Infant car seat comparison

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommend all infants ride in a rear-facing car seat as long as possible, and some states even require this by law up to a certain age, weight or height.  Finding the right infant car seat can be challenging, especially when manufacturers overwhelm with dozens of features. Here is the comparison of the top infant car seats by the things that matter most – scroll down for the details why we believe these are the most important features when picking your infant car seat.

What type of car seat best fits YOUR BABY’s NEEDS?

You have the choice between two types of rear-facing car seats: a pure infant car seat or a convertible car seat that converts into a forward-facing toddler seat later:

Infant car seats are specifically made for newborns. They are typically suitable for infants 4-35lbs and up to 32” in height. They come with a base that is left in the car, so you can take the baby out of the car in the seat. If you buy a stroller compatible with your car seat, you can click the car seat right onto the stroller.

Convertible car seats usually have higher maximum weight and height limits, which may sound tempting. However, these are not made specifically for newborns and you have to take your baby out of the seat when leaving the car, which is why we do not recommend these during baby’s first year.

What safety features should you look out for in an infant car seat?

No use of flame retardant chemicals. The law requires car seats to be fire resistant. While many car seats use flame retardant chemicals to achieve this, some manufacturers use materials that are naturally flame resistant. We prioritize car seats that avoid the use of chemicals.

Five-point harness. All car seats we recommend have a strap at each shoulder, one at each side of the hips and one between baby’s legs, as well as a harness chest clip at the armpit level.

LATCH system. The Lower Anchor and Tethers for Children secures your car seat without using the vehicle seat belt. In Europe this is called “ISOFIX”; in Canada, “LUAS”. It connects your infant car seat to two metal anchors in your car’s seat. Most cars have this system, and all car seats we recommend do too.

How heavy is the car seat to carry, and how easy is it to install safely?

Weight of the car seat. If you take your infant car seat out of the car with baby in it, it is worth considering how heavy the car seat actually is to carry.

Ease of install. While all car seats sold in the US are considered safe and meet Federal Safety Standards, some are more difficult to install properly than others. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has an ease-of-use rating which ranks car seats on a 5-point scale based on factors such as how easy they are to install, how clear their labels and manual are, and how easy they are to safely secure a child in.

The above comparison chart shows you the ease of use rating from the NHTSA as well as the weight of the car seat without base.

Read next:

How to pick the right baby stroller

What should you look out for when picking a baby stroller? Three things: Stroller type, car seat compatibility and extendability options.

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