I remember the first time I shopped for a car seat. As I wandered the aisles of a baby superstore, I stared wide-eyed at the wall of different car seats options. What features did I really need? What car seats were really a good deal? Choice is great, but it can also be overwhelming.
Obviously, safety was incredibly important, too. (Check out the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration‘s car seat safety guidelines, below.)
I eventually figured it all out; and, now that I’m a mom of three boys, I’ve definitely done my share of shopping for car seats and booster seats.
If you’re in the market for a new car seat, you’re in luck. We’ve rounded up some of the best baby car seats, convertible car seats, and booster car seats of 2015 to keep your kids safe and secure during your travels. Looking for an affordable infant car seat? One car seat to last you from infancy to age 10? (It exists!) Need a booster seat that your big kid won’t mind? We’ve got you covered!
Car Seat Safety Guidelines from NHTSA:
• Don’t buy a car seat that has passed its expiration date
• Avoid borrowing a car seat from a friend, unless you know its history. You never want a car seat that’s been in a car crash.
• Ensure the car seat that you buy, whether it’s new or used, is in excellent condition. It should be free of cracks in the frame, and there shouldn’t be missing parts.
• Make sure the car seat is a good fit. The harness straps should fit snugly against your baby’s body, with the chest clip at armpit level to keep the harness snug against the child’s body.
• Before you make your purchase, be sure that the car seat is appropriate for your child’s age and size; this handy graphic is a great resource:
Best Car Seats of 2015
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Evenflo Embrace Select Infant Car Seat
The new Embrace Select car seat from Evenflo proves style and safety can be affordable, too. The lightweight frame (just 7.5 lbs!) has an energy-absorbing foam liner, removable head pillow, and three recline positions. If you've ever broken a sweat trying to find your car's LATCH, you'll love Evenflo’s new Sure Safe Installation with guides that make the LATCH bars visible at all times.
Price: $90
Photo: Evenflo
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Doona Car Seat/Stroller
It's an infant car seat....AND a stroller?! The new Doona is in a category all its own. No more lugging a car seat over your arm. This infant car seat has wheels and a handle that pop out of the bottom easily converting it into a stroller. Expensive, but genius!
Price: $499
Photo: Magic Beans
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Britax Marathon with Clicktight
You know the Britax Marathon for its incredible safety features, but now the Marathon (and a number of other Britax car seats) come with Clicktight installation. No more battling with LATCH. Instead with Clicktight, you flip up the seat bottom, lay the seat belt across the seat, buckle, and then close the seat bottom for a super secure installation. We did it in less than 20 seconds!
Price: $330
Photo: Britax
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Chicco NextFit Zip
From diaper blowouts to smashed Cheerios to roadtrip throw-ups, Chicco has made car seat cleaning so much simpler with their NextFit Zip. In addition to nine recline positions, harness designed to stay out of the way for easy in/out and a thermal-insulated cup holder, this seat features a zip-off, machine-washable seat pad.
Price: $350
Photo: Chicco
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Cybex Aton Q Cloud
The forthcoming Aton Q Cloud infant car seat from Cybex (look for it in Fall 2015) has the unique ability to recline into a nearly lie-flat position when outside the car, so that the seat can transform into a pseudo-bassinet and attach to a stroller frame.
Price: $400 to $450
Photo: Cybex
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Graco 4ever All-In-One Car Seat
It's called the 4ever All-in-One for a reason. This Graco car seat is suitable for kids weighing 4 to 120 lbs. (that's at least ten years of use!). It transitions from a rear-facing infant seat, to a 5-pt harness forward-facing seat and eventually to a backless booster.
Price: $300
Photo: Babies R Us
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Evenflo ProComfort Amp LX Belt-Positioning Booster
We love this booster with benefits! The Evenflo ProComfort Amp LX has a gel-filled seat pad to keep that tush cush during long drives, as well as dual integrated cup holders and a removable back. Best of all, it comes with built-in activity lights on the side of the head rest for road trip reading. Genius!
Price: $70
Photo: Target
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Clek Fllo
The 2015 Clek Fllo is one of the narrowest convertible seats on the market at just 16.9" wide, making it ideal if you need to fit three kids in the backseat. An anti-rebound bar ensures a snug rear installation and energy-absorbing technology transfers crash forces away from your child and into the seat base. Plus, the extra padded seat cushion and modern color options keep kids comfy and looking cool.
Price: $380
Photo: Amazon
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BubbleBum Inflatable Car Booster Seat
Affordable, portable, and perfect for traveling or carpool, the BubbleBum Inflatable Car Seat now comes in hot pink chevron in addition to purple and black. Suitable for kids age 4-11, the BubbleBum is lightweight, easy to use, and meets all U.S. safety testing standards. And just look at that price!
Price: $30
Photo: Target
