20 Trailblazers Lead The Way In Best Infant Car Seat

How to Choose the best car seat for newborn Infant Car Seat

What do you want from your newborn car seat insert seat? "If you need a car seat that will grow with your child look into an all-in-one model like the Graco 4Ever DLX," Saxton says. The seat can be converted into a high-back booster or an unbackless booster. It has a big rear-facing weight limit.

The soft, machine-washable cushioning is also a plus. Load legs are a useful feature. They are shock-absorbing components which are attached to the base or car seats and help to limit movement in the event of a crash.

Safety

They are designed to fit smaller babies better, so they are more comfortable than convertible car seats. They are also lighter and easier to lift out of the car, or put on a stroller frame rather than convertible car seats, which is crucial considering you will likely be required to transport your baby in the car seat often outside of your vehicle. The dedicated infant car seat is also designed to last your child through the first year. This means that you don't have to worry about your child exceeding its weight or height limits.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's guidelines for car seats are rigorous but it's a good idea to do your own research prior to buying. You might want to read reviews from other parents, and also looking through car seat safety guides from organizations such as Consumer Reports or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Both have crash test data that can be shared with families.

You will also want to consider whether the seat comes with features that could be especially beneficial for your family, like an easy strap release with one hand, a no-rethread harness or an adjustable foot with springs. These kinds of features could help you buckle your baby faster and easier, but keep in mind that even the safest seats will be useless in the event that you don't utilize them properly.

The weight and the width of the car seat are also crucial. Many infant seats can be put in your vehicle along with older car seats. Some can grow with your child, and convert to an adult booster at the same time. If you plan to use your car seat for transport or to take taxis, a baby car seat that can be fitted using only the vehicle's seatbelt is a great option.

In general, it is recommended to buy the most safe seat you can afford. The most affordable models don't always meet the highest standards of crash safety. For instance, it's recommended to stay clear of models that do not include side impact crash testing and allow companies to self-certify their products.

Convenience

The best car seats for infants are those that fit in your family vehicle, are easy to install, and have convenient extras like a built-in jogging stroller or rotation capability. It must also be affordable. Infant seats range in price from around $180 to over $500. They may cost more when they are convertible and will be used as an infant and toddler seat.

Convenience features include how simple it is to install the seat using either the LATCH system or a seatbelt, and whether you are able to adjust the harness and headrest without taking the baby out of the seat. You need to be able to install and remove the seat easily, especially if you switch it between cars frequently or take Uber rides with your child. The seat should be light and clearly labeled with instructions for installation and bubble levels to help you quickly install the car seat.

You must also be able to turn the seat around and lock it when not using it and have easy access to the buckles and harness straps. It is also essential to verify the weight and height limits of the infant car seat before you purchase it, and think about whether your baby will outgrow it by the time he turns one. It is generally recommended to select a seat for your child that will grow with them until they reach 90 percentile.

Some manufacturers go above and beyond federal safety standards to incorporate additional features like crash-testing, convenience and comfort in their car seats. The Clek Ling is a top pick among our gear editors as well as Consumer Reports is a great example of a baby seat that offers much more than just excellent crash protection. It also has an extra load leg that helps stabilize the seat in a crash, and reduces forces on the child's body by 40%. That feature alone could save the life of a child, which is why it's worth paying more for car seats that are secure and comes with additional convenience features.

Comfort

One of the most important considerations when selecting an infant car seat is comfort, since babies spend a lot of time in their car seats. The most comfortable ones are made of large, breathable fabrics as well as ample padding in the headrest and harness. They come with easy-to-use adjustments such as strap covers, buckles, and headrest adjustments which don't require rethreading.

The weight and size of the car seat for infants can also impact comfort particularly if it's going to be used in multiple cars or for frequent travel. Certain models are smaller than others, which makes them easier to fit into the back of the car with a car seat or siblings seats. Although all have minimum and maximum height and weight limits, some are a bit lighter than others. This can help save your biceps from becoming sore when you carry it around town or between vehicles.

Certain infant car seats come with additional features to allow them to be more flexible. For example they can be rotated or be clicked into a stroller, without the need for additional adapters. Some models come with premium features such as the adjustable no-rethread strap and anti-rebound bars to offer additional security in the event of the possibility of a crash. These features aren't required for safe riding, but they can enhance the overall experience.

Parents want their infants to be comfortable and have a clean car seat. They also consider safety and convenience. Find a seat that's machine washable and stain-resistant, and also easy to clean. Some seats are dishwasher safe, which makes it easier to keep them looking clean.

Some models go the extra mile to ensure their customers' experience is safe and smooth, such as the Graco SnugRide(tm) Elite, which comes with an anti-rebound bars and meets the Graco ProtectPlus Engineered(tm) standards to withstand front and rear collisions. The seat has a Silent Shade canopy to keep baby quiet and comfortable and also an indicator to let you know that the seat is securely attached. The seat's carry handle is adjustable as well as harness tightener indicator let you know when it is properly attached to the base.

Design

Car seat manufacturers design infant car seats with safety and convenience in mind, however the myriad of features available makes it hard to determine what's the best fit for your family. You'll need to take into consideration aspects like weight and height limits as well as the number of belt buckles and belt paths. Additional features like anti-rebound bars load legs, harnesses that do not have a rethread can increase the price but may improve the comfort of your baby. Consider features that make it easy to get your child into and out of the car seat, such as rotational mechanisms. Also, pay attention to dimensions and weight of the base because not all seats will fit in every car.

The ease of attaching and detaching the base is a feature that is crucial. This can be affected by the quality of the LATCH connectors and whether they're rigid or flexible. You should also think about whether the straps are able to be easily tightened or loosen and if they have a one-hand release mechanism to install and remove the seat.

Some models let you use the seat without a footrest, which can be useful if your plan is to change taxis or cars frequently. To make sure that your seat is securely installed make sure you choose models with bubble level indicators as well as a built-in locking mechanism.

Other features that may be worth the cost include a headrest that grows with the growing baby as well as a recline that can be adjusted to five positions and an extendable canopy that locks in place. Our product testers also mentioned the fact that a seat can be used for highback boosters with belt positioning or a backless booster once the baby has completed using it is a nice benefit.

The Doona is an infant car seat that spoils parents. It's loaded with features that address nearly every complaint parents have about infant car seats, which is the reason our testers gave it top marks across all categories. It's affixed for air travel, has an anti-rebound handle and can be converted into a stroller. Its crash test results are impressive and it's GREENGUARD Gold certified.