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10 Best Infant Car Seats – A Mom’s Guide and Reviews

Mary Brice

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One of the leading causes of death in children is car accidents.

Sadly, many of these deaths are preventable. Statistics reveal that approximately 75% of parents are using the wrong car seat for their children, not using a car seat at all, or using their car seat improperly.

That is why it is so important to find the best infant car seat for your baby. This is not a product that you want to take guesses at. We care about the well-being of your children and your family, so we have taken the time to create this list of the top ten infant car seats and even included an infant car seat buying guide and detailed infant car seat reviews. We did all of this to help you make the best decision possible when it comes to choosing the best car seat to ensure your baby’s safety.

Best Infant Car Seat

Some people like to say that one infant car seat is not better than another. The thought behind this is that all infant car seats on the market currently have had to pass the same tests to be approved for sale. That much is true, but it does not mean that all car seats are equal.

Just because all infant car seats on the market meet the same minimum requirements, it does not mean that there aren’t infant car seats that go above and beyond those minimum requirements. Yes, all infant car seats are “safe”, but some have a lot more safety features and undergo more rigorous testing by the manufacturers. 

Height maximums are approximate – child has outgrown the seat when they meet the maximum height OR when the top of their head is less than one inch from the top of the infant car seat shell.

Safety is definitely the most important thing you would look for in an infant car seat, but safety is not the only thing that sets some infant car seats apart from others. They vary in many aspects. Some infant car seats are easier to use than others, some are more convenient than others, some are more compact, some are more lightweight, some just look cooler. There are a lot of variables that went into creating this list of recommendations.

10 Best Infant Car Seat

1

Britax Endeavours Infant Car Seat – Best Infant Car Seat for Extended Rear Facing

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The importance of keeping our babies as safe as possible can’t be stressed enough. It is one of our top priorities as parents and Chicco knows just how important your baby’s safety is to you. They have created their Fit2 2-Year-Rear-Facing Infant Car Seat to help you keep your baby as safe as possible for as long as possible.

The infant car seat base that comes along with the best infant car seat for rear facing is also a very easy-to-install car seat base! This adds to the convenience factor of this infant car seat tremendously. Not only is the easy-to-install car seat base convenient though, it also adds to this being a safe infant car seat. That is because you are more guaranteed to get a proper and safe car seat install. It has a one-hand leveling foot and a super easy, one-pull LATCH tightener.

The harness on this car seat is another important feature when it comes to rear facing for longer. This harness is a special, no-rethread harness that adjusts easily between an impressive 7 different positions. This allows room for growth in height.

This is one impressive infant car seat. It is currently the only infant car seat that is specifically designed to keep your baby rear facing for the first 2 years of life. It has tons of features that increase both safety and convenience. Of course, the trade-off for this is the price. It is the second most expensive infant car seat of those we reviewed. However, it will last longer than most other infant car seats and with its incredible value, it can definitely be worth the extra money.

2

Britax Endeavours Infant Car Seat – Best Overall Infant Car Seat

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Britax has been a very well-loved and well-trusted car seat brand for many years now. So, it isn’t surprising that their name kept coming up over and over on the search for the best car seats for infants. Their Endeavours Infant Car Seat takes the cake and is easily our pick for the best overall infant car seat.

Another cool car seat safety feature that this Britax car seat has is what is called SafeCell. This is a system of different components that all work to protect your child beyond accepted safety standards. One example of this is in the included impact-absorbing car seat base. This car seat base has special technology that helps it to absorb some of the impact of a collision to reduce the force of the collision to your child.

Just like the Chicco Fit2 Infant Car Seat, this is an infant car seat that is pretty high up on the list in regard to its cost. This makes sense considering the big brand and tons of new and special features including safety that goes far above the federal standards.

If you aren’t on too tight of a budget and you are really after the best infant car seat out there, this can certainly be the infant car seat for you. This awesome infant car seat is full of great features, looks amazing, and exceeds safety standards.

3

Evenflo SafeMax Infant Car Seat – Safest Infant Car Seat

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From Evenflo comes the safest infant car seat! This is an amazing option when it comes to protecting your baby. The name SafeMax fits everything about this infant car seat perfectly and when making our guide, there was no doubt that this Evenflo car seat deserved the title of safest infant car seat!

For even more safety, this Evenflo car seat is also equipped with Sure Safe LATCH guides and a seat belt lock off. These help to ensure proper car seat installation which greatly increases the chance of positive outcomes in the case of collisions. Of course, there is one downside to all of these great features – it creates a less compact infant car seat. This is a car seat that will take up a bit more room in your vehicle than most other infant car seats.

Safety and convenience aren’t the only awesome things about the safest infant car seat, though. It is also super stylish and even remarkably comfortable. The design of the safest infant car seat is primarily black and grey but has nice colorful touches as well. There are two different options for the color. One is called Noelle and is a lovely soft pink color and the other is called Nico which is a pale, minty blue color.

All infant car seats must pass the same tests to be allowed on the market. However, some brands really go above and beyond to guarantee safety and show you that you can trust your child’s safety to them. Evenflo is definitely one of those and has proven it with the rollover testing that their SafeMax infant car seats must undergo. This seat is packed with safety features. It is a little bit bulkier than a lot of choices, but if you can fit it in your vehicle, it is definitely worth the extra peace of mind you will get from having the safest infant car seat for your baby

4

Graco SnugRide Click Connect 35 Infant Car Seat – Top Rated Infant Car Seat

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It came as no surprise that the top rated infant car seat comes from the incredible and well-trusted car seat brand, Graco. This is the SnugRide Click Connect 35 Infant Car Seat. It is raved about all over the internet because there is just so much to love about this top rated infant car seat!

Another great feature about the top rated infant car seat is the infant car seat base that it comes with. This Graco car seat base is super cool and very beneficial because of the easy recline options. It has 6 different recline options and is easily adjusted with just the turn of a dial! This along with the LATCH system helps you to get a quick, easy, and – most importantly – secure car seat install.

While the top rated infant car seat is absolutely amazing in most ways, there is one downfall that may make some people think twice about it. It does not feature no-rethread harness straps like some of the other great infant car seat options. This means that as your baby grows, you will have to manually unthread and rethread the car seat harness straps through the correct harness holes to ensure continued maximum safety.

Obviously, a LOT of people love the top rated infant car seat. With so many amazing features, a super lightweight design, the ability to fit any Graco Click Connect stroller, it makes complete sense that this infant car seat has received so much praise. It is definitely a worthwhile and safe infant car seat that is well-worth the purchase.

5

Safety 1st Onboard 35 Air 360 Infant Car Seat – Most Comfortable Infant Car Seat

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From Safety 1^st is yet another incredible infant car seat that exceeds federal safety standards. This awesome Safety 1^st car seat also happens to be the most comfortable infant car seat. Safety-wise, this car seat is packed with 5 layers of protection including Air Protect technologies for additional side-impact protection.

An added bonus, the seat pad is actually machine-washable and dryer-safe. This is a really nice feature because even though most other options do have seat pads that are machine-washable, most must air-dry or drip-dry and are not safe to dry in a dryer. This makes it exceptionally easy to keep the most comfortable infant car seat nice and clean!

This car seat also includes a sun shade to help keep your baby protected from the sun. Unfortunately, due to the design, many users of this infant car seat do struggle with keeping it open when they want to use it.

This isn’t just the most comfortable infant car seat, it is also an incredibly convenient infant car seat that is also a very safe infant car seat. It has lots of great features that increase both safety and comfort!

6

Britax B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat – Best Value Infant Car Seat

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Here is another fantastic Britax car seat choice. It is the second Britax car seat to make it into our recommendations. It is actually very similar to the previously mentioned Britax car seat, but it does have some important and notable differences, which is exactly why we chose to include both Brtiax car seats.

The car seat from Britax has the same Safe Cell technologies that help to protect your baby in the Brtiax Endevours car seat. However, it does not have the anti-rebound bar, which helps contribute to the lower price that increases the overall value of the car seat. The base still helps to absorb the impact of a collision to reduce the force that your baby actually experiences.

Like the Graco SnugRide car seat, this is an infant car seat that does not have the special no-rethread harness straps that increase convenience. That means that you do have to actually rethread the harness straps into the correct harness slots as your baby grows.

There is a lot to love about the best value infant car seat. It may not have a no-rethread harness or an anti-rebound bar like the Brtiax Endevours car seat, but it still has plenty of great features and is incredibly safe. The best part is that while this isn’t the most affordable car seat on our list, it does come at a reasonable price and has an amazing value.

7

 Evenflo Embrace Infant Car Seat Travel System – Best Car Seat Travel System

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We decided that our infant car seat recommendations would be incomplete without an amazing infant car seat travel system. So, we went on the search for the best car seat travel system out there and we found this incredible option from Evenflo. This is the Evenflo Embrace Infant Car Seat with the Evenflo Vive Stroller.

The Evenflo Embrace, which is the car seat included in the best car seat travel system, is for babies 4 to 35 pounds in weight. It accommodates babies up to 30 inches tall. This can actually be a downfall, though. Most babies reach 30 inches tall well before they get near 35 pounds in weight. So, your baby will likely outgrow this infant car seat much faster than they would many other options. Of course, the stroller can be used without the infant car seat all the way up to 50 pounds with no stated height limit. This really helps increase the value and helps to make this the best car seat travel system.

If having a stroller to go along with your infant car seat is important to you, the best infant travel system can be a really great choice. There are other options that we have mentioned that are compatible with strollers for sure, but this one has an incredible value, comes at an amazing price, and the stroller doesn’t need to be purchased separately!

8

Cosco Light ’n Comfy DX 22 Infant Car Seat – Best Cheap Infant Car Seat

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If you are on a budget, you – of course – still want to keep your baby as safe as possible. Cosco makes this possible with their Light ‘n Comfy infant car seat. This is the best cheap infant car seat you can get. It is far less expensive than any of the other options on the list coming in at less than a quarter of the cost of the most expensive infant car seat that we reviewed.

The biggest downfall of the best cheap infant car seat is that it just doesn’t last your baby as long. This is not a long-lasting car seat. It has the lowest weight and the lowest height limit of all the infant car seats we’ve mentioned. It has a weight range of 4 to 22 pounds.

However, with a height limit of only 29 inches, it is perfectly possible that your baby may outgrow the car seat by height before they even reach that 22-pound weight limit. It may not last forever, but if you need a cheap infant car seat due to being on a tight budget, this can be a great first car seat for your baby.

If you want all the bells and whistles available, this is not the car seat for you. It does lack special features and it does not last as long as other options, but it will still keep your baby safe in the event of a collision and it is extremely affordable.

9

UPPAbaby MESA Infant Car Seat – Best High-End Car Seat for Infants

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If you are after a really special infant car seat, you need to check out the best high-end car seat for infants on the market. This remarkable infant car seat is from UPPAbaby and is named the MESA Infant Car Seat. There is just so much to love about this infant car seat and it even comes in 4 different super stylish colors. You can get it in Henry (charcoal grey), Taylor (navy blue), Jake (black), or Pascal (light grey). Each one is super stylish and make for a wonderful looking, high-end infant car seat.

The car seat canopy that comes attached to the best high-end car seat for infants is really convenient. It slides back and forth easily and even contains SPF protection to ensure good protection from the sun for your baby. It also happens to have a really nice and sleek look that goes great with the rest of the design of the best high-end car seat for infants.

There is no hiding that this is an expensive infant car seat. It is the most expensive choice on our guide, but that is expected when you are talking about the best high-end car seat for infants. There is so much to love about this incredible infant car seat. It is the easiest infant car seat to install in your vehicle, it is made to be extremely safe for your baby, it has lots of convenient features, and it even looks great, too!

10

Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat – Best Premature Baby Car Seat

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This very popular infant car seat choice from Chicco can be a great infant car seat for any baby, but it has specifically earned the title as best premature baby car seat. It can be difficult for parents of preemies to find a good car seat that actually fits their baby. Thanks to the Chicco KeyFit car seat, parents can rest assured that their preemie baby is safe in the car.

Just like the Chicco Fit2, the best premature baby car seat has a one-pull LATCH tightener. This makes it much easier to securely install your infant car seat and gives you peace of mind that you got a proper install for your infant car seat.

The best premature baby car seat is a wonderful choice of car seat for almost any baby. It has a lot of great features and is even super cute! The best thing about it though, is that it gives parents of premature babies a safe way to get their tiny babies home from the hospital and then back out when they need to. It is an important inclusion and definitely the best premature baby car seat option!

Best Infant Car Seat Buying Guide

As parents, there isn’t much that could be more important than the safety of our children. Sadly, when it comes to the safety of our children, there is only so much that is actually within our control. For example, even if you are the best driver in the world and are always super careful and do everything absolutely perfectly behind the wheel – someone else could still mess up and wreck into you.

Fortunately, while we can’t guarantee that we won’t be in a car accident with our children, we can make sure that they are as safe as possible just in case there is an accident. The only way to guarantee the highest level of safety for your baby in the case of a vehicle collision is to make sure that they are properly buckled into an appropriate car seat that is properly secured into the vehicle.

So, you know you need an infant car seat for your baby, but that doesn’t make it any easier to find the best choice for your baby. That is where we come in. We care deeply not just about our own children and the safety of our families, but about your family and safety as well.

That is why we not only took the time to find and review the top ten infant car seats, but we also created this section to help you understand what to look for when trying to find the best car seat option for your baby. Not only that, but we took the time to look into and answer some frequently asked car seat questions for you as well.

Things to Consider Before Buying an Infant Car Seat

You know that you need an infant car seat and you know that you want to find the best infant car seat for your little one. However, what you may not know is how to do that. Well, each infant car seat is different and the best choice for one family may not really fit the needs of another family. There are a few specific things that you will want to consider when choosing an infant car seat.

Size Requirements

Every infant car seat comes with guidelines on the size requirements for a child to be able to safely use the infant car seat. All infant car seats have a weight range that they allow for children to be in to safely use that infant car seat. Nowadays, the vast majority of infant car seats have a weight range that starts at only 4 pounds and goes up to between 22 and 35 pounds.

The 4-pound starting point for most infant car seats is great since it allows smaller babies but be careful if you are looking for an infant car seat for a very small baby or specifically for a premature baby. Infant car seats often also have a height range that children need to be within to safely use the infant car seat.

Even if a height minimum or maximum is not stated, it does not mean that children of any height can use the infant car seat. For example, a 4-pound baby may be within the weight range of the infant car seat and the infant car seat may not have a stated height minimum. However, if the lowest adjustment for the harness straps still falls above the baby’s shoulders, they are too small for the infant car seat to be a safe choice for them.

Carefully consider the size (or predicted size) of your baby and compare that with the stated weight and height ranges of the infant car seat you are considering. You will also want to look into the height of the harness adjustments to determine if the seat will actually be safe for a smaller baby even if they fall within the appropriate ranges required by the infant car seat manufacturer.

Safety Features

This is one of the number one things to consider when comparing different infant car seats. All infant car seats are required to pass a set of federal safety standards. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that all infant car seats are equal when it comes to safety. Many infant car seat manufacturers choose to go beyond federal safety standards in a quest to create the safest possible infant car seat for your baby.

That is why it is so important to consider the different safety features that an infant car seat includes. Look into each one and think about which ones you feel are most important to you and will give you the best peace of mind. Infant car seats with the most safety features tend to, of course, be more expensive than ones that merely meet the federal safety standards. So, you will need to also consider your budget and find a balance between cost and desired features.

Convenience Features

Another thing to consider with an infant car seat purchase is convenience. This is a baby product that you will use on a regular basis and in many cases, every day. For that reason, convenience can become a very important thing to consider when it comes to your infant car seat.

Some infant car seats have tons of convenience features like lightweight design, ergonomic carrying handles, compatible strollers, and more. Decide how important convenience is and how much you are willing to pay for the features that you want.

Infant Car Seat FAQ

Infant car seats are not the only types of car seats that are safe for newborns and older babies. There is also the option of starting most babies out in a convertible car seat if you prefer. This is because many convertible car seats have a minimum weight of around 5 pounds.

While infant car seats are not a necessity, most parents tend to agree that they are worth it and are highly preferable as baby’s first car seat. Infant car seats are unique in that you can easily remove them from the car and then place them back in the car. They are designed to be carried around outside of the vehicle. This is beneficial for several reasons.

One – it makes it easier to put your baby into and take your baby out of their car seat since you don’t have to do it in the vehicle. Two – it means you don’t have to get your baby in and out of the car seat every time you get out of the car yourself. Three – you won’t have to wake up a sleeping baby when you get home or when you get to the store or wherever you are going. Four – in most cases, you can make a quick and easy transition from car to stroller when needed. With so many benefits to infant car seats, it is easy to say that yes, infant car seats are worth it.

Absolutely, infant car seats are safe. You need an appropriate car seat to safely transport your child in when you are in the car. Infant car seats are all tested according to federal safety standards and many are tested beyond them. As long as you use your infant car seat according to all instructions in your car seat manual, they are completely safe.

The vast majority of infant car seats are made to be used alongside an infant car seat base. This is a base for your infant car seat that you securely install into the vehicle and leave there. This makes it super easy to simply click your infant car seat into place in your vehicle without having to completely reinstall it every time.

However, infant car seats do not require their base. They are designed to also be able to be installed directly into the vehicle without the infant car seat base. Many people are more comfortable using the infant car seat base and it can definitely be more convenient. However, as long as you follow all instructions in your car seat manual and your vehicle manual in regard to how to install the infant car seat, then it is just as safe without the infant car seat base.

No, infant car seat bases are not universal. You will want to specifically only use the infant car seat base that came along with your infant car seat. You can also purchase infant car seat bases from your infant car seat manufacturer that are specifically approved for use with your infant car seat.

Infant car seat inserts are ONLY safe if they are approved for use in your specific infant car seat by your specific infant car seat manufacturer. Many infant car seats come with infant car seat inserts and these are completely safe for use in your specific infant car seat.

You can also often purchase infant car seat inserts that are approved for use in your infant car seat by your infant car seat manufacturer. After products and products that are not specifically approved by your infant car seat manufacturer are not to be considered safe and could have serious, even life-threatening implications if used in your infant car seat.

No, infant car seats are designed to be rear facing only. You would never want to forward face an infant anyways due to the very dangerous safety issues involved with forward facing a child that is too young or small. It is always safest to keep your child rear facing for as long as possible. Often times, this means moving them to a rear facing convertible car seat for as long as possible once they have outgrown their rear facing infant car seat.

Infant car seats should never go in the seat of a shopping cart. No infant car seat is designed for this and they specifically warn you not to do this in your car seat manual. It can damage the infant car seat and it makes your cart top-heavy which could easily lead to dangerous accidents. You can, however, place your infant car seat flat in the actual basket of the cart if necessary. Another alternative is to use a baby carrier to wear your baby when shopping.

Yes, the materials that infant car seats are made of can deteriorate and lose strength over time. For this reason, all infant car seats have an expiration date that should be strictly adhered to. If you have an infant car seat past its expiration date, you should throw it out immediately.

You may also interested to read about Car Seat Safety.

Final Words

Safety when it comes to our most precious little ones can never be taken too seriously. Finding the best infant car seat for your baby is extremely important to keeping your little one safe in the car. We sincerely hope that our infant car seat FAQ, infant car seat buying guide, and best infant car seat list will help you to do just that and protect your baby to the best of your ability.

Resources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/car-seat-safety/art-20043939

https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats

http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/car-seat-safety-kids/car-seat-safety-by-age/newborn-2-years

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/Pages/Car-Safety-Seats-Information-for-Families.aspx