Best Infant Car Seats

Safe and easy-to-use car seats for newborns

One seat that has proved itself in the past with owners, parents and experts is again judged an excellent infant car seat. The Graco SnugRide (*Est. $80 to $150, depending on model) is still the best car seat on the market. Parents can rest assured that the SnugRide is very safe; it gets excellent scores in independent crash tests. Graco SnugRide infant car seats can accommodate babies up to 22 pounds and 29 inches tall.

The Graco SnugRide is one of the lightest infant carriers, weighing 7.5 pounds without the base, and all models now have EPS foam for extra support. The Graco SnugRide car seats come in a dizzying array of fabrics and colors; there are at least 20 different variations. While many models of the Graco SnugRide cost nearly $150, the higher-priced versions differ by fabric and amenities like a fancier canopy, a cold-weather boot, blanket and a peek-a-boo window in the canopy -- features most parents say you may not need.

Overall, parents say the SnugRide offers a bit of everything for a good price. Owners comment on its durable fabric, comfortable handles and washable seat cover. Parents of smaller newborns say their babies fit nicely in the car seat. Parents with smaller vehicles also have good things to say about the Graco SnugRide; owners of two-door vehicles say this car seat's compact size and light weight make it easy to get in and out of the car. But not all parents agree; while some say it's easy to install, others say it isn't (we found this type of dichotomy throughout car seat reviews in general). Other concerns in some owner-written reviews are that the fabric is not very breathable and that bigger babies will outgrow this car seat before their first birthday. On balance, though, parents seem very happy with the SnugRide car seat.

The clear runner-up to the Graco SnugRide is the Chicco KeyFit (*Est. $160). The KeyFit gets very good ratings in professional crash tests; in more than 150 parent-written reviews at Viewpoints.com it maintains a very high average rating of 4.5 out of 5. The price is the big downside (it costs twice as much as the more basic SnugRide models), but there are a few features parents really love about the Chicco KeyFit.  

Parents of very small newborns are particular fans of this car seat since its minimum weight is 4 pounds; most other car seats weigh at least 5 pounds. The KeyFit also has a removable newborn insert for smaller infants. Another big selling point of this car seat is its easy installation; seasoned parent reviewers who have bought and tried more than one infant car seat say installing the KeyFit was far less difficult than all other car seats they've ever installed. The NHTSA agrees, rating the KeyFit 4 out of 5 stars for ease of use.

As with some other car seats, we found some complaints about the fabric covering the Chicco KeyFit; in particular, some say it doesn't breathe well. Again, we read this complaint about many other car seats.

Another option in this class of car seats for infants of up to about 22 pounds is the Maxi-Cosi Mico (*Est. $170). Like the Graco SnugRide, the Maxi-Cosi Mico gets excellent ratings in professional crash testing. However, it receives lackluster reviews from parents compared to the SnugRide. It seems as though parents either love it or hate it. Those who love it say it fits well in mid-size to large cars. Many of the complaints say that the car seat is too bulky or too difficult to install and remove from its base. Others say the canopy doesn't cover well and tends to fall to one side. The Maxi-Cosi Mico also receives low ratings from the NHTSA for ease of use and installation, with just 2 out of 5 stars in the government's overall rating for car seats, mostly due to poor labeling and instructions. This car seat is for infants up to 22 pounds or 29 inches.