It’s wintertime in West Virginia, so it’s unbearably cold.
My baby boy is in his car seat in the backseat of my Honda Civic, and he’s crying. I pull the car over to see what’s wrong, and once again, he has kicked his blanket off. I grab his blanket from the seat, tuck it around him, and start the car.
He’s content. A few miles down the road, he’s crying again. Sure enough, his blanket lays sprawled across the seat. Sigh.
The solution would have been a car seat cover, for sure—if I had known about them back in 2004. Oh, how that would have simplified our car rides and kept him cozy and warm too!
Baby car seat covers protects the baby while he is in his car seat or stroller. It covers the baby from the wind, rain, and cold weather while keeping him warm at the same time. They can also be used in the summer to keep bright sun or bugs away. However, car seat covers are not limited to these uses.
They can also provide sun protection during summer months, protect from germs and dirt at public events, and serve multiple other purposes like nursing covers, shopping cart and high chair covers, changing pads, and even scarfs for mom!
If you are looking for the best baby car seat cover, you may not even know where to begin since there are so many out there! No problem; we did the homework for you and decided which ones are the best ones to check out.
8 Best Baby Car Seat Covers For Your Loved One
1. JJ Cole-Urban Bundleme Baby Car Seat Cover: Best Overall
An alternative to cumbersome blankets and jackets, this car seat cover keeps your baby warm, cozy, and dry without overheating.
The Urban Bundleme Baby Car Seat Cover, which also doubles as a stroller cover, is made with a waterproof outer nylon cover that protects your baby from all weather. Advertised as a “Canopy Style Bunting Bag,” the inner cover of JJ Cole Urban Bundleme is designed with microsuede, keeping your baby warm in style—no extra blankets needed!
The openings in the thin black layer of the Urban Bundleme allows you to insert the safety straps of the baby seat, whether it is a three or five-point harness. Whether in a car seat, stroller, or jogger, the zip front panel can either be lowered or removed to provide baby with a comfortable ride. Parents said that removing the front panel was so easy, that their babies slept right through it.
As we all know, babies are messy! All it takes is spilled milk, and the cover needs to be washed. Thankfully, the Urban BundleMe is machine washable, making clean up easy and simple.
Available in black, heather, or blush, the Bundleme Car Seat Cover is designed for infants or toddlers ranging from newborn to 3 years old. We couldn’t get away without mentioning that this cover looks sharp and stylish! JJ Cole also sells items that coordinate with this cover, such as diaper bags and teething pads for car seats, which is a plus!
- Compatible with most infant seats
- Multiple slots for adjusting shoulder straps
- Removable top piece for temperature control
- Available in a variety of colors and patterns
- Machine washable
- May not fit every stroller
2. Two-in-one Carseat Canopy from Kids N’ Such: Best Overall, Runner-Up
Specs :
- BPA Free/Latex Free/Lead-Free
- Can be used as a nursing cover-up
- Features a “peekaboo” opening
- Protects baby from wind, weather, bugs, germs
- Available in five colors/patterns
- Machine Washable
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
Kids N’ Such 2 in 1 Carseat Canopy and Nursing Cover Up tops our list because it’s versatile and practical. It attaches to the handle of your car seat with snaps and protects your baby from sunlight, wind, rain, dirt, and germs. The canopy-style gives infants a private, cozy environment to sleep while you run errands. It also features a slit that snaps down the middle, so you can peek in and check on your baby anytime you want.
The Kids N’ Such 2 in 1 Carseat Canopy also doubles as a nursing cover for breastfeeding moms who need convenience and privacy at the same time. It fits most car seats, features five stylish patterns, and comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. This canopy is perfect for the mom-on-the-go (although, I’ve never met a mom who wasn’t always on the go!)
- Protection against weather, germs, dirt
- Doubles as a nursing cover-up
- “Peekaboo” opening
- Machine Washable
- Five stylish prints
- May not fit every seat perfectly
- The lightweight material may flip up when there is wind
3. Cool Beans Baby Car Seat Canopy and Nursing Cover: Best Versatile Cover
Specs :
- Doubles as a nursing cover
- Can be used as a high chair cover
- Protects baby from sun, bugs, wind, and rain
- Light and stretchy material (feels like a T-shirt)
- Comes with an infant baby beanie and bag
- Available in seven colors/patterns
- Lifetime satisfaction guarantee
This Cool Beans Baby Car Seat Canopy and Nursing Cover is the most versatile cover we found. The lightweight stretchy fabric can be used on a car seat or as a nursing covers, but this cover can also be used as a high-chair cover AND an infinity scarf for mom!
Available in seven colors and patterns, this seat cover is designed to protect your baby from sun, wind, bugs, and even germs. Customers raved about how soft this material is—it’s made with 50% natural T-shirt material and 50% stretchy fiber, a comfy combination. It’s easy to wash, too; just throw it in the washer and dryer as needed.
Everyone loves freebies and Cool Beans knows that which is why every cover comes with a matching beanie for your baby AND a baby bag for storage and travel.
Another feature worth mentioning is that Cool Beans a lifetime satisfaction guarantee, so at any time if you are not happy with your purchase, you can contact the company for a full refund, even though we can bet you won’t need to.
- Can be used as a nursing cover, high chair cover, and infinity scarf
- Fun colors and patterns to choose from
- Soft, “breathable” material
- Comes with freebies
- Excellent customer service
- It may fray easily
- The material may not be as stretchy as you like
4. JJ Cole Cover: Best Winter Car Seat Cover
Check out all this cover offers :
- Weather-resistant nylon
- Soft fleece material
- Blanket style canopy
- Removable top for temperature control
- Elasticized outer band to fit around infant carriers and strollers
- Comes with a head support
- Five styles/colors available
- Machine washable
Perfect for cold weather and winter babies, the JJ Cole Car Seat Cover protects your baby from the harsh elements, but it is not limited to This cover comes with a weather-resistant feature that helps keep your baby dry and warm. You can also remove the winter cover to adjust to the temperature, so that this cover can be used all year round.
The elasticized band easily fits around most infant car seats and strollers. It also comes with head support, which is excellent for infants! The head support can be detached as the baby grows and doesn’t need it anymore. If you live in an area with harsh winter weather, or even if you don’t, this cover is an everyday essential.
- Combination of nylon and fleece
- Elasticized outer band
- Zipper flap for temperature control
- Blanket style fleece
- Stylish designs
- May not seal tightly around certain car seats
- No Velcro to secure flap, so it may fly up in the wind
5. Baby Car Seat Cover and Nursing Cover by YOOFOSS – Best Budget Choice
Specs :
- Protects baby from weather, bugs, and even strangers
- A multi-use cover
- Lightweight
- Available in two patterns
- Provides 360 degrees coverage
YOOFOSS’s Baby Car Seat Cover is perfect for the mom on a budget but who doesn’t want to sacrifice quality. Along with a car seat cover, you can use this cover as a nursing cover, a high chair cover, and a shopping cart cover. You can also drape it over the floor and use it as a changing pad or wrap it around your baby as a lightweight blanket.
Its lightweight and flexible material provides some warmth, but it also protects from light wind, rain, bugs, germs, even strangers! Machine-washable and portable, this cover can be taken with you wherever you go. We found this cover the most cost-effective because of the high quality you get for the price.
- Has a variety of functions
- Inexpensive
- Breathable material
- 360 degrees coverage
- Portable and easy to pack up
- Not a heavy cover, so won’t keep baby warm in cold weather
- Company does not allow returns
6. Aden by Aden + Anais Car Seat Canopy
Specs :
- 100% cotton muslin
- Protects against sunlight, wind, and rain
- Safe open weave allows for airflow
- simple snap tabs keep canopy secure
- Machine washable
- Available in a variety of colors and styles
Whether you’re going on a quick drive to the grocery store or a long drive to the mountains for a getaway, the Aden by Aden + Anais Car Seat Cover is perfect for snapping onto your baby’s car seat for shade and comfort. The open weave allows for airflow, keeping your baby refreshed and relaxed.
Made with 100% cotton muslin, this canopy cover comes in a variety of colors and styles and is machine washable, making clean up easy. Because of its lightweight cotton material, the Aden by Aden + Anais Car Seat Cover is perfect for summer months or for those who live in summer-like weather all year.
- Lightweight and breathable
- Easy to use
- Machine washable
- Stylish
- Great for warmer weather
- May not fully cover the sides of the car seat
- Material is thin, so may not keep baby warm
- Cannot be used on a stroller or high chair
What to Look for in a Car Seat Cover
When shopping for a car seat cover, keep your lifestyle and your needs for your baby in mind. For example, are you wanting to keep her warm in winter weather? Are you trying to keep the bugs away? Will you need to remove it often? Do you frequently take long car trips? Or perhaps you just want some privacy from pesky strangers!
After you decide your needs, here are some factors to keep in mind when looking for a car seat cover:
Material Quality
The material you choose will depend on what your specific needs are. You can find covers that best suit warm seasons, cold seasons, rainy seasons, and even humid, buggy seasons. Covers with waterproof or water-resistant linings are effective at keeping baby dry.
Common fabrics for summer seasons are cotton and spandex. These materials are soft, airy, and stretchy, protecting your baby from sunlight and bugs while keeping him refreshed. Winter fabrics, like fleece or quilted nylon, are heavier and usually include padding to keep your baby warm and cozy.
Compatibility
The next aspect to consider is the way the cover will be attached to the car seat. Before you click “buy,” measure your car seat and compare it with the dimensions on the cover that you’re interested in. Most covers fit all car seats, but it’s best to know the sizes for sure so you won’t be getting one that is too big or too small.
Also, make sure that the car seat cover you are considering will fully cover your baby. Some come in different sizes, and others are one-size-fits-all, but all covers include the dimensions, so you may need to do some calculating.
Versatility
If you love the idea of a car seat cover doubling as a nursing cover, a high chair cover, a stroller cover, and other covers, then look for a cover that does just that. Many companies advertise “all-in-one” or “multi-function,” and these don’t necessarily cost more than covers that are used strictly for the car seat.
Choosing a car seat cover is a valuable investment because it not only protects your baby from the weather and critters, but it keeps your baby warm and cozy in the winter and cool and dry in the summer. Not to mention, there are a plethora of other uses!
As I think back to my boys’ baby years, I sure wish I would have had a car seat cover. I lived in a wintery climate at the time and could have used one like our top pick, the JJ Cole-Urban Bundleme. It would have saved me a lot of time playing the “pick up the blanket after I kick it off” game!
