5 Best Car Seats For Infants Lessons From The Pros

Best Car Seats For Infants and Babies

While convertible car seats work well for growing children however, an infant car seat is best for babies. They are also lighter and easier for you to clip into strollers than their bigger counterparts.

CPST instructor Kecia Healy liked the Chicco KeyFit's recline foot that is spring-loaded and bubble indicator on the base, and its user-friendliness (the more user-friendly a car seat is and is, the more likely parents are to set it up correctly). This model can also fit three across in the majority of mid-sized vehicles.

1. Clek Liing Infant Car Seat

Clek, one of the Canadian manufacturer, is well-known for its top-rated convertible car seats. The infant Liing is among their best infant seats. The seat comes with best infant seat-in class safety features including a steel load-leg that can be easily installed. It also features seven different recline positions that can be adjusted to fit the slope of your car's seat. A bubble indicator enables you ensure that the seat is set at the right angle before your child rides in it.

The base of the Liing can be easily fitted by using LATCH connectors made of rigid material that fit into the lower anchors of your car, making it easier to anchor the seat. This makes the Liing an ideal choice for families who plan to change vehicles frequently or who want a quick, secure method of installing their child's car seat. You can also use the belt-tensioning system included to secure your child.

One of the features that makes the Liing apart from other infant car seats is its two-piece Newborn Support System. It includes an upper insert that slides over the crotch buckle and a head support that is attached to the harness to help keep newborns from sagging or pushing their heads forward while in the seat. It's a game changer for tiny babies and preemies, and it's one of the only rear facing infant car seats that offer this type of support.

The Liing's crash-testing framework made of steel reduces the force of a crash by up to 40% compared with other infant seat. The shell of the seat is bolstered with EPP foam, which protects your child's head and body during an accident. The base of the seat is constructed with a metal load leg that absorbs energy and helps reduce crashes, as well.

2. Chicco KeyFit

This is a consistently top-rated infant car seat. It is easy to set up and use, and it will expand with your child. It also pairs well with strollers for an overall travel system.

The KeyFit is a great option for parents looking for a safe, versatile and user-friendly seat. It scored a high score in crash tests, is light and comfortable to carry. It also has a good infant car seats range of weight and height limits. It is also designed with the comfort of babies in mind. The click-in point has soft materials surrounding it so that your baby doesn't get burned by the metal. The infant insert comes with a head surround to protect their heads, and the seat pad that babies sit on has cushions that absorb energy for comfort.

It's also one of the easiest infant seats to install correctly, every time. It is crucial to install the seat correctly, as incorrect installation can increase your child's danger of injury. The KeyFit's premium LATCH connectors with a SuperCinch tightener ensure a secure fit that requires minimal effort. The base also has a ReclineSure leveling feet and two RideRight bubble-level-indicators to ensure the correct vehicle angle. For alternate installation clear belt routing, lock-offs and the car seatbelt make it easy to place and tighten.

It does lose some points in the user-friendliness category due to the rethread-style harness height adjustment, a feature that is common on a lot of Chicco seats (and as well on their OG Keyfit model). This means you need to detach and manually re-thread the straps from one slot level to the next which is longer than non-rethread adjustments. This is a minor disadvantage for the convenience of this seat.

3. Joie i-Snug 2

The lightweight Joie i-Snug 2 is an i-Size infant car seat that meets the highest safety standards. It features a no-rethread belt and is compatible with Joie strollers that accept Maxi Cosi style adapters. It's easy to use, with clear installation guides as well as built-in bubble levels to help in alignment. The car seat comes with plenty of padding and is comfortable. It has a nice canopy that shields your baby from direct sunlight.

The iSnug 2 comes with an ISOFIX base to ensure a secure vehicle attachment and can be used with a stroller that is compatible for an entire travel system. It's a rear-facing infant car seat that provides maximum neck and head protection for babies and newborns. The exclusive Tri-Protect Headrest is equipped with a layer of Intelli-Fit Memory Foam that protects your child from side impact crashes.

Like any infant car seats cheap car seat you'll need to replace it once your child reaches the weight and height limits or when they reach their first birthday. Then, you can upgrade to a convertible or an all-in-one car seats, which allows children to sit rear-facing for longer and is safer for them.

A convertible car seat is bigger and more spacious than an infant car seat and also has a higher weight and height limit when facing rearward. To stop your child from growing out of the seat too quickly, it's recommended to switch to a car seat that converts as quickly as you can. In certain instances parents can even move their baby to an all-in-one car seat, without ever having to purchase a new infant Car seat cheap car seat. For that reason, it's crucial to pick the most suitable convertible car seat for your family. Our comprehensive guide will provide you with all the information you need to make a wise choice.

4. Nuna Pipa Aire RX

The Nuna Pipa Aire RX is among the most rated infant car seats due to its safety, lightweight design and the versatility. It can be used using rigid lower anchors in the seats that are outboard of a majority of vehicles, or with the seat belts of vehicles using Euro Routing (which utilizes all of its length to secure the installation). It also includes an organic cotton GOTS infant insert, making it an alternative for parents who prefer organic alternatives for their child.

At only 6 lbs without the canopy and inserts, the Pipa Aire RX is among the lightest infant car seats on the market. This is thanks to the revolutionary Aeroflex foam, which is extremely light but incredibly durable, reducing the force transferred to your baby in 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 a crumple zone to limit forward rotation for enhanced rearward-facing security.

The ergonomic aluminum handle is lightweight and luxurious with leatherette accents for the perfect grip and an ideal option to carry the bag. A buckle holder with a magnetic buckle keeps straps out of the way when you buckle your child in and color-coded indicators for installation confirm the correct connection. The low-profile base allows rapid loading, and the wide belt path with lock-off secures shoulder and lap belts.

Parenting is messy But cleaning up doesn't need to be. The fabrics and inserts in the Pipa Aire RX are machine washable, which means you can keep your car seat looking like new after every use.

5. Nuna Pipa Urbn

While Nuna's PIPA rx and PIPA aire RX car seats are both excellent alternatives, the new Pipa Urbn takes it all to another level. This ultralight infant car seat is incredibly easy to carry, weighing less than 7 pounds with the canopy and insert attached. It has a user-friendly, luxurious design with features like magnetic buckle holders that keep straps from getting in from the way when buckling in baby and a red/green indication to inform you if the installation is secure. ).

Contrary to the Pipa RX and the other base-compatible PIPA models that require the use of a car base the model, this one can be used without a base thanks to its unique pipaFIX rigid latch system. This makes it a perfect option for parents who regularly take taxis or rideshares for travel, or simply want the ability to transfer their car seat more quickly and 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 green-friendly materials include the Merino Wool and Tencel brand-name blend of Lyocell fibres for the headrest and a machine washable, water-resistant cover.

The biggest drawback to the Pipa Urbn is that it only has the rear-facing weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds, which means you may need to upgrade to a convertible car seat sooner than other brands. That said, it is still a top-rated option for most infants. This car seat is also travel system-ready and pairs seamlessly with all of Nuna's strollers--just click it on or connect via the rings adapter.