Proper car seat usage is one of the most important ways parents keep their kids safe on a daily basis. Car accidents, bumpy roads, and even sudden stops are risks every time you’re in the car, which is why it is essential to have the right car seat for your child and know how to use it. So in celebration of last week’s National Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week, we’ve listed our favorite car seats on the market in 2019 for your child’s safety and your convenience.

Infant Car Seats

Most babies will need to be transitioned out of their infant car seats sometime around 1 year, which means they’re not the most bang for your buck. However, parents love infant car seats because they easily click in and out of a base that is installed in your car. This means you won’t have to wake a sleeping baby by getting them in and out of the car seat – just grab the seat and carry it with you!

Graco SnugRide SnugLock 30

The SnugRide is one of the most popular infant car seats on the market. It’s affordable, lightweight, reliable, user-friendly, and compatible with lots of good stroller options.

Britax B-Safe 35

Britax is known for making a high-quality car seat, and the B-Safe is a prime example of that standard. It’s made with a steel frame for added durability, offers excellent side impact protection, and installation is a breeze. For parents looking for an extremely user-friendly car seat that’s slightly higher-end, the B-Safe is a great one to consider.

Chicco KeyFit 35

People love their KeyFits! This is a great car seat option that exceeds safety standards while still being affordable. Chicco has made this car seat exceptionally user-friendly with easily-adjustable shoulder straps, headache-free installation, and an intuitive handle. Because this is such a popular car seat, just about every stroller manufacturer makes an adapter to accommodate it.

Convertible Car Seats

Convertible car seats are so-called because they can start as rear-facing seats and then convert to forward-facing once your child is big enough. These versatile seats can accommodate kids from the time they’re newborns until they’re well into their toddler years. Since these can be used with newborns, some parents opt to skip the infant car seat in favor of a convertible car seat. Other parents choose to move on to a convertible seat once their baby has outgrown their infant seat. 

Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat

Rear-facing is far and away the safest way for young kids to travel. If your goal is to keep your child rear-facing for as long as possible, this is the car seat you want. With other features such as pockets for the harness straps to prevent tangling, cupholders, and easily adjustable shoulder straps, this is an all-around great car seat.

Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat

Like all Britax seats, the Marathon is a reliable option with exceptional safety ratings and plenty of user-friendly features. The ClickTight capability allows for quick and easy installation with just a seat belt. This is a great feature if you want to install the seat in the middle of the back row where there are no LATCH connectors, if your child has outgrown the LATCH system, or if you’ll be transitioning the seat between different cars frequently.

Chicco NextFit

Unlike Chicco’s infant car seat, this convertible seat is heavy and bulky. While this seat isn’t ideal for families who will be moving their car seat from car to car, it does have a host of user-friendly features, such as the LATCH tightening system (considered the easiest on the market), the no-rethread harness, and nine recline positions.

Booster Seats

Boosters are the next step after your child outgrows the forward-facing limits of their convertible car seat. Unlike an infant or convertible seat, a booster uses the car’s seat belt. Most often, boosters are sold as combination seats that can be used as a forward-facing harness seat, a high back booster, or a backless booster. This is great for parents who have a younger child in need of a convertible seat, but their older child isn’t quite ready for a booster.

Graco 4Ever DLX 4-in-1 Car Seat

If you’re looking to buy only one car seat for your child, look no further than the Graco 4Ever 4-in-1. This seat can accommodate your child from 4 to 120 pounds as a rear-facing harness seat, a forward-facing harness seat, a high-back booster, and a backless booster. The no-rethread harness, easy installation, 6-position recline, and double cup holders are all added bonuses.

Evenflo Chase Harnessed Booster Seat

A very budget-friendly option, this 2-in-1 seat can be used as a 5-point forward-facing harness seat, or as a belt-positioning booster. The Evenflo also features machine washable pads (to keep you happy) and plenty of cupholders (to keep your little one happy).

Graco Nautilus SnugLock LX 3-in-1 Harness Booster

Graco is known for making quality car seats that are both user and budget-friendly, and the Nautilus is no exception. This is also a 3-in-1 seat, functioning as a forward-facing seat, a high-back booster, or a backless booster. Cup holders and a convenient storage compartment make this seat feel luxurious.

Chicco MyFit Harness and Booster Seat

While the Chicco has a lower weight limit than the other boosters featured on this list, its user-friendly features have earned it a spot nevertheless. Parents love that this seat is super easy to install with both the LATCH connectors and the seatbelt. It includes a no-rethread harness (meaning it is super easy to adjust the height to your child), and it can recline into four positions.

Which car seats do you use? Did we miss any recommendations you think we should include? Let us know!