A high-quality infant best car seat infant seat is a safety necessity, and not all seats are created in the same way. The most effective ones have features that increase crash test performance, like load legs, which are shock-absorbing parts on the base or car seat that limit movement in collisions.
A favorite among CPST instructors is the Chicco KeyFit, which has a high rear-facing weight limit and height limit as well as an indicator for the level of bubbles, and the reclining foot is spring-loaded, which makes it easy to install.
Graco Mesa Max
The Graco Mesa Max ranks as one of the easiest infant car seats to use. It has great fabrics with a simple design and a convenient feature to connect the child’s harness to the headrest, making it easier to tighten. It also has a large hideaway canopy that makes it easy to keep your baby sheltered when traveling. The only drawback is that it is a little heavier than average and could be a problem if intend to carry it around or if you want to pair it with your UPPAbaby stroller that has won awards.
Mesa Max’s remarkable results in crash tests show its dedication to safety. It scored a top rated baby car seats score in the frontal impact test and an excellent score in the side impact test, which means that your baby is protected from both sides of an accident.
Another notable safety feature is the Graco’s anti-rebound panel which helps reduce the force of rebound during the event of a crash, and also safeguards your child’s head. This feature is unique among infant car seats and makes the Mesa Max standout among its competitors.
Graco Mesa Max can easily and securely be fitted into your vehicle with LATCH used with the base included. The load leg, recline angle adjustment, and tightness indicator all help ensure a quick and accurate installation. The base weighs 12.6 pounds, which is slightly heavier than the average infant car seat but not enough to be an issue.
The UPPAbaby Mesa V2 uses the same dual-knit fabric as its predecessor. It is free of chemicals that are fire retardant. It features an infinitely adjustable backrest and an extremely durable insert for infants weighing 4-11 lbs. The fabrics are GREENGUARD Gold Certified, which means they are tested for low chemical emissions and VOCs.
The UPPAbaby Mesa Max is slightly more expensive than other options, but it has top features and modern safety technology to ensure a safe travel experience. The included base and a range of stylish colors add value to the. Its thoughtful features and robust design give parents peace of mind during every journey.
Britax Boulevard ClickTight
The Britax Blvd ClickTight is a fantastic choice for parents who are looking for a car seat they can develop with. The rear-facing limit is 40 pounds, which is higher than the majority of infant car seats. Additionally, it can be used as a forward-facing seat until your child is 65 pounds.
Its biggest selling point is the ClickTight Installation System, which is the most secure and simple available. The seat belt can be tightened by pressing a red release and pulling the harness strap. This makes it unnecessary to remove and rethread your seat belt. This minimizes the chance of not tightening the correct belt which is the main cause of car seat failure.
The EZ-Buckle Pad is another security feature that keeps the buckle out the way while you place your child in the car seat. This feature along with beltpath cutouts that are located on the sides of the seat makes it easy to get your child in and out of the car.
The three ClickTight convertible seat models (Boulevard CT, Marathon CT, Advocate CT) share the similar features. ClickTight Installation System is one of them. Also included are an impact-absorbing frame that can accommodate 7 recline positions.
The seat is quite heavy, however, so you may want to think about a lighter option if you are planning to make use of it for frequent car swaps. Additionally, the seat is large, which means it might not be a good fit in smaller vehicles, especially in the case of in the rear of the vehicle.
If you’re looking for a affordable option that is comparable to, check out the 4Ever DLX from Graco. It has lower crash test scores than the Boulevard however it’s an excellent seat for your little one.
The Graco also has LATCH connectors that can be pushed on which make it much easier to take the seat off. Boulevard’s LATCH connectors utilize an alternative release system that requires you to pull the webbing, then press the gray button. It can be difficult to do this if the webbing isn’t fitted properly. This seat has a convenient storage compartment for belt straps.
Clek Liing
Clek Liing is the infant car seat for you to have it all with style, safety, and comfort. This rear facing infant car seat-facing car seat is simple to install, comes with an excellent crash test rating and a variety of features.
The Liing is made with features that go beyond US and Canadian safety regulations. It was designed for easy, secure installation in any seating position. It also comes with advanced safety features such as an energy-absorbing metal leg as well as two pieces of shell that is lined with EPP to provide increased side impact protection. The base comes with 7 recline positions and a trusty bubble indicator that lets you know exactly when the seat is set at the correct angle for your infant.
The Liing is loved by parents for its sleek and modern design, and its unique safety features such as the rigid lower anchors that are simpler to attach than standard hook-and-loop connectors. The Liing also has a handy one-handed release that makes it easy to remove from the base, or to use with a variety of compatible strollers. It’s also small enough to fit three-across many vehicles, and it can be easily inserted into a convertible car seats for a travel boost.
This infant seat is rated first for its unique rigid-LATCH installation system. The lower anchors of the Liing click directly into the lower seat belt slots, and the top tether strap snaps onto the vehicle’s headrest to create an incredibly secure, tight fit that eliminates any chance of the child being thrown around during a crash.
The base weighs 9lbs and the car seat weighs 10.5 lbs. Other rear-facing seats are heavier but the difference is not noticeable if you plan to transport the car seat and base around. ).
Parents love the Liing’s built-in canopy and 100+spf of protection from the sun’s rays by mesh peekaboo. Parents appreciate the blanket made of merino that keeps the baby warm and the capacity of the handle to pivot past the canopy. This makes it easier for parents to reach for the seat when needed.
Graco Trio Grow SnugLock LX
The Graco Trio SnugLock LX is a three-in-one car seat that can be used from rear-facing infant to forward-facing harness, and then to highback booster. It features the SnugLock system, which allows for an easy and smooth installation using either lower anchors or car seat belts. It has the option of using the top tether when in booster mode. (We recommend using the lower anchors to provide extra security.)
This seat is perfect for children of all different ages. For younger babies it has an infant insert that assists to help support their necks and backs. The insert can be removed once the child is older, and the seat can be used as a normal car seat for toddlers. It is one of the only car seats by age seats that allow the top tether to be used as a booster. We recommend it.
Its base is fairly compact front to back, so it shouldn’t be a problem to find a space for it in most vehicles. It does require the headrest to be raised, in order to provide an open path to the lower anchor webbing. Thankfully, there’s a handy headrest adjustment knob to easily accomplish this, and you’ll be able to view the position of your headrest in the display window.
One of the most unique features about this seat is the SnugLock installation system that is a bar that is located inside the belt path. This makes installing this car seat using the lower anchors a breeze, and it’s almost as easy as using the car seat belt.
The manual also has a great illustration of how to correctly route the lower anchor connectors while routing them through the new belt path, which can be confusing initially. It is important to keep them out of the crotch buckle loop and away from the chest clip so they don’t interfere with the buckling system.
The Graco Trio Grow belongs to the Protect Plus Engineered Family, which means it has been put through some of the most rigorous testing in the field. This includes tests for rear, side, and rollover crashes as well as frontal impacts.