When looking for a car seat, the features at the top of my must-have list are safety, comfort and ease of use. The Snugli All-In-One Car Seat stands out on all fronts and has the added benefits of accommodating my child through all her car seat/booster years while also looking great.
At first sight, I wished there were a larger version that I could personally try out. With plush memory foam padding, a generous headrest, and three levels of recline, this seat is very inviting. Apparently, my daughter had the same thought as I did and jumped right in to give it a try. By the look on her face, I’d have to guess that the seat did not disappoint. One hesitation with a seat so plush is that the seat could get incredibly warm in hot temperatures, but Snugli has addressed this by introducing Outlast technology, which uses a temperature-regulating fabric to keep the seat from every getting too hot or too cold. Really a great feature considering how much my daughter would sweat in her previous car seat, even in moderate San Francisco weather.
In terms of safety, the Snugli All-In-One meets federal safety standards and is certified for aircraft use. It even bears a small badge on the headrest that reassures you that it’s been side impact tested with three layers of foam that reduce crash forces by 50%. The seat also has several convenient features that will help ensure that you properly install your car seat and secure your child every time you use it. For example, the seat include SureLatch connectors that make engaging your car’s LATCH system a breeze. (Note that should your car not have LATCH, you can still install your seat using your seat belt and achieve a secure installation.) When in forward facing mode, you’ll also want to use the top anchor tether strap for added stability. To make your life easier here, Snugli’s TruTether Adjuster includes a green indicator that shows when the strap has been pulled tight enough and no slack remains. Any reassurance when securing a car seat is always welcome!
One of my favorite convenience features that adds to secure fit are the highly adjustable harness straps that can easily be tuned to your child’s height without any rethreading or removing of padding. Just hold onto the harness tabs from the front of the seat and pull up or down. By not having to rethread through designated slots, you also have far more options for adjusting perfectly to your child’s size. In terms of tightening and loosening straps with each seating, this is also a breeze as the harness release button is highly accessible, even in rear-facing mode. With other seats, I’ve found that once the foot of the seat is pressed up against my car’s backseat, it’s impossible to reach into to easily reach the release button. The headrest also slides up and down without much effort, making it simple to put it at the proper height for your growing child.
The seat can accommodate a newborn starting at 5 lbs and 19 inches and comes with an infant insert that provides a little one with extra padding and head support for a snug fit. It’s recommended that you keep the car seat in rear-facing mode for as long as possible, and the All-In-One is rated to hold your child in this position up until she reaches 40 lbs or 37 inches. After that you can turn the seat around to forward-facing mode, and when your child outgrows that stage, you can still get use out of this seat as a booster by pulling the harness straps out of the way and removing the crotch strap. Booster child will safely hold your child up to 110 pounds and 57 inches, so you really do get your money’s worth out of this investment since it will serve you well throughout the time your child will require a car seat or booster.
Finally, it’s worth noting that the colors and patterns on the Snugli All-In-One are sophisticated and gender-neutral, making for an attractive car seat that you’ll be pleased to show off in your car. The cover can also be unhooked and machine washed, making any car messes worry-free. With so much to offer, this car seat really is an excellent choice. In recap, here’s the quick rundown of pros and cons:
PROS:
• Outlast technology keeps seat from ever getting too hot or too cold
• Memory foam and a generous head rest provide for a plush, comfortable ride while also adding safety
• Harness straps can be easily adjusted from the front, eliminating any need to remove the seat to get to the back of the seat, unhooking padding or rethreading
• EZ Off seat pad unhooks easily from the frame and can be machine washed and tumble dried.
• Easy-to-reach harness release button, even in rear-facing mode, so easy to loosen and tighten harness straps to ensure proper fit with every sitting
• Easy-adjust headrest with a lever just at the back of the headrest
• SureLatch connectors to easily and securely attach to your car’s LATCH system
• TruTether Adjuster with a Tightness Indicator that displays green when the top anchor tether strap has been tightened appropriately
• Accommodates your child throughout her car seat/booster years from rear-facing to front-facing and finally to booster mode
• Great, neutral colors and mature patterns that adults will enjoy
CONS:
• The tradeoff for a plush, comfortable seat is that it does take up more space, which could potentially pose an issue if you’re constrained on space
• My daughter’s head flops forward a bit in forward-facing mode, though she still tends to sleep well through car rides
The Snugli All-In-One Car Seat retails for $329.99. Learn more about it and where you can purchase one at www.snugli.com.