REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight
Nice materials
Large canopy
REASONS TO AVOID
Limited storage
Smaller wheels
Not good for moving off-road
Britax B-Free Review
This compact travel-friendly stroller is easy to maneuver on flat surfaces, but the small bin limits what you can carry
Credit: Matt Lighthart
RELATED: The Best Full-Size Strollers
The Skinny
The Britax B-Free is a favorite full-size stroller in our new stroller lineup. This budget-friendly option is a fantastic travel companion or option for busy city life. It is lightweight, easy to carry, and has a quick fold system that can be done on the fly. It folds pretty flat and can fit in small cars, taxis, and on public transportation. It is hard to imagine a full-size option better suited to navigating a busy life with many reasons to fold and stow. While the wallet-friendly price of the B-Free makes it a shoo-in for many a shortlist, it isn't the best at other things and did not perform that well in our ease-of-use testing or passenger comfort. This aside, it is still nap-able and easy enough to use; we don't think anyone will miss what it lacks if you have no other stroller experience. This makes it our favorite for those who need a small and nimble stroller who favor travel over outdoor adventures off the beaten path.
Editor's Note: We updated our full-size stroller review in March 2024, by testing a full set of new strollers side-by-side.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Britax B-Free | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | | | |
| Price | $420 List $269.99 at Amazon | $650 List $598.73 at Amazon | $350 List $349.99 at Amazon | $173 List $169.05 at Amazon | $150 List |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Smaller wheels and limited storage make it suitable for fewer types of trips and outings, but it could be good for travel | While it performs well on flat surfaces, this high-quality option struggles off-road if those are your goals | A budget-friendly expandable stroller with good storage but limited other features and a heavier weight | Budget-friendly jogger with off-road capabilities, but the quality is on par with the price | The lower price makes the flaws of this jogger easier to accept |
| Rating Categories | Britax B-Free | Cybex Balios S Lux | Evenflo Pivot Xpand | Baby Trend Expediti... | Baby Trend Expedition |
| Ease of Use (40%) | |||||
| Maneuverability (25%) | |||||
| Transport/Storing (15%) | |||||
| Quality (10%) | |||||
| Kid's Comfort (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Britax B-Free | Cybex Balios S Lux | Evenflo Pivot Xpand | Baby Trend Expediti... | Baby Trend Expedition |
| Weight | 22.5 | 25.3 | 30.0 | 28.1 | 24.0 |
| BGL Folded Dims. | 24"W x 10.3"H x 27"L | 24"W x 16"H x 31"L | 26.7"W x 19.23"H x 32.7"L | 24.5"W x 16"H x 36.5"L | 23.1"W x 33.1"H x 16.3"L |
| Capacity Limits | Minimum: Birth Maximum: 55 lbs |
Minimum: Birth Maximum: 55 lbs |
Minimum: Birth Maximum: 55 lbs/43" |
Minimum: 6 months Maximum: 50 lbs/42 in |
Minimum: 6 months Maximum: 50 lbs/42 in |
| Mfr. Max Allowable Total Storage Weight | 11 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 15 |
| Car Seat Compatibility | Britax (All) Maxi-Cosi Prezi, AP, Mico 30 Max 30 Nuna Pipa, Pipa Lite Cybex Aton, Aton 2, Aton Q, Cloud Q |
Cybex (All) Maxi Cosi Mico 30, Maxi Cosi Mico Max, Maxi Cosi Coral XP Nuna Pipa lite |
Chicco KeyFit/KeyFit 30 Evenflo SafeMax, LiteMax Graco all with SnugRide, SnugLock 30/35 Peg-Perego Primo Viaggio 4/35 |
Baby Trend (All) | Baby Trend (All) |
| Min./Max. Handle Height | 32"/44.5" | 39.5"/43" | 33"/44.7" | 41.5" | 41" |
| Wheel Type | Foam Filled Rubber | Foam Filled Plastic | Foam Filled Plastic | Pneumatic | Pneumatic |
| Brake type | Single | Single | Single | Double | Double |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
In 1996, Britax came to America after much success in Europe. They have been making products for children for the last 70 years and are an international best-selling car seat brand. Britax believes families should live without limits, making the most of every day. The company works closely with manufacturers, government, and safety experts to create safe products for children.
Performance Comparison
The B-Free is a great little stroller that is highly useful for those who value a compact and lightweight stroller.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Ease of Use
The B-Free earned a below-average score for ease of use. It isn't so much difficult to use as it isn't as easy as some competitors.
The B-Free folds easily with the push of a button and pull of a handle. It can self-stand if you rotate the handlebar (not shown here).
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Fold and Unfold
The folding process is straightforward, with a one-hand and quick fold handle. It does not genuinely self-stand, but you can get it somewhat upright with a handlebar adjustment. It has a frame release button and a pull handle on the seat bottom.
The B-Free storage bin has access in the front and back of the stroller.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Storage
The B-Free has lots of storage pockets hidden all over the strollers.
The B-Free has a flap on the back of the canopy with multiple pockets, including a zippered one to help keep things from falling out.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
It has a zippered pocket under the leg rest, one on the back of the bin, and three pockets on the canopy back, with two open and one zipper. The passenger also gets two interior pockets for sippy cups and snacks.
We were able to get our large diaper bag into the basket, but it is a tight fit, and the weight limit is 10 lbs.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The storage bin is medium in size and has good access from the back with some access from the front under the legrest. It has a maximum allowance of 10 lbs. All the pockets combined give you one more pound of storage.
The B-Free harness is a basic option with rethread height adjustment and padded shoulder and crotch straps.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Harness
The B-Free harness is a rethread operation for shoulder strap height and requires pushing a plastic part through the holes.
The B-Free has a large central buckle with padding on the back to prevent pinching or getting clothes caught when using.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The slots are tight, and we found it easier to accomplish this by using pliers. The strap webbing is average to adjust and slide easily, though the padding could get in the way. The buckle is easy to use and, while stiff, is not challenging.
The brakes on the B-Free are easy to set and release with a pedal that is large enough to avoid frustration. It does not require much pressure.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Brakes
The B-Free has single-action brakes that press to engage and lift to release. Even though you use the top of your foot to lift the pedal, it is so light and easy that we'd call it sandal-foot-friendly.
Car Seat Compatibility
The B-Free can be paired with some infant car seats from Britax and BOB. It comes with the required adapters.
The B-Free comes largely assembled, with only a handful of components to attach without tools.
Credit: Graham Faulknor
Ease of Setup
The B-Free is not hard to assemble and takes 5-10 minutes, depending on your comfort level. The manual is okay, but the illustrations are not as straightforward or useful as possible. If it is your first stroller setup, we think they might be confusing.
The B-Free is easier to maneuver than its predecessor, the B-Agile, thanks to the single front wheel that is made of rubber, not plastic.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Maneuverability
The B-Free performs surprisingly well for a stroller of its type.
Previous Britax strollers of this ilk had double wheels in the front, where there is now only one. The single wheel makes all the difference in pushing and turning, and we are glad they made the switch.
The B-Free is a compact ride that turns and rolls easily. It is nimble and makes tight turns with ease, even through doorways. Unlike the jogging 3-wheelers, it does not feel long when pushing. Off flat surfaces, it isn't as stellar, but it managed grass okay, though it takes more effort to keep it going. This would not be our top pick for frequent adventures off the sidewalk and other flat surfaces, but the occasional greenbelt or play park is manageable. It also navigates curbs and other threshold without difficulty.
The B-Free is a quick and easy fold that creates a package small enough to swiftly stow in most cars.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Transporting and Storing
The B-Free is the standout in the group for transportation and storing. It earned one of the highest scores in the group here.
This stroller weighs 22.5 lbs in our tests, one of the lighter options in the full-size group.
The B-Free fit easily into our test car with room to spare. It can be made smaller by rotating the handle and removing the wheels.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
If the weight is not enough to sway you on its transportability, it folds to 6,674 cubic inches, one of the smallest in the group.
These two factors make it easy to lift, carry, and finagle into a car or manage on public transportation.
The B-Free wheels have dense plastic spokes to support rubber (flat-free) tires.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Quality
The B-Free earned above-average results for quality and is better than the budget-friendly price would indicate.
The B-Free has heavy canvas and canopy on the seat sides. The main seat looks similar but feels softer. It all appears to be durable and easy to clean. The wheels are foam-filled rubber, an upgrade over similar options with plastic wheels.
The frame is sturdy without much flex, and the overall fit and finish are good. This stroller misses being great thanks to visible fabric attachment points with snaps and Velcro that prevent it from looking as sleek as possible.
Kid's Comfort
The B-Free has one of the lowest scores for kid comfort tests.
The seat is a sling-style option with some padding. The back has infinite recline options and is deep enough for napping.
The toggle mechanism for raising and lowering is not smooth and is a dated style that requires two hands to raise. The seat has a padded legrest that flows into a narrow plastic footrest. Both look easy to clean.
The B-Free mesh window has a tuck-in cover flap.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The canopy on the B-Free is large and offers good coverage for almost every time of day. It is a heavier canvas material with a zip-open mesh extension in the middle.
The canopy on the B-Free is one of the biggest and covers over the knees.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
It is nice to extend the canopy, but the mesh fabric exposes little faces to the sun and potential wind or rain and falls short of being a win for us. The shade has a mesh peek-a-boo window for checking on little ones.
We think the B-Free has a lot to offer in a compact package that is good for busy city life or travel.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Should You Buy the Britax B-Free?
The B-Free is lightweight, compact when folded, and nimble in a tight spot. This makes it a great full-size and travel cross-over stroller, and we think it can potentially save you money by pulling double duty. The B-Free can do it all if you don't want to run or spend significant time off the beaten path. We love this straightforward stroller and recommend it for those looking for a smaller option or who need something lightweight and compact for travel or crowded city sidewalks.
What Other Full-Size Strollers Should You Consider?
The B-Free is not a good option if you plan to run or regularly go off-road. The Thule Urban Glide 2 is our favorite for these instances. This jogging stroller has good covered storage, a comfortable seating area, a giant canopy, and a design that moves over almost anything. If the Urban Glide is out of budget, we think many families can get by and enjoy the Baby Trend Expedition Race Tec as well. This jogger is inexpensive, and while lower quality with less impressive features, it could meet all your needs and save you some cash if you stroll infrequently.
Manufacturer Video
—
Juliet Spurrier, MD and Wendy Schmitz
You Might Also Like
