Britax B-Free Combo Review

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 B-Agile, but it is nicer. The B-Free failed to win an award even though only three competitors earned higher scores. However, it may fill a niche for some parents making it one to watch in this review.

Our Analysis and Test Results

The B-Free works with any Britax infant car seat carrier with included adapters that work well for an easy attachment.

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 create products that allow families to make the most of every opportunity while living life without limitations. They create products with concerns for safety emphasizing side-impact protection, car seat installation, and strollers.

Performance Comparison

The Britax B-Free (in blue) works well with car seats making it a higher ranking option in this review.

Overall Score (0-100)020406080100Doona ComboChicco ShuttleKeyFit CaddyBugaboo Bee3 ComboB-Free ComboCruz ComboVista ComboB-Agile 3 ComboCameleon3 ComboUrban Glide 2 ComboCity Mini GT ComboSnugRider EliteCity Mini ComboSwift ComboJetsetter ComboLiteway Plus ComboSnap-N-Go EX UniversalBravo LE ComboBooklet ComboSpeed ComboRevolution Flex Combo868076737372726968676666636159575654494842

Product	Overall Score (0-100)
Doona Combo	86
Chicco Shuttle	80
KeyFit Caddy	76
Bugaboo Bee3 Combo	73
B-Free Combo	73
Cruz Combo	72
Vista Combo	72
B-Agile 3 Combo	69
Cameleon3 Combo	68
Urban Glide 2 Combo	67
City Mini GT Combo	66
SnugRider Elite	66
City Mini Combo	63
Swift Combo	61
Jetsetter Combo	59
Liteway Plus Combo	57
Snap-N-Go EX Universal	56
Bravo LE Combo	54
Booklet Combo	49
Speed Combo	48
Revolution Flex Combo	42

All the details you need to know about the B-Free and its performance during testing are included below.

The B-Free comes with easy to use car seat adapters that are easy to clip on and use.

Ease of Attaching Car Seat

The B-Free is one of the easiest options to use in conjunction with a car seat carrier earning a score of 8 of 10.

The car seat adapters that work with the B-Free click onto the frame with a snap on security strap. These straps are not the kind we dislike that secure the carrier to the stroller but are simple set and forget safety straps to secure the adapter to the frame.

The B-Free works with all Britax infant car seats. It comes 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 be used 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.

Weight and Folded Size

The B-Free is light and compact for a full-size stroller earning a 7 of 10 for weight and folded size 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. By comparison, the UPPAbaby Cruzonly weighs 15.3 lbs and is 7,859.91 cubic inches 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.

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 earns a 7 of 10 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 short 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.

Ease of Use

In a metric where the high is only 7 of 10, the B-Free earned a 6.

The pull handle on the B-Free is located on the seat bottom where it is easy to access.

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.

Brakes

The B-Free brakes are simple 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 large, but the access is small in the back and the front. The maximum weight it can hold is 10 bs, but we were able to 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.

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 and a score of 8 of 10. 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.

Quality

The B-Free is somewhat nicer than most Britax strollers but it has a higher price too. This stroller earned a 7 of 10 for quality thanks to 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.