Little do you realise when you’re making your future offspring, that one of the first financial commitments you make is that you’ll be buying some form of child restraint to use in the car until they are age 12.
Once you get to the point of wanting to choose a car seat, there are of course some key things that you need to consider. Our guide to buying a car seat, gives you the quick lowdown on car seats with some tips to help your buying decision.
Do you have to use a car seat?
Yes. Following legislation passed in September 2006, until they are 4ft 5″ (135cm) or 12 years old, your child must travel in the appropriate car seat for their age, or you risk a fine.
Can I buy second hand?
We don’t recommend it as you have no real idea of what the history of the car seat is. It may seem perfect to the naked eye, but if it’s been involved in an impact, it could have invisible damage.
How do I know which one to buy?
Usage of many baby products are actually often determined by weight, so at each stage it’s important to be aware of what weight you need to change seat at, rather than being solely focused on age, as your child may have outgrown the seat before the expected age. The weight is related to the amount of protection the seat offers. You also have to double check the brand of car seat as weight allowances vary.
The first car seat you’ll buy is an infant carrier car seat which you’ll use from birth to roughly 29lbs. They’re always rear-facing car seats at this stage and what is likely to dictate which one you purchase is it’s ability to be used as part of a pushchair travel system.
It’s safe to say that the most popular on the market is the highly rated, award winning Maxi Cosi Cabriofix (left) which fits onto a number of heavyweight pushchair brands such as Bugaboo, Quinny, Micralite, Mutsy, and Maxi Cosi’s own.
Offering a side protection system, a stylish design in a fantastic array of colours and patterns, with plenty of padding, sun canopy, and easily installed, they can be fitted using the seatbelts, or go for correct installation every time with a Maxi-Cosi EasyFix base if your car has Isofix, or an Easybase if it doesn’t, both of which cost extra. 
Other brands include Britax, Mamas & Papas, and own brands like Mothercare.
If you like the idea of a lie-flat infant car seat that can also be used as a carrycot for a pram or moses basket, the Britax Baby-Safe Sleeper (right) is a rather cool buy, although it’s only suitable until 6 months/10kg. (see our previous post )
Another first option is to buy a combination car seat which normally lasts from around birth to 4 years, and are positioned rear facing for the first few months, and then forward facing thereafter.
An example of these are the highly rated Concord Ultimax (left) which has 4 recline positions or the Britax First Class Plus which has 5, with both using clever mechanisms for security.
The advantage of a combination car seat is that it’s certainly more cost effective than an infant carrier with a longer life. This cost effectiveness further increases when you take into account buying a base for installation. That said, infant carriers are increasingly chosen due to their flexibility because they can be used to create a travel system.
Your second car seat will be a forward facing car seat of some sort, that can be likely used from about 9 months to 4 years, unless of course you purchased the combination car seat.
Maxi Cosi, Concord, and Britax all have offerings as well as brands like Maclaren, Recaro, Nania, Mamas & Papas, Obaby, Chicco, Bebe Confort. Graco, and Mothercare. There is a likelihood that unless you have a negative experience with the first one you start out with, you’ll probably choose the same brand as what you started out with.
Prices vary, with RRP’s starting at around £70 although this excludes deals and you’re more likely to spend closer to the £100 mark with for instance, our favourite, the Maxi Cosi Cabrio Fix (RRP £110-£115) although there are always offers on, especially if you’ll go a little braver with colour.
Er, what does ISOFIX mean?
If you have a car that was manufactured after Feb 06, it should be ISOFIX compatible which means it has anchorage points built into the car that make fitting a child’s car seat simple and safe. If in doubt, check the model of your car against the manufacturer’s guide. If it is compatible, this means you can buy an Isofix base (choose one that’s compatible with your car seat). Keep in mind that it can add around £100 extra onto the cost, however with many injuries to babies in car accidents caused by ill fitted car seats, these do ensure you car seat is correctly fitted on every journey, giving you piece of mind.
We own an Easyfix base and it goes from red to green to indicate that it and the car seat have been fitted correctly.
Can I put an infant carrier in the passenger seat?
Better to put your baby in the backseat as airbags, which tend to be fitted in the passenger seat, can be lethal.
Any other suggestions?
Weigh up whether you will actually use the car seat on the pushchair. I used mine extensively as it was quick and handy for short journeys and also being picked up with the bambino and getting in someone else’s car.
Get it professionally fitted by the store you purchase from, if you can. Obviously this is for offline purchases and I know stores like Halfords and Mothercare offer fitting and checking services. Pay close attention and ask questions.
Online, one of the best places to purchase from is Kiddicare where price tends to include free delivery which is usually prompt. They also have deals on the regular.
Does Bambino Goodies have a preference?
For the contributors of BG and I, it’s the house of Maxi Cosi. Great quality, well designed, looks fantastic, part of our travel systems, and performs well on independent tests – it was Which? (the consumer guides) Best Buy in their child car seat reviews in August 2008 and has won a lorra, lorra awards from various baby magazines.
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