Infant Car Seat Review

It’s no doubt the car seat may be one of the most important pieces of baby gear. There are so many different brands, models and features to choose from so where do you start? We highlight the best of the best at varying price points but all of our choices are at the top of the podium when it comes to what’s most important – protecting our most precious cargo.

Britax Chaperone

www.britax.com
Size: Up to 31 inches and 30 pounds
Seat Weight: 11.2 lbs

The Wise Baby Rating:

Highlights: Britax used their expertise in the Convertible Car Seat arena to create the top safety rated Chaperone. The Chaperone is one of the only seats sold in the U.S. with an anti-rebound bar which adds extra stabilization in the event of a front or rear collision. Most parents like the ergonomically designed handle and overall find the seat easy to use and install. Parents rave about the luxe and large canopy.
Lowlights: The seat is h-e-a-v-y and large. Lots of parents complain the long base does not fit well into most cars (you may want to measure before purchasing this seat). Another downside, which Britax is working on, is the availability of stroller options. Not many strollers outside of the Britax line have adapters for the Chaperone which limits your stroller options significantly.
Bottom Line: We give the seat 4 out 5 because of the size and stroller options. If you do your stroller research and like your options and have a large car this seat gets 5 out of 5. You can’t beat Britax’s commitment to safety.

Chicco Key Fit 30

www.chicco.com
Size: Up to 30 inches and 30 pounds
Seat Weight: 9.2 pounds

The Wise Baby Rating:

Highlights: Super high safety ratings by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) crash tests. The seat is lined with EPS foam for improved side impact protection. The KeyFit allows you to leave the handle in the up position when driving, while most seats require it to be lowered. Chicco doesn’t skimp on the loads of color and patterns options it provides ensuring one fits your personal style.
Lowlights: Children outgrow at 30 lbs and 3o inches. Some parents say children are uncomfortable by 25 lbs. A great deal of feedback says the fabric doesn’t breathe and infants can get uncomfortably hot in the seats. The seat has a larger base than some other models making it difficult to use with smaller vehicles. Many parents complain the sun canopy is small and not ideal.
Bottom Line: We give the KeyFit 5 out of 5 stars for its safety, ease of use and endless options. There are a good deal of stroller options that are compatible with the KeyFit and of course, the safety is second to none.

Graco SnugRide 35

www.gracobaby.com
Size: 32 inches and 35 pounds
Seat Weight: 9.5 pounds

The Wise Baby Rating:

Highlights: The Graco Sungride is the top selling car seat in the United States and for good reason. As one of the safest seats on the market with its EPS foam lining and rigorous safety testing you can be assured your little one is well protected. Parents tend to feel the seat fits well in most cars and is easy to use and install. Graco makes TONS of stroller options and most major stroller manufactures make car seat adapters for their strollers (think Bugaboo, UppaBaby, etc). Like the Chicco, the Graco also has loads of options when it comes to color and fabric. (The varying price points of the seat have to do with the type of fabric).
Lowlights: Many parents complain the handle is difficult to maneuver being that it requires two hands to put in the downward position and the handle must be lowered when the seat is in the base. The harness on some models is only adjustable from the back which makes it diffcult to adjust. While the size of the canopy is nice it can get caught in the downward position and takes some maneuvering to get “untangled” when the handle is down.
Bottom Line: The Graco Snugride 35 also gets a 5 out of 5. For its safety, options in stroller, color and style you can’t go wrong here.

First Years Via

www.thefirstyears.com
Size: 32 inches, 35 pounds
Seat weight: 8.4 pounds

The Wise Baby Rating:

Highlights: Like all of our seats, the First Years Via gets very high safety ratings. The entire seat is lined with foam which further increases the safety rating. In general, parent feedback says this seat is easy to use and install. The padded and adjustable handle make the seat relatively easy to carry. Lastly, the First Years Via is easier on the pocket book than some of the other models we reviewed which is a positive.
Lowlights: Your stroller and compatibility options are extremely limited with The First Years Via. Parents complain about the small and flimsy canopy often saying a supplemental canopy must be used. Another common complaint is the quality and comfort of the interior padding and fabric – especially after the newborn insert is removed. The First Years Via isn’t sold at many of the large superstores which makes it less accessible for parents to be to “test” before buying.
Bottom Line: We give the First Years Via a 3 out of 5 rating. There is no question to the safety but the lack of stroller options, limited accessibility and parent ratings can’t quite justify a higher rating.

Certainly there are other infant seats out there and many that do their job in a safe way. For various reasons and after countless hours of thoughtful research and consideration, they didn’t make our top of the line list. We’d love to hear your thoughts on the seats we reviewed or if we missed one you love.