Best Car Seats For Infants and Babies
While convertible car seats are great for growing kids but an infant seat is the best choice for newborns and babies. They’re also smaller and easier to snap into a stroller than their larger counterparts.
CPST instructor Kecia Healy praised the Chicco KeyFit’s spring-loaded recline foot and bubble indicator on the base, as well as its user-friendliness (the more user-friendly a car seats is and the more likely parents will be to set it up correctly). This model also fits three across in a variety of mid-sized automobiles.
1. Clek Liing Car Seat for Infants
The Canadian manufacturer Clek is known for their top-rated convertible Kinderkraft Junior Fix Car Seat Booster Gray seats and the infant Liing is one of the best infant seats. The seat is equipped with the best safety features available like a metal load-leg, and easy installation. It also comes with 7 different recline positions that can be adjusted to match the slope of your car’s seat. A bubble indicator helps you to check that the seat is set at the right angle prior to your child riding in it.
The base of the Liing is easy to install by using LATCH connections that are rigid and fit into your vehicle’s lower anchors which makes the seat much easier to anchor. The Liing is a great choice for families who are planning to change cars frequently or need a simple and secure method to install a baby’s car seats. If you prefer, you can utilize the belt-tensioning feature to secure your child’s seat.
The Liing’s 2-piece Newborn System is one of the features that sets it apart from other infant car seat models. The system comes with an insert that can be placed over the crotch strap, and a headrest that attaches to harness to prevent newborns from slumping forward or moving their heads backwards in the seat. It’s a game-changer for tiny infants and preemies and is one of the only rear facing infant car seats that offer this kind of support.
The Liing’s metal crash-test framework reduces the force of crash by 40% when compared to other infant seats. The shell of the seat is reinforced with EPP foam, which protects your child’s head and body during the event of a crash. The seat’s base is engineered with a load leg made of metal that absorbs energy and helps reduce crashes, and.
2. Chicco KeyFit
This is the top-rated infant seat. It is easy to set up and use, and can expand with your child. It can also be combined together with strollers to create a travel system.
The KeyFit is a great choice for parents looking for an affordable, safe and user-friendly seat. It scored high in crash tests and is lightweight and easy to carry. It also comes with a broad range of weight and height limits. It is also designed with the comfort of babies in mind. The click-in point is made of soft materials around it so your baby isn’t burned by metal, the newborn insert also has a head cover to protect their little heads and the seat pad your baby sits on nestles them with energy absorbing foam cushions to ensure comfort.
It’s also among the easiest infant seats to install correctly, every time. This is important because incorrectly installed infant seats can increase the risk of injury to your child. The KeyFit’s top LATCH connectors that come with a SuperCinch tightener ensure a secure fit that requires minimal effort. The base also has a ReclineSure leveling foot and two RideRight bubble-level-indicators that ensure that the vehicle’s angle is correct. And for alternate installation with the belt on the vehicle clear belt routing and lock-offs make it simple to position, install and tighten the belt on the car seat.
The rethread harness height adjustment is a feature that is prevalent on many Chicco seats including the original Keyfit model. This means that you must remove the harness and manually re-thread straps from one level to another which is more time-consuming than adjustments that aren’t rethread. This is a minor disadvantage for the ease of use of this seat.
3. Joie Nania Start I Booster Car Seat – Toucan-Snug 2
The lightweight Joie i-Snug 2 infant car seat meets the most stringent safety standards. It has a harness that is not rethread, and is compatible with Joie strollers that accept Maxi-Cosi style adapters. The installation guide is clearly marked and bubble levels are built-in to help align the seat. The car seat is full of padding and is very comfortable. It also has a convenient canopy that shields your baby from the sun.
The iSnug comes with an ISOFIX vehicle base that permits a secure vehicle attachment. It can also be combined with a compatible stroller to create a complete travel set-up. This rear-facing infant seat provides maximum head and cervical protection for infants. The exclusive Tri-Protect Headrest is equipped with a layer of Intelli-Fit Memory Foam to protect your child from side-impact crashes.
As with any infant car seat, you’ll have to replace it when your child is over the height and weight limits, or when they reach their first birthday. You can then upgrade to convertible car seats or an all-in-one car seat. This will allow your child to be rear-facing for longer and is safer.
A convertible car seat has a greater rear-facing weight and height limit than an infant seat, and typically has a larger space inside. It’s a good idea change to a convertible seat as soon as you can, to prevent your child from growing too quickly. In certain instances, parents can even transition their child into an all-in-one car seat, without ever having to purchase a car seat for their infant. It’s therefore important to choose the best convertible car seat for your family and yourself. Read our complete guide to provide all the details you need to make the right choice.
4. Nuna Pipa Aire RX
The Nuna Pipa Aire RX is one of the most rated infant car seats due to its safety, light weight design and the versatility. It installs with rigid lower anchors on the outboard seats in most vehicles and also with a seat belt for the vehicle using Euro routing (which makes use of all of the length of the car’s seat belt for the most secure installation). It also includes an organic cotton GOTS infant insert, which makes it a great option for parents who prefer organic alternatives for their child.
At only 6 lbs without the canopy and inserts the Pipa Aire RX is among the most lightweight infant car seats on the market. This is due to the unique Aeroflex foam that’s incredibly lightweight yet incredibly strong, reducing forces transferred to your child during a crash. Other safety features include a 5 second steel-reinforced True base lock installation, side impact protection and a multi-position stability leg with a crumple zone that limits forward rotation, resulting in greater rear-facing security.
The ergonomic aluminum handle is light and luxurious, adorned with leatherette accents for the perfect grip and a convenient option to carry the bag. Magnetic buckle holders keep straps out of from the way while you buckle your child and color-coded indicator lights to ensure proper connections. The low-profile base allows super-fast loading, and the wide belt pathway with locks that secure lap and shoulder belts.
Parenting can be messy, but cleaning up shouldn’t have to be. The fabrics and inserts of the Pipa Aire RX can be machine washed so that your car seat looks as good as it did after every use.
5. Nuna Pipa Urbn
While Nuna’s PIPA RX and PIPA Air rx car seats are both excellent options, the newly launched Pipa Urbn takes it all to a new level. This ultralight infant car seat is incredibly easy to carry and weighs less than 7 pounds when the canopy and insert attached. It has a user-friendly, luxurious design with features like magnetic buckle holders that keep straps out the way when strapping your baby in and a green/red indicator to let you know that the installation is secure. ).
The innovative pipaFIX system allows it to be used with or without a base, unlike Pipa RX or other base-compatible PIPAs that require a base to be installed. This makes it the ideal choice for parents who often use rideshare or taxi services as well as for those who want the ability to transfer their car seat between vehicles more quickly and easily.
Like other Nuna products, the Pipa Urbn is designed with environmentally-friendly materials that are free of added fire retardant chemicals, and is GREENGUARD Gold certified. These green-friendly materials include a Merino wool and Tencel branded lyocell blend headrest as well as machine washable, water-resistant body cover and cover.
The main issue with the Pipa Urbn is that it only has the rear-facing weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds, so you might need to change to a convertible car seat sooner than other brands. However, it is still a top pick for the majority of infants. This car seat is also compatible with Nuna’s travel systems, and can be connected to strollers using the rings adapter.
