Infant Car Seats : Ratings of Sources

Our AssessmentConsumerReports.org, the only U.S. non-government organization to perform independent crash testing for car seats, has included 13 of the most popular infant car seats in this undated report. Editors rank the seats according to how well they perform in lab tests for crash protection, ease of use and fit to vehicle.

Our AssessmentCar seats aren't crash tested, but the 12 car seats are otherwise rated for ease of installation, carrying ease and seat weight. Also factored into the ratings are crash test scores from ConsumerReports.org and ease of use and fit-to-vehicle ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Kate Bayless uses three pint-sized human testers as well: a newborn who weighs 7 pounds and is 19 inches tall; a "chunky" baby (a 5-month-old who weighs 18 pounds and is 19 inches tall); and an 11-month-old who weighs 25 pounds and is 30 inches tall.

Our AssessmentCarSeatData.org has a great compatibility database for car seats and cars. There is also a nice report detailing the various kinds of car seats and recommendations from site founder Toby McAdams, a longtime car seat reviewer. CarSeatData.org is now run by Bradley Sorock, who took over in the fall of 2006. However, it is not clear whether the site is being still updated, as the database in many instances contains popular models only up to 2007. The forum section does have recent questions and an active moderator. In terms of infant car seats, the honors are given to two seats, the Graco SnugRide and the Baby Trend Rigid Latch-Loc. Both seats are praised for having five-point harnesses and for being very adjustable. However, both recommended seats are older versions.

Our AssessmentParents posting at Amazon.com like the Graco SnugRide for a number of reasons, specifically the light weight, the detachable base that can remain in the car and the simple nature of the seat compared to competitors. The Chico KeyFit 30 also receives many positive reviews, with an average rating of over 4 out of 5 stars.

Our AssessmentTarget.com is a good source for parent-written reviews on car seats, but the infant car seat reviews are spotty. The Graco SnugRide car seat receives more than 300 reviews, with overall above-average ratings, although a few owners say the handle is hard to adjust. Other car seats receive far fewer reviews, but there are still enough to make this site helpful. More than 20 reviews can be found for the new Peg-Perego Primo Viaggio SIP 30-30. The most common complaint about all car seats is that they sometimes don't fit well in a given car.

Our AssessmentHeather Corley, About.com's guide to baby products, reviews three car seats: the Britax Chaperone, the Chicco KeyFit 30 and the Safety 1st Complete Air. Each review is detailed and includes "what I like" and "what I don't like" sections on the car seats' features. Corley concludes that all seats are solid choices for parents. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

Our AssessmentMost of the infant car seats at Epinions.com receive only a handful of reviews. However, the Graco SnugRide has over 60 user reviews and an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Epinions.com is best used as a secondary resource for those who already have a specific infant car seat in mind.

Our AssessmentHeather Corley, About.com's guide to baby products, picks five car seat based on her experience as a child-passenger safety technician. She finds these easy to install, durable over time and easy to adjust. She likes the Chicco KeyFit 30 because it's easy to fit in many vehicles and is fairly lightweight. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

Our AssessmentMumsnet.com is a British site with helpful information about car seats. European car seats have different features than U.S. car seats. If you're a European consumer, this is the place to look; if not, the site still has a lot of useful safety information that you may find helpful.