How to Choose the Best Car Seats for Your Child
It's easy to be overwhelmed when looking for a car safety seat. The safest car seat is one that is suitable for your child and your vehicle and can be used safely every time.
Car seats that are difficult to use or install can make the lives of parents and children more difficult. The most effective options boast impressive crash test sensor results, have high ease of use scores, and are lightweight and compact.
Safety
Safety features are the most important factor to take into account when you are shopping for an automobile. It doesn't matter if opt for a convertible, booster or infant seat. They should all comply with federal safety standards and have demonstrated track records in third-party crash testing. It should also fit in your vehicle and be simple to use.
A high-quality seat must include a harness adjuster that is easy to use, as well as the option of connecting via LATCH or seatbelt. Flexible or rigid lower connectors with alligator-like clipping that hooks directly to the car seat belt guides or car seat base are preferred to straps with a flexible design. The best seats come with a clear, intuitive color-change indicator to indicate whether the seat is connected correctly and ensure a tight fit.
The most comfortable seats also come with the top tether, which reduces the risk of head injuries in crashes by restricting the child's head in front. The harness guides are integrated into the seats to help parents use the belt or tether properly.
The most important characteristics of car seats are those that guarantee the seat will be installed and used correctly 100% of the time. Tragically, many child passenger deaths happen because children are improperly restrained or in the wrong kind of seat. Check with a child passenger security technician (CPST) who is located near you, to ensure that the car seat's installation and position is right.
A good seat can help your child survive a crash. It is worth the extra cost for a seat that has solid frames and top-quality materials. It is also beneficial to include intelligent features. Find seats that are compliant with the R129 safety standards which are more stringent than the older standards that the majority of seats adhere to.
Lastly, it's important to understand that the car seat is only as secure as the person who uses it. Children must be properly restrained in rear-facing car seats from the time they are born until they reach a height that allows them to sit forward in a harness, usually around the age of four or five.
Comfort
A comfortable car seat can help your child get to sleep or stay asleep for longer and can be the difference between getting the long drive done in one piece and an exhausted, cranky kid who screams at nap time. Find an appropriate seat that is able to accommodate your child's growing stature, provides plenty of head and neck support, and is a good fit to prevent movement in the car.
The best infant car seats have various features to make your baby feel secure and comfy, such as soft materials that offer a snug fit, plush cushions, and armrests with padding. Some include cup holders, adjustable headrests, and sun shades. Others offer a variety of recline positions. Others have adjustable thigh supports and lumbar supports to improve posture, and some include massage features that can be activated by a button that you press when the child is in the seat.
If your child is no longer able to fit in an infant car seat then you can upgrade to a convertible toddler car seat. These seats are designed for children who weigh up to 40 pounds. They can be used with either a front-facing or facing forward. Some convertible toddler car seats can be used as boosters for children up to 120 pounds. This will save you money and decreases the amount of car seat purchases you'll have to make over time.
Evenflo Chase is one of the most highly-rated toddler car seats for comfort. It offers great crash test results and is easily mounted using LATCH or vehicle seat belt. Its narrow shell allows it to fit larger babies and newborns than other car seats and also has two crotch buckle positions to allow for better shoulder strap placement. It's also slim and light making it easy to maneuver in smaller vehicles.
The Nuna PIPA urbn is another ideal choice for a comfy toddler car seat. The seat is a good option for parents who are looking for a comfortable toddler car seat. It features padding on the sides and is easy-to-read indicators. It is also compact and can either be installed with the base or without it, making it a good choice for parents who often transfer their car seats from one vehicle to another.
Easy to Use
Car seats are the single thing in the life of a parent that get heavy use and lots of parents are looking for an easy-to-use car seat that can fit inside their car and integrate with other baby gear. Car seats for infants have lower weight limits and a shorter life span than convertible car seats, which means they are generally lighter in body and frame. car seats by age 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 assist you in to position it properly in your car. Also, they come with clearly labeled installation guides that include clear instructions. The car seats have been designed with clear, durable materials that can be washed in the machine as well as a soft padding for the child.
The Clek Liing is the most highly rated infant seat we reviewed in 2018. It provides impressive crash test results and analysis scores as well as a fantastic load leg that can help you position the seat in your car with ease and precision. The car seat is simple to install using either rigid latch connectors or the LATCH. The latches change color to indicate the connection and the harness snaps into place quickly and securely.
Chicco KeyFit 35 is another top choice. It offers impressive crash test results and loading legs that can help you install the car seat. Parents and experts appreciate it, such as CPST instructor Kecia H. who says it's designed with a spring-loaded reclining foot as well as a bubble-indicator at the base to help you position the seat correctly and tighten the seat easily. It's also affordable, GREENGUARD-certified and built to last, with an aluminum frame and high-density foam, as well as an air-ventilated seat back that allows air circulation to keep your child cool.
The all-in-one Nuna Exec is a favourite of LaBracio and Saxton and both women saying it's a "solid" seat that is worth the price for its luxury feel as well as its luxurious materials and ease of installation. It features an upper weight limit for rear-facing children of 50 pounds, an expanded legroom panel as well as a sturdy steel frame with anti-rebound bar. The infant car seat converts into a forward-facing booster for children who weigh up to 120 pounds and is compact enough to fit three across in most mid-sized cars.
Design
A car seat is an investment in the safety of your child So you need to know it will fit well and be easy to use. Your final decision may be influenced by the location and how you plan to install the seat, as well as how often you intend to change between vehicles. Although it's impossible to know what could occur in a crash, the design of your seat will aid in minimizing damage and making it easier to get your child into and out of the car seat.
One important factor is whether a seat comes with flexible or rigid LATCH connectors. Connectors that are rigid are attached to the seat with alligator clips. They are more difficult to remove during an accident. Flexible connectors have straps that can be adjusted by hand or with some type of mechanism. A majority of seats come with an indicator for level to tell the correct installation. This is usually a plastic formed line on the shell's side or a sticker that is affixed to the seat's bottom that, when stood up against the ground, indicates the car seat is at the right angle.
The ability of a seat to accommodate infants and newborns is important. This is based on the width and the height of the shell, the headrest and the ease with which the harness can be buckled and unbuckled. Some seats come with an insert for positioning that helps smaller bodies fit into the seat and the harness. It's important to know that these inserts can be removed as your child develops.
The third factor to consider is the ease of changing the height of the belt. The best seats allow you to adjust the belt without taking away your baby. It is as easy as pushing an button, pulling a tab or shifting levers. Additionally, the most convenient seats to use are those that can adjust the shoulder strap position without rethreading the belt.
If you're considering an all in one seat, ensure it meets federal minimum safety standards and has performed well in third-party crashes tests. We recommend seats with additional features, like an energy-absorbing layer molded into the shell or an anti-rebounding bar.