The 4 Best Booster Car Seats of 2024 Reviews by Wirecutter

Both the high-back and backless modes fit kids between 40 and 120 pounds and 38 to 63 inches; this seat better accommodates heavier and taller kids than our other picks. At this point, her primary mode of transportation is a harnessed car seat so every time we review a booster, it’s a little more booster training for her. She’s getting more skilled at buckling herself in properly but this slow process speaks to the difference in when children might be ready to make the move from a harnessed car seat to a booster seat. The TurboBooster LX can be installed with or without the lower anchors.

Children utilize the seats in real life, and we record their opinions and feelings as part of the test process, giving us insight into comfort and ease of use without adult help. We combine all test results, including analysis of the crash tests, to rank the competitors and give awards. The Chicco KidFit Zip Air Plus 2-in-1 is the best seat for most families. It offers great crash test analysis results for a price that is below average for the group.

The lap belt fit across the tops of her thighs and the shoulder belt lays across the midpoint of her shoulder. In addition, the deep headwings and supportive sidewings were great reminders to stay in place. The seat belt geometry in my new-to-me vehicle, a 2011 Mini Countryman, is kind of unique.

We do think this booster seat’s price is reasonable, considering the quality. But you don’t need to pay this much to get a safe booster seat that works well. With that said, there are potential advantages to getting a booster with LATCH. The BubbleBum inflatable booster seat is a longtime favorite carpooling option. When inflated, the BubbleBum is a smidge bigger than the RightGuide. It is a basic plastic booster with a thicker cover that looks like padding but isn’t.

Ordered this last week because my older kid is almost at the max of her convertible car seat and her younger sister is almost at the max for her infant car seat. Figured it was time to train her in a high back booster and if she passes the test, give her sister the bigger car seat. The Chicco GoFit Plus backless booster is the best of all the backless-only boosters we tested, thanks to a winning combination of essential features and thoughtful touches. Our top-pick high-back booster, Chicco’s KidFit ClearTex Plus, does convert to a backless version that’s very similar to the GoFit Plus.

graco turbobooster

The TurboBooster LX requires a few more minutes of setup out of the box than the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus. The armrests, cupholder, and seat pads need to be attached, and it takes a moment to connect the top and bottom half of the seat. Unlike the previous version of the seat, the TurboBooster LX does not, we repeat, does NOT require screws in the armrest. This innovation alone makes this incarnation of the seat a victory. No, you can keep a child on your lap for up to 24 months during flights.

They are easy to remove and easy to reinstall with elongated elastic. The seat itself fits snug into the crevice of the seat back and when the children get to an age where they don’t need the back at all, it is totally graco car seat detachable. It is possible to alter the height of the arm rests also so as your kid gets bigger, you can adjust the seat. For not much money you gain real peace of mind and absolute safety for your precious ones.