Graco Modes Pramette

The entry-priced Modes stroller: a reversible seat that converts to an infant pramette, a one-hand fold and an extra-large basket. It weighs 20.9 lb and costs $249.99.

Weight: 20.9 lb; maker's figure
Max child weight: 50 lb; in the seat

Best for: Newborn use on a budget without a separate bassinet

~$250list price at the last catalog update

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What it does well

Pramette mode is in the seat, at $249.99
20.9 lb, lighter than the UPPAbaby Kona (22 lb)
Phone holder and two child cup holders
Takes all Graco infant car seats

What it gives up

Graco does not say it stands when folded
25.59 in wide when open
Fits Graco infant seats only

What owners say

The Pramette is bought for price and for the newborn setup: the seat converts to a lie-flat pramette, Graco infant seats click in, and the stroller later becomes a toddler stroller. Owners who like it mention the one-hand close, the size of the basket, and that it works without much fuss while the baby is small.

After a year, owners report wheels that struggle over a sidewalk lip, wobble or look worn, and some find the frame rickety. Opinions on size differ: one owner calls it light and compact for a sedan while another calls it enormous, and one says the fold is easy while another says it often does not lock. One owner's baby disliked pram mode, and one thought the toddler seat felt like an afterthought.

On a tight budget and mostly smooth pavement, its newborn-friendly setup does the job. Parents who want a stroller to last through two children, or who walk rough sidewalks, tend to look at nicer strollers. Owners compare it with the Chicco Bravo, the Evenflo Pivot and the Joie Ginger, and some moved to a smaller travel stroller for everyday use.

What owners like

Owners like having a lie-back pramette mode built into the seat for the newborn weeks, without buying a separate bassinet, and use it for walks
Graco car seats click in easily, and parents with a second base or a later Graco double say the system keeps working together
The basket is roomy enough that one owner calls it huge and another uses it to haul a lot on long walks

Common complaints

Wheels are the most repeated complaint: owners say they struggle on uneven pavement, look beaten up within about a year, and one reports a wobbly wheel
Several parents describe it as flimsy or rickety, with poor steering, a clunky fold that sometimes fails to lock, and bulk that does not suit a small car for some
The harness draws complaints. One owner hates the straps, and another found them too high for a two-week-old in pramette mode
Basket clearance is mixed: with the car seat or pramette on top, one owner says there is little room underneath

Questions owners ask about the Graco Modes Pramette

Can a newborn lie in the Modes Pramette's pram mode without a car seat?

Owners used it that way and liked it for walks, but one parent of a two-week-old found the harness too high for such a small baby, and another owner's baby did not like pram mode.

Do the Modes Pramette's wheels wear out on uneven sidewalks?

Owners are not happy with them. They report trouble when the ground is not level, wheels that look beaten up after a year of use, and a wobbly wheel after about a year.

Can you reach the Modes Pramette basket with the car seat on?

Two owners call it large and use it for loads of gear. A third says it is nearly unusable when the car seat or pramette is on, because there is so little clearance.

Does the Modes Pramette last past the first year?

One owner reports three years of use and a positive overall verdict. Others describe wear showing within a year, and one says it wore quickly after heavy city use.

What you lift

20.9 lb as Graco weighs it.

Source: Graco spec table: "Stroller Weight 20.9 lb"

The first months: Seat is rated from birth. Graco: "Toddler seat converts to an infant pramette"; also takes an infant car seat as a carrier.

Why makers’ weights don’t always compare

Infant car seats

Seat family	How it attaches	Models the maker names
Graco infant seats	Clicks on, no adapter	All Graco infant car seats

Source: Graco: "Stroller accepts all Graco infant car seats ... use from birth as a car seat carrier"

The whole car-seat matrix

Specifications

Approx. price: ~$250
Type: Full-size
Weight: 20.9 lb
Newborn lift weight: 20.9 lb (seat is from birth)
Newborn option: Seat is rated from birth
Unfolded size: 34.65 x 25.59 x 42.52 in
Fold: One-hand fold; Graco: "One-hand stroller fold"
Max child weight: 50 lb; Graco: "holds child up to 50 lb"
Recline: Multi-position recline
Car seats: 1 seat family: 1 click in directly

Graco publishes no handlebar height for this model, so taller parents have nothing to check it against here.

The carry-on check

Graco publishes no folded dimensions for the Graco Modes Pramette on the pages read for this catalog, so there is no carry-on verdict. A size is never estimated from photos or a sibling model.