Parents ask this question - usually late at night, one tab open on a £1,145 Bugaboo, another on a Facebook Marketplace listing for the same model at £500. They want permission to buy secondhand. They need to know it's okay.
Here's the thing: it is. But not unconditionally.
Prams are one of the safest categories of baby gear to buy preloved. And there's a specific reason why. Unlike car seats, which can sustain invisible structural damage in a minor collision and still look perfectly fine, a pram that's been dropped, overloaded, or pushed to its limits tends to show it. Worn tyres look worn. A bent frame looks bent. A dodgy brake feels dodgy. The damage is legible, if you know how to read it.
A well-made pram (aluminium frame, reinforced fabric, decent wheels) can last five to seven years. The average parent uses one intensively for about two. That gap is why the secondhand market is full of perfectly usable prams that have barely been broken in. We've received prams at Rekiddle that had been used for less than a week.
But "barely used" isn't the same as "safe to use." Before you hand over any money, there are eight things you need to check.
1. The brakes
Apply the parking brake, then push the pram forward. Now push it backwards. It should hold firm in both directions without budging. Don't just test it on a flat surface. Find a slight incline. That's where a failing brake reveals itself.
Then look at the tyres. Heavily worn tread affects how well the brakes engage. A pram with near-bald wheels has questionable stopping power regardless of how solid the brake mechanism feels.
2. The folding mechanism
A folding chassis must have two locking devices (a primary and a secondary). Both need to click into place cleanly and hold without any wobble or play. A chassis that doesn't lock properly is not a minor inconvenience. It's a pram that can unexpectedly collapse with a child inside.
Test the unfold too. It should open smoothly and lock firmly without you having to force anything. If you're wrestling with it in a shop or driveway, you'll be wrestling with it on every pavement for the next three years.
3. The wheels
Spin each wheel individually. Free rotation, no grinding, no wobbling. On swivel wheels - the kind common on city pushchairs - check that they swivel smoothly and lock straight when needed. With the rear wheels fixed, press down on the frame while pushing to feel for any flex or looseness in the axle.
Then actually push it. Over a pavement crack. Down a kerb. Up a slight incline. Does it track straight? Does it pull to one side? Does anything rattle? The wheel behaviour on uneven ground tells you things a static inspection can't.
4. The harness
You're looking for a five-point harness: two shoulder straps, two waist straps, one crotch strap. (Older models sometimes have three-point harnesses, which are less secure and worth factoring into your decision.) Check every single strap for fraying, cuts, or the kind of brittleness that comes from sun exposure. Then click the buckle in and release it. Firmly in. Cleanly out. Every time.
A harness that's stiff, sticky, or hesitant to release is a problem - not in normal use, but in the moments when you need it to get your child in and out quickly.
5. The frame and structure
This is the inspection most people rush. Don't. Run your hands along the entire frame - every joint, every hinge, every connection point. You're looking for cracks, rust, dents, or bends, particularly at the points where components meet each other. Hairline cracks in plastic tend to worsen under load. Rust on metal isn't cosmetic; it signals moisture damage and structural weakening over time.
While you're at it, check for sharp edges or exposed metal anywhere small fingers might reach.
6. The safety label
Under UK law, all prams sold (new or secondhand)must be safe for use. The benchmark is BS EN 1888, the UK safety standard for wheeled child conveyances, and there should be a label on the frame or seat pad confirming compliance. No label, or a label too worn to read? That's a reason to pause.
7. Recall notices
Before you commit, search the brand and model name online alongside the word "recall." Takes two minutes. Could save you considerably more.
This isn't a theoretical precaution. In late 2024, Stokke recalled certain batches of the YoYo3 due to a parking brake fault that could release unexpectedly while in use. Even premium brands get this wrong. The UK's Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) publishes all live safety alerts.
If a recall was issued for a minor fix (a replacement part, a simple repair) and has been resolved, that's usually fine. If it were a structural or safety-critical issue and hasn't been remedied, walk away.
8. Cleanliness and fabric condition
Surface dirt wipes off. What doesn't wipe off is mould - and you'll know it when you smell it. Check the seat fabric, the liner, and the canopy closely. Persistent damp smell, visible mould spots, or deeply ingrained staining in the fabric are signs of a pram that's been stored badly or used hard in wet conditions. Some of that is recoverable; some isn't. Know the difference before you decide.
What you don't need to worry about
A chassis scuff. Faded fabric. A battered rain cover. These are cosmetic, and cosmetic doesn't matter. What matters is that the safety-critical components — brakes, harness, frame, fold mechanism — work exactly as they should.
A preloved pram that passes every check above is just as safe as a new one. And given that a well-made pram can cost upwards of £800 new, buying secondhand isn't a compromise. It's just smart.
One more thing: car seats are different
Everything above applies to prams and pushchairs. It does not apply to car seats.
Car seats should be bought new, or secondhand only if you can confirm the exact history of the item and be certain it has never been in an accident, including minor ones. Even a low-speed collision can compromise a car seat's structural integrity in ways that are completely invisible from the outside. It is the one piece of baby gear where the secondhand calculus genuinely doesn't work unless you have cast-iron certainty about its past.
How Rekiddle approaches this
Every pram we sell is assessed by our team before it gets listed. We work through the checks above on every single item. If something doesn't pass, it doesn't go in the shop. No exceptions.
That's why we started Rekiddle. You get the savings of buying secondhand without the guesswork of buying from a stranger on Facebook Marketplace.
Selling a pram you no longer need? We'd love to take a look (get started here)
Browsing for one? See what's available here.