Our primary focus for crash test scores is to identify seats whose crash test performance exceed the Federal requirements by a wide margin. These car seats can be considered as providing an additional level of protection based on the data from their crash test sensors. Ten of the eleven top rated seats tested in our convertible car seat review .
The seat is effortless to install and features both LATCH connectors as well as a seatbelt option. The cup holders on each side may seem like a convenient feature, but it actually makes the seat wider, making it difficult to place multiple car seats in one row. It does have some strong suits such as a removable and padded newborn insert and a multi-recline feature. Additionally, the car seat has a 10-height headrest to grow with your child until they can’t fit anymore. While all the Graco convertible car seats either have singular or dual cup holders, all of the Chicco convertible car seats just have one. For something a little more affordable, Saxton and LaBracio both mention that Graco’s 4Ever all-in-one car seat is gaining in popularity among parents.
For comfort and quality, we consider materials and overall construction. We compare padding, fabric, foam, and how well they come together. We consider how each seat’s design contributes to a baby’s potential comfort, parent use, and durability. The Peg Perego cover and graco travel system padding envelope the seat and curl around the shell and frame for an overall nice fit and finish. The harness release button and tightening strap on the Graco MyRide 65 LX are both located near the foot of the seat and they are the easiest ones in the group to use.
As we found in our testing, there are all sorts of incompatibility issues between vehicles and car seats. The belt path could be too low, the tether might hang loose or a car seat’s height might interfere with the vehicle’s front seats. Or it just might be challenging for you to lift your kid into and out of a particular seat. Ask retailers if you can try installing the floor model in your vehicle to see if it’s a good fit. And when you’re buying a new vehicle, be sure to take your car seat to see if it’ll work—or be prepared to shell out for a new car seat if you love the car. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children should ride in a rear-facing seat until they reach the highest weight or height limit allowed by their car seat manufacturer.
We like handwashing methods over spot cleaning only, but because there is a high potential for throwup, spit-up, and poopy blowouts, it is ideal to have a machine washable cover you can remove quickly. The Clek Foonf is the only option in our review that doesn’t provide a removable cover; it is spot clean only, and while you can purchase a cleaning kit from Clek, you will likely require a steam cleaner for bigger messes. The Evenflo Tribute LX is a top-performer for removing the cover and straightforward, parent-friendly cleaning. This straightforward cover removes quickly, is machine-washable and dryable, and fits back on the shell without a hiccup. This clean-up process is far better than most contenders that often include handwashing and air drying, such as the Britax ClickTight four-part cover. Almost half of the car seats in our review have non-rethread harness adjustment methods.
For the last size years, Senior Review Editor and mother of two, Wendy Schmitz, leads the analysis of the convertible car seat results. Wendy examines, compares, and rates each product’s specific performance side-by-side. The Britax Emblem is a quality convertible product with easy to use non-rethread shoulder strap adjustment, a push-button LATCH, and better comfort padding and fabric. This option has impressive crash test results that indicate a higher potential margin of safety. The Emblem’s overall look and feel are better than much of the competition, and its self-contained design translates to easy to clean and sharp looking. We can confidently recommend the Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat as a great buy.
Pull up on the lever while simultaneously pulling the harness straps at the chest clip away from the car seat back. The cup holders make the graco travel system seat too wide to fit comfortably on airplane seats. It is important to note that the cup holders must be attached to the seat before use.