How to Choose the Best Car Seats for Your Child

When searching for a car seat, it is easy to become overwhelmed. The most secure car seat is one that is suitable for your child and vehicle and can be used correctly every time.

car seats newborn seats that are difficult to use or install can make the lives of parents and children more difficult. The best options have impressive crash test results, have excellent ease of use scores and are also lightweight and slim.

Safety

When shopping for a car seat safety features are the primary aspect to take into consideration. If you decide to purchase an infant, convertible, or booster seat, it should meet federal safety standards and have a good track of third-party crash tests. It should also be able to fit in your vehicle and be easy to use.

A high-quality seat must include a harness adjustment that is easy to use, and also the option of connecting via LATCH or seatbelt. Flexible or rigid lower anchor connectors, that have clips that are similar to alligators that attach directly to the car seat base or the vehicle seat belt guides are preferred over flexible straps that can move or loosen. The best car seats infant seats feature a clear, intuitive color-change indicator that indicates whether the seat is connected properly and provide a tight fit.

In addition to these features, most comfortable seats come with top tethers that reduce the risk of head injuries in crashes by securing the front of the child's head. The harness guides are included in the seats to assist parents to thread the belt or tether properly.

The most important features of a car seat are those that guarantee the seat is used and installed correctly all the time. Sadly, many children's deaths result from children are restrained incorrectly or in the wrong kind of seat. Contact a child security technician (CPST), located close to you, to make sure that your car seat's installation and positioning is right.

A well-designed seat could save your child's life in an accident. It's worth paying more for one that is designed and manufactured with a strong frame, high-quality materials, and clever features that make everyday use a breeze. It's also wise to look for a seat that complies with the more recent R129 safety regulations, which have more rigorous testing requirements than the older regulations that most seats comply with.

It's also important to remember that a Car Seat Newborn is only safe and secure as the adult who drives it. Children should be properly restrained with rear-facing car seats from birth and continue until they reach the required height to wear a harness. This is typically between the ages of four and five.

Comfort

A car seat that is comfortable can aid your child in getting to sleep or stay asleep longer and could mean the difference between getting an extended road trip completed in one go and having an exhausted, cranky child who is fighting nap time. Find a seat that can accommodate your child's growing size and offers plenty of neck and head support, and is well-fitted to keep them from moving around in the car.

The best infant car seat offers many features that ensure your child is safe and comfortable, such as soft materials, soft cushions and padded armrests. Some come with cup holders, adjustable headrests, and sun shades. Some offer a variety of different reclining positions. Some models have adjustable thigh and lumbar support to improve posture. Others have massage features activated by pressing a button when the child is in the seat.

When your child has grown out of the infant car seat the next step is to get a toddler car seat. These seats usually accommodate kids up to 40 pounds and can be used either rear-facing or forward-facing. Some convertible toddler car seats can be used as a booster up to 120lbs. This saves money and decreases the number of car seats you will need to buy in the future.

Evenflo Chase is one of the top-rated toddler car seat for comfort. It offers great crash test results and is easily installed with LATCH or vehicle seat belt. Its narrow shell makes it easy to fit larger babies. It also comes with two different crotch buckle positions which allow for better positioning of the shoulder straps. It's also light and narrow, making it easier to maneuver around in vehicles with small spaces.

The Nuna PIPA Urbn is a fantastic choice for a car seat that is comfortable for toddlers. Babylist's gear editor Jennifer LaBracio says the seat is luxuriously comfortable with plenty of padding and easy-to-read indicators for installation. It is also compact and can either be installed with the base or without, making it a great option for parents who frequently move their car seats between cars.

Easy of Use

Many parents use their car seats a lot and want a seat that is easy to use and that fits inside their vehicle. They also want it to integrate with other baby equipment. Car seats for infants have lower weight limits and shorter lifespans than convertible car seats, which means they tend to be lighter in both body and frame. The best infant seats come with features that make them easy to install and use, such as the recline foot that is spring-loaded and bubble indicators on the base to help position it correctly in your car. They also come with clearly labeled installation guides, with clear instructions. The car seats have been designed with clear, durable materials that are machine washable, and also provide a comfortable cushion for the child.

The Clek Liing is the highest-rated infant seat we reviewed in the year 2018. It has impressive crash test results and analysis scores as in addition to a great load leg to assist you in putting the seat in your car with ease and accuracy. This car seat is easy to install with either the rigid latch connectors or the LATCH. The latches change color to signal the connection, and the harness snaps into place quickly and securely.

Chicco KeyFit 35 is another popular choice. It offers impressive crash test results, as well as loading legs to assist you in putting on the car seat. Experts and parents are raving about it, including CPST instructor Kecia H. who says it's well-designed with a spring-loaded reclining foot and a bubble-indicator on the base that helps you position the seat correctly and tighten it easily. This seat is inexpensive, GREENGUARD certified and built to last. It has an aluminum frame and a high-density, ventilated foam.

The all-in-one Nuna Exec is a favorite of LaBracio and Saxton as well as Saxton, both saying it's an "solid" seat that's worth the price tag for its luxury feel, luxurious materials and easy installation. It has a rear-facing 50-pound weight limit, and an expandable legroom panel, as well as a sturdy all-steel frame and anti-rebound bar. The infant car seat can be converted into a forward-facing booster seat for kids up to 120 pounds, and is small enough to fit three in a variety of mid-sized vehicles.

Design

You want to make sure that the car seat you choose is user-friendly and fits comfortably. The final decision you make will be influenced by the location and how you intend to install the seat, as well as how often you intend to change between cars. Although it's impossible to know what could occur in a crash, your seat's design can aid in minimizing damage and making it easier to get your child into and out of the car seat.

The LATCH connectors on a seat are a major aspect. Connectors that are rigid are attached to the seat using alligator clips. They are more difficult to disengage during a crash. Flexible connectors have straps that can be tightened or loosen by hand or using a kind of mechanism. Most seats come with an indicator of level that indicates whether they've been installed correctly. This is usually an engraved line of plastic on the shell or on the bottom of the seat that indicates the angle range when the seat is positioned against the ground.

Another important factor is the degree to which a chair can accommodate newborns and infants. This is based on the width and height of the shell, the headrest, and the ease with which the harness can be buckled or unbuckled. Some seats also have a positioning insert that helps smaller bodies to fit better into the seat and inside the harness. It's important to know that these inserts are removable as your child develops.

The third thing to think about is the ease of changing the height of the belt. The most comfortable seats allow you to move the belt of your harness without having to remove your baby. It is as easy as pressing an button or pulling tabs or shifting levers. The easiest seats to use allow you to adjust the strap on your shoulder without having to rethread the belt.

If you are interested in an all-in-one car seat, make sure it satisfies the minimum federal safety requirements and has performed well in third-party crash tests. We prefer seats with extra features, such as an energy-absorbing layer molded into the shell or an anti-rebounding bar.