Chicco KeyFit 30 Review
Are you on your tenth trip to the shopping mall in search of a car seat for your kid? Then, you must have come across the Chicco KeyFit 30!
This model is deemed one of the best car seats on the market by many, thanks to its innovative features, easy installation, and undisputed safety and comfort. But is it the right fit for your child? Or is it another average product glorified by marketing?
Since I know the misery of staring down hundreds of equally competent car seat models and trying to choose one, I decided to answer all your questions in detail in this Chicco KeyFit 30 review!
I’ll give you a closer look at the car seat and all of its features, so let’s jump in!
Chicco KeyFit 30 in a Nutshell
I see the Chicco KeyFit 30 car seat as an ideal fit for infants till they become toddlers, as it can carry 4-30 pounds in weight and 30 inches in height. It comes with a 5-point harness to secure your child and give you peace of mind, and it passed a ton of crash tests before finding its way to the market.
Here’s a quick list of the car seat’s pros and cons!
Pros
- Compatible with both cars’ seat belts and LATCH systems
- Lined with energy-absorbing foam to protect your child from impacts
- Has a removable canopy to protect your child from the sun
- Certified by the Juvenile Product Manufacturers’ Association (JPMA)
- Compatible with many Chicco strollers for ease of transportation
- Compatible with a stay-in-car base that makes for effortless installation
Cons
- Heavier than the average car seat
- The handle is too close to the canopy, making it challenging to pass your arm through it
Now that I’ve given you a quick glimpse into the car seat, it’s time to talk real details!
A Breakdown of All Chicco KeyFit 30’s Features
Here are my reviews of each feature in the Chicco KeyFit 30!
Safety
Safety is the most important feature in any car seat, and luckily, the Chicco KeyFit 30 doesn’t lack in this department. Naturally, it meets all the federal safety standards for infant car seats, as all the other seats on the market do. However, the part where it shines is its extra-assuring features that’ll give you better sleep at night. Take a look at each one below!
RideRight Indicators
I’ll start with the two RideRight bubble indicators that you’ll find on the car seat’s base. Their main mission is to show you the right angle at which the base should be. To use them properly, you should look at the air bubble inside the liquid and ensure it falls within the two drawn arrows. If it is, then your base is at the right angle.
I found them insanely easy to use, and it put my mind at ease to be sure I installed the seat correctly. As you might know, improper installation of the seat makes it less safe for children, so learning the right way to do it is crucial.
ReclineSure System
Along with the RideRight indicators, the base has a ReclineSure spring-loaded reclining system. It makes for easy adjustment of the seat base’s angle while you’re watching the air bubble.
5-Point Harness
Another feature I know all the other mothers out there will appreciate is the seat’s 5-point harness. It provides maximum protection for your child, as two straps go across the chest, two around the abdomen, and one between the legs.
That said, my favorite part about the harness is the single-button chest clip that I can use to release the straps. I only have to use one hand to do it, which works perfectly if my hands are full.
SuperCinch Tightener
Along with the straps, you’ll find a one-pull tightener that you can adjust using one hand to tighten the straps around your child properly. It’s called the SuperCinch tightener, and it’s ideal for use as your child grows and needs different adjustments of the seat’s harness.
Energy-Absorbing Foam
The Chicco seat is lined with protective foam that absorbs any shocks as a result of a collision and protects the child’s head and neck. It’s also convenient in case of sudden stops, as the child inside will have a soft surface to lean back on. As an added bonus, the foam makes for more comfort!
Portability
A car seat is supposed to make moving around and traveling with a child easier, so portability is one of the features I care the most about when shopping for one. However, I give the Chicco KeyFit 30 an average rating in this area because of its weight and narrow handle.
Weight
The Chicco car seat weighs about 9.5 pounds without the base and 16.5 pounds with it, so it’s by no means among the lightest seats on the market. I found carrying it with a newborn inside easy, but as the child grows, I think it’ll pose more of a challenge because of the added weight.
The bright side is that you don’t have to carry the base around at all. Just leave it in your car and move it whenever necessary.
Handle
I admit the car seat’s handle is easy and comfortable to grip using your hand, but I don’t like that it’s too narrow to slip my arm inside. It makes it challenging to carry the seat around for a long time because, after a while, my fingers start to hurt, and I have to shift between my hands. It also doesn’t help that the seat is heavy.
Installation
The Chicco KeyFit 30 has two installation methods, with the base and without it.
With the Base
Having tried installing many car seats, I can safely say that the KeyFit 30 comes with one of the easiest installation methods, especially if you try it with the base.
First, you need to put the car seat base in the middle back seat of your car and adjust its angle. Then, you have two options for attaching it to the seat, either by the seat belt or by LATCH connectors. Of course, the LATCH system is safer and easier, but it isn’t present in all car models, so you might not have it if your car is old.
If you have it, all you have to do is connect the tethers in the car to the anchors in the car seat base, and you’re good to go. If properly connected, the base should stay in place without any movement from side to side.
If you don’t have the LATCH system, you can use the seat belt by passing it through the two openings you’ll find on the seat’s sides. Then, attach the seat belt’s tether to its designated anchor in the car and tighten it as needed.
I tried both methods, and they’re equally easy. Also, Chicco provides explanatory videos on its website for all the possible installations of the KeyFit 30. If you face any issues while installing your car seat, check the videos, and you’ll be able to do it in under a minute!
Without the Base
If you’re riding in a different car than yours and don’t have the base at hand, you’ll be glad to know that the KeyFit 30 can be installed without its base.
It comes with two openings on its sides to slip the seat belt and attach it to its anchor. However, to install it without a base using the seat belt, your car must have a belt locking system. If it doesn’t, you’re better off using the LATCH system.
Also, unlike the base, the car seat itself doesn’t have bubble indicators for the correct recline angle. Instead, it has a red line drawn on its side. To make sure the angle is right, the red line and your car’s floor should be perfectly aligned.
Because of the easiness of the installation regardless of the base’s presence and the visual markers and videos that clarify the process, I give the Chicco seat a perfect rating in this area.
Design
If you care about aesthetics as much as I do, you’ll appreciate the elegance of the KeyFit 30. It has a sleek design that strikes a perfect balance between style and practicality.
The seat comes in many styles, and they differ in the canopy’s pattern and color and the seat padding’s color. I like that they’re all gender-neutral styles because it makes the seat more cost-efficient. This way, you can use it with all of your kids!
Size
The KeyFit 30’s length stands at 27.5 inches, which is suitable for all cars, but you might have to push one of the front seats to fit it. As for the width, it’s only 16.5 inches. I love how narrow the car seat is because it fits comfortably in the backseat of any car, leaving more than enough space for other passengers.
While the base makes the seat a bit bulkier, it’s still more compact than most car seats on the market.
Care
Most parents use their car seats every day, which means they get dirty fast. Thankfully, Chicco took this point into consideration and made their KeyFit 30 easy to care for and clean. For starters, all of its fabrics are removable and washable in the machine.
Also, you’ll find videos on Chicco’s website that explain how you should remove and replace all these parts.
Manufacturing Materials
The KeyFit 30’s seat pad, insert, and canopy are made from 100% polyester, which guarantees durability and resilience. As for the carrier shell, it’s made from polypropylene and padded with foam.
From my experience, I’ve found that the seat’s manufacturing materials are highly durable and ideal for constant use. They also don’t show signs of wear when washed frequently, which is a huge plus considering that all babies do is spit.
One final point I appreciated while using this seat is that the manufacturers didn’t use any BPAs or phthalates.
Extra Accessories
Chicco didn’t stop at manufacturing the KeyFit 30. For maximum convenience, they manufactured 3 accessories to go with it, a car seat base without a handle, a car seat base with a handle, and a travel bag.
The travel bag is ideal if you move around a lot, as you can pack the car seat in it and pull it around using its handle and wheels. It also has backpack straps if your hands are full.
What I like most about the bag is that it’s padded and water-resistant, so it protects the car seat in planes, car trunks, etc.
While I appreciate the extra accessories provided by Chicco, I wish the base was sold as a package with the car seat.
Canopy
The KeyFit 30 comes with an averagely-sized removable canopy to cover your child’s head while sitting inside. Although I wish it was larger to cover the child’s entire body, I can’t deny that it’s a practical feature in the car seat.
It retracts easily and protects your baby’s face from the harsh rays of the sun, which is ideal if your baby isn’t old enough for sunscreen. Also, if the weather is cloudy and you think it’s crowding your child, you can easily remove it by pulling it from the two mounts surrounding it.
Age Limit
The Chicco KeyFit 30 doesn’t have a specific age limit when you have to stop using it. Instead, it has a weight and height limit. While the weight limit is pretty reasonable at 4-30 pounds, I can’t say the same for the height limit, which stands at 30 inches.
Now, most kids reach 30 pounds in weight by the age of 3-4 years old, which gives you a few years with the car seat. However, they also reach 30 inches in height by the time they’re 1 year old, which means the seat can hold their weight but not their height.
This point is an issue for me because it makes the car seat less cost-efficient, as you’ll have to stop using it after a year. It’ll only be worth it if you plan to have more than one child, so you’ll be using it more than one time.
Compatibility With Strollers
It’s always a huge plus when a car seat can be mounted on a stroller. It makes it a breeze to move around with your kid, especially if they tend to sleep in the car.
Luckily, the Chicco KeyFit 30 checks this box. It’s compatible with multiple types of strollers, including single, double, jogging, and lightweight ones. However, it only works with Chicco strollers. You can check which models work with the KeyFit 30 here.
Questions You Might Have on Your Mind!
Can the Chicco KeyFit 30 Face Both the Front and Rear of the Car?
No, unfortunately, the Chicco KeyFit 30 only faces the rear. If you want a car seat that faces both, you need to get a convertible or an all-in-one seat. You’ll most probably need one after 2 years since this is the average age kids are safe to face the front. If you want to learn more about this topic, check out my guide on the best time to turn your infant car seat facing front!
Can I Install the Chicco KeyFit 30 on an Airplane Seat?
Yes, luckily for parents who travel a lot, the Chicco KeyFit 30 is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This means that you can install it on any airplane seat using the seat belt.
Does the Chicco KeyFit 30 Come With a Rain Cover?
No, it doesn’t, and Chicco doesn’t manufacture any compatible rain covers that you can buy separately. Also, the manufacturers don’t recommend you use a rain cover from another brand.
The Final Verdict
I think that the Chicco KeyFit 30 is a durable, practical, and cost-efficient car seat. It features easy installation methods, maximum safety, compact dimensions, and a sleek design. As a bonus, it’s compatible with many Chicco strollers and 3 extra accessories to make your life easier.
My only issue with it is its heavy weight and narrow handle, as these two features affect its portability. However, overall, its pros outweigh its cons by a mile, so I think you should definitely consider it!