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It’s not easy navigating the complex and ever-growing world of car seats. And while it’s reassuring to know that all car seats sold in the United States are required to meet the same rigorous safety-testing standards — meaning that, at minimum, they are all equipped to protect your child during a crash — you’ll still need to narrow your options somehow.
Ultimately, “the best car seat for any child and family is the car seat that fits the child, fits the car, and that the family will be able to use correctly every time,” says Ben Hoffman, a pediatrician who helped write official American Academy of Pediatrics policies on child-passenger safety.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides a guide to help you figure out which type of seat you need. You’ll want to focus on four main factors: your child’s age, weight, and height; the car you drive; the convenience features that are important to you; and, of course, your budget. (If you have multiple children in car seats, you’ll also need to make sure each seat fits in your car when installed according to manufacturer instructions, as some are not narrow enough to sit side by side.)
To help you get started, I asked experts and parents for their top recommendations in each category of car seat — infant, convertible, and all-in-one — that would fit a variety of vehicles and budgets, plus make installation smoother and safer. If you know what type of car seat you are looking for, you can use the table of contents to jump ahead to that category. Otherwise read on for all of our recommendations.
And for parents of children who have outgrown their forward-facing car seats, but still need a booster to help make sure a regular seatbelt fits them properly, we have a guide to the best booster seats as well.
What we’re looking for
Seat type
There are three major types of car seats:
Infant (or bucket) seat: As the name suggests, infant seats are designed to be used from birth, with most having a weight limit of 35 pounds. They can only be used in a rear-facing position and typically come with a base that is installed in your car, allowing you to easily click the bucket seat into and out of it. Bucket seats can double as infant carriers, and most can be attached to a stroller or a stroller frame (though you may need a special adapter). For this reason, considering the weight of the actual seat is a good place to start, as it will only get heavier as your baby grows.
Convertible: Convertible car seats are designed for use from birth through toddlerhood. They can be used rear-facing or forward-facing, and the switch is typically made when your child maxes out the height or weight limit of the rear-facing mode. If you don’t care about using your car seat as an infant carrier, you can choose to skip the bucket seat completely. The main trade-off is that you’ll save money on replacing a bucket seat when they outgrow it (around age 1, on average), but you’ll lose the convenience of easily transferring your baby from the car to their stroller or into your home without having to remove them from their seat.
All-in-one: All-in-one car seats are convertible seats that can also be used in booster mode, allowing some kids to use them up to age 10. Their one-and-done quality is their main appeal: Instead of buying two or three separate car seats over the course of your child’s first years, the thinking is that you can buy just one and save money in the process. However, once you get to the booster stage, an all-in-one seat in booster mode will be bulkier in your back seat than a seat designed solely to work as a booster. And if you’re going to use one car seat over the course of ten years or so, you should expect to do some work to keep it clean.
Max weight and height
“From a safety perspective, we recommend that kids stay in the safest car seat until they outgrow it,” says Jennifer Saxton, the founder of Tot Squad and a child passenger safety technician (CPST). “Don’t try to move your kid too quickly to the next car seat.” In other words, children should max out the weight or height limit of their current car seat before moving to the next stage. The exact laws around car seats and when a child must be rear-facing vary by state, but all of the experts I talked to agreed that the longer you can keep your child in a rear-facing position, the safer they will be. I’ve listed the maximum weight and height limit of each seat, below. For car seats that can be used in multiple positions (rear-facing, forward-facing, booster), I listed the weight limits for each.
Size and weight of car seat
Even if it’s going to mostly live in your car, a heavy or overly bulky car seat can make your daily routine more difficult. But it’ll be especially annoying if you are using the car seat to carry an infant from the car into your house, or if you plan to frequently move the car seat between two cars. Pay attention to dimensions, too, as not all car seats will fit in all cars. I’ve called out the car seats that are exceptionally light and slim as well as those that are very heavy and bulky.
Extra safety and specialty features
In the United States, every car seat on the market must pass strict Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) — so as long as a seat fits your child and your car, your choice really comes down to any additional safety features you’re looking for as well as convenience and comfort features. Parents may appreciate simple installation, a rotating feature that makes it easier to get a child into the seat, a no-rethread harness, or an extended rear-facing weight limit. Children may benefit from extra cushioning, cupholders, and extended footrests. I’ve highlighted the notable safety and convenience features of each of the car seats in our list.
Rigid LATCH vs. Flexible LATCH
LATCH is a system that allows you to secure your car seat or car-seat base to your vehicle without using a seat belt — it’s an acronym for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. All of the seats recommended below have either rigid or flexible LATCH connections. Rigid LATCH uses alligator-like clips that come directly out of the car seat or base without any straps or rotation. They allow for a more secure hookup that is not dependent on your ability to pull the belt strap tightly. Flexible LATCH connectors are attached to a pull strap that can be tightened or loosened, either by hand or, depending on the seat, with some type of tightening mechanism. Both options are safe and meet FMVSS requirements, but rigid LATCH is easier to install and doesn’t require any manual tightening or adjusting, ensuring correct installation. In the event of a crash, rigid LATCH also helps keep the car seat from sliding forward or side to side.
Price
I divided this list into four price categories, with the cost of each car seat denoted as $, $$, $$$, and $$$$ for under $200, under $350, under $500, and $500 and up, respectively.
Infant car seats
Best infant car seat overall
Max weight and height: 35 pounds, 32 inches | Size and weight of seat: 28 x 16.5 x 24 inches, 10 pounds without base | Features: Anti-rebound bar, full-coverage canopy, quick-remove seat pad, seatbelt routing for use without base | LATCH type: Flexible with SuperCinch installation system | Price: $$
The Chicco KeyFit line of infant seats is an established favorite among the parents and experts I surveyed, including CPST instructor Kecia Healy, who is also a member of the New York State Child Passenger Safety Advisory Board. Healy likes that the seat is easy to install with a spring-loaded recline foot and bubble indicator on the base to help you get it perfectly level. The flexible LATCH connectors have Chicco’s SuperCinch installation system that helps parents tighten it easily, for a secure fit every time. Saxton calls it a solid car-seat choice thanks to its affordable price, GREENGUARD Gold–certified materials, and ease of use, which means parents are more likely to install it correctly. And for people who want to be able to jump in an Uber with their infant, it can be installed without the base by using the seatbelt routing system. Other handy features include a fully extendable canopy, an anti-rebound bar for added stability, a no-rethread harness, an extendable headrest, and a “quick-remove” seat pad for easier cleaning. One drawback of this seat is its weight. At nearly ten pounds without the base or a child in it, carrying the seat is akin to carrying an average-sized vacuum cleaner or a small microwave.
Best (less expensive) infant car seat
Max weight and height: 35 pounds, 32 inches | Size and weight of seat: 28 x 17.5 x 26.5 inches, 9 pounds without base | Features: Load leg, cooling mesh fabric | LATCH: Flexible | Price: $$
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly infant car seat, Babylist gear editor Jennifer LaBracio recommends Evenflo’s LiteMax DLX. “It’s consistently a top pick among child-passenger safety technicians,” she says, adding that it has a lot of features that are usually only found in much more expensive seats, like a load leg — which in a seat that’s a couple hundred dollars is a huge bonus. According to Eli Gurock, founder and CEO of the baby-gear and toy-retailer Magic Beans, load legs offer added safety by stabilizing the car seat to keep it from rotating in the instance of a crash.
Best stroller-compatible infant car seat
Max weight and height: 35 pounds, 32 inches | Size and weight of seat: 17 x 25.8 x 23 inches, 9.9 pounds without base | Features: Load leg, anti-rebound panel, red-to-green installation indicators | LATCH type: Flexible | Price: $$$
Uppababy car seats are another popular choice, especially among those who want a seat that is easily compatible with their Cruz and Vista strollers. (The Uppababy Vista V2 stroller is the top pick in our guide to the best strollers.) It also clicks into the brand’s more compact Minu stroller with adapters. Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens has been using the Mesa as her main car seat for over a year, and used it as an infant seat on her Uppababy Vista stroller when her daughter was a newborn. Kitchens found the seat really easy to install in the car and says it has lasted her a long time despite her daughter being on the tall side. It has a load leg on the base, an anti-rebound panel, and a red-to-green indicator that lets you know it is installed correctly. Mei Ling Starkey of the blog Family Entourage appreciates the no-rethread harness: “You pull the tabs to tighten it and the harness slides right down. You can put a tall child in it one day and a tiny, tiny child in it the next day and get a perfect fit.”
Best lightweight infant car seat
Max weight and height: 30 pounds, 30 inches | Size and weight of seat: 17.5 x 27.25 x 23, 6.2 pounds without base or canopy | Features: Load leg, anti-rebound panel, push-button recline, full-coverage canopy | LATCH type: Rigid | Price: $$$$
The Nuna Pipa Aire RX is not only a premium choice thanks to its added safety features of a load leg and an anti-rebound panel, but because it’s incredibly light, weighing just 6.2 pounds without the base or canopy. I used the Nuna Pipa Lite Rx infant car seat, which has now been discontinued and replaced in the brand’s lineup with the slightly lighter weight Aire. The two seats are essentially the same except that the Aire weighs a bit less and unfortunately has a 2-pound smaller max weight and 2-inch shorter height limit.
I love how easy the seat is to install and how cushy it is both with and without the newborn insert. It’s also incredibly easy to carry, even as your baby gets older and heavier. And is still going strong with my 14 month old son who weighs around 22 pounds and is about 25 inches tall. Like the Pipa Lite, the Pipa Aire is made of GREENGUARD Gold–certified materials and has upscale touches like an organic merino-wool infant insert, a faux-leather-wrapped handle, and magnets on the side that hold the harness out of your way when you’re getting your baby into or out of the seat. It also has a push-button recline and color-coded locking indicators on the rigid LATCH connectors and load leg that let you know it is tightly and properly installed.
Convertible car seats
Best convertible car seat overall
Max weight and height: (Rear) 50 pounds, 49 inches (Forward) 65 pounds, 49 inches | Size and weight of seat: 19 x 16 x 25 inches, 27.9 pounds | Features: Extended rear-facing weight limit, push-button leveler, extendable legroom panel | LATCH type: Flexible | Price: $$$$
Gurock says the Nuna Rava is one of the most popular convertible car seats his store sells because it has supreme safety and convenience features — like a reinforced steel frame — plus an overall sleek and stylish look. Designed to make installation easy and straightforward, the seat’s “Simply Secure” system has a bubble-free leveler with a simple push button so you can find the correct angle effortlessly. And if you’re not using LATCH, the color-coded belt paths indicate the proper way to thread your car’s seat belt. The Rava has an extended rear-facing weight limit of 50 pounds and an adjustable legroom panel. It also has a no-rethread harness, crotch strap, and GREENGUARD Gold–certified cover.
Best (less expensive) convertible car seat
Max weight and height: (Rear) 50 pounds, child’s head one inch below handle (Forward) 65 pounds, 49 inches | Size and weight of seat: 19.5 x 21.5 x 23.5 inches, 19.2 pounds | Features: Extended rear-facing weight limit, extendable legroom panel, cupholders | LATCH type: Flexible | Price: $$
Strategist senior editor and mom of two Jen Trolio used different versions of the Graco Extend2Fit for both of her daughters, who are now 6 and 8 years old. She originally chose the seat because it fit well rear-facing in the back seat of her Mazda sedan. Each kid used their Extend2Fit from about one to 5 years old. One of the Extend2Fit models Trolio owned could also be used as a booster, but Trolio ultimately replaced it with a Chicco high-back booster because the Extend2Fit was bulkier and made it difficult for her older daughter to buckle herself in.
LaBracio says this seat is a really good value. She likes that it has a high rear-facing weight limit of 50 pounds (with a forward-facing limit of 65 pounds), plus it’s easy to install, and a good fit for almost any type of car. It has two cupholders and an adjustable extension panel that provides extra legroom to keep taller children comfortable while rear-facing (though you do have to have enough space in your car to use it). The Extend2Fit line also includes a 3-in-1 version that converts to a high-back booster, and an all-in-one version that converts to both a high-back and a backless booster.
Best (even less expensive) convertible car seat
Max weight and height: (Rear) 40 pounds, 50 inches (Forward) 65 pounds, 50 inches | Size and weight of seat: 19.12 x 19.12 x 29.62 inches, 11.28 pound | Features: Compact frame, cupholders | LATCH type: Flexible | Price: $
Healy’s pick for an affordable (but basic) convertible car seat is the Evenflo Sonus 65, which has a rear-facing weight limit of 40 pounds and a forward-facing weight limit of 65 pounds. It is also lightweight, at just over 11 pounds, and has a compact frame, allowing you to install three of them across the back seat of most midsize vehicles. “It doesn’t have many bells and whistles, but for just a little more than $100, if you are looking for a spare seat for a second vehicle or a seat that you can travel with” it’s a good choice, says Healy. She adds it’s worth noting that Evenflo car seats require children to be at least 2 years old to ride forward-facing.
Best convertible car seat for switching between cars
Max weight and height: (Rear) 40 pounds, 49 inches (Forward) 65 pounds, 49 inches | Size and weight of seat: 23 x 18.5 x 23.5 inches, 28.5 pounds | Features: ClickTight installation system, add-on anti-rebound bar | LATCH type: Flexible | Price: $$
I’ve heard from multiple parents, including Strategist senior editor Winnie Yang, that Britax’s ClickTight system is a hugely convincing reason to buy one of the brand’s car seats. The ClickTight system eliminates needing to pull, tug, and lock your seat belt in place because it has an automatic tension mechanism to help you get a snug fit. Instead of having to thread the seat belt behind the seat, you lift the inner seat up on a hinge, fasten the seatbelt in place, and then “click” the mechanism to tighten the belt. “It takes about 30 seconds to install,” explains Kenny Fried, another parent we spoke to who often swaps his Britax Marathon car seat between two different cars. If you want added protection in a crash, you can invest in an attachable anti-rebound bar from Britax that works with its convertible car seats in rear-facing mode; it’s another feature Hoffman recommends for reducing movement during crashes.
All-in-one car seats
Best all-in-one car seat overall
Max weight and height: (Rear) 50 pounds, 49 inches (Forward) 65 pounds, 49 inches (Booster) 120 pounds, 63 inches | Size and weight of seat: 20.5 x 19.5 x 25 inches, 30 pounds | Features: ClickTight installation system, extended rear-facing weight limit, cupholders | LATCH type: Flexible | Price: $$$
The Britax One4Life car seat is easy to install thanks to it ClickTight system, and just as easy to use after it’s installed. It has an impressive 15 head and neck positions, and nine recline positions that are easy to adjust for maximum kid comfort. That’s five more positions than the Graco 4Ever car seat below and three more than the Nuna Exec below. It can be used with infants starting at 5 pounds and has the same 50-pound rear-facing weight limit and 66-pound forward-facing harnessed weight limit as the Graco Extend2Fit and the Nuna Rava convertible seats. In booster mode with a regular seat belt, it can accommodate children who weigh between 40 and 120 pounds.
Best (less expensive) all-in-one car seat
Max weight and height: (Rear) 50 pounds, child’s head one inch below handle (Forward) 65 pounds, 49 inches (Booster) 100 to 120 pounds, 47 inches | Size and weight of seat: 21 x 27 x 28 inches, 22.8 pounds | Features: Extended rear-facing weight limit, cupholders | LATCH type: Flexible | Price: $$
Both Saxton and LaBracio suggested the Graco 4Ever DLX all-in-one car seat as an affordable option that can potentially last your child from birth to age 10. It has an extended 50-pound rear-facing weight limit as well as six recline positions, a feature LaBracio especially likes. It can also be used as both a high-back booster (with a 100-pound weight limit) and a backless booster (with a 120-pound weight limit).
Best luxury all-in-one car seat
Max weight and height: (Rear) 50 pounds, 49 inches (Forward) 65 pounds, 49 inches (Booster) 120 pounds, 57 inches | Size and weight of seat: 22.5 x 18.5 x 26–33 inches, 22.8 pounds | Features: Extended rear-facing weight limit, anti-rebound panel, extendable legroom panel, cupholders | LATCH type: Flexible | Price: $$$$
LaBracio and Saxton both told us about Nuna’s “die-hard” fans who love the brand’s luxe feel and features, like added foam for minimizing impact, as well as easy installation. This all-in-one Nuna Exec is the seat that LaBracio purchased for her own baby; she appreciates its 50-pound rear-facing weight limit and extendable legroom panel, all-steel frame, and anti-rebound panel. It can be used from birth (starting at five pounds in rear-facing mode), and as a booster for kids up to 120 pounds. It is also compact enough to fit three across in many midsize vehicles.
Best revolving car seat
Max weight and height: (Rear) 50 pounds, no height provided (Forward) 65 pounds, no height provided (Booster) 120 pounds | Size and weight of seat: 21 x 19.8 x 25.9 inches, 29.6 pounds | Features: 360-degree rotation, single installation required | LATCH type: Flexible | Price: $$
The rotating car seat is the latest innovation in the car-seat world, encouraging parents to keep their kids in the rear-facing position longer by making it easier to buckle them in, says LaBracio. The Evenflo Revolve “swivels 360 degrees, a huge convenience for parents and caregivers who are loading a child in and out of a car seat multiple times a day,” she explains. The Evenflo Gold Revolve360 is an all-in-one convertible option that your child can use from birth (in the rear-facing position) up to 120 pounds (with a seat belt in the booster mode). Stephen Galamb, the father of a two-year-old, says “the ability to rotate the seat to face you while putting your child in is an absolute game changer. I don’t even like taking the baby in my car because the Revolve in my wife’s car has spoiled me so badly.”
While awaiting the birth of her second child, former Strategist writer Latifah Miles tested the Revolve360 by installing it in her Volvo Atlas truck and found the process was very straightforward. It took about 15 minutes from start to finish, with most of the process focused on adjusting the tension of her car’s seat belt, which the Evenflo instructions prefer over using LATCH. The seat belt slips through clearly marked guides under a “LockStrong” belt compartment. There is also a tether strap that gets clipped to your car’s upper anchor.
The base and seat are two different pieces, but unlike with an infant bucket seat, you really only separate them for installation. Once the seat belt was buckled through the base and the tether attached, Miles had to push the base down into her car’s seat and pull the belt taught simultaneously, as there is no automatic tensioning mechanism. There was a bit of a learning curve to do this, but once she tightened the slack of the tether and closed the LockStrong compartment over the seat belt, an indicator turned green to show that the belt was secured in place, and the base was firmly installed on the seat.
As for the rotating feature — you simply click a button on the side of the seat and turn it rear-to-side or side-to-front. It swivels smoothly, making getting the baby in and out of the seat much easier than with a traditional car seat. Evenflo also has a few versions of this seat, the Revolve360 Slim, and the Revolve360 with SensorSafe, so you can choose one that best fits your lifestyle, car, and budget.
Car seats for travel
Best combination car seat and stroller
Max weight and height: 35 pounds, 32 inches | Size and weight of seat: 17.3 x 32.3 x 40 inches, 10 pounds | Features: Stoller and car seat all-in-one LATCH type: Flexible | Price: $$$$
The Doona is one of the only combination car seat and strollers on the market, and certainly the most popular one. This makes it a convenient option for travel or anyone who rides in Ubers or shared cars on a regular basis. It also fits perfectly into an airplane seat and is lighter than most strollers and car seats. Though it’s expensive for a single piece of baby gear, it functions as two, and for many parents the streamlined traveling experience is well worth the investment: Saxton used it as her everyday car seat and stroller when her baby was an infant, and says its convenience cannot be beat.
The trade-off is that there is no storage basket, and the wheels are more suited to flat sidewalks versus bumpier terrain. I see multiple families using the Doona stroller everyday in my neighborhood in Brooklyn, and my main takeaway is that seat sits low compared to other strollers; I personally don’t love that aspect of the Doona, especially since it makes the baby seem more vulnerable when crossing busy intersections. And at a glance, the handlebar looks short. But even taller parents have no trouble with the height: Saxton says she and her husband, who are five-foot-eight and six-foot-three, respectively, were both able to push it comfortably. One note: Healy says that the popularity of the Doona means there are knockoffs and fakes on the market and recommends doing your due diligence and purchasing your car seat from reputable retailers.
Best budget car seat for travel
Max weight and height: (Rear) 40 pounds, 40 inches (Forward) 4o pounds, 43 inches | Size and weight of seat: 29 X 21.25 X 22.5 inches, 9.92 pounds |Features: Lightweight one-piece shell LATCH type: Flexible | Price: $
While the best and safest car seats are typically sturdier, they’re usually not lightweight, which is why many parents end up buying a separate one for traveling. Though it’s hard to pass up the chance to save money on flights by holding children under 2 on your lap, Saxton and LaBracio agree that it’s always safer for your child to have their own airplane seat with a Federal Aviation Administration–approved car seat. (The American Association of Pediatrics, National Transportation Safety Board, and FAA all recommend this as well, making an extra travel-friendly seat a worthwhile purchase.)
In the convertible category, both Saxton and Renee McCabe, the injury-prevention and Safe Kids coordinator for Safe Kids Greater Augusta, suggested the just-under-10-pounds Cosco Scenera Next. While it is a very no-frills option, it can be still be installed via the LATCH system or your car’s seat belt. And according to LaBracio, it’s easy to install on planes. It’s also one of the most well-known and beloved travel car seats out there, especially if you aren’t concerned about matching it up with a specific stroller. This seat does not have a no-rethread harness, so we recommend adjusting it to fit your child before you leave home. It can be used in the rear-facing position for infants starting at four pounds and up to 40 pounds in both rear- and forward-facing positions.
Best travel system car seat
Max weight and height: 35 pounds, 32 inches | Stroller size and weight: 42.25 x 37 x 22.5 inches, 18.4 pounds | Size and weight of seat: 25 x 17.5 x 22 inches, 7.6 pounds | Features: Stoller and car seat all-in-one LATCH type: Rigid | Price: $$$$
The latest edition to Nuna’s line of infant car seats is the Pipa Urbn, which is sold as part of the brand’s TRIV travel system. What sets it apart is that it doesn’t have a base but can be quickly installed in any car with the PipaFIX rigid LATCH system. “This is great for Ubers and taxis because it has an integrated LATCH system built right into the bottom of the seat itself, so all you have to do is click it into the seat of the car and you’re good to go,” Gurock says. When the seat is not installed, its LATCH connectors fold into the seat so you can tote your baby around without the legs getting caught on anything. Like many of Nuna’s other infant seats, the Urbn is also extremely lightweight, at just over seven pounds.
Despite its convenience, it’s not without drawbacks: It is currently available only as a travel system with the TRIV Next stroller and has a very high price tag. It also has a much lower weight limit — 22 pounds — than most other infant seats, so depending on the size of your baby, you may not be able to use it for very long. However, the stroller can be used without the car seat and has a weight limit of 50 pounds (which should fit many kids until they’re 4 or 5 years old).
Our experts:
• Alisa Baer, pediatrician and co-founder of thecarseatlady.com
• Lauren Brown, lead car-seat safety specialist at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital
• Allyson Downey, co-founder of WeeSpring
• Kenny Fried, parent
• Stephen Galamb, parent
• Eli Gurock, founder and CEO of the baby-gear and toy-retailer Magic Beans
• Kecia Healy, child-passenger-safety technician instructor and member of the New York State Child Passenger Safety Advisory Board
• Ben Hoffman, pediatrician who helped write the American Academy of Pediatrics’ policies on child-passenger safety
• Simone Kitchens, Strategist senior editor and parent
• Jennifer LaBracio, gear editor at Babylist
• Renee McCabe, injury-prevention and Safe Kids coordinator for Safe Kids Greater Augusta
• Latifah Miles, senior commerce editor at Babylist
• Ashlee Neuman, deputy editor at the Bump
• Lauren Ro, Strategist writer and parent
• Jennifer Saxton, founder of Tot Squad and child-passenger-safety technician
• Mei Ling Starkey, co-founder of Family Entourage
• Jen Trolio, Strategist senior editor and parent
Additional reporting by Lauren Ro and Latifah Miles
Update on May 30, 2024: Updated prices and checked stock for all products.
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