Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat

Last updated: October 12, 2021

Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat
Show Contents

We looked at the top Infant Car Seats and dug through the reviews from some of the most popular review sites. Through this analysis, we've determined the best Infant Car Seat you should buy.

Overall Take

With versatile installation options, and crash test results that are on par with more expensive options, this infant car seat is a safe and budget-friendly pick. It is highly recommended to comfortably cradle preemies and we like that it comes with easy-leveling features built right in.

In our analysis of 102 expert reviews, the Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat placed 4th when we looked at the top 15 products in the category. For the full ranking, see below.

From The Manufacturer

The #1-rated Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat is engineered with innovative features that make it the easiest infant car seat to install simply, accurately, and securely every time. The KeyFit 30’s stay-in-car base has a ReclineSure leveling foot and two RideRight bubble level-indicators to help achieve and verify proper angle in the vehicle seat. The base is also equipped with premium LATCH connectors and a SuperCinch tightener for a secure fit with a fraction of the effort! For alternate installation with the vehicle seat belt, clear belt routing and integrated lock-offs make it easy to position, tighten and lock the belt into place. A smooth underside helps protect vehicle seats from damage.

Expert Reviews


What experts liked

One of the best seats overall for balancing crash protection, ease-of-use, and vehicle fit.
Superior safety rating and ease of installation. Comes equipped with every safety feature imaginable. Accomodates infants up to 30 lbs.
The Chicco KeyFit 30 performs as well as or better than pricier seats and is measurably safer and easier to use than less expensive ones. Installation is generally a bigger problem for people than seat safety, and the KeyFit 30 is easier than competitors to install, with or without a LATCH system. It consistently ranks among the safest infant car seats in government front-impact crash testing.
The Chicco KeyFit 30 is great for premature infants, and many neonatal intensive care unit nurses prefer this car seat.
Crash test results and ease of install with a nice price make it a good choice for most families
After extensive test fitting and measuring, our choice for the best infant car seat was the Chicco Keyfit 30. The seat fits children starting at 4 lbs, up to 30 lbs or 30-inches tall with a 7-inch bottom harness height, making it an excellent choice for preemies or low birth weight infants...It was the easiest to install, and fit into both center and outboard positions in each car.
If you’re in search of an easy-to-install infant car seat you don’t have to think about, one that works as a travel system with your stroller and will carry baby through to toddlerhood, the Chicco KeyFit 30 will fit the bill.
Let me preface this review by saying “Finally, something that Consumer Reports and I can agree on!” In case you missed it – they recently rated the KeyFit and KeyFit 30 as the two best overall infant carseats among the models they tested. Now, if you follow this blog, you’ll understand how unusual it is for me to completely agree with Consumer Reports on anything related to child restraints. However, the KeyFit is a well-thought-out, well-designed and well-constructed infant carseat and CR was right to load heaps of praise upon it.
Overall, this is one of the best infant car seats on the market today, and we think it has a lot of great things going for it, at a very reasonable price.
I have twins and they were smaller at birth and the Chico KeyFit 30 is good for smaller babies.It’s easy to click in and take out of the base and also clicks in to my stroller. It is comfortable and my babies love being in their car seats for longer rides and such! It is a little heavier than some other car seats.
A top-rated infant seat from a well-known company. Good fit for preemies and very small babies that otherwise might not fit well in other models of car seats. Several features designed specifically for right the first time installation – bubble levels, adjustable recline angles and one-pull latch tightener. Sized for smaller vehicles, no mini-van needed. Removable, machine washable covers. Conforms to FAA regulations; clicks on compatible strollers; relatively lightweight.

What experts didn't like

Secure installation of carrier without base is difficult to achieve.
Fabric can make babies sweat if they are heavily bundled.
The cushions do not breathe, so your baby might sweat during prolonged use.
Coarse fabric, heavier, hard to install with a belt
Even though the Chicco Keyfit 30 was our winner, there are a few things about it that we’d like to see changed. The fabric on the Chicco is nice, but it isn’t nearly as breathable as the fabric on the Nuna or Cybex seats that we tested. In addition, the installation without the base took much longer than it did on the other seats that we tested.
On the heavy side.
The canopy is not as big as some other carseat models but the extended visor on the KeyFit 30 model does help. plastic adjuster - cover removal. Removing the cover can be a little cumbersome.
However, the canopy is much smaller than some others, making it harder to fully cover the baby. This was one of the bigger drawbacks of the Chicco, as we tend to use the canopy quite a bit: for sunny days, for napping, and for rain or snow.
The canopy on top is small, it would be nice if it covered a little more, especially when it’s very sunny.
Fabric on interior may not be breathable enough; watch for overheating and excessive sweating, especially in hotter months. Less sun protection – Canopy may not stretch far enough to cover baby for complete sun protection. Strap tightness – Some reports of difficulty tightening the straps.

Our Expert Consultant

Dr. Niket Sonpal   
Gastroenterologist and adjunct assistant professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine

Dr. Niket Sonpal is an adjunct assistant professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine and clinical instructor at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, Brooklyn, who specializes in gastroenterology.

He is a graduate of the Medical University of Silesia-Hope Medical Institute in Poland. After completing his residency in internal medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, he was selected to be the 2013‐2014 Chief Resident at Lenox Hill Hospital–Northshore LIJ Health System. Dr. Sonpal completed his fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at Lenox Hill Hospital and continues his work in the field of medical-student and resident-test preparation. He now serves as the associate program director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Brookdale University medical center.

He is also the co‐author of several medical test prep books and serves as the chief operating officer for Medquest Test Prep and director of medical education for Picmonic Test Prep.

View our Infant Car Seat buying guide for in-depth advice and recommendations.

More to explore