Top Rated Infant Car Seats
Not all infant car seats are created in the same way. The most effective ones have features that increase crash test performance, like load legs, which are shock absorbing components in the base or car seat that reduce movement in a collision.
A favorite with CPST instructors is the Chicco KeyFit, which has a weight limit that is high for rear-facing and height limit and an indicator for the level of bubbles, and the reclining foot is spring-loaded, which allows for easy installation.
Graco Mesa Max
The Graco Mesa Max is one of the top infant car seats for user-friendliness. It comes with great fabrics and a simple design and a convenient feature for attaching the harness of a child to the headrest, making it easier to tighten. It also has a huge canopy that makes it easy to keep your baby cool when traveling. The only drawback is that it is a bit heavier than normal and could be a problem if you plan to lug it around or want it to pair with your UPPAbaby stroller that has won awards.
The Mesa Max's impressive crash test results reflect its dedication to top-tier safety. It scored highly in both frontal and side impact tests, which means that your child will be protected from both sides of a collision.
The anti-rebound panel is another important safety feature. It helps to reduce rebound forces in a crash and also protects the child's head. This feature is unique among infant car seats and makes the Mesa Max standout among its rivals.
Graco Mesa Max can easily and securely be fitted into your vehicle with LATCH when used with the base included. The load leg and recline angle adjustment and tightness indicator all help ensure a quick, accurate installation. The base weighs 12.6 This is a bit higher than the typical infant car seats but not enough to cause any issues.
The UPPAbaby Mesa V2 uses the same double-knit fabric that was used in its predecessor. It is free of chemicals that are fire retardant. It features an infinitely adjustable backrest, as well as an extremely durable insert for infants weighing 4-11 pounds. The fabrics are GREENGUARD Gold Certified, which ensures low VOCs and chemical emissions.
The Mesa Max from UPPAbaby is more expensive than other alternatives, however it comes with top-quality features and the latest safety technology to ensure a safe travel experience. The base is included and comes in a variety of fashionable colors. This adds to the value proposition. Its thoughtful features and sturdy design give parents peace of mind for every trip.
Britax Boulevard ClickTight
The Britax Boulevard ClickTight is a great choice for anyone who wants an automobile seat that can expand with their child. The rear-facing weight limit is 40 pounds, which is higher than many infant car seats. It can be used forward-facing up to the point that your child weighs 65 pounds.
Its most prominent selling point is the ClickTight Installation System, which is the safest and easiest to use available. It allows you to tighten the belt by pressing a red release button and pulling the harness strap without the need to untie it, then re-thread. This decreases the chance of not tightening the correct belt which is the most common cause of car seat failure.
The EZ-Buckle Pad adds another safety feature that holds the buckle away when you put your child in the car seat. This feature, along with beltpath cutouts along the sides of the seat, makes it simple to get them in and out of the vehicle.
The three ClickTight convertible seat models (Boulevard CT, Marathon CT, Advocate CT) share the identical features. ClickTight Installation System is one of them. Also included are an impact-absorbing frame that has 7 recline positions.
The seat is fairly heavy, though, so you may want to think about a lighter option if intend to use it for frequent swaps of cars. Also, the seat is large, which means it might not be suitable for smaller vehicles, particularly when it's in the rear of the vehicle.
If you're looking for a low-cost seat that is of similar quality the Graco 4Ever DLX is a fantastic choice. The seat has lower scores in crash test analysis than the Boulevard however it's an excellent choice for your little one.
The Graco also comes with push-on LATCH connectors, which make it easier to uninstall the seat. The Boulevard's LATCH connectors have a different release mechanism which requires you to press a grey button and then pull on the webbing to loosen it. It isn't easy to do this if the webbing isn't fitted properly. However this seat comes with a convenient storage compartment for belt straps when not in use.
Clek Liing
If you're in search of a child car seat that has it all -- style, safety, convenience and luxury -you'll love the Clek Liing. This rear-facing car seat has a high crash test score, an impressive range of features and is simple to install within most vehicles.
The Liing is designed with features that exceed US and Canadian safety regulations. It is designed for easy and secure installation in all seating positions. It also comes with advanced safety features like an energy-absorbing metal foot and two pieces of shell lined with EPP for increased side impact protection. The base comes with 7 recline positions, as well as a dependable bubble indicator that lets you know when the seat is at the right angle for your newborn.
The Liing is a sleek, modern stroller that parents love. It comes with innovative safety features like rigid lower anchors which are more convenient to attach than hook-and loop connectors. The Liing has a one-handed quick release, making it simple to remove the base and use it with strollers that are compatible with it. With less than 17 inches in width it's small enough to fit 3-across in most vehicles and fits nicely into many convertible car seats as a booster.
This infant seat scores a solid 1st place for the ease of installation due to its unique rigid-LATCH system. The 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 results in a secure snug, secure fit that will eliminate the possibility that the child could be thrown around in an accident.
The base weighs 9 lbs and the car seat weighs 10.5 lbs. Other rear-facing seats are heavier but the difference is not noticeable if you plan to carry the car seat and base around. ).
Parents appreciate the Liing's built-in canopy and 100+spf sun protection that comes with a mesh peekaboo window. Caregivers love the merino-covered cover that keeps babies warm and also appreciate the seat's handle's ability to pivot past the canopy which makes it more comfortable for them to reach for when they need.
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 then to highback booster. It has the SnugLock system that allows for an easy and smooth installation using either lower anchors or vehicle seat belts. forward facing infant car seat allows you to use the top tether in booster mode (although we recommend using the lower anchors at all times to ensure security).
We like that this seat is suitable for children of various ages. For infants it has an infant insert that helps to help support their necks and backs. As they grow older the insert can be removed and the seat is used as a normal car seat for toddlers. This is the few car seats that allows the top tether to be used in booster mode. We highly recommend it.
Its base is fairly compact from front to back so it shouldn't pose a problem fitting into most vehicles. The headrest has to be raised to allow for the lower anchor webbing to pass through. Thankfully, there's a handy headrest adjustment knob that allows you to accomplish this, and also observe the position of the headrest in the display window.
One of the coolest things about this seat is the SnugLock installation system, which is a bar that is located within the belt path. Installing this car seat using lower anchors is simple and almost as simple as putting it on the car's seat belt.
The manual provides a fantastic illustration on how to route the lower anchor connectors in a correct manner through the new belt path, which can initially be confusing. It is important to keep them out of the crotch buckle loop and away from the chest clip, so they don't interfere with the buckle system.
The Graco Trio Grow belongs to the Protect Plus Engineered Family, which means that it has been put through some of the most rigorous testing in the industry. This includes rear, side and rollover crashes, as the frontal impact tests.