One of the most important things you will buy when you have a new baby is a car seat. In fact, you won’t even be able to leave most hospitals without securing the new infant into a proper car seat. The choices in car seats are vast and varied, making the purchase quite difficult. Ultimately you need to get the best infant car seat for you and your child’s needs.
Infant car seats are the best choice for new babies. Infant car seats are installed rear-facing and usually accommodate babies from four pounds through 25-35 pounds. While convertible car seats are also installed rear-facing, they are not as well suited to smaller babies. In addition, the infant car seats have a handle, so they can be used as a carrier as well.
The carrier fits into a base which is installed in the car. This means that you can easily lift the carrier off of the base and out of the car to take the baby with you. This is especially helpful when you do not want to wake a sleeping baby.There are some important features that you should look for when you go to purchase an infant car seat. For example, a five-point harness system is the safest for your baby. In addition, infant seats with side impact protection and compatibility with the LATCH system also bring important safety features. For comfort, extra padding in the seat is a plus. And, for convenience, you will want to look for an infant car seat that has easily adjustable straps and removable padding for ease of washing.
Best infant car seats – Comparison Table
| Image | Product | Features | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Graco SnugRide Click Connect Infant 35 Infant Car Seat, Pierce | Hassle-free 3-step car-seat installation Excellent first car seat Silent Shade Canopy | 4.9 out of 5 |
 | Evenflo Nurture Infant Car Seat, Jungle Safari | Auto belt guides for use without a base if preferred Canopy shields baby from the elements Energy absorbing foam liner provides added safety and comfort | 4.3 out of 5 |
 | Evenflo Embrace LX Infant Car Seat | 25% lighter than comparable infant car seats Adjustable auto base Includes central pendulum level indicator | 4.5 out of 5 |
 | Baby Trend Flex-Loc Infant Car Seat | Adjustable 5-point safety harness 4-position push-button height adjustable base One-hand easy-access seat release | 4.7 out of 5 |
 | Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat | The easiest infant car seat to install 5-point harness adjusts with one hand Full body inserts for newborns 4-11 pound to protect smaller babies | 4.9 out of 5 |
 | Evenflo Nurture DLX Infant Car Seat | Auto belt guides for use without a base Energy absorbing foam liner provides added safety & comfort Easy-off, machine-washable car seat pad for quick cleanings | 3.9 out of 5 |
 | Maxi-Cosi Micro-AP Infant Car Seat | Superior Side Impact Performance featuring Air Protect technology. Easy to clean. Fabric is easily removable and Washer and Dryer safe. Cozi Dozi infant support for smaller babies. | 4.3 out of 5 |
So here’s our best infant car seats top ten
Graco SnugRide Click Connect Infant 35 Infant Car Seat, Pierce
This car seat is ultra-lightweight, making it easy to carry from car to store to home and back. It has an excellent safety rating, meeting and exceeding all U.S. standards. It’ five point harness keeps baby in safely in place. It is also easy to install the stay-in-car base since it is LATCH equipped and has a special level guide to show you the proper angle of installation.
Key Features:
- Hassle-free 3-step car-seat installation
- Excellent first car seat
- Silent Shade Canopy
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Evenflo Nurture Infant Car Seat, Jungle Safari
Most importantly, this Evenflo seat is a safe seat. It exceeds government standards for structural integrity and safety in crash tests. Furthermore, this infant car seat has an easy to install base that can stay in the car. The seat clicks into the base, so you do not have to re-install each time. Evenflo provides a safe infant car seat for a fair price, and even better, it is made in the U.S.A.
Key Features:
- Auto belt guides for use without a base if preferred
- Canopy shields baby from the elements
- Energy absorbing foam liner provides added safety and comfort
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Britax B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat
Of course, this Britax infant seat is also loaded with features that make it easy to use. It has an easily adjustable headrest with harness belts that do not need to be re-threaded to adjust. It is made with premium fabrics, and the cover is easy to remove for washing.
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Evenflo Embrace LX Infant Car Seat
This seat is rated 25 percent lighter than most other infant seats so that carrying it will not be quite as much of a burden. It has an adjustable canopy to keep the sun and elements away from your baby. This rear-facing infant seat provides enough cushioning to help your baby stay comfortable while riding in the car.
The car seat base is easy to install in your car with a central pendulum that assures that you place the base at the right include. The base stays in the car, so it only has to be installed once. You can purchase extra bases for additional vehicles if needed.
Key Features:
- 25% lighter than comparable infant car seats
- Adjustable auto base
- Includes central pendulum level indicator
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Baby Trend Flex-Loc Infant Car Seat
Key Features:
- Adjustable 5-point safety harness
- 4-position push-button height adjustable base
- One-hand easy-access seat release
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Eddie Bauer Surefit Infant Car Seat
Comfort is key in this seat. It has soft fabrics to keep your baby snug, and it includes a special infant insert to cushion even the smallest babies. The infant insert is removable so that as your baby grows, the seat will still be comfortable. Additionally, the five point harness is also easy to adjust on this model, so it can grow with your baby.The seat is relatively lightweight at only about 18 pounds, empty. Its ergonomic handle does make carrying easier. The sunshade canopy is a nice touch when it is bright out. Baby can be shaded from excess sunlight with a flip of the shade.
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat
The Chicco Key Fit infant seat has a built in insert to keep babies from four to 11 pounds safe and secure. This insert is removable when the baby outgrows it. In addition, this seat also has an easy one-hand system for removing the carrier from the base. It has an audible click when the carrier is properly fitted into the base. This is a number one safety rated seat, so you will surely find that you can’t do much better if you are willing to spend the extra dollars for this stylish, safe seat.
Key Features:
- The easiest infant car seat to install
- 5-point harness adjusts with one hand
- Full body inserts for newborns 4-11 pound to protect smaller babies
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Evenflo Nurture DLX Infant Car Seat
This seat accommodates rear-racing infants from five to 22 pounds. It has a base that can stay installed in the car, but it can also be installed without the base when necessary. The ergonomic handle makes carrying the seat and your new baby an easy task It is easy to take this seat in and out of the base so you can bring it with the baby when you go into busy places.
Key Features:
- Auto belt guides for use without a base
- Energy absorbing foam liner provides added safety & comfort
- Easy-off, machine-washable car seat pad for quick cleanings
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Bob B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat
The base to this seat is one of the easiest to install in the car using seatbelts of the LATCH system. It has a level indicator on both sides, so you know that you have done the install correctly. Additionally, this infant carrier has a five point harness and is easily adjustable to grow with your baby. It can accommodate babies from five to 35 pounds in the safe, rear-facing position.
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Maxi-Cosi Micro-AP Infant Car Seat
This Maxi-Cosi Infant Seat is another upper end model, and it can accommodate babies from five to 22 pounds. It is the lightest premium infant set available. This seat features the patented air protect system to keep baby safe in case of impact. It provides extra cushioning around the baby’s had, where it is needed the most. The stay-in-car base is easy to install, and the five point harness provides extra protection.
The premium fabrics used on this infant seat will wick moisture away from your baby, keeping her dry and comfortable. In addition, the cover is easily removable for machine washing and drying. There is no need to re-thread harness straps to remove this cover.
Key Features:
- Superior Side Impact Performance featuring Air Protect technology.
- Easy to clean. Fabric is easily removable and Washer and Dryer safe.
- Cozi Dozi infant support for smaller babies.
