Best Car Seats For Infants and Babies

While convertible car seats work well for children who are growing however, an infant car seat best car seat is best for infants. They are also lighter and easier to clip into strollers than their larger counterparts.

Kecia Healy, CPST instructor, liked the recline leg that is spring-loaded and also the bubble indicator at the base of the Chicco KeyFit, as well as the user-friendliness. (The more user-friendly the car seat, the more likely it is that parents will be able to install it correctly. The model can also be used three across in the majority of mid-sized automobiles.

1. Clek Liing Car Seat for Infants

Clek, one of the Canadian manufacturer, is renowned for its top-rated convertible car seat. The infant Liing is among their best infant seats. The seat combines best-in-class safety features like a metal load leg that is simple to install, 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 right angle prior to your child's first ride in it.

The base of the Liing is easily installed using rigid LATCH connectors that fit into the lower anchors of your vehicle which makes it easier to anchor the seat. The Liing is a great option for families that are planning to change cars frequently or need a simple, reliable way to install car seats for their infants. If you prefer, you could utilize the belt-tensioning feature to buckle your child in.

One of the things that makes the Liing apart from other infant car seats is its two-piece newborn car seat insert Support System. It includes an lower insert that can be placed over the crotch strap as well as a headrest that attaches to harnesses to prevent infants from slumping forward or pulling their heads backwards in the seat. This is an important feature for babies and preemies. It's also one of the few rear-facing infant car seats that provide this level of support.

The Liing's crash-test framework made of metal reduces the force of crash by 40% compared to other infant seat. The shell of the Liing is padded with EPP foam to protect your child's head and body, which are the most vulnerable parts in the event of a collision. The seat's base has a metal load leg which absorbs energy and assists in reducing the risk of crashes.

2. Chicco KeyFit

This is a top-rated infant car seat. It is easy to set up and use, and it can grow with your child. It can also be used together with strollers to create a travel system.

The KeyFit is an excellent option for parents looking for a safe, flexible and user-friendly seat. It has an excellent score in crash tests, is light and comfortable to carry and offers a wide range of weight and height limits. It was also made with babies' comfort in mind. The click-in points are made of soft materials surrounding it so that your baby isn't burned by the metal. The infant insert comes with an enclosed head-skirt to protect their little heads, and the seat pad your baby sits on is surrounded by cushioned foam that absorbs energy for comfort.

The process of installing it correctly is simple. This is crucial since incorrectly installed infant seats can increase the chance of injury for 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 foot and two RideRight bubble-level-indicators to ensure the proper angle of the vehicle. 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 seat belt of your car.

It does lose some points in the user-friendliness category due to the rethread style harness height adjustment--a common feature on a lot of Chicco seats (and as well on their OG Keyfit model). This means you have to disconnect and manually re-thread straps from one level to another, which takes longer than non-rethread adjustments. This is a minor disadvantage for the convenience 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 strap and is compatible with Joie strollers that accept Maxi Cosi style adapters. The installation guide is clearly marked and bubble levels are built in to aid in aligning the seat. The car seat comes with plenty of padding and is very comfortable. It comes with a canopy that shields your baby from the sun's rays.

The i-Snug comes with an ISOFIX vehicle base that allows a secure vehicle attachment. It can also be combined with an appropriate stroller to make a complete travel system. This rear-facing infant seat provides the highest level of cervical and head protection for infants. The exclusive Tri-Protect headrest has an additional layer of Intelli-Fit memory foam that protects your baby from side-impact collisions.

As with any infant car seat you'll have to replace it once your child reaches the height and weight limits, or when they reach their first birthday. In the meantime, you can upgrade to a convertible, or an all-in-one car seat that allows children to be rear-facing for longer and is more secure for them.

A convertible car seat is larger and more spacious than an infant seat and has a higher weight and height limit when facing rearward. It's a good idea to switch to a convertible car seat as soon as is possible, to prevent your child from outgrowing it too quickly. In certain instances parents may be able to transition their child to an all-in-one car seat without ever needing to purchase a new infant car seat. It's therefore important to choose the best convertible car seat for your family and yourself. Our comprehensive guide will give you all the information you need to make a wise choice.

4. Nuna Pipa Aire RX

The Nuna Pipa Aire RX is among the most highly-rated infant car seats because of its safety, light design, and versatility. It can be installed using rigid anchors for the lower part of the outboard seats of most cars and with vehicle seat belt 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 cotton GOTS infant insert, which makes it a great option for environmentally conscious parents who prioritize organic choices for their child.

At only 6 lbs without the canopy and inserts, the Pipa Aire RX is among the lightest infant car seats available on the market. Aeroflex foam, which is lightweight and durable, but also extremely light, helps to minimize the force that is transferred to your child during an accident. Other safety features include the 5-second steel-reinforced True Lock base installation, side-impact protection and a multiposition steel stability leg with a crumple zone to limit forward rotation, resulting in greater rearward-facing security.

The ergonomic aluminum handle is lightweight and luxurious with leatherette accents for the perfect grip and a convenient way to carry the bag. The magnetic buckle holders keep straps out from the way while you buckle your child and color-coded indicator lights for installation confirm correct connections. The low-profile base allows super-fast loading, and the open belt pathway with lock-off secures shoulder and lap belts.

Parenting is messy Cleaning up doesn't need to be. The fabrics and inserts 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 beyond. The ultralight infant seat is lightweight and easy to carry, and weighs less than 7 pounds once the canopy and insert are in place. It also comes with a luxe user-friendly design with practical features like buckle holders with magnetic buckles to help keep straps out of the way while you buckle baby in and a red/green indicator to tell you that the installation is secure (we wish all car seats had this! ).

Unlike the Pipa RX and the other base-compatible PIPA models that require a car base to install, this one can be used without a base thanks to its innovative pipaFIX rigid latch system. This makes it a great option for parents who frequently 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 the Merino Wool and Tencel blended lyocell fibres as a headrest, and a waterproof machine washable cover.

The main issue with the Pipa Urbn is that it only has a rear-facing weight limit of 30 to 35 pounds. This means you might have to upgrade to a convertible car seat sooner than some other brands. It's still a great choice for most babies. This car seat is also compatible with travel systems and works with all of Nuna's strollers--just click it on or attach using the ring adapter.