Best/Safest Car Seat

[Mezger]

we're looking to buy a car seat for our 8 month old, criteria from SWMBO is;

Rear Facing (safer apparently)
Ability to recline - more comfortable for the little chap
0-4 years old
Swivel - if possible, to make it easy to put them in
Safest seat possible

Any recommendations welcome, Thanks!

[2fast748]

I have a Cybex Sirona that fulfils all of your criteria but be warned, they aren't cheap.

[irish boy]

Have to laugh at mothers occasionally, the wife's friend gave her a lecture because I bought a seat that was on offer in mothercare which apparently, despite good reviews and a 5 star rating, isn't as good/safe as some expensive maxi cosy one she has. Think of the baby etc etc.



Meanwhile her one is in a '98 fiesta. Trying to explain to the wife that the difference in 2 differing 5 star seats will be negligible in comparison to the difference in crash protection between a 1998 fiesta and a 2014 focus is an interesting conversation.

[Gareth79]

irish boy said:

Trying to explain to the wife that the difference in 2 differing 5 star seats will be negligible in comparison to the difference in crash protection between a 1998 fiesta and a 2014 focus is an interesting conversation.

Show her the crash test videos on YouTube? Preferable one with internal videos of the occupants.

[Jonboy_t]

They all have to pass British Standards safety tests. Just because one is £50 instead of £500 doesn't mean little Timmy is going to die a horrible death if Doris bumps her Jazz into the back of you at the lights. If buying a more expensive one makes you sleep better at night, then that's absolutely fine, but they are all tested to the same (very stringent) standard.

FWIW, I have a three year old and got one from Kiddicare for (I think) £80. I wouldn't go rear facing at that age because they'll be chewing on all sorts, eventually food, and I wasn't comfortable not being able to see and reach him in the back if something bigger than his windpipe got swallowed.

[K50 DEL]

Pher Boobles is the chappie who tests child seats for the EU ratings system, gave me a tonne of really helpful advice when I was in the same situation as you a fair few years ago.

[Crumpet]

The Britax Dualfix does all that - we have one and it's fine. A bit cheaper than the Cybex Sirona (think we paid £260) but very much on a par.

It's a child car seat so I can't get massively exited about it but it does the job and both of our children have been comfortable in it - that's the important bit!

[loafer123]

Mezger said:

we're looking to buy a car seat for our 8 month old, criteria from SWMBO is;

Rear Facing (safer apparently)
Ability to recline - more comfortable for the little chap
0-4 years old
Swivel - if possible, to make it easy to put them in
Safest seat possible

Any recommendations welcome, Thanks!

Good luck getting a three year old to face backwards.

[timmymagic73]

Axkid Minikid. We've got one and it's great, our 2 and a bit year old (in the 98% for height) has still got plenty of room and can climb in herself now too. Went straight from a Cabriofix to this one.

It's fitted in the centre rear seat with one tether on each front seat. No restriction on front leg room this way, although it only works if you've got one child of course...

<Edit to add - no swivel, but we looked at those and decided it wasn't really worth it for us>

[wiggy001]

Just ordered a Britax Kidfix XP SICT for our 4 year old who has outgrown the previous maxi-cosi. Your kid is at more risk if you don't do the straps up properly (a common issue) than if they are in a £50 Mothercare seat. That said we went for the Britax as my research said it was better than others so I sleep better at night. It's £50 off at Mothercare at the moment (Mothercare has a sale on) but doesn't meet any of your criteria (typical PH!).

I wouldn't get a rear facing seat for a toddler for the obvious reasons.

Don't order from Kiddicare though. I ordered this seat from them 3 weeks ago, then got an email saying they have no idea when it will be dispatched. They don't have a phone number you can call so cancelling and getting a refund takes a while.

[JuniorD]

From my children's personal experiences, a £45 job from Smyths toy shop will be fine, though will not not meet OP's rear facing criterion.

[Hard-Drive]

Jonboy_t said:

They all have to pass British Standards safety tests. Just because one is £50 instead of £500 doesn't mean little Timmy is going to die a horrible death if Doris bumps her Jazz into the back of you at the lights. If buying a more expensive one makes you sleep better at night, then that's absolutely fine, but they are all tested to the same (very stringent) standard.

^This. We have a Joie, which was pricey and all very comfy which tends to stay in the Mrs' car, or get swapped for long trips. I have a £35 Halfords special in both my Defender and my everyday BMW...saves swapping the seats over all the time. There is zero difference in crash protection apparently and for short trips is absolutely fine. TBH, he's forward facing now anyway and seems to be in a more comfy position in the Halfords...he tends to slouch in the Joie.

(...awaits the "can't believe you still take your child out in a Defender" brigade...whatever...)

[57Ford]

Used the one that came with the Joie travel system for the first 6 months, then used a Maxi-cosy with Isofix. Upgraded again when she grew out of it and wanted a swivel but for £350, decided against it. Bought a Joie with i-base isofix for each car from Halfords at £200 each.
BTW, gov.co.uk seems to say it's mandatory for them to be rear facing until 15months.

[Huntsman]

2fast748 said:

I have a Cybex Sirona that fulfils all of your criteria but be warned, they aren't cheap.

We've got one. Its brilliant, so easy to get the monkey in and out, great safety rating.

[a]

Huntsman said:

2fast748 said:

I have a Cybex Sirona that fulfils all of your criteria but be warned, they aren't cheap.

We've got one. Its brilliant, so easy to get the monkey in and out, great safety rating.

Same here. Our only issue is the baby's feet can get caught in the foot plate when you recline the seat, so we have to hold his feet as we recline the seat. Other than that - it's been great.

If you're getting one - be aware that the newer "M2" i-size version is different. We tried one in Mothercare and felt it was too upright for a younger baby.

[a]

Mezger said:

Rear Facing (safer apparently)

Doesn't take much googling to confirm this fact.

It's been a while since I looked, but from memory a crash in a cheap rear-facing seat is about 8 times less likely to result in injury than a crash in the top rated front-facing seat.

[C0ffin D0dger]

loafer123 said:

Good luck getting a three year old to face backwards.

Yep.

Personally we've got a Kiddy one similar to one these which at the time was very highly rated by Which etc. and prior to rear facing becoming more prevalent https://www.kiddyuk.com/car-seats/Guardianfix-3

Great seat as it's good from 9 months all the way up to whenever they don't need a seat anymore (~12) making it good value despite the initial cost.

[Manners2001]

I've just had the pleasure of investing in the new Recaro Zero.1 for my littleun due in August. According to the saleswoman (she was actually fairly unbiased and wasn't just pushing this one) it complies with the latest European standards, has the right amount of recline so the baby's head doesn't slump forward and also supposed to be good until 3 or 4 years old.

It rotates (which is properly handy!), isofix, rear face (but later forward face when older) and looks well built. £400 though and no cash discount as they are brand new. Not seen any reviews for them in UK press yet. Obviously not used as yet so cannot give you any feedback.

Anyway, nuff Mumsnet waffle!

[Sheepshanks]

loafer123 said:

Good luck getting a three year old to face backwards.

I'm not sure at what point it dawns on them to object but our very strong-minded and rather large 2.5yr old granddaughter sits backwards next to her forward facing cousin without any complaints.

She's in a Recaro Zero 1 which we were instructed to buy (daughter has one too). We did both have Nuna Rebl but took the opportunity to swap after it failed the ADAC test. It might have been modified now though.

I will say that you wouldn't want to be routinely moving these seats from car to car - they're pretty big, heavy and somewhat fiddly to remove and refit.

[fizz47]

Sheepshanks said:

I'm not sure at what point it dawns on them to object but our very strong-minded and rather large 2.5yr old granddaughter sits backwards next to her forward facing cousin without any complaints.

She's in a Recaro Zero 1 which we were instructed to buy (daughter has one too). We did both have Nuna Rebl but took the opportunity to swap after it failed the ADAC test. It might have been modified now though.

I will say that you wouldn't want to be routinely moving these seats from car to car - they're pretty big, heavy and somewhat fiddly to remove and refit.

How are you finding the recaro? Does it swivel for easy access?

K