2024 Child Passenger Safety Technician-Recommended Carseats and Accessories
What Is the Best Carseat?
Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs) get asked that question all the time. A good CPST will honestly tell you that there is no “best” carseat—sorry, I know that’s not what you want to hear. One carseat may fit vehicle A like it was made for it, but it takes 2 people to wrestle it into vehicle B and it still moves at the belt path by 1.5″. Your child’s shoulders may not reach the bottom harness slots or the hip straps may sit funny on their thighs—every child is built differently and the one carseat that everyone else claims is the very best carseat in the world may not fit your child well.
The BEST carseat fits your vehicle, fits your child, and is one you can use correctly each ride. It sounds trite, but these characteristics transcend price, appearance, and level of cushion of a carseat. CPSTs are not supposed to give out specific names of carseats because of what I mentioned above; however, there are carseats that generally tend to work well across many vehicles and fit children generally well. That doesn’t mean they will work in every case, though.
Unsure of what type of carseat is best for your child? Click here to see all the different types available.
As someone who has worked with Amazon, Target, and other retailers, the best advice I can offer is to keep your receipt and your box. You never know if or when you’ll need to make a return and it’s much more difficult to do without those items.
The carseats listed below have features that make them easy to use and install, like lockoffs or belt tensioners. They may also have unique features, such as being extremely lightweight or narrow, or having high rear-facing weight limits or a load leg.
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Quick Jump
Rear-Facing Only Infant Carseats
All-in-Ones / 3-in-1s / 4-in-1s / 5-in-1s
Rotating / Revolving / Swiveling Carseats
Combination (Harness-to-Booster) Carseats
Highback Belt-Positioning Boosters
Backless Belt-Positioning Boosters
Rear-Facing Only Infant Carseats
For newborns through around 9-12 months
- 4-30 lbs. | Up to 30″
- Lockoff on base
- No belt tensioner
- No Anti-rebound bar
- No Euro Belt Path
- Flame retardant free covers available
- $229.99
- 4-35 lbs. | Up to 32″
- Lockoff on base
- No belt tensioner
- Anti-rebound bar
- Euro Belt Path
- Flame retardant free covers available
- $269.99
- 4-35 lbs. | Under 32″
- No lockoff on base
- No belt tensioner
- No Anti-rebound bar
- Euro Belt Path
- No flame retardant free covers available
- $550
- 3-35 lbs | 15.7″-32″
- No lockoff on base
- Belt tensioner
- Anti-rebound bar
- Euro Belt Path
- No flame retardant free cover available
- $599.99
- 3-35 lbs. | Up to 32″
- Lockoff on base
- Belt tensioner
- No Anti-rebound bar
- Euro Belt Path
- No flame retardant free covers available
- $199.49
- 4-35 lbs. | Up to 32″
- Lockoff on base
- Belt tensioner
- Anti-rebound bar
- Euro Belt Path
- No flame retardant free covers available
- $349.99
- 4-35 lbs. | Up to 32″
- Lockoff on base
- No belt tensioner
- Anti-rebound bar
- Euro Belt Path
- Flame retardant free covers
- $550
Convertible Carseats
For newborns through early grade school
- 5-40 lbs. RF, 20-65 lbs. FF | 49″ or less
- Lockoffs
- No belt tensioner
- No Anti-rebound bar
- Not narrow
- Medium weight
- No flame retardant free covers available
- $229.99
- 5-40 lbs. RF, 22-40 lbs. FF | 19-40″ RF, 29-43″ FF
- No lockoffs
- No belt tensioner
- No Anti-rebound bar
- Narrow
- Very lightweight
- No flame retardant free covers available; however, they are available on the Maxi-Cosi version
- $59
- 4-50 lbs. RF, 22-65 lbs. FF | Up to 49″
- No lockoffs
- No belt tensioner
- No Anti-rebound bar
- Not narrow
- Medium weight
- No flame retardant free covers available
- $199.99
- 5-50 lbs. RF, 22-65 lbs. FF | 49″ or less
- No lockoffs
- Belt tensioner
- No Anti-rebound bar
- Narrowish
- Medium weight
- Flame retardant free covers
- $550
All-in-Ones / 3-in-1s / 4-in-1s / 5-in-1s
For newborns through grade school
- 5-50 lbs. RF, 22-65 lbs. FF, 40-120 lbs. BPB | Less than 49″ harnessed, 44-63″ BPB
- Lockoffs
- Belt tensioner
- Anti-rebound bar
- Not narrow
- Heavy
- Flame retardant free covers available
- $399.99
- 4-40 lbs. RF, 22-65 lbs. FF, 40-100 lbs. BPB, 50-120 lbs. seat belt trainer | Up to 49″ harnessed, 43-57″ BPB, 43-60″ seat belt trainer
- Lockoffs
- Belt tensioner
- No Anti-rebound bar
- Medium wide
- Heavy
- No flame retardant free covers available
- $399.99
- 5-40 lbs. RF, 22-65 lbs. FF, 40-100 lbs. BPB | Up to 49″ harnessed, 43-57″ BPB
- FF lockoff
- No belt tensioner
- True3Fit LX has ARB
- Very narrow
- Lightweight
- No flame retardant free covers available
- $279.99
- 5-40 lbs. RF, 22-65 lbs. FF, 40-100 lbs. BPB | Up to 49″ harnessed, 43-57″ BPB
- FF lockoff only
- No belt tensioner
- Anti-rebound bar
- Very narrow
- Lightweight
- No flame retardant free covers available
- $279.99
- 5-40 lbs. RF, 22-65 lbs. FF, 40-100 lbs. BPB | Up to 49″ harnessed, 43-57″ BPB
- Lockoffs
- Belt tensioner
- No Anti-rebound bar
- Not narrow
- Lightweight
- No flame retardant free covers available
- $179
Rotating / Revolving / Swiveling Carseats
For newborns through grade school
- 4-50 lbs. RF, 22-65 lbs. FF | 49″ or less
- Rotation: RF only
- Lockoffs
- Belt tensioner
- No Anti-rebound bar
- FAA-approved: in FF mode only
- No flame retardant free covers available
- $549.99
- 4-40 lbs. RF, 22-65 lbs. FF | 43″ or less RF, 49″ or less FF
- Rotation: 360°
- Lockoff
- Belt tensioner
- Anti-rebound bar
- FAA-approved
- Flame retardant free covers
- $399.99
- 4-50 lbs. RF, 22-65 lbs. FF, 40-120 lbs. BPB | 17-48″ RF, 28-49″ FF, 44-57″ BPB
- Rotation: 360°
- No lockoff
- Belt tensioner
- Anti-rebound bar
- FAA-approved
- Flame retardant free covers available in Green & Gentle version
- Gold version has lifetime warranty and SensorSafe child monitoring technology
- $429.99
- 4-50 lbs. RF, 22-65 lbs. FF | 17-48″ RF, 28-49″ FF
- Rotation: 360°
- No lockoff
- Belt tensioner
- Anti-rebound bar
- FAA-approved
- Flame retardant free covers available in Green & Gentle version
- Gold version has lifetime warranty and SensorSafe child monitoring technology
- $379.99
- 5-40 lbs. RF, 30-40 lbs. FF | 43″ or less
- Rotation: 360°
- Lockoff
- Belt tensioner
- Anti-rebound bar
- Not FAA-approved
- Flame retardant free covers
- $650
Combination (Harness-to-Booster) Carseats
For age 2 through grade school
- 25-65 lbs. FF, 40-120 lbs. BPB | 34-49″ FF, 44-63″ BPB
- Lockoff
- Belt tensioner
- Not narrow
- Heavy
- Flame retardant free covers available
- $229.99
- 25-65 lbs. FF, 40-100 lbs. BPB | 54″ or less FF, 38-57″ BPB
- Lockoff
- No belt tensioner
- Narrow
- Medium weight
- Flame retardant free covers available in ClearTex models
- $219.99
- 22-50 lbs. FF, 40-110 lbs. BPB | 28-50″ FF, 44-57″ BPB
- No lockoff
- No belt tensioner
- Narrow
- Lightweight
- No flame retardant free covers available
- $114.99
- 22-65 lbs. FF, 40-100 lbs. Highback BPB, 40-100 Backless BPB | Up to 49″ FF, 43-57″ Highback BPB, 43-57″ Backless BPB
- Lockoff
- Belt tensioner
- Not narrow
- Medium weight
- No flame retardant free covers available
- $249.99
Highback Belt-Positioning Boosters
For age 4+ years old through grade school
- 40-120 lbs. Highback, 48-120 lbs. Backless | 44-63″ Highback, 46-63″ Backless
- Shoulder belt guide: 23″
- LATCH connectors: Yes, flexible push-on
- IIHS Rank: Best Bet
- Medium width
- Tesla friendly? No
- $109.99
- 40-100 lbs. | Up to 57″ | At least 4 years old
- Shoulder belt guide: 20″
- LATCH connectors: Yes, flexible hook-on
- IIHS Rank: Best Bet
- Narrow width
- Tesla friendly? Yes
- $89.99
- 40-120 lbs. | 38-60″ and at least 4 years old Highback, at least 5 years old Backless
- Shoulder belt guide: 21″
- LATCH connectors: Yes, rigid LATCH
- IIHS Rank: Best Bet
- Narrow at the base
- Tesla friendly? Yes
- $250
- 40-120 lbs. | Up to 63″
- Shoulder belt guide: 22″
- LATCH connectors: Yes, rigid LATCH
- IIHS Rank: Check Fit
- Narrow at the base
- Tesla friendly? Yes
- $299.99
Backless Belt-Positioning Boosters
For age 7 years old through grade school
- 40-110 lbs. | 38-57″ and at least 4 years old
- LATCH connectors: Yes, flexible push-on
- IIHS Rank: Best Bet
- Narrow width: inside armrests
- Travel friendly? No
- $59.99
- 50-120 lbs.
- LATCH connectors: Yes, flexible hook-on
- IIHS Rank: Best Bet
- Narrow width
- Travel friendly? Yes
- $40.97
- 40-100 lbs.
- LATCH connectors: Yes, flexible hook-on
- IIHS Rank: Best Bet
- Narrow width
- Travel friendly? Yes
- Tesla friendly? Yes
- $19.98
Recommended Accessories
Accessories, such as vehicle seat protectors, should only be used with the same brand of carseat, if specified. For instance, use a Clek vehicle seat protector with a Clek carseat. Some manufacturers, such as Graco, don’t specify a particular brand to use with their products.
Britax One4Life ClickTight Anti-Rebound Bar $64.99
Britax Poplar/Poplar S Anti-Rebound Bar $39.99
Clek mat-thingy $39.99
Clek q-tether $19.99
The Noggle starting at $49.99 (Get 10% Off—Referral link)