Graco is a household name when it comes to baby safety – from car seats to play pens.
Meeting and exceeding the highest U.S. safety standards, families all across the U.S. and around the world rely on Graco Baby car seats to help their little ones get around safely.
Many car seats on the market have varying features, so if you’re unsure which is best for your little one, your budget, and your car, we’re here to help.
Below we’ve listed a range of the best Graco car seats to inform your decision before you buy.
What’s the best Graco car seat?
Baby car seats are not one-size-fits-all.
Kids use car seats until around ten years old, and a lot of growing and changing happens in those years.
So, children need different car seats based on age and size.
Fortunately, Graco offers a range of car seat options to suit any child, including:
- Graco Infant car seats (rear-facing position)
- Harness seats (forward-facing position)
- Graco Booster car seats (forward-facing position)
- Convertible car seats (adjustable modes)
Top-rated Graco car seats
Below we’ve shared some details and special features about the following top-rated Graco car seats:
- Graco 4Ever DLX 4-in-1
- Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Infant Car Seat
- Graco TriRide 3-in-1 Car Seat
- Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat
- Graco Atlas 65 2-in-1 Harness Booster Car Seat
1. Graco 4EVER DLX 4-in-1 Car Seat
The Graco 4EVER DLX 4-in-1 car seat is one of the most versatile and durable car seats on the market.
This convertible car seat serves your little passenger from birth when they need a rear-facing seat through to the forward-facing stage, then converts into a booster seat until your child is ready for the seat belt only. That’s around ten years of use for one car seat!
As per Graco’s world-class safety, this high-quality car seat protects rear-facing infants and toddlers from all crash types – frontal, side, rear, and even rollover.
Four modes of use in 1 versatile car seat:
- Rear-facing harness
- Forward-facing harness
- High-back booster
- Backless booster
Special features:
- Easy belt installation with integrated belt lock-off system
- Removable seat cover without having to remove the seat for easy cleaning
- 10-position adjustable headrest
- Six-position recline for optimum comfort
2. Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Infant Car Seat
The Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Infant Car Seat is a budget-friendly car seat for infants from 4-35lb. This seat is designed for a rear-facing position, so it’s not as versatile as the previous DLX 4-in-1.
Comfort is one of the major selling points for this Graco infant car seat. Removable and adjustable head and body support help keep your infant as comfortable as possible on short and long journeys. Thick padding ensures even more baby comfort.
In addition to being one of the more comfortable car seats available for infants, it boasts excellent safety.
Like all Graco car seats, the SnugRide SnugLock 35 is rigorously crash tested and meets U.S. safety standards.
Special features:
- Lightweight for easy carrying
- 4-position recline
- Easy to use, front-adjust, 5-point harness
- Rotating canopy for sun protection
- Expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam for effective impact protection
- Click Connect™ technology allows you to attach the seat to Graco® Click Connect™ strollers
3. Graco TriRide 3-in-1 Car Seat
The Graco® TriRide™ 3-in-1 Car Seat is a convertible seat with three modes of use you can use it for your infant as a rear-facing seat, your toddler as a forward-facing seat, and for your older child as a high-back booster.
TriRide 3-in-1 combines safety and comfort to reassure you that your little one is safe and happy.
You can adjust the seat to your little one’s needs and preferences with the No-Rethread Simply Safe Adjust™ Harness System. Seat height and headrest position are adjustable with one easy motion.
The TriRide is also LATCH-equipped, which means aunts and uncles, grandparents, and other relatives who may not use the seat often can install it with ease.
Cup holders on each side of the seat mean your little traveler can enjoy their favorite drinks and snacks without making a mess. The seat pad is easy to remove and wash if they make a mess anyway!
For even more comfort, the seat comes with removable head and body supports to keep your little one as comfortable as possible (these are incredibly useful on longer journeys!)
Special features:
- Three rear-facing seat recline positions, two forward-facing seat recline positions, and one booster seat recline position
- Graco® ProtectPlus Engineered™ for protection in frontal, rear, side, and rollover crashes.
- Harness storage compartment
- Level indicator for easy seat installation and adjustment
- Belt guides for safe positioning of the belt
- Durable steel-reinforced frame
- Up to ten years of effective use
- LATCH-equipped for ease of use
- Expanded polystyrene foam to reduce the effect of impact
- Meets U.S. and European safety standards
4. Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat
Graco’s Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat is a durable, customizable seat that grows with your little one.
Extend2Fit has an extendable panel with four different positions, adding an extra five inches of legroom in the rear-facing position. That means your little one can continue to ride in the rear-facing position for longer.
Rear-facing position is the safest position to travel in, so the longer your child can ride this way, the better (until they reach max height and weight).
Special features:
- No-Rethread Simply Safe Adjust Harness System
- InRight LATCH-equipped for quick attachment and with an audible click
- Graco® ProtectPlus Engineered™
- Ten headrest height positions for safety and comfort
- 6-position easy-to-use recline
- Durable (steel reinforced frame for up to ten years of effective use)
- Easy-to-clean cup holders
- Removable plush head and body inserts
- Rigorously crash-tested
5. Graco Tranzitions 3-in-1 Harness Booster
Graco Tranzitions 3-in-1 Harness Booster is a safe, lightweight car seat, perfect for use in multiple vehicles.
It’s designed to grow with your little one, starting from the front-facing position as a harness booster seat and transitioning to a high-back booster and then a backless booster for older kids.
Parents report complicated adjustment settings as a primary issue about car seats.
With the Tranzitions 3-in-1, adjustment is easy. The harness and headrest can adjust to eight different height positions, allowing your young passenger to enjoy optimum comfort and each age.
Like other high-quality Graco car seats, this seat features two durable cup holders and removable, machine-washable covers.
- Perfect for long-term use (front-facing to backless booster)
- Protect Plus Engineered
- Rigorously crash tested
- Budget-friendly
6. Graco Atlas 65 2-in-1 Harness Booster Car Seat
The Graco Atlas 65 is one of the best car seat options for kids over three years old.
Full rear, front, side, and rollover protection as per Graco’s world-class safety standards means you can rest assured knowing your youngster is safe and sound in the back.
What makes the Atlas 65 such an intelligent purchase is that it will last from first use until your kid reaches the age and weight when they don’t need it anymore.
The first mode on the Atlas 65 offers adequate safety and protection for kids up to 65 pounds. Once they reach that weight, you can transition into the second mode – high-back booster mode.
The weight limit is 100 pounds, serving the average 10-year-old’s car safety needs.
Installation is easy, the frame is incredibly durable, and the padding around the head and torso offers a skillfully designed combination of comfort and protection.
- Easy to remove and wash fabric in case of sickness or mess
- Perfect for parents with kids aged 3+ who want to transition them to a front-facing position
- 5-position one-hand adjustable headrest
- Comfortable and machine-washable covers
7. SlimFit® 3-in-1 Car Seat
Car seats can be bulky, so you may be limited in space if you have more than one child in the car.
Graco’s SlimFit 3-in-1 is a convertible car seat that fits your space limits. It’s a budget-friendly option, and since it’s convertible (3 modes of use), it will last for as long as your little one needs it.
- Three modes of use
- Four recline positions
- 10-position headrest
- Up to ten years of effective use
- Rotate-away cup holder to save more space
- Durable, steel-reinforced frame
Why use a car seat?
Car seats are vital for children’s safety.
Even the shortest, most familiar journeys require that kids are safely buckled up.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports:
- Using a car seat reduces the risk of injury in crashes for children by 71-82%, compared to only using a regular seat belt
- Using a booster seat reduces injury risk in children by 45% compared to seat belts only
Car seat recommendation for children
How do you know which car seat is the best for your child?
Guidelines regarding a child’s weight, size, and age help parents figure out which car seat type and position is most suitable and safe for their young passenger.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
1. Rear-facing
From birth to 12 months, children should only ever use car seats in the rear-facing position. Convertible car seats are appropriate for this age but must be used according to age and weight-related safety requirements (rear-facing position).
Children can continue to ride in the rear-facing position until around three years of age.
Ideally, your child will ride in the rear-facing position for as long as possible. This is the safest mode of car seat use for young children.
So, keep your child in the rear-facing seat until they reach the maximum height/weight limit outlined by the manufacturer for that specific seat.
2. Forward-facing
Once your child reaches the height/weight limit for the rear-facing seat, they are ready to transition to the forward-facing position.
Again, children should remain in this car seat until they reach the height/weight limit outlined.
Children typically use forward-facing harness sets between 4 and 7 years old.
3. Booster
Once your child has outgrown the height/weight limit for the forward-facing harness, they’re ready for the booster seat.
Remember that even though they’re older and ready for the booster, booster seats must remain in the back of the car, not the front seat.
After the booster stage, your child can ride with just the seat belt.
Ensure the belt sits comfortably across the shoulder and crosses the lap. The back of the car is still the safest place for a child to ride.
What makes a good car seat?
What features should you look for in a car seat, and how do you choose among the many options available?
While car seat needs vary depending on your little one’s height and weight as well as your budget and the size of your car, some common factors that make for an effective, safe, and lasting car seat include:
1. Safety
Needless to say, safety is the number one feature a car seat should boast.
Graco car seats still meet and exceed U.S. and European safety standards, making some of the safest car seats in the world.
The main things to look for in terms of safety are at least a 5-point harness system and protection from impact on all sides.
2. Comfort & Adjustability
Comfort is closely linked to safety when it comes to car seats.
A poorly positioned headrest or not enough leg room is not just uncomfortable; they can be dangerous in the case of impact.
Comfort-optimized car seats feature adjustable headrests, sufficient leg room, and thick padding.
Kids grow fast, so you want to ensure the seat is adjustable to your child’s needs. That means adjustable headrests, shoulder straps, and crotch straps.
3. Versatility
Graco offers a range of convertible car seat models to suit kids at any stage of their development.
The convertible models are just as durable, and safety tested as other models, lasting up to ten years of effective use.
4. Easy installation
Easy installation is vital for any car seat. You want to ensure the seat is installed per safety guidelines and not loose or improperly latched.
Easy installation is critical if the seat will be used in multiple cars.
Conclusion
Convertible car seats are typically more expensive than single-mode seats but will last for the average ten years that your little one needs.
While lacking in versatility, single-mode car seats offer more comfort with thick padding.
Families worldwide rely on Graco to provide rigorously tested, safe, durable, and comfortable car seats for their little ones, so any Graco car seat you choose is a worthwhile investment.