And it doesn’t have any parts that flare out to compete for space with neighboring car seats or riders. And, as previously detailed, the Extend2Fit Convertible wasn’t as easy to clean as our other picks. The fact graco car seat that the cover is machine-washable helps on that front, and it’s unlikely that the lingering peanut butter stains we failed to vanquish would’ve been visible had our seat cover been black rather than light gray.
The headrest has 14 different positions and the seat itself is soft and cushy, with two layers of padding that seem extremely comfortable for our kids. The two layers of side protection can help you feel assured that your baby is safe inside. The cover is also made without any flame-retardant chemicals, graco turbobooster which many worry can be toxic. The buckle is easy to use, and our tester had no problem adjusting things as needed. While we didn’t find the setup of this car seat to be quite as intuitive as some others, it was easy enough to figure out after watching some instructional videos online.
A. graco turboboosters have cornered the market on mid-priced convertible car seats that include extra safety and convenience features that are typically hallmarks of pricier options. Some models will last until your child graduates from a booster seat, between the ages of 10 and 12, eliminating the need to buy multiple car and booster seats. For a durable, budget-friendly option, this Graco seat is a great pick.
We have not used the Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 as a booster seat but are confident that the familiarity of the seat and ease of use will make it the best choice for our family. You’ll see a lot of car seat accessories available for purchase, but Moriarty strongly advises against using anything that didn’t come with the car seat you bought. “Sometimes other equipment, such as padding, can affect how securely the child fits into the seat,” she says. Remember that items around the seat, like mirrors or toys, can become projectiles in a crash. So, parents of little littles, unless you plan to rear-face your child until they reach 40+ pounds (which may be when they are 5, 6 or even 7) then this is not the best seat for you.
There were a few standout features that landed this Graco seat on our favorites list. One was obviously the rotating feature, which allows you to swivel the seat to face the door so you can conveniently get your baby or toddler in and out of the seat. It’s especially useful with smaller babies in rear-facing mode, and to use it, you just have to push one of the buttons on the side of the seat.
The fabric is soft and has a wipeable texture that makes it easy to clean, and after a month of use, the seat looked almost the same as the day we installed it. Basic models priced between $100 and $150 are safe and functional but lack some desirable engineering features. Higher-end models priced between $150 and $300 include valuable features like advanced crash testing, additional configurations that extend the life of the car seat, and extra leg room.
However, some children may be old enough to safely forward face before they reach 45 pounds, so they may make use of the anchors. To switch the anchors, the manual says to pull the cover aside and slide the lower anchor strap along to the forward facing belt path. It might be easier to simply use the lower anchors rear facing, but when switching to forward facing, just use the seat belt. The forward facing belt path is more open than the rear facing one, so seat belt installation is easier in the forward facing position.
So, one or two crash tests completed by another organization just can’t give the same level of information! One or two crash tests aren’t going to represent the overall average performance of any car seat across its lifespan. An easy to install, compact, tall, 50 pound rear facing seat for under $200. It really puts it into the area of an astonishing seat for a moderate price. Dual cupholders, always a fan favorite, the easy to adjust harness, the Fuss Free pockets, and the rather revolutionary extender have really made this a spectacular seat.
We’ve used the Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 for a little more than two years with our oldest child. When he was ready to transition out of an infant car seat, we wanted something that would grow with him. We first used it when he was 12 months old in the rear-facing position with the five-point harness.
As they do with infant car seats, most kids will probably hit a convertible seat’s height limit before they hit its weight limit. A kid can no longer sit rear-facing when their head is less than an inch from the top of the seat’s shell height. The Poplar S also includes a rebound stability bar for use when rear-facing, which helps limit movement in a crash. The Poplar costs $300 and the Poplar S costs $350, the same price as our current runner-up pick, the Britax Boulevard ClickTight. Britax is phasing out the Boulevard ClickTight and Marathon ClickTight, though they are available to buy while supplies last.