Best Car Seats For Infants and Babies
While convertible car seats work great for growing children, an infant seat works best for infants. They're also lighter and easier to click into strollers than their larger counterparts.
CPST instructor Kecia Healy liked the Chicco KeyFit's spring-loaded recline foot and bubble indicator on the base, and its user-friendliness (the more user-friendly a car seat can be, the more likely parents will be to install it correctly). The model also fits three across in the majority of mid-sized cars.
1. Clek Liing infant car seat
Clek, one of the Canadian manufacturer, is known for its top-rated convertible car seats. The infant Liing is among their top infant seats. It is a top-of-the-line safety features like a metal load leg with easy, user-friendly installation and 7 different recline positions that can be adjusted to the slope of your car seat. Plus, a simple bubble indicator makes it easy to ensure the seat is at the right angle before your baby rides in it.
The base of the Liing is easily installed with the help of LATCH connectors that slide into the lower anchors on your vehicle and make it much easier to fix the seat. This makes the Liing an excellent choice for families that plan to switch vehicles frequently or who require a quick and reliable method to install their baby's car seat. You can also utilize the belt-tensioning system to secure your child.
One of the features that makes the Liing apart from other infant car seats is its 2 piece Newborn Support System. The system comes with an insert that can be placed over the crotch strap as well as a headrest that is attached to harness to prevent newborns from slumbering forward or pushing their heads backwards while in the seat. It's a game changer for tiny infants and preemies and is one of the few rear facing infant car seats that provide this type of support.
Another excellent feature of the Liing is its metal crash-test frame, which can reduce crash forces by up to 40 percent compared to other infant seats. The seat's shell is bolstered with EPP foam that protects your child's head and body during a crash. The base of the seat is a metal load leg which absorbs energy and assists in reducing the risk of collisions.
2. Chicco KeyFit
This is the top-rated infant seat. It is easy to install and use, and can expand with your child. It also pairs well with strollers to create a travel system.
The KeyFit is a great choice for parents looking for an easy-to-use, safe and versatile seat. It has an excellent score in crash tests, is lightweight and comfortable to carry and has a good range of height/weight limits. It was also designed with the comfort of babies in mind. The click-in point is made of soft material around it to ensure that your baby doesn't get burned by metal, the newborn insert also has an enclosed head-skirt to protect their heads and the seat pad that baby sits on is surrounded by cushioned foam that absorbs energy for a comfortable experience.
It's also among the most simple infant seats to install correctly--every time. It is important to install the seat correctly, since a mistake in installation can increase the danger of injury. The KeyFit's premium LATCH connectors that come with a SuperCinch tightener provide an extremely secure fit with little effort. Plus, the base has a ReclineSure leveling foot and two RideRight bubble level-indicators that help ensure the correct angle of the vehicle and a fast installation. To make it easier to install the base in another way clear belt routing, lock-offs and the seatbelt of the car make it easy to position and tighten.
It does lose some points in the user-friendliness category due to the rethread-style harness height adjustment, a feature that is common on many Chicco seats (and as well on their OG Keyfit model). This means that you need to manually re-thread straps in order to move them from one level to another. This is a minor trade-off for the ease of use of this seat.
3. Joie i-Snug 2
The lightweight Joie i-Snug 2 is an infant car seat that meets the most stringent safety standards. It features a no-rethread harness 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 that aid with alignment. The car seat is comfortable, with plenty of padding. It comes with a canopy that protects your child from the sun's rays.
The iSnug comes with an ISOFIX vehicle base that permits an extremely secure vehicle attachment. It can also be used with an appropriate stroller to make a complete travel set-up. This rear-facing infant seat offers the highest level of cervical and head protection for infants. The exclusive Tri-Protect headrest comes with a layer of Intelli-Fit memory foam to shield your baby from side impact crashes.
You'll require a new infant car seat as soon as your child is at the limit on weight and height or their first birthday. You can then upgrade to a convertible car seat or an all-in one car seat. This will allow your child to ride rearwards for longer and is safer.
A convertible car seat has a greater rear-facing weight and height limit than an infant seat, and generally has a bigger and more spacious interior. It's a good idea to change to a convertible car seat as soon as is possible, to prevent your child from growing too quickly. In certain instances, parents can even transition their child to an all-in-one car seat, without ever needing to purchase a car seat for their infant. That's why it's crucial to pick the most suitable convertible car seat for your family. Our comprehensive guide will give you all the details you require to make an informed decision.
4. Nuna Pipa Aire RX
The Nuna Pipa Aire RX is one of the top-rated infant car seats because of its safety, light design and the versatility. It can be installed using rigid anchors for the lower part of the outboard seats in the majority of vehicles and is also equipped with a vehicle seat belt that utilizes Euro routing (which utilizes pretty much the entire length of a vehicle's seat belt to ensure the most secure installation). It also comes with a GOTS organic baby insert which is a great choice for parents who are environmentally conscious and want to use organic products for their child.
The Pipa Aire RX weighs only 6 lbs. without the canopy or inserts. It's one of the lightest infant car seats available. This is due to the revolutionary Aeroflex foam that is extremely light but incredibly durable, reducing the forces transferred to your child during a crash. Other security features include a five-second steel-reinforced True lock base installation, side impact protection and a multi-position stability leg with crumple zones that limit forward rotation to provide greater rear-facing security.
Other highlights include an ergonomic aluminum handle that's light and luxurious with leatherette accents for comfortable toting and superb grip. car seat for newborn keeps straps clear when you buckle your child and color-coded installation indicators confirm the correct connection. The low-profile base allows for fast, effortless loading. the belt's open path with lock-off secures lap and shoulder belts.
Cleaning up after a messy parent shouldn't be a problem. The inserts and fabrics of the Pipa Aire RX can be cleaned by a machine to ensure that your car seat appears as good as it did following each use.
5. Nuna Pipa Urbn
Nuna's PIPA air rx and PIPA Rx car seats are fantastic choices. However, the recently launched Pipa Urbn is a step beyond. The ultralight infant car seat is extremely easy to carry, and weighs less than 7 pounds when the canopy and insert. It also has elegant user-friendly design with useful features such as buckle holders with magnetic buckles to keep straps clear while you're buckling baby in and a red/green indicator to tell you that the installation is secure (we would like to see all car seats had this feature! ).
The innovative pipaFIX system allows it to be used with or without a base, unlike the Pipa RX or other base-compatible PIPAs that need a base to be installed. This makes it a perfect choice for parents who frequently take taxis or rideshares as well as for those who want the ability to transfer their car seat between vehicles 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. The green-friendly materials include a Merino wool and Tencel branded lyocell blend headrest, as well as a water-resistant, machine washable body insert and cover.
The Pipa Urbn comes with the weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds when used rear-facing. This means that you might need to upgrade to a convertible seat earlier than with other brands. It's still a top choice for most babies. This car seat is compatible with Nuna's travel systems, and can be connected to strollers using the rings adapter.