Top Rated Infant Car Seats
A high-quality infant car seat is a safety necessity, and not all seats are created equal. The most effective ones have features that increase the performance of crash tests, such as load legs--shock absorbing parts in the base or car seat that reduce movement in a collision.
Chicco KeyFit is a favorite of CPST instructors. It comes with an rear-facing weight, a the height limit is high as well as a bubble-level indicator and a spring loaded reclined foot that makes it easy to install.
Graco Mesa Max
The Graco Mesa Max is one of the top-rated infant car seats in terms of user-friendliness. It features an easy-to-use design and top fabrics. It also comes with a handy feature that lets you attach the harness of your child directly to the headrest. It also has an enormous canopy that allows you to keep your baby sheltered while traveling. It's a bit heavier than the average stroller, which could be a problem if you want to transport it around or use it in conjunction with your UPPAbaby that has won awards.
Mesa Max's impressive performance in crash tests demonstrate its dedication to safety. It scored a high mark in the frontal test and a high score in the side impact test, which means that your baby is safe from both sides in an accident.
The anti-rebound panel is a notable safety feature. It helps to reduce the force of a crash's rebound, and safeguards the child's head. This feature is unique among infant car seats and makes the Mesa Max standout among its rivals.
When used with the included base When used in conjunction with the base Graco Mesa Max can be installed quickly and safely in your vehicle using LATCH. The load leg, recline angle adjustment and the indicator for tightness ensure a fast, accurate installation. The base weighs 12.6 pounds which is slightly heavier than an average infant car seat but not enough to cause an issue.
The UPPAbaby Mesa V2 uses the same dual-knit fabric as its predecessor. It is free of chemical that are fire retardant. It comes with an infinitely adjustable backrest and an extremely sturdy insert for infants weighing 4-11 lbs. The fabrics are GREENGUARD gold certified, which ensures low chemical emissions and low VOCs.
The UPPAbaby Mesa Max is slightly more expensive than some other models, but it offers premium features and advanced safety technologies for an optimal traveling experience. The base is included and comes in a variety of fashionable colors. This adds to the value proposition. Its thoughtful design and robust features provide peace of mind for parents on their every trip.
Britax Boulevard ClickTight
The Britax Boulevard ClickTight is an excellent choice for anyone who wants a car seat that will expand with their child. Its rear-facing limit is 40 pounds, which is higher than most infant car seats. Additionally, it can be used as a forward-facing car seat until your child is 65 pounds.
The ClickTight Installation System is its most popular selling point. It is the most secure, easiest and most secure system on the market. The seat belt can be tightened by pressing a red release and pulling the harness strap. This means that there is no need to unwind and rethread the seatbelt. This reduces the chance of incorrectly tightening the seat belt which is the primary cause of car seat failure.
The EZ-Buckle Pad is another security feature that keeps the buckle out the way as you put your child in the car seat. This feature, along with beltpath cutouts that are located on the sides of the seat makes it easy to get your child into and out of the car.
All three ClickTight convertible seat models (Boulevard CT, Marathon CT, Advocate CT) share the same features. They include the ClickTight Installation System and an impact-absorbing base with 7 recline positions and a rip-stitch energy-absorbing tether, HUGS harness pads as well as a steel reinforced frame and EPP energy-absorbing foam.
The seat is quite heavy, however, so you may want to consider an alternative that is lighter if you intend to make use of it for travel or frequent swaps of cars. The seat is quite large and therefore may not be suitable for smaller vehicles.
If you want a more budget-friendly option with similar quality take a look at the 4Ever DLX from Graco. This seat has lower scores in crash test analysis than the Boulevard but it's an excellent choice for your child.
The Graco also has LATCH connectors that can be pushed on which make it much easier to remove the seat. Boulevard's LATCH connectors have a different release system that requires you to pull the webbing and press a gray button. This can be difficult if your webbing is tight. This seat has a convenient compartment to store the belt straps.
Clek Liing
If you're looking for a baby car seat that has all of it -style, safety as well as convenience and luxuryyou'll love the Clek Liing. This rear-facing car seat is easy to install, comes with an impressive crash test score and a range of features.
The Liing is made with features that go beyond US and Canadian safety regulations. It's engineered for a simple, secure installation in any seating position - and is equipped with the latest safety features such as an energy-absorbing metal load leg and two-piece shells lined with EPP foam to provide greater side-impact protection. The base features 7 recline positions as well as a reliable bubble indicator to let you know exactly when the seat is at the proper angle for your newborn.
The Liing is loved by parents for its sleek and modern design, and its unique safety features like rigid lower anchors that are easier to attach than standard hook-and-loop connectors. The Liing also comes with a convenient one-handed release that makes it simple to take it off the base and to use with a variety of compatible strollers. It's also slim enough to fit three across in several vehicles, and can be easily inserted into a convertible car seat as an added travel aid.
This infant seat is rated 1st for its unique rigid-LATCH installation system. Lower anchors of the Liing snap into the lower seat belt slots in the vehicle and the top tether strap snaps on to the headrest of the vehicle. This results in a secure snug, secure fit that will eliminate the possibility that the child might be thrown around in a crash.
The base weighs 9 pounds, and the carrier weighs 10.5 lbs. infant car seat cheap -facing seats are heavier, but the difference is not evident if you intend to transport the car seat and base around. ).
Parents appreciate the Liing's built in canopy and 100+spf sun-protection with a mesh peekaboo window. Caregivers love the merino-covered cover that keeps baby cozy and also appreciate the ability of the handle to pivot away from the canopy and make it more comfortable to grab whenever they need.
Graco Trio Grow SnugLock LX
The Graco Trio SnugLock LX is a 3-in-1 car seat that goes from rear-facing infant, forward-facing harness, and finally to highback booster. It is equipped with the SnugLock installation system that allows for a smooth and simple installation using either a vehicle seat belts or lower anchors. It can be installed using the top tether in booster mode. (We recommend always using the lower anchors to provide extra security.)
We like that this seat can be used by children of various age groups. It comes with an infant insert for smaller infants that can support their backs and necks. As they grow older, this insert can be removed and the seat can be used as a regular toddler car seat. This car seat is one of the few that allow you to use the top tether when in booster mode, which we highly recommend.
Its base is compact from front to back so it shouldn't have a problem fitting into most vehicles. The headrest must be raised in order for the lower anchor webbing to pass through. There's a knob that is handy to adjust the headrest and the display window shows the location of the headrest.
The SnugLock system is among the most exciting features of this seat. It's a bar that's within the belt path. Installing this car seat using lower anchors is simple, and is almost as easy as using the vehicle's seat belt.
The manual offers a wonderful illustration on how to route the lower anchor connectors correctly through the belt path, which can initially be confusing. Keep them clear of the chest clip as well as the crotch loop to prevent interference with the buckle system.
The Graco Trio Grow belongs to the Protect Plus Engineered Family, which means it has been subjected to some of the most rigorous testing in the field. This includes tests for side, rear, and rollover crashes and frontal impact.