What Do You Need To Know To Be Prepared For Best Car Seats For Infants Best Car Seats For Infants and Babies

While convertible car seats are great for growing children but an infant seat is best for infants. They're also smaller and easier to snap into a stroller than their larger counterparts.

CPST instructor Kecia Healy was impressed by the Chicco KeyFit's recline foot that is spring-loaded and bubble indicator on the base, in addition to its user-friendliness (the more user-friendly a car seat is and is, the more likely parents will be to set it up correctly). The model also fits three across in many mid-sized vehicles.

1. Clek Liing Car Seat for Infants

The Canadian manufacturer Clek is known for their top-rated convertible car seats, and the infant Liing is one of their best infant seats. The seat comes with best-in class safety features including a steel load-leg that can be easily installed. It also comes with 7 different recline positions that can be adjusted to fit the slope of your car's seat. A bubble indicator allows you to check that the seat is at the correct angle prior to letting your child ride in it.

The base of the Liing is easy to install with the help of LATCH connectors that slide into the lower anchors of your car, making it easier to anchor the seat. This makes the Liing a great option for families who plan to change vehicles often or for those looking for a fast, reliable way to install their child's car seat. If you prefer, you could utilize the belt-tensioning system included to buckle your child.

One of the things that makes the Liing apart from other infant car seats is its 2 piece Newborn Support System. This system includes an lower insert that slides over the crotch strap, and an attached headrest to the harnesses to stop newborns from slumbering forward or pulling their heads backwards in the seat. It's a game-changer for tiny infants and preemies, and it's one of the few rear-facing infant car seats that provide this type of support.

Another advantage of the Liing is its metal crash-test frame, which reduces the force of a crash by up to 40 percent in comparison to other infant seats. The seat's shell is bolstered with EPP foam that protects your child's head and body from an accident. The base of the seat is designed with a metal load leg that absorbs energy and helps diminish the likelihood of crashes, in addition.

2. Chicco KeyFit

This is the most highly rated infant seat. It is simple to install and use, and can adapt to your child's needs. It also works well with strollers for a travel system.

The KeyFit is a fantastic choice for parents looking for a safe, versatile and user-friendly seat. It scored highly in crash tests and is light and easy to carry. It also has an extensive range of height and weight limits. It is also made with babies' comfort in mind. The click-in area is surrounded by soft materials that protect your baby from being burnt by metal. The insert for newborns has a head cover which protects their heads. And the seat pad, which your baby sits on, nestles the infant in energy-absorbing foam cushions.

It's also one of the most simple infant seats to install correctly, every time. This is crucial since incorrectly installed infant seats increase the risk of injury to your child. The premium connectors of KeyFit's LATCH with a SuperCinch tightener ensures an ensconced fit with only minimal effort. The base also has a ReclineSure leveling feet and two RideRight bubble-level indicators to ensure the correct vehicle angle. And for alternate installation with the seat belt of the vehicle, clear belt routing and lock-offs make it easy to set up, install and tighten the car seat belt.

However, it isn't as good in the ease of use category due to the rethread-style harness height adjustment, a feature that is common on a lot of Chicco seats (and also on their OG Keyfit model). This means that you must manually re-thread the straps to move them from one level to another. This is a minor trade-off for the ease of this seat.

3. Joie i-Snug 2


The lightweight Joie i-Snug 2 infant car seat is built to the most stringent safety standards. It has a harness that is not rethread and is compatible with Joie strollers that can accept Maxi-Cosi style adapters. The installation guide is clearly labeled and bubble levels are built-in to help align the seat. The car seat is comfy, with plenty of padding. It has a nice canopy that shields your baby from the sunlight.

The iSnug comes with an ISOFIX vehicle base that permits secure attachment to the vehicle. It can also be used with an appropriate stroller to create a complete travel system. It's an infant car seat with a rear view that provides maximum head and neck protection for infants and newborns. The exclusive Tri-Protect headrest has a layer of Intelli-Fit memory foam that protects your baby from side impact crashes.

You'll need a new infant car seat when 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 will allow your child to ride rearwards for longer and is more secure.

A convertible car seat is bigger and more spacious than an infant seat, and has a higher weight and height limit when facing backwards. It is a good idea to change to a convertible car seat as soon as is possible to stop your child from outgrowing it too quickly. In some cases parents can move their child into an all-in one car seat without the need to purchase an additional infant car seat. It's crucial to pick the best convertible car seat for your family. Read our complete guide for all the info you need to make the right decision.

4. Nuna Pipa Aire RX

Nuna Pipa RX is a highly-rated infant seat because of its safety features, lightweight design, and its versatility. It installs with rigid lower anchors on the outboard seats in the majority of vehicles and also with a seat belt for the vehicle that utilizes Euro routing (which makes use of the entire length of a vehicle's seat belt to ensure the most secure installation). It also comes with an organic GOTS baby insert, which is a great choice for parents who are eco conscious and prefer organic products for their child.

At just 6 pounds without the canopy and inserts the Pipa Aire RX is among the lightest infant car seats on the market. Aeroflex foam is extremely light 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 reduces forward rotation to provide greater rear-facing security.

The ergonomic aluminum handle is light and luxurious, adorned with leatherette accents to provide a comfortable grip and a great option to carry the bag. A magnetic buckle holder keeps straps from getting in the way when buckling your child in and color-coded installation indicators confirm correct connections. The low-profile base enables quick, easy loading and the belt's open path with locks that secure shoulder and lap belts.

The process of parenting can be messy, but cleaning up shouldn't need to 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 following each use.

5. Nuna Pipa Urbn

Nuna's PIPA air Rx and PIPA Rx car seats are great options. However, the recently launched Pipa Urbn is a step above. This ultralight infant car seats is extremely easy to carry, weighing less than 7 pounds with the canopy and insert. It also comes with a luxe, user-friendly design that includes convenient features like buckle holders with magnetic buckles to keep straps from getting in the way while you buckle baby in and a green/red indicator to ensure the installation is secure (we would like to see all car seats had this feature! ).

The unique pipaFIX technology allows it to be used without a base, unlike Pipa RX or other base-compatible PIPAs that require a base to be installed. good infant car seats makes it the ideal option for parents who regularly take taxis, rideshare services 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 eco-friendly materials include a Merino Wool and Tencel brand-name blend of Lyocell fibres for the headrest and a water-resistant machine washable cover.

The main drawback of the Pipa Urbn is that it has the rear-facing weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds, which means you might have to change to a convertible car seat sooner than some other brands. It is still a top pick for most infants. The car seat is compatible with Nuna's travel systems and can be attached to all strollers with the Ring adapter.