REASONS TO BUY
Easy car seat attachment
Compact with easy fold
Easy to maneuver
REASONS TO AVOID
Smaller storage
Small front wheel
Britax B-Free Combo Review
Compact Britax that works well with car seats and is easy to push and turn
Credit: Abriah Wofford
RELATED: Best Stroller and Car Seat Combos
The Skinny
The Britax B-Free is a full-size stroller that comes with car seat adapters that work with any Britax infant car seat. This stroller folds small and quickly making it suitable for traveling and transport, but it is heavier than it needs to be, and parents who want something lightweight may want to look elsewhere. The B-Free works well with car seats, and they attach smoothly without a problem. The stroller canopy works well with the carrier in place and offers more protection where you need it. This stroller is a little spendy compared to the similar Britax options, but it is nicer. The B-Free failed to win an award despite its higher score. However, it may fill a niche for some parents, making it one to watch.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Britax B-Free Combo | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | | ||
| Price | $380 List $287.69 at Amazon | $110 List $109.99 at Amazon | $450 List $449.99 at Amazon | $120 List Check Price at Amazon | $320 List |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Easy car seat attachment, compact with easy fold, easy to maneuver | Easy car seat attachment, lightweight, compact fold | Compact and lightweight, easy car seat attachment | Lightest, easy fold | Price, 2 infant car seats, easy seat connection |
| Cons | Smaller storage, small front wheel | Dual action brakes, harder to push and turn | Harder to push on uneven surfaces | Poor car seat attachment, hard to push and turn | Heaver, harder to push and turn |
| Bottom Line | Compact Britax that works well with car seats and is easy to push and turn | Best frame stroller with easy car seat attachment and parent console | High quality, compact option that is lightweight with easy car seat attachment | Poor mover with difficult car seat attachment | Inexpensive, versatile product good for twins or multiples with easy car seat connection |
| Rating Categories | Britax B-Free Combo | Chicco KeyFit Caddy | UPPAbaby Minu Combo | Graco SnugRider Elite | Evenflo Pivot Xpand... |
| Ease Of Attaching Car Seat (30%) | |||||
| Ease Of Use (30%) | |||||
| Weight/Folded Size (25%) | |||||
| Quality (10%) | |||||
| Maneuverability (5%) | |||||
| Specs | Britax B-Free Combo | Chicco KeyFit Caddy | UPPAbaby Minu Combo | Graco SnugRider Elite | Evenflo Pivot Xpand... |
| Weight | 22.6 lbs | 11.7 lbs | 12.6 lbs | 13.3 lbs | 24.3 lbs |
| Folded Dimensions | 24"W x 10.3"H x 27"L | 19.8"W x 11.5"H x 33.5"L | 20.4"W x 13.5"H x 24"L | 19.7"W x 10.3"H x 31.9"L | 26.7"W x 19.23"H x 32.7"L |
| Capacity Limits | Minimum: Birth Maximum: 65 lbs/45" |
Minimum: Birth Maximum: Max allowable weight/height for the car seat. |
20 | Minimum: Birth Maximum: Max allowable weight/height for the car seat. |
Minimum: Infant - Toddler When stroller seat is in infant mode: birth - 6 months Maximum: 55 lbs/38" |
| Included Car Seat Compatibility | Britax All Britax Seats | Chicco KeyFit, KeyFit 30, Fit2 |
None | Graco all SnugRide Classic Connect seats, all SnugRide Click Connect seats, Infant SafeSeat |
Evenflo SafeMax, LiteMax |
| Click-in Car Seat Adapters | Britax All Britax Seats | Chicco KeyFit, KeyFit 30, Fit2 |
UPPAbaby Mesa Maxi-Cosi Mico AP, Mico Max 30, Mico Nxt, CabrioFix, Pebble, and Pebble Plus Cybex Aton, Aton 2, and Aton Q Nuna Pipa |
Graco all SnugRide Classic Connect seats, all SnugRide Click Connect seats, Infant SafeSeat |
Chicco KeyFit, KeyFit 30 Evenflo SafeMax, LiteMax Graco SnugRide Click Connect 30, 35, SnugRide SnugLock 30, 35 Peg Perego Primo Viaggio |
| Strap-in Car Seat Adapters | None | None | None | None | None |
| One-handed Fold | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Locking Fold | Auto | Auto | Auto | Auto | Auto |
| Self-standing Fold | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Handlebar Height - Min/Max | 32"/44.5" | 36"/42" | 41.2 | 37.25"/41" | 33"/44.7" |
| Sandal-friendly Brake | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Storage Basket Size | Medium | Large | Medium | Large | Extra large |
| Included Accessories | None | None | Storage bag | None | None |
| Setup Time | 6:45 | 8:28 | 4:23 | 5:59 | 5:15 |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
Britax launched in America in 1996 after significant European success. Britax has been creating baby gear for over 70 years, including their international best-selling car seats. Britax strives to develop products that allow families to make the most of every opportunity while living life without limitations.
Performance Comparison
The B-Free works with any Britax infant car seat carrier with included adapters that work well for an easy attachment.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Attaching Car Seat
The B-Free is one of the easiest options to use in conjunction with a car seat carrier.
The B-Free works with all Britax infant car seats, coming standard with car seat adapters (above) that clip onto the frame on both sides. The car seat then clips into the two adapters for a secure and snug fit. You don't need to remove the seat or the canopy, and the canopy can pull over the carrier for additional protection or privacy.
The B-Free has a fairly compact fold which helped its weight and folded size score. It can be folded with the adapters in place, but we worry this could cause damage to the adapters if you aren't careful.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Weight and Folded Size
The B-Free is light and compact for a full-size stroller which is important in a gear category where being small and easy to carry is King. The B-Free weighs 22.6 lbs making it fairly heavy for a car seat stroller, but it folds into 6,674.40 cubic inches which makes it the fifth smallest when folded.
The tires on the B-Free are foam filled rubber with ball bearings that help them move smoothly. The single front wheel is desirable over the dual wheel on a single leg we often see.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Maneuverability
Many of the lightweight and compact strollers that make great options for car seats struggled to be easy to push and turn. The B-Free impresses for maneuverability where the only options to score higher have rubber, air-filled tires. The three-wheel stroller has a locking swivel front wheel and a shorter footprint that help it negotiate small spaces and tight turns. The single front wheel is an improvement over dual-wheel strollers helping it move smoothly and easily over uneven surfaces. It isn't an off-road dream, but it can manage a play park or greenbelt easy enough.
This Britax has a padded sling-style seat and an adjustable handlebar covered in soft rubber. The B-Free is comfortable enough for passengers and pushers.
The B-Free isn't super easy to use with a 6 of 10 but the highest scoring stroller in the review only earned a 7.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
This stroller is just a little harder to use than the top-ranked options in this metric, but none of them are very easy to use.
The pull handle on the B-Free is located on the seat bottom where it is easy to access.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Fold and Unfold
This stroller has a one-handed fold that includes an unlock button and pulling a handle to fold. The stroller auto-locks, self-stands, and has a carry strap making it a quick and easy fold on the go.
The B-Free pedal is small and close to the wheel, but it is still easy to use and is friendly for open-toed shoes with a press to set and release mechanism.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Brakes
The B-Free brakes are single action brakes that are very easy to operate and are press to release which makes them pain-free for sandaled feet. The brake pedal is small and close to the wheel, but it is easy to use.
Storage
The storage bin (above left) feels substantial, but the access is limited in the back and the front. The maximum weight it can hold is 10 lbs, but we fit our large diaper bag inside. This stroller also has a zippered pocket on the back of the canopy (above right) for smaller items like keys, cell phones, and wallets.
The canopy on the B-Free can be used with the car seat carrier in place for additional privacy or protection from the elements.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Sunshade
The canopy on the B-Free can work in conjunction with the infant car seat, making it one of the few that does. It is a large sunshade that works well and doesn't hinder installing the car seat.
Ease of Setup
The B-Free has a straightforward setup with a time of 6:45 minutes. The manual is good, but it may be confusing to parents who aren't familiar with stroller assembly, and we think they could have been clearer.
The Britax B-Free is slightly better quality than the Britax B-Agile 3 with a more solid and sturdy feel to the overall stroller and higher-end materials like rubber tires over plastic.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Quality
The B-Free is somewhat nicer than most Britax strollers, but it has a higher price too. This stroller has thicker seat padding, nicer wheels, and a design with a more polished finished look. The wheels are foam filled rubber with ball bearing hubs that move smoothly. The material is durable, and the connections are tight with a more solid feel than other Britax options we've tested.
Manufacturer Video
—
Juliet Spurrier, MD and Wendy Schmitz
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