How to Choose the Best Car Seats for Your Child
When searching for a car seat, it's easy to get overwhelmed. The safest car seats are those that fit your child and vehicle, and are safe to use 100 % of the time.
Car seats that are difficult for children or parents to set up or use can be a serious issue. The most effective options boast impressive crash test sensor results, have high ease of use scores and are also lightweight and narrow.
Safety
Safety features are the most crucial factor to consider when buying a car. It doesn't matter whether you opt for a convertible, booster or infant seat. They should all conform to federal safety standards and have a proven track record in third-party crash testing. It should also fit in your vehicle and be simple to use.
A good quality seat should have a harness adjustment that is simple to use, and also the option of connecting using LATCH or seatbelt. Flexible or rigid lower connectors with alligator-like clipping that hooks directly to the car seat belt guides or the car seat base are preferable to straps with a flexible design. The most comfortable seats come with an indicator that changes colors and is easy to read and lets you know whether the seat is properly connected.
In addition to these features, the most comfortable seats come with a top tether that reduces the risk of head injuries in crashes by securing the front of the child's head. They also have built-in harness guides to assist parents in properly threading the belt on their seat or tether.
The most important features of a car seat are those that guarantee the seat is installed and used correctly all the time. Tragically, many children's deaths result from children are improperly restrained or in the wrong type of seat. Consult a child passenger security technician (CPST), located close to you, to make sure that your car seat's installation and positioning is correct.
A good seat could save your child's life in the event of an accident. It's worth the extra cost for seats that have a sturdy frame and high-quality materials. It also helps to include well-thought-out features. It's also wise to look for a seat that complies with the more modern R129 safety regulations, which have more rigorous testing requirements than the older regulations that many seats adhere to.
It is also important to understand that a car seat is only as secure as the person who uses it. Children should be properly restrained by rear-facing car seats beginning at birth and continuing until they reach the height required to wear a harness. This is usually at around the age of four or five.
Comfort
A comfortable car seat will help your child fall asleep or sleep for a longer period of time. This can be the difference between a happy, well-rested child and an exhausted, cranky child who resists naptime. Look for the right seat that will accommodate your child's growing stature, provides plenty of head and neck support, and is a good fit to prevent movement in the car.
The most suitable infant car seat comes with many features that make your child feel secure and comfortable, such as soft materials such as plush cushions and padded armrests. Some come with cup holders, adjustable headrests, and sun shades. Others provide a variety of reclining positions. Some have adjustable thigh and lumbar support to improve posture. Others have massage features activated by pressing a button while the child is in the seat.
When your child grows beyond the infant car seat, the next step is to get a toddler car seat that will usually accommodate kids that weigh 40 pounds or less and can be used rear-facing or forward-facing. Some convertible toddler car seats can also be used as boosters for children up to 120 pounds. This can save you money and reduce the amount of car seat purchases you'll need to make over time.
infant car seat uk for comfort include the Evenflo Chase, which offers excellent crash test results and is simple to install with either LATCH or a car seat belt. Its narrow shell allows it to fit more newborns and average-sized babies than other car seats, and it has two crotch buckle positions to allow for better shoulder strap placement. It is also light and narrow making it easier to move around.
The Nuna PIPA urbn is also a excellent option for a comfortable toddler car seat. Babylist gear editor Jennifer LaBracio says the seat is luxuriously comfortable with plenty of padding and easy-to-read indicators to install. It's also compact and can be put in with the base or without, making it a great option for parents who frequently move their car seats from one vehicle to another.
Easy of Use
Many parents use their car seats frequently, and they want seats that are simple to use and fits in their vehicle. They also want it to be compatible with other baby equipment. Infant car seats are lighter due to having lower weight limits, and have a shorter life span than a convertible car seats. The best infant car seats come with features that make them easy to install and use, including recline feet that are spring-loaded, as well as bubble indicators on the base to help you place it in the right position in your car and clearly labeled installation guides, with clear instructions. These car seats have been designed with easy-to-read durable and long-lasting materials that are machine washable, as well as comfortable padding for your child.
The Clek Liing is the top-rated infant seat that we reviewed in 2018. It offers impressive crash test results and analysis scores, as in addition to a great load leg that will help you place the seat in your car with ease and precision. The car seat is simple to install using either LATCH connectors that are rigid or the latch connectors. The latches change color in order to signal the connection and the harness snaps into place easily and securely.
Another top choice is the Chicco KeyFit 35, which provides impressive crash test analysis scores as well as an extra leg to assist you in putting the car seat in your car. It's also a popular choice among parents and experts, including CPST instructor Kecia Healy, who claims the seat is designed for ease of use with a spring-loaded recline foot and a bubble indicator on the base to assist you in place it in the right position and tighten it with ease. This seat is inexpensive, GREENGUARD certified and built to last. It has steel frames and a high-density, ventilated foam.
The Nuna Exec all-in-one chair is an absolute favorite with LaBracio, Saxton and other women. Both women consider it an "solid" comfortable seat that is well worth the cost for its elegant feel, luxurious materials, and ease of installation. It has a rear-facing weight restriction of 50 pounds, an expandable legroom panel, and an extremely sturdy steel frame with an anti-rebound bar. This infant car seat also can be converted to a forward-facing booster for children up to 120 pounds, and is small enough to fit three in most mid-sized cars.
Design
You should ensure that the car seat you select is simple to use and fits comfortably. Your final choice could be influenced by where and how you'll install the seat and how often you plan to change between cars. Although it's impossible to predict what will happen in the event of a crash the design of your seat will help minimize damage and make it easier to get your child into and out of the car seat.
A key aspect to consider is whether the seat has rigid or flexible LATCH connectors. Connectors that are rigid have clips resembling alligators which attach directly to the seat and are more difficult to remove in a crash. Flexible connectors have straps that can be tightened and loosen manually or by a mechanism. A majority of seats come with an indicator of level to indicate whether they've been properly installed. This is typically an engraved line of plastic on the shell or a sticker on the bottom of the seat that displays the angle range when the seat is placed against the ground.
A seat's ability to fit infants and newborns is also important. This includes the width of the head rest and shell, and the ability to buckle and unbuckle the harness. Some seats come with a positioning insert to help smaller bodies fit into the seat and the harness. These inserts can be removed when your child grows.
The third factor to consider is the ease of adjusting the belt's height. The most comfortable seats allow you to move the harness belt without removing your baby and require just pressing a button, pulling a tab or shifting levers. Additionally, the most convenient seats to utilize are those that adjust the strap's length without having to rethread the belt.
If you're looking for an all-in-one child seat make sure it is in compliance with the federal minimum safety standards and is able to perform in third-party crash tests. We prefer seats with extra features, like an energy-absorbing layer that is molded into the shell or an anti-rebounding bar.