If you have a child or are preparing to have one, you'll need to buy a car seat. Car seat requirements change as children get older, so you'll need to find one that meets the necessary specifications and your child's needs for their age and weight. In addition, you'll want to find one that's suitable for the type of car you drive, for your lifestyle and personal preferences. If you travel a lot, you'll want to find one that works for the different modes of travel you use. Below, you’ll see our detailed list of the best car seats for 2019.
Infant Car Seats
Best Car Seat for Infants: Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat and Base
This car seat works well for infants who weigh from 4-30 pounds. The energy-absorbing foam provides additional protection from side impacts. There is an insert that accommodates smaller babies; this can be removed as the baby gets older. You'll know your baby is secure because you'll hear a click when the keyfit is attached securely.
Best Infant Car Seat for the Cash-Strapped: Onboard Air 360
This rear-facing car seat works well for infants who weigh between 4-35 pounds. Car safety experts designed it to provide excellent protection from side impacts. It's made of race car foam to absorb more energy, and the reinforced handle provides more stability.
Convertible Car Seats
Protect the Environment and Your Baby with The Clek Foonf Convertible Car Seat
This car seat can be used front-facing mode for children 30-49 inches tall weighing between 22 and 65 pounds. It can also be used in rear-facing mode for children 25-43 inches tall weighing between 14 and 50 pounds. It's compact but still provides important safety features. These include a 5-point adjustable padded safety harness, a steel rebound protector, and an adjustable headrest.
It's built so that if you're in an accident, the impact is distributed through it's specially designed energy-absorbing shell. The fabrics don't use bromine or chlorine to protect against fire. This makes it ideal for environmentally conscious parents.
Looking for Easy Installation? Check out the Advocate Quicktight Convertible
This convertible car seat grows with your child. It can be used in rear-facing mode for babies weighing 4 to 40 pounds, in a front-facing mode for toddlers who weigh from 20-65 pounds, as a booster seat in the high-back position mode for children weighing 30-100 pounds, and the backless belt positioning mode from children weighing 40-120 pounds.
Another Good Convertible Car Seat: The Graco 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat
This car seat will last from birth to 10 years old and accommodate children who weigh between 4 and 120 pounds. The adjustable harness system has 10 different positions and changes easily. It's been tested for side impact safety with its 5-point harness system, and crash tested to meet or exceed the US standard FMVSS 213.
The level indicator makes it easy to tell if it's been installed correctly, and the seat adjusts to six positions to ensure your child is comfortable. The plush inserts provide additional comfort, and the seat cover can be removed easily without removing the harness. There's also a storage compartment to hold harness straps that aren't used in booster seat mode.
Combination Car Seats
Best Combination Car Seat: Britax Dualfit Combination Harness-2-Booster
This combination car seat transitions from a forward-facing 5-point harness seat into a belt-positioning booster seat. This new release from Britax covers your child from 25 pounds and at least 2 years old to 100 pounds, and it's the least expensive booster of this type. You can use harness mode until the child reaches 65 pounds; when you change over to belt mode, the harness tucks inside the seat.
Booster Seats
Best Booster Seat for Smart Toddlers: Affix Youth Booster Seat with LATCH System
If your toddler has figured out how to latch themselves into their car seat, this is the best one for them. It provides a secure connection to keep the seat properly in place, and it's easy for more independent children to latch themselves in. You can use the front adjustment to tighten the booster seat to the vehicle seat quickly and easily. It's been side-impact tested and crash tested to meet or exceed the standards in FMVSS 213. There's also a cup holder under the base of the car seat.
Other important features include a deep seat structure that protects the child if there's an accident and soft foam for added safety and comfort. You can machine wash the seat pad. If you have a car that's equipped with the LATCH system, you can click the car seat right into place.
Take Your Baby Around the City Comfortably in Bubblebum's Backless Inflatable Booster
If you're looking for a car seat that fits your busy city lifestyle, check out the Bubblebum Backless Inflatable Booster. This car seat inflates and deflates easily. This makes it ideal for parents who must take taxis everywhere. It's designed for children between 4 and 11 years old who weigh between 40 and 100 pounds. When it's deflated, stick it in your knapsack or diaper bag for safe keeping.
The material it's made from is like the material life vests are made from, and it contains memory foam and a strong webbing harness to help keep its structure. The side clips keep the lap belt over your child's pelvis. It comes in different colors and patterns and exceeds US Motor safety standards. It includes a clip to keep the adult seat belt in place.
These are the best eight car seats available. When deciding which one to buy, ask yourself the following questions:
- How much do I want to spend?
- Do I want to buy a convertible car seat so I can spend less money?
- Do I plan to buy different cars as my child gets older?
- Do I plan to have more children, which will make it necessary to buy a larger vehicle?
No matter what kind of car seat you decide to purchase, make sure it fits your budget, receives good reviews, and meets your lifestyle needs.
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