Of the slew of purchases new parents face, perhaps none are as important as a car seat. And shopping for one can be confusing because while many may look alike, not all infant car seats are the same when it comes to safety.
Consumer Reports uses state-of-the-art science and testing to rate and recommend the safest seats for different budgets.
“The main objective of a car seat is to have to manage the crash forces. You know, the energy absorption and all ways to control the forces in energy, keeping it away from the child,” said Jennifer Stockburger, Director of Operations at Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center.
CONSUMER REPORTS: Best infant car seats of 2023 | Free infant car seat finder
While all child seats sold in the U.S. must meet federal safety requirements, Consumer Reports goes beyond and conducts its own crash tests at a higher speed, and on a test-sled -- designed to more closely represent the inside of a car and a real-world crash.
“There are so many new features coming out on car seats that truly take incredible engineering. And it’s awesome to be able to get our hands on so many different kinds of seats and see how they’re going to perform in a crash test,” explained Emily A. Thomas, Manager of Auto Safety at Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center.
And that includes looking at new designs like seats with “load legs” -- an extra support that extends from a car seat’s base to the vehicle’s floor, and it makes infant seats that much safer.
The Clek Liing for $459.99 is Consumer Reports’ top recommended infant seat earning high scores for crash protection.
And along with crash tests, Consumer Reports engineers also evaluate each seat for how easy it is to use and to install.
“Car seats are unique in that there’s so much of the consumer’s use that actually affects the outcome of how it controls energy and protects a child in a crash,” explained Stockburger.
The reasonably priced Chicco KeyFit for $190 rated as one of the easiest seats to install and also top for safety.
“Make sure that your child is buckled properly, and the seat is properly installed every single time,” added Thomas.
For more than 80 years Consumer Reports has been known for rigorous, scientific testing. Learn more about how Consumer Reports tests car seats here.