A pram may be one of the most expensive and important items you’ll be buying in preparation for the arrival of your newborn, and one of the products you’ll be using most days over the next few years as your child grows. 

With some prams costing into the hundreds or sometimes thousands of dollars, it’s a purchase that can take a lot of research and consideration. 

As well as looking at features and design – including how easy a pram is to fold, how big it is, how much it weighs, and even how it looks and what accessories it comes with – you also need to consider how safe it is.

On this page:

• Pram safety issues identified by ����Vlog testing
• iCandy Peach 7
• Silver Cross Wave 3

Pram safety issues identified by ����Vlog testing

While prams sold in Australia need to meet mandatory safety standards, ����Vlog experts also test to a newer, voluntary safety standard that goes above and beyond mandatory requirements.

Although we’re pleased to see many manufacturers now test to this standard too, unfortunately it’s not compulsory and our results show that many prams still pose significant safety risks.

“While the ����Vlog labs have seen an overall improvement in pram safety, there are still many models on sale which have serious fall, head entrapment, strangulation and other risks. In fact, 15 out of 48 models in our latest review failed our key safety tests,” says ����Vlog babies and kids expert Kim Gilmour.

And in case you thought you could avoid safety issues simply by buying a high-end model, think again – we’ve seen safety failures even in expensive, well-known brands. 

“We found that in some cases the pram wheels could move even when the parking brake was engaged, and in others, a child’s head could become trapped between the head barrier and the end of the seat,” says Kim.

“Plus, the straps in some prams pose a strangulation risk, while others broke in durability testing.“

����Vlog experts also remind Australians that if you’re buying children’s products from international online platforms such as eBay or Amazon, you can’t always trust that the product will comply with local safety requirements, so be wary if you’re shopping from overseas retailers.

The following products were the lowest ranked in our latest testing of prams. ����Vlog recommends that you avoid purchasing these, or if you already own them, to stop using them immediately.

iCandy Peach 7

• Price: $2600
• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 32%
• Passed our key safety tests: No

One of the most expensive prams in our tests, the iCandy is even pricier than high-end brands like Bugaboo, Joolz and Stokke. 

But despite its high price, its scores are very low – it received the lowest score overall in our test of 48 prams.

For this kind of money, it’s reasonable to expect that a pram would meet or exceed safety standards, but unfortunately the iCandy Peach 7 didn’t pass our safety tests or the mandatory standard when we tested it in our labs.

Our expert testers found that the pram’s straps pose a potential strangulation risk – the shoulder and waist straps don’t automatically separate from each other when the buckle is pressed and they are difficult to separate manually. This means they create a loop that could be a strangulation hazard.

In addition, when the pram is fully reclined it poses a potential head entrapment hazard and fall risk, which means that a young baby could be injured by falling out or getting their head caught in the hood of the stroller. 

Both of these issues represent serious safety failures.

iCandy responds

iCandy disagrees with our findings, saying: “The iCandy Peach has been tested extensively internally and independently by labs around the world, with no reported issues of test failures or non-compliance.”

It also says the seat angle of the pram doesn’t recline enough for the head entrapment/fall test to apply, but ����Vlog stands by its results.

Read the full iCandy Peach 7 review.

Silver Cross Wave 3

• Price: $2299
• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 33%
• Passed our key safety tests: No

Another pricey pram, the Silver Cross Wave 3 bills itself as a ‘future-proof travel system’ that can be configured 12 different ways, including converting from a single to double stroller. 

While the stroller offers obvious conveniences that appeal to parents – such as the adjustable seat and handle height and adjustable seat recline – ����Vlog experts found two serious safety failures with this pram.

The first is that the waist and crotch straps can be removed from the seat, which means a child can become entangled in the straps causing injury. And the second is that a child can potentially be injured by falling into the soft fabric space between the seat and soft stroller canopy.

Silver Cross responds

Silver Cross disagrees with our findings, saying: “Silver Cross treats all matters regarding product safety with the utmost importance. All Silver Cross products are rigorously tested for reliability, durability, and safety. Our products are tested and certified by an accredited independent laboratory, and typically approved compliant to multiple international safety standards”.

It says it can “confidently” report no safety issues have been raised. ����Vlog stands by its findings. 

Read the full Silver Cross Wave 3 review.

Other pram safety failures

These two prams are among our lowest scoring, but our testing has identified others that also have serious safety failures, many of them still on the market, and some of them costing well over $1000.

Before you start shopping for a pram for your baby, check our pram and stroller reviews. You can filter the results to check which prams have passed all the key safety tests, and we also tell you how easy they are to use.

And if you’re looking at a second-hand stroller, you can search past results for discontinued products by applying our filter.

Other prams that didn’t pass key safety tests include:

• Pouch 2 in 1 – $360
• Baby Jogger City Select Lux (Single) – $1295
• Mountain Buggy Cosmopolitan 4.0 2021+ – $1220
• Cybex Gazelle S – $1899
• Cosatto Giggle Quad – $1399
• Baby Joy Baby Stroller – $200
• 4Baby Como – $330
• Redsbaby Aeron – $799
• Phil & Teds Go V2 – $400
• Leclercbaby Influencer – $860
• Bugaboo Fox 5 – $1899
• Edwards & Co Oscar M2 – $899
• Baby Jogger City Select 2 – $1299

How we test if a pram or stroller is safe

“There is a mandatory safety standard that ,” says Kim.

“However, it’s outdated. We test to the voluntary 2013 standard which has had widespread adoption by manufacturers and goes above and beyond mandatory requirements. There’s even a more recent 2022 revision now that takes newer designs of prams into account such as convertible tricycle strollers.”

“We believe the voluntary requirements should be made mandatory, so our test experts go above and beyond, by not only testing against the mandatory requirements but also testing against the voluntary standard and basing our recommendations off of it,” she says.

Our expert testers have decades of experience in testing children’s products and sit on the Australian Standards committee for prams and strollers, so we keep up to date with changes to the standard. Our lab is also NATA-accredited to test products to both the mandatory and voluntary prams and strollers standards.

To learn more about our testing process, read . 

The post Prams to avoid buying appeared first on ����Vlog.

There’s nothing like an adventurous, wobbly toddler to make every parent suddenly extremely aware of all the potential hazards in their home. Safety gates can be a helpful solution if you want to block your child’s access to a staircase or any other area of the house you don’t want them to toddle into unattended. 

They’re also handy options for those of us with inquisitive four-legged friends we might want to keep confined to a certain area of the house. 

Safety gates seem simple enough – just prop them up, screw them in and off you go, right? But when our expert testers took a closer look, they noted a range of issues from fiddly latches to tricky assembly instructions and outright choking hazards in the safety gates we purchased.

����Vlog experts have recently tested a range of safety gates from brands including Kmart Anko, 4Baby, Childcare and Dreambaby and found three with serious safety issues as well as models with several minor safety issues you should be aware of before you buy.

Here’s what you need to know about the safety gates that failed our rigorous testing, and what to consider if you’re buying a safety gate. 

No Australian safety standards

Contrary to what you might expect, there are no Australian safety standards for baby safety gates. There are however, two international standards, from Europe and the US. ����Vlog experts have drawn on these standards, as well as safety requirements and test procedures based on various Australian and overseas standards for other children’s products, to create our comprehensive in-house testing method to assess which gates are the best and safest.

“Manufacturers whose models we’ve failed say they do meet existing international safety gate standards, but ����Vlog experts believe our requirements address key safety concerns,” says Kim Gilmour, ����Vlog household goods expert.

When we assess each gate, we’re looking to see how well they are constructed and checking for obvious potential hazards. We make sure the lock can’t be opened by a small child, look for tripping or entrapment hazards, and test whether a typical toddler could force the gate open or push it out of the door frame.

Our experts also assess how easy it is to assemble and install the gate and how easy it is to release and close the latch.

����Vlog director of campaigns, Andy Kelly says: “The lack of mandatory standards for safety gates is a symptom of Australia’s reactive product safety laws – it might take a serious injury or death before a new mandatory standard is introduced or an unsafe product is recalled.”

“With tens of thousands of product categories and only a handful of products covered by mandatory standards and product bans, we urgently need to change the law so that it actually prevents companies from selling unsafe products.”

Safety gates from our latest testing with serious failures

����Vlog experts found three safety games with serious failures. All were retractable screen-style baby gates, sold via online marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay and online marketplace partners for retailers such as Big W, Harvey Norman, Dick Smith and Myer.

Retractable Pet Fence Universal Pet Safety Enclosure

• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 21%
• Ease of use score: 70%
• Serious failures: small parts that can be detached are choking hazards; it is flimsy and not secure or high enough and therefore ineffective.

This product has multiple significant failures and is marketed as a “Creativity Baby Safe Guard” with images of babies and pets in its advertising material.

“This gate is so flimsy, it feels like a plastic book covering,” says product expert Kim Gilmour.

“Even though there is an emphasis on ‘pets’ in the product name, the product description and imagery used infers it is also suitable to be used as a baby gate.

“It’s far too low to prevent children from climbing over, and there are only cheap sticky hooks holding it in place on the door frame.”

Read the full Retractable Pet Fence Universal Pet Safety Enclosure review.

The BoPeep Retractable Safety Gate SG021

• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 29%
• Ease of use score: 50%
• Serious failures: strangulation hazard and lack of security.

����Vlog experts noted three serious failures and one minor failure on The BoPeep Retractable Safety Gate SG021 (a product that is currently available for purchase from multiple retailers).

The serious failures include an aspect of the gate’s lock that presents a potential strangulation hazard if a piece of child’s clothing was to become snagged on it, and an issue with the locking mechanism that means it is not completely secure.

Experts also found that the gate could easily be removed from its wall mounts by hand. And crucially, the gap created between the gate and the door frame has the potential for limbs to get stuck in it.

Read the full BoPeep Retractable Safety Gate review. 

Dreambaby Glide ‘N Hide Xtra-Tall Retractable Gate G9377

• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 29%
• Ease of use score: 50%
• Serious failure: lack of security (lock is easy to be left inadvertently unengaged).

The baby safety gate raises a significant concern around basic security: it doesn’t reliably lock unless the user takes multiple deliberate steps – and it’s surprisingly easy to get those steps wrong. The lock button must be manually activated, but there’s no strong, obvious indication when it hasn’t been engaged.

Even more worrying, the gate can appear closed while only one of its two catches is secured, leaving the other side unintentionally loose. In practice, this creates a false sense of safety, where caregivers may believe the gate is properly locked when it isn’t.

Beyond that, the overall design feels unnecessarily complicated and somewhat flimsy. Locking happens at one end, while securing the two catches happens at the other, forcing users to manage multiple points of interaction every time they open or close it. The retractable fabric mechanism can be awkward to guide, and ensuring both the top and bottom catches are engaged is fiddly.

There’s also a minor but notable risk of a child’s limb getting caught in a gap near the edge of the gate.

Read the full Dreambaby Glide ‘N Hide Xtra-Tall Retractable Gate review. 

What the manufacturers say

We contacted the manufacturers and suppliers of the safety gates we marked as having serious failures, requesting a response. eBay removed the Retractable Pet Fence Universal Pet Safety Enclosure, and similar items, for sale but it’s still available to buy on Ali Express. We have not received a response from the supplier of the BoPeep gate.

In response to our findings, Dreambaby says that its Glide N’ Hide gate passes the European (EN1930) and US (ASTMF1004) safety gate standards. It says the gate can be “conveniently removed from the wall if an adult chooses to do so” and will review its instructions.

Minor safety failures

In several of the gates we tested, ����Vlog experts found a risk of limb entrapment, which we consider an important factor parents should consider when deciding whether or not to buy a particular model of gate.

Kim says: “Manufacturers rightly warn that children should never be left unattended when a safety gate is used, but in a split second, an adventurous child could well test the waters and attempt to unlatch or escape from the gate, causing their arm or leg to get lodged between the bars.”

To find out which baby safety gates had minor failures, and to see the ones that passed our tests with flying colours, check out the baby safety gate review.

Meet our tester

Our safety gate tester Antonio Bonacruz knows his stuff. He’s been testing children’s products for the past 22 years and sits on various committees for Standards Australia, where he helps write the safety requirements for children’s products. This includes specifying how these products should be tested for safety. 

He helped develop ����Vlog’s in-house test method, which consists of safety requirements and test procedures based on various Australian and overseas standards for children’s products. 

The method tests for things such as choking hazards, entanglements that can cause strangulation, access to dangerous places, falls from heights, entrapments in openings and between moving components, and structural integrity. 

Things to consider when buying a child safety gate

If you’re looking for a child safety gate, you might also like to consider features that will affect how adults will use the gate. 

Is it a trip hazard for you?

We found some gates pose a trip hazard as the floor bar is high enough for you to catch your foot on as you walk through. To lower the risk of dropping your baby while carrying them through a safety gate, look out for a safety gate with either a low-profile floor bar with chamfered edges, or one that doesn’t have a floor bar at all.��

Is it easy to open and close?

Some safety gates can be tricky to open and close, and some even need two hands to open and close them. Given that parents tend to have their hands full most of the time, this could mean that you either don’t close the gate properly or stop using it altogether – which rather defeats the purpose of having a safety gate in the first place. 

Is it difficult to assemble?

If you’re a parent, you’re likely to be running on reduced sleep, so a safety gate that’s difficult to assemble may just tip you over the edge! Make sure you check the ease of use scores in our review so you can avoid the models that are a nightmare to set up. 

Tips for baby-proofing your home

If you’re looking to babyproof your home, a safety gate is one of the key items you’ll be adding to your shopping list. You’ll find some of the most important things to look out for in a safety gate in our baby safety gate buying guide. Here are a few other things to consider:

• You may need to buy more than one safety gate; consider placing at both the bottom and tops of stairs and in front of entrances to rooms that may contain hazards, such as the kitchen or bathroom.
• Babies and toddlers often pull themselves up on furniture – heavy items such as bookcases, tallboys and cabinets should be anchored to the wall so they don’t topple over. Check out the dangers of topping furniture and how to avoid it.
• Cover electrical outlets with outlet covers, and secure or put away electrical cords. 
• Install childproof locks (either magnetic locks or latches) on cabinets or drawers with items that can cause harm, such as sharp utensils, cleaning supplies, medicines or alcohol.
• Add corner guards to sharp-edged tables or furniture stands.
• Place fragile, breakable items such as pot plants or ornaments well out of reach.
• Ensure any items that may contain button batteries are secured or out of reach – you might be surprised at the number of household items that contain button batteries that can be extremely harmful if ingested. Think bathroom scales, light-up toys or shoes, glucose monitors, remote controls, car key fobs, musical greeting cards, hearing aids or digital thermometers.

Know the products to avoid before you shop. Get our free guide and buy smarter.

Sign up

Read our privacy policy

The post Baby gates failing ����Vlog safety tests revealed appeared first on ����Vlog.

One longstanding truism of the consumer rights movement is that it takes a long time and a lot of effort to get new laws passed. Legislative reform  often comes long after the issues that made it necessary have already done considerable damage.

����Vlog has been campaigning for stronger product safety laws in Australia since 2018, and our campaign continues in 2026. Over the years, our test labs (accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities) have documented a disturbingly high number of product safety failures, especially in products designed for kids and babies, where the lack of adequate safety standards can pose nightmare scenarios. 

Astonishingly, the law doesn’t prevent the sale of unsafe products in Australia. Risks and dangers often come to light only after people are injured.

But, according to the results of a national ����Vlog survey, three out of four Australians (74%) still mistakenly believe that retailers are legally obligated to ensure the products they sell are safe. It’s a logical assumption that, unfortunately, is not a reality.

In 2019, as our campaign for an overarching product safety duty under Australian Consumer Law gathered steam, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) reported that there were around 780 deaths and around 52,000 injuries per year from consumer products that many Australians have in their homes, not including motor vehicles.

“There is no law that says goods have to be safe, but there should be,” then ACCC chair Rod Sims said at the time.

This year, 15 March is World Consumer Rights Day, so we thought it would be a good time to revisit some examples of what happens when products are made available without mandatory pre-market safety tests to inform their design.

It’s worth noting that Australia does have mandatory safety standards for some consumer goods, including baby products, electrical appliances, child motor vehicle restraints, bicycle helmets, children’s nightwear and more. But it’s a short list compared to the number of goods available that lack such standards.

Button batteries

As of 2022 there have been mandatory standards for button batteries, requiring manufacturers to secure battery compartments and include label warnings to prevent young children from ingesting these potentially deadly items.

����Vlog campaigned strenuously for this reform, which came in the wake of the deaths of three children and the serious injury of countless others.

Prior to the mandatory safety standard, there was a voluntary standard that manufacturers could choose to observe or ignore. They mostly did the latter.

In 2019, we tested 17 common household items – including ear thermometers, kitchen and bathroom scales, and remote controls – against the voluntary standard. Ten had unsecured batteries that could have easily been accessed and swallowed by children.

And just because we finally get laws doesn’t mean manufacturers won’t break them. ����Vlog has conducted several battery button safety tests in our labs since 2022, and failures have been common.

In January 2024�� – 18 months after the mandatory standard came into effect – we reported on the results of our test of 15 common household products containing button batteries. Ten of the products failed to meet the mandatory standards.

Around the same time, the famed Australian children’s musical group The Wiggles admitted in a case brought by the ACCC that it had breached regulations by selling thousands of Emma Bow headbands that lacked mandatory button battery safety warnings.

Australia remains an outlier

In May 2025, a new mandatory standard came into effect for furniture that’s prone to toppling over and seriously injuring people, especially small children.

It is not a big ask for manufacturers. They are now merely required to prominently warn consumers about the very real risks of this happening on labels, instruction manuals and other communications.

But many other products sold in Australia are not subject to any safety standards at all.

Australia is an outlier in this regard. Canada, the UK and the EU, for instance, have laws that stipulate products across the board must be safe before they’re sold. It’s an idea that’s sweeping the globe.

In December last year, the United Nations released its Principles for Consumer Product Safety, which “affirm the right of all consumers to safe, non-hazardous products, sold online and offline”.

Pram and stroller failures

Late last year, in our most recent test of essential children’s products, we tested 54 models of prams and strollers. Sixteen of them had serious safety failures.

The manufacturing defects included the risk of falls, durability failures, locking mechanism failures, parking brake failures and harnesses that posed the risk of strangulation and head entrapment.

Manufacturers for each brand responded with their own test results, declaring the products safe. Unlike many other children’s products, prams sold in Australia do need to meet mandatory safety standards, but ����Vlog experts also test to a newer, voluntary safety standard that goes above and beyond mandatory requirements.

We think the more stringent voluntary standard should be mandatory. (A 2022 revision to the voluntary standard takes newer designs of prams into account, such as convertible tricycle strollers.)

While prams must meet safety standards (which we view as inadequate), and a new mandatory infant sleep standard covers infant sleep products, many other children’s products are still not subject to standards, including high chairs, change tables, baby bottles and teats, safety gates and barriers, backyard play equipment, baby carriers and slings, and playpens.

It means you take it on trust that these items are safe for your child – trust in the profit-driven, often overseas-based manufacturer, that is.

Safety failures from online marketplaces

Over the past couple of years we’ve turned our sights toward the new generation of online marketplaces that sell many billions of inexpensive goods around the world every year. What we found is not cause for celebration.

In late 2025, we published the results of a ����Vlog button battery lab test of children’s products purchased on Shein, AliExpress, eBay and Amazon. The safety failure rate was high across all four marketplaces and included lack of suitable warning labels and insecure compartments.

We followed the button battery test up with a mechanical safety test of 22 products suitable for children under three – including rattles, teethers and whistles – purchased on Temu, AliExpress, eBay and Amazon.

Six of them had serious safety failures based on Australian mandatory standards, ranging from choking hazards to lack of safety warnings.

Online marketplaces have added new dangers to the purchasing of consumer goods in Australia. And at the moment we have little protection.

These marketplaces can choose to sign up to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s voluntary Product Safety Pledge as a gesture of good will, but the ACCC has no power to make sure they’re actually complying.

A phenomenon known as “product safety washing” has emerged. Amazon Australia, eBay Australia and Chinese retailer AliExpress have all signed the pledge. But the most recent Australian Product Safety Pledge annual report, which did not name names, says adherence by signatories is spotty. Some resumed selling unsafe products after removing them, while others took too long to remove them.

A global issue

Australia is far from alone in the struggle to rein in online marketplaces that specialise in cheap goods. In December last year, we published the results of a mystery shopping exercise of Temu and Shein by International Consumer Research and Testing (ICRT), a London-based global consortium of consumer organisations (including ����Vlog).

Consumer organisations in Germany, France, Denmark and Belgium tested 162 products purchased on Shein and Temu across three categories: toys and products for children under three, USB chargers, and necklaces.

A massive 65% of the products bought on Temu failed to comply with EU safety standards, while the failure rate for Shein was 73%. The worst safety failures were in the children’s toys category, where all 27 products purchased on Shein and 26 out of 27 bought on Temu failed.

According to the European Commission, about 12 million low-cost parcels per day were imported to Europe from China (where Temu and Shein are based) in 2024. That equals about 4.6 billion parcels for the year. It was twice as many as in 2023 and three times as many as in 2022.

It’s a sign that we urgently need stronger product safety laws that make it illegal for all businesses to sell unsafe products. Until then, compelling cut-rate online marketplaces to conduct safety tests on products before they go on sale, or to make sure their many suppliers do so, remains a work in progress.

The post Why isn’t the law stopping the sale of unsafe goods? appeared first on ����Vlog.

And baby food is particularly persistent – have you ever tried to get dried Weet-Bix off the wall without taking a layer of paint off with it? That stuff sets like concrete!

Between the nappies, extra laundry and sleep deprivation, you already have enough to deal with – so anything you can do to lessen the load is worth it.

Since the high chair is ground zero for mealtimes, minimising the nooks and crannies where food can accumulate will make cleaning up faster and less agonising.

So what makes a high chair easier to clean? And how do you decide which one is best for your baby? We’ll explain, and tell you which hard-to-clean high chairs are best to avoid.

How we test ease of cleaning

To assess how easy high chairs are to clean, our experts play with their food – literally.

In our labs, they cover the tray, seat back, padding and harness with Weet-Bix and milk, spaghetti with tomato sauce, and baby food, then let it dry overnight.

The next day, they set to work wiping, scrubbing and washing each section of the high chair, then score it on how difficult it is to clean.

They find that chairs with lots of cracks and crevices are generally harder to clean, so they tend to score lower.

Since cleaning is such a big part of what makes parents’ lives easier, the ease of cleaning score makes up 30% of the total ����Vlog Expert Rating.

What to look for in a high chair

Just like every baby is different, so too is every family’s priorities for a high chair. Here are a few things to consider before you go shopping:

Space

How much room do you have? If your dining room is tiny (or non-existent), a high chair that folds up could help free up space in between meals. 

Trays might be handy, but they do increase the size of a high chair. Would you be better off just parking the high chair at the table and using the table top instead of a tray? Or would you rather keep the mealtime mayhem well away from your furniture?

Safety

Toddlers are squirmy creatures and if there’s a way to escape, they’ll find it. If they’re not securely contained in their high chair they could fall or climb out and be injured.

“It’s best practice for a high chair to have a five-point harness with waist, shoulder and crotch straps,” says ����Vlog baby and kids product expert Kim Gilmour.

Stability

Chair legs that splay outwards will make a high chair more stable, so look for a high chair that has a footprint larger than the seat.��

Our expert testers rigorously assess each high chair to check if it’ll topple over sideways or backwards – check our reviews to make sure you’re buying a chair that’ll stay put, no matter how active your child is.

Sustainability

Rather than buying a new chair every time your child grows, you could consider a convertible chair that you can modify to suit your child’s needs. 

Convertible high chairs may cost more upfront, but take into account how much use you’ll get out of it – if your child uses it until they’re big enough to sit in a regular dining chair, then you won’t have to spend money on booster seats and the like.

Bear in mind though that you may need to pay extra for attachments such as a tray, harness and safety bar.

The high chairs that score lowest for ease of cleaning

Unless you’re keen on spending hours scrubbing mushed avocado, days-old Bolognaise and broccoli puree from hard-to-reach corners, avoid these high chairs.

They range in price from $35 to $578, which just goes to show that even expensive designer chairs aren’t necessarily designed to be parent-friendly.

Leander Chair

• Ease of cleaning score: 20%
• Price: $430

Mocka Soho High Chair

• Ease of cleaning score: 45%
• Price: $150

4Baby Easy Highchair

• Ease of cleaning score: 47%
• Price: $35

Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair (with Baby Set)

• Ease of cleaning score: 48%
• Price: $578

4Baby Diner

• Ease of cleaning score: 48%
• Price: $99

InfaSecure Babytime Sedia High/Low Chair

• Ease of cleaning score: 49%
• Price: $330

Love n Care Montana BP 894 High Chair

• Ease of cleaning score: 50%
• Price: $250

The post The high chairs that are hardest to clean appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• How much do high chairs cost?
• What to look for in a high chair

High chairs should be sturdy and safe and have all the right features to make feeding time easy. This guide includes things to consider when buying a stand-alone high chair, as well as other options like portable or clip-on baby chairs.

High chair safety

The most common form of injury involving high chairs is when a child falls after trying to stand up in, climb into, or get out of the chair. Other serious injuries can result from having their fingers, toes or limbs pinched or crushed by moving parts or gaps, or choking on easily detachable small parts. 

Make sure you check out the chair when it’s set up in the store, and really get in there – rock it to check stability, get your fingers into any nooks and crannies, and play with moving parts to check for finger or limb traps.

When shopping, look for chairs that comply with the Australian Standard for high chairs, AS 4684:2009, or the European Standard (EN 14988) – there are a variety of different styles, so you shouldn’t have to sacrifice safety to buy one that looks good in your kitchen or dining room, if that’s important to you. 

And when you get home, make sure you set up the chair at least half a metre from anything your child could use to push off from and topple over – windows, large furniture, pull cords on lights or blinds, and so on.

How much do high chairs cost?

Given the high chairs in our most recent test start at $29 and go up to almost $800, it can be difficult to work out how much you should be paying.

However, our testing has shown that a higher price tag isn’t always an indicator of a better performer – we recommend several models under $100 that pass all our key safety tests and score well for ease of cleaning, so you don’t have to spend big to get a quality high chair.

What to look for in a high chair

Five-point harness

This means a harness with shoulders, waist and crotch straps so kids can’t fall or climb out. One with three points (waist and crotch straps only) may be worth considering, but five-point harnesses are safer.

Shoulder straps that attach to the seat at shoulder height provide more effective restraint than ones that attach to the back of the waist strap.

The crotch strap should be anchored close enough to the back that the child can’t slip through one side. The buckles should be easy for you, but not your child, to release.

Ideally, the harness should be non-removable, or at least require a tool to remove it for washing (such as undoing a screw). This is so that you or your child are unlikely to take it off and lose it, or forget to reattach it.

Convertible chairs

Some high chairs are sold as junior chairs suitable for young children, but with a high chair attachment (seat and tray) that costs extra.

Construction

This should be sturdy and robust enough to carry the weight of a child. Push on the seat and backrest to see if these squeak, sag, deform, move out of position or collapse.

Stability

Look for legs that spread outwards further than all other parts of the chair – the area of the floor space between the four legs should be greater than the area of the seat. Perfectly vertical legs aren’t as stable.

Moving parts

These shouldn’t be able to pinch, crush or trap a child’s finger, toe, limb or head (or the fingers of an adult folding or adjusting the chair). Also check for sharp edges and points along the edges of the chair and tray, and easily detachable parts (including stickers) that could pose a choking hazard.

Castor wheels

These are handy for moving the chair around and they should have brakes that lock in position on at least two of them (the front or back set). If the chair doesn’t have castors, make sure it’s light enough to move easily without them.

Large or adjustable seat

This is useful if you plan to use the chair for some years, as it will accommodate a toddler.

Reclining back or seat

This is good for younger babies who can’t sit upright for long.

Tray

This should be secure when fitted, but easy to remove, attach and adjust.

Height adjustment and back-reclining

Height adjustment is a handy feature that should be easy for you, but not your child, to operate. It lets the chair match the seat you’re feeding your child from. The mechanism should be out of the child’s reach and require some strength or dexterity to use. 

Any models that have back-reclining should never be used in this position for feeding solids or sleeping.

Foldable

This is handy for storage. The chair should be easy to fold and unfold, and preferably lock in its folded position.

Lightweight

If you’re going to be regularly getting the chair out and storing it away again, make sure it’s not too heavy.

Footrest or leg support

This is important to support the child’s feet or calves. Adjustable footrests are useful as the child grows.

Simple to clean

Watch out for nooks and crannies in the chair frame, cushion or straps where food can be hard to clean out. Some models have a lot of cushioning which may be comfy for your child, but can be very difficult to clean.

Material

You may be able to choose from a range of colours and patterns. The cushioning on many high chairs may be wipe-clean vinyl. Darker colours and busy patterns may disguise stains better.

Portable high chairs

Harnesses, boosters and clip-on toddler and infant seats are compact alternatives to a standard high chair – here are additional things to consider if you like this option.

Fitting

The seat should fit securely and easily. Most stores (and product websites) have them set up so you can see how they work.

Security

Make sure the seat won’t move, or tip over the table or chair, once it’s attached and your child is in place. Give it a firm tug up, down, sideways, back and forth to make sure it’s anchored securely.

Seat

The seat should have back and side support, and prevent the child from leaning too far and unbalancing or falling. A seat that reclines is useful for seating an infant.

Tray

If provided, the tray should be secure when fitted but easy to remove, attach and adjust.

Washable

The chair should be easy to clean.

Height-adjustable

Some booster seats can be height adjusted for smaller or larger children.

Capacity

Check that the recommended age and weight for the seat suits your child.

Junior chairs

When your child has grown up a little and no longer needs a harness to sit safely, you could consider a tall junior chair as a replacement for the old high chair. These are simply elevated, child-sized seats that allow your youngster to sit at the dinner table with the family. They usually have a footrest so the child can sit comfortably without their legs dangling. (As mentioned previously, some of these chairs come with high chair attachments.)

The high chair standard does not technically apply to chairs like these, so check that the chair is stable enough to not topple sideways or backwards if the child pushes against the table.

The post What to look for when buying a high chair appeared first on ����Vlog.

Here’s how to choose the right baby changing table, according to our experts. And do you actually need a change table at all?

On this page:

• Types of change table
• Features to look for in a change table
• Top 5 tips for changing your baby safely
• Do you need a baby change table?

Types of change table

There are several main types of change tables you’ll find in shops:

• wooden tables with two or three tiers to hold baby supplies
• portable folding tables with a metal frame and fabric body
• tables that include a baby bath under the change surface
• changing tables with drawers, designed to be a permanent fixture.

Features to look for in a change table

Safety

• A change table should be strong, stable and have some form of roll-off protection, such as raised sides, to prevent a child rolling off the changing surface.
• It should also be free of hazards such as sharp edges or finger or limb traps.��
• The side barriers��ideally should be at least 10cm high with the change table mat in place; this is high enough to prevent roll-off when the table is used correctly, and is easy to check instore before you buy, which is why ����Vlog encourages manufacturers to make their tables with sides of this height. (In our change table tests, some models with shorter sides than this have passed the roll-off test, but it’s a good rule of thumb.)
• A restraint strap can help secure your baby, but is not a substitute for proper attention and normal safety measures.
• Harnesses are useful for a little extra peace of mind, but again you should never wholly rely on them to keep your baby safe.
• The table should be well balanced to avoid tipping. Some non-portable designs (such as change tables that double as a piece of furniture) should have an anchor kit provided to prevent tipping.

Storage space

• The change table should have plenty of storage space or a caddy to keep nappies, wipes, lotion, spare clothes and other baby necessities within arm’s reach, so you don’t have to go far or take your eye off your baby to fetch things.
• Check that the shelves or drawers are��big enough��to be useful, and in a��convenient position��for the spot in the nursery where you’ll place the table.
• Multiple shelves and side trays give the most storage, but a table with just one shelf is still useful.

Height

• Choose a change table that suits your height, so you won’t have to bend or reach too far while changing nappies (which, remember, you’ll be doing around 6000 times!).

Foldable

• If you’re short on space, a��foldable change table could be a good buy.

Changing mat (mattresses)

• Not all change tables include a mattress or changing mat, so you may need to buy one separately. Consult the instructions for dimensions and make sure it fits snugly. A mattress with raised sides will help prevent your baby from rolling over.��
• The most common styles are generally made of foam and are covered in vinyl, which is easy to wipe clean, but these may be cold and uncomfortable for some babies (which is when a muslin cloth, hand towel or change mat liner comes in handy). There are modern designs that include detachable pillows, soft faux leather finishes, or heavier ones with a squishy, rubbery surface.��
• You may want to buy a couple of changing mats and have one in a different room for the times you can’t get to the main change table in time. A changing mat can cost between $30 and $80.

Portability

• Some people prefer a change table that can be wheeled to other locations on the same floor. Check whether the change table has castors at the bottom, and if so, whether the castors have��brakes.

Ease of cleaning

• The changing surface should be easy to wipe down when messes happen (and they will!). The mattress or padding should also be easy to wash.

Assembly

• Some change tables come in hundreds of pieces. While you’ll probably only be doing this once, it’s a good idea to put some time aside for the task. Our experts, who have experience assembling hundreds of change tables, have found that some take more than an hour to complete.

Budget

• A change table usually costs from around $69 for your basic model and goes all the way up to $1300, depending on the style.

Top 5 tips for changing your baby safely

1. Make sure collapsible frames are locked securely in place before use.
2. Keep everything needed to change your baby close at hand but out of their reach.
3. Make sure the change table is free from small objects that can cause choking.
4. Try to keep one hand on your baby at all times while changing them. Never leave your baby unattended on a change table, even just to grab something across the room – always take them with you.
5. Be wary of older siblings climbing on change tables, especially models with pull-out drawers that can act as steps or unbalance the table.

Do you need a baby change table?

A change table is not an essential buy for your nursery as other surfaces can be used to change your baby (in conjunction with a separate changing mat). There will be occasions when you can’t get to your change table and need to change your baby then and there. 

You may find changing your baby on a bed or on the floor with a change mat perfectly adequate. Just be sure to keep them supervised at all times, as they can be very wriggly! Once your baby gets to toddler stage, they may outgrow their change table.

If you’re set on a change table, our experts test them in our ����Vlog labs, looking at a number of important safety features such as stability, entrapment and fall risks.

The post What to know when buying a change table for your baby appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• Furniture for younger babies
• Furniture for older babies
• Child safety devices

As safety and ease of use are priorities for tired new parents, you’ll be pleased to know that over years of testing, ����Vlog has found you don’t need to spend big for a product that’ll give you peace of mind. So what equipment do you need to consider?

Furniture for younger babies

Bassinets and bedside sleepers

Bassinets are convenient because they don’t take up as much space as a cot and can be placed beside your own bed. But babies grow out of bassinets quickly – once your baby can roll over or pull themselves up it’s time to move them into a cot.

There’s no Australian standard for bassinets, so we test them to a ����Vlog method based on existing safety standards for cots and folding cots.

Bedside sleepers are another kind of bassinet that attaches or sits next to to the parental bed to mimic co-sleeping without the baby being in the same bed. The side folds down to allow for easier access during the night.

Despite the claims from manufacturers that bedside sleepers are safe, we’ve tested a few of these and have found some serious risks including a lack of breathable sides, poor stability, insufficient strength and the possibility for head and limb entrapment between the bedside sleeper and the adult bed.

Cots

Safety, durability and ease of use for the parent are important factors when buying a cot.��They can be costly items, so doing your research can save time and money. They’re suitable from birth and, unlike bassinets, there is an Australian standard for cots. You can also make them last well into childhood as many, for instance, can convert to a toddler-sized or even a single bed.

Our cot mattress reviews also reveal which models are sufficiently firm. A mattress that is too soft is a suffocation risk.

Portable/travel cots

Portable cots (also known as travel cots and portacots) make it easy to be mobile, but as our portable cot reviews reveal, their soft construction can pose some serious safety risks.

Change tables

Wrestling with a wriggly infant can not only be infuriating, it can be downright dangerous if you have a poorly designed change table. Our change table buying guide tells you what to look for.

Furniture for older babies

When your little one starts to get mobile it’s time to think about the next batch of furniture you’ll need.

High chairs

Once your baby can hold its head up (at about six months) a good high chair��will make feeding much easier, provided you buy one that’s stable and easy to clean!

Safety gates and barriers

Notoriously curious and very fast, babies can be surprisingly dextrous when they set their minds to a task. That’s why buying the right safety gates and barriers and installing them correctly to block off stairs and doorways is crucial for your peace of mind.

Playpens

Giving a harried parent a little hands-off breathing space, playpens can be a godsend��– but in the absence of an Australian standard you’ll need to do your research. (Once you’ve read the playpens buying guide, our playpen reviews are��a good starting point.)

Bed rails

Also known as safety rails or bed guards, these devices create a barrier that prevent falls from a bed; we don’t have a ��current review of this product but our bed rail buying guide tells you what to look out for.

Child safety devices

Every room in the house can present a host of enticing but dangerous objects such as power points, kitchen chemicals, medicines, and hazards like a toppling TV or the danger of strangulation from loose blind cords. So, well-designed and secure child safety devices as well as anchoring items to walls can help.

The post How to buy the best baby furniture appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• What do parents want in a nappy?
• Disposable vs reusable nappies
• How to choose more eco-friendly disposables

What do parents want in a nappy?

Our ����Vlog Consumer Insights team conducted an online survey of 500 parents of children aged under two. When it comes to what’s very important in a nappy:

• 75% are looking for a nappy that avoids leakages
• 72% want an absorbent nappy
• Around two-thirds think it’s important that a nappy fits the baby well, and is comfortable and gentle on the skin.

Among the survey’s respondents, Huggies was the most popular brand followed by Mamia (Aldi) and Babylove. However, keep an open mind when it comes to choosing the right nappy – other brands you may not have considered have performed well in our lab tests.

Disposable vs reusable nappies

Before you can choose the right nappy for your family, you first need to decide what type you’re going to use. There are two main categories of nappies – disposable and modern cloth (reusable) cloth nappies.��They’re very different products, each with their own pros and cons. Here’s what you need to know.

Disposable nappies

Disposable nappies are made of a number of layers using a combination of fibres and chemicals to achieve absorbency.��

The top-sheet (closest to the baby’s skin), is commonly made of polypropene which works to pass the baby’s urine through to the other layers. The next layer is usually made of cotton and polyester to absorb the urine away from the baby’s skin before reaching the absorbent layer that usually contains some cotton and sodium polyacrylate, a super absorbent polymer that turns the urine into a gel to prevent the wet feeling inside the nappy.

There are generally six sizes, depending on the child’s size and weight, starting from newborn through to junior. Here’s a guide of the sizes and general weight ranges.

• Newborn – Size 1 (up to 5kg)
• Infant – Size 2 (3–8kg)
• Crawler – Size 3 (6–11kg)
• Toddler – Size 4 (10–15kg)
• Walker – Size 5 (13–18kg)
• Junior – Size 6 (16kg+)

Pros

• Absorb moisture quickly to prevent leaks and ‘lock it in’ to keep your bub relatively dry.
• Easy and quick to fasten.
• Stay closed during use.
• Fit various shapes and sizes.
• Are very convenient, especially when out and about.

Cons

The environmental cost associated with the manufacturer and disposal of disposable nappies are their biggest disadvantage. A staggering 3.75 million disposable nappies are used each day in Australia and New Zealand. That’s a lot of waste going into landfill and, once there, conventional nappies can take up to 150 years to break down due to their antibacterial properties.

Biodegradable disposable nappies

While no nappy is 100% biodegradable, in our testing, the Ecoriginals, Pandas, Bamboo Behinds, Velona Cuddlies and Tooshies nappies claim to have biodegradable components. However, nappies still need to be disposed of in landfill, making it difficult for them to actually biodegrade. Nappies made with plant-based materials are another option to consider if you’re looking to be more ‘eco’ conscious when buying nappies.

While they’re likely a better option for the environment, they can be at the more expensive end of the scale, a factor you’ll also need to take into consideration. Their results for absorbency, leaks and wet feeling can also be a bit hit and miss, so check our results before buying.

Modern cloth (reusable) nappies

Reusable nappies have grown in popularity as sustainability becomes a more important consideration among parents. More manufacturers are offering reusable options, in a range of designs, so we’ve included a range of these in our testing.

They feature a water-resistant cover, leak-proof elasticised leg holes and an absorbent padding and liner.

This type of nappy is usually a one-size-fits-most sizing scenario, with adjustable velcro/tabs, so there’s no need to invest in various sizes as your baby grows.��

Their environmental impact is much less than disposables and in the long run they’ll save you money.��

Materials��

The absorbent materials (shell liners, pads and boosters) include bamboo, cotton, hemp or fleece, with breathable polyurethane laminated fabric (PUL) or lanolised wool often used for covers.

The type of fabric affects drying time. Natural fibres usually take longer to dry than synthetics, and you’ll want to make sure you have enough nappies to get through a few days of wet weather if you don’t have a clothes dryer.��

Paper or fabric nappy liners make your laundry life easier by keeping solids off the nappy.��

The different styles��

• All-in-ones have a moisture-resistant outer layer sewn together with an absorbent inner to form the nappy – they can take quite a while to dry.��
• All-in-twos��consist of a lined waterproof outer layer and absorbent inner layers, which ‘snap in’ with press studs. They can be taken apart for laundering, so they dry faster than all-in-ones.��
• Pocket nappies have a waterproof outer layer sewn together with a soft inner lining, which forms the shell. Between these two layers there’s a pocket for the absorbent inserts. These are removed for washing then replaced, which can be a bit fiddly, but on the plus side they dry quickly.��
• Traditional terry-towelling square nappies are also still available. They can take a little practice to fold and fit right, but they’re a cheaper reusable option, and modern fasteners mean you no longer need to use safety pins.��

All the reusable nappies we tested are all-in-twos, however, they can also be used as pocket nappies.��

Pros��

• Kinder on the environment.
• Ideal for ‘eco’ conscious parents who want to reuse and recycle rather than throw away.��
• They can save you money over time.��
• Using one set of cloth/reusable nappies with a cold wash cycle and line drying is about half the cost of using disposables.��

Cons��

• There are power and water costs associated with washing cloth nappies.��
• The process of cleaning cloth nappies (soaking, washing, drying) takes time and some may find the thought of cleaning a dirty nappy unpleasant.��
• The initial start-up cost associated with reusable nappies is high – you’ll need to make sure you have enough nappy covers and absorbent liners.��
• Our testing finds that generally, reusable nappies can struggle to compete with disposables in terms of absorbency and leakage.

The verdict: Disposable vs reusable

For environmental and financial reasons, you can’t go past modern cloth nappies. For ease of use and convenience, disposables are the way to go. Despite the environmental costs of fabric production and nappy laundering, cloth nappies that are dry pailed and mostly line-dried still come out ahead of disposable nappies.

Of course it doesn’t have to be one or the other: you could use a combination of cloth and disposable nappies. You may find cloth nappies work when you’re home, and disposables when out and about, going away, at nights, at daycare, and during long periods of rain when cleaning and drying is time consuming.��

If you’re unsure:��

• Buy a single nappy of each type to try out.��
• Some MCN companies sell trial packs with samples of the different styles.��
• Hire a trial pack from a nappy library, a service offered by nappy companies and community groups – search the internet for ‘modern cloth nappy library’ to find one near you.

How to choose more eco-friendly disposables

Disposable nappies really don’t have the best green reputation with millions of nappies ending up in landfill every day, but there are some ways you can reduce their impact.��

• Look for brands made using plant-based and/or biodegradable materials.��
• Some products have compostable or recyclable packaging. There are two Australian Standards that define compostable materials – Home compostable AS5810 and Compostable AS4736.
• Buying locally-made nappies, rather than imported, saves on transport carbon costs.��

How do you know you’ve chosen the right nappy?

Whatever you’ve decided on, here’s the checklist for a good nappy.

• No leaking around the legs.
• No liquid seeping through the cover.
• Not too tight or too loose around hips and legs.
• No rubbing or chafing from the nappy or fasteners around the legs or hips.
• Your baby’s skin feels reasonably dry when the wet nappy is removed.
• The nappy holds enough liquid to be practical (i.e. you don’t have to change too often).
• Your baby can move their legs freely and, at later stages, crawl and walk without being bothered by the nappy.

Words of wisdom

In our survey, we asked parents what advice they’d give to first-timers. Here are some of the useful tips and tricks they dished out.

• Change frequently – “It’s a good idea to change your baby’s nappy at every feed or, if required, earlier. Leaving them in the same nappy for too long can cause skin irritations and nappy rash.”
• It’s all about trial and error��– “Always buy a small pack first. You never know which brand and which size of nappy will fit your child best. Sometimes even the best brands can give the worst nappy rash to a baby. So never think that costlier brands are always the best.”��
• Preparation is key��– “Always unfold the fresh nappy and place it underneath the bum before removing the soiled nappy. Therefore you can just pull the soiled nappy away and slip the new one on without any accidents!”��
• Sizing is important –��“Choose the right size by their weight rather than their age/mobility. When they’re almost too big for their current size, move them into the next size up or else they’ll overfill their current sized nappy.”��
• Shop around –��“Be prepared to try various types, cloth nappies, disposable nappies, to find what suits your lifestyle. Always put them in scented bags when used and dispose in the outside bin so you don’t stink your house out.”��

How much do nappies cost?

In our latest nappies test, the cost of a disposable nappy starts at 17c, and the most expensive is $1.11.

The reusable nappies we tested range in price from $9.90 to $35 per nappy.

The post How to buy the best disposable and cloth nappies appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• What are the absolute essentials?
• What to look for in baby clothing
• Fire-safe nightclothes

What are the absolute essentials?

• Six to eight singlets and jumpsuits will be a good start as babies can go through a surprising number of outfits – particularly with leaking nappies.
• Depending on the temperature, consider two long-sleeved tops or jackets for cool days and a couple of pairs of socks. Size 000 is usual for a newborn but you may find you’ll need some 0000 items in the first few weeks for smaller babies.
• Velcro, press studs, snap-crotch jumpsuits, and wide openings will all help your bundle of joy be dressed, changed and undressed with minimal fuss.

What to look for in baby clothing

Natural fibres

Wool and cotton breathe and have very good insulating properties while allowing perspiration to evaporate. Natural and synthetic mixes are also OK for most babies. Some babies’ skins can redden after contact with synthetic fabrics.

All-in-ones

Also known as jumpsuits or onesies, these little suits are not only very cute but keep the baby warm, stop nappy and singlet from drifting apart, and give you easy access to the nappy. Look for jumpsuits with press-studs (also known as snap fasteners) all the way up the front (and down both legs if there are legs).

These are easier than buttons or zips and you don’t have to pull the outfit over your baby’s head.

If the jumpsuit has feet, you can extend its life by cutting off the ends when the baby gets bigger, but don’t wait until bub’s feet begin to look squashed.

Pullovers

Boat-neck or envelope-neck pullovers or sweatshirts are easier to put on than those with a smaller crew neck. Jackets with press-studs or buttons at the front are another good option.

Hats

At least one winter hat is recommended for cool-day outings, as babies lose a lot of heat from their heads. A sunhat is a good idea if they’re in a carrier, but might get hot if they’re already shaded in a pram.

Socks

Make sure socks are not too tight, and avoid patterned socks; little toes and toenails can get caught on the looped threads inside. Shoes are not needed until children start to walk.

Bibs

The larger, terry-towelling bibs with a Velcro closure are best; strings will tangle. Plastic-backed bibs keep bub’s clothes dry, but may not be as absorbent.

Bibs with a close-fitting crew neck aren’t as easy to get on but help prevent gunge collecting in neck folds (ah, the joys of parenting!).

Fire-safe nightclothes

The most recent came into effect in 2019. After 1 January 2020, manufacturers must comply with these requirements, which are based on the voluntary Australian and New Zealand Standard, AS/NZS 1249:2014.

Clothes are classified into one of four categories dependent on the type of garment. For example, a Category 1 garment could be a slow burning wool, while a Category 3 could be a close-fitting onesie with a low fire risk. Category 4 garments have a high fire danger.

According to the , cotton and rayon generally burn more easily. Synthetic fibres may be slower to ignite but can melt and stick to skin once alight. Silk and wool are slower to burn.

When you shop, check garments for labels that indicate the clothing’s fire danger:

‘Caution: Keep away from heat and flame’

These clothes have a low fire hazard and are slower to burn. They fall into categories 1 through 3. 

‘Warning: High fire danger, keep away from heat and flame’

This indicates that the garment is highly flammable (category 4).

The ACCC continues to crack down on retailers that fail to display suitable safety warnings on garments.

In August 2016 the Federal Court ordered online retailer Ozsale to pay a total of $500,000 in penalties for supplying children’s nightwear which did not comply with the Australian mandatory safety standard, and for failing to have adequate compliance processes in place.

See the ACCC’s Product Safety website for an up-to-date list of .

The post How to buy the best baby clothes appeared first on ����Vlog.

One option is to start your baby in a capsule, and progress to a forward-facing seat and then a booster seat. But a convertible car seat can change modes to suit various stages, and it will keep your child facing rearward for longer, which is generally considered safer.��

In this guide, we explain the different types of car restraints available for the different ages and stages of growth of a baby or young child. We also share the safest models as rated by Australia’s independent tester of infant car seats.

On this page:

• Best baby and child car seats
• The different kinds of child restraints
• What is ISOFIX?
• Things to consider when buying a child car restraint
• Car seat laws in Australia
• Is it worth buying a capsule?
• How to install a car seat
• When is it safe for a child to use an adult seatbelt?

Best baby and child car seats

All car seats sold in Australia need to meet mandatory safety standards. The independently tests car seats above and beyond minimum standards, and all models listed on its website are considered safe. Those with more than one star have an even better safety performance than what’s legally required. 

Below are some of the best baby capsule car seats and child car seats still available for sale, with protection ratings out of 5.

Note: As CREP regularly updates its testing protocols, results from 2021 onwards can’t be compared with models tested in previous years. See for information on crash protection star ratings and more.

Click on the linked protection rating in the table below to see more data on how this car seat was rated under the Child Restraint Evaluation Program.

Types of child restraints

0 to 6 months – Capsule

A baby/infant capsule is rear-facing with an inbuilt harness, which is the legal requirement for babies under 6 months. Capsules can be used for babies up to about 6 months of age or slightly older if they still fit into the seat. Unlike other types of car seats, capsules can be easily taken in and out of the car, and used as a carrier or attached to a pram to minimise disturbing your baby.

Alternatively, consider a convertible car seat (see below) to keep your child in a safe rearward position until at least 2.5 years.

6 months to 4 years – Forward-facing car seat

A forward-facing (or front-facing) restraint has its own inbuilt six-point harness for your child. This should be used until your child is at least 4 years old, but can be used for longer if they still fit.

Even better, a convertible car seat (see next) can keep your child in a safe, rear-facing position until at least 2.5 years of age.

0 up to 8 years – Convertible car seats

The main benefit of convertible car seats is that some allow young children to face rearward for longer, which is safer. They may also be more cost-effective, depending on which model you choose. ��

The options for convertible car seats include:

• 0 to 4 years – Suitable for newborns, these car seats can be converted from rear-facing to forward-facing as your child grows. Some models allow for children to be rear-facing for 12 months, while others offer up to 2.5 years, which is often preferred because of the increased safety of the rear-facing position.
• 6 months to 8 years –��These forward-facing seats can be used as soon as your baby is no longer legally required to be rear-facing. They differ from a single mode forward-facing seat as, after 4 years of age, they can be converted from a harnessed front-facing seat to a booster seat used with an adult seatbelt.
• 0 to 8 years –��These seats let your child face rearward for 12 months, and convert from rear-facing to forward-facing. Some even convert again to a booster seat by having a removable harness. These models can serve as the only car seat you buy for the duration of your child’s needs, but it’s important to consider whether the seat will continue to suit your lifestyle for the entire period (they can be quite bulky) as well as the effect of wear and tear over an eight-year period.

4 years to 8–10 years – Booster seat

A booster seat is also forward-facing, but is usually slimmer than a forward-facing car seat and is used with an adult seatbelt rather than an inbuilt harness. It’s designed for children aged from 4 to around 10 years old and some simply sit on top of the adult seat, while others may also have an additional tether.��

Modern versions have high backs and sides to provide side-impact protection and support for sleeping children.��

Booster cushions (with no side or back protection) are illegal to sell in Australia and don’t meet current safety standards.

What is ISOFIX?

ISOFIX is a car seat installation system that involves clipping the car seat into anchorage points manufactured into cars. Newer car seats are ISOFIX-compatible and are usually easier to install than the old seatbelt system. The old seatbelt method is just as safe when installed correctly.

Can you use an ISOFIX car seat from overseas in Australia?

Despite the temptation to buy or import a cheaper ISOFIX car restraint from overseas, it’s illegal to use one as it won’t meet Australian safety standard AS/ANZ 1754.

Things to consider when buying a child car restraint

All car seats sold in Australia need to meet mandatory safety standards, and come with a label showing they meet safety standard AS/NZS 1754 (either 2004, 2010 or 2013).

Apart from safety, you should look at:

• Weight: Pick it up and see how easy it is to move around.
• Shoulder markers near the straps: To help show when it’s time to move up a size.
• Cup holders: Nice-to-have, but more useful for older kids than babies.
• Cleaning: Kids will make a mess. Do the covers and other parts come off easily? Check out our step-by-step guide for cleaning a child car seat.
• Compatibility: If you’re buying a capsule, check if it’s compatible with your stroller (you may need to buy adaptors).
• Rear-facing: Generally, rear-facing is safer for young children, so you may prefer to choose a convertible car seat that can face rearwards for longer (up to 2.5 years).

Don’t forget to check your car

• Room: It is important to ensure there’s space to get in and out once the seat is installed. If you’re planning on expanding your family, consider whether there is enough space to have more than one restraint. Most stores will let you take the car seat to your car to check how it fits before buying.
• Seatbelts: Be sure to test your seatbelts are long enough to thread through the seat.
• Anchorage points: Make sure your car has enough anchor points if you have more than one seat or capsule.
• ISOFIX: Make sure your car is compatible if you’re choosing an ISOFIX car seat.

Car seat laws in Australia

0 to 6 months

• Children must be seated in a rear-facing car seat or infant capsule.

6 months to 4 years

• Children are to use a rear- or forward-facing car restraint with an inbuilt harness.
• Most children are allowed to stay rear-facing up to approximately 2 or 3 years of age, which is safest.
• Children under 4 years old can’t travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows (but can, for example, in a one-row ute).

4 to 7 years

• Children under the age of seven are to use a forward-facing restraint or booster seat, with or without a harness. Even after 7, it’s safest for your child to remain in a booster seat until they are at least 145cm tall. (For older kids, see the section about best practice when it comes to using an adult seat belt.)

Other rules

• If all back seats are occupied by children under the age of 7, a child aged between 4 and 7 can occupy the front seat in a forward-facing restraint or booster seat.
• If your child is too tall or heavy for their age group’s restraint, you can move them to the next size seat.
• In many states, taxis are exempt from these laws, but there are exceptions. For example, in NSW when travelling in a taxi, children under six months need to be in an approved rear-facing restraint and children aged 6 to 12 months need to be in an approved rear- or forward-facing restraint. After this age they are allowed to use the adult seatbelt. NSW passengers in a rideshare (such as an Uber) will need to follow the same rules for private vehicles. Check the requirements for your state.
• There’s now a standard for child restraints suitable for aircraft travel.
• Children should remain in a harness for as long as they can fit into it.

Don’t buy a second-hand child car seat or capsule

Unless you know the car seat’s full history, we say buy a new one. Even if a second-hand seat looks OK, it may still be damaged.

If you do decide to go second-hand, pick a seat that:

• is less than 10 years old (look for the date of manufacture sticker)
• has a sticker with the SAI Global logo, certified to standard AS/NZS 1754
• comes with an instruction manual
• has a smooth, working buckle
• doesn’t have fraying or broken straps/harness
• has no cracks or stress marks on the seat’s plastic shell
• hasn’t been damaged in an accident.

Is it worth buying a capsule?

If you have a new arrival on the way, you may be wondering whether you should buy a capsule (which can only be used for around six months) or go straight to a convertible car seat which can be used from 0 to 4 years. While both options are equally safe, there are some pros and cons to consider.

Pros

• A capsule can be easily removed from the car and carried.
• A capsule that’s compatible with your stroller can replace a bassinet attachment. These all-in-one travel systems allow you to remove the capsule and click it into place on your pram without needing to disturb your baby, particularly if they’ve just nodded off.
• After your baby outgrows the capsule you only need to buy a 6 months to 8 years forward-facing convertible car seat.

Cons

• Most capsules can only be used for around six months (depending on the size of your baby).
• The cost of a capsule can be similar to a convertible car seat that can be used from birth to 4 years.

If you’d like to use a capsule but on a tight budget, a number of companies offer one-, three- or six-month rentals with prices ranging from around $100 to $200 for six months, which is around half the price of buying your own. Make sure the company conducts a safety check of the capsule before issuing it for hire.

How to install a car seat

Transport for NSW research from 2024 found 41% of installations had at least one “serious error”. So if you’re brand new to car seats, authorised fitters are the best option.

You can expect to pay $30–$75 per new installation. Check with your state’s local Kidsafe, or with your road traffic authority or motoring organisation:��

•  authorised fitting stations
•  accredited auto care centres
• car seat fitting
• car seat fitting
• car seat fitting
• safety centre (SA)
• child restraints (Tas).

Some local councils offer free car seat installation or checking sessions.

If you’re doing it yourself, follow the instructions and pay attention to the details. Each seat can have its own quirks. ISOFIX car seats tend to be easier to install (but your car needs to be compatible). You may need extensions for your seat’s tether strap depending on the position of the anchor point – mainly for rear-facing restraints. Use the minimum number of extension straps.

When can a child use an adult seatbelt?

Legally, children need to be suitably restrained, and if a child aged 7 or over is too small to fit comfortably in an adult seatbelt, then it’s safest to remain in a booster. that a child passes the “five step test” in order to wear an adult seatbelt, usually when the child is 145cm tall.

1. Can your child sit with their back against the seat back?
2. Are their knees bent comfortably over the front edge of the seat cushion?
3. In this position is the shoulder belt across the mid shoulder?
4. Is the lap belt low and sits across the top of their thighs?
5. Can they stay in this position for the whole trip?

According to accident prevention charity , the risk of serious injury for children who can still fit in a booster seat but don’t use one is increased by up to 3.5 times. It is calling for a change in the law to make it mandatory for children to be in a booster until at least 10 years of age, or when they can pass the 5-step test.

In practice, however, there aren’t many boosters out there that accommodate children aged 8 and over. One is the Britax Safe-N-Sound Kid Guard ($299) which is suitable for children from 4 up to approximately age 10 and receives a 3.8 star protection rating from CREP.

The post How to choose the best baby and child car seats appeared first on ����Vlog.