Best Car Seats For Infants and Babies
While convertible car seats are ideal for children who are growing but an infant seat is ideal for babies and newborns. They're also lighter and easier to clip into a stroller than their larger counterparts.
Kecia Healy Instructor for CPST, Kecia Healy, loved the recline leg that is spring-loaded and also the 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. This model can also fit three across in most midsize cars.
1. Clek Liing Car Seat for Infants
Clek, one of the Canadian manufacturer, is known for its top-rated convertible car seat. The infant Liing is among their top infant seats. The Liing seat is designed to offer top-of-the-line safety features like a metal load leg with easy, user-friendly installation and seven different recline positions that can be adjusted to the slope of your car seat. A bubble indicator helps you ensure that the seat is at the right angle prior to your child riding in it.
The base of the Liing can be easily fitted using rigid LATCH connectors that fit into the lower anchors on your vehicle which makes it easier to fix the seat. This makes the Liing an excellent choice for families who plan to change vehicles frequently or who require a quick and reliable way to install their child's car seat. You can also utilize the belt-tensioning system to buckle your child.
The Liing's 2-piece Newborn System is just one of the features that set it apart from other infant car seat models. It includes an lower insert that is able to slide over the crotch strap as well as a headrest that is attached to harnesses to prevent infants from slumping forward or pulling their heads backwards in the seat. It's a game-changer for tiny infants and preemies and is among the only rear facing infant car seats to offer this kind of support.
The Liing's crash-testing framework made of steel reduces the force of crash by 40% compared to other infant seat. car seats newborn is bolstered by EPP foam, which protects your child's head and body during the event of a crash. The base of the seat is an aluminum load leg that absorbs energy, and also assists in reducing the risk of collisions.
2. Chicco KeyFit
This is a consistent top-rated infant car seat. It is easy to install and use, and it can expand with your child. It can also be used together with strollers to create a travel system.
The KeyFit is an excellent option for parents looking for an affordable, safe and user-friendly seat. It has an excellent score in crash tests, is lightweight and comfortable to carry. It also has a good range of height and weight limits. It is also designed with babies' comfort in mind. The click-in point has soft material around it to ensure that your baby isn't burned by 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 for a comfortable experience.
It's also among the easiest infant seats to install correctly--every time. This is crucial because improperly installed infant seats increase the risk of injury to your child. The KeyFit's LATCH connectors that come with a SuperCinch tightener provide a secure fit with minimal effort. The base also has a ReclineSure leveling foot as well as two RideRight bubble-level-indicators that ensure that the vehicle's angle is correct. For alternate installation and clear belt routing lock-offs and the car seatbelt make it easy to position and tighten.
The harness height adjustment rethread feature is a feature that is common on many Chicco seats including the Keyfit model. This means you have to remove the harness and manually re-thread straps from one level to another which is more time-consuming than non-rethread adjustments. This is a minor disadvantage for the ease of this seat.
3. Joie i-Snug 2
The light Joie i-Snug 2 infant car seat is built to the highest safety standards. It has a no-rethread strap and is compatible with Joie Strollers that can accept Maxi Cosi style adapters. The installation guide is clearly marked and bubble levels are included to help align the seat. The car seat is comfortable with plenty of padding. It comes with a canopy that protects your child from direct sunlight.
The i-Snug 2 comes with an ISOFIX base to ensure a secure attachment to vehicles and can be used with a compatible stroller for an entire travel system. It's an infant car seat that is rear-facing that offers the best neck and head protection for babies and newborns. The exclusive Tri-Protect Headrest is equipped with a layer of Intelli-Fit Memory Foam to protect your child from collisions with the side.
You'll need a new infant car seat as soon as your child reaches 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 more secure.
A convertible car seat has a greater rear-facing weight and height limit than an infant seat, and generally has a larger space inside. To avoid your child becoming too big for the seat too quickly, it's best to change 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 car seat for their infant. It is therefore crucial to select the best convertible car seat for your family. Our extensive guide will give you all the information you need to make a wise choice.
4. Nuna Pipa Aire RX
Nuna Pipa RX is a highly rated infant seat because of its safety features, light design, and the versatility. It can be installed using rigid lower anchors on outboard seats of most cars and is also equipped with a vehicle seat belt that utilizes Euro routing (which makes use of the entire length of a vehicle's seat belt to ensure an extremely secure installation). It also includes an organic cotton infant insert, which makes it a great alternative for parents who prioritize organic choices 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. Aeroflex foam is extremely light and resilient but also extremely lightweight helps reduce the force transferred to your child during an accident. Other safety features include a 5 second steel-reinforced True base lock installation side impact protection and a multi-position stability leg with a crumple zone that reduces forward rotation for enhanced rear-facing security.
The ergonomic aluminum handle is light and luxurious, adorned with leatherette accents to provide an ergonomic grip and a great way to carry the bag. Magnetic buckle holders keep straps out from the way while you buckle your child and color-coded indicator lights for installation confirm correct connections. The low-profile base makes it quick, easy loading and the open belt path with lock-offs secures shoulder and lap belts.
Cleaning up after a messy child shouldn't be. The inserts and fabrics of the Pipa Aire RX can be cleaned by a machine to ensure that your car seat looks as good as it did after every use.
5. Nuna Pipa Urbn
Nuna's PIPA air rx and PIPA Rx car seats are fantastic choices. However, the new Pipa Urbn is a step beyond. This ultralight infant seat is easy to carry and weighs less than 7 pounds once the canopy and insert are in place. It also has an elegant user-friendly design, with practical features like magnetic buckle holders to keep straps from getting in the way when you buckle your baby in and a red/green indicator to tell you that the installation is secure (we wish all car seats had this feature! ).
In contrast to the Pipa RX and the other base-compatible PIPA models that require an automobile base to be installed, this one can be used without a base thanks to its unique pipaFIX rigid latch system. This makes it the ideal choice for parents who frequently use rideshare or taxi services, travel, or just need the ability to move their car seat more easily and quickly.
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 blended Lyocell fibres for the headrest and a waterproof machine washable 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 change to a convertible car seat sooner than some other brands. However, it is still a top-rated option for infants. This car seat is also compatible with travel systems and works with all of Nuna's strollers--just click it on or attach with the ring adapter.