Chicco Keyfit 30 VS. Graco Snugride 30/35?

daniella2727 · January 2011

I am mostly researching these 2 infant car seats. We are registering for the City Mini and also plan to utilize a snap-and-go in the beginning.

Both have an "A" rating from Baby Bargins and have good reviews from Consumer Reports.

Did you pick one over the other & why? I am concerned that I read with the Graco that baby's tend to sweat a lot. My baby will be born in April and will be in the infant car seat most of summer so I want to make sure she is comfortable.

Any recommendations appreciated!

abell77 · January 2011

I have been completely satisfied with the graco snugride 35. I also was deciding btwn this one and a chicco, but went with graco because I liked that there was a graco brand snap and go stroller frame so I wouldn't have to worry about whether it would fit properly, I knew they would be compatible. I didn't have any problems with my son sweating too much, just dress them appropriately for the weather and you should be fine.

SAHM4EVA · January 2011

Chicco, way better. Has the highest ratings on consumer reports and high crash test ratings.

Temp38995750004016 · January 2011

I decided on the SnugRide because it snapped off and on to the frame I liked much better. Maybe try them both out on the City Mini to see if one is more comfortable for you.

The Graco stroller frame is crap...it pushes like a grocery cart with a wonky wheel!

lauralovesbob · January 2011

We just got our keyfit today! It seems very easy to use. I have however, thoroughly perused the reviews on amazon and BRU, and have heard the same "sweating a lot" complaint about the keyfit. I'm also due in april, but because of all the positive reviews decided to go with this seat anyway. Will probably put a breathable sheet or blankie behind baby if it gets really hot. I think it would be a bigger issue if we were due in june or july. i'm assuming my little one will is going to outgrow the infant seat by mid-july (i also live in michigan though, it stays cool here for a while. I was born in the middle of a blizzard in April!).

distraction · January 2011

SAHM4EVA:
Chicco, way better. Has the highest ratings on consumer reports and high crash test ratings.

This, We love our Keyfit 30.. The Officer at our highway patrol office that we took the seat to for installing it has the same seat for his son. So I knew hearing that we had made the right choice. It is so easy adjust the straps with the pull strap.

Also, since you are due in spring time, Chicco is coming out with their own "snap n go" type of frame in Spring of this year... So that would definitely be an extra selling point for me, but in all honesty, we love our keyfit

Good luck!

mssaint · January 2011

We went with the keyfit - it felt a little lighter and easy to carry to me than the Graco. I also like the colors better, lol.

When we took it to the fire station to be checked, the inspector said that she loved the Keyfit--that made me feel good about the choice. It was also very, very easy to install.

skio · January 2011

This was the decision we had to make, too. We were in BRU playing with both for almost an hour...sitting all over the floor and testing every.little.thing. lol.

Conclusion? You can't go wrong either way. They are very similar and they are both great, safe carseats - neither is better than the other by leaps and bounds. My reviews of both:

We liked the colors and ease of use better on the Chicco. It seemed to snap out of the frame easier, and the leveling feature was definitely better than Graco's. The seat seemed a teeny bit smaller and the base more compact.

We liked the fabric better on the Graco (softer - the Chicco seemed a bit rough).

Both had great padding, good LATCH systems, convenient strap adjustment. They weigh the same - the Graco is 20lbs, Chico is 21lbs.

It was a close race, but we went with the Graco SnugRide 35, and here are the reasons:

- Graco has its own snap-n-go type stroller frame that the infant seat actually SNAPS into. With the Chicco, we would've gotten the Baby Trend snap-n-go, but the seat just kind of sits on top of the frame, and we didn't like it.

- The Graco has a height limit of 32 inches, whereas Chicco's is 30 inches. This meant more to us than the weight limit, because babies almost always outgrow infant seats in height before weight. This will give us a little more time.

- Cost. The Graco seat is only $20 less, but the extra base, which we need, is $35 less.

FWIW, I haven't heard about the hot/sweating issue with the Graco, but did see a lot of people mention that issue with the Chicco. I think both will tend to be "hot," though, because they are padded so well. Like pp said, you just have to dress appropriately and they should be fine.

kpv · January 2011

They are both good - go to the store and try them out in your car to see which fits better.

wifeofaussie · January 2011

I have the Graco SnugRide and keep kicking myself for not getting the Chicco Keyfit. As soon as we have the money, I'm giving away the Graco and replacing with the Chicco. Or it may just get "broken" before we have another baby and need replacing Smile

I know a lot of people love it but it just does not work for me. DD was born in July, one of the hottest ones on record and we definitely had sweat issues. Do have to say it's fantastic now that it's winter though. Most of my gripes are because I drive a Honda Civic. It's very big and bulky and difficult to carry and takes up the majority of my backseat. I'm 5'4 and 125 lbs and have a hard time carrying the thing. I wind up balancing it on my hip. I will say though that all of the problems are mine, DD seems very comfortable in it now that it isn't summer.

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Chicco Keyfit 30 VS. Graco Snugride 30/35?

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