What Is the Best Rated Convertible Car Seat

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In the early stages of your baby's life, you'll notice how quickly they outgrow certain items. Luckily, a car seat doesn't have to be one of them. Convertible car seats allow you to use the same car seat from newborn through toddlerhood, and sometimes even longer, by transitioning from rear-facing to forward-facing and even booster seats.

Unlike infant car seats, convertible car seats tend to be more of a permanent fixture in a family vehicle. Typically, they aren't used as carriers and won't clip onto a stroller for transport outside of the vehicle. (If seamless newborn transport is a priority, consider an infant car seat.)

The parenting and product experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute's Little Lab test all of the must-haves for babies, toddlers and children, from baby strollers and safety gates to toys, and everything in between. We've tested over two dozen convertible car seats in the past year to find the best ones, evaluating safety, company customer service, ease of installation, angle and harness adjustments. We conduct our tests in vehicles of various sizes in every configuration detailed in the instruction manuals. Here are the best convertible car seats to buy:

• Best Overall Convertible Car Seat: Britax Boulevard ClickTight Anti-Rebound Bar Convertible Car Seat
• Best Value Convertible Car Seat: Cosco Scenera NEXT Convertible Car Seat
• Best Convertible Car Seat for Switching Cars: UPPAbaby Knox Convertible Car Seat
• Best 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat: Graco SlimFit 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat
• Best Convertible Car Seat for Big Kids: Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 Convertible Car Seat
• Easiest to Clean Convertible Car Seat: Chicco NextFit Max Zip Air Convertible Car Seat
• Best Constructed Convertible Car Seat: Clek Foonf Convertible Car Seat
• Best Convertible Car Seat with Built-in Sensor: Cybex Sirona S Convertible Car Seat
• Best Looking Convertible Car Seat: Nuna Rava Convertible Car Seat

What to look for when shopping for a convertible car seat

• Height and weight limits: Every convertible car seat will have height and weight limits for rear-facing, forward-facing and, if applicable, booster configurations. Always be sure your car seat is set up according to your child's current height and weight, and maintain each configuration until your child reaches the upper limit of either height or weight.
  
• Installation efforts: Installing a car seat correctly is crucial for safety purposes, but it can take a lot of strength to properly secure a seat. Many seats are compatible with LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children), an easy-to-use system of straps, connectors and hooks on both the car seat and in your vehicle for safe connectivity. If your vehicle is not compatible with LATCH, then you'll likely install your car seat using your vehicle's seatbelt. Hire a professional if you need help achieving a fit according to your car seat's manual.
• Vehicle size: Measure the available space in your vehicle's backseat before deciding which car seat to buy. It's also good to note the store's return policy before purchase, just in case the size doesn't work out.
• Ease of cleaning: Convertible car seats are meant to last for many years, so finding one that's easy to clean can save a lot of hassle. Keep it simple by looking for models with removable, machine-washable seat padding and covers.
• Seat adjustments: Since a convertible car seat can see your child from newborn to big kid, look for one that can grow with them with multi-position headrest and recline options. A no-rethread harness will allow you to easily make seat adjustments without requiring you to reconfigure the seatbelt.
• Expiration: Over time, the materials in a car seat can compress or get worn down, so all convertible car seats are stamped with an expiration date. If you are planning on using the same seat for many years or for multiple children, take note of the recommended usage. Never use an expired car seat or one that's been in an accident.

1

Best Overall Convertible Car Seat

Boulevard ClickTight Anti-Rebound Bar

Britax amazon.com

$364.99

This pick from Britax has highly adjustable positioning with a 7-position recline, 14-position harness and 2-position buckle with a no-rethread design, making it simple to maintain the perfect fit as your child grows. Our lab pros love that the ClickTight Installation System makes it easy to know when the seat is tightened correctly, and although it's on the heavier and bulkier side, found this pick to be very durable.

• Weight range: 5-40 pounds rear-facing, 20-65 pounds forward-facing
• Height range: Up to 49 inches
• Carrier weight: 29.4 pounds
• Carrier width: 18.5 inches

• Heavy and bulky

2

Best Value Convertible Car Seat

Scenera NEXT Convertible Car Seat

In road tests, this slim, lightweight pick proved to be easy to install, plus it comes in a variety of colors. Cleanup is a breeze thanks to removable machine washable seat pads and a removable dishwasher-safe cup holder, and at $50, the price cannot be beat. This seat does, however, have a smaller weight range compared to similar options, at the maximum of 40 pounds.

• Weight range: 5-40 pounds rear-facing, 22-40 pounds forward-facing
• Height range: 19-40 inches rear-facing, 29-43 inches forward-facing
• Carrier weight: 7 pounds
• Carrier width: 17.5 inches

• Only approved for children up to 40 pounds

3

Best Convertible Car Seat for Switching Cars

Knox Convertible Car Seat

UPPAbaby amazon.com

$349.99

This modern design boasts premium construction, with features including a multi-directional tether to reduce seat rotation, a no-rethread harness, 8-position headrest and 4-position recline. In road tests, our pros found that even though installation requires a bit more attention to the instructions, it fits well in a range of vehicle sizes and the brand's SmartSecure System offers a great visual to confirm a secure fit. However, it's worth noting that this seat is not suited for newborns, with a minimum weight of 14 pounds.

• Weight range: 14-45 pounds rear-facing, 25-65 pounds forward-facing
• Height range: Up to 49 inches
• Carrier weight: 32.5 pounds
• Carrier width: 18.8 inches

• Installation is more complicated than other options
• Not suitable for newborns

4

Best 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat

SlimFit 3-in-1

An easy-to-install option at a comparatively modest price point, the SlimFit 3-in-1 is meant to take your child from birth all the way through big kid status with convenient features like a 10-position headrest, 4-position recline and no-rethread harness. Unlike other convertible car seats, this model transforms from rear-facing to forward-facing to booster, giving it a total weight range from 5 to 100 pounds. Plus, rotating cup holders make this already-slim design even more compact, helping to save space in tight back seats.

• Weight range: 5-40 pounds rear-facing, 22-65 pounds forward-facing, 40-100 pounds booster
• Height range: Up to 49 inches, 43-57 inches booster
• Carrier weight: 19.5 pounds
• Carrier width: 19.9 inches

5

Best Convertible Car Seat for Big Kids

Pria 85

Maxi-Cosi amazon.com

Ideal for bigger kids and fast growers, this Maxi-Cosi model is approved for children up to 85 pounds and 52 inches tall, offering a more generous height and weight range than most convertible car seats on the market. It is not, however, safe for newborns, with the lower limit starting at 14 pounds. Our testers appreciated the practical features of this seat, including the removable washable seat cover and integrated cup holder, but found the novel magnetic chest clip took some getting used to.

• Weight range: 14-40 pounds rear-facing, 22-85 pounds forward-facing
• Height range: Up to 40 inches rear-facing, 29-52 inches forward-facing
• Carrier weight: 23 pounds
• Carrier width: 23 inches

• Not approved for babies under 14 pounds
• Magnetic chest clip can be tricky

6

Easiest to Clean Convertible Car Seat

NextFit Max Zip Air

Chicco buybuybaby.com

$369.99

This model from Chicco offers straightforward installation via LATCH or your vehicle's seat belt with a 9-position recline as well as a 9-position headrest adjustment to help achieve the best angle for your baby. It has a mesh backrest for added ventilation, and our pros particularly loved the washable zip-off seat padding. Combined with the dishwasher-safe cup holders, it's easy to clean up car seat messes.

• Weight range: 4-50 pounds rear-facing, 22-65 pounds forward-facing
• Height range: Up to 43 inches rear-facing, up to 49 inches forward-facing
• Carrier weight: 26.7 pounds
• Carrier width: 19 inches

7

Best Constructed Convertible Car Seat

Foonf Convertible Car Seat

With a steel and magnesium structure, Clek boasts this model is "built like a tank." Prioritizing safety, the Foonf is easy to install with a rigid LATCH and has an array of safety features including an anti-rebound bar and extended rear-facing seating up to 50 pounds. This car seat is pricey at $500, and to use from infancy, requires purchasing the infant insert, sold separately. It also has a rethread harness, meaning you must manually adjust the seat belt harness as your baby grows. Notably, Clek has a recycling program for car seats nearing their expiration.

• Weight range: 5-50 pounds rear-facing with infant insert, 22-65 pounds forward-facing
• Height range: 19-43 inches rear-facing with infant insert, 30-49 inches forward-facing
• Carrier weight: 38 pounds
• Carrier width: 16.9 inches

• Expensive at $500
• Requires separate infant insert to use from birth
• Rethread harness requires manual harness adjustments

8

Best Convertible Car Seat with Built-in Sensor

Sirona S

A 360-degree rotation makes it easy to get your child in and out of this car seat, while a load leg offers added stability. This seat also offers a 12-position recline and an anti-rebound design, plus it's equipped with SensorSafe, a standout feature for our Lab pros. Built into the chest clip, this technology sends safety alerts to your phone if your child unclips their seat belt, is left in the car alone or a number of other unsafe situations arise. This car seat is a bit on the larger side, however, and is more expensive than other options at almost $500.

• Weight range: 4-50 pounds rear-facing, 22-65 pounds forward-facing
• Height range: 17-49 inches rear-facing, 28-49 inches forward-facing
• Carrier weight: 30.4 pounds
• Carrier width: 19 inches

• Bulkier design
• Expensive at $500

9

Best Looking Convertible Car Seat

Rava Flame Retardant Free Convertible Car Seat

The price on the Nuna Rava is a steep $450, but this sleek pick has a lot going for it. For starters, it has a high rear-facing weight limit up to 50 pounds, with an adjustable footrest for added legroom. Our lab experts found it easy to install, and the 10-position headrest combined with a no-rethread harness allows the seat to grow with your baby. And for a classy finishing touch, this car seat comes with retractable cup holders.

• Weight range: 5-50 pounds rear-facing, 25-65 pounds forward-facing
• Height range: Up to 49 inches
• Carrier weight: 27.2 pounds
• Carrier width: 19 inches

• Expensive at $450

Rachel Rothman, Good Housekeeping Institute Chief Technologist & Director of Engineering Rachel is the chief technologist and director of engineering at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she oversees testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all labs.

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What Is the Best Rated Convertible Car Seat

Source: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/childrens-products/g36283379/best-convertible-car-seats/

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