Customer Reviews

Britax B-Safe Infant Car Seat, Red

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a review of the Britax B-Safe infant car seat. I am a mom with two small children and have owned and/or tested over 30 car seats in the past 5 years. Overall, the Britax B-Safe is a wonderful infant seat that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to friends and family. It is very similar in features and price to the Chicco Keyfit 30 Car Seat, so I'll give a basic comparison to help parents decide between the two.

First of all, if you want to use a Britax stroller, such as the Britax B-Agile Stroller or the Britax B-Scene Stroller, choosing the B-Safe car seat totally makes sense. The click-n-go adapters that come with the car seat (already attached) and the receivers on the strollers (easy to attach, takes under 30 seconds) make it seamless to convert those Britax strollers into fantastic travel systems. If you want to use a non-Britax stroller, check with that stroller's manufacturer to see if they make a car seat adaptor that's compatible with Britax infant seats. It does take practice to line up the connectors when you're dropping in the car seat, but it does get easier with time.

Moving beyond travel system usage, let's take a look at the car seats themselves.

Fit: The Britax B-Safe and the Chicco KeyFit 30 both have a 30lb weight limit. The B-Safe has a stated height limit of 32", vs the KeyFit's 30" limit. In reality, both seats are outgrown when your child's head is 1" from the top of the shell, and in reality, the Britax shell is no taller than the Chicco. So don't let that stated limit trick you into preferring the B-Safe.

Both the B-Safe and the KeyFit 30 fit tiny babies really well, thanks to the infant padding provided by each manufacturer. Both of these seats fit small babies FAR better than the Graco Snugride 35 Infant Car Seat. The B-Safe's head and body pad is removable for older babies at the discretion of the parent, whereas the infant body padding in the KeyFit must be removed after baby weighs 11lbs, though the head pad removal is at the parent's discretion in that seat. Both seats also fit older infants well, with plenty of harness positions (a major downfall of the Graco Snugride 22 Infant Car Seat, which only has two harness heights). I give a slight edge to the Britax because it has two crotch strap positions. I'd recommend that parents buy an infant seat with a 30 or 35lb weight limit rather than the 22lb limit any day -- avoid the SnugRide 22!

The Britax B-Safe has one drawback on the "fit" side of things: the straps can be somewhat "twisty", e.g. they can get twisted in the buckles and can be a pain to untangle. This is because the straps are the thinner, more slippery webbing. The Chicco straps are slightly thicker and do not twist easily in the buckles, which is a big win in my book (my husband twists the straps in the B-Safe buckles every time he takes our daughter out of the car...it's a talent, really!).

Note: After outgrowing either of these seats, you'll want to move your child into a rear-facing convertible car seat and keep them rear-facing to the limits of that seat, NOT into a forward facing seat. Check the AAP recommendations on this -- they recommend keeping your child rear-facing to age 2 or the limits of your car seat, which is usually 35-40lbs and way past age two. Your child is 500% safer rear-facing!

Installation: Both seats come with one base, which you install in the car and leave there even when removing the infant car seat. Both bases have an adjustable "boot" that helps you to achieve the appropriate angle of recline, and both have a level indicator on the base. The Chicco base wins for ease of installation, with its pull-strap mechanism for LATCH and easy seat belt lockoffs. The Britax base is easy enough to use, but the tightening mechanism isn't as smooth, and the belt lockoff requires a TON of force to open and close, making the parent feel like they're going to break it! For installing without a base, the Chicco KeyFit also wins, since the seatbelt guides are exposed already, whereas with the Britax seatbelt guides are under the cover, so you have to futz with elastic bands on the cover every single time you want to access them.

Fabric: Britax gets the edge in fabric, with a slightly easier to wipe clean seat cover. I highly recommend the black for hiding dirt. The KeyFit 30 has light colors in the head and feet area, both of which show sweat and grime marks readily. Both the Britax seat and the Chicco seat are warm -- there's not a lot to be done about this. If you have a sweaty baby, they're going to sweat in any infant seat.

Canopy: Britax wins hands-down in the canopy, with a generous canopy that stays where you put it. I know that would seem like such a simple thing, but the KeyFit canopy really does not always stay fully extended, and it's not as long as the B-Safe canopy, which is really nice when you want to shade your baby! Added benefit: the B-Safe canopy is so long that if you have two kids sitting next to each other in car seats, the B-Safe canopy can actually prevent them from seeing each other if it's fully extended, which can be great if you want to encourage car naps.

Customer Service and Manual: both Britax and Chicco have well-written manuals. Britax customer service gets a slight edge, with very knowledgeable techs answering the phones.

So overall, I give the new Britax B-Safe a 4-star rating, to account for its few quirks and twisty straps, and strongly recommend it. The deciding factor for me would really be stroller compatibility and nothing more.

Very nice seat, detachable carrier from the base means that you can install the base onto your car (or preferably, have a spouse or family member pre-install it while the mother-to-be is waiting for the kid to be born!) and then it's all a matter of snapping the carrier to the base.

I personally like the darker color, it means that this will not look dirty so easily, and also means the cover blocks out sunlight better.

Sturdy handle, the only thing of note is that I've seen some where the handle is twisted 90°, so that a person can carry the baby carrier for a bit and not have to rotate the arm/wrist. But let's be serious, it's not like Britax is intending the parent to be carrying around a kid for long, that's what strollers are for! Therefore, no minus points for that small quibble.

Overall, still highly recommended. This is the gift you hint at to get your friends and family to get for your baby shower! Of course, try to get the stroller as well, as this snaps onto it as a stroller, the same way it snaps onto the car seat base. Especially with very small babies, a lot of anxiety can be removed by not having to lift a baby in and out of a stroller/car/seat, and instead use the snap and lock system!

This is our third Britax car seat. We also own the Roundabout and Frontier 85. I love how easy these car seat straps/buckles are to adjust and how easily they install into cars. They hold up very well, from child to child and travel well (we fly overseas a lot). I didn't hesitate to buy the infant seat with the birth of our youngest son, and I am very happy with our purchase. My only gripe is similar to other reviewers about previous Britax infant car seats, which is the fact that the material is not breathable, and that makes for a very sweaty newborn son. Since we take long car trips, I am a little annoyed at that, but I know that same material will make cleaning it a snap. Overall, I really like the infant carrier and it will be used a lot in planes, in cars and restaurants. I would buy it again, and recommend it with that one caveat.

If you're looking for a travel system that's a bit more expensive but noticeably nicer than something like the Chicco KeyFit one, this is it. The B-Safe carseat is very light, easy to use, and safe. I got it with the Britax B-Agile Stroller, Black, which is also fantastic, FYI. The carseat snaps in quickly (with the provided adapters) and easily, and the canopies of the two overlap to create total shelter if you want.

The one minor issue I've had is the attachments for the front of the canopy come undone fairly easily, and can detach by mistake if you're adjusting it and not being careful.

I love Britax car seats and have been using them for my children for the past ten years. The B-Safe was our first experience with a Britax infant car seat and I am rather disappointed in this seat. My first issue with the seat is the car seat base. When the seat arrived the base was broken right out of the box. Britax customer service is great and after having to email photo proof that the base was indeed broken, they agreed to send a replacement. The replacement base was defective and one of the level indicators did not work. Customer service wasn't exactly willing to replace the base for a fully functional one at first, but after I insisted that I wanted them to honor their warranty and replace it with one free of defects, they agreed to send another replacement. Turn around time from when the seat was delivered to when I was actually able to use it with the base was a full month. I was also saddled with the inconvenience of lugging the base that had to be shipped back along with an infant to the UPS store twice.

Once I was was able to install the base in the car I found myself annoyed by the base which claims "superior ease of use" on the base box. Adjusting the foot of the base is not as easy as a Chicco KeyFit or Graco Snugride base. The locking clip on the B-Safe base is very stiff and you feel like you are going to break the clip when you try to open it. It was so difficult to release that I needed my husband to do it and even he had some difficulty with it. The button that allows you to adjust the base foot does not function as the owners manual states when you are trying to put it back in it's original position. I cut several of my fingers adjusting the base. If I were to recommend an infant car seat based only on the car seat base I'd rate this product only one star and tell you to steer clear of it at all costs.

The seat itself isn't horrible. I like that it is slightly lighter than our Chicco Keyfit 22 and can accommodate an infant up to 30lbs. The canopy on the seat is generous and is more user friendly than the Chicco Keyfit canopy. The fabric on this seat wipes clean quite easily which is a plus if you have a baby who spits up frequently. The headrest for the seat is nice and plush, but it is unclear as to whether using it is optional or not. Chicco comes out and states that it does not have to be used past 11lbs, but Britax makes no mention as to whether or not it must be used.

I found the harness straps easy to adjust as is typical of Britax car seats. I was disappointed that the velcro tabs to hold the harness straps open when you are loading the baby into the seat which are typical on the convertible models are not part of the infant seat design. That small touch would have made the seat much better in my opinion.

If you have a compatible Britax B series stroller, this seat can be used with it to form a travel system. I have a B-Agile stroller so I tested this seat out with the stroller. The seat snaps on to the stroller nicely and sets the baby up a bit higher than the Chicco Cortina travel system has the baby, but I didn't like that the car seat seems to wiggle and have some play when it's attached to the stroller. I also do not like how the seat detaches from the stroller. You have to use both hands and press a release button on the sides of the seat which leaves you holding the seat not by the handle but by the sides. I don't like this feature at all and see it as a great way to increase the risk that you might accidentally drop the car seat.

Overall, I really don't recommend this seat. For the money, you'd be better off buying a Chicco Keyfit seat. The Keyfit is easier to install and is more user friendly than the Britax B-Safe.

This is my third child and my fourth baby carrier style car seat. I had the Graco 22 and 32 with my first child and then the Graco 35 with my second and now the Britax B Safe with my third.

Obviously with the 22 my son grew out of it way before I wanted to have to buy a 'real' seat so I bought a newer carrier then. Both were good car seats and I felt safe with my son buckled into them I traveled quite a bit with these seats and used them without the base in rental cars with no problems.

The Graco 35 was also very safe and the main reason for upgrading to the Britax was because of buying a Britax B Ready stroller and it was easier/cheaper to sell the old car seat/single stroller and buy a new B Safe to easily drop into the stroller with no extra accessories to lug around.

It is a great seat my only complaints about the system are
-it seems more difficult to put in/take out of car than the Graco car seats. The latch you pull up on the back of the car seat to release the seat from the base is lower and more awkward to maneuver and the car seat doesn't slide into and out of the base as smoothly as the Graco seats did which sometimes jolts the baby a little bit more than I would like.
-the removable infant padding is not as nice as the Graco 35 which I felt cuddled their heads better was made of more comfortable looking fabrics.
-the straps are a little twisty as they are pretty slick and skinnier than most.
-when the seat is not in the base, the level indicators rattle around and it drove me crazy until I figured out what was going on

I would definitely buy again and given the safety reputation of Britax and how great the B Ready stroller set up is with the built in click and go system. With a toddler and an infant the double stroller system is a life saver and we get lots of comments on the set up when we are out and about!

I was over-the-moon to receive this infant seat from Britax. We have a Britax convertible car seat for our 22 month old daughter and am happy to have this new one for the baby that is due in April.

It installed very easily and isn't as wide as the Chicco infant seat we borrowed from a friend for our daughter, which is a plus if you do not own a minivan! The level indicator made adjustments a snap and removing the seat from the base is easier for me than the Chicco we used, it feels lighter too. I put my daughter in it, she is petite for her age, and she said it was comfy.

The extra padding and stap location options will accomodate a very small baby securely. The canopy is fine, but cannot be reversed for rear sun shading. The colors are dark and will hide dirt and stains very well.

I would recommend this to any new parent!

Okay first off I really do like britax for its sturdy designs , convenience for parents and comfort and safety for kids.
This carseat speaks exactly that of britax.
The reason I picked this up on vine is I just purchased a B ready with second seat in the free ride event and this was just what I needed.
I have a britax boulevard for my toddler in one car and a Sunshine Radian in the other.
I am positive I can only use the Bsafe in the car with the Sunshine. 2 britax seats in one car...impossible in my midsize sedans.
Yes This car seat though claiming to be lightweight is not the lightest of them but lighter than most out there.
Also its nice and compact considering this is a britax.
That said its really luxurious and safe and keeps the baby well cushioned.
There is nice recline feature for babies to sleep or be propped up which is great.
The 5 point harness is a must and is easy to click and get baby in and out of the car seat.
It easily goes from my car to the B-ready stroller in one easy click.
Its a definite plus that in the cold weather I wont have to juggle with fitting it on the stroller.
Has a nice large size canopy perfect for the cold or sun.
Easy carry handle.
Easy to clean.
And my baby can sleep well ...like a baby in this.
I know that with this my baby is safe and comfotable.
Easy to adjust harness.
30 pound weight limit is way better than 22.
Almost perfect.

After an exhausting search for a car seat for our little girl, I settled on the Britax B Safe in red. BBrUs didn't offer in red, and it was almost $50 cheaper on Amazon, plus free shipping. Well, it arrived 2 days later in excellent condition. I adjusted the shoulder straps and we have loosely fit it into our 4Runner. No baby yet to put in it (about 6 wks to go) but it seems like it will be great. I also purchased the Britax B Agile stroller (in red) and it is AWESOME as well. The car seat attachments ARE included in the box and the whole thing took about 15 min to put together. I have used Graco brand car seats in the past with my boys (now 7 & 10) and thought it was a decent car seat. But I really LOVE the Britax. And, unlike another reviewer, no weird smells at all. Lightweight, great color (red) and overall I am very happy with my purchase.

The best judge of the quality of this seat is the LO who sleeps like a baby (there is a pun there somewhere) when in the seat. Fits seamlessly with the Britax B-Scene Stroller, Red. The seat feels sturdy and baby gets good support. The only drawback I have is that I wanted a green one and this only comes in red and black.