Best Car Seats For Infants and Babies

While convertible car seats work great for growing children, an infant seat works best infant carrier car seat for infants. They are also lighter and easier for you to clip into strollers than their bigger counterparts.

Kecia Healy Instructor at CPST Kecia Healy liked the spring-loaded recline leg and 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 install it correctly. The model also fits three across in many midsize automobiles.

1. Clek Liing Infant Car Seat

Clek, an Canadian manufacturer, is renowned for its top-rated convertible car seats. The infant Liing is among their best infant carrier car seat infant seats. The seat combines best-in-class safety features, including a steel load leg with easy, user-friendly installation and 7 different recline positions to adapt to the slope of your car seat. A bubble indicator allows you determine if the seat is at the correct angle prior to letting your child ride 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 on your vehicle and make it much easier to secure the seat. The Liing is a great choice for families that plan to switch cars frequently or need a simple, reliable way to install car seats for their infants. If you prefer, you could utilize the belt-tensioning feature to secure your child's seat.

The Liing's 2-piece Newborn System is just one of the features that sets it apart from other infant car seat models. The system comes with an insert that slides over the crotch strap and an attached headrest to the harness to prevent newborns from slumbering forward or pushing their heads backwards while 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.

The Liing's crash-test framework made of metal reduces the force of a crash by up to 40% when compared to other infant carrier seat seats. The shell of the seat is bolstered with EPP foam, which protects your child's head and body from an accident. The base of the seat is constructed with a metal load leg that absorbs energy and reduces the risk of the likelihood of crashes, in addition.

2. Chicco KeyFit

This is the top-rated infant seat. It is easy to install and use, and it can grow with your child. It can also be used in conjunction with strollers to create an travel system.

The KeyFit is a good pick for parents looking for an easy-to-use, safe and flexible seat. It has an excellent score in crash tests, is light and comfortable to carry and has a good range of height/weight limits. It is also designed with babies' comfort in mind. The click-in point is made of soft materials around it so your baby isn't burned by metal, the newborn insert has an enclosed head-skirt to protect their heads, and the seat pad your baby sits on nestles them with energy absorbing foam cushions to ensure comfort.

Installation is extremely simple. It is essential to install the seat correctly, as incorrect installation could increase the chance of getting injured. The KeyFit's top LATCH connectors and a SuperCinch tightener create a secure fit that requires minimal effort. The base also comes with ReclineSure leveling foot as well as two RideRight bubble-level-indicators that ensure the proper angle of the vehicle. For alternate installation clear belt routing, lock-offs and the seatbelt of the car make it easy to position and tighten.

The rethread harness height adjustment is a feature that is prevalent on many Chicco seats including the Keyfit model. This means that you must manually re-thread straps to move from one level to another. This is a minor trade-off for the convenience of this seat.

3. Joie i-Snug 2

The lightweight Joie i-Snug 2 infant car seat meets the most stringent safety standards. It features a no-rethread belt and is compatible with Joie Strollers that accept Maxi Cosi style adapters. It's simple to use, with clear installation guides and built-in bubble levels to assist in alignment. The car seat comes with plenty of padding and is comfortable. It has a convenient canopy that shields your baby from the sunlight.

The i-Snug has an ISOFIX vehicle base that allows for an extremely secure vehicle attachment. It can also be used with an appropriate stroller to create an entire travel system. This rear-facing infant car seat provides maximum head and cervical protection for infants. The exclusive Tri-Protect headrest has an additional layer of Intelli-Fit memory foam to shield your baby from side-impact crashes.

Like any infant car seat for travel car seat, you'll have to replace it once your child outgrows the height and weight limits, or when they turn one. After that, you can upgrade to a convertible, or an all-in-one car seat, which allows children to be rear-facing for longer and is more secure for them.

A convertible car seat is bigger and more spacious than an infant car seat and also has a higher weight and height limit when facing rearward. To prevent your child from growing 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 instances, parents can transition their baby to an all-in-one car seat without the need to purchase an additional infant car seat. This is why it's crucial to pick the best convertible car seat for your family. Check out our comprehensive guide to get all the information you need to make the right choice.

4. Nuna Pipa Aire RX

The Nuna Pipa Aire RX is among the top-rated infant car seats due to its safety, lightweight design and the flexibility. It can be used using rigid lower anchors in the outboard seats of most vehicles, and with the seat belts of vehicles that uses Euro Routing (which utilizes the entire length to anchor the seat). It also includes an organic cotton infant insert, making it an option for environmentally conscious parents who prefer organic alternatives for their child.

The Pipa Aire RX weighs only 6 lbs. without the canopy or inserts. It's among the lightest infant car seat available. Aeroflex foam, which is lightweight and robust, but also extremely light helps reduce the force transferred to your child in the event of a crash. Other safety features include a 5 second steel-reinforced True base lock installation side impact protection, and a multi-position steel stability leg with a crumple zone that limits forward rotation for enhanced rear-facing security.

The ergonomic aluminum handle is lightweight and luxurious, adorned with leatherette accents to provide the perfect grip and a convenient option to carry the bag. A buckle holder with a magnetic buckle keeps straps from getting in the way when you buckle your child in and color-coded installation indicators confirm correct connections. The low-profile base makes it fast, effortless loading. the belt's open path with locks that secure shoulder and lap belts.

Cleaning up after a messy parent shouldn't be a problem. The fabrics and inserts of the Pipa Aire RX can be cleaned by a machine to ensure that your car seat looks like it did after each use.

5. Nuna Pipa Urbn

Nuna's PIPA air Rx and PIPA Rx car seats are excellent choices. However, the new Pipa Urbn is a step above. The ultralight infant car seat best car seat is incredibly easy to carry, weighing less than 7 pounds with the canopy and insert attached. It also has a luxe user-friendly design, with useful features such as magnetic buckle holders to help keep straps clear while you buckle baby in and a green/red indicator to tell you that the installation is secure (we wish that all car seats came with this! ).

The unique pipaFIX technology allows it to be used without the base, unlike the Pipa RX or other base-compatible PIPAs that require a base to be installed. This makes it the ideal choice for parents who frequently use rideshare or taxi services for travel, or simply want the ability to transfer 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 for the headrest and a water-resistant machine washable cover.

The Pipa Urbn comes with an upper weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds when rear-facing. This means that you may have to upgrade to a convertible model sooner than other brands. It's still a great option for the majority of babies. This car seat is compatible with Nuna's travel systems and can be attached to all strollers by using the Ring adapter.