Car seats are a requirement if you have a small child. All children under the age of 12 (or under 4.4 ft tall) are required to use a car seat by law. The other problem is that children have growth spurts and there's a chance the car seat you buy them when they're young will last.
There are a number of car seats available to buy that will see them through their childhood. The only problem is, there are so many for sale that it can quickly become a minefield finding the right one for your child. We've had a look and found our top picks for safe and comfortable car seats to give you total peace of mind.
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Featuring a five-point safety harness and bright red cloth, this car seat does look somewhat
2. Joie Bold
www.halfords.com
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The Joie Bold car seat will see a child from 9 months old all the way up to the age of 12 thanks
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A very safe option if your child has an inherent ability to escape, this seat from Cosatto comes
www.mamasandpapas.com
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A very clever and easy to move child seat from Maxi-Cosi, it may only be designed for children up
5. Axkid One
axkid.com
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The Polestar{href='https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/polestar/1/' target='_blank'
www.uberkids.com
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What you need to know about toddler car seats:
What features should I look for in a good car seat?
With any child seat, your top concern should be safety. There are currently two safety-related aspects you should look for in any car seat:
Isofix - All modern cars (and most manufactured in the last 15 years) come with Isofix mounts for car seats. These are mounting points that tether the seat directly to the car's chassis that means you don't need to use seatbelts to hold the car seat in place. They make installing a car seat easier and are safer in the event of an accident.
i-size - This is an EU safety standard for child seats that seeks to make them safer all-round. i-seats include side-impact testing, increase the rearward-facing requirement to 15 months and factor in a child's weight rather than height for better protection. Don't consider buying a new car seat that does not comply with ECE R129 because it will not be up to scratch in the event of an accident.
What are the different groups of car seats and what do they mean?
There are different groups of car seats available depending on age:
Group 0+ - These seats are designed for newborns making them suitable to use up until the age of 15 months. These seats will be rearward facing to keep the babies necks safe in the event of a collision and often integrate into a buggy for easy travelling.
Group 0+/1 - The most popular car seat option, this type is designed for birth to 18kgs and are available in both rear-facing and forward-facing options.
Group 0+1/2/3 - The all-in-one option designed to last until the child advances to a booster seat, these are suitable from birth up to 36kg. These are usually permanently kept in your car, however.
How do I clean a car seat?
If you've spent more than a couple of minutes with a child you'll be aware that they can quickly make any area a mess. Whether it be food, dribble, drinks or something a bit messier (accidents happen) you'll be wanting something you can clean down with ease.
Most modern car seats have removable covers that can be placed in the washing machine or can easily be sponged down with some soapy water and a clean sponge.