Chicco Keyfit 30 Vs Nuna Pipa Comparison – Pros, Cons & Recommendations

 

Welcome to the Chicco Keyfit 30 Vs Nuna Pipa showdown!

I’ve spent the last month testing these two car seats, reading reviews, looking up recalls, talking with other moms, and driving around with my baby. Meanwhile, my husband was chilling at home (honey, you owe me a big one…)

Look:

Finding the perfect infant seat is hard. It requires a lot of research to gather the necessary information, sometimes even weeks. But as you have short-listed these two, you’re almost there.

That is why I’ve decided to shorten this tiresome journey by driving around with my little one to see which one she likes best. Besides measuring the cry-to-sleep ratio, I’m comparing safety features, comfort, design, weight, ease of installation, and, of course, value.

Now, no matter which infant seat you will choose out of these two, rest assured that they are both great choices and will protect your little one, no matter what.

Let’s see which the best choice is already!

 

Direct Comparison: Chicco Keyfit 30 vs Nuna Pipa

Breaking it down

If you’re a new parent or with experience, let me share with you what are the most important things when it comes to car seats. First on the list is safety. Now some brands just pass the minimal required, and some go beyond it. In our case, both of them go the extra mile.

Next on the list is the limits and restrictions. This will let you know how long can it serve your little one’s needs.

Then comes the installation part. If it’s a hassle and let’s face it, most of them are it will be a pain to move from car to car.

The last important factor is how good the fabric is. Accidents happen, so you have to know how easy or hard it is to wash the cover.

Finally, I talk about the minor stuff, and if they are a nuisance, then, believe me, they add up fast. So this is my way of comparing the baby carriers.

Let’s get this Chicco Keyfit 30 vs Nuna Pipa 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

Your little one’s safety is one of the things where you shouldn’t try to save a buck. Luckily parents take this seriously. Both the Nuna Pipa and the Chicco Keyfit 30 have excellent safety ratings. They have gone above and beyond the minimum government standards.

If you place your little one in either of them, you can have peace of mind that they are protected no matter what.

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat

No wonder it’s the highest-rated car seat on Consumer Reports. It has everything that you need to keep your baby safe. Starting with front and rear protection, they also offer side as well. As you know, the side impacts are the most devastating ones.

Only recently have been side airbags introduced as standard. It’s good to see that the 5-point harness became the industry norm. That’s the safest harness for your little one.

Plus, they are using energy-absorbing foam to reduce the effects of an impact.

Nuna Pipa Infant Car Seat

The Nuna Pipa is just as good as the Chicco. It has front, rear, and side-impact protection. Instead of having energy-absorbing foam, they use different technology. The carrier has a leg. I know I was laughing at first when I’ve seen it.

This leg has a double purpose. First of all, it’s leveling the carrier. And secondly, it absorbs energy. When there’s a collision, there’s a lot of energy transferred around. This leg should take it and not your little one’s body.

The Nuna Pipa car seat comes with a load leg. The load leg has only one purpose to absorb impact energy. According to Nuna the load leg can absorb 40% of the energy during car crashes. They have established high safety standards. The load leg works without sacrificing leg room.

The Nuna Pipa comes with the standard 5-point harness so your baby will be safe.

Winner

Size Limits

This is very important to consider because we’re living in pretty tough economic times, so it’s good to get the most out of your car seat. Always check before you buy it. Also, it’s not a bad idea to measure your little one if they have arrived, that is.

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Seat

The Keyfit 30 infant carrier starts its life by serving newborns.  It can accommodate any little one from 4 pounds up to 30. Basically, you can bring your little one home from the hospital. Also, it will serve you until they reach around two years of age.

This, of course, depends on your baby. Maybe they put on weight faster, or they get taller faster. The top height limit is set to 30”. All in all, this car seat is good for a few years.

Here I want to mention that the stroller is around 9 pounds. It is as light as it can get without sacrificing safety.

Nuna Pipa Infant Seat

The Pipa has a slight advantage here. It also starts a life of servitude from 4 pounds. The upper limit is set to 32 pounds. And what’s more important is that the height limit is 32”. With this car seat, you get more mileage for your money.

This matters a lot. Plus, if you plan to have more babies, they will be able to use it without buying a new one.

Also, here I want to mention the weight of the infant carrier. It’s just 8 pounds. It’s somewhat lighter than the Keyfit. This extra pound matters a lot because you will be doing the heavy lifting, and you have to include your baby’s weight as well. Every bit counts.

Winner

Installation

If you only knew the nightmare installations that some car seats have. But that’s for another time. This is the third criterion by which I judge car seats.

Some car seats are easy to install, and others are hard. This counts a lot when you’re in a hurry, or you have to frequently swap cars.

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Carrier

Hands down the Chicco Keyfit 30 has the easiest and fastest installation ever. It can be done with and without the base. Plus, you can use the latch and the seatbelt as well.

Before you get to the mounting part, you have to get the seat leveled. This is super easy thanks to the spring-loaded bottom. You release it and place it on the seat and check the bubble, which shows you the leveling position.

The good part is that there’s no advanced acrobatics degree needed for the install. You click the two latches in, and then you pull tight on one strap. You’re done. After that, the carrier comes in with a simple click. Brilliant engineering and it takes the guesswork out of the whole process.

Nuna Pipa Infant Carrier

The Nuna Pipa does OK. The process is slightly different. First of all, you have to position the leveling rod. The thing I liked about this one is that you can’t get it wrong. You have to follow the color codes. If it’s red it’s not right if it’s green, it’s all good.

If your car has a deep latch system, it will be difficult or impossible to use the latch system. Either way, you will have to get in the car push down with your knees to get a snug fit.

Also, some parents reported that the leveling leg tends to move around and has to be adjusted frequently.

Winner:

Fabric/Material

The seat cover is my last important part when I make a comparison. This matters a lot because, with kids, the car seats have to be washed quite frequently. How easy or hard it is to remove the covers. Plus, you need to know if it’s machine washable. These all need to know before you buy.

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Carrier Seat

I love the material. I highly recommend sticking with darker colors because stains aren’t that visible with them. The cover comes off quickly. And it’s a washing machine friendly.

No matter what kind of accident your little one had, it can be easily cleaned. Best of all, you don’t have to dismantle the carrier either.

Nuna Pipa Infant Carrier Seat

The Pipa is good in this department. You can remove the cover with ease, and it is washing machine friendly. Well almost.

Because the material is all-natural and eco, you are limited to the washing machine. You can only use a very gentle program and cold water. Plus, it’s advised to use mild soap. Still, it beats the good old toothbrush and spot cleaning method.

Some serious stain will be hard to remove. This is the sacrifice you make with all-natural materials.

Winner

Bonuses and Features for these infant car seats

In this category, I measure up the little thing. If there are many little problems, then it might eat up your nerves. Since there’s no standard format, I go with the secondary features.

Both of the baby carriers cater to newborns. So they come with baby inserts. The good news is that they are included with the carrier and not sold as a premium like with other brands.

Both carriers are stroller ready. They mostly fit with their own brand’s strollers. Now, if you have a different stroller, you can always use an adapter. By having a stroller, you will have the ultimate travel system. Click your little one out of the car and click it on the stroller, and you’re ready to go.

The material is also important. The Nuna Pipa uses all-natural and ecologically certified cotton. They have minimized or eliminated all toxic chemicals. Plus, they don’t use fire retardants either. This is why washing machine capabilities are limited.

On the other hand, Chicco Keyfit 30 uses some chemicals, and they are trying to cut down on them. The upside means that it’s washing machine friendly and you can remove any stubborn stain.

There are problems with the canopy. The Chicco Keyfit 30 canopy doesn’t cover the whole baby. The Nuna Pipa’s canopy is hard to extend and retract. Maybe they will fix it in the next version.

Plus, it happened countless times that the handle got stuck in the canopy with the Pipa. It doesn’t hold well, and the magnets are weak. Maybe latches would’ve been better.

Here’s the biggest issue with the Nuna Pipa. Since the headrest is adjustable, you have to manually rethread the harness. It’s such a pain, and I never get it right, so if you have the same issue as me now, you know.

Another issue with the Nuna Pipa was that the straps seemed short. I mean, my little one outgrown them to the point that they weren’t comfortable. And she was no way near the limits. So you’re not getting such a great mileage after all.

Winner

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat

Nuna Pipa Infant Car Seat

Final Recount

If you are looking for an even better alternative I recommend the Graco Snugride 35. Check out the Chicco Keyfit 30 vs Graco Snugride 35 comparison post for more details

Chicco Keyfit 30 vs Nuna Pipa Verdict

As you have seen, the competition initially was neck and neck.  Both baby carriers are safe. Chicco Keyfit 30 has been endorsed by Consumer Reports that a good bonus to have. When it comes to size limits, the Nuna Pipa is slightly better because it has higher limits.

The installation is hands down easier with the Chicco Keyfit 30 than the Nuna Pipa. Then I’ve talked about the fabric. Now here, the Chicco Keyfit 30 was slightly better than the Nuna Pipa. And finally, I’ve talked about the little things. This is where the Nuna Pipa lost ground. It has many minor annoyances that added up. This is why the Chicco Keyfit 30 was the winner.

We have reached the end of the Chicco Keyfit 30 vs Nuna Pipa. I hope by reading this comparison article you have found out the right choice for you and your family. Now it’s your turn. Get the infant carrier as soon as possible because stocks are running low.

If you have any feedback or ideas, post them below.

Catch you next time!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Are Nuna car seats worth it?

It’s true that Nuna car seats are expensive. It’s worth it if you value non toxic fabric and if you want to look different.

Which Nuna car seat is best?

From all the Nuna car seats the Nuna Rava is the best.

What are other good alternative infant car seats next to these two?

If you want to check out other infant car seats these would be a great choice: Cybex Aton M, Graco snugride, peg perego, Chicco nextfit convertible car seat, maxi cosi mico max 30 and the keyfit 30 magic. For some, I have already made a review for and some are in the pipeline. These are all excellent infant car seat models.

How do you make a travel system from these infant seats?

Picking the Nuna or the Chicco infant seat you will be able to make travel system by attaching it to a stroller. Now there’s a car seat adapter for different brands so put it to good use.

Is the infant insert included with the purchase of a car seat?

Yes, the car seat manufacturers have included the infant insert.

Where should you install these infant car seats?

The back seat is the typical place where you should install the car seat. I know it’s possible in the front but you have to disable the airbags for that. Plus the manufacturer recommends installing it on one of the back seats. It would be ideal to use the center seat but that’s not possible for everyone.

How do you install one of these infant car seats?

You can do it with the car seat base or without it. Without the base, you can only do seat belt installation. With the base, you can use latch connectors. Seat belts are typically the hardest to install. You can also use the lap belt and the shoulder belt. Don’t forget to use the load leg with the nuna. This is also available with the nuna pipa lite. Don’t forget that the infant car seat use should be in rear facing mode only. Keep in mind that the Nuna infant car seat has an anti rebound bar that has to be installed as well.

Which infant car seat has the best fabric?

By far the Nuna car seat brand is the best in this department. It’s worth its place in the best infant car seats category. They have a merino wool version that’s free from flame retardants. Both of them are easy to use and clean. They have performed flawlessly in crash tests. Going with either of them it’s a great baby gear. The bodyweight limit is 30 pounds for the Chicco car seat and 32 pounds for the Nuna car seat.

Chicco Keyfit 30 or Fit2 which is the right choice?

There is no clear winner between these car seats, both are great for the price.

Chicco Keyfit30 or Chicco Keyfit which one should I buy?

Chicco Keyfit30 is the better to buy.

Last Updated on October 27, 2023 by Brian Beasley