The Best Child Car Seats

When it comes to buying car seats, reading reviews, or getting trusted recommendations is necessary to make a wise choice. If you buy a lamp that doesn't work properly, you light a candle. If you buy a car seat that doesn't work properly, you put your child's life at risk. With those kinds of life-or-death stakes, we found 4 of the safest car seats out there and reviewed them. Safety was the first priority, but we also looked at comfort, ease-of-use, and how long they would last. You don't want to have to keep buying a new car seat every time your child grows an inch. All of the car seats we reviewed are convertibles, so they will last through the baby and toddler years. Two of the seats we reviewed keep converting past that and will last even longer. Read on for our reviews of the 4 Best Child Car Seats on the market.

Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat

The Car Seat That Grows With Your Child

An extension system that keeps the seat fitting your child as they get bigger, this ultra-safe car seat is one of the best out there.
Best Overall

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This car seat by Graco is called Extend2Fit because it can be adjusted as your child grows to provide extra leg room when the chair is rear-facing. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, for safety reasons, children should ride rear-facing until they’re at least 2 years old. The Extend2Fit features allow for you to keep your child rear-facing past the age of 2, so you can rest assured that they are safe back there. Crash-tested from all angles, this rock solid car seat will protect your kid in the event of a crash. The straps are both comfortable and strong, and they’re easy to adjust so your hand isn’t constantly getting stuck.

Pros

  • Extension system enables chair to grow with your child
  • Straps and harnesses easy to adjust

Cons

  • Removable cover a little challenging to get back on
  • Square cup holders

Evenflo Tribute LX Convertible Car Seat

Lightweight And Affordable Car Seat

Easy to carry and quick to install, this very safe car seat is a steal, especially for families that travel often.
Best Convenience

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For parents who just want a simple car seat that’s easy to install and remove and carry around, this is the one for you. At 9 pounds, it’s much lighter than most car seats, which makes it a lot easier to carry through an airport, for example. It’s also quick and easy to install and remove, making Uber or taxi travel easy with your child. With all the convenience and the affordable price, the big question is, of course, is it safe? The answer is yes. This seat does not sacrifice any safety features; it has demonstrated that it will keep children unharmed in any kind of collision.

Pros

  • Lightweight, easy-to-carry
  • Installs and uninstalls quickly

Cons

  • Straps can get twisted
  • Not as great for bigger kids

Safety 1st Grow and Go 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat

Continuous Comfort

Transitions from rear-facing to front-facing to booster car seat, this super comfortable car seat keeps your child safe as they grow older.
Most Comfortable

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The company is called Safety 1st, and boy, do they mean it. This seat has been crash-tested up the wazoo and is as safe as they come. The car seat is called Grow and Go 3-in-1, and they mean that, too. The 3 seats that come in this 1 seat are a rear-facing car seat for babies, a front-facing car seat for toddlers, and a booster seat for pre-schoolers. This car seat is quite comfortable and easy to machine wash. It has straps that you can tie back easily, and a harness and headrest that you can adjust in one step, so you don’t have to spend an hour getting your child strapped in each time.

Pros

  • 3 car seats in 1
  • Quickly straps in with QuickFit harness system

Cons

  • Loosening harness is a little challenging
  • Cup holders not removable

Graco 4Ever 4 in 1 Convertible Car Seat

4 Amazing Car Seats in 1

Adds a backless booster seat to the 3-in-1 to become the most versatile and longest-lasting car seat on the market.
Most Versatile

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Just when you thought they couldn’t add any more versions that a car seat could convert to, Graco goes and one-ups the 3-in-1 by adding a 4th version. Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the Graco 4Ever. It adds a backless booster seat to the mix, so you can continue to use it for older kids. It has undergone rigorous crash-testing, and it will remain intact during crashes. It has also undergone heat testing to make sure that it won’t burn kids when the temperature gets high. And its proprietary latch system makes for a super-quick buckling in of your kid.

Pros

  • 4 Car Seats in 1
  • Can use for 10 years
  • Quick latch system

Cons

  • Sometimes makes a rattling sound when driving
  • Labels absorb more heat than the rest of the seat

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a convertible car seat?

A convertible car seat can be installed in the car facing the back of the car, called a rear-facing car seat. It can then be converted to a front-facing car seat, and be installed facing the front of the car. This allows you to use the same car seat as your child gets older, as opposed to having to buy a new car seat when they reach the age of 2 and transition from a rear-facing to front-facing car seat.

Will the car seat fit in my car?

These car seats have been built and tested to fit all size vehicles, from compact coupes to full-size sedans to SUVs to minivans. So they should fit in your car. In smaller cars, they will take up more of the available space though, so plan accordingly.

Which seat should I put the car seat in?

While parents most commonly put car seats in the rear side seats, studies have shown that a child sitting in the center rear seat is significantly safer than sitting on the side in the back. This is because they are less likely to get hurt in side-impact collisions. If you have two children in car seats, it is recommended to put the youngest one in the center rear seat, since they are the most vulnerable.