Best Car Seats For Infants and Babies

While convertible car seats work well for children who are growing however, an infant car seat is best for babies. They're also lighter and easier to click into strollers than their larger counterparts.

Kecia Healy Instructor at CPST Kecia Healy liked the recline leg with springs and a bubble indicator at the base of the Chicco KeyFit, as well as the user-friendliness. (The more user-friendly the car seat, the more likely that parents will be able to install it correctly. This model also fits three across in many mid-sized vehicles.

1. Clek Liing infant car seat

Clek, one of the Canadian manufacturer, is known for its top-rated convertible car seat. The infant Liing is among their best infant seat infant carrier seat seats. The Liing seat is designed to offer top rated infant car seats-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. Additionally, a simple bubble indicator makes it simple to ensure the seat is at the correct angle prior to your child's first ride in it.

The base for the Liing is easy to put in using rigid LATCH connections that slide into the lower anchors, making the seat easy to secure. The Liing is a great option for families who intend to frequently switch cars or need a simple and secure method to install car seats for their infants. If you prefer, you can also utilize the belt-tensioning system included to secure your child's seat.

The Liing's 2-piece Newborn System is one of the features that sets it apart from other infant car seat models. This system includes a lower insert which is able to slide over the crotch strap as well as an attached headrest to the harness to prevent newborns from slumbering forward and pushing their heads backwards while in the seat. This is an amazing feature for tiny babies and preemies. It's also among the few rear-facing infant car seats that offer this degree of support.

Another great feature of the Liing is its crash-testing frame, which reduces crash forces by up to 40 percent when compared to other infant seats. The seat's shell is reinforced with EPP foam, which protects your child's head and body during an accident. The base of the seat is an aluminum load leg that absorbs energy and assists in reducing the risk of crashes.

2. Chicco KeyFit

This is a consistently top-rated infant car seat. It is easy to install and use, and can adapt to your child's needs. It also pairs well with strollers as an overall travel system.

The KeyFit is a great choice for parents looking for an easy-to-use, secure and flexible seat. It was a top performer in crash tests and is lightweight and easy to carry. It also offers a broad range of weight and height limits. It was also designed to ensure the comfort of infants. The click-in point is surrounded by soft materials to prevent your baby from being burnt by the metal. The newborn insert also comes with a head-cover which protects their heads. And the seat pad, which the baby sits on, nestles them in foam cushions.

It's also among the easiest infant seats to set up correctly every time. This is crucial because improperly installed infant seats increase the risk of injury to your child. The KeyFit's LATCH connectors with a SuperCinch tightener ensure an extremely secure fit with little effort. The base also has a ReclineSure leveling foot and two RideRight bubble-level-indicators to ensure the correct vehicle angle. To make it easier to install the base in another way and clear belt routing lock-offs and the car seatbelt make it easy to position and tighten.

The rethread harness height adjustment is a feature common on many Chicco seats including the original Keyfit model. This means you have to manually re-thread straps to change from one level to another. However, this is a relatively minor tradeoff for the convenience this seat provides.

3. Joie i-Snug 2

The lightweight Joie i-Snug 2 is an i-Size infant car seats that meets the most stringent safety standards. It comes with a no-rethread strap and is compatible with Joie strollers that accept Maxi Cosi style adapters. The installation guide is clearly marked and bubble levels are built in to aid in aligning the seat. The car seat is comfortable with plenty of padding. It has a nice canopy that shields your baby from direct sun's rays.

The i-Snug comes with an ISOFIX vehicle base that allows a secure vehicle attachment. It can also be used with a compatible stroller to create 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 is equipped with a layer of Intelli-Fit Memory Foam to shield your child from side-impact crashes.

You'll need a brand new infant car seat when your child is at the weight and height limits or their first birthday. You can then upgrade to a convertible car seat or an all-in-one car seat. This allows your child to ride rearwards for longer, and is safer.

A convertible car seat has a higher rear-facing weight and height limit than an infant seat, and generally has a bigger and more spacious interior. To prevent your child from growing out of the seat too quickly, it's best to change to a car seat that converts as soon as you can. In some instances, parents can move their child into an all-in one car seat without having to buy another infant car seat. That's why it is crucial to select the best convertible car seat for your family. Read our complete guide for all the info you need to make the right choice.

4. Nuna Pipa Aire RX

The Nuna Pipa Aire RX is one of the top-rated infant car seats because of its safety, lightweight design and its flexibility. It can be installed with a rigid lower anchor in the outboard seats of most cars, and with the seat belt of the vehicle that uses Euro Routing (which utilizes the entire length to ensure the installation is secure). It also comes with an organic GOTS baby insert, which is a great option for parents who are environmentally conscious and prefer organic products for their children.

The Pipa Aire RX weighs only 6 pounds. without the canopy or inserts. It's one of the lightest infant car seat available. Aeroflex foam, which is lightweight and durable, but also extremely light, helps to minimize the force that is transferred to your child during an accident. Other safety features include the 5-second steel-reinforced True Lock base installation, side-impact protection and a multi-position steel stability leg that has an area of crumple to limit forward rotation for enhanced rearward-facing security.

The ergonomic aluminum handle is lightweight and luxurious, with leatherette accents for a comfortable grip and a great way to carry the bag. The magnetic buckle holders keep straps out of from the way while you buckle your child and color-coded indicator lights for installation ensure that the correct connections are made. The low-profile base allows for 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 washed by machine so 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 excellent choices. However, the recently launched Pipa Urbn is a step beyond. This ultralight infant car seat is super easy to carry and weighs less than 7 pounds when the canopy and insert attached. It is user-friendly and luxurious design with features such as magnetic buckle holders that keep straps out the way when you are strapping your baby in and a green/red indicator to let you know if the installation is secure. ).

This innovative pipaFIX system allows it to be used without the base, unlike Pipa RX or other base-compatible PIPAs that need a base to be installed. This makes it the perfect option for parents who regularly use rideshare, taxis, or travel.

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 brand-name blend of Lyocell fibres for the headrest as well as an water-resistant machine washable cover.

The Pipa Urbn comes with an upper weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds when used rear-facing. This means that you will need to upgrade to a convertible model sooner than other brands. It's still a great choice for most babies. This car seat is also compatible with Nuna's travel systems, and can be connected to all strollers with the Ring adapter.