Your child is the most precious human you have.
Shopping for a safe and comfortable child vehicle seat for your little one can be time-consuming and tiring because of all the car seats brands available on the market today. That’s why we are here to help.
We review the best car seats we can find and give you our research. It’s up to you to make the best decision with the information you have.
Today we are going to tell you about the company, Evenflo, and offer a few specific recommendations.
If you’ve been paying attention to the industry, you’ve certainly heard of Evenflo. Their roots trace back to 1920 in Ravenna, Ohio. The company initially began as a manufacturer of products related to baby feeding, and innovation and expansion continued to the plethora of baby and child products they offer today, car seats included.
Going strong for nearly 100 years, Evenflo is known for making infant, convertible, and booster seats with impressive safety features. They focus on safety, comfort, and versatility, all for fairly affordable prices.
Evenflo’s Promise on Safety
Evenflo is notorious for rigorously testing their products over and over again. On their website, they state that “every bounce, twist, turn, and latch is tested to make sure our products are safe, durable, and comfortable.” They actively review the latest scientific research and then apply it to their products.
They also test all of their product to energy levels twice that of the federal crash test standard. Their engineers designed the Evenflo Side Impact test protocol, which simulates the energy in severe 5-star government side impact tests conducted for vehicles. They are also the first company to implement rollover testing of their car seats.
Product Features
Evenflo offers a variety of features within their products. We already talked about their rigorous safety testing, so you can be sure that if you purchase an Evenflo seat, it will rank high in safety. Here are some other features you will find in these products:
LATCH Technolog
The term LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, and this system makes it easier to install car seats without using seat belts. In fact, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that using LATCH correctly will cut the number of improperly installed child safety seats in half.
LATCH consists of built-in straps and hooks on the car seat that connect with anchor hardware in the vehicle. Every Evenflo baby child seat comes with a LATCH system, as well as directions on how to install the seat. If your vehicle is not equipped for LATCH, you can safely install the car seat using the seatbelt.
Adjustable Positions to Accommodate for Growth
Evenflo focuses on not only safety but comfort. They all come equipped with various adjustable positions to accommodate your growing child.
As a newborn transitions to a larger baby, he or she won’t need to lay back as much, so the seat can be adjusted to sit upright. Also, the fabric of these car seats is breathable and comfortable. Many seats also include energy-absorbing foam as an extra safety feature, but it also keeps your child comfortable.
Easy to Clean
Evenflo knows how messy children can be, which is why they design their car seats to be easily cleaned. Most of the covers are removable and can be washed in the washing machine and air-dried.
However, there are a few that are safe to put in the dryer. The removable cup holders that most seats include can be cleaned in the dishwasher. The frame of the car seats can be wiped down with a gentle soap and a soft rag. Of course, you will want to check the cleaning instructions for any car seat you purchase, but most of Evenflo’s seats can be cleaned this way.
We reviewed four Evenflo child seats—two all-in-one seats, one convertible, and one infant.
Without further ado, here you go:
Evenflo Car Seat Reviews – 5 Popular Models
1. Evenflo EveryStage DLX
The Evenflo EveryStage DLX is a durable, all-in-one seat worth checking out.
Features:
- Item Weight—22 pounds
- Product Dimensions—22 x 19 x 26.5 inches
- Minimum Weight Recommendation—4 pounds
- Maximum Weight Recommendation—120 pounds
- Rear-Facing Harness from 4-50 pounds
- Forward-Facing Harness from 22-65 pounds
- Belt-Positioning Booster from 40-120 pounds
- Intensive Safety Testing
- EasyClick LATCH system
- Custom Cradled Fit
- Ten Adjustable Positions
- Machine-Washable Seat Pad
- Two Dishwasher-Safe Cup Holders
- Ten-year expiration date
- 90-day warranty
Evenflo EveryStage DLX infants as small as four pounds and 17 inches in rear-facing mode with the included infant insert, making it an ideal seat for premature babies.
Babies can stay in the rear-facing mode until they are around 43 inches or 50 pounds, making it one of the few products able to support babies past their second birthday. The front-facing harness is for children 22-65 pounds or up to 50 inches tall. Finally, children from 40 to 120 pounds and 57 inches can use the booster seat.
The EveryStage exceeds the federal car seat regulations and passes their additional safety testing, including rollover and side impact. We can rest assure that this seat is as safe as they come.
It’s also a comfy seat. A feature that makes this car seat stand out is the fact the seat reclines way back using the recline system. It comes with ten adjustable positions, so your child will always be comfortable while riding and can easily take a nap. In addition, this seat comfortably angles the child to help minimize head slump for a custom, cradled fit. This feature is especially helpful for the comfort of smaller babies.
The EasyClick LATCH system makes this seat easy to install. It is advertised as three times tighter than the average system, so you know you will get a snug, comfortable fit. Do note that at 22 pounds, this is a larger car seat, and it may be cumbersome to carry if you are transporting it from vehicle to vehicle.
It’s important to be able to easily clean a car seat, and Evenflo understands this, which is why the cover is removable and machine washable. Two removable dishwasher safe cup holders top off the package.
Overall, this 10-year all-in-one seat is worth checking out.
- Large weight range (4 to 120 pounds)
- Impressive safety features
- Ten recline positions
- EasyClick LATCH system
- Ten-year expiration date
- Heavier seat that may be difficult to transport
2. Evenflo Symphony Elite
It protects children from 5 pounds to 110 pounds as it transitions from a rear-facing seat to a forward-facing seat to a booster seat.
Features:
- Item Weight—24 pounds
- Product Dimensions—28 x 21.5 x 19.5 inches
- Minimum Weight Recommendation—5 pounds
- Maximum Weight Recommendation—110 pounds
- Rear-Facing Harness from 5-40 pounds
- Forward-Facing Harness from 22-65 pounds
- Booster from 40 to 110 pounds
- Rated Best Bet by IIHS
- Intensive Safety Testing
- LATCH system used in all modes
- SureLATCH self-ratcheting connectors
- Three-zone side impact protection
- Steel-reinforced frame
- Five-point infinite slide harness
- Multiple-position recline
- Energy-absorbing foam liner
- Integrated body cushion
- Removable head pillow
- Two expandable cup holders
- High-quality and comfortable fabric
- Machine-washable and dryable seat covers
- Available in a variety of colors/patterns
- Made in the USA
- 8-year life span
- 90-day warranty
If you are looking for a child seat that will last from birth until your child no longer needs a booster seat, the Symphony Elite is one you should check out. It is loaded with features, is user-friendly, and like other Evenflo products, is rigorously tested for safety concerns. We also must mention that this car seat was rated a Best Bet by IIHS.
With this seat, you get three modes—a rear-facing seat which houses babies from 5 to 40 pounds and 19-40 inches, a forward-facing mode for children from 22-65 pounds or 28-50 inches, and a booster mode for children 40-10 pounds and 44-57 inches.
This seat is one of the more comfortable ones out there. The seat is made of high-quality, “cushy,” (as some parents described it), fabric that is easily removable and can be thrown in the washer and dryer. The various recline positions are easily adjustable for your child’s comfort.
Many parents reported an easy installation with the SureLATCH self-ratcheting straps, but others reported they could not attach the straps to the lower anchors because they were too short. There are, however, two sets of LATCH straps—one for forward-facing and one for rear-facing, so be sure you are using the right ones. Installation using a vehicle belt works great too if you can’t use the LATCH.
The Symphony Elite is a larger seat, weighing an impressive 24 pounds. The weight will keep your child securely in the seat and prevent wobbling, but unless you have a really large backseat, you may have trouble fitting three of these side-by-side.
- Impressive safety features
- SureLATCH self-ratcheting connectors
- Easy to tighten and loosen the harness straps
- High quality and comfortable fabrics
- Machine washable and dryable seat covers
- SureLATCH straps may be too short to reach anchors in some vehicles
- Large and bulky
3. Evenflo Tribute LX
This compact seat is an excellent option for smaller vehicles and multi-seat use.
Specifications:
- Item Weight—9.29 pounds
- Product Dimensions—18.5 x 22 x 25.5 inches
- Minimum Weight Recommendation—5 pounds
- Maximum Weight Recommendation—40 pounds
- Rear-Facing Harness from 5-40 pounds
- Forward-Facing Harness from 22-40 pounds
- Intensive Safety Testing
- LATCH system
- Five-point harness
- Four shoulder strap positions
- Energy-absorbing foam liner
- Integrated body cushion
- Removable head pillow
- Made in the USA
- 100% Polyester
- Machine-washable pad
- 90-day warranty
The Evenflo Tribute LX is a great choice for babies under 40 pounds. Babies can stay in the rear-facing mode from 5 to 40 pounds or 19 to 37 inches. They can switch to the forward-facing mode from 22-40 pounds and 28-40 inches. It is not an all-in-one, so you will need another seat once your child reaches 40 pounds and 40 inches, which is approximately two years of age.
Made in the USA, the Tribute LX is designed to meet or exceed all federal safety standards, as well as the Evenflo side- impact tests. The crash testing is impressive, making it one of the safest seats out there.
Many parents claimed it help save their child from injury during accidents. It’s also very affordable but doesn’t sacrifice quality at all. It also features energy-absorbing foam, another safety perk.
Parents rave about how easy this car seat is to install, uninstall, clean, and transport. The LATCH system makes this easy. The LX is perfect for traveling if you have multiple vehicles or if you need to use more than one in the same vehicle. Three of these seats fit comfortably in the backseat of most vehicles.
Some parents did report that the straps were uncomfortable, and they needed to buy the harness covers, which are not included with this seat. Since this seat isn’t going to break the bank, we figured the additional purchase wasn’t a huge deal. Several designs are available in this model, so you can choose one that you like best.
- Affordable price
- Narrow and lightweight
- Easy to install/uninstall
- Side impact tested
- Easy to clean
- Thin padding
- Straps may rub if you don’t buy harness covers (not included)
4. Evenflo SafeMax
A cool feature of this seat is that it was the first seat to be rollover tested. It also passed all the side-impact and other crash tests with flying colors.
Specifications:
- Item Weight—20 pounds
- Product Dimensions—18.2 x 17.8 x 30 inches
- Minimum Weight Recommendation—4 pounds
- Maximum Weight Recommendation—35 pounds
- Rear-Facing Harness
- Three recline angles
- Intensive safety testing including rollover
- SureSafe LATCH system
- Seat belt lock-off
- SafeZone Base
- Anti-rebound bar
- Buckle pockets
- Three crotch and hip positions
- Temperature regulating fabric
- Well-padded for comfort
- Machine-washable pad
- Padded, ergonomic handle
- Full coverage canopy
- Six-year expiration
- 90-day warranty
The Evenflo SafeMax comes with a detachable, SafeZone base that stays in the car. You can easily unlatch the infant carrier seat and take it with you or attach it to a stroller. The base is designed to absorb and dissipate crash forces via the anti-rebound bar—its purpose is to prevent it from snapping back into the seat during an accident.
This seat has three different angles to accommodate your baby’s growth. In addition, there are three separate harness positions at the hop and crotch position to transition as your baby grows. The fabric is temperature controlled, which means your baby should not get too hot or too cold while using this seat.
The SafeMax car seat is easy to install via the SureSafe LATCH system. Most parents agreed that they had no trouble installing this seat. Some parents said the seat belt lock-off was hard to release, which means they struggled connecting or disconnecting the car seat to the base.
The seat’s padded, ergonomic handle makes carrying this seat easy. It is a little on the heavy side, but it shouldn’t be hard to transport. Overall, the Evenflo SafeMax is an excellent fit for parents looking out for the safety and comfort of their baby.
One point we must mention is the United States requires the carrier handle to be completely down while traveling, so the seat will take up a couple more inches in the back seat. Those in the front passenger seat may lose some legroom.
- Rollover tested
- Good preemie and newborn fit
- Well-padded and breathable fabric
- Padded handle for comfortable transporting
- Anti-rebound bar
- May take up quite a bit of space in your vehicle
- Heavy to carry
Bottom Line
We can say with certainty that Evenflo is an excellent company that produces quality products—including car seats. They value what we value—safety, comfort, and versatility.
Evenflo takes care of its customers not only during the buying process but afterward with the ParentLink team. If you have any issues or questions with any Evenflo products, you can call, chat, or email with the team experts to get great service and support. Just another reason why we love this company!
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