Best Car Seats For Infants and Babies
While convertible car seats are great for growing kids but an infant seat is the best choice for infants and newborns. They're also smaller and easier to snap into strollers than their larger counterparts.
CPST instructor Kecia Healy liked the Chicco KeyFit's recline foot with springs and bubble indicator on the base, in addition to its ease of use (the more user-friendly a car seats is and the more likely parents are to set it up correctly). The model can also be used with three across in many mid-sized automobiles.
1. Clek Liing infant car seat
The Canadian manufacturer Clek is known for their top-rated convertible car seats, and the infant Liing is one of their best infant seats. The seat comes with the best safety features available, such as a metal load-leg and a simple installation. It also features 7 different recline positions that can be adjusted to match the slope of your vehicle's seat. Additionally, a simple bubble indicator makes it simple to ensure that the seat is at the correct angle before your baby rides in it.
The base of the Liing is easy to install by using LATCH connectors made of rigid material that fit into the lower anchors of your car, making it easier to secure the seat. The Liing is a great option for families who plan to switch cars frequently or need a simple and secure method to install car seats for babies. You can also utilize the belt-tensioning system included to secure your child.
One of the features that sets the Liing apart from other infant car seats is its 2-piece Newborn Support System. The system comes with an lower insert that slides over the crotch strap, and a headrest that attaches to harnesses to prevent infants from slumbering forward and pulling their heads backwards in the seat. This is an important feature for babies and preemies. It's also one of the few rear-facing infant car seats that provide this degree of support.
Another advantage of the Liing is its crash-testing frame, which reduces the force of a crash by up to 40 percent compared to other infant seats. The seat's shell is bolstered with EPP foam to protect your child's head and torso which are the most susceptible in the event of a collision. The seat's base is engineered with a metal load leg that absorbs energy and reduces the risk of crashes, as well.
2. Chicco KeyFit
This is a consistently top-rated infant car seat. It's easy to put in place, easy to use and can grow with your baby. It also pairs well with strollers as a travel system.
The KeyFit is an excellent option for parents looking for a safe, flexible and user-friendly seat. It has an excellent score in crash tests, is light and comfortable to carry and offers a wide range of weight and height limits. It was also designed to guarantee the safety of babies. The click-in point is made of soft material around it to ensure that your baby won't be burnt by metal. The newborn insert has a head surround to protect their heads and the seat pad your baby sits on has cushions that absorb energy for comfort.
Installation is extremely simple. It is essential to install the seat correctly, as incorrect installation could increase your child's risk of injury. The KeyFit's LATCH connectors with a SuperCinch tightener ensure a secure fit with minimal effort. The base also features ReclineSure leveling foot as well as two RideRight bubble-level-indicators to ensure the proper angle of the vehicle. For a second installation, using the seat belt of the vehicle clear belt routing and lock-offs make it simple to install, position and tighten the car seat belt.
The rethread harness height adjustment is a feature that is found on a variety of Chicco seats including the original Keyfit model. This means that you must manually re-thread straps to change from one level to another. This is a minor disadvantage for the ease of use 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 comes with a no-rethread strap and is compatible with Joie strollers that accept Maxi Cosi style adapters. It's simple to use with clear installation guides as well as 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 i-Snug comes with an ISOFIX vehicle base that allows for a secure vehicle attachment. It can also be used with a compatible stroller to create a complete travel set-up. It's an infant car seat with a rear view that offers the best head and neck protection for babies and newborns. The exclusive Tri-Protect Headrest comes with a layer Intelli-Fit Memory Foam to protect your child from side impact crashes.
Like any infant car seat, you'll need to replace it once your child reaches the weight and height limits or when they turn one. In the meantime you can upgrade to a convertible, or an all-in-one car seat, which allows children to be rear-facing for longer and is safer for them.
A convertible car seat has a greater rear-facing weight and height limit than an infant seat and generally has a bigger space inside. To prevent your child from getting out of the seat too quickly, it's recommended to switch to a car seat that can be converted as quickly as you can. In some cases parents may be able to transition their baby to an all-in-one car seat, without ever needing to purchase a car seat for their infant. It's crucial to pick the best convertible car seat for you and your family. Read our complete guide to provide all the details you require to make the best choice.
4. Nuna Pipa Aire RX
The Nuna Pipa Aire RX is one of the most rated infant car seats due to its safety, light weight design and the flexibility. It can be installed using rigid anchors for the lower part of the outboard seats in the majority of vehicles and with vehicle seat belt using Euro routing (which utilizes pretty much the entire length of the vehicle's seat belt for the most secure installation). It also includes an organic cotton GOTS infant insert, making it an option for parents who prioritize organic choices for their child.
The Pipa Aire RX weighs only 6 pounds. without the canopy or inserts. It's among the lightest infant car seats available. This is due to the innovative Aeroflex foam, which is extremely light yet resilient, minimizing the force that is transferred to your baby in a crash. best car seats newborn include the 5 second steel-reinforced True Lock base installation, side-impact protection, and a multiposition steel stability leg that features a crumple area to reduce forward rotation, resulting in greater rearward-facing security.
Other highlights include an ergonomic aluminum carry handle that's both comfortable and light with leatherette accents for easy to carry and excellent grip. Magnetic buckle holders keep straps off from the way when you buckle your child, and color-coded indicators to ensure proper connections. The low-profile base enables rapid loading, and the open belt pathway with lock-off secures shoulder and lap belts.
Cleaning up after a messy child shouldn't be a problem. 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
Nuna's PIPA air Rx and PIPA Rx car seats are great options. However, the new Pipa Urbn is a step above. This ultralight infant car seat is easy to carry and weighs less than 7 pounds when the canopy and insert are in place. It is user-friendly and elegant design and features like magnetic buckle holders that keep straps from getting in from the way when strapping your baby in and a green/red indicator to let you know whether the installation is secure. ).
Unlike the Pipa RX and the other base-compatible PIPA models that require an automobile base to be installed it, this model can be used without a base thanks to its pipaFIX-inspired latch system. This makes it an ideal choice for parents who often take taxis or rideshares, travel, or just need the ability to move their car seat faster and more 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 a Merino Wool and Tencel blended lyocell fibres as a headrest, and a machine washable, water-resistant cover.
The main drawback of 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 some other brands. It's still a great choice for infants. The car seat is compatible with Nuna's travel systems, and can be connected to all strollers by using the Ring adapter.