Car Seat Brand Showdown: Britax Vs Chicco Comparison

The 13-month-old baby girl was sound asleep in the back… then the unthinkable happened…

Accidents happen.

Take a look at your insurance premium, and you know why it’s so high. In most cases, somebody else is at fault.

No matter what, our precious little ones have to be safe. By getting the best car seat, you will have peace of mind.

The accident I’ve mentioned above was a real test to one of these car seats. Stick with me in a bit, and you’ll know the details. Also, I will share with you how well that car seat performed.

Look:

There are so many car seats on the market. Most parents spend weeks or even months trying to find the perfect one. You have probably shortlisted the Chicco and the Britax. These are all good brands to choose from.

This is the reason why I’ve created this Britax and Chicco comparison to help you make the final decision.

At the moment I don’t know what kind of car seat you’re looking for. So I’ve compared four of them. By reading through the micro-reviews, you will find the right one for you.

This is how I’ve categorized this comparison article. First, I compare infant carriers head to head, and then comes the convertible car seats. These are followed by a harness, booster seats, and finally, the all in one.

No matter the age of the little one, I have you covered. Let’s get this Chicco and Britax faceoff started.

Britax vs Chicco Infant Car Seat

First off, we will compare the best infant carriers that these brands can offer. These carriers are not just car seats. They can be attached to strollers so you will have a fully functional travel system. Out from the car into the stroller, and you’re ready to go.

From Camp Britax, we have the B-Safe 35, and from the Chicco camp, we have the Keyfit 30.

Britax B-Safe 35  vs Chicco Keyfit 30

Direct Comparison Chicco vs Britax Infant Car Seat

Britax B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat Short Review

Some friends of ours shared this story. After they bought their newborn son from the hospital, he didn’t want to sleep. Sleep-deprived, and at the end of their rope as a last ditched effort, they put it in this infant carrier, and the father hit the road. In a matter of minutes, their little one was asleep.

They have found a way to put their little one down. For the next six weeks, the father was going around the block for 15 minutes or so, and then they got a good night’s rest.

Britax is synonymous with safety. If you get this baby carrier, you can rest assured that your little one will be safe. These infant carriers are quite similar. The B-safe has a steel frame that provides extra protection. It also adds to the weight if you have a C-section. Don’t try to lift it because it’s heavy.

The Britax B-Safe is superior to the Keyfit because it has a higher weight and height limit. This means that you’re getting more mileage for the money. Your baby will be comfortable.

The installation is quite easy. You can get it mounted with or without the base. Using the latch system will make the install faster and easier. The installation is a bit slower than the Chicco. With this Britax, you have to pull on two straps. It’s a good idea to push down with your knee to get it snug.

The fabric can be easily removed, and the only form of washing is with the hands only.

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat Short Review

The Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat is one of the most popular infant carriers you can get. Plus, it’s one of the highest-rated car seats on Consumer Reports. Besides offering the best safety around, it is super comfortable. I’ve seen this time and time again with cranky babies.

They were screaming their lungs out, and when they got into this carrier, they stopped the crying. They relaxed and eventually have fallen asleep. This is my way of measuring the level of comfort that an infant car seat can provide.

This Keyfit has a shortcoming compared to the B-Safe. The maximum weight limit is set to 30 pounds and the maximum height to 30”. You will be getting less mileage out of this car seat. This depends heavily on how fast is your little one is growing.

The Keyfit makes up ground in the next categories. The main reason why I like it is because of the installation. With the B-Safe Infant Car Seat, you have to fiddle around with two adjustment straps. The Keyfit Infant Car Seat has only one. It makes the base installation easier and faster. Also, it’s the easiest base to get it tight.

With infants, you will undoubtedly have issues with milk spills and diaper blowouts. Since it machines washable, it means less hassle for you.

The Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat is not just a car seat but a carrier as well. If you have a stroller, you can easily attach it. Click it out from the car and click it on the stroller, and you’re ready to go.

Which infant car seat is better?

This is a tough call. They are way too similar. Plus, the price is the same.

If you want to get the most mileage out of the infant seat, then the winner is the Britax B-Safe 35.

Britax vs Chicco Convertible Car Seat

In this category, I will be comparing convertible car seats. These usually come with two functions. They can be mounted in rear-facing or front-facing mode. Here’s a hot tip for you. Keep your little one in the rear-facing mode as long as possible. In some countries, the norm is two years, and in others, it’s four. Rear-facing gives the most protection possible for your little one.

From Camp Britax, we have the Marathon, and from the Chicco camp, we have the Nextfit.

Britax Marathon vs Chicco Nextfit

Direct Comparison Chicco vs Britax Convertible Car Seat

Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat Short Review

This accident happened with some friends of mine.

They were heading home from a long road trip. Their 13-month little girl was asleep in the back. They were almost home when it happened.

The father couldn’t see the large puddle after the turn. The car has hydroplaned off the road. They hit a tree. That’s not the most accurate description. Their SUV was wrapped around a tree.

The impact force was huge. The glass shattered. The airbags exploded. There was nothing to do. They hoped that all the safety features would keep them from harm. The parents suffered a few cuts and bruises. Then they checked on their baby daughter.

She was fine. A guardian angel was riding with them. She was unharmed. She was scared and crying, and she wasn’t injured.

I’ve seen their total SUV. It was a miracle that they got out alive.

All the safety devices worked flawlessly with the Britax Marathon. I do not doubt that in any crash, this will keep your little one safe from harm.

The main difference between the NextFit is that it caters to newborns as well. The lower weight limit is set to 5 pounds. This is good if you want to get the most mileage out of the seat. You might bump into problems if you use it with newborns and infants. This car seat is heavy, so during the winter, you either haul the whole seat from the house to the car, or carry the baby under a warm coat.

As you can see, this option has both pros and cons.

The installation is easy. You pop open the car seat and use either the seat belt or the latch system. You fix everything in place and close the seat. It’s done.

Chicco Nextfit Convertible Car Seat Short Review

This had happened with my brother when he parked his car and popped out to shop. His little son was in the back playing.

Not even a minute passed by when there was a loud crash. An inattentive driver crashed into my brother’s car. He heard the crash and dropped everything running to his car.

The collision came from the driver’s side. On the same side where his son was sitting. He wasted no time and ripped the door open. Then he saw his son. He was playing with his stuffed animals as if nothing has happened. He started crying when he saw his dad’s worried face.

The Chicco Nextfit did an outstanding job in a side impact. My nephew was safe and sound.

The Nexfit caters to small toddlers and upward. The upper limits are the same, which is 65 pounds or 49”.

The installation is so easy. I prefer the latch system. You connect them, and you pull #1 up, and you pull #2 down, and you’re done.

There’s a bit of a difference between the two car seats. As you have seen in the table, the Nextfit has a bit more recline options than the Marathon. And it loses ground because it has fewer headrest adjustments. So, all in all, they are equal.

Both car seats cater to toddlers, so a cup holder is nice. The Nextfit has a flexible one that can be mounted on either side. The Marathon doesn’t have one, but if you have to, you can buy a clip-on.

Which convertible car seat is better?

It’s close. Both have been tested in a real crash, and the little ones were safe and sound. Price-wise they are in the same category.

My vote goes for Britax Marathon because it gives you more mileage and a no strength required install.

Britax vs Chicco Harness and Booster Car Seat

In this category, I’m comparing the “big kid” car seats. After a certain age, kids want to be bigger. There’s nothing more joyful than seeing your child climb into their big kid seat. These car seats have two modes to choose from. They are front-facing only, and you can choose from harness or booster mode.

This will be the last car seat you will ever buy.

From Camp Britax, we have the Grow with You, and from the Chicco camp, we have the MyFit.

Chicco MyFit vs Britax Grow with You

Direct Comparison Chicco vs Britax Harness and Booster Car Seat

Chicco MyFit Harness and Booster Car Seat Short Review

Quick he’s not breathing! Get to the hospital…

This wasn’t the first time it has happened. My friends have a child who has breathing difficulties. The slightest thing blocking his air pathways can send him to the ER. This time it was because of the car seat.

Certain car seats don’t offer good enough head support, so the child’s head slumps. In most cases, it’s not a big deal. Most kids don’t even notice it. But if you have breathing problems, then you will end up in the hospital. After a lot of trial and error plus hospital visits, they chose the Chicco Myfit.

Ever since they have this car seat, they have peace of mind. Their driving got a lot safer since they are not constantly checking up on their child, and they can focus on the road.

This Chicco seems to be the underdog in this comparison. It only has two layers of side protection, while the Britax has three. The upper limit is set to 100 pounds or 57”. With the Grow with You, it’s a lot higher.

Having multiple options to recline the car seat is a lifesaver. This is why the family chose the Chicco because it offers four options. Now they can travel without worries.

The installation is straight forward. If you opt for the latch system, then you click those in and pull up #1 and pull down #2 and you’re set. By choosing the seat belt, you will be removing the back cover so you can guide the belt through. It takes a bit of time, and it’s still easy.

Britax Grow with You Harness and Booster Car Seat Short Review

This is the ultimate “big kid” seat. Best of all, this will be the last car seat you will ever buy. From 25 pounds up to 120, it will serve your kids. That’s a lot of mileage. This car seat has the harness mode and the booster mode as well. Rear-facing is the safest way for your child to travel. After this, the harness mode is second best.

Professionals often recommend that kids should be kept in harness mode as long as possible. This mode offers the most protection for them. The Britax Grow with you car seat has been recently released. There aren’t many reviews about it. Since it’s Britax, you can rest assured that it’s safe. It has three layers of side protection. It trumps Chicco by one.

In booster mode, it gives more mileage than the Chicco. It offers 20 more pounds and six more inches. All in all, this car seat will serve your child until they get their driver’s license. It’s built like a tank, and it has a 9-year expiration date. In the long run, this is the perfect money saver. Kids will love it because it looks cool.

Not to mention it looks like a miniature Nascar car seat. Since these car seats cater to older kids, they come with two cup holders installed. We’re talking about kids, so there’s no question that they will spill something or make a mess. No problem, both car seats are easily removable and machine washable.

Which Harness and Booster Car Seat is better?

The winner is Britax Grow with You because it offers more versatility and has an extra protection layer.

Britax All in One Car Seat vs Chicco All in One Car Seat

In this category, I will analyze the most complex car seats. They have all the functions that the car seats had above, and they are packed into one seat. These car seats are lifers. They will be good from infancy. You can take them home from the hospital up until they get their driver’s license.

From Camp Britax, we have the One4Life, and from the Chicco camp, we have the Chicco Fit4.

Britax One4Life vs Chicco Fit4

Direct Comparison Chicco All in One Seat vs Britax All in One Seat

Britax One4Life All in One Car Seat Short Review

At first glimpse, it looks like a small child convertible car seat. It gives a lot more than that. From 5 pounds to 100 pounds, this car seat will serve you for the years to come. Britax was always about safety, and it delivers with this car seat as well.

Nothing says safety to me than a steel frame. While the Chicco Fit4 only has a steel-reinforced frame, the Britax is made out of it. It has its SafeCell tech, which absorbs impact energy, so it doesn’t travel up into your child’s body.

This all in one solution has three modes of using the rear and front/harness mode and booster mode. The upper height level is set to 63,” which is 6” more than the Chicco Fit4. The One4Life comes with two cup holders, which is perfect. One can be used for drinks and the second one for toys.

Ever since Britax came up with the ClickTight installation, life got a lot easier. All their latest car seats come with this tech. The idea is that you pop the seat up and run the belt through there. Once that’s done, you press down the seat, and you’re ready to go. The latch system is super easy to use.

Best of all, for the ultimate comfort, the headrest has 15 positions to choose from. There’s no manually rethreading the harness ever. Some car seats in this day and age still practice that.

Check out the Britax car seat reviews post.

Chicco Fit4 All in One Car Seat Short Review

The Chicco Fit4 is one of the latest car seats that Chicco has put on the market. If you didn’t know, they are slowly phasing out the Pinnacle, Pioneer, and Marathon car seats. There were no explanations given why. I love the look and feel of this car seat. It looks like a big kid seat from the get-goes.

What’s perfect about is that it caters to newborns of just 4 pounds and up two 100 pounds. You will be able to bring your child home from the hospital. And it will serve you until your young adult gets their driver’s license.

The frame isn’t made out of solid metal, but they have reinforced it with that. The Britax takes the upper hand because it offers three layers of side protection. The rest is pretty much the same. The install is a bit different. If you go with the latch system to make it tight, you pull up #1 and pull down #2. You won’t have to do any difficult acrobatic stunts just to get it tight. Actually, you barely need any force at all.

As for the seat belt install, you will have to remove the backrest. After that, you guide the belt through, and you’re done.

The Fit4 comes with two built in cup holders. This is ideal for younger kids because you can keep a drink in one and toys in the second one.

All in One Car Seat seat is better?

The winner is the Britax Grow with You. It has more safety features and more options to choose from when it comes to the headrest.

Car Seat Buyer’s Guide

I’ve compiled a small guide for you to choose your perfect car seat.

Before you even start looking, figure out how you will use it. For some, all in one car seat is the best solution. For others, the different stage car seats are the best fit. Both options have pros and cons.

If you choose to go with the infant carrier, then once the base is installed, the rest will be easy. You will be able to easily move the carrier in and out of the car. During winter months, your baby will be snug and warm.

The drawback of buying a different car seat at every stage is money. If you add up the price of getting 3 or 4 car seats, it easily doubles if not triples the all in one car seat solution. The second problem would be that you have to learn a new installation technique.

The all in one car seats are not stroller compatible, and they don’t fit in most shopping carts. Many parents tend to multitask. While the baby is sleeping, they handle chores and go shopping. It’s easy when you don’t have to haul a huge car seat around once this is figuring out on to the next step.

The next thing you have to decide is where you will install the car seat. The safest place is in the middle that offers the most protection. Now I understand that for some, that’s not possible. So here’s my second tip. The second safest place is right behind the driver.

I’ve recently found a statistic showing that in the US, 75% of car seats are incorrectly installed. If that’s the case, then it won’t be able to do the job properly. Here’s a good rule of thumb to follow. The wiggle room should less than an inch. When you have strapped your little one in, do the pinch test. You shouldn’t be able to pinch the strap if you can, you need to tighten it further.

When in doubt, ask for a second opinion.

Usually, police stations and fire stations can help you with this. Also, you can ask a licensed professional.

There are so many things to think of and eliminated that it’s no wonder that for some parents, find the right car seat takes weeks if not months.

Here’s my system on how I look at car seats.

I’m reviewing a bunch, so I had my system in place.

First and foremost, I look at safety. What kind of features does the potential car seats have? Some use a steel frame; others use steel reinforcing while others use hard plastic.

Let me tell you a secret. All car seats on the market are safe. If there were any issues, the recall would be immediate. If a car seat passes the government standards, then it’s ready to be sold.

Typically most car seats offer front and rear protection. Well, those are the most frequent accidents. When it comes to side-impact or T-bone accidents, the rules change. You probably know that our body wasn’t designed to take damage from the side. So when you’re checking out a car seat, make sure that there’s some kind of side protection (SIP).

The truly professional car seats offer even rollover protection. These are the deadliest crashes. And I know people who were in them and thanks to the car seat their little one wasn’t hurt.

The next item on my list is the size limit. This is my way of saving money without compromising on safety. We usually plan, so we buy for a higher price now and save money in the long run. All car seats have the limits posted. The more you can use it, the more money you can save.

After this, I check the installation. No wonder that 75% of car seats are incorrectly installed. Some brands make it so difficult to get it tight. Besides warming up, you have to press in the car seat so hard as if you would be saying, “This is Sparta.”

On the other hand, there are brands where the install is a breeze. For example, there’s the Britax with Clicktight. You make three clicks, and you’re set. No force needed what so ever.

The last thing I check is usually the fabric. How easy is it to remove? Or how easy is it to wash it? Kids are messy and tend to spill things. So if you didn’t get a dark-colored car seat, you would have to wash it frequently. There are three washing options hand wash, machine wash, and spot clean.

Spot cleaning is the worst because you can’t remove the fabric. Try to spot clean vomit.

This was my short guide on how to get the perfect car seat.

Conclusions

You have reached the end of the comparison article. I’ve chosen the best Britax and Chicco car seats to go head to head. Britax was the winner in all instances. I will be creating more comparison guides. Stay tuned.

I love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts below.

Catch you next time!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Is Chicco or Britax better?

Britax is better than Chicco. The thing is Britax has a lot more car seats to choose from. Even though there are so many they outdo the Chicco.

Is Britax a good brand?

Britax is a great brand. They use top of the line materials and theirs are the safest one. And their best car seat is the Britax Advocate.

Which car seat is better Graco or Chicco?

Between Graco and Chicco, Graco is better. They have made numerous car seats that won awards. Chicco, on the other hand, has the coolest looking car seats on the whole market.

Britax vs Chicco which one has the best infant car seats?

It’s not easy to pick the infant car seat but after looking through all of them the Britax b-series is a winner. The infant car seats from the Chicco Keyfit 30 are good. Of course the Chicco Keyfit 30 has multiple versions just like the Britax car seat carrier. Both the Chicco keyfit 30 and the b-safe come with an infant insert. If you have a smaller baby the infant insert is a must this is why infant car seats include them. Another important factor when choosing infant car seats is easy installation.

What are the safety inserts?

Safety inserts are regular newborn inserts and you will get it with your baby car seat.

Britax infant car seats vs Chicco infant car seats what is the weight range?

The weight range for Chicco is 4 to 30 pounds while the Britax has 4 to 35 pounds.

Chicco vs Britax which one creates the perfect travel system?

The term travel system means that you’re not limited to the car. Thanks to a travel system you can be mobile in less than a minute. To create your travel system you will need a stroller. For example with the chicco keyfit 30 the chicco bravo is compatible to create a travel system. These are ideal for road trips. Baby car seats are ideal for this.

Britax convertible car seats vs Chicco convertible car seats which one makes the best?

The Britax Marathon won this one even though the car seat chicco kidfit was close on its heel.

Britax booster seat vs Chicco booster seat which one has the best safety features?

Now a car accident can happen at any time. This is why you need to get the safest car seat. The main thing you need protection from is side impact collision. The 5 point security harness does a great job with that. The safety belts will keep your child in place no matter what. The harness straps are padded so there will be no injuries from that.

What other features do Britax and Chicco car seats have?

Well, there’s a range of color choices to choose from. The seat cover is removable and washable. The seat pad is comfy and cushy. The recline positions are sufficient for no more floppy heads. The car seat base is typically heavy and that’s a good thing. They are easy to install. There are dual level indicators for the best positioning.

Which car seat brand is better Britax or Graco?

For most people, the better choice is Britax.

Last Updated on October 25, 2023 by Brian Beasley