How to Choose the Best Car Seats for Your Child

When looking for a car seat, it is easy to become overwhelmed. The most secure car seat is one that is suitable for your child and your vehicle and can be used safely 100% of the time.

Car seats that are difficult to install or use can make the lives of parents and children more challenging. The best car seats are those that have excellent scores in terms of ease of use and impressive crash test results, and are light.

Safety

When you are looking for car seats safety features are the most important aspect to think about. No matter if you opt for an infant, convertible, or booster seat, it should meet federal safety standards and have a proven track record of third-party crash testing. It should also fit well in your vehicle and be easy to use.

A high-quality car seat should include a harness that is easy to use for adjustment, and either LATCH or seat belt connector options. Flexible or rigid lower anchor connectors, that have alligator-like clips that hook directly to the base of the car seat or the vehicle seat belt guides are superior to flexible straps that move or loosen. The most effective seats have a color-changing indicator that is easy to understand and indicates that the seat is properly connected.

The best seats also have the top tether, which reduces the chance of head injuries in accidents by restricting the child's head in front. They also come with harness guides that aid parents in securing the belt on their seat or tether.

The most important car seat features are those that ensure the seat is used and installed correctly all the time. Unfortunately, many child passenger deaths are caused by children being improperly restrained or using the wrong type of seat. Check with a child passenger security technician (CPST), located near you, to ensure that your car seat's installation and placement is right.

A quality seat can help your child survive the event of a crash. It's worth the cost to buy an item with solid frames and top-quality materials. It also helps to have thoughtful features. Look for seats that comply with the R129 safety standards, which are more rigorous than the older standards that most seats follow.

Lastly, it's important to understand that the car seat is only as secure as the adult who is using it. Children must be properly secured by rear-facing car seats beginning at birth and continuing until they reach the height that is required to wear a harness. This usually happens around age four or five.

Comfort

A car seat that is comfortable will help your child fall asleep or stay asleep for longer. This can make the difference between a happy, well-rested child and an exhausted, cranky child who resists naptime. Find a car seat that is able to accommodate your child's growth and has ample head and back support and fits comfortably in the car.

The best infant car seat for travel car seats offer many features that will make your little one feel secure and comfortable, such as soft materials that offer an incredibly snug fit, plush cushions and padded armrests. Some of them offer adjustable headrests and reclining positions and cup holders and a sun shade. Others have adjustable thigh supports and lumbar support to improve posture. Some even have massage functions which are activated by a button you press when your child is in the seat.

If your child is out of an infant car seat that swivels car seat, the next step is to get a toddler car seat. These seats generally accommodate children of who weigh up to 40 pounds. They can be used both rear-facing and forward-facing. Some convertible toddler car seat can be used as a booster up to 120lbs. This saves money and reduces the number of car seats that you will need to buy over time.

The most rated toddler car seats for comfort include the Evenflo Chase, which offers excellent crash test results and is simple to install using either LATCH or a seat belt for a vehicle. Its narrow shell makes it easier to accommodate larger babies. It also has two different crotch buckles, which allows for better positioning of the shoulder straps. It is also light and narrow making it easier to move around.

The Nuna PIPA Urbn is a fantastic choice for a car seat that is comfortable for toddlers. Babylist gear editor Jennifer LaBracio says the seat has a luxurious feel with plenty of padding and easy-to-read indicators for installation. It's also compact and can be put in with the base or without, making it a good choice for parents who regularly move their car seats from one vehicle to another.

Simple to Use

Car seats are the one item in a parents' life that sees a lot of use and lots of parents are looking for an easy-to-use seat that will fit inside their car and integrate with other baby equipment. Car seats for infants are lighter due to having lower weight limits, and a shorter lifespan than convertible car seat. The best car seat (Read Home ) infant car seats come with features that make them easy to install and use, such as the recline foot that is spring-loaded and bubble indicators on the base to help you position it correctly in your car and clearly labeled installation guides with clear instructions. These car seats are also made with robust materials that can be machine-washed and easy-to-see. They also come with comfortable padding for your child.

The Clek Liing is the top-rated infant seat we reviewed in 2018. It provides impressive crash test results and analysis scores, as well as an excellent load leg that will assist you in putting the car seat with ease and accuracy. The car seat is easy to install using either LATCH connectors that are rigid or the latch connectors. The latches change color in order to signal the connection, and the harness snaps into place quickly and securely.

Another top choice is the Chicco KeyFit 35, which provides impressive crash test analysis scores and load legs to assist you in putting the car seat in your car. Parents and experts are raving about it, including CPST instructor Kecia H. who says it's well-designed, with a spring-loaded recline foot and a bubble indicator on the base, which helps position the seat correctly and tighten the seat with ease. The seat is reasonably priced, GREENGUARD certified and built to last. It comes with a steel frame and high-density, ventilated foam.

The all-in-one Nuna Exec is a favourite of LaBracio and Saxton as well as Saxton, both calling it an "solid" seat that's worth the price for its luxurious feel as well as its luxurious materials and ease of installation. It has a 50-pound rear-facing weight limit, and an expandable legroom panel, as well as an all-steel frame that is sturdy and has an anti-rebound bar. This car seat for infants can also be used as a booster seat for children up to 120 pounds. It is small enough to fit in most mid-sized cars.

Design

You want to make sure that the car seat you pick is user-friendly and fits well. Where and how you will install the seat, and how often you switch between different car types could affect the final decision. While it is impossible to predict what might happen in a crash, the design of your seat can aid in minimizing damage and making it easier to get your child in and out of the car seat.

One crucial aspect is whether a seat has LATCH connectors that are flexible or rigid. Connectors with rigid construction are bonded directly to the seat using alligator clips. They are more difficult to disconnect during a crash. Flexible connectors come with straps that can be tightened or loosen by hand or using a type of mechanism. Most seats come with a level indicator that shows whether they've been installed correctly. This is typically formed as a plastic line on the shell or on the bottom of the seat that indicates the angle of the seat is positioned against the ground.

The capacity of a seat to fit newborns and infants is also crucial. This includes the size of the head rest and shell and the ability to buckle and unbuckle the harness. Some seats also offer a positioning insert that helps smaller bodies fit better in the seat and inside the harness. These inserts can be removed when your child grows.

The third crucial aspect is how easy it is to adjust the height of the harness. The best seats let you move the harness belt without removing your child and are as simple as pushing a button, pulling a tab or shifting levers. Additionally, the most convenient seats to use are those that allow you to adjust the shoulder strap position without rethreading the belt.

If you're interested in an all in one seat, make sure it meets the minimum federal safety standards and has been able to pass third-party crashes tests. We prefer seats with extra features, like an energy-absorbing layer built into the shell or an anti-rebounding bar.