5 Best Infant Car Seats of 2022

We all want what’s best for our children, especially for our new babies! With dozens of models of carseats on the market it’s impossible to know where to start, never mind which one to choose! Today we are going to focus on the 5 best carseats for infants and newborns.

First let’s start out explaining some carseat language.

Carseat Lingo

• Infant seat/bucket seat. A seat that is rear facing only. Can be used usually the first 6-12 months, sometimes less or more depending on the size of your baby and the model of the seat. Intended to fit baby from the hospital. This seat has a handle that you carry around with you and usually fits into a stationary “base” that stays in the car all of the time.
• Convertible car seat. A carseat that is rear and forward facing. Can be used for a varying age range depending on the seat but usually until around 65lbs. This type of seat can usually be used for newborns, but not always. Be sure to check the minimum lbs. This seat stays stationary in the car. You lose convenience but save the cost of an additional infant seat.
• Combination carseat. Forward facing only. Law varies based on state but usually children need to be at least 2 years old before forward facing, and we highly recommend waiting until closer to age 4! This seat transitions from a harness to a booster.
• Booster car seat. Forward Facing Only. Big kids! Uses the seatbelt from the car.
• 5 Point Harness. Straps that are attached to the carseat. There is a chest clip and a crotch clip. This is a USA design and other areas of the world have different straps.

What is the safest Carseat on the Market?

All carseats that are sold are safe. The Highway Transportation Safety Administration rigorously tests all carseats that are to be sold. The cost variance is comfort, ease of use, ease of installation, quality of materials etc. Some seats will perform better than others on tests, and many have added safety features, but they all have passed the very high standards to keep all infants safe in the event of a crash.

Best Budget Infant Carseat

Evenflo Litemax

• $80-$100
• 8.7lbs
• up to 35lbs
• machine washable

Lightest Weight Infant Carseat

Nuna Pipa Lite

• $350
• 6.7Lbs
• Fits a baby up to 32 inches and 32lbs
• Greenguard certified [Natural, organic materials, no flame retardants]
• Stylish
• Side impact protection and load leg on the base
• Highly rated canopy
• Needs to be used with a base
• Not machine washable

Best Non-Toxic Infant Carseat

Uppababy Mesa

• $350
• 9.9lbs
• Fits baby up to 35lbs
• Transitions without an adaptor to the Uppababy strollers
• Tightness indicator
• Greenguard Gold certified
• Goes above and beyond to have the most natural, least toxic materials possible
• machine washable [front loader only]

Honorable Mention

Chicco Keyfit

• Keyfit 30 fits up to 30lbs, Costs $230 and is 9.5lbs [is smaller and can fit in more cars]
• Keyfit 35 fits up to 35lbs, Costs $300 and is 10lbs [has anti-rebound bar and will last 18 months+]
• Easy to use design and seamless stroller transition
• Sleek and Gender neutral
• Preforms amazingly well in crash testing
• Doesn’t use flame retardants
• machine washable

Best Overall Infant Carseat

The Nuna Pipa

While doing research, and just generally when talking to parents, one name comes up over and over again! The Nuna Pipa. The lite almost won out for best non-toxic carseat! Most prefer the base design over the lite, but there are pros and cons to both.

• $300
• 7.9lbs
• Fits babies up to 32 inches and 32lbs
• Can be used without a base
• Cover is machine washable

The Best Carseat for YOU

Those are our 5 best carseats for newborns, but there are so many others out there that might work better for you and your family. If you can, find a retailer near you that will let you try out a carseat in your car. As not all carseats fit in all cars. If that isn’t available to you, we recommend putting your car model and the carseat you are looking at into your search bar. The carseatlady and the crash detective have articles on almost every car and carseat combination to help you find out what works best with your individual vehicle!