Our top last-minute car seat deals

With hundreds of different models, types and variations on offer, finding the best car seat for your baby can often be one of the more challenging items on your shopping list, if one doesn't already come with your travel system.

There are a number of important factors to consider before making your purchase. The UK law states that car seats are mandatory for transporting babies in cars, according to GOV.UK and all children under 12 years old in the UK (or who are less than 135cm tall) also need a car seat that's compatible with your car.

Black Friday car seat deals

Although the big day may now be over, there are still plenty of car seat deals to scoop up for Black Friday, but you'll have to move fast! Here are some of our favourites and you can scroll down for our full list of best baby car seats.

• Save £60.99 on the celeb-favourite Doona+ Car Seat & Stroller
• The Maxi-Cosi 360 Family Bundle was £659.99, is now £594.99
• The Joie i-Spin 360 i-Size Baby to Toddler Car Seat is now £220.50
• Save £50 on the M&B award-winning Nuna Todl Next
• Make the Maxi-Cosi MIca Eco yours for £199.99
• Pick up the Cybex Pallas G i-size Car Seat for £159.95

Additionally, babies under the age of 15 months must be transported in rearward facing newborn car seats, as it offers safer protection of the spine and neck in a collision. It's also advised that newborn baby's should be in a lie flat car seat during their early months to aid their development.

From the car seats that are a part of travel systems to those that come with ISOFIX fastenings, it can be hard to know where to start when buying a baby car seat. Most parents want to know which is the safest and most comfortable for their baby and whether they should opt for a rear-facing car seat or a forward-facing car seat. You might also want to look at a rotating car seat, to make getting your little one in and out of the car a lot easier.

Editor's choice

• Best car seat overall: Nuna TODL next - Buy now from Mamas & Papas
• Best rear-facing car seat: Axkid Minikid - Buy now from Axkid
• Best car seat for newborns: Joie i-Snug 2 - Buy now from Joie

The type of car seat you need can also depend on a variety of other factors too. If you have more than one car, you might be looking to purchase two car seats, or a car seat that's easy to move between the two. If you're planning to move the car seat a lot or you don't actually drive and get taxis, then an ISOFIX car seat might not be as practical for your to use.

But to make things easier for you to decide, we've put together this guide to help you choose the best baby car seat so that you're fully prepared for that first trip home from the hospital with your newborn, with many of them able to be used as toddler car seats too.

UK Laws and car seat safety recommendations

There are many rules and regulations around the safe use of car seats here in the UK, so as new parents, it's vital you have the safety knowledge required.

The two-hour car seat rule: According to safety experts and manufacturers, two hours is the safest time a baby can be in a car seat per 24-hour period, unless in a lie flat position. This is because when baby is in a semi-upright position, it can restrict airflow and potentially strain your baby's developing spine.

Choosing a lie-flat seat: A car seat with a very upright seating position can lead to increased heart and breathing rates, and decreased oxygen saturation. So, to keep the airways open and give optimal support to your baby’s developing spine, neck and back, opt for a car seat with a lie-flat mode.

Dress baby correctly: You'll need to dress your baby in clothes that allow the straps to go between their legs and adjust the straps to allow for their clothes. For this reason, you'll want to avoid big coats and blankets as the straps won't be as secure. Instead, on cold days you may want to opt for a car seat blanket to pop over the straps.

Make sure your car seat is compatible with your car: Some car seats come with a manual on car compatibility. Not all car seats are suited to every model of car, for example, cars without ISOFIX are not compatible with ISOFIX only car seats. It's important to check this information before purchasing.

Safe installation: The retailer you purchase the car seat from should be able to advise you on installation. Most car seats come with tutorials on how to safely install them. In some shops, they might also be able to install it for you, but this is worth checking before purchasing.

Second hand car seats: Car safety expert Damon said: "Second-hand car seats are fine, providing you know the history, ensuring it hasn't been in an accident or suffered damage in another way, as you are trusting your child's life with the seat. So, if it's from a friend or relative, then this should be OK.

"What you need to check is the age of the seat, as most plastic shells have a shelf life of between five and 10 years. The seat will have a date of manufacture on it to help identify the age, check nothing is missing, and, if possible, obtain a set of the instructions to ensure your friend/relative has been fitting it correctly. For your own peace of mind, however, we would recommend opting for a new one with a warranty if possible."

How we test our car seats

Our Mother&Baby Awards are renowned in the industry for being one of the most highly respected product awards for baby and parenting products, and every year, we arrange for thousands of independent parent reviewers to test the latest products on the market.

The independent product reviews are based on their usability, design, quality and value for money. This allows us to receive qualitative feedback on each parents individual experience with the product, which our team of journalists review to decide our recommended products.

Our list of the best car seats have been tested by parents just like you – who have lived with these car seats, used them with travel systems, fitted them in cars and know how they suit them and their children. From all this work, our best car seat award winners are chosen and listed in our finalised and definitive list of the best baby car seats, one for each key category, along with the quotes we found to be most useful when choosing our selection.

Our editorial team is also constantly looking for new car seats to test so that we can help you find the best - be that a a more affordable product that we want to test for value for money or the latest car seat innovation.

How we tested the best car seats 2023

Every year, the Mother&Baby Awards puts the best new baby products on the market through their paces.

We have a huge panel of real mums who test car seats and other items, living with them for a month and then giving us their feedback.

Types of baby car seats

You'll most likely need to invest in more than one car seat as your child grows up. Alternatively, you could look into a complete multi-stage car seat, which will stretch from birth to 12 years old.

Rotating - these car seats are incredibly handy for getting babies in and out of a fixed seat. They're able to rotate 360 degrees, so you can turn your baby to face you as you get them in and out of the car and then turn them to rear-face, with the car seat locking into place.

Isofix - This is a system that allows you to fit a car seat into your car. An alternative to fitting the car seat using a seat belt, Isofix uses two small metal bars attached to the frame of your car to click the seat into place. Be mindful, however, that not all Isofix seats are approved for use in all Isofix cars, so always check if your Isofix child seat is approved for your vehicle. Many have a list on their website that shows which seats are approved for what cars.

i-Size - All the new baby car seats in the UK need to be i-Size (a European-wide car seat regulation, ECE R129) and should also have side-impact protection (SICT). They also need to use ISOFIX (an international standard for attachment points for baby car seats in passenger cars).

Car seat groups

There are a variety of different car seats groups, and it can be difficult to know what group your child falls into, so we've broken it down for you:

Rear facing car seats:

Group 0

This car seat is suitable for newborns to use from birth, up to 10kg, which is approximately from birth up to the age of six or nine months. These can include car seats that are lay flat designed.

Group 0+

Suitable from birth to 13kg (or 12 to 15 months). They usually combine with a buggy to form as part of car seat and pram travel system. You might also want to consider a lie-flat car seat for newborns for longer journeys.

By law, your baby must be in a rear-facing car seat until at least two years old and up to four years old. Babies have fragile necks, so in the event of a collision, your baby could be at risk of spinal cord damage if they are facing forward (the way you are driving).

Rear and forward facing car seats

Group 0+/1

Suitable to use from birth to 18kg, this type of baby car seat is usually a convertible car seat with rear-facing and forward-facing options. These are suitable for children up to the age of four.

Group 1

Often a rear-facing car seat that can be turned forward facing, this is suitable for nine month olds up to four years old (9 to 18kg).

Group 0+/1/2/3

Suitable from birth to 36kg. Also called a three-in-one or an all-in-one car seat, it will carry your child from birth to the booster-seat stage. It's designed to stay in the car permanently, so you won't be able to carry your child out in it if they fall asleep.

Forward facing car seats

Group 1/2

With a slightly higher age limit than Group 1, these seats are suitable from nine months up to six years, with a max weight of 25kg.

Group 2

A car seat that's ideal for four year olds up to six years old, the Group 2 stage is for 15 to 25kg.

Group 2/3

Often a high backed booster seat design, this group stage is suitable for a weight limit of 15 to 36kg.

Group 3

More suited to children who are aged five to six and exceed the weight limit of the previous other groups, these are often backless booster seats.

Choosing the right car seat for you

Does it fit your car? Not all child seats fit all cars. Things like seat shapes and seat belts can affect this. You need to choose a baby car seat that fits your car and also follows UK law requirements. The retailer you purchase the car seat from should be able to advise you on whether it properly fits in your car. You can also use online tools such as Britax Romer to find out which car seats fit your car.

Isofix - This is a system that allows you to fit a car seat into your car. An alternative to fitting the car seat using a seat belt, Isofix uses two small metal bars attached to the frame of your car to click the seat into place. Be mindful, however, that not all Isofix seats are approved for use in all Isofix cars, so always check if your Isofix child seat is approved for your vehicle. Many have a list on their website that shows which seats are approved for what cars.

i-Size - All the new baby car seats in the UK need to be i-Size (a European-wide car seat regulation, ECE R129) and should also have side-impact protection (SICT). They also need to use ISOFIX (an international standard for attachment points for baby car seats in passenger cars).

Does it meet safety standards? Check that the seat you are buying meets ECE R44.04 (or R44.03) or the new i-size standard (R129). Look for the E mark.

You can find out all about the requirements in this checklist on the official government website. To discern which car seat is best for your child, you'll need to know the weight, age and height of your baby, as these are the differentiating factors for each baby car seat model.

Best baby car seat FAQs:

Here are some of your most frequently asked baby car seat questions, answered by car seat safety expert Damon Marriott, who has over 18 years of experience in the nursery industry and specialises in child safety.

What age should children start forward facing?

Car seat safety expert Damon said: "You need to keep them rear-facing for as long as possible, and at such a young age, they won't be strong enough to face forwards yet. The minimum legal requirement at the moment is 9kg, around nine months, but this is changing to a minimum age of 15 months in a few years.

"This law reflects the huge benefit that rear-facing offers should the unexpected occur as facing backwards reduces the load on the child's neck due to the size/weight of the head in proportion to the body at a young age."

How to clean a car seat

**Damon said. "**When you consider the squashed biscuits, yoghurt and spilt juice (not to mention the occasional nappy disaster or sick toddler accident) that end up on your little one's car seat, it's perhaps no surprise that it can end up looking and smelling quite grubby.

"If your baby's car seat has seen better days, check to see if you can remove the cover for washing. Don't tumble dry it, as it could shrink the cover, making it difficult to put it back on.

"Sponging it down regularly with soapy water will help to remove stains and kill germs, but do this on days when you don't need to go anywhere as it may take a while to dry out. Alternatively, try sprinkling with bicarbonate of soda and then vacuuming the seat, as that helps to remove strong smells and stains."

It's also worth investing in a car seat organiser as this can help to keep your car somewhat tidier so that you know where everything is (which is particularly handy if you need a dummy or a bottle in a hurry to calm your crying little one.

How do I know when my child needs a bigger car seat?

Car seats that are apart of travel systems can be practical, but if your baby has outgrown their car seat either by height or weight, if their legs are hanging out, and they look uncomfortable, it's time to upgrade the car seat. Pro tip: make a note in your baby's growth chart to remind you that as soon as your baby reaches a certain weight, it's time for a new car seat.

Where in the car should my car seat be?

**Damon goes on to say: "**The front seat can be legally used providing the airbag is turned off, but I would always try to use the rear seats as it's less distracting and potentially further away from the most common point of impact should a collision occur. Attach toys in the rear onto the seat, or near so your child can reach them himself, rather than you."

Not all baby car seats fit in all cars. Before buying a car seat, you need to make sure that the baby car seat you choose is compatible with your car. Read the manual and head on over to YouTube; most car seat brands have their own video installation guide. If all else fails and you're still not sure, why not ask a professional to install a baby seat in your car? There are specialised technicians who can make sure everything is working perfectly, so your baby can be as safe as possible.

Damon Marriott said, "All child seats can be easily transferred from one car to another. For most, this takes around 30 seconds, so we would recommend using your usual safety seat, as familiarity in fitting is essential. If you use Isofix and a friend's car doesn't have this fixing, then there are many well-made and easy-to-fit seat belt seats that offer good value, like the Joie Stages that covers from birth to seven years for around 50p a month – great value without compromising the safety."

Whether you're pregnant or have already welcomed your new baby into the world, you know you need a lot of stuff. The Amazon Baby Wishlist is the best way to keep track of everything you need for your baby - and it's easy to set up.

Stephanie Anthony is the Deputy Editor of Mother&Baby with a particular interest in the medical side of pregnancy as well as mental health.

About the expert

Damon Marriott is a car seat safety expert and with an extensive history of working as head of development for a wide range of leading car seat brands, including Nuna and Joie.