If you’re a mother or mother-to-be, one of the most important things you need to purchase for your child is a car seat. They provide the protection children need when riding in a vehicle until they’re big enough to fit in regular seat belts. Car seats can be very expensive, and children’s car seat needs change as they get older. That’s why many parents prefer to buy an All-in-One car seat that they can change to fit their child’s needs. Here we’ll provide information on six different All-in-One car seats available – the best overall, the best budget option, the best for small cars, the best for travel, the easiest to install, and the best for kids who are tall.

Best Long-Term Car Seat- Graco 4ever All In One

You can use the Graco 4ever for your child for their first 10 years, or until they reach 120 pounds. Rear-facing, it supports children between 4 and 40 pounds. As a forward-facing car seat, it supports toddlers between 22 and 65 pounds. As a booster seat, it has a high-back belt mode that works for children who weigh between 30 and 100 pounds. You can also use it without a back for children weighing between 40 and 120 pounds.

What we Love:

• It installs easily.
• Converts between the different modes easily.
• It has a wide weight range
• You can use it in a rear-facing mode as long as possible.
• It has two removable cup holders.
• You can keep the harness the way it is in booster mode.
• You can use regular seatbelts easily.
• Proven crash safety record.
• The three-part cover can be easily removed and washed.

Downsides:

• The headrest rattles
• It’s very bulky, especially in rear-facing mode.
• The fabric doesn’t breathe well.
• Tightening the harness can be difficult.
• It’s not easy to remove the harness for cleaning.
• Visibility is slightly blocked at full height.

Best Budget All in One – Evenflo Tribute LX

Side-impact tests show that it meets or exceeds all federal safety standards, and Evenflo’s own side impact standards. The design helps maintain the structural integrity at energy levels approximately two times the Federal crash test standard. It also has several shoulder harness positions to provide a better fit as your child gets older. The shoulder harness can be used with babies as young as two years old.

Here’s a tip to get the best fit when it’s in a rear-facing position – make sure the child’s head is at least 1 inch below the top of the child restraint seat back. It also has an upfront harness adjustment, and buckle release system makes it easy and convenient to adjust.

What we love:

• It has both front and rear facing positions – this allows you to adjust as needed.
• Excellent impact protection.
• Maximum height limit goes up to 50 inches.
• It’s highly adjustable so it fits any child from infant through school age.
• The cushion is easy to wash.

Downsides:

• It’s not compatible with strollers – this means parents will have to buy a separate system for their stroller.
• There’s no carry handle – this car seat is meant to stay in the car most of the time.
• No canopy – Since it’s not compatible with strollers, there’s no canopy.

Best All in One for Compact Cars – Clek Fllo Convertible

If your car is small, the Clek Fllo is the best. It’s less than 17 inches and makes it easy to fit three across in a compact car. Don’t let its small size fool you though – it has many safety features, including a steel anti-rebound and wide side wings, foam layers that absorb energy, and a headrest that can be adapted to your baby’s needs. In rear-facing mode, it can accommodate a child who’s 25 to 43 inches and weighs between 14 and 50 pounds. In forward-facing mode, it fits children who are 30-49 inches and weigh from 22 to 65 pounds.

What we love:

• It’s narrow, so it’s ideal for situations when you need to fit three across.
• It can be installed using either the seatbelt or a LATCH system.
• The weight limit for the rear-facing position goes up to 50 pounds.
• The overall quality is exceptional for the price.
• It’s loaded with great safety features.
• The instruction is very detailed.

Downsides:

• The recline can’t be adjusted.
• The rebound bar is bulky.
• The harness has to be rethreaded when changing it.
• It’s not good for airline travel.
• Not included a cup holder.
• It’s made in Canada, but can only be used in the US.

Get Easy Installation with the Britax USA Marathon ClickTight

If you want to avoid professional installation, check out the Britax USA Marathon ClickTight. If you can buckle a seat belt, you can install it. You won’t ever have to worry about rethreading it. The harness has 14 different positions, and the buckle has two different positions. This allows your child to fit comfortably as they grow.

It also has seven different recline positions, so you can be sure your child will be comfortable and you’ll get the best installation angle. It’s also extremely safe – it has a steel frame, a layer of side impact protection, and a base that’s designed to absorb impact. In rear-facing mode, it accommodates children who weigh between 5 and 40 pounds and in the forward-facing mode, it accommodates children who weigh from 20-65 pounds.

What we love:

• The ClickTight Installation system makes it easy to install.
• The side impact protection and SafeCell feature protect the baby from injuries in a collision.
• Multiple recline positions ensure your baby is comfortable.

Downsides:

• It’s a bit expensive compared to other car seats with the same features.
• It doesn’t have a lot of extra features, like a cup holder.

Hit the Road in the Cosco Scenera NEXT

If you spend a lot of time traveling, the Cosco Scenera next is the best car seat you can buy! No matter how you travel, you can fit three car seats and still provide the protection your children need. Rear-facing mode accommodates children weighing between 5 and 40 pounds who are 19 to 40 inches tall. Front-facing mode accommodates children weighing between 22 and 40 pounds who are 29 to 43 inches long.

It has a 5-point harness with an easy front adjustment. It can be adjusted to 5 different heights, and the buckle has three different adjustments for different locations. It’s also certified for use on airplanes; it’s TSA friendly and designed for airport security. Furthermore, Cosco Scenera meets or exceeds Federal Safety Standards.

What we love:

• It’s loaded with a lot of features for a low price tag.
• The seat can be moved easily.
• The harness strap can be repositioned easily.

Downsides:

• It often needs a pool noodle in the rear-facing position to stay properly reclined.
• The harness straps may twist.
• It doesn’t have added impact protection.
• The belt paths may have sharp or rough edges. Parents will have to be very careful when they’re threading the belts.

Let Your Tall Child Ride in Comfort with the Evenflo SureRide DLX

If you have a tall child, the Evenflo SureRide DLX is perfect for them. In rear-facing mode, it accommodates children who weigh between 5 and 40 pounds and are 19 to 40 inches tall. In forward-facing mode, it fits children 22-65 pounds and 28 to 54 inches tall. Its 6 harness positions allow for more height adjustments than other convertible seats. This might allow your child to stay in the convertible seat longer, which is recommended.

Harness seats provide more protection than booster seats, so authorities recommend you keep them in harness seats as long as possible. It’s also lightweight, so it’s great for traveling. Moreover, the Evenflo SureRide meets or exceeds all safety standards, including side-impact protection – it provides twice the recommended protection!

What we love:

• It has a huge weight range and six harness positions.
• It’s lightweight and safe.
• The cover can be washed in the washing machine.

Downsides:

• It’s hard to install.
• The lack of padding makes it uncomfortable.
• There’s no carry handle.

These are the six best All-in-One car seats available. Car seats can be expensive, but there are also many budget-friendly options. When looking at car seats, ask yourself the following questions:

• How much am I willing to spend?
• Am I willing to pay someone to install it, or do I want to install it myself?
• Will I be traveling a lot?
• Is my car small enough to handle a small car seat?

Answering these questions will help you decide which All-in-One car seat would be best for your needs.

Hope you enjoyed reading this highly informative article brought to you by Car Seat Mom.