Best Car Seats For Infants and Babies
While convertible car seats are great for growing kids, an infant seat is best for babies and newborns. They are also lighter and easier to attach to strollers than their bigger counterparts.
Kecia Healy Instructor at CPST Kecia Healy liked the spring-loaded recline leg and bubble indicator on the bottom 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 also fits three across in most midsize automobiles.
1. Clek Liing infant car seat
Clek, a Canadian manufacturer, is well-known for its top-rated convertible car seat. The infant Liing is among their top infant seats. It is fitted with top-of-the-line safety features like a metal load-leg and a simple installation. It also comes with seven different recline positions that can be adjusted to suit the slope of your vehicle's seat. Plus, a simple bubble indicator makes it simple to ensure the seat is in the correct position 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 on your vehicle which makes it easier to fix the seat. The Liing is a great choice for families that plan to switch cars frequently or need a simple and secure method to install a baby's car seats. If you prefer, you could utilize the belt-tensioning system included to buckle your child.
The Liing's 2-piece Newborn System is just one of the features that sets it apart from other infant car seats on sale car seats. It has an upper insert that can slide over the crotch buckle as well as a head support that attaches to the harness to to prevent babies from slumbering or pushing their heads forward when they're in the seat. This is an amazing feature for tiny babies and preemies. It's also among the few rear-facing infant car seats that provide this degree of support.
The Liing's crash-test framework made of metal reduces the force of a crash by up to 40% when compared to other infant seats. The shell of the seat is bolstered by EPP foam, which protects your child's head and body during a crash. The base of the seat is constructed with a metal load leg that absorbs energy and helps diminish crashes, as well.
2. Chicco KeyFit
This is the top-rated infant seat. It is easy to set up and use, and can grow with your Disney Minnie Child Booster Seat: Quality from France, www.pushchairsandprams.uk,. It can also be combined in conjunction with strollers to create an travel system.
The KeyFit is a good pick for parents looking for an easy-to-use and safe flexible seat. It was a top performer in crash tests and is lightweight and easy to carry. It also offers a wide range of weight and height limits. It is also designed with babies' comfort in mind. The click-in point is surrounded by soft materials to protect your baby from being burned by metal. The insert for babies includes a head cover that protects their tiny heads. The seat pad, on which the baby sits on, nestles them in foam cushions.
Installation is very easy. This is crucial since incorrectly installed infant seats increase the risk of injury to your child. The KeyFit's premium LATCH connectors that come with a SuperCinch tightener create a secure fit that requires minimal effort. The base also features ReclineSure leveling foot and two RideRight bubble-level-indicators to ensure the proper angle of the vehicle. 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.
It isn't perfect but it does fall short in the user-friendliness category due to the rethread style harness height adjustment--a common feature 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 another, which takes longer than non-rethread adjustments. However, this is a relatively minor tradeoff for the ease of use this seat offers.
3. Joie i-Snug 2
The lightweight Joie i-Snug 2 infant car seat meets the most stringent safety standards. It comes with a no-rethread harness, and is compatible with Joie strollers that can accept Maxi-Cosi style adapters. It's simple to use, with clearly labeled installation guides and built-in bubble levels to assist in alignment. The car seat comes with plenty of padding and is comfortable. It also has a convenient canopy to shield your baby from the sun.
The iSnug comes with an ISOFIX vehicle base that permits a secure vehicle attachment. It can also be used in conjunction with an appropriate stroller to create a complete travel set-up. This rear-facing infant seat provides the highest level of cervical and head protection for newborns. The exclusive Tri-Protect Headrest features a layer Intelli-Fit Memory Foam to protect your child from side impact crashes.
As with any infant car seat you'll need to replace it once your child reaches the weight and height limits or when they reach their first birthday. You can then upgrade to convertible car seats or an all-in one car seat. This allows your child to be rear-facing for longer, and is safer.
A convertible car seat has a higher rear-facing weight and height limit than an infant seat and typically has a larger space inside. To prevent your child from growing out of the seat too quickly, it's best to move to a seat that converts as quickly as you can. In some instances parents can even move their baby to an all-in-one car seat, without ever having to purchase another 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 need to make an informed choice.
4. Nuna Pipa Aire RX
Nuna Pipa RX is a highly rated infant seat due to its safety features, light design, and its versatility. It can be used with a rigid lower anchor in the seats that are outboard of a majority of vehicles, or with the seat belt of the vehicle that uses Euro Routing (which utilizes the entire length of the belt to ensure the installation is secure). It also comes with an organic GOTS baby insert, which is a great choice for parents who are eco conscious and want to use organic products for their children.
The Pipa Aire RX weighs only 6 pounds. without the canopy or inserts. It is one of the lightest infant car seat available. This is thanks to the innovative Aeroflex foam that's incredibly lightweight yet incredibly strong, reducing 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 with a crumple area to reduce forward rotation, resulting in greater rearward-facing security.
The ergonomic aluminum handle is light and luxurious, adorned with leatherette accents to provide an ergonomic grip and a convenient method to carry the bag. A magnet buckle holder keeps straps clear when buckling your child in and color-coded indicator for installation ensures the correct connection. The low-profile base enables super-fast loading, and the wide belt pathway with lock-off secures shoulder and lap belts.
Parenting can be messy But cleaning up doesn't have to be. The fabrics and inserts in the Pipa Aire RX are machine washable, which means you can keep your car seat looking as fresh as new 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 another level. The ultralight infant seat is easy to carry and weighs less than 7 pounds once the canopy and insert are connected. It also comes with a luxe user-friendly design with practical features like buckle holders with magnetic buckles to keep straps clear while you buckle baby in and a green/red indicator to ensure the installation is secure (we wish all car seats had this feature! ).
This innovative pipaFIX system allows it to be used without a base, unlike the Pipa RX or other base-compatible PIPAs that require one to be installed. This makes it a great 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. Those green-friendly materials also include a Merino wool and Tencel branded lyocell blend headrest and a machine washable, water-resistant body cover and cover.
The Pipa Urbn comes with an upper weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds when used rear-facing. This means that you will need to upgrade to a convertible seat sooner than other brands. It's still a great option for the majority of babies. This car seat inserts for newborns seat is equipped for travel and can be used with all Nuna strollers. You just need to click it on or connect using the rings adapter.