Top Rated Infant Car Seats

Not all infant car seats are made in the same way. The most effective seats come with features that enhance crash test performance. For instance, load legs -- shock-absorbing components which are attached to the base or seat and limit movement during an accident.

Chicco KeyFit is a favorite of CPST instructors. It features an rear-facing weight, a height limit that is high, a bubble-level indicator, and a spring loaded reclining foot to make it simple to set up.

Graco Mesa Max

The Graco Mesa Max ranks as one of the easiest infant car seats to use. It is made of great materials, a simple design, and a handy feature to connect the harness of a child to the headrest to make it easier to tighten. It comes with a large canopy that can be tucked away to keep your child protected when traveling. It is a bit heavier than the typical stroller, which can be an issue if you plan to transport it around or use it in conjunction with your award-winning UPPAbaby.

Mesa Max's impressive crash test results reflect its dedication to top-tier safety. It scored highly in both frontal and side impact tests, meaning that your child will be safe from the two sides of a collision.

Another notable safety feature is the Graco's anti-rebound panel, that helps to reduce the force of rebound during an accident and protects your child's head. This is a rare feature in infant car seats and makes the Mesa Max stand out among its competitors.

When paired with the base When used in conjunction with the base Graco Mesa Max can be installed quickly and safely in your vehicle by using LATCH. The load leg, the recline angle adjustment, and the indicator of tightness help ensure a quick, accurate installation. The base weighs 12.6 pounds which is slightly heavier than the typical car seat for infants, but not enough to be an issue.

Like its predecessor, UPPAbaby Mesa V2, the Mesa Max uses dual-knit fabric that's free of fire-retardant chemicals. It has an infinitely adjustable backrest and an extremely sturdy insert for infants between 4 and 11 pounds. The fabric is GREENGUARD Gold Certified, which tests for low VOCs and chemical emissions.

The UPPAbaby Mesa Max may be slightly more expensive than other models however it comes with premium features and modern technology for the most secure travel experience. The base is included and comes in a range of fashionable colors. This adds to the value proposition. Its thoughtful design and sturdy features provide peace of mind for parents on every journey.

Britax Boulevard ClickTight

The Britax Boulevard ClickTight is an excellent choice for anyone who wants an automobile seat that can expand with their child. The rear-facing weight limit is 40 pounds which is higher than other infant car seats. It can be used forward-facing as well until your child reaches 65 pounds.

Its most prominent selling point is the ClickTight Installation System, which is the most secure and simple available. It allows you to tighten the seat belt by pushing an orange release button and pulling on the harness strap and not having to loosen it and then re-thread it. This minimizes the possibility of a mistake when tightening the seat belt which is the main cause of failures in car seats.

The EZ-Buckle Pad is a further safety feature that holds the buckle out the way while you place your child in the car seat. This feature, along with beltpath cutouts on the sides of the seat makes it simple to get your child into and out of the car.

All three ClickTight convertible seats (Boulevard, Marathon CT, and Advocate CT) have the identical features. These include the ClickTight Installation System, an impact-absorbing base, with seven recline positions and a rip-stitch energy-absorbing harness pad, a tether that is HUGS, a steel-reinforced frame, and EPP energy-absorbing foam.

It's a heavy seat, and it could be worth considering alternatives that are lighter if you intend to use it for frequent car swaps or travel. The seat is large and therefore may not fit in smaller cars.

If you want a more affordable option that is comparable to, check out the 4Ever DLX by Graco. The seat has lower crash tests scores than the Boulevard however it is still a great option for your child.

The Graco also has LATCH connectors that can be pushed on which make it much easier to uninstall the seat. Boulevard's LATCH connectors utilize a different release mechanism that requires you to pull the webbing and then press the gray button. It isn't easy to do this if the webbing is tight. However, this seat does come with a convenient storage compartment for belt straps when not in use.

Clek Liing

Clek Liing is the ideal infant car seat you should consider If you're looking for everything in terms of style, safety and comfort. This rear-facing newborn car seat seat can be easy to install, comes with a high crash test rating and a range of features.

The Liing is designed with features that exceed US and Canadian safety standards. It was designed for easy, secure installation in all seating positions. It also has advanced safety features such as an energy-absorbing metal leg and two-piece shell that is lined with EPP for increased side impact protection. The base has 7 recline positions, and an indicator bubble that tells you that the seat is just the right angle for your child.

The Liing is a sleek, modern stroller that parents love. It has innovative safety features like rigid lower anchors which are much easier to attach than hook-and loop connectors. The Liing comes with a single-handed release, making it easy to remove the base and use it with strollers that are compatible with it. And at less than 17 inches in width, it's narrow enough for 3-across in most vehicles and fits nicely into many convertible newborn car seat seats to act as a travel booster.

The Liing infant seat is rated as 1st for its unique rigid-LATCH installation method. The lower anchors of the Liing click directly into the lower seat belt slots. Additionally, the top tether strap snaps into the headrest of the vehicle to create a tight, secure fit that eliminates any chance of the child being thrown around during an accident.

The base weighs 9 pounds and the seat weighs 10.5 lbs. Other rear-facing seats are much heavier in weight however, if you plan on taking the best car seats infant seat and its base all over the place the slight difference will not be too noticeable (especially once you add a baby to the mix! ).

Parents appreciate the Liing's built in canopy and 100+spf sun-protection with the mesh peekaboo window. Caregivers love the merino blanket that keeps the baby warm, and the ability of the handle to pivot past the canopy. This makes it easier for parents to grab the seat whenever they need it.

Graco Trio Grow SnugLock LX

The Graco Trio GROW SnugLock is a 3-in-1 seat that converts from a rear-facing infant to a forward-facing harness, and later to an highback booster. It comes with the SnugLock installation system which allows for a simple and smooth install with either vehicle seat belt or lower anchors. It can be installed using the top tether when in booster mode. (We recommend always using the lower anchors for extra security.)

We like that this seat can be used by children of all ages. For babies who are just beginning to crawl it comes with an infant insert that helps to help support their necks and backs. This insert can be removed when the child is older, and the seat can be used as a normal car seat for toddlers. This car seat is one of the few that allow you to use the top tether in booster mode, which we recommend.

Its base is pretty compact from front to rear, so it shouldn't be difficult to locate a place for it in the majority of cars. It requires the headrest to be raised in order to provide an easy way to the lower anchor webbing. There's a convenient knob to adjust the headrest and the display window shows the location of the headrest.

One of the coolest things about this seat is the SnugLock installation system that is an anchor that is inside the belt path. Installing this best car seat seat with lower anchors is easy, and as simple as installing the car's seat belt.

The manual also provides a great illustration of how to correctly connect the lower anchor connectors while routing them through the new belt path which can be a bit difficult initially. It's important to keep them out of the crotch buckle loop and away from the chest clip, to ensure they don't interfere with the buckle system.

The Graco Trio Grow belongs to the Protect Plus Engineered Family, which means it has been put through some of the most rigorous tests in the field. This includes tests for rear, side and rollover accidents and frontal impact.