Car Seat Showdown: Chicco Keyfit 30 Vs Graco Snugride 35 Comparison

Infant carrier showdown who comes out on top?

Protection and comfort are the names of the game. Nobody wants to drive with a screaming baby because the seat is uncomfortable.

I’ve been there and done that. It wasn’t pleasant.

Look:

You have probably been searching, which is the best car seat for your little one. Or maybe it’s just on its way. By reading this comparison article, you will know which will be the best fit for you.

Here’s the bird’s eye view of the Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat. It’s one of the highest-rated car seats in Consumer Reports. Plus, it’s super comfy for the baby.

Here’s the bird’s eye view of the Graco Snugride Click Connect 35 Car Seat. It’s one of the passed all the safety tests with flying colors. Plus, friends of ours got into a T-bone accident, and this baby carrier protected their little one.

Direct Comparison Chicco Keyfit 30 Vs Graco Snugride Click Connect 35 Car Seat

Breaking it down

Most car seats and baby carriers have all the bells and whistles. Especially with these two are hard to distinguish one from the other. Here’s my way of showing you what’s important.

The core features that you must check out before buying are the safety protection, what are the limits. After this, you have to know how easy or hard is the installation process. And finally, you need to know everything about the fabric.

This is the way I’ve prioritized this comparison article. Last but not least, I will share with you the small features that might direct you to the right choice.

Let’s get this Chicco Keyfit 30 Vs Graco Snugride 35 comparison started. Just one more thing.

I have something special for you in the end. I have compiled a quick pros/cons list. The things I’ve found are quite interesting, to say the least.

Safety

This is where the road meets the rubber. Nobody wants to get second grade car seats. Here’s the good news all the car seats in this post have passed all the safety tests.

Now there are brands that go the extra mile when it comes to safety. I highly advise parents to take that into consideration.

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat

The Keyfit 30 is one of the highest-rated car seats on Consumer Reports. Even though it doesn’t have a steel frame, it can keep your little one safe. The 5-point harness is the most secure one of them all. Plus, it has front and rear impact protection. To my knowledge, they have done side impact protection tests as well.

The carrier is covered with ESP energy-absorbing foam. When an impact occurs, there’s a lot of energy that needs to be dissipated. This is where the foam comes in. It absorbs it so your little one won’t have to.

Graco Snugride Click Connect 35 Car Seat

The Snugride has similar properties as the Keyfit. It comes with a 5-point harness that will keep your baby safe no matter what. And it has ESP energy-absorbing foam. They look the same for me.

Not long ago, some friends of ours have gotten into a horrible accident. They got T-boned at an intersection. Their little one was in the car with them. The car got hit on the driver’s side. That’s where their son was sitting at the moment. To make the long story short, the parents got severe whiplash.

The little boy was safe and sound. He didn’t have a scratch on him.

Winner

Size Limits

These car seats don’t come cheap. Worst of all kids tend to outgrow them fast. All the money that you invest into child safety and you have to get the next upgrade in a short time.

Here’s my secret on saving money on this car seats without sacrificing safety. The key is to plan ahead. If you get a combination car seat you will be able to use it for a longer period thus saving you money in the long run.

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat

This baby carrier is for babies. Since the minimum weight is set for 4 pounds, you will be able to take your little one home from the hospital. The upper limit is set to 30 pounds. This is perfect because rear-facing is the safest way to ride in the car.

Also, the seat has to be changed when the upper weight limit or the height is reached (30”).

The weight of this car seat is very important. The Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat without the base is around 9 pounds. That’s some weight you have to haul around plus your baby. It will keep you in shape.

Graco Snugride Click Connect 35 Car Seat

The Snugride is a bit better than the Keyfit in this department. The limits are 4 pounds up to 35 pounds. So from birth to 2, maybe even two and a half years this car seat can serve you well.

In some European countries, the rear-facing mode is mandatory until 4 years old. Maybe this one will save you some money in the long run.

The Graco Snugride Infant Car Seat weighs 7.5 pounds without the harness. This is quite an OK weight. You can run errands with ease. Since it’s light, you can easily carry it wherever you’re going.

Winner

Installation

I will be upfront with you. There’s no easy way to install these seats. There are a few brands that try extremely hard to make it effortless.

The best thing to do is always check the manual and watch some installation videos. Also with a bit of practice you can get it done faster and faster.

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat

This is where the Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat truly shines. It’s so simple that you can’t get it wrong. To install the base, all you have to do is unload the spring-loaded leveler and position it on the seat until the bubble shows it’s perfect.

After that, you connect the two latches and pull the strap tight. You’re done. After that, all you have to do is to attach the carrier. This job doesn’t take more than a few minutes.

Graco Snugride Click Connect 35 Car Seat

The Graco works a bit differently. You can use both the seatbelt and the latch system to get a tight installation. It’s a good idea to push down with your knees to get it as tight as possible. Once the straps are snug, you pull down the lever. When you hear the click sound, it’s secure.

Now, this takes some time and practice to get it done. Plus, the base has only 4 recline options.

You might get it right, or you have to keep on trying.

Winner

Fabric/Material

We all know how infants are. They tend to have accidents. Not to mention the spills. This is why you need a stain resistant material.

Did you ever experience a diaper blowout? It’s not a fun thing to clean up from all the nooks and crannies of these seats. I highly suggest to stick with those infant seats that have an easy to use cover plus they are machine washable. Let’s see how these two fare.

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat

Many reviewers tend to miss this part. Yet this is super important. Kids have accidents, and you need to know how hard it is to clean fabric.

With the Keyfit Infant Car Seat, the material can be easily removed, and it’s washing machine friendly. So no matter the spill, it will be clean in no time.

Graco Snugride 35 Car Seat

The material behaves similarly. You can easily remove it from the seat. There’s no disassembly needed. And you can wash it with your washing machine.

If you have a little one suffering from motion sickness, no problem, the seat cover can be washed easily.

The only difference between the two would be that the material with the Sungride is not that soft or plush. It’s still comfortable.

Winner

Bonuses and Features

In this section, I talked about the minor things that can make big differences.

First of all, let’s talk about the canopy. With the Chicco, many parents said that it doesn’t cover the baby well enough. On the other hand, the Snugride does the job perfectly.

There’s one more important point about the canopy to mention. For the Snugride moving the canopy is soundless. For some reason, the Chicco squeaks. I tried everything to make it quiet. No luck. I’ve even used lubricant and nothing. The big issue is with sensitive babies. They will wake up at the sound of this squeaking.

With the Graco Snugride 35, you can adjust the headrest. There are 15 positions to choose from. Best of all, there’s no manual rethreading of the straps ever. I have to admit that this is my kryptonite. I could never get this done. With the Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat, you can’t change the headrest height. And you will need to manually rethread the straps as your little one grows.

Since these are baby carriers, they are compatible with strollers. Most of them are only compatible with their brand. Though some converters allow cross-brand mounting, by having a stroller, you will have a complete travel system. A click here and a click there, and you’ve got the carrier out of the car and onto the stroller.

And you’re off to your destination.

Both carriers come with infant padding. For the Chicco, it’s removable, and for the Graco remains in the seat and grows with the child.

Last but not least, I want to mention the material type. With the Keyfit, you’re getting a breathable material. With the Snugride, it’s not breathable. So there’s a possibility that babies will get hot in the carrier.

Winner

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat

Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Infant Car Seat

Final Recount

There was one round, which was a draw.

Chicco Keyfit 30 Vs Graco Snugride 35 Verdict

There’s more thing going for the Graco than the Chicco. First of all, The Graco Snugride won the safety test. I’ve seen the car after the crash, and nothing but a miracle saved the little one. How he was unhurt is beyond me. In all fairness, they both have the same attributes.

The Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Infant Car Seat allows more weight and height than the Chicco Keyfit 30. You can use it for longer so it will save you money. On the other hand, maybe your little one would love to get a big kid chair than the Chicco would be a faster switch.

Nothing beats the Chicco Keyfit 30 in the installation category. It’s faster and easier to make the mounting than with the Graco Snugride 35. Plus, you can’t get it wrong.

The materials behaved the same; that’s why it was a tie. And finally, the small details took the crown for the Graco Snugride 35. In so many things, it has outperformed the Chicco Keyfit 30. This is why I recommend the Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Infant Car Seat as the best car seat /infant carrier.

We have reached the end of the Chicco Keyfit 30 Vs Graco Snugride 35 comparison. By now you should know which car seat caters to your needs. It’s your turn now. Get the one that fits you best as soon as possible because stocks are running low.

Catch you next time!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

What is the difference between the Graco SnugRide 30 and 35?

The only difference between the Graco SnugRide 30 and 35 is with the seat weight limit. The  Snugride 30 is limited to 30 pounds while the Snugride 35 is has the upper limit of 35 pounds.

What is the difference between the Chicco KeyFit and Keyfit 30?

The only difference between the Chicco KeyFit and Keyfit 30. This comes to the upper weight limit. The Keyfit tappes out at 22 pounds while the Keyfit 30 upper limit is 30 pounds.

Which is safer Graco or Chicco?

Both car seats are safe. The only difference is that the Graco is a bit cheaper.

Graco Snugride Vs Chicco Keyfit 30 infant car seat what is the weight recommendation?

These baby car seats are a lot alike. The minimum weight limit is set to 4 pounds for both infant car seats. Now the upper limit is 30 pounds with the Chicco Keyfit 30 infant car seat and 35 pounds for the Graco infant car seat. The height limit for these baby car seats is similar. The height limit for the Chicco Keyfit 30 is 30 inches (30 inches) and height limit for the Graco Snugride infant seat is 32″.

Here are the top rated Graco infant car seats.

Chicco Keyfit 30 Graco Snugride what about airplane use?

Both baby car seats are approved by the FAA. Although only the infant car seat part is approved not the base.

Do I get infant inserts with these baby car seats?

Yes, both baby car seats provide infant inserts. The good news is that the infant inserts are easy to install. The purpose of the infant insert to make the trips safe and comfortable. Plus the infant insert will keep little one’s safe following the guidelines. Also, they can be used as preemie insert.

Graco Snugride Vs Chicco Keyfit infant car seat how much do they weigh?

The carrier weight for the Snugride baby car seat is 7.5 pounds while the Keyfit baby car seat is 9 pounds. The seat weight for the Snugride infant car seat is 17.2 pounds while the Keyfit infant car seat is 20.75 pounds.

What are the safety ratings for the Graco Snugride 35 vs Chicco Keyfit?

Both infant seats have a high safety rating. The best about these infant car seats is that you can create your own travel system. The way you get these travel systems is by mounting it on a stroller. Pick any baby car seat and you’ll find that there are safety expectations.

Snugride 35 vs Chicco Keyfit 30 how easy is to install these infant car seats?

Pick a baby car seat and you will find that you will be able to use the seat belt and the latch connectors for the install. Also both infant car seats can be installed without the base with the seat belt only.

What kind of color options do I get with these car seats?

The color choice is limited. If you want a big selection you might want to choose another brand. The seat material is comfortable and easy to wash. It has an angle adjustment knob for more recline. By using the angle adjustment knob your little one will be more comfortable.

Chicco Keyfit 30 or Fit2 which car seat is better?

Both car seats are good there is no clear winner.

Last Updated on October 27, 2023 by Brian Beasley