Best Car Seats For Infants and Babies
While convertible car seats are great for growing children, an infant seat works best infant seat for newborns. They are also lighter and easier to attach to strollers than their larger counterparts.
Kecia Healy Instructor at CPST Kecia Healy liked the recline leg with springs and a bubble indicator at the base of the Chicco KeyFit, as well as the user-friendliness. (The more user-friendly the car seat, the more likely that parents will install it correctly. The model can also be used with three across in many midsize vehicles.
1. Clek Liing infant car seat
The Canadian manufacturer Clek is known for their top-rated convertible car seats and the infant Liing is among the best car seat infant seats. The seat combines best infant carrier car seat-in-class safety features, including a steel load leg with easy, user-friendly installation and seven different recline positions to adjust to the slope of your vehicle seat. Additionally, a simple bubble indicator makes it easy to make sure the seat is at the correct angle before your baby rides in it.
The base of the Liing is easy to install using rigid LATCH connectors that slide into the lower anchors on your vehicle, making it easier to anchor the seat. The Liing is a great choice for families who are planning to change cars frequently or want a simple and reliable method of installing car seats for babies. You can also use the belt-tensioning system that comes with it to buckle your child.
The Liing’s 2-piece Newborn System is one of the features that set it apart from other infant car seats. The system comes with an insert that can be placed over the crotch strap as well as a headrest that attaches to harnesses to prevent infants from slumbering forward and moving their heads backwards in the seat. It’s a game changer for tiny preemies and babies and is among the only rear facing infant car seats that provide this kind of support.
Another great feature of the Liing is its crash-testing frame, which can reduce the force of a crash by up to 40 percent when compared to other infant seats. The shell of the Liing is padded with EPP foam, which protects your child’s head and torso which are the most susceptible in the event of a collision. The seat’s base has a metal load leg which absorbs energy and helps to reduce crashes.
2. Chicco KeyFit
This is a consistent top-rated infant car seat. It is easy to install and use, and it can expand with your child. It can also be used in conjunction with strollers to create an travel system.
The KeyFit is a good choice for parents who want an easy-to-use and safe flexible seat. It scored a high score in crash tests, is light and comfortable to carry. It also offers a wide range of height and weight limits. It was also designed to guarantee the comfort of babies. The click-in point has soft materials around it so your baby won’t be burnt by metal. The infant insert comes with a head cover to protect their heads and the seat pad your baby sits on is surrounded by energy absorbing foam cushions to ensure comfort.
Installation is simple. It is crucial to install the infant seat correctly, since a mistake in installation could increase your child’s risk of injury. The KeyFit’s premium connectors for LATCH and a SuperCinch tightener ensure an ensconced fit with minimum effort. Plus, the base has a ReclineSure leveling foot as well as two RideRight bubble level indicators to ensure correct vehicle angle and speedy installation. In addition, for a different installation using the vehicle seat belt, clear belt routing and lock-offs make it easy to install, position and tighten the car seat belt.
However, it isn’t as good in the ease of use category because of the rethread type harness height adjustment–a common feature on a lot of Chicco seats (and as well on their OG Keyfit model). This means you have to disconnect and manually re-thread straps from one slot level to another, which takes longer than other adjustments. This is a minor trade-off for the ease of use of this seat.
3. Joie i-Snug 2
The lightweight Joie i-Snug 2 infant car seat meets the highest safety standards. It comes with a no-rethread harness, and is compatible with Joie strollers that use Maxi-Cosi style adapters. The installation guide is clearly labeled and bubble levels are included to help align the seat. The car seat is comfortable, with plenty of padding. It comes with a canopy that shields your baby from direct sun’s rays.
The iSnug comes with an ISOFIX vehicle base that allows secure attachment to the vehicle. It can also be used in conjunction with an appropriate stroller to create a complete travel set-up. It’s a rear-facing infant car seat that offers maximum head and neck protection for infants and newborns. The exclusive Tri-Protect headrest comes with an additional layer of Intelli-Fit memory foam that protects your baby from side-impact crashes.
As with any infant car seat you’ll have to replace it once your child reaches the weight and height limits, or when they reach their first birthday. In the meantime you can upgrade to a convertible or all-in-one car seat, which allows children to ride rear-facing longer and is safer for them.
A convertible car seat is larger and more spacious than an infant seat and also has a higher weight and height limit when facing backwards. It’s a good idea to switch to a convertible car seat as soon as is possible to avoid your child from growing too quickly. In some instances parents may be able to transition their child into an all-in-one car seats without ever needing to purchase a new car seat for their infant. This is why it is crucial to select the most suitable convertible car seat for your family. Read our complete guide to get all the information you require to make the best car seats choice.
4. Nuna Pipa Aire RX
Nuna Pipa RX is a highly rated infant seat because of its safety features, lightweight design, and the flexibility. It installs with rigid anchors for the lower part of the outboard seats of most cars and with vehicle seat belt using Euro routing (which makes use of all of the length of the vehicle’s seat belt to ensure the most secure installation). It also comes with a GOTS organic cotton infant insert, making it an alternative for parents who are looking for organic options for their child.
The Pipa Aire RX weighs only 6 pounds. without the canopy or inserts. It’s one of the lightest infant car seat available. This is due to the innovative Aeroflex foam, which is extremely light yet incredibly strong, reducing the force that is transferred to your baby in the event of a crash. Other safety features include the 5 second steel-reinforced True Lock base installation, side-impact protection, and a multi-position steel stability leg that features an area of crumple to limit forward rotation for enhanced rearward-facing security.
Other highlights include an ergonomic aluminum carry handle that’s both light and luxurious with leatherette accents to ensure comfortable toting and superb grip. The magnetic buckle holders keep straps out of the way while buckling up your child, and color-coded indicators for installation ensure that the correct connections are made. The low-profile base makes it fast, effortless loading. the belt’s path is open and lock-offs secures shoulder and lap belts.
Cleaning up after a messy family member should not be a hassle. The inserts and fabrics of the Pipa Aire RX can be washed by machine so that your car seat appears as good as it did after each use.
5. Nuna Pipa Urbn
While Nuna’s PIPA RX and PIPA air rx car seats are both great options, the newly launched Pipa Urbn takes it all to a whole new level. The ultralight infant car seat is extremely easy to carry, and weighs less than 7 pounds when the canopy and insert attached. It’s a user-friendly, luxurious design with features like magnetic buckle holders that keep straps from getting in the way when you are buckled in your baby, and a red/green indication to let you know whether the installation is secure. ).
The unique pipaFIX technology allows it to be used without a base, unlike the Pipa RX or other base-compatible PIPAs that require a base to be installed. This makes it the ideal choice for parents that frequently take taxis, rideshare services, or travel.
Like other Nuna products, the Pipa Urbn is designed with environmentally-friendly materials that are free of added fire retardant chemicals, and is GREENGUARD Gold certified. The green-friendly materials include a Merino wool and Tencel branded lyocell fiber blend headrest and machine washable, water-resistant body cover and cover.
The main issue with the Pipa Urbn is that it only has the rear-facing weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds. This means you might need to change to a convertible car seat sooner than some other brands. It’s still a great choice for most infants. This car seat is compatible with travel systems and works with any of Nuna’s strollers. Just click it on or attach with the rings adapter.