List Price: $139.99 Our Price: $139.99 You Save:

Product Description

The Infant SafeSeat Car Seat is the only seat that holds babies up to 30 lbs. and 32" tall. That means it fits 97% of one-year-olds and can keep your baby rear-facing for one full year. It's been extensively crash tested to meet or exceed U.S. standards, and engineered for safety.

The seat's base stays put in your car for a convenient, one-time installation. Its seat belt lock design makes it simple to tightly secure the base, and an adjustment dial helps for an easier installation. The seat's patent-pending 5-point harness can also be easily adjusted, thanks to an accessible front strap.

The carrier handle is uniquely designed so it's more comfortable for parents to transport. For baby's comfort, the padded seat has an infant head suport plus 180-degree canopy. All this means you'll enjoy a full year of hassle-free travels with your most precious passenger.

Features:

• Engineer & Crash Tested to meet or Exceed:
• US Compliance Standard FMVSS 213
• Side Impact ISO Method
• New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) - peak Crash Force approximately 2X Car Seat Standard
• Extreme Car Interior Temperatures
• Includes EPS, energy absorbing foam liner
• Fits a 97th percentile of one-year-old children
• 5-point harness with easy, up front adjust
• Convenient, Stay-in-Car Base features an innovative belt lock-off design and dial adjustment
• Lightweight carrier with rubberized ergonomic handle for premium cushioning and comfort
• 2-piece chest clip visually indicates proper positioning on child
• Easily snaps into most Graco stroller with a child's tray
• Easy-to-read level indicator for proper installation
• LATCH equipped for easy installation
• Deluxe seat pad for premium comfort
• Removable infant head support cradles infant's head and neck
• Harness covers for a cozy ride
• Machine-washable
  
  From the moment you bring your new baby home from the hospital, you want to be sure that she'll be as safe as possible. Laws now require that babies from birth to age one be seated in a rear-facing car seat. The Graco SafeSeat Infant Car Seat, Step 1 (Ionic) offers a cost-effective and maximally safe choice: it is designed to accommodate up to 97 percent of one-year-olds, holding children up to 30 pounds and 32 inches in height, and it is especially constructed with safety and convenience in mind. The SafeSeat also doubles as an infant carrier.

  The Graco SafeSeat Infant Car Seat, Step 1 (Ionic) offers: Accommodation for children up to 30 pounds and 32 inches in height. LATCH compatible for easy installation on new vehicles. Meets and exceeds safety standards. Compatible with many Graco strollers.

  The SafeSeat Car Seat doubles as an infant carrier. View larger.

  Designed for Safety
  With the SafeSeat, you can be sure that your baby is as secure as can be: this model meets or exceeds US safety standards, including the U.S. Compliance Standard FMVSS 213; the Side Impact ISO Method; the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), with peak Crash Force approximately twice the Car Seat Standard; and the test for Extreme Car Interior Temperatures. Your baby will ride in protected comfort with the patent-pending five-point harness, the plush padded seat built with EPS energy-absorbing foam, and a specially designed, removable infant head and neck support that's compatible with the seat's safety design. A 180-degree adjustable canopy shields baby from sun and glare.

  Built For Convenience
  The Infant SafeSeat comes with a stay-in-car base, allowing the car seat to be quickly, conveniently installed and removed to double as an easy-to-use infant carrier. The stay-in-car base can be installed with an innovative seat belt lock design and adjustment dial that makes it easy to secure the base tightly; it's also LATCH equipped for installation into newer-model vehicles.

  Once the base is installed, simply snap the car seat into the base, and remove it with the push of a button to use it as a carrier. A sturdy, uniquely designed handle makes it easy and safe to carry the carrier on your arm, and it makes transporting your fragile newborn and sleeping older infants all the easier. The SafeSeat is also compatible with many Graco strollers; simply snap the seat out of your vehicle, into your stroller, and go.

  About Graco
  In 1942, Russell Gray and Robert Cone formed Graco Metal Products, in Philadelphia, PA. For 11 years, the firm fabricated machine and car parts for local manufacturers. In 1953, Gray left the firm, leaving Cone as sole owner. Cone decided to manufacture his own line of products, but had trouble coming up with ideas. Enter David Saint, an engineer, tinkerer, and stained glass artisan who worked for Graco. Saint, himself a father of nine, was intrigued when an associate told him how his wife would soothe their tired and cranky baby while swinging in a backyard glider swing. Acting on this inspiration, he went to the drawing board and 18 months of hard work later, the world's first wind-up infant swing, the Graco Swyngomatic, was born. Graco sold millions of Swyngomatics in the coming years, becoming one of the world's leading manufacturers of juvenile products in the process. Today, Graco is a Newell Rubbermaid company, with 1500 associates worldwide. While a half-century has brought many changes to Graco, their dedication and commitment to designing and manufacturing top-quality products remains, and continues on.

  What's in the box
  Graco Infant SafeSeat, Step 1 (Ionic), stay-in-car base.
  

Customer Reviews:

• Perfect Infant Car Seat!
  THis car seat is great! I love that you can use the infant seat until the baby is about a year old! Infants seats are so nice because you can carry the baby around from the house, to the car, clip in to the stroller and more! The seat is roomy, too....more info
• Best deal for your money
  We just got this car seat and love it so far. I'm still pregnant so we haven't gotten to use it yet but it is by far world's better than the one we used with our first born. It is very sturdy and seems very safe which is my biggest concern. It's also a bonus since it goes up to 30 lbs! My first outgrew his infant seat at 7 months so maybe we'll get more use out of this one. Don't hesitate to buy this. I did a LOT of research before I bought this seat and almost went with the baby trend since I have a sit and stand stroller but ultimately this one came out on top above all the rest. Also, buying from amazon is the cheapest way to go when you see how much they want on other sites for the same seat between the cost and shipping. ...more info
• Buy this instead of the SnugRide, can use it for longer.
  - I have a Subaru Impreza wagon and this seat will not fit behind the front seats but needs to be in the middle. Even then my front seats need to be a little further forward than I would have them if I did not have the car seat in the back.
  - The base is a snap to install - well, two snaps really, with the LATCH system. We bought two bases which is not really neccessary as it is easy to get in and out, you can easily move the base from one car to the other.
  - I will upate this post after I have used the car seat in my parent's non-LATCH car.
  - The sunshade is excellent as it is so large. It provides shelter from wind, sun, light rain, snow and provides a bit of darkness so my baby can fall asleep if we are out and about.
  - The SafeSeat I purchased came with a boot which hooks on with two elastic bands and is pathetic for keeping baby warm, it barely covers baby's feet. However it is useful for helping to keep blankets from falling out or being kicked out.
  - Straps are easy to adjust into the different slots and to lengthen once baby grows bigger or starts wearing thick Winter coats.
  - The carry handle requires two hands to fold up and down. A pet peeve of mine is anything baby related that requires two hands but this is a really, really annoying thing about this car seat that often bothers both my husband and I. I have a feeling all car seats are the same in this regard but I'm not sure.
  - The padding seems good and my baby seems comfortable.
  - The user manual is available for free on Graco's website when you lose the copy included with your seat.
  - I used a Baby Bjorn, now an Ergo, in the supermarket so cannot comment on how it sits on a shopping cart. Similarly I would just wheel him in to a restaurant in the stroller frame so I cannot say how the seat fits into restaurant highchairs.
  
  I bought the SafeSeat (in early 2008, in a different pattern) because I hoped to go directly from this to a booster seat (with restraints) without having the rear facing convertible in between (A good decision considering my small car). The extra weight (over the SnugRide) did not bother me as I planned to snap the seat straight into the stroller frame and not actually carry the car seat very far. My boy is now 8mths old so I will update my post when he hits the weight limit and I shop for a booster. However, my plan so far has worked in terms of using this car seat longer and as a stroller (even for Stroller Strides exercise sessions). Around 6-7mths old we stopped putting baby into the seat in the house and carrying it out to the car. Now we leave the seat in the car and take the baby in and out. I recommend everyone to buy this and I have spoken to several Mums/Moms who are switching to the rear facing convertible who wish they had bought this instead of the smaller SnugRide. They all have to buy strollers now as well as convertible seats.
  This car seat and the stroller frame make a great stroller, I love that I can talk to Nathan and in Winter he can stay snug and warm and he is sheltered. I am so impressed with this car seat and the stroller frame that I am going to take them (from Connecticut) to Australia when I visit in a couple of weeks instead of renting a car seat and buying or borrowing an umbrella stroller....more info
• So cute!
  We didn't know the gender of our baby and wanted something generic. This car seat is SOOOO much cuter then the picture shows. I love it. It's a little heaver then some - but it's designed to fit a bigger baby (up to 12 months) then the lighter ones. SO if you want lighter - buy a lighter one. If you want one that will fit your baby longer and weighs a little more - this is the car seat for you. It's awesome. We LOVE this carseat and are so glad we bought it!...more info
• Wonderful Infant Seat for many reasons
  After much research on-line, I went to the store to see for myself before settling on new seat for baby number four. The Graco Safe Seat was by far the nicest seat there. It has wonderful padding which by far exceeded any other seat, you can tighten or loosen the seat belt by pulling a strap or pushing a button on the front of the seat, the carry handle moves very easily without any chance of it moving by mistake, the seat snaps into and out of the base beautifully, and don't be fooled - all infant seats weigh about the same and yes they all feel heavy when you add a baby's weight to them. You do have to change the position of the shoulder straps from the back, but I can tell you from experience that you will need to take it apart to clean it more often then you will have to worry about moving the shoulder straps so it is no big deal. And, knowing that there is pretty much zero chance my baby will outgrow this seat before I am ready to move her to a forward facing seat means I won't have to buy a convertible seat. Also, the seat belt latch is of much better quality then some of the other seats I looked at and it works very easily....more info
• Great seat, but make sure it fits in your car
  This is a great carseat, it's one of the top safety rated seats, and that's why I got it. The only problem with it is that it's very large. We drive a Subaru Forrester ('02) and the only place the seat would fit was in the middle of the backseat. Now most of you know this is where they recommend you put a car seat, so it worked out fine, but you'll want to make sure this will fit in your car before you purchase....more info
• Great Looking Car Seat!
  Love this car seat. Very soft and beautiful colors. Looking forward to purchasing the matching double stroller after Christmas....more info
• Great product would recommend it!
  I purchased the car seat and matching double stroller. I have a 3 year old & another little girl due in September & the pattern is so dainty & fits little girls so well without being to much. My sister had the Graco safety seat with her last baby & said it was well worth the money so I proceeded to look into it, which come to find out it's one of the safest seats out there. The stroller is very spacious & folds just as small as my single Graco one did with my first daughter. I am very pleased with both purchases and would recommend these products to anyone even if it's a different pattern which they do carry. ...more info
• Wonderful Infant Car Seat
  We have used different car seats in the past from Chicco to Graco Snug Ride. We have an older car that does not have the "latch" system. We love how easy the Graco Safe Seat was to install using the seat belt. It fits perfectly in our car and there is not room for movement. We love the Rittenhouse pattern! Great modern design and perfect colors for a boy or girl! ...more info
• WHERE IS THE SLACK?????????
  This is a beautiful carseat. I purchased the Graco Safe Seat in the portica line. I absolutely loved the base, the fabric, the sturdiness of the seat, BUT WHERE IS THE SLACK?????
  The only reason that I purchased this seat is my son has almost outgrown his Graco Snugride (the snugride is only rated until 22 lbs and 29 in). I wanted a carseat that would still work with my stroller and that I didn't have to take my sleeping son out of everytime we went somewhere. I had read reviews that this seat was heavier than the snugride, but I really expected that. What I didn't expect is that I can barely fit my 20 pound 27 3/4 inch baby into this safeseat that is supposed to fit a child up to 30 pounds and 32 inches!
  We followed the instructions for loosening the belt, the belt was only on the center (not even the top) and it is still TOO TIGHT! I can barely get my son in there (and it is summer so he doesn't even have layers of clothing on!). There is no way that we could use this seat with the belt on the top setting!
  We switched back to our snugride (which he can still use because he is only 20 pounds and 27 3/4 inches-plenty of slack). I contacted Graco, they did not have a "fix" for this issue. They are going to send me a shipping label and I will return this seat to them for a refund.
  Save your money! It is not worth buying this seat. It is heavier than a snugride, more money, and you won't be able to use it any longer than a snugride because of the seatbelt issue (NO SLACK).
  
  Overall: VERY DISAPPOINTED! Seat is being returned to Graco.
  
  UPDATE: Not as bad as I originally thought. After getting online to see what else was available to use with our travel system, we decided to keep this seat and use it as long as possible. My son has been getting thinner and lengthening. He is almost 29 inches and weighs 21 pounds. We are still using the seat with the harness through the center position. Currently we have enough slack. This seat is much more comfortable than the snugride (22) was for him. We have this in portica and it is a really nice fabric. We started using this right after I wrote this review (since I couldn't find anything else that would keep him rear facing and still be used as a travel system Chicco got even worse reviews!).
  Benefits over the Graco Snugride:
  -Secures better in the vehicle. Very snug. No movement.
  -Adjustable base with lock out and can be reclined (without using a towel)
  -Higher weight/ height limitations
  -While heavier to carry, the handle is more comfortable.
  -Mine has a "window" on the canopy to look into.
  -My snugride had to be adjusted in the back; this one has an adjustment strap to pull to tighten in the front.
  -Five point harness doesn't get twisted as easily and seems more secure.
  
  I don't think this seat is for very small newborns. However, I would use it over the Graco Snugride 22. It reclines back further. My model came with the matching head support and also harness strap covers. If I was using it for a very small newborn, I would add more support around the head (I had to do this with the snugride).
  
  After using this, I do now recommend this seat! Also, the stroller that comes with this is awesome. ...more info
• Thank you Graco!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  I just recently purchased this car seat for my up-and-coming 4th child. For my first 3 children we had Graco SnugRides. We had great experience with the SnugRide. I was looking into a new Graco for the last few months. I found the SafeSeat.
  
  When we received the seat I was extremely impressed! The material was the softest I have ever felt in a safety seat. The color was even better then I had imagined from the picture.
  
  When thinking about purchasing I read some of the parent's reviews and I had to kind of snicker. Some of the complaints I read was that the seat was heavy/bulky. When I got this seat, yes it is a little heavier/bulkier then a SnugRide. However, it has a higher height and weight limit. This was one of the reasons my husband and I purchased this seat! We have large little babies. Our oldest was out of a SnugRide by 3 months. So I had a 3 month old that doesn't sit up yet that I had to carry everywhere. I am soooo thankful that they came up with a safety seat that has higher weight and height demands. Of course, I would expect it to be heavier.
  
  The other thing that I was impressed with was the roomy feel to it. My 3 kiddos got so upset in their SnugRide...cuz as it says in the name it is a snug fit. This seat is a lot more open. There was a review that said LazyBoy of Carseats....so true!
  
  I would recommend this to any family that has large children. I am a mother of large kiddos...that no where near came to 1 year old in an infant carrier. They ether got to big, or they were uncomfortable because of the tight head courters. After looking at many different seats over the last four years of kids, this one is so worth the few extra dollars. I am a Graco Mom, so when you compare the pricing of a decent SnugRide to the SafeSeat there is a difference in price but not much. Pay the extra and you won't be disappointed!
  ...more info
• Good car seat, but needs more cushioning.
  This car seat has many nice features. However, I was surprised when I felt how little cushioning there is in the seat. There is cushioning along the baby's back, but very little if any padding on the bottom where the baby sits. The poor little guy is practically riding around in a plastic shell. Otherwise, I have no complaints. Going up to 30lbs is a major bonus and the color is nice. No problems with head tipping forward and easy to install. Maybe the new Snugride 32 has better cushioning? ...more info
• Totally Fab
  Cute pattern, teal and gray and graphic. Easy to install, goes up to 30 lbs (hooray!), and has a super cool recline-adjusting knob *thingie* that allowed me to toss the pool noodle back to the, er, pool. Soft, washable, and affordable. I mean c'mon, who really needs a $250 infant seat anyway?...more info
• Wonderful Infant Seat for many reasons
  After much research on-line, I went to the store to see for myself before settling on new seat for baby number four. The Graco Safe Seat was by far the nicest seat there. It has wonderful padding which by far exceeded any other seat, you can tighten or loosen the seat belt by pulling a strap or pushing a button on the front of the seat, the carry handle moves very easily without any chance of it moving by mistake, the seat snaps into and out of the base beautifully, and don't be fooled - all infant seats weigh about the same and yes they all feel heavy when you add a baby's weight to them. You do have to change the position of the shoulder straps from the back, but I can tell you from experience that you will need to take it apart to clean it more often then you will have to worry about moving the shoulder straps so it is no big deal. And, knowing that there is pretty much zero chance my baby will outgrow this seat before I am ready to move her to a forward facing seat means I won't have to buy a convertible seat. Also, the seat belt latch is of much better quality then some of the other seats I looked at and it works very easily....more info
• Love this carseat
  I have a nissan altima and this seat works just fine in the back. I love the ease of carrying and it isn't that heavy either....more info
• Great Move Up From The Snug Ride
  My family has been in 2 car crashes (both at holiday times, no less!) in the past couple of years, but thankfully, I'd done my homework, and our kids came out fine each time (Both crashes were at about 35mph, and our van was totaled in the 2nd crash if that explains the severity). Graco was there to protect them. My youngest was in a Snug Ride, but we've now moved him up to this seat.
  
  It was a pain figuring our the very different strap configuration, but once we did, it's been easy to remember. He is very comfortable in it, and the seat pad is made of nice, soft material that washes well (he's already "christened" it). It is a little heavier than I was used to with the Snug Ride, however it feels sturdier and had a 8 lb higher weight limit, so that may be partly why. Also the handle adjusts more easily and not as noisily as the Snug Ride always did (I've owned 4 different ones). I was a firm Snug Ride ONLY mama, but I've now been won over by the Safe Seat....more info
• My daughter loves this car seat
  My daughter LOVES this car seat.
  
  We had a Graco SnugRide when we had my first son and he loved it. My parents gave me a different SnugRide with a matching double stroller when we had my second son. He hated the car seat. He would cry from the second we put the car seat with him in it in the car to the second we took the car seat out. My M-I-L said it was because he didn't like riding backward. Sure enough when we switched him to the Britax when he was 20 lbs and a year old he was fine.
  
  My daughter used the same SnugRide as my second son for her first 4 months. She did the same thing, she cried from the second I put her in the car to the second I took her out. I mean really crying. It was awful. We drove 5 hours for a summer vacation and we couldn't take it. Not even sitting next to her distracting her helped. My M-I-L said she was the same as my second son but this time I wasn't so sure.
  
  I read all the reviews on Amazon for cheap car seats all the way to the super expensive ones. The SafeSeat had the best reviews so we went ahead and ordered it and had it shipped to our hotel 2nd day for only a few dollars extra.
  
  Well she LOVES it. She is content to ride in it and sometimes even falls asleep in it. What a huge difference. Riding in the car is pleasant for everyone now :).
  
  Maybe the second SnugRide was just uncomfortable. It didn't feel bad there was nothing poking her, but there must have been something, maybe the way she rested in it. Not sure. My poor second son.
  
  Anyway, we love this car seat. The only thing we don't really like is the plastic window in the canopy that allows you to see the baby. I get why it is there but right now it is summer and the poor sun beats down on her little head, so we just cover it with a blanket. Problem solved.
  
  So we love this car seat. It seems more roomy and we like the color. It doesn't get super hot when we leave it in the car since the padding and the straps are a silver color and not black like the last two Graco's we had. I highly recommend it....more info
• Great for bigger babies
  Our baby boy has never been little, we started out w the graco snugride but by 3 mos our son was at the 22 lb limit. We liked the convenience of the detachable seat and decided to get the safeseat. Im so glad that we did and now our son can still see us while in his graco stroller and we dont have to wake him if he falls asleep in the car. I reccomend this carseat to those with older babies because the head support isnt as great as the snugride. It was easy to install in the car and there is a great feature that keeps the seatbelt in place across the base if your car doesnt have anchors. All in all this seat has been great....more info
• What Graco Means by "SafeSeat"
  The most compelling thing I can mention as a reason to buy this seat is a detail that gets tucked away in the rest of the marketing material: this seat is engineered to double the required crash test ratings.
  
  The car seat industry is only required to meet a fairly low standard to be able to sell their product, and they're not required by law to reveal the results of their crash tests, so no one does.
  
  That's why it's refreshing that Graco has an offering marketed to be safer for your baby! That's what "SafeSeat" means.
  
  Other than that, I only sort of like the car seat. The LATCH hooks are less user friendly than the buckles of our old Chicco car seat base, and though this seat is designed to support babies up to "30 pounds", our tall 9-month old is pushing the limits of the slack in the safety belt.
  
  I also don't like the levelling system of the base, or the cheap "level" (really a free floating plastic dial) to indicate the seat is at the proper angle once installed.
  
  The design of the seat would only earn three stars, but the safety factor of the car seat earns it one extra.
  
  I'd certainly recommend the seat overall, and would definately purchase again. ...more info
• So cute!
  We didn't know the gender of our baby and wanted something generic. This car seat is SOOOO much cuter then the picture shows. I love it. It's a little heaver then some - but it's designed to fit a bigger baby (up to 12 months) then the lighter ones. SO if you want lighter - buy a lighter one. If you want one that will fit your baby longer and weighs a little more - this is the car seat for you. It's awesome. We LOVE this carseat and are so glad we bought it!...more info
• great seat!
  My son is 4 weeks old and has been enjoying his seat. He isn't one bit fussy in it and it is realy easy to lock into place! My only complaint is that it seems a bit on the heavy side. Other than that, its great and my husband and I are happy with it....more info
• Very Happy
  I love my new car seat. This is the third infant carrier I've owned and it is by far my favorite. Things I love about it - easy to adjust strap tightness, fits infants to 30 lbs., seems comfortable to infant, easy to clean fabric, light color to reflect light, infants head doesn't flop when sleeping, comfortable handle, easy to put into and get out of car, carseat base secures into car well, great price for quality, can be used with our old double graco stroller although it fits very tight. Things to consider - it is bigger than other carseats (but it still fits in our Camery with backless booster seat on each side, it was difficult to buckle in a newborn since the chest buckle is so big. I don't think it's too heavy or big to carry around. I'm very happy with the quality of the safe seat....more info
• Love this seat!
  I have to say that this is a GREAT car seat! I have a 3 year old that we had spent extra $$ on buying her a Combi infant car seat in hopes of letting our future kids use it. And unfortunately when I took it down to wash for my son (while pregnant) the padding dissolved. So the search began for a new seat. I originally bought the Baby Trend and felt that it was cheap and too small (my son was 8+lbs on the ultrasound before delivery) so I took it back and found the SafeSeat. This seat is great because my rather large infant has time to grow into it (he is 16+ lbs and just turned 4 months) since the weight limit is around 30lbs instead of 23lbs, it is cute as can be, and he loves it. Only complaint is it is Heavy - but is that my son or the seat? :) ...more info
• Safe and Convenient
  This is a great infant seat. The bases are very affordable and the attchment is a SNAP, literally. We purchased four. One for each parent and grandparent making switching cars very convenient. Five point harness really secures baby. We purchased an infant head cushion to really secure the baby's head and it fit right into the existing head rest.
  
  We also have the Graco stoller and the carseat snaps right in so we do not have to unstrap the baby to put her in her stroller. This is the best.
  
  The seat is a little heavy, (and gets heavier as the baby grows),but we do not usually have to carry it very far. My daughter is under 5 feet tall and she manages it with no problem....more info
• Great seat!
  We purchased this seat because we needed to replace an expired hand-me-down. The roomier size appealed to us, as our daughter is in the 90th percentile for height at 5 months of age. I have one minor complaint- I have trouble getting the clip across her chest undone at times. You need to really squeeze the plastic to get it to budge- a bit of a pain if you have a fussy baby. Otherwise, the seat is easy to use and she seems quite comfortable....more info
• Nice Car Seat!
  This has been an excellent infant seat for our baby! It's easily adjustable, roomy, and nice to look at. I'd buy another one if I needed too! The only down to this one is it's weight. It's pretty heavy, but you have to sacrifice somewhere for the roominess. BTW, we love the whole Graco ionic collection. We have the stroller and are looking into the duo stroller now too!...more info
• Best deal for your money
  We just got this car seat and love it so far. I'm still pregnant so we haven't gotten to use it yet but it is by far world's better than the one we used with our first born. It is very sturdy and seems very safe which is my biggest concern. It's also a bonus since it goes up to 30 lbs! My first outgrew his infant seat at 7 months so maybe we'll get more use out of this one. Don't hesitate to buy this. I did a LOT of research before I bought this seat and almost went with the baby trend since I have a sit and stand stroller but ultimately this one came out on top above all the rest. Also, buying from amazon is the cheapest way to go when you see how much they want on other sites for the same seat between the cost and shipping. ...more info
• nice
  IT'S A good carseat. But I find it pretty heavy and we're having trouble getting it to fit right in our car....more info
• Warning: Padding must be line-dried after washing!
  To be fair, after the fact, we did read the label and it says to line-dry, but just in case anyone else is a tired, busy parent and everything goes into the washer and then straight into the dryer without thinking... the mesh covering the back of the padding (facing the seat, not the baby) will melt! ~We have the Soho pattern. Might not be the same situation for all, but I noticed the Rittenhouse description says Graco *recommends* "hang for drying." Seems silly that they don't just use a heat-resistant lining. Anyway, just wish someone had warned me first, so here you go!
  
  One more thing- totally unrelated. There's a little window in the canopy, which is useful sometimes, but not often. In fact, I ended up sewing a flap over it so I could shade the window. Why have a window in a canopy that's supposed to make it dark for sleeping? It's tinted but the sun goes right through onto Baby's face.
  
  Neither issue affects performance and we're otherwise very happy with it....more info
• Very Happy
  We just recieved our Graco SafeSeat in the Rittenhouse pattern. Just thought I'd add two specific comments directed toward those shopping on-line.
  
  1. We bought from Amazon partially because of the really great price (it seems to vary every few days, so keep watching) and the free shipping. Supposedly it was going to take longer for the free shipping-- 3-5 days for order processing and 7-10 for shipping. I placed the order on the evening of 3/25 and it arrived 3/28. Now that's fast!!
  
  2. If you are a first time parent you may not be aware that car seats have manufacture dates. It is virtually impossible to find out the manufacture date from customer service agents (I tried lots of different websites), as the phone operators have no acess to the acutal product that's being shipped. It is on the outside of the individual box or stamped on the underside of your carseat if you're looking in the store. Lots of horror stories out there of online purchased car seats that were manufactured 3 years or more prior. Usually its not too big a deal, as most are thought to be safe 5-6 years after their "manufacture date". But if you are specfically looking for a manufacture date to ensure it is compatible with your stroller system or plan to use it again for another child later.. it may be more important to you. The Graco Rittenhouse we bought on 3/25/09 was manufactured on 12/23/08. Yea! Good work amazon! We're happy with our online purchase....more info
• Do not buy this car seat!
  I loved this seat at first, since it was so safe and comfy for my baby. It was heavy and awkward, as other reviewers have noted, but it still seemed worth it for the added safety and durability. It was also great to have one seat with a base in each car. The problem arose when my baby got tall enough that we needed to adjust the shoulder straps to the their highest slot. After that adjustment, there was no longer enough slack around the waist and we were crushing our baby, who weighed only 19 pounds. There was no possible way to get any more "give" out of the available length of the straps. I don't understand how this seat can accommodate babies up to 30 pounds, unless they're also very short. Overall, we paid a lot of money for a car seat and two bases that were only usable for 8 months when we had hoped they'd last for the entire first year. We replaced the seat with convertible seats for both our cars so we wouldn't have to buy yet another new set of car seats when we reach the one-year mark. How disappointing!...more info
• Good choice!
  This is a very nice carrier I bought with the matching stroller. It works very nice together. Only thing is, since it's dark it heats up pretty good. My daughter's head gets sweaty easily if sitting in it too long....more info
• Awkward, Heavy, Where's the Slack?
  I bought this car seat based upon the written reviews here. Well, after having baby and working with this super-wide car seat, you quickly realize your walking is limited to about 10 steps. Now my baby is four days short of 5 months old and over 20 lbs. (! I know! Huge!) and together, this car seat and baby are approaching 40 lbs! I can barely lift it into my car, and cannot maneuver it at all. I am now moving him out of it and straight into a Britax Marathon and giving up on the "systems." Also, I did move the straps on the Graco to the middle level and they are getting tight on junior, and I moved them to the top level and there is NO SLACK whatsoever - I almost cannot buckle in a 5-month old baby....more info
• GREAT CARSEAT
  THIS SEAT IS VERY NICE, I LIKE THE FACT THAT IT HAS AN INDICATOR SO THAT YOU CAN TELL IF IT IS INSTALLED PROPERLY. iT CAN GET BE HEAVY AS YOUR BABY GROWS BUT IT WORTH IT WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY. I WOULD RECCOMMEND IT TO ANY MOM!...more info
• Great car seat
  After searching and searching for a car seat we felt comfortable with, we decided to buy the infant safe seat by Graco. As new parents of twin baby girls, I just knew that I would get stuck carring both car seats and to my surprise, the were very light even with the girls strapped in. The only drawback that was easily fixed and not the manufactures fault was that my girls were very small at birth (4lbs 12oz and 4lbs 2oz). We placed a blank underneath the car seat padding to help boost them up a bit. Other than that, we are completly satisfied. ...more info
• Too heavy
  We purchased this Graco seat for our second child after being very happy with another Graco infant seat for our first child over 6 years ago. It is considerably larger - length, width, and weight than the previous SafeSeat styles. Our baby fit in it well, but my husband and I both struggled with the weight of the combined baby and carseat by the time our son was 8 months old. Because of this, we switched over to a convertible seat at 9 months, making the extra $$ we paid for the large size worthless. Keep this in mind if you foresee carrying/transporting your baby around a lot. This is a very heavy car seat....more info
• Best infant car seat out there!
  We own the Grace Infant Safeseat in Ionic (the blue/gray/black pattern) and since this is our second child we knew what features we were looking for this time around and what to avoid. When my daughter was born, we were given a Graco SnugRide as a gift and found it to be very basic. It did the job without any problems, but there was no padding inside - just the fabric cover which didn't seem like it could be too comfortable in there for the baby. Also, the baby was in the 100th percentile so she outgrew the weight limit for the seat surprisingly quickly. I did find it a little difficult to carry, but this item ISN'T made to be carried around like a purse! It's a solidly made CAR SEAT. Any carrying is incidental and Graco makes a stroller frame so you can push it around instead of holding it.
  
  When we went to Babiesrus a couple of months ago to compare car seats, they were ALL of a similar weight so I don't get how anyone could complain about the weight of this particular seat. Weight of baby + weight of car seat = heavy. It's just common sense.
  
  Also this seat rocks because it has a higher weight limit - 30lbs instead of 22lbs. This enables the seat to be used longer before you have to transition to a convertible car seat and in my opinion a special infant seat is MUCH safer and more convenient than just going right to the convertible.
  
  With this line of seats (SafeSeat), every seat has it's own special feature - the Ionic has a silver heat reflective panel on the shade and a supportive padded headrest. We also looked at the Eclipse which had a more basic headrest, but had a nice velour snap-on all weather boot. All models featured better padding inside the seat than the SnugRide which, when added to the greater safety and protection makes it an excellent choice....more info
• Love it!
  This seat is great if you live in a cold climate because you can bundle your baby up inside and never have to expose them to the cold. I bought a JJ Cole Toddler Bundle me, and I don't have to wrestle my one-year-old into a bulky snow suit(which can compromise the safety of the seat)- just zip him up in the bag and put a hat on his head, and I'm ready to go - or you could just tuck a heavy blanket around him.
  
  I find it's also easier to harness your baby in the seat correctly when the seat is in your nice warm roomy house, and not in a cramped car, especially when you are rear-facing and your baby is squirmy.
  
  I also like that he can fall asleep in the seat without his head bobbing forward, and I can bring him in the house without waking him.
  
  I had the Snugride, which I liked, but he grew out of it pretty quickly. It's not that much bigger and heavier. Also the harness is easier to adjust on the SafeSeat because the adjustment is in the front, rather than in the back with the Snugride. If I were to do it over again, I would just skip the Snugride and go right to the SafeSeat, since you will have to buy new bases because they are not interchangeable, and that can get pretty expensive. The SafeSeat, however, does fit right into my Graco Stroller that was part of the SnugRide travel system. When he outgrows the SafeSeat, I can go right to a Forward Facing car seat instead of buying a convertible car seat. This seat is heavy with the baby in it, but I think it is worth it for the convenience. ...more info
• great seat
  This is a great infant seat. My daughter is currently 17 months 22 pounds and 31 inches and we are just now starting to research her next step car seat. The seat fit very well in my old Jetta, my husband's 2 door Honda and my current Saturn vue. We've also used it in my mom's ford, MIL mini van and GPIL old truck as well as various rental cars while on vacation. Only my husband has a hard time getting it in and out of the car, but it is a 2 door, so I don't know that a smaller seat would make that any easier. We use LATCH with a base on my and my husbands car, and just the lap belt with no base on all the other cars we have used. It's easy enough to strap in using the seat belt, though I feel that straight lap belts seen to give a better fit than those with a shoulder strap. This seat will fit onto any Graco stroller, as well as lots of other brands of strollers to make an impromptu travel system, so just test it out in the store and you will probably find one that fits. The material is easy enough to wash, though my daughter seems to get a sweaty head pretty quickly in the summer. The harness is easy to snap together and adjust, as are the shoulder belts. I only had to move the shoulder belt height 1 time and that was quite easy to accomplish. She actually isn't even on the highest setting yet, but I'm ready to get her into a convertable booster even though she hasn't technically outgrown the seat yet, she's close enough, plus she has long legs and they're strting to get to the point that she has to bend them against the seat back so I want to get her into a bigger seat. Overall, I think this would work for most babies up to and past their 1st birthday. We've gotten 17 great months worth of use out of it, and we're able to skip the purchase of a convertable seat because she doesn't have to sit backwards anymore. ...more info
• Easily to a year
  I was really glad we spent the extra money to buy the seat and stroller separately. We got a great seat with this one and a great stroller in the Mosaic stroller. Our little boy (who is usually above the 50th percentile in EVERY category) was easily able to use this seat until after his first birthday. I was so glad we bought this one when I saw friend paying a lot more for larger carseat. We never needed the expensive seats that face backwards - he was ready to face forward as soon as he was too big for this one! ...more info
• good seat
  I have only been using this seat for one month, but so far it seems to be very easy to use and the base was easy to install. It feels heavy to me, but I'm told by my other mom friends that it is light when compared to other popular seats. ...more info
• Fantastic!
  My boys grow quickly and I always had the problem that they outgrew the infant seat before I wanted to switch them to a convertible seat. For this reason I looked at the safeseat as its weight limit is highly than other infant seats. We love it! Easy to clean, not too heavy and a breeze to install. I highly recommend it!...more info
• Wish I would have read all the reviews
  When I initially received the car seat, prior to baby being born, I loved it. It was easy to install in the car and it was very padded. Now after having it for 4 months, I am ready to try something new. I wish I would have read all the reviews first. The material makes my son so hot. He will be drenched in sweat by the time I get anywhere, unless I make the car an ice cube before leaving. He is otherwise comfortable in it though. The only other real complaint that I have is that it is rather heavy. And now that my son is 17 pounds, its almost impossible to carry him around. ...more info
• Great product.....
  I read the reviews before I bought this product and I am glad I did. It was exactly what I needed. However, my daughter will outgrow this seat before long. Be mindful if you are having a big baby. My bundle of joy was 9 lbs, 12 ounces and I will be needing to get a new seat very soon. Otherwise, great product!...more info
• Wonderful Infant Seat for many reasons
  After much research on-line, I went to the store to see for myself before settling on new seat for baby number four. The Graco Safe Seat was by far the nicest seat there. It has wonderful padding which by far exceeded any other seat, you can tighten or loosen the seat belt by pulling a strap or pushing a button on the front of the seat, the carry handle moves very easily without any chance of it moving by mistake, the seat snaps into and out of the base beautifully, and don't be fooled - all infant seats weigh about the same and yes they all feel heavy when you add a baby's weight to them. You do have to change the position of the shoulder straps from the back, but I can tell you from experience that you will need to take it apart to clean it more often then you will have to worry about moving the shoulder straps so it is no big deal. And, knowing that there is pretty much zero chance my baby will outgrow this seat before I am ready to move her to a forward facing seat means I won't have to buy a convertible seat. Also, the seat belt latch is of much better quality then some of the other seats I looked at and it works very easily....more info
• so far, so good!
  so far so good...only complaint is that it is a bit difficult to unsnap out of base and seat belt buckle can be a bit difficult too...but i guess that means it is all secure. great car seat overall!...more info
• So Soft
  Just recived this car seat. I love the color and the car seat is very soft. I would buy again....more info
• Like a LazyBoy Chair
  We started out using the Graco Snugride for our son. He is approaching the time when he is going to outgrow that car seat and we looked to Graco for the next appropriate car seat because we really like our current one and we know that Graco makes very safe car seats. This is a rear-facing car seat and is much larger then the Snugride. The car seat itself is really comfy looking. The seat is super soft and a lot more padded then the SnugRide. I bet my little guy will love this! I wish I had known about this car seat originally, because it can be used on newborns and has a higher weight/height/age threshhold that it can be used until. With the SnugRide, we could easily take the whole seat out of the car if our son fell asleep in it and take him in the house without disturbing him. Because this car seat is bigger and heavier, I forsee it staying in the car and taking our son out and either carrying him or using our umbrella/lightweight stroller to get out and about. Another small setback is that it comes with a different base to install in your car. No big deal, but if you've already bought an extra SnugRide base for a second car, you'll have to do it again for this car seat. If I had bought this car seat originally, I wouldn't have run into this small snag. Live and learn! ...more info
• cannot find a second base to use car seat in your second car
  I've been looking all afternoon .... absolutely no base is available for this car seat except what comes when you actually buy the car seat. In other words, you have to buy the whole system, because it is impossible to buy a separate base....more info
• Safeseat luxe
  Very nice. Fit our newborn right out of the hospital. Fabric stains EASILY! Although, its heavy, its worth it!!...more info
• NIcely designed stable seat
  I am not a baby car seat expert by any means, and have not really been in the market for many years, but my daughter is having a baby soon so I checked them out. This unit seemed to be one of the better ones and at a price, reasonable. When I was reviewing them most reviews were favorable. My daughter wanted this one and when I looked at it I felt it was of a good quality, and should do the job nicely....more info
• Does the job but could be improved further
  Pros:
  Extra size and weight support
  Ease of use
  Little guy seems to be comfortable during the drive
  
  Cons:
  Have to be a little careful when the clip-in portion (which is made of metal)is released.
  Little on the unwieldy side and needs the front seat on a mid-sized sedan (Honda Civic 2007) to be pushed well up front in order for the baby seat to fit in the back.
  Some options such as loosening the straps not very intuitive
  
  
  
  
  ...more info