Best Car Seats For Infants and Babies

While convertible car seats are great for growing kids, an infant seat is best for infants and newborns. They are also lighter and easier to click into strollers than their bigger counterparts.

CPST instructor Kecia Healy was impressed by the Chicco KeyFit's spring-loaded recline foot and bubble indicator on the base, as well as its ease of use (the more user-friendly a car seat is, the more likely parents are to set it up correctly). The model also fits three across in most mid-sized vehicles.

1. Clek Liing infant car seat

The Canadian manufacturer Clek is renowned for its best-rated convertible car seats and the infant Liing is among their best infant seats. The Liing seat is designed to offer top-of-the-line safety features like a metal load leg with easy, user-friendly installation and 7 different recline positions to adapt to the slope of your vehicle seat. Additionally, a simple bubble indicator makes it easy to ensure the seat is at the correct position before your child rides in it.

The base of the Liing is easy to install with the help of LATCH connectors that slide into your vehicle's lower anchors which makes the seat much easy to anchor. The Liing is a great choice for families that intend to frequently switch cars or need a simple, reliable way to install car seats for babies. If you prefer, you can also utilize the belt-tensioning system included to secure your child's seat.

One of the things that distinguishes the Liing apart from other infant car seats is its two-piece Newborn Support System. It has a lower insert that slips over the crotch buckle and an attachment for the head that connects to the harness to help prevent newborns from sagging or bending their heads when they're in the seat. It's a game changer for tiny preemies and babies and is among the only rear facing infant car seat in front seat car seats that offer this kind of support.

Another excellent feature of the Liing is its crash-testing frame, which reduces the force of a crash by up to 40 percent when compared to other infant seats. The shell of the seat is bolstered by EPP foam that protects your child's head and body from the event of a crash. The base of the seat is constructed with a load leg made of metal that absorbs energy and helps diminish crashes, and.

2. Chicco KeyFit

This is the top-rated infant seat. It is simple to install and use, and can expand with your child. It can also be used with strollers for a travel infant car seat system.

The KeyFit is a great choice for parents looking for a safe, versatile and user-friendly seat. It scored high in crash tests and is lightweight and easy to carry. It also has a wide range of weight and height limits. It was also designed to ensure the safety of babies. The click-in point is protected by soft materials to protect your baby from being burnt by the metal. The insert for newborns includes a head cover that shields their little heads. And the seat pad, which your baby is sitting on, encases the infant in energy-absorbing 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 chance of injury to your child. The KeyFit's top LATCH connectors that come with a SuperCinch tightener create a secure fit that requires minimal effort. The base also has a ReclineSure leveling foot as well as two RideRight bubble level indicators to ensure the correct angle of the vehicle and quick installation. For alternative installation and clear belt routing lock-offs and the seatbelt of the car make it easy to place and tighten.

The harness height adjustment rethread feature is a feature that is common on many Chicco seats including the Keyfit model. This means that you must manually re-thread straps to move them from one level to the next. This is a minor sacrifice for the ease of use of this seat.

3. Joie i-Snug 2

The light Joie i-Snug 2 infant car seat is built to the highest safety standards. It comes with 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 has plenty of padding and is comfortable. It also comes with a handy canopy to shield your baby from the sun.

The iSnug comes with an ISOFIX vehicle base that allows secure attachment to the vehicle. It can also be used in conjunction with an appropriate stroller to make a complete travel system. This rear-facing infant car seat provides the highest level of cervical and head protection for infants. The exclusive Tri-Protect Headrest comes with a layer Intelli-Fit Memory Foam that protects your child from collisions with the side.

You'll require a new infant car seat as soon as your child reaches 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 travel rearwards for longer, and is safer.

A convertible car seat is larger and more spacious than an infant car seat travel seat and it has a greater weight and height limit when facing backwards. It's a good idea change to a convertible seat as soon as you can, to prevent your child from growing too quickly. In certain situations, parents can transition their baby into an all-in one car seat without the need to purchase another infant car seat swivel car seat. It is therefore crucial to select the right convertible car seat for your family and yourself. Our comprehensive guide will give you all the details you require to make a wise choice.

4. Nuna Pipa Aire RX

The Nuna Pipa Aire RX is among the top-rated infant car seats because of its safety, light weight design and its flexibility. It can be installed using rigid lower anchors on outboard seats in the majority of vehicles and is also equipped with a vehicle seat belt using Euro routing (which utilizes pretty much all of the length of the vehicle's seat belt for the most secure installation). It also comes with an organic cotton infant insert, making it an option for parents who prefer organic alternatives for their child.

The Pipa Aire RX weighs only 6 pounds. without the canopy or inserts. It's one of the lightest infant car seat available. This is thanks to the unique Aeroflex foam, which is extremely light but incredibly durable, reducing the forces transferred to your child during a crash. Other security features include the five-second steel-reinforced True Lock base installation, side-impact protection, and a multiposition steel stability leg that has a crumple area to reduce forward rotation for enhanced rearward-facing security.

Other highlights include an ergonomic aluminum handle that's lightweight and luxe with leatherette accents to ensure easy to carry and excellent grip. A buckle holder with a magnetic buckle keeps straps clear when you buckle your child in and color-coded indicator for installation ensures correct connections. The low-profile base enables fast loading, and the open belt path with locks that secure lap and shoulder belts.

Cleaning up after a messy child 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 as good as it did after every use.

5. Nuna Pipa Urbn

While Nuna's PIPA rx and PIPA Air rx car seats are both excellent options, the newly launched Pipa Urbn takes it all to a whole new level. This ultralight infant car seat is incredibly easy to carry, weighing less than 7 pounds with the canopy and insert. It also has a luxe, user-friendly design that includes practical features like buckle holders that are magnetic to help keep straps clear while you're buckling baby in and a red/green indicator to tell you that the installation is secure (we wish all car seats had this! ).

The innovative pipaFIX system 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 a perfect choice for parents who frequently use taxis or rideshare services as well as for those who need 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 the Merino Wool and Tencel branded blend of lyocell fibres as a headrest, as well as an water-resistant machine washable cover.

The Pipa Urbn has the weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds when used rear-facing. This means that you may have to upgrade to a convertible model sooner than with other brands. It is still a top option for the majority of infants. The car seat is compatible with Nuna's travel systems, and can be attached to all strollers with the rings adapter.