Top Rated Infant Car Seats
Not all infant car seats are created in the same way. The most effective seats come with features that increase the performance of crash tests. For instance, load legs are shock-absorbing components that are affixed to the base or seat and help to reduce movement during an accident.
Chicco KeyFit is a favorite of CPST instructors. It has a rear-facing weight and the height limit is high, a bubble-level indicator, and a spring loaded foot that can recline to make it easy to install.
Graco Mesa Max
The Graco Mesa Max ranks as one of the most simple infant car seats to use. It is an easy-to-use design and top fabrics. It also comes with an innovative feature that allows you to attach the harness of your child directly to the headrest. It has a large canopy that can be hidden away to keep your child protected when traveling. The only issue is that it’s a bit heavier than normal, which might be a problem if plan to lug it around or if you want to pair it with your award-winning UPPAbaby stroller.
Mesa Max’s impressive crash test results reflect its commitment to safety at the highest level. It scored well in both the frontal and side impact tests, which means that your baby will be protected from the two sides of a collision.
Another noteworthy safety feature is the Graco’s anti-rebound panel, that helps to reduce rebound forces during an accident and safeguards your child’s head. This feature is rare in car seats for infants and makes the Mesa Max stand out among its competitors.
If used with the base When used in conjunction with the base Graco Mesa Max can be installed easily and securely in your vehicle by using LATCH. The load leg, recline angle adjustment, and tightness indicator ensure a quick and accurate installation. The base weighs 12.6 pounds which is slightly heavier than the average Maxi-Cosi Titan i-Size Car Seat in Black seat for Pushchairsandprams.Uk infants, but not enough to be an issue.
The UPPAbaby Mesa V2 uses the same fabric with the same dual-knit construction as its predecessor. It is free of harmful chemicals that are fire-proof. It comes with an infinitely adjustable backrest, as well as an extremely durable insert for infants weighing 4-11 lbs. The fabric is GREENGUARD gold certified, which ensures low VOCs and chemical emissions.
The UPPAbaby Mesa Max may be slightly more expensive than the other options however it comes with premium features and the latest technology to ensure an enjoyable and safe journey. The base is included and is available in a variety of stylish colors. This adds to the value proposition. Its thoughtful design and robust features offer peace of mind for parents on every journey.
Britax Boulevard ClickTight
The Britax Blvd ClickTight is a fantastic choice for parents looking for a car seat that their child can grow with. Its rear-facing weight limit is 40 pounds which is higher than many infant car seats. It can be used forward-facing as well until your child weighs 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 strap. This eliminates the need to loosen and rethread the seatbelt. This reduces the chance of incorrectly tightening the seat belt which is the most common reason for car seat failure.
The EZ-Buckle Pad is a further safety feature that keeps the buckle in place while you place your child in the car seat. This feature along with beltpath cutouts on the sides of the seat makes it easy to get your child in and out of the car.
All three ClickTight convertible seats (Boulevard, Marathon CT, and Advocate CT) have the identical features. ClickTight Installation System is one of them. Also included are an impact-absorbing frame that can accommodate seven recline positions.
The seat is fairly heavy, however, so you may want to consider an alternative that is lighter if you plan to use it for frequent car swaps. Also, the seat is big, so it may not be suitable for smaller vehicles, especially when it’s in the rear of the vehicle.
If you want a more budget-friendly option with similar quality look into the Graco 4Ever DLX. The seat has lower crash tests scores than the Boulevard but is still an excellent option for your child.
The Graco also has connectors with push-on connectors for LATCH which allows you to easily remove the seat. The Boulevard’s LATCH connectors feature a different release mechanism, which requires you to press a grey button and then pull on the webbing to loosen it. It can be difficult to do this if your webbing has a tight fit. However the seat comes with a storage compartment for belt straps when not in use.
Clek Liing
If you’re looking for an infant car seat that has everything -style, safety, convenience and luxury -you’ll love the Clek Liing. This rear-facing car seat is simple to install, has a high crash test rating and a wide range of features.
The Liing is made with features that go beyond US and Canadian safety standards. It’s engineered for a simple, secure installation – in every seating position. It’s packed with safety features that are advanced like an energy-absorbing steel load leg and a two-piece shell lined with EPP foam to provide greater side-impact protection. The base features 7 recline positions and a trusty bubble indicator to let you know when the seat is set at the correct angle for your newborn.
The Liing is modern, sleek stroller that parents love. It is equipped with innovative safety features such as strong lower anchors that are easier to connect than hook-and-loop connectors. The Liing features a one-handed release, making it easy to remove the base and use it with strollers that are compatible with it. It’s also narrow enough to fit three-across several vehicles, and is a good fit in many convertible car seat as an extra boost for travel.
The Liing infant seat is rated first for its unique rigid-LATCH installation system. The lower anchors of the Liing click directly into the lower seat belt slots. Additionally, the top tether strap snaps onto the headrest of the vehicle to create an incredibly secure, tight fit that eliminates the risk of the child being thrown around during a crash.
The seat is lightweight, with the base weighting 9 lbs, and the car itself weighing an easy 10.5 pounds. Other rear-facing only seats are much heavier in weight however, if you plan on taking the car seat and its base all over the place it won’t be noticeable (especially when you add a baby to the equation! ).
Parents love the Liing’s built-in canopy and 100+spf protection from the sun with the mesh peekaboo. Parents love the merino cover that keeps baby warm, and they also like the handle’s ability to pivot over the canopy and make it more comfortable to grab when needed.
Graco Trio Grow SnugLock LX
The Graco Trio Grow SnugLock LX is a three-in-one car seat that can be used from rear-facing infant to forward-facing harness, and then to highback booster. It comes with the SnugLock system which allows for a simple and smooth installation using lower anchors or car seat belts. It can be installed using the top tether when in booster mode. (We recommend using the lower anchors for additional security.)
We love that this chair can be used by children of various ages. It has an infant insert for smaller babies that helps support their backs and necks. This insert can be removed once the child is older and the seat can be used as a standard car seat for toddlers. It is one of the few car seats that allows the top tether to be used in booster mode. We recommend it.
Its base is quite compact front to back and it shouldn’t be difficult to find a space for it in the majority of vehicles. It is required for the headrest to be raised however, to give you an easy way for the lower anchor webbing. Thankfully, there’s a handy headrest adjustment knob that can easily accomplish this, and you can view the position of your headrest in the display window.
One of the most impressive features about this seat is the SnugLock installation system that’s an anchor that is in the belt path. Installing this car seat using lower anchors is easy, and almost as simple as using the vehicle’s seat belt.
The manual has a great illustration of how to run the lower anchor connectors properly through the new belt pathway which may initially be confusing. Keep them away from the chest clip as well as the crotch loop in order to avoid interfering with the buckle system.
The Graco Trio Grow belongs to the Protect Plus Engineered Family, which means that it has been subjected to some of the most rigorous testing in the field. This includes tests for rear, side, and rollover crashes as well as frontal collisions.
