Top Rated Infant Car Seats
A high-quality infant car seat is a safety necessity, and not all seats are created in the same way. The top seats come with features that enhance the performance of crash tests. For example load legs -- shock-absorbing components which are attached to the seat or base and reduce movement during the event of a collision.
Chicco KeyFit is a favorite of CPST instructors. It comes with a rear-facing weight and the height limit is high as well as a bubble-level indicator and a spring-loaded foot that can recline to make it easy to put in.
Graco Mesa Max
The Graco Mesa Max ranks as one of the easiest infant car seats to use. It has a simple design and great fabrics. It also comes with a handy feature that allows you to attach the harness of your child directly to the headrest. It also has a large hideaway canopy which makes it easy to keep your baby cool while traveling. It is a bit heavier than a standard stroller, which can be problematic if you intend to carry it around or use it in conjunction with the UPPAbaby, which is a prestigious award-winning.
The Mesa Max's impressive crash test results reflect its dedication to top-tier safety. It scored a top score in the frontal test and an excellent score in the side impact test, which means your baby is safe from both sides in an accident.
The anti-rebound panel is another 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 competitors.
When used with the included base when used with the base Graco Mesa Max can be installed easily and securely in your vehicle by using LATCH. The load leg, the recline angle adjustment as well as the tightness indicator help ensure a fast, accurate installation. The base weighs 12.6 This is a bit higher than the typical car seat for infants however not enough to cause any issues.
Similar to its predecessor, the UPPAbaby Mesa V2, the Mesa Max uses dual-knit fabric that is free of chemicals that cause fire. It comes with an infinitely adjustable backrest and a robust insert for infants who weigh between 4 and 11 lbs. The fabrics are GREENGUARD gold certified, which tests for low VOCs and chemical emissions.
The UPPAbaby UPPAmax Mesa Max may be slightly more expensive than other models however it comes with premium features and the latest technology to ensure the most secure travel experience. The base included and a range of stylish colors enhance the value proposition. Its thoughtful features and durable design provide parents with peace of mind during every journey.
Britax Boulevard ClickTight
The Britax Boulevard ClickTight is a great choice for parents who want a car seat that will grow with their child. The weight limit for rear-facing is 40 pounds which is more than most infant car seats. It can be used forward-facing up to the point that your child weighs 65 pounds.
Its biggest selling factor is the ClickTight Installation System, which is the most secure and user-friendly available. It lets you tighten the seat belt by pressing a red release button and pulling the harness strap, without having to loosen it, then re-thread. This minimizes the possibility of a mistake when tightening the belt that is the most common cause of failures in car seats.
The EZ-Buckle Pad is another safety feature that keeps the buckle out the way when you put your child in the car seat. This feature, along with beltpath cutouts on the sides of your child's seat, make it easy to get them in and out of the car.
All three ClickTight convertible seats (Boulevard, Marathon CT, and Advocate CT) have the same features. ClickTight Installation System is one of them. Also included are an impact-absorbing frame that can accommodate seven recline positions.
The seat is quite heavy, though, so you may want to think about a lighter option if plan to use it for travel or frequent swaps of cars. The seat is also large, which means it might not fit well in smaller vehicles, especially when it's in the rear of the vehicle.
If you're looking for a low-cost seat with the same quality, the Graco 4Ever DLX is a great option. Pushchairs And Prams has lower scores in crash test analysis than the Boulevard but it's an excellent choice for your little one.
The Graco has also connectors with push-on connectors for LATCH which makes it easier to take off the seat. The Boulevard's LATCH connectors feature an additional release mechanism, which requires you to press a grey button and then pull on the webbing to loosen it. This can be difficult if the webbing is tight. However, this seat does come with a storage cubby to store the belt straps when not in use.
Clek Liing
Clek Liing is the perfect infant car seat you should consider If you're looking for everything in terms of style, safety and convenience. This rear-facing only car seat comes with a great crash test score, an impressive range of features and is simple to install within most vehicles.
The Liing is designed to safeguard newborn darlings with features that meet and exceed both US and Canadian safety standards. It is designed to allow for a simple, secure installation - at any seat position. It's equipped with the latest safety features like an energy-absorbing metal load leg as well as two-piece shells lined with EPP foam for increased side-impact protection. The base comes with 7 recline positions, as well as a dependable bubble indicator that lets you know exactly when the seat is at the proper angle for your baby.
The Liing is a sleek, modern stroller that parents love. It comes with innovative safety features like strong lower anchors that are more convenient to connect than hook-and-loop connectors. The Liing also comes with a convenient one-handed release that makes it simple to remove from the base or to use with many strollers compatible with it. It's also narrow enough to fit three-across several vehicles, and it can be easily inserted into a convertible car seats for an extra boost for travel.
This infant seat is rated 1st for its unique rigid-LATCH installation method. Lower anchors of the Liing snap into the seat belt slots of the vehicle, and the top tether strap snaps onto the vehicle headrest. This creates a tight, secure fit which reduces the risk that the child could be thrown around in a crash.
The base weighs 9 pounds, and the carrier weighs 10.5 lbs. Other rear-facing only seats are much heavier in weight however, if you plan on schlepping this car seat and its base around it won't be noticeable (especially once you add a baby to the mix! ).
Parents love the Liing's built-in canopy and 100+spf of protection from the sun's rays by mesh peekaboo. Caregivers love the merino-covered cover that keeps baby warm and also appreciate the handle's ability to pivot over the canopy which makes it more comfortable to grab when needed.
Graco Trio Grow SnugLock LX
The Graco Trio Grow SnugLock LX is a 3-in-1 car seat that converts from rear-facing infant, to forward-facing harness, and finally to highback booster. It is equipped with the SnugLock installation system which allows for a smooth and easy install with either car seat belts or lower anchors. 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 does so much for children of various ages. For infants, it has an infant insert that helps to support their necks and backs. The insert can be removed when the child is older and the seat can be used as a standard car seat for toddlers. This car seat is among the few that allows you to use the top tether in booster mode, which is what we recommend.
Its base is quite compact from front to back, so it shouldn't be a problem to find a spot for it in the majority of cars. It does require the headrest to be raised however, to allow an open way for the lower anchor webbing. Fortunately, there's a headrest adjustment knob that allows you to accomplish this, and you'll be able to see the headrest position in the display window.
The SnugLock system is one of the most exciting features of this seat. It's a bar that's in the belt path. Installing this car seat using lower anchors is simple and is almost as easy as installing the car's seat belt.
The manual also provides an excellent diagram of how to correctly connect the lower anchor connectors while routing them through the new belt path which can be a bit confusing initially. Keep them away from the chest clip and the crotch loop in order to avoid interfering with the buckle system.
The Graco Trio Grow is part of the Protect Plus Engineered family, which means it's been subjected to some of the most rigorous crash testing in the industry. This includes rear, side and rollover crashes, as well as frontal impact tests.