Girl Baby
Welcome to GirlBaby.net!

What is the best brand to buy for an infant car seat?

Starting to look at infant car seats and just wondering what everyone thinks is the best and safest brand of car seats for infants. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Public Comments

1. i find that Britax is good, safe and secure.

2. You can spend a ton of money but that doesn't mean it's the next. I researched mine on consumer reports and got a graco snugride and am very happy. I will say you don't have to spend the money and get the snugride 35 that goes up to 35 pounds; by the time they are that heavy they are to big to cayy around in the carrier.

3. A bit like my other answer really :) If it's for sale in the UK then it _must_ be safe by law - there are tests which they have to pass. Just don't buy a secondhand one because seats are only designed to take one accident, and you can't tell from looking at them whether they have been in one or not.

The best one for you will depend on your car(s). Take it/them when you go to buy the seat and try them to make sure they fit securely. Any reputable store will have an assistant who will help you do this.

4. Look for a site that has results of independent testing done on car seats (Choice Australia has a link for Australian car seats). It will depend on whether you're looking for a rear-facing, convertible or front facing seat.

It doesn't come down to brands - each different car seat from each brand performs differently in tests, and it depends in which configuration it's used. I would never have imagined buying a Baby Love car seat, but my particular one was highest rated for the forward facing seats - possibly due to the fact that it has lots of padding. It was a bonus that they could use it from approx 6months to 7 years. Very reasonably priced too.

Some 'expensive' brands don't necessarily perform better in safety tests - check the test results, then start looking at prices, and whether they'll fit your car. Rearward (convertible) seats are generally considered the safest - you should keep baby facing rearward for as long as possible, so a slightly bigger seat may be better. The small really cheap seats may be outgrown quickly.

5. I used Britax with my son. But I've been reading that Chicco is now the best brand of infant car seat. You want to buy a seat that has that foam in the car seat that absorbs movement. I can't remember the name of it. I'm pregnant with a multiple birth, and we are buying Chicco seats for our car.

6. Maxi cosi has the best reviews world wide!

They are that good that other makers of prams actually have adaptors so that maxi cosi car seats will fit onto their brand of prams. This way you can buy the pram and still have maxi cosi.

Manufacturers wouldn't do that if they werent good !!!

7. All seats are graded on a pass/fail basis. If _anybody_ tells you Britax or Chicco is safest, they're wrong. We simply don't know which is safest because the results are not released, other than the fact that if a seat is for sale it passed testing.

The best/safest car seat for you is one that installs properly in your vehicle and that you will use properly every time. Britax is more expensive because it has more convenience features that will make it easier to install and use properly every time- but that doesn't mean that a Cosco infant seat is any less safe.

The important thing is to get a car seat with the harness adjuster in the front, making it easy to get the harness straps snugly safe around baby- if you can pinch and hold the harness at the shoulder then it's too loose. The seats with the harness adjuster in the back of the seat are a PITA and make it very difficult to get the harness to the proper tightness. Here's a visual of how to check http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=49030

One brand you shouldn't buy is Evenflo, because you can't properly install it in most vehicles. They require the handle to be in the down position, with 1 1/2" of clearance between the handle and the seat in front of it. This will not happen in most vehicles, making it unsafe.

Here's a link to info about specific infant seats, click on the ones you're interested in and read the comments section at the bottom http://www.car-seat.org/forumdisplay.php?f=65 You'll also want one with low bottom harness slots, because the harness has to come from below baby's shoulders when rear facing. If the bottom slots are too high, the baby won't be in the seat properly.

8. Chicco keyfit 30. It's so easy to install! When I had my carseat checked by the police, they said it was their favorite brand. It fits the vast majority of cars, and is the easiest to use correctly.