The Best Car Seats For Newborns
There are a variety of factors to take into consideration when selecting the right car seat for your baby. You want a car seat that’s safe and complies with UK laws. But you also have to think about your car and budget.
Infant car seats are made specifically for babies and usually combine with a buggy to create an overall travel system. They are generally more user-friendly than convertible car seats and can be used until your child is two years old.
1. Maxi-Cosi Pebble 360
Maxi-Cosi Pebble 360 car seat is the best option for those looking for a reputable car that puts your baby’s safety first. It’s in compliance with the most recent safety standards of iSize and comes with G-CELL side-impact protection that provides superior crash protection. It also has breathable ClimaFlow paneling and air circulation to keep your baby at a comfortable temperature regardless of the weather. It also comes with a large canopy to shield your baby from sun. It is also easy to install and use, due to its anti-misuse rotating lock and simple one-hand rotation system.
The ergonomic carry handle makes it easy to carry your child to and from the car, and to the mall or shopping center. It can also be washed by a machine to make cleaning and maintenance easier. Plus, it has a fully lie-flat position that ensures maximum sleep comfort for your child when traveling or tying it to a stroller. It is also able to be used from birth up to 15 months, or up to 4 years.
Pebble 360 Pro is part of the innovative 360 Pro Family range, that combines one-hand rotation and smart SlideTech technology to make it easy and quick to get your baby into and out of the seat on a daily basis without any headaches or head bangs. The 360 Pro Family also includes our toddler seat Pearl 360 Pro that fits onto the same ISOFIX base. It is designed to fit your growing child from to 4 years of age.
With FlexiSpin our revolutionary rotational system, it’s simple to rotate the seat using only one hand in any reclined position. And it’s even simpler to secure your baby in using our unique harness system that makes it easy for you to fasten the straps at the front and the back of the seat. It also has visual indicators that help you determine if you have installed it correctly. For added security, the car seat comes with two-year guarantee.
2. Chicco Seat3Fit
One of the most popular infant car seats on the market, Chicco Seat3Fit cradles your new baby in rear-facing comfort from their first trip home. This top-rated infant car seats is designed to be highly portable and clicks into many Chicco strollers that are compatible with the travel system. It features a removable newborn insert that is suitable for babies from 5-11 pounds, as well as a harness that doesn’t need to be rethread for easy height adjustment. The Seat3Fit is also iSize that means it’s acquiesced to the latest European safety standards.
i-Size, the latest standard in car seats for children, allows them to grow with your baby until the age of seven years. The Chicco Seat3Fit is a great investment over the long run, and Mum Rachael liked how light it was.
This baseless car seats has ISOFIX connectors that click into the lower bar anchor of the vehicle with the sound of a satisfying, loud click. It’s especially convenient for taxi rides, fly-drive holidays and trips to grandparent’s cars in which you may not have a dedicated infant car seat newborn car seat.
Similar to the Chicco NextFit, the Seat3Fit is a flat seat which means it can be used either forward-facing or rear-facing mode. However, its maximum harness height is lower and it doesn’t change into a booster. Its soft goods make use of ClearTex fabric that is compliant with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards requirements for flammability but without adding any chemical flame retardants.
The belt guides are clearly marked and the top anchor connectors for lower anchors make installation easy. The harness height can be adjusted with a single push and the headrest is sized to fit the smallest of babies. The only drawback to the seat is that it does not have an swivel that rotates 360 degrees, but this wasn’t a huge problem for our testers.
Seat3Fit’s straps are simple to thread and there’s no need to rethread them on colder days. Dress your baby in clothing that doesn’t hang over the car seat belts. Also, take off any blankets or large coats prior to using the seat.
3. Joie i-Snug 2
ULTRA-LIGHT – More safety with less weight
This lightweight champion redefines the standard of the i-Size infant car seat. At only 3.35 kg, it is easy to lift, and intensely strong to ensure your child’s safety during their journey. It is designed to make the transport of your child from the hospital, between the car and the stroller or pushchair, as well as trips up or down the stairs as simple as is possible.
Tri-Protect headrest is i-Size certified and suitable for newborns up to 75 cm or 12 months. It offers superior protection thanks to its unique Tri Protector headrest. This unique security concept of three layers incorporates energy-absorbing Intelli-Fit memory foam to ensure superior side protection against impact.
The Grow Together technology allows simultaneous adjustment of the headrest and harness to accommodate your growing baby, ensuring an ideal fit at each stage. A comfortable infant pillow will provide an ideal fit for your baby and the curved base facilitates gentle rocking to soothe your infant. The seat is compatible with all Joie strollers and other brands that have adaptors, allowing you to design your own travel system in a snap. Covers and inserts that can be washed allow for easy cleanup after accidents or spills.
Simple and Safe Travel
The 360deg rotating base, and the exclusive iBase Encore spinning system offer a seamless integration into your car. This makes the ins and outs of the car much easier than before. ISOFIX connectors snap into place instantly and eliminate the possibility of error, while clever guides with colour codes ensure that you’ve connected the base and seat correctly. I-Snug is compatible with i-Base Advance, other i-Base models and the iSnug 2. This gives you maximum flexibility.
Effortless ins and outs, plush comfort for the baby, and easy to use features make this car seat a favourite among parents. The ergonomic handle can be adjusted to multiple positions, providing the best comfort for your child. The curved base also allows for gentle rocking. The machine-washable inserts and covers make cleanup easy after accidents, while the UPF50+ sun canopy shields your baby from harsh sunlight. The i-Snug is compatible with all Joie Strollers and other brands that support the universal Maxi-Cosi Style Adaptors.
4. Nuna PIPA urbn
Nuna’s latest invention, the Pipa Urbn, is one of a kind that reimagines travel with baby. This rear-facing infant car seat is designed to make parenting simpler with a an exquisite array of premium attributes. It boasts multiple patented features and features the first and only baseless infant car seat with PipaFIX(tm) rigid latch that is installed in two seconds, without the need for a vehicle base. It can be used on its own, or with it with a Nuna pushchair to form a travel system and is compatible with strollers from other brands such as Silver Cross, Joolz, Bugaboo, i-Candy and Egg.
This feature is especially beneficial for families that don’t have their own vehicle, use taxis and rideshare services often or require the ability to move the seat swiftly from one car to another for vacations, everyday life or trips to Grandma’s. The ISOFIX connectors are integrated, meaning there’s no need for an additional base. The system is simple to use, with indicators showing that the seat is safe and ready to go.
The latches can be easily removed from their hiding place under the carrier and then you can click to secure them. You can also alter the angle as needed using the blue indicator line. This is much quicker and simpler than putting in Clek Liingo which requires you hinge the attached latches from behind the carrier in order to locate and align the buckles.
Our test subject, a mother of a 7-week-old, found the Pipa urbn to be easy to use and very well-designed. The sturdy seat is lightweight and comfortable to carry, even with a sleeping newborn. It also has a number convenience and comfort features, such as the ventilated Dream drape that can be pulled from the canopy and then attaches to the car seat quietly to ensure security.
Our test baby was able to fit into the urbn with ease at three months old, and has plenty of room to grow. He’s still a little small for the top harness slot, but he’s almost surpassing the size of the urbn due to weight and height, and has nearly an inch of headroom in the current size.