Britax B-Safe Infant Car Seat

Lightweight and travel friendly, the BRITAX B-SAFE Infant Car Seat provides your child with comfort and safety. Featuring Side Impact Protection and an energy-absorbing foam liner, the B-SAFE car seat ensures your child is protected from all angles. The removable seat pad, five-point harness, and extra-large canopy keep children up to 30 pounds snug and safe. 

For parental convenience, the seat also includes premium, push-button lower LATCH connectors, a built-in lock-off, and an ergonomically designed handle to make the seat easy to install, remove, and carry. 

Benefits:

• Protects Your Child from Every Angle
• Lightweight and Quick to Install
• Tangle-free, fully adjustable five-point harness provides a safe and snug fit

Age/Weight Requirements:

Requirements: For children 4 to 30 pounds and up to 32 inches

What Other Parents are saying (Reviews from Amazon):

The Good: 

Hannah Mestel: The Chicco base wins for ease of installation, with its pull-strap mechanism for LATCH and easy seat belt lockoffs.Britax wins hands-down in the canopy, with a generous canopy that stays where you put it. I know that would seem like such a simple thing, but the KeyFit canopy really does not always stay fully extended, and it's not as long as the B-Safe canopy, which is really nice when you want to shade your baby!

Pelto: I had a Chicco keyfit for my first two kids and that was a really good seat to...really you cant go wrong either way. I do like the britax one a little more because it seems lighter and more comfortable.

The Cons:

Mitchell Tse: Sturdy handle, the only thing of note is that I've seen some where the handle is twisted 90°, so that a person can carry the baby carrier for a bit and not have to rotate the arm/wrist. But let's be serious, it's not like Britax is intending the parent to be carrying around a kid for long, that's what strollers are for! Therefore, no minus points for that small quibble.

MSJAD: I've noticed other moms mention that this seat is heavy- but in my opinion it's no heavier than other seats. My sister has a Graco infant seat and both seats compared empty feel no different. With our babies occupying their seats hers is heavier because her baby is a nine month old chunky one and I have a newborn, so I say that to point out that as your baby grows and gains weight any infant seat will gradually feel heavy. For a newborn I would recommend purchasing those additional headrest pieces to add to the seat so that your baby's head is secure and not lolling to the side when in motion.

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat Adventure

The Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Seat and Base provides your infant with a safe way to travel in comfort and style. The practical design of the KeyFit system includes a five-point safety harness and reliable LATCH anchor, making it incredibly easy to use.

Benefits:

• Quick, Easy Installation 
• No.1 rated infant car seat in America
• Safe secure energy-absorbing foam that provides impact protection

Age/Weight/Height Requirements: 

• Minimum weight recommendation - 4 Pounds
• Maximum weight recommendation - 30 Pounds 
• Rear-facing minimum child weight - 4 Pounds
• Rear-facing maximum child weight - 30 Pounds

 

What Other Parents are saying (Reviews from Amazon):

The Good: 

Erin Calabria: The Chicco Keyfit 30 is really a well made and sturdy infant seat. The materials are very easy to clean and the fabric looks very nice, the infant seat itself is very secure and I feel like my baby is very safe when he's in his seat. The base is SO convienent if you drive your baby in the same car all the time.

Julia: They were so easy to install. When we went to a car seat check, the technician said we picked the safest and easiest car seat to install! We own a Rav-4 and we could install the car seat right in the middle of the back seat

The Cons:

N. Corrieri: Now this may or may not be a con. Not all shopping carts or portable carseat holders in restaurants are safe and solid. So this is at your discretion. You cannot set this in the top of a cart. This makes grocery shopping impossible or comical. I have been seen at local supermarket pushing a stroller AND pulling a cart.

Ashley: yes, you do need to use two hands to press the buttons on either side of the carry-handle in order to change its position, and this also makes the product safer and should not be considered a product flaw. I have personally seen other infant carriers bump against something (in the case I saw, a chair), engage the button to change the carry-handle position, and the bucket tipped forward.

Graco SmartSeat All-in-One Car Seat

With an intelligent design engineered to fit children from 5 to 100 pounds, the Graco Smart Seat All-in-One Car Seat can provide years of safe, reliable travel for your child. The Smart Seat's features include a stay-in-car base, adjustable six-position headrest with no-thread harness, five recline settings, flip-up armrests, seat-to-base locking indicators, and child's cup holder. Constructed with heavy-duty steel reinforced frame for durability, this car seat delivers the perfect combination of safety and convenience.

Benefits:

• Easy, One-Time Installation
• Added Convenience for Mom and Child
• Easily adjust the headrest and harness to properly fit your child without rethreading--valuable time-saving features.

Age/Weight Requirements:

Fits infants 5-40 pounds rear-facing in harness; toddlers 20-65 pounds forward-facing in harness; youth 30-100 pounds in belt-positioning booster.

What Other Parents are saying (Reviews from Amazon):

The Good: 

Alicia: Extensively researched many car seats, my son is moving out of his infant carrier and i don't want to buy another seat for him after this one.  Yes, this one is on the more expensive side but i believe it is worth every penny. Plenty of room to grow (out and up), many seat settings (you will only have one permanent one for each "mode" but the variety is perfect to customize fit for each car).

Hunters Momma: I've read that the buckles are hard to get on and off and I am able to do them both with one hand :) I feel this carseat is worth every penny!! It feels so safe and sturdy!! My husband like to say its Hutners First Class Airliner Jet Seat :)

The Cons:

Max: It sits too far upright - the childs head flops forward when sleeping. Plus, the padding slides around a lot, not a big deal, but they should have some velcro on the bottom so you don't have to adjust it every time you use it.

J. Stroh: Other than the fact that the base is too wide, it is a very nice seat, well constructed and heavy. I'm sure this seat would work out for a single child family but it won't work out for occasional use as I was planning on doing.

Graco My Ride 65 Convertible Car Seat

 If there is one thing all parents have in common, it's that they all want a car seat for their children that provides only the very best in safety. The Graco My Ride 65 Convertible Car Seat features Safety Surround Side Impact Technology, the only side impact protection that truly grows with your child at each stage.

This car seat accommodates children from 4 to 40 pounds in the rear-facing position, and from 20 to 65 pounds in the forward-facing position. The My Ride 65 also includes additional features like five-point front adjust harness, LATCH system, energy absorbing EPS foam, removable body support, and integrated cup holders to keep your child safe and comfortable even on the longest car rides.

Benefits:

• Crash-Tested to Keep Your Child Safe in a Side- Impact Collision
• Seat Adjusts to Growing Babies and Children
• Cup Holders and a Machine-Washable Cushion

Age/Weight Requirements:

Rear-facing from 4 to 40 pounds and forward facing from 20 to 65 pounds

What Other Parents are saying (Reviews from Amazon):

The Good: 

Lainibug: I'm no technician, but the Safety Surround features, head rest, and ability to rear-face up to 40 pounds make me feel confident as a parent. It's convenient to loosen and tighten the harness on the child once the car seat is installed.

M. Bruner: This is a sturdy and seemingly comfortable car seat. The superior safety additions insures that if used properly your little one will be safe in case of an accident. Works well with the coordinating stroller too.

The Cons:

A.Dent: Installation too a log time for the first configuration because I had to get used to using the manual and become familiar with the seat's design but I never felt that I was doing anything unnecessary. Everything was covered by the manual to the right level of detail.

TW: This car seat could be great if you don't have to have it rear-facing, but if you were counting on the rear-facing, it's hard to see us using it without it being uncomfortable for everyone else in the car.

Britax Frontier 85 Combination Booster Car Seat

Featuring an innovative design and industry-leading technology, the Britax Frontier 85 Combination Booster Seat (Rushmore) keeps your child safe and secure during car trips. Offering True Side Impact Protection and a patented, energy-absorbing Versa-Tether, this seat is engineered to grow with you child. The Frontier 85 accommodates children starting at 2 years old and 25 pounds up to 85 pounds when used as a forward-facing harnessed seat, and 40 to 120 pounds when used as a booster seat.

Benefits:

• Easy to install and adjust
• Soft, Durable Material with Comfort Foam
• Booster seat that offers innovative safety features

Age/Weight/Height Requirements: 

In forward-facing harnessed mode, fits children 2+ years old weighing 25 - 85 pounds; In booster mode, fits children measuring 42 - 65 inches and weighing 40 - 120 pounds.

What Other Parents are saying (Reviews from Amazon):

The Good: 

Deanna D'Ambra: We bought these car seats for our 5 year old twin girls because they are the safest. They love the seats, love the pink color and are very comfortable in them. They were very easy to install in my Toyota Sienna captains chairs.

Cathy O'Donnell: This car seat is awesome. It took me a long time to find a care seat that I really wanted for my 2 1/2 year old daughter. Safety is always a concern and I never fear with a britax.It is the last car seat we will have to purchase for her because it will last for years. Over all it worth the money!

The Cons:

FAP: You need the toddler in the car in the seat to get the proper height. Plus, it's hard to pull the lever in the back up to get it to the right height.

Mom, wife: I felt the crotch-strap adjuster in the Wizard was easier to use and access than the Frontier, but it's not like it's difficult on the Frontier - just different and if I had to pick one over the other I'd pick the Wizard. But I can see that maybe the Frontier's design would prevent a child from self-adjusting. This was never an issue for us and in fact I'd often ask DD to help pull up on the lever if she was too tight so I could properly pull the straps out from the front seat.

Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Baby Car Seat Review

Once your child outgrows her rear-facing infant car seat, she's still required to ride in a car seat or a booster for several more years to come. So rather than investing in a succession of seats and boosters, try the Graco Nautilus 3-in 1 Toddler Car Seat, the only forward-facing car seat your child will need. Its five-point harness accommodates children up to 65 pounds, and its convertible booster/backless booster can hold children up to 100 pounds in weight--longer than most other convertible car seats.

Benefits:

• Very easy to install and adjust
• Machine-washable cushion and cover for easy cleaning
• Comfort and fit features developed with your child in mind

Graco's Commitment to Safety

Top-rated by leading consumer publications, the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat grows with your child by offering three forward-facing positions. In addition to meeting or exceeding all US safety standards, the Nautilus 3-in-1 car seat has been side impact tested for occupant retention with the built in 5-point harness system and in high back belt positioning booster mode to keep your child secure in a side-impact collision. This car seat features EPS, energy absorbing foam for effective energy management in the event of collision. 

Age/Weight Requirements:

Five-point harness use from 20 to 65 pounds; high-back booster from 30 to 100 pounds; backless booster from 40 to 100 pounds.

What Other Parents are saying (Reviews from Amazon):

The Good: 

Amy G.Van Hoose: The week I bought it, we made and 8 hour trip to VA to see my husband, who is in the Navy. She did great in it. She didn't even get fussy until the last 20 minutes of the trip. There is a lot of padding in the seat, so it doesn't hurt her little booty to sit in it. She spilled milk in the seat and I had to take it apart to wash it. It is very easy to take apart and put back together.She seemed very comfortable in the seat.

James Fuller: First and most important, with the older Graco car seat the car's shoulder belt can be easily latched into a firm, solid embrace of the baby's car seat so that there is no play or rocking back and forth or side to side.

M. Napierkowski: I did a ridiculous amount of research before I went ahead and bought this seat and I am not sorry I did! My son is 3 years old, 40 inches and about 36 pounds. He is not a skinny child but not overtly large. I know a lot of reviewers complain about the crotch strap issue and when I first tried my son in the seat a year ago he didn't fit well, but suddenly then he did closer to 2.5. I realized later it's The Diaper Situation.

The Cons:

CBR: When you purchase the seat the bottom/seat strap is in the smaller setting, and it is very difficult to change it to the larger setting. But once it's there you don't have to change it any more. The shoulder straps aren't difficult to change, but you do have to take the seat out of the car in order to change their height.

M. Napierkowski: I noticed most of the online review complaining about this are from parents with younger boys and I can only assume most of them were in diapers. I cannot see him fitting as comfortably at 65 pounds bur that is a bridge we'd cross later. I spoke with the folks at SafeSeat and they confirm that is perfectly ok for the crotch strap to be under the child's rear as long as the child is comfortable with it being brought around to the front to be fastened properly.