Top Rated Infant Car Seats

Not all infant car seats are created equally. The best seats have features that enhance crash test performance. For example, load legs -- shock-absorbing elements that are attached to the base or seat and limit movement in a collision.

A favorite among CPST instructors is the Chicco KeyFit, which has a large rear-facing weight limit and height limit as well as a bubble level indicator, and an reclining foot with a spring that makes it easy to install.

Graco Mesa Max

The Graco Mesa Max ranks as one of the most simple infant car seats to use. It has an easy-to-use design and top fabrics. It also comes with an excellent feature that lets you attach the harness of your child directly to the headrest. It comes with a large canopy that can be tucked away to keep your child protected while traveling. The only drawback is that it is a bit heavier than normal this could be a problem if you plan to lug it around or want to use it with your award-winning UPPAbaby stroller.

Mesa Max's impressive performance in crash tests show its dedication to safety. It scored a top score in the frontal impact test and an excellent score in the side impact test, which means your baby seat is protected from both sides of a collision.

Another notable safety feature is the Graco's anti-rebound panel, which reduces rebound forces during the event of a crash, and also protects your child's head. This feature is not common in infant car seats and makes the Mesa Max stand out among its competitors.

Graco Mesa Max can easily and securely be mounted in your vehicle with LATCH when used with the base included. The load leg, recline angle adjustment as well as the tightness indicator help ensure a quick, accurate installation. The base weighs 12.6 lbs it is slightly heavier than an average 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 also has an infinitely adjustable headrest as well as an infant car seats uk insert that helps improve the body's fit and positioning for babies weighing between 4 and 11 pounds. The fabric is GREENGUARD gold certified, which means they test for low chemical emissions and low VOCs.

The UPPAbaby Mesa Max may be slightly more expensive than other options 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 attractive colors. This is a great addition to the value proposition. Its thoughtful features and durable design offer parents peace of mind on every excursion.

Britax Boulevard ClickTight

The Britax Blvd ClickTight is a great choice for parents who want a car seat they can grow with. The weight limit for rear-facing is 40 pounds, which is higher than many cheap infant car seats car seats. It can also be used forward-facing until your child reaches 65 pounds.

Its most prominent selling factor is the ClickTight Installation System, which is the most secure and user-friendly available. The seat belt can be tightened by pressing a red release and pulling the harness strap. This means that there is no need to loosen and rethread the seat belt. This decreases the chance of a mistake when tightening a seat belt which is the most common cause of car seat failure.

The EZ-Buckle Pad is another safety feature that keeps the buckle away while you place your child in the car seat. This feature along with beltpath cutouts that are located on the sides of the seat, makes it easy to get your child into and out of the car.

The three ClickTight convertible seat models (Boulevard CT, Marathon CT, Advocate CT) share the similar features. They include the ClickTight Installation System and 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 hefty seat, so it may be worth looking at an alternative that is lighter when you are planning to use it frequently for car swaps or traveling. Also, the seat is large, which means it might not be a good fit in smaller vehicles, especially if it's installed in the rear of the vehicle.

If you're looking for a low-cost seat with similar quality the Graco 4Ever DLX is a fantastic choice. The seat has lower crash tests scores than the Boulevard but is still an excellent choice for your child.

The Graco also has push-on connectors for LATCH, which makes it easier to remove the seat. The Boulevard's LATCH connectors feature an additional release mechanism, which requires you to press a gray button and pull the webbing to loosen it. It can be difficult to do this if the webbing isn't fitted properly. This seat comes with a convenient storage compartment for the belt straps.

Clek Liing

If you're looking for a baby car seat that has everything -- style, safety, convenience and luxury -you'll be delighted with the Clek Liing. This rear-facing car seat is easy to install, has a high crash test rating and a wide range of features.

The Liing is designed to safeguard newborn darlings with features that meet or surpass both US and Canadian safety standards. It is designed for easy and secure installation in all seating positions. It also features advanced safety features like an energy-absorbing metal foot and two pieces of shell that is lined with EPP for increased side impact protection. The base features 7 recline positions and a trusty bubble indicator that lets you know exactly when the seat is at the right angle for your infant.

The Liing is loved by parents for its modern and sleek design and its unique safety features like rigid lower anchors that are much easier to connect than hook-and-loop connectors. The Liing has a one-handed quick release, making it easy to remove the base and connect it to strollers compatible with it. With less than 17 inches in width, it's narrow enough for 3-across in the majority of vehicles. It also fits nicely into many convertible car seats as a booster.

This infant seat is rated as 1st for its unique rigid-LATCH installation system. The Liing's lower anchors snap into the seat belt slots of the vehicle and the top tether strap snaps on to the headrest of the vehicle. This results in a secure snug, secure fit that reduces the risk that the child might be thrown around during an accident.

The seat is light with the base weighing 9 lbs, and the car itself at an easy 10.5 pounds. Other rear-facing seats are heavier however, the difference isn't significant if you plan to transport the car seat and base around. ).

Parents love the Liing's built-in canopy and 100+spf of protection from the sun's rays by the mesh peekaboo. Caregivers love the merino-covered cover that keeps baby warm and also appreciate the seat's handle's ability to pivot over the canopy, making it more comfortable for them to grab when needed.

Graco Trio Grow SnugLock LX

The Graco Trio SnugLock LX is a 3-in-1 car seat that goes from rear-facing infant, to forward-facing harness and then to highback booster. It has the SnugLock system which allows for a simple and smooth installation using either lower anchors or vehicle seat belts. It also offers the option to use the top tether in booster mode (although we recommend using the lower anchors at all times to ensure security).

This seat is ideal for children of all ages. For infants it comes with an infant insert that assists to support their backs and necks. When they get older, the insert can be removed and the seat can be used as a normal car seat for toddlers. This car seat is among the few that allow you to use the top tether in booster mode, which we recommend.

Its base is compact from front to back so it shouldn't have any issues fitting into most vehicles. The headrest has to be raised in order for the lower anchor webbing to pass through. Fortunately, there's a headrest adjustment knob to easily accomplish this, and you can see the headrest position in the display window.

The SnugLock system is among the coolest features about this seat. It's a bar that's within the belt path. Installing this car seat with lower anchors is simple and is almost as easy as installing the car's seat belt.

The manual provides a fantastic illustration on how to route the lower anchor connectors in a correct manner through the new belt pathway which may initially be confusing. It's important to keep them away from 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 that it has been subjected some of the most rigorous tests in the industry. This includes tests for rear, side and rollover crashes and frontal impact.