Seats for Heavier/Taller Babies

Best car seats for older, heavier or taller babies

A common complaint among parents is how quickly their babies outgrow infant car seats. Manufacturers are beginning to address this issue with car seats rated to 30 pounds rather than the standard 22 pounds, and to 32 inches in height rather than the standard 29 or even 30 inches. Buying a seat that accommodates a taller, heavier baby will also allow you to keep your child in the rear-facing position longer; the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends rear facing for babies up to 2 years of age. Keep in mind, though, that the increased capacity tends to come with an increase in weight, making these infant car seats harder to use as carriers.

The Graco Infant SafeSeat (Step 1) (*Est. $130 to $185, depending on model) is rated for babies weighing up to 30 pounds. It also has a taller than usual 32-inch height limit. The Graco Infant SafeSeat (Step 1) gets thorough coverage in professional reviews, and parent feedback on user review sites is enthusiastically positive. Owners say the Graco Infant SafeSeat (Step 1) is comfortable, easy to install and quick to adjust and they like the fact that it accommodates both tall and heavy babies. The 9.8-pound weight is on the heavy side for an infant seat but parents say it's reasonable considering the expanded height and weight limits.

Graco also now offers the SnugRide 32 (*Est. $150) that can accommodate babies up to 32 pounds and 32 inches in height. We didn't see many reviews of this version yet, but what we did find so far in consumer reviews is quite promising. More than 20 reviewers at Babies "R" Us give this infant car seat above-average ratings. The only real complaint we found is that it is bulkier than the standard Graco SnugRide, and thus does not fit in all cars, but that is probably to be expected in a seat meant to hold a larger baby. It is 2 pounds heavier than the standard Graco SnugRide, and is also more expensive than the lower-priced Graco SnugRide car seats. Denise and Alan Fields, authors of the popular baby-gear book "Baby Bargains," say the new SnugRide 32 is essentially the same as the older Graco SafeSeat (Step 1), and they speculate that the newer car seat may eventually replace the SafeSeat.

The more expensive Chicco KeyFit 30 (*Est. $180), rated for babies up to 30 pounds, performs very well in expert reviews and testing and receives very good reviews from parents, but it's expensive and doesn't seem to outperform lower-priced car seats by enough of a margin for us to name it as a pick in the ConsumerSearch Best Reviewed section. Owners are especially positive about the Chicco KeyFit 30's easy installation and quick adjustments, and most say it's reasonably easy to carry as well. At 9 pounds, the Chicco KeyFit 30 is lighter than other infant car seats with 30-pound weight limits. Chicco also still makes the original KeyFit (*Est. $170), which is nearly identical to the Chicco KeyFit 30 but only accommodates infants up to 22 pounds. It gets the same good professional and user reviews as the larger car seat.

Peg Perego is following the same trend with its redesigned Primo Viaggio Tri-Fix (*Est. $275), which is rated for babies up to 30 inches tall that weigh 30 pounds or less. Parent feedback has been mixed so far, though. Owners generally say the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio Tri-Fix is stylish and easy to install, but some don't like the heavy weight (11 pounds without the base) and the bulkiness of its side-impact protection wings.

The Britax Companion got good professional and user reviews but has been discontinued. It is being replaced by the new Britax Chaperone (*Est. $230), which will be available in June 2009. Although there are no professional or user reviews yet, a preproduction model has been shown to the press. The Chaperone will fit babies up to 30 pounds or 32 inches. It has a five-point-harness, an anti-rebound bar and side impact protection. The carrier without base weighs 10 pounds.