Top Rated Infant Car Seats
Not all infant car seats are created in the same way. The best seats have features that enhance the performance of crash tests. For example load legs -- shock absorbing parts that are affixed to the seat or base and limit the movement of the seat during the event of a collision.
A favorite with CPST instructors is the Chicco KeyFit, which has a large rear-facing weight limit and height limit as well as an indicator for the level of bubbles, and a spring-loaded reclining foot that makes it easy to set up.
Graco Mesa Max
The Graco Mesa Max is one of the top-rated infant car seats due to its ease of use. It has great fabrics, a simple design, and a handy feature that allows you to attach the harness of a child to the headrest, making it easier to tighten. It has a huge canopy that can be tucked away to keep your child shaded while traveling. The only drawback is that it's slightly heavier than the average this could be a problem if are planning to transport it or want it to pair with your award-winning UPPAbaby stroller.
Mesa Max's remarkable results in crash tests demonstrate its commitment to safety. It scored well 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 notable safety feature. It helps to reduce the forces of rebound in a crash and protects the child's head. This is a rare feature in infant car seats and makes the Mesa Max stand out among its competitors.
When used with the included base When used in conjunction with the base Graco Mesa Max can be installed easily and securely in your vehicle with LATCH. The load leg, recline angle adjustment as well as the indicator for tightness ensure an accurate, quick installation. The base weighs 12.6 It is a little higher than the typical car seat for infants, but not enough to cause a problem.
Similar to its predecessor, the UPPAbaby Mesa V2, the Mesa Max uses dual-knit fabric that is free of chemicals that cause fire. It has an infinitely adjustable backrest and an extremely durable insert for infants between 4 and 11 lbs. The fabrics are GREENGUARD gold certified, which ensures low VOCs and chemical emissions.
The Mesa Max from UPPAbaby is more expensive than some other alternatives, however it comes with premium features and advanced safety technology to ensure a safe travel experience. The base is included and comes in a variety of stylish colors. This adds to the value proposition. Its thoughtful design and sturdy features offer peace of mind for parents on every trip.
Britax Boulevard ClickTight
The Britax Blvd ClickTight is a fantastic choice for parents who are looking for a car seat they can develop with. The rear-facing weight limit is 40 pounds which is higher than other infant car seats. It can be used forward-facing as well until your child reaches 65 pounds.
Its biggest selling factor is the ClickTight Installation System, which is the safest and easiest available. It allows you to tighten the seat belt by pressing the red release button and pulling on the harness strap, without having to loosen it and re-thread it. This decreases the chance of incorrectly tightening a seat belt which is the main cause of car seat failure.
Another safety feature is the EZ-Buckle Pad, which keeps the buckle in place when you're putting your child in the seat. This feature, as well as beltpath cutouts along the sides of the seat, make it easy to get them into and out of the vehicle.
All three ClickTight convertible seat models (Boulevard CT, Marathon CT, Advocate CT) share the similar features. These include the ClickTight Installation System and an impact-absorbing base that has 7 recline positions as well as a rip-stitch energy absorbing harness pad, a HUGS tether, a steel-reinforced frame, and EPP energy-absorbing foam.
It's a hefty seat, and it could be worth considering an alternative that is lighter when you are planning to use it for frequent car swaps or for travel. The seat is large, so it might not fit in smaller cars.
If you're looking for a budget-friendly seat with similar quality the Graco 4Ever DLX is a great choice. This seat has lower crash tests scores than the Boulevard but is still an excellent choice for your child.
The Graco also has connectors with push-on connectors for LATCH which makes it easier to take off the seat. Boulevard's LATCH connectors use an alternative release system that requires you to pull the webbing and press a gray button. It's not easy to do this if your webbing is tight. However the seat comes with a storage compartment for belt straps when they are not in use.
Clek Liing
If you're looking for an infant car seat that offers it all -- style, safety, convenience and luxury -you'll be delighted with the Clek Liing. This rear-facing car seat has a high crash test score, a wide variety of features, and is simple to install within most vehicles.
The Liing is designed to protect infants with features that meet and exceed both US and Canadian safety standards. It is designed to allow for simple, secure installation in any seating position. It also comes with advanced safety features, such as an energy-absorbing metal leg as well as a two piece shell lined with EPP for enhanced side impact protection. The base comes with 7 recline positions, as well as a dependable bubble indicator that lets you know precisely when the seat is at the proper angle for your newborn.
The Liing is loved by parents for its modern and sleek design and also its innovative safety features, such as rigid lower anchors that are simpler to attach than hook-and-loop connectors. The Liing comes with a single-handed release, making it easy to remove the base and use it with strollers that are compatible with it. With less than 17 inches in width, it's narrow enough for 3-across in the majority of vehicles. It also fits nicely into many convertible car seats as a booster.
This infant seat is first place for ease of installation thanks to its unique rigid-LATCH system. The Liing's lower anchors snap into the seat belt slots of the vehicle and the top tether strap snaps on to the headrest of the vehicle. This ensures a tight snug, secure fit that will eliminate the possibility that the child will be thrown around in a crash.
The seat is light, with the base weighing 9 lbs, and the car itself coming in at a manageable 10.5 pounds. Other rear-facing seats weigh more, but the difference isn't significant if you plan to carry the car seat and base around. ).
Parents love the Liing's integrated canopy and 100+spf of protection from the sun's rays by mesh peekaboo. Caregivers love the merino cover that keeps baby cozy, and they also like the seat's handle's ability to pivot past the canopy, making it more comfortable to reach for when they need.
Graco Trio Grow SnugLock LX
The Graco Trio SnugLock LX is a 3-in-1 car seat that goes from rear-facing infant, to forward-facing harness, and finally to highback booster. It has the SnugLock system, which allows for a simple and smooth installation with either lower anchors or vehicle seat belts. It is possible to install it using the top tether in booster mode. (We recommend always using the lower anchors for additional security.)
This seat is ideal for children of all ages. It comes with an infant insert for younger babies that helps support their necks and backs. As they grow older this insert can be removed and the seat used as a regular toddler car seat. It is one of the only car seats that allows the top tether to be used as a booster. We highly recommend it.
Its base is compact from front to back so it shouldn't have a problem fitting into the majority of vehicles. It is required for the headrest to be raised, in order to provide a clear route for the lower anchor webbing. There's a convenient knob for adjusting the headrest, and the display window shows the location of the headrest.
The SnugLock system is among the most unique features of this seat. It's an anchor that is located within the belt path. best infant seat makes installing this car seat with the lower anchors a breeze and similar to using the seat belt of your vehicle.
The manual has a great illustration on how to route the lower anchor connectors correctly through the new belt path which at first can be confusing. It is important to keep them out of the crotch buckle loop, and away from the chest clip so that they don't hinder the buckle system.
The Graco Trio Grow is part of the Protect Plus Engineered family, which means it's been tested to some of the most rigorous crash testing in the industry. This includes tests for rear, side, and rollover crashes and frontal impact.