When shopping for a rear-facing car seat, today’s busy parents are likely to seek out a model that clicks onto its base quickly and accurately every time, and one that can be counted on to keep a baby safe, secure, and comfortable.
The Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat fits the bill nicely, as it’s equipped with a spring-loaded leveling foot for proper and easy installation, as well as two built-in bubble levels that let you know the seat is attached properly to the base.
The simple-to-use LATCH tightener and included newborn positioner are great for keeping your little one secure, and a multi-position handle makes it a cinch to carry your baby to and from the car and to transfer this car seat to a compatible stroller. In all, the KeyFit 30 is packed with innovative features for safety, convenience, and portability.
Overview of Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat
You can feel confident you have installed the Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat securely every time, due to a spring-loaded leveling foot that positions the base at the proper angle when you set it down on your car’s backseat. What’s more, this base’s built-in bubble levels with arrow indicators will help you ensure it’s set up at a proper and safe angle. A securely installed base is easily achievable with the force-multiplying SuperCinch LATCH tightener: Just pull upwards on the belt to ensure a tight, proper fit.
The Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat is designed for infants between four and 30 pounds in weight, and up to 30 inches in height. The five-point harness can be adjusted quickly with the easy-pull mechanism. The carrier attaches to the base with a single click, and it’s easy to remove when you’re ready to take it out from the base. Speaking of which, it’s compatible with select Chicco strollers, which are sold separately, so you can enjoy a convenient, complete travel system to get around with your bundle of joy for the first several months of his or her life. A two-position handle makes it a breeze to carry the seat with your child in it, whether you’re placing it in a compatible stroller or heading to or from the car.
The Chicco KeyFit 30 comes with removable head and body supports to help keep newborns and small infants positioned properly and comfortably. It also comes with an adjustable, removable canopy to help keep the sun out, and energy-absorbing foam helps provide reliable impact protection. While it’s equipped with premium LATCH connectors, it can also be installed with your vehicle’s seat belt using its clear routing system that makes quick work of tightening the belt and locking it into place.
Safety of Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat
The Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat is rated by the NHTSA to meet federal safety and crash performance standards. Here’s how it has been graded by the NHTSA for things like usefulness of instructions and ease of use:
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Video Overview of Chicco KeyFit 30
Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat Specs
FEATURE | DESCRIPTION |
---|---|
Child weight | 4 - 30 pounds |
Child standing height | 30 inches or less |
Child seated height | 19.5 inches or less |
Car seat weight | 17 pounds |
Car seat dimensions | 17” wide by 27.5” inches high by 24” deep |
Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat Features
FEATURE | DESCRIPTION |
---|---|
Safety features | |
Longevity | |
Ease of Use | |
Comfort and Convenience | A two-position handle makes it easy to carry the Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat to and from your car, and to place it onto a compatible stroller. Removable head and body support components make it comfortable for newborns weighing as little as four pounds. The included removable canopy can be adjusted, as needed, to keep your little one shaded from the sun. The Chicco KeyFit 30 can be used as part of a travel system when you purchase a compatible stroller made by the manufacturer. The fabric of the Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat can be removed and hand-washed with mild soap and water. Alternately, you can launder it in the washing machine in cold water, on a delicate cycle with a mild detergent. The fabric is meant to be line-dried. |
Ease of Installation |
Who is the Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat suitable for?
The Chicco KeyFit 30 is designed for babies between four and 30 pounds, also with a standing height of up to 30 inches and a seated height of up to 19.5 inches. It’s well suited for parents who are looking for a car seat that’s lightweight and easy to carry to and from the car, and that is easy to attach securely to the included base.
What is included with the Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat?
The Chicco KeyFit 30 comes with a removable positioner for keeping newborns and small infants snug and comfortable. Along with the seat/carrier, you’ll receive the base that’s required to install the seat in your vehicle.
Sold separately from the manufacturer are strollers that are compatible with the Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat, which makes it easy to transfer your little one from the car to a stroller. This can really come in handy when you want to take your little one on walks or errands during his or her first several months of life. Upgraded models are available that include cozy covers with zippers, as well as a breathable mesh backrest.
Pros and Cons of the Chicco KeyFit 30
Pros
Cons
Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat Installation
A tutorial installation video is available below.
Chicco KeyFit 30 Manual
The owner's manual can be found here:
Chicco KeyFit 30 vs. Britax B-Safe 35
The Chicco KeyFit 30 and the comparable Britax B-Safe 35 are both rear-facing seats that have similar height and weight limits (although those are slightly higher for the B-Safe 35). Both feature level indicators to let you know whether the seat is positioned at the correct angle. Both receive high marks for safety and are equipped with seat belt lock-offs for a secure, tight installation.
Of the two, however, the KeyFit 30 is priced a bit higher, so the B-Safe 35 might be a better option for those on a tight budget. The carrier of the B-Safe 35 is also slightly easier to attach to the base.
The Baby Cubby's Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat Review
Conclusion
The Chicco KeyFit 30 is the #1-rated infant car seat in America and for good reason. Its stellar crash test results and budget friendly price are a combination that sets this safety seat apart from its competitors. Easy to install and use, the KeyFit30 is lightweight, making it a perfect for extended time in the car. Consumer Reports rates it as one of the best seats overall because of its balance of ease of use, vehicle fit, and crash protection.
Despite its value and safety ratings, this seat is heavier and difficult to install without the base. The fabric is not as soft as other Chicco seats and may irritate bare skin on some infants.
Chicco KeyFit 30 (click image for more info)
Like the GoFit, Chicco has not supplied any illustration are pictures of proper child restraint and all instructions are in text. A head hugger or body pillow blocks the harness slots from being visible, causing problems for some.
On the plus side, this seat has a Recline Angle Indicator, premium lower anchor connectors, the uperCinch LATCH tightener, and ReclineSure leveling. Since safety is the reason for having an infant seat, the KeyFit 30 is first in its class.
Growing up I was a carefree male going about life like there was no tomorrow. Naturally, I ‘grew’ up, settled down and started a family.
Going from an independent carefree male to a family man was somewhat of a U-turn and required a lot of learning. Luckily for me, my wife works in education and has always been the shining light always ahead of me on all factors kids related.
Initially, my wife didn’t have a driving license (luckily this has now changed and it does make life easier), and all things car related were my task. Child locks were the obvious starting point which lead me down a rabbit hole.
So far we have personally tested dozens of convertible car seats and have owned five despite neither of our kids having reached the age of 5! Simply put, a car seat can be great on paper, work great on trying out but can fail on you in real life.
This is why I have put together this website – to help inform and educate you!
Of course, as I mentioned above, at the end of the day your experience will be the best test so I’d love to hear your experiences and feedback in the comments.
To contact me personally, please do so through my contact page.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Peter
P.S. If you click a link on my site and end up buying a car seat on Amazon, I’ll get paid a small commission (or as the Amazon lawyers put it: “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases”)
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