Entourage is its built-in bassinet.

When our baby needs to lie flat, the Primary Seat reclines and converts into an enclosed bassinet mode.

There's no separate bassinet sitting in our garage waiting for us to use it.

There's no extra piece to remember to put in the car.

And when our baby outgrows the bassinet stage, I don't have a bulky stroller attachment that suddenly needs somewhere to live.

The same Primary Seat simply keeps going.

That's one of those features that sounded convenient when we were choosing a stroller and became even better once we actually had a baby.

For us, the best infant stroller isn't the one that gives us the most baby gear.

It's the one that gives us what we need while requiring less baby gear.

Our Newborn Stroller Isn't Just a Newborn Stroller

This is probably my favorite thing about the design.

The Primary Seat isn't a bassinet that becomes obsolete after a few months.

It's a full stroller seat rated from birth all the way to 65 pounds.

Right now, I love putting our baby into bassinet mode and giving them room to stretch out and nap.

As our baby grows, that same seat converts back into a traditional stroller seat with multiple recline positions.

And if we want to move baby directly from the car instead, the Entourage is compatible with all major infant car seat brands using the appropriate adapter.

So I'm not buying one stroller solution for the newborn stage and another for everything that comes afterward.

It really does feel all in one.

And Then There's All That Storage

Babies may be tiny.

Their stuff is not.

Even a relatively simple outing seems to require a diaper bag, bottles, blankets, extra clothes and a collection of things I was completely unaware existed before having a baby.

That's another reason the Entourage has become our best stroller for storage.

The lower storage basket alone is rated for up to 70 pounds.

Then there's the included Market Tote, which adds another 30 pounds of cargo capacity.

Altogether, the Entourage 2.0 is rated for up to 200 pounds of kids + cargo.

This isn't just a little basket where I can squeeze in a diaper bag.

There's enough capacity that the stroller can genuinely help carry what we bring with us.

And because the frame expands, we can create even more usable space when an outing requires it, then retract the stroller again when we don't need that extra room.

What Makes a Luxury Stroller Feel Luxurious?

Before having a baby, I probably would have answered that question differently.

Beautiful fabrics?

A nice frame?

Something that looks expensive?

Those things are definitely part of what makes a stroller luxurious. And yes, the Entourage gets plenty of attention when we're out with it.

But now I think real luxury is also about thoughtful design.

It's the magnetic buckle that makes fastening a baby easier.

It's the thread-free harness adjustment.

It's the five-position recline.

It's the large canopy and ventilation.

It's the smooth push from four-wheel independent suspension, sealed ball bearings and substantial wheels.

It's having a bassinet when I need one without storing a bassinet when I don't.

And it's having enough storage that I don't have to carry everything myself.

Those are the bells and whistles I actually care about.

How Popular Premium Strollers Compare for a Newborn

When I compare premium strollers now, I'm especially interested in four things: How does my newborn ride? Do I need a separate bassinet? How long will the stroller remain useful? And how practical is it when we travel?

Here's how three popular single-to-double stroller systems compare:

Feature	Austlen Entourage 2.0	UPPAbaby Vista V3	Nuna DEMI next
Newborn use	Primary Seat usable from birth in built-in bassinet mode; compatible with major infant car seat brands with adapter	From birth with separate Bassinet or Infant SnugSeat (no lie-flat); compatible infant car seats	From birth with separate Bassinet; compatible with bassinet and infant car seat configurations
Bassinet	Built into Primary Seat — no separate bassinet to purchase or store	Separate Bassinet accessory	Separate DEMI next Bassinet accessory
Main seat longevity	Birth to 65 lbs	3 months to 50 lbs without newborn accessory	Birth (with separate Bassinet) to 50 lbs
Future sibling options	Second Seat + Sit AND Stand option	RumbleSeat + standing PiggyBack	Sibling Seat + standing Rider Board
Bigger-child option	Jump Seat for sitting + integrated Platform Rider for standing, up to 75 lbs	PiggyBack standing board, up to 55 lbs	Rider Board for standing, up to 50 lbs
Published storage capacity	70-lb lower basket + 30-lb included Market Tote	30-lb basket	22-lb basket
Travel advantage	Huge cargo capacity to accommodate luggage; expands/retracts; folds with Second Seat or Sit + Stand attached; optional Travel Bag	One-step fold; 30-lb basket; optional travel bag	One-hand fold; 22-lb basket; optional travel bag

UPPAbaby's current specifications say its standard Vista V3 Toddler Seat is suitable from 3 months to 50 lbs without accessories; newborn use requires its Infant SnugSeat, Bassinet or compatible infant car seat. Its basket is rated to 30 lbs. Nuna rates the DEMI next from birth to 50 lbs, offers compatible bassinet and car-seat configurations, and publishes a 22-lb basket capacity.

For me, though, the built-in bassinet is the feature that changes this comparison.

I get the newborn functionality I want without adding another large piece of baby equipment to our house.

And the seat I'm using for my newborn today can continue being useful long after the bassinet stage ends.

The Stroller Can Change When Our Family Does

That's another reason I think of this as a long-term purchase rather than simply our infant stroller.

If we add another child, we don't have to start over.

The Entourage's patented frame can expand to accommodate a second rider. We can add the Second Seat for two traditional stroller seats, including for twins or children close in age.

Later, if we have one younger rider and one bigger child who doesn't need a full stroller seat all the time, we can switch the rear position to the Sit + Stand.

That gives the older child both a Jump Seat for sitting and an integrated Platform Rider for standing, with a 75-pound capacity.

And when we don't need the additional seating or cargo room, the frame retracts again.

I love that the stroller doesn't dictate one configuration for the next several years.

We can change it.

The Best Stroller for Storage Is Especially Nice When We Travel

I used to think of a travel stroller as something that should simply be as tiny and light as possible.

Now I think there's another kind of travel convenience:

Not having to carry everything else.

The Entourage's 70-pound lower basket and included 30-pound Market Tote give us up to 100 pounds of dedicated cargo capacity.

That can be incredibly useful for family travel, when the stroller isn't just transporting a baby. It's helping us move the things that come with the baby, too.

The stroller also folds with the Primary Seat and optional Second Seat attached. If we eventually use the Sit + Stand, that can remain attached for folding as well.

Fewer loose pieces to load and keep track of?

That's another kind of luxury.

Why the Entourage Is Our Best Infant, Storage and Luxury Stroller

Here's what makes the Entourage our best infant stroller, best stroller for storage and best luxury stroller:

• Built-in bassinet mode, so our newborn can lie flat without requiring us to purchase and store a separate bassinet
• Primary Seat rated from birth to 65 lbs, turning today's newborn setup into a seat we can use for years
• Infant car seat compatibility, with adapters available for all major infant car seat brands
• 70-lb lower storage basket + 30-lb included Market Tote, giving us up to 100 pounds of dedicated cargo capacity
• 200-lb total kids + cargo capacity, providing substantial room as our family's needs change
• Patented expandable and retractable frame, giving us extra room when we need it without permanently committing to the largest stroller footprint
• Single, double and Sit + Stand possibilities, so the stroller can adapt to very different stages
• Premium everyday details, including a magnetic buckle, thread-free harness adjustment, five-position recline and four-wheel independent suspension
• A smooth, refined ride, thanks to robust suspension and sealed ball bearings in every wheel and swivel
• Fewer separate pieces to manage, including a bassinet that's already part of the Primary Seat and optional Second Seat or Sit + Stand configurations that can stay attached when folding

All the Bells and Whistles — But the Right Ones

I think that's ultimately why we're so happy with this stroller.

Yes, it's beautiful.

Yes, people compliment it.

Yes, it has the premium details that make it feel special.

But the more we use it, the more I realize that the things I love most are the features that make our lives simpler.

I don't have to find somewhere in the garage for a separate bassinet.

I don't have to replace our newborn setup with an entirely different stroller seat in a few months.

I don't have to squeeze everything we're carrying into a tiny basket.

And if our family changes, I don't have to start over with a completely different stroller.

Someone clearly thought about how all these stages fit together.

And to me, that's what makes a stroller feel truly luxurious.

Image provided by customer is for illustrative purposes. To read their review and other customer reviews, click here.