7 Best Car Seats for Infants & Toddlers

This seat does its job when it comes to safety. The harness and added padding keep children safe in the event of an accident. This seat was designed and tested for structural integrity at energy levels approximately 2X the federal crash test standard.

This car seat comes equipped for LATCH systems, meaning that it’s easy to install and remove between multiple vehicles. Overall, users said that this seat was effortless to put together and easy to adjust. 

The Evenflo Chase LX Harness Booster is perfect for children between 22 to 110lbs. It’s a 2-in-1 Booster seat that converts from a 5-point harnessed seat to a belt-positioning car seat, meaning you can continue to use it as your child grows.

The head pillow is removable, enabling you to provide your child with their desired comfort. Also, the pad is removable, and machine-wash friendly for easy maintenance! 

This car seat has integrated cup holders, so your child can keep their favorite drink on hand without taking up extra space in the backseat. In fact, three of these car seats can fit inside the back of any standard-sized vehicle.  

This booster seat is only $64.99, making it one of the least expensive car seats on our list. It holds up to a lot of the pricier models out there. 

Safety 1st’s Guide 65 passes all NHTSA crash tests. It also has added side impact protection.

This is not the most user-friendly option in our list as the NHTSA rates it 2 stars rear facing and 3 stars forward facing for ease of use. 

This rear or front facing convertible car seat fits babies and toddlers 5-65 lbs. It also features an adjustable head rest, a detachable cup holder, and a lumbar comfort pillow. 

The 2-in-1 Guide 65 is by far the cheapest option on our list, but it is top of the class in car seats under $100. 

This car seat by Britax has a five-star safety rating. It also features side impact protection, a steel frame, and an impact-absorbing base. But honestly, what we really love about this car seat is that it is one of the safest car seats out thereand raved about by fellow users. While we hope no one ever has to experience a car crash with their child in the car, accidents do happen. 

Several reviewers felt compelled to immediately write a review on this car seat after having traumatic accidents. In every scenario, the reviewer’s children were unharmed, and that’s the ultimate level of safety we are striving for. 

Most users had little to no difficulty setting up this car seat, which is a huge plus in our book. The patented Marathon ClickTight makes car seat installation easy – just buckle the seatbelt! 

This harness can be adjusted into fourteen different positions for the ultimate comfort. The buckle can be positioned in two different ways, giving you flexibility as your child grows (also adding extra value to this car seat so you can keep it longer!). There are seven different recline positions to help ensure the best comfort for your child while also providing the best installation angle based on your vehicle. 

Yes, this car seat is a little pricey. It is on sale, however, for $279.99 (initially $299.99). We think it’s worth the price, and will hold up for as long as you need. 

The Graco meets all the NHTSA’s crash safety requirements in all 4 settings. It also has a steel-reinforced frame and energy-absorbing EPS foam under the cover for some serious shock absorption. 

This all-in-one seat gets a NHTSA 4-star rating across the board in all 4 settings, from rear-facing infant seat all the way up to the backless booster. This is pretty impressive and surpasses all other all-in-one car seats on the market.

The weight specs for this car seat are an impressive 4-120lbs, and it comes in 4 colors. It also features a no re-thread adjustable harness, a no-fuss infant insert, bubble level indicators, and an impressive 10-year safety lifespan. 

Since, most likely, this is the only car seat you will ever need to purchase for your child, this is a very budget-conscious option. The Graco 4ever is even cheaper than many high-end single function seats!

The Chicco NextFit passes all impact safety tests and has a 4-star ease-of-use rating from the NHTSA. 

The NextFit’s LATCH system is very easy to install and fits babies and vehicles of all sizes. Users report, however, that installing in vehicles without a LATCH system is a little more difficult. Also, the NextFit is easier to install forward facing than rear facing. Nonetheless, it has a 4-star ease-of-use rating from the NHTSA. 

The Chicco NextFit has 9 recline positions, a height adjustable headrest, and a harness that automatically adjusts to your child’s height without  the need to rethread the straps. Additionally, getting the right angle is made easy with the handy bubble level guides. Other features include a 5-point harness, a 2 position chest clip, infant insert, and thermal insulated cup holder. 

Though the NextFit isn’t the most budget-friendly option on our list, this car seat will fit nearly any child from birth to preschool, which will easily save you money in the long run.

Chicco claims the KeyFit 30 to be the safest car seat in the US, and it has the crash test ratings to prove it as you can see in this detailed review on Baby Gear Lab. Additionally, the 30lb weight limit means you can keep your baby rear-facing longer. According to this study by the British Medical Journal, the longer your child is rear-facing the better. Swedish law requires children to be rea-facing until age 4, and only 4 deaths to children 4 and under have happened in seven years–all of which were unrelated to the safety of the car seat.

With a 4-star ease of use rating from the NHSTA, the Chicco KeyFit 30 is super easy to install. Reviews from hundreds of parents agree that the One-pull LATCH system is easy enough for anyone to use. This infant seat is compact enough to fit in smaller vehicles, and lightweight for when you’re on the go. It’s even narrow enough to fit 3 across in cars as small as a Prius.

This infant seat is comfortably padded to absorb shock, although some reviewers have commented that the cover can be a little rough, and less breathable than other brands. The KeyFit features include: easy to read bubble levels, a spring-loaded leveling foot in the base, and a secure 5-point safety harness. What more could you ask for?

The Chicco KeyFit 30 comes at a mid-range price point, but includes all the safety of higher-priced infant seats. Well worth the investment.