A Step-By Step Guide For Choosing The Right Best Car Seats For Infants
Best Car Seats For Infants and Babies
While convertible car seats are ideal for kids who are growing however, an infant car seat is the best choice for babies and newborns. They are also lighter and easier to clip into strollers than their larger counterparts.
CPST instructor Kecia Healy liked the Chicco KeyFit's recline foot with springs and bubble indicator on the base, in addition to its ease of use (the more user-friendly a car seat can be, the more likely parents are to install it correctly). This model can also fit three across in the majority of mid-sized cars.
1. Clek Liing Car Seat for Infants
Clek, an Canadian manufacturer, is well-known for its top-rated convertible car seats. The infant Liing is among their top infant seats. It is fitted with the best safety features available including a steel load-leg and a simple installation. It also comes with seven different recline positions that can be adjusted to fit the slope of your vehicle's seat. Additionally, a simple bubble indicator makes it simple to make sure the seat is at the correct angle prior to your child's first ride in it.
The base of the Liing is easy to install with the help of LATCH connectors that fit into your vehicle's lower anchors, making the seat more anchor. The Liing is a great choice for families who are planning to change cars frequently or want a simple, reliable way to install car seats for babies. You can also utilize the belt-tensioning system that comes with it to buckle your child.
One of the features that sets the Liing apart from other infant car seats is its two-piece Newborn Support System. It includes a lower insert which can be placed over the crotch strap and a headrest that is attached to harnesses to stop newborns from slumbering forward and pulling their heads backwards in the seat. This is an important feature for babies and preemies. It's also one of the few rear-facing infant car seats that offers this level of support.
The Liing's crash-testing framework made of steel reduces the force of crash by 40% compared with other infant seat. The shell of the seat is bolstered with EPP foam that protects your child's head and body in the event of a crash. The base of the seat is constructed with a metal load leg that absorbs energy and helps diminish crashes, and.
2. Chicco KeyFit
This is a consistently top-rated infant car seat. It's quick to put in place, easy to use, and grows with your child. It also works well with strollers for an overall travel system.
The KeyFit is a great choice for parents who want an easy-to-use, safe and versatile seat. It has an excellent score in crash tests, is lightweight and comfortable to carry, and has a good range of height/weight limits. It is also designed with babies' comfort in mind. The click-in point is made of soft materials surrounding it so that your baby isn't burned by the metal. The infant insert comes with an enclosed head-skirt to protect their little heads and the seat pad that baby sits on has cushioned foam that absorbs energy to ensure comfort.
The process of installing it correctly is extremely simple. It is important to install the infant seat correctly as a wrong installation could increase your child's chance of getting injured. The KeyFit's LATCH connectors and a SuperCinch tightener ensure an extremely secure fit with little effort. Additionally, the base comes with a ReclineSure leveling foot as well as two RideRight bubble level indicators that help ensure the correct angle of the vehicle and quick installation. To make it easier to install the base in another way clear belt routing, lock-offs and the seatbelt of the car make it easy to place and tighten.
It isn't perfect but it does fall short in the user-friendliness category because of the rethread type harness height adjustment--a common feature on a lot of Chicco seats (and also on their OG Keyfit model). This means that you must manually re-thread straps to change from one level to the next. This is a minor disadvantage for the ease of this seat.
3. Joie i-Snug 2
The lightweight Joie i-Snug 2 is an i-Size infant car seats that meets the highest safety standards. It features a no-rethread harness, and is compatible with Joie strollers that accept Maxi-Cosi style adapters. The installation guide is clearly marked and bubble levels are built in to help align the seat. The car seat comes with plenty of padding and is very comfortable. It also has a convenient canopy that protects your child from the sun.
The i-Snug 2 has an ISOFIX base for secure vehicle attachment. It can be used with a stroller compatible to create a complete travel set-up. It's a rear-facing infant car seat that offers the best head and neck protection for infants and newborns. The exclusive Tri-Protect headrest comes with an additional layer of Intelli-Fit memory foam to protect your baby from side-impact crashes.
You'll require a new infant car seat as soon as your child is at the weight and height limits or their first birthday. You can then upgrade to convertible car seats or an all-in-one car seat. This will allow your child to travel rearwards for longer, and is safer.
A convertible car seat has a greater rear-facing weight and height limit than an infant seat, and generally has a bigger and more spacious interior. To stop your child from becoming too big for the seat too quickly, it's best to switch to a car seat that can be converted as quickly as you can. In certain instances, parents can even transition their baby to an all-in-one car seat, without ever having to purchase another car seat for their infant. It is therefore crucial to select the right convertible car seat for you and your family. Check out our comprehensive guide to provide all the details you need to make an informed decision.
4. Nuna Pipa Aire RX
The Nuna Pipa Aire RX is one of the top-rated infant car seats because of its safety, light weight design, and versatility. It can be used with rigid lower anchors in the outboard seats of a majority of vehicles, or with the seat belts of vehicles that uses Euro Routing (which uses the entire length to secure the installation). It also comes with an organic cotton GOTS infant insert, making it an alternative for parents who prioritize organic choices for their child.
Push Chairs And Prams weighs only 6 pounds. without the canopy or inserts. It's one of the lightest infant car seat available. Aeroflex foam is a lightweight material that is durable, but also extremely light helps reduce the force that is transferred to your child in an accident. Other safety features include the 5-second steel-reinforced True Lock base installation, side-impact protection and a multiposition steel stability leg with an area of crumple to limit forward rotation for enhanced rearward-facing security.
Other highlights include an ergonomic aluminum carry handle that's light and luxurious with leatherette accents for easy to carry and excellent grip. A buckle holder with a magnetic buckle keeps straps clear when buckling your child in and color-coded indicator for installation ensures that the belts are properly connected. The low-profile base makes it quick, easy loading and the belt's open path with lock-offs secures shoulder and lap belts.
Cleaning up after a messy parent shouldn't be a problem. The fabrics and inserts of the Pipa Aire RX can be washed by machine so that your car seat appears like it did after every use.
5. Nuna Pipa Urbn
Nuna's PIPA air rx and PIPA Rx car seats are great options. However, the new Pipa Urbn is a step beyond. The ultralight infant car seat is extremely easy to carry, and weighs less than 7 pounds with the canopy and insert. It also comes with elegant, user-friendly design that includes practical features like magnetic buckle holders to help keep straps from getting in the way when you buckle your baby in and a red/green indicator to let you know the installation is secure (we wish all car seats had this! ).
Unlike the Pipa RX and the other base-compatible PIPA models that require a car base to install it, this model can be installed without a base thanks to its innovative pipaFIX rigid latch system. This makes it a perfect option for parents who regularly use rideshare or taxi services as well as for those who want the ability to transfer their car seat faster and more easily.
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. These eco-friendly materials include the Merino Wool and Tencel blended lyocell fibres headrest as well as an water-resistant machine washable cover.
The Pipa Urbn has an upper weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds when used rear-facing. This means that you may have to upgrade to a convertible seat earlier than with other brands. That said, it is still a top pick for the majority of infants. The car seat is travel system-ready and pairs seamlessly with any of Nuna's strollers. Just click it on or attach via the rings adapter.