EmailBest Reviewed
Infant Car Seats
- Best car seat, more options Graco SnugRide *Est. $80
- Good basic infant car seat Baby Trend Flex-Loc *Est. $90
- Infant car seat for heavier babies Graco Infant SafeSeat Step 1 *Est. $130
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- Performs well in safety tests
- Easy to install, use
- 30-pound weight limit
- 34-inch height limit
- Heavy (11 pounds)
- Complaints about fabric
- Expensive compared with Graco
The Chicco KeyFit 30 gets good user and professional reviews as an infant car seat that can hold babies up to 30 pounds. The best such model in reviews is the Graco Infant SafeSeat Step 1 (*Est. $130 to $185, depending on model). The Chicco KeyFit 30 is heavier than the Graco (11 pounds vs. 9.8 pounds), however. As with the 22-pound capacity standard Chicco KeyFit car seat (*Est. $170), owner reviews praise the Chicco KeyFit 30 for being easy to install and having good adjustment options. And like all the infant car seats gaining Best Reviewed or Runner-up status in ConsumerSearch's coverage, the Chicco KeyFit 30 performs well in safety tests. But user reviews say the fabric can make babies uncomfortably hot.
ConsumerReports.org is the usual go-to source for infant car seat ratings because of its independent testing. CR doesn't test the Chiccp KeyFit 30, but does rate the smaller but very similar Chicco KeyFit. We found good information from the book Baby Bargains and in a top-five ratings list at About.com, though neither can match ConsumerReports.org's standardized testing. Also helpful are owner reviews at Amazon.com and Target.com.
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Our Sources
1. Baby BargainsDetails/Subscribe
No crash tests are conducted, but the Chicco KeyFit 30 is briefly reviewed based on hands-on use and interviews with users and retailers. There is pretty good information her on ease of use and baby comfort.
Review: Infant Car Seats, Denise and Alan Fields, 8th Edition, April 2009
2. Amazon.com
Half the approximately three dozen owner reviews score the Chicco KeyFit 30 the maximum five stars, but some low scores are sprinkled in. There are some complaints that seat makes babies uncomfortably warm, and a couple of reviews say their babies developed a rash from the fabric.
Review: Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat and Base, Contributors to Amazon.com
3. Target.com
About 15 owner reviews are all positive, no one giving the Chicco KeyFit 30 fewer than four out of five stars. But the reviews are very short, usually just a few sentences.
Review: Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Seat and Base- Adventure (Green/ Beige), Contributors to Target.com
4. About.com
The Graco KeyFit 30 wins this top-five listing, although it isn't clear whether the car seat was tested in a formal way. Still, Heather Corley is About.com's guide to baby products and a child-passenger safety technician. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Top 5 Infant Car Seats, Heather Corley
5. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
While the Chicco KeyFit is included among the 11 infant seats rated, the Chicco KeyFit 30 isn't. But if you already have a subscription, rankings chart and owner reviews are worth a look.
Review: Infant Car Seats, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, Oct. 2007
As is often the case at ConsumerGuide.com, this "expert review" appears to be written off specifications, with no indication of hands-on testing. As a result, the "Best Buy" designation is of dubious credibility.
Review: Expert Review: Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat, Editors of ConsumerGuide.com, Feb. 16, 2007
Infant Car Seats Runners Up:
4 picks including: Amazon.com, Chicago Tribune…
3 picks including: About.com, Amazon.com…
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