How to Choose the Best Infant Car Seat

Consider what you'd like from your car seat. "If you want a car seat to grow with your child, think about an all-in-one model such as the Graco 4Ever DLX," Saxton advises. The seat can be changed into a high-back booster or an unbackless booster. It comes with a huge rear-facing weight limit.

The soft cushioning that is machine washable is a plus. Other features that are helpful include load legs that absorb shock on the base or car seat that reduce the impact of a crash.

Safety

They are designed to fit babies with smaller sizes better, which is why they have more padding than convertible car seats. They are also lighter and easier to remove from the car or connect to a stroller frame which is crucial since you will need to transport your child in the seat outside of your vehicle often. The dedicated infant car seat is also designed to last your child for 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 standards for car seats are extremely stringent but it's an excellent idea to conduct your own research before making a purchase. You might want to read reviews from other parents and reading car seat safety guidelines from organizations like Consumer Reports or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Both have crash test data that can be shared with families.

Look for features that will be useful to your family. For instance, the ability to release the strap, a no-rethread harness or a foot that can be leveled with spring-loaded mechanism. These kinds of features can make buckling up your baby quicker and easier however, you must remember that even the safest of seats can be a waste when you don't use them correctly.

The weight and width of the car seat is also important. Many infant car seats can be placed in your car alongside older car seats. Some can expand with your child and can be converted to an adult booster at the same time. If you plan to use your car seat to travel or to take taxis, then an cheap infant car seats car seat which can be installed by using only your vehicle's seatbelt is a good option.

In general, it's a good idea to buy the most secure car seat you can afford, as the cheapest models typically do not meet the highest safety standards for crash safety. For instance, it's best to stay clear of models that do not include side impact testing and permit companies to self-certify their seats.

Convenience

The best car seats for infants are those that can fit inside your vehicle with your family, are easy to install, and have convenient extras like a built-in jogging stroller or a rotation feature. It must also be affordable. Infant seats cost between $180 to $500. If they're convertible and are intended for both infants and toddlers, the price can be higher.

The convenience features include the ability to be fitted using the LATCH system, or a seatbelt. Also, if you can adjust the headrest and harness without having to remove the baby from the seat. The process of installing and removing the seat is not difficult, particularly if your child rides in Ubers or you often switch between cars. The seat should be light and clearly labeled with instructions for installation and bubble levels to make it easier to install the car seat.

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

While federal safety standards are the minimum, a few manufacturers go above and beyond to include additional crash-testing and convenience features in their car seats. The Clek Liing is a top choice from our gear editors and Consumer Reports, is an excellent example of an infant seat that offers more than just great crash protection. It also comes with a leg that stabilizes the seat in a crash, reducing forces on the child by 40%. This feature alone could save the life of a child, so it's worth paying more for a car seat that is safe and has additional safety features.

Comfort

The comfort factor is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing an infant car seat, since babies spend the majority of their time in the car seat. The most comfortable ones have large, breathable fabrics as well as generous padding on the headrest and harness. They also offer simple adjustment mechanisms, like buckles, strap covers, and headrest adjustments that don't require the rethreading.

The weight and size of the infant car seat will also affect comfort particularly if it's being used in multiple vehicles or for frequent travel. Some models are more narrow than others, making them easier to fit in the back of the car with a car seat or siblings seats. And, while they all have minimum and maximum heights and weight limits, some are a bit lighter than others. This could help keep your biceps from getting sore when carrying it around town or between vehicles.

Some infant car seats have additional features to make them more adaptable. For example they can rotate or be clicked into a stroller with no need for adapters. Other models have premium features like harnesses that are adjustable and do not rethread or anti-rebound bars for extra safety in the event of a crash. These features aren't necessary to ensure safety, but they can improve the overall experience.

Parents want their infants to have a comfortable, clean car seat. They also value safety and convenience. Select a seat that is machine washable, stain-resistant and easy to remove to clean. Some seats are even dishwasher safe, which makes it easier to keep them looking new.

Some models go the extra mile to ensure their customers' experience is safe and comfortable, like the Graco SnugRide(tm) Elite, that comes with an anti-rebound bar and meets the Graco ProtectPlus Engineered(tm) standards to withstand rear and front collisions. The seat also includes a Silent Shade canopy that keeps baby safe and quiet and also an indicator that lets you know that it's attached correctly to the base. The seat's adjustable carry handle the harness tightener and indicator will let you know that it's properly connected to the base.

Design

Manufacturers of infant car seats make them with safety and convenience as their main goals. However, the wide selection of features makes it difficult to determine which is best for your family. You'll want to consider aspects like weight and height limits as well as the number of belt buckles and belt paths. Additional features like an load legs that are not bound, anti-rebound bar and no-rethread straps could increase the price of the seat, but will increase the comfort of your infant. You might also consider features that allow you to easily get your child in and out of the seat, such as rotational mechanisms. Be sure to pay attention to the dimensions and the weight of the seat as not every seat will fit in all vehicles.

One feature that's especially important is the ease of installing and disconnecting from the base. The quality of the LATCH connectors, and whether they're flexible or rigid, can influence this. It is also important to be aware of whether the straps can be easily tightened or loosen and if there is a single-hand release mechanism to install and remove the seat.

Some models allow you to use the seat without a base which is useful if you take taxis often or plan on switching cars frequently. To make sure that your seat is properly installed, look for models with bubble level indicators and a integrated locking mechanism.

Other features that may be worth the cost include a headrest that expands with the infant or a recline with five positions, as well as an extendable canopy that locks in place. Our product testers also noted that having a seat which can be used as a highback booster using belt positioning or a backless booster after the infant has finished using it is an additional benefit.

Doona is an infant car seat that will delight parents. It's packed with features that address almost every complaint parents have about infant car seats, which is the reason our product testers gave it top marks in every category. For instance, it's approved for airplane travel, has an exclusive handle that doubles as an anti-rebound bar and converts directly into strollers (no need to purchase separate stroller adapters). The crash test results are top-quality and it's GREENGUARD Gold certified.