In the first two years of life, an infant car seat is an essential element for any family on the go, as it can conveniently pop out of your vehicle and place in the stroller without waking up a sleeping baby.
For maximum safety, NHTSA and AAP recommend that your child use a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible, which usually means until they are 2 years old or reach the car seat manufacturer’s weight or height limit. To improve safety and reduce the risk of injury by 43%, the car seat should also be installed in the middle of the rear seat.
1. Chicco KeyFit 35 Infant Car Seat
About $150-$200. Chicco’s flagship product, the KeyFit 30, has a reputation for safety, quality, comfort, convenience, and reasonable price. It is definitely one of the most popular infant car seats on the market and has maintained this position for almost 10 years. The KeyFit 35 takes the core design of the KeyFit 30 and improves on four main areas: higher weight and height capacity, quick-adjust harness height without rethreading, European harness routing, and anti-rebound bars. The core features of the KeyFit 30 are very similar to those of the 35, including premium SuperCinch LATCH connectors, EPS energy-absorbing foam and side impact protection, premature support (4 lbs) as well as the included baby pad, machine-washable fabric, RideRight bubble level to aid installation, and a 6-year validity period. These two KeyFit models are designed to be beautiful, easy to install, comfortable fabrics, wide stroller compatibility, and lightweight for relatively easy carrying. To keep your child facing backwards for as long as possible based on AAP recommendations, we welcome the KeyFit 35’s higher weight (35 lbs) and height (32 inches) capacity, as well as a few extra inches of legroom. With the KeyFit 30, you may be upgraded to a convertible car seat at 14-18 months of age (most babies are already 30 inches tall at this age), while the KeyFit 35 should last until your child’s second birthday or so.
2. Britax B-Safe Gen2 Infant Car Seat
Usually around $200-$300, depending on the option. Just when you thought the B-Safe 35 couldn’t be better, Britax has released the next generation of infant car seats, the Britax B-Safe Gen2, which comes with some truly amazing features and specifications. The original B-Safe 35 had several minor drawbacks, namely a slightly narrower bucket, heavy material, and a higher price tag. While Britax didn’t solve the weight problem (they never did!), they did improve on width and price while maintaining the safety and quality they’re known for. They have also added an ultra-soft and durable fabric that is completely label-free (for comfort and sensory reasons). If you’ve researched the B-Safe 35, its specs should sound familiar: Gen2 supports babies as small as 4 pounds, all the way up to 35 pounds or 32 inches tall. The height of the harness can be adjusted between four positions (from the back, without rethreading) and the crotch buckle can be adjusted between two different positions. Compared to the B-Safe 35, the Gen2 has a slightly more comfortable crotch buckle position. Unfortunately, the Gen2 weighs about half a pound more than the B-Safe 35, which makes sense considering the seating area is a little more spacious. For safety, Gen2 uses SafeCell impact-absorbing collapse zones, side impact protection, energy-absorbing foam in the housing, steel-reinforced frames, and most importantly, a safe and intuitive installation process with SafeCenter LATCH functionality. Gen2 B-Safe is available in three versions: Basic Gen2, Gen2 FlexFit, and Gen2 FlexFit+. FlexFit adds a European belt guide, allowing you to install a car seat without having to install it. The base is secured with the vehicle’s belt and shoulder straps (in classic European routes), making it ideal for safe installation in ridesharing and taxis. FlexFit+ (plus) adds an anti-rebound bar to reduce rotational motion in the event of an accident.
Overall, we love this car seat – the baby tested was very happy and comfortable, the fabric was soft and luxurious, and with Britax’s reputation, we can rest assured that your baby is safe and sound.
3. UPPAbaby Mesa V2 Infant Car Seat
It’s usually around $500. It’s a more expensive option than most other infant car seats, but the latest UPPAbaby Mesa (V2) comes with some tight safety and convenience features that might be worth the splurge!For the basic specs, including baby pads, it can accommodate newborns and premature babies weighing as little as 4 pounds, and the seat has a weight capacity of up to 35 pounds (32 inches tall), which is industry-leading (frankly, expected at this price point). Weighing in at less than 10 pounds, considering the relatively low overall weight (another 9 pounds for the base), there are a number of convenience and safety features that make the weight of the seat no longer an issue. It’s also relatively narrow, with a 15.5″ wide base and an increase of about 1.5 inches due to the handlebar stem sticking out from the side. The Mesa is a good choice for installing three car seats in a row because the base base is very narrow, allowing the latches and buckles to be located on adjacent car seats for a snug fit. Packed with features, including rugged side impact protection, a thread-free harness and quick-adjust headrest (5 positions), removable and washable (and Greenguard GOLD!) fabrics, baby inserts and low harnesses for smaller (4-11 pound) infant positions, and European conveyor belt routes. According to UppaBaby, its safety features allow Mesa to perform up to 4 times better in side-impact tests than any other premium infant car seat on the market.
4.Graco SnugRide SnugFit 35 DLX
Usually less than $230. The Graco SnugRide line of car seats is one of the most popular and best-selling products in the market. Graco has been offering the SnugRide line for more than a decade, but they’ve only recently ramped up their efforts, adding the SnugFit line as well as the anti-rebound bars that parents have been asking for. Anti-rebound bars provide greater safety and protection in the event of a rear-end collision, helping to stabilize the car seat and absorb rotational forces that can be harmful to your baby. The SnugRide infant car seat is known for its relative simplicity and simplicity, and the SnugFit 35 DLX is no exception. Not as soft or luxurious as the B-Safe or Chicco car seats, maybe not as sleek or funky as the B-Safe or Chicco car seats (like the Britax Cowmooflauge, which is fantastic), but it works well and parents absolutely love it. Feature-by-feature, it’s also about $50-$75 cheaper than other brands, so that’s something to keep in mind. The SnugFit 35 DLX can support babies as small as 4 pounds (with a baby insert) and up to 35 pounds with a height limit of 32 inches. It can be connected to a Graco InRight LATCH system or a car seat belt. Impact-tested and secured with EPS energy-absorbing foam as part of its TrueShield side-impact protection technology, which protects not only the head but also the hips. One of the biggest advantages of SnugFit, in addition to the anti-rebound bar, is the addition of belt height adjustment that does not require re-stringing!