This was followed closely by the Chicco KidFit Zip Air Plus 2-in-1, Chicco KidFit, and the BubbleBum. All of these options offer features that are easy for parents and kids to use and installation methods that are straightforward. The hardest-to-use boosters are the Clek Oobr, Evenflo Maestro Sport 2-in-1, and the Safety 1st Grand 2-in-1.
I cannot find any videos showing how to remove the back support from the base. The manual instruct to recline the seat back (on select models). I am not able to recline the back as pictured in the manual. I feel that it would break if i tried to force the back to recline a full 180 degrees. I’ll illustrate that smallness by comparing it to Graco’s other carpool booster seats. The RightGuide is small enough and flat enough to fit into the pocket of my vehicle seat.
The FAA label specifically prohibits using it on airplanes. The sticker is located on the bottom of the base of the seat. He loves this seat and his CPST mom is thrilled with the way it fits him.
You will simply need to place the car seat booster into the position in the car you would like your child to sit. If you are using the high back, you just need to thread the seat belt through the hold in the top of the back of the seat.Child’s ComfortThis car seat positions a child perfectly to be comfortable in a regular car seat belt. You can find one that your child will enjoy, or one that matches the interior of your car.DurabilityWe have had 2 of these seats for over 2 years, and they are both still graco car seat in great condition! They have traveled by airplane, too (checked in with the luggage), and they are still in excellent condition with no wear whatsoever. In high-back mode, the KitFit ClearTex Plus has a narrow, space-saving frame, at 17 inches across at the base and 19 inches at the widest part of the backrest; this should allow for fitting three seats across in many vehicles. The narrow frame also allows kids to easily access the seat-belt buckle, which can be tougher with wider booster seats.
The seat and the child are still held in place by the vehicle seat belt — on a booster, the lower anchors only keep the booster in place if it’s empty during a crash. If this booster isn’t installed with the lower anchors, buckle the vehicle seat belt when the seat is empty. If your goal is an excellent option for little ones to carry themselves or something compact you can use while traveling, then the BubbleBum is our favorite. This simple booster is an inflatable cushion with a shoulder belt positioner that can be quickly and easily deployed in almost any situation. The lower price and better crash test analysis results than the TurboBooster make it a great option for when a high-backed traditional booster would be impractical.
As the name implies, a booster raises a child up so that the car’s seat belt can be positioned properly. These seats are for school-age kids who are generally at least around 40 pounds and 40 inches tall, as well as for those who are ready—both physically and developmentally—to graduate from a five-point harness seat. While safety seats are not the gear categories where you should sacrifice potential safety for a lower price, there are budget-friendly boosters with impressive performances across metrics that most families can afford. The Chicco KidFit Zip Air Plus 2-in-1 is a great value booster with one of the best crash test scores in the group. While it isn’t the cheapest, if you can stretch your budget or might use it for multiple children, this booster offers a lot for a below-average price. Often, with sales, it is even less expensive than our best buy option, the Diono Cambria 2.
Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). In a sea of similar models, this seat stands out for its superior LATCH and other convenient features. I was able to assemble it without too much trouble — the biggest trick was pushing the little button on the side of the headrest to ease it down into the back portion of the seat.
And as with our top pick, the seat belt slides into the threader from the bottom up (though one tester found Chicco’s version to be more intuitive). The TurboBooster LX has a standard stationary plastic cupholder on one side, and on the other there’s a cupholder that slides in and out of the seat base. These cupholders cannot be removed for cleaning (as the Chicco’s cupholders can).