Graco turbobooster highback lx booster car seat with safety surround

It’s not difficult to find a satisfactory booster seat. But a booster that’s well engineered, with thoughtful features, can help provide a safer fit, a comfier ride, and a more pleasant overall experience for you and your kids. Over the past four years, we’ve evaluated more than 50 booster seats, consulted top safety experts, scoured user reviews, and quizzed friends and fellow Wirecutter staffers. We’ve tried scores of seats with our own kids, enlisted multiple families to put our top contenders to the test in the real world, and carefully considered the feedback of opinionated 4- to 9-year-olds. After all that, we recommend the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus high-back booster because it’s easy to use and versatile, and it looks and feels great. We also recommend other high-back and backless boosters that will fit a range of budgets and circumstances.

Wondering whether your child is ready for a booster? As the name implies, a booster’s primary function is to raise a child up so that the car’s seat belt can be positioned properly. These seats are for school-age kids who are generally at least around 40 pounds and 40 inches tall, and who are ready—both physically and developmentally—to graduate from a five-point harness seat.

Our pick

This attractive, high-back booster seat offers a terrific blend of safety features, creature comforts, and convenience. The Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus weighs about 10 pounds and is easy to install and remove, thanks to a cleverly designed LATCH system. (LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children; this system allows you to install a car seat by attaching a pair of metal hooks or clips that are built into the seat to a set of anchors that are built into the car.) The LATCH system on the KidFit ClearTex Plus, which Chicco calls SuperCinch, can be tightened and released with one hand, and it actually delivers on its name. The KidFit ClearTex Plus features environmentally conscious Greenguard Gold–certified fabric, two collapsible cup holders, and the best seat belt threader of any of the high-back boosters we tested. The seat’s relatively narrow footprint may allow for three across in the back row, depending on the vehicle. The top portion of the seat can be disconnected, converting it from a high-back to a backless booster.

Weight of seat: 10 pounds

Width of seat base (at widest point): 17 inches

Passenger weight and height limits for high-back mode: 40 to 100 pounds; 38 to 57 inches

Passenger weight and height limits for backless mode: 40 to 110 pounds; 38 to 57 inches

Runner-up

The Graco TurboBooster LX is less expensive than our top pick, with many of the same key features. Like the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus, the TurboBooster LX has two cup holders (one slides into the seat) and can be converted from high-back to backless. Our main gripe is that it has hook-style LATCH connectors, the least user-friendly type of LATCH. (The hooks can be difficult to get on and off the car’s anchors—a nuisance if you’re planning to move the seat regularly.) This seat weighs just slightly less than our top pick. And, like our top pick, this model has a relatively narrow footprint (it may be possible to fit three seats across, depending on the vehicle).

Weight of seat: 9.8 pounds

Width of seat base (at widest point): 17 inches

Passenger weight and height limits for high-back mode: 40 to 100 pounds; 43 to 57 inches

Passenger weight and height limits for backless mode: 40 to 100 pounds; 43 to 57 inches

Upgrade pick

The Maxi-Cosi RodiFix is an expensive high-back booster seat that’s great-looking and a pleasure to use. It is the only one of our picks that has rigid LATCH (meaning the seat’s LATCH hooks are on adjustable metal bars rather than dangling straps, making them easier to line up and attach to the car’s anchors). So the RodiFix is the simplest of all the seats to install, and it offers the strongest, most secure connection. (It’s also the only one of our picks that reclines.) Like our Chicco and Graco high-back picks, the RodiFix is relatively slender and may be able to accommodate three across, depending on the car. This seat weighs more than our other picks. Despite its high price, the RodiFix does not have cup holders, and it also can’t be converted from high-back to backless, which may be a no-go for some people. As we were preparing this guide for publication, we received the disappointing news that the RodiFix will be retired by the end of 2022; if you’re interested in getting one, we recommend that you move fast.

Weight of seat: 13.5 pounds

Width of seat base (at widest point): 17 inches

Passenger weight and height limits: 40 to 120 pounds; 40 to 57 inches

Also great

The Chicco GoFit Plus is everything you need in a backless booster. In general, we recommend high-back boosters over backless ones for daily use because of the additional head and neck protection they offer. And many models—including our top and runner-up picks—convert from high-back to backless for carpooling, traveling, or when a kid has outgrown the high-back limits. But backless boosters cost less, and having one (or several) on hand can be convenient. The GoFit Plus has the same SuperCinch LATCH mechanism as the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus, making it very easy to install, tighten, and release with one hand. (However, we wish there were a place to store the connectors when not in use; if you’re carrying the seat around, they flap.) It also has expandable cup holders and a built-in handle on one end. This seat is relatively slender—making it possible to fit three across, depending on the vehicle. The GoFit Plus weighs just 6 pounds, so it’s not the lightest booster out there, but it is about average for backless boosters with LATCH.

Weight of seat: 6 pounds

Width of seat base (at widest point): 17 inches

Passenger weight and height limits: 40 to 110 pounds; 38 to 57 inches

The research

• Why you should trust us
• Who this is for
• Understanding different kinds of booster seats
• How we picked
• How we tested
• What about crash testing?
• Our pick: Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus
• Flaws but not dealbreakers
• Runner-up: Graco TurboBooster LX
• Upgrade pick: Maxi-Cosi RodiFix
• Also great: Chicco GoFit Plus
• Other good high-back booster seats
• Other good backless booster seats
• When can a child sit without a booster seat?
• The role your car plays in booster safety
• What about travel booster seats?
• What to look forward to
• The competition
• Care and maintenance
• Sources

Why you should trust us

As part of my original reporting for the 2018 version of this guide, I interviewed 13 experts—industry insiders, safety authorities, and physicians—and collected their insights on what makes a quality booster seat and the best practices for using one.

The experts I spoke with included certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) Lani Harrison, a seasoned tech who installs more than 300 car seats each year; Aditya Belwadi, PhD, a biomechanics research scientist who was previously the senior scientist and leader for the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and who now works at Tesla in the role of Crash, Safety and Occupant Protection/Biomechanics; Julie Mansfield, PhD, a research engineer who has worked with the Injury Biomechanics Research Center at The Ohio State University College of Medicine; and Bill Horn, head sled testing engineer at Calspan in Buffalo, New York, one of the country’s top crash-testing facilities.

The IIHS independently ranks booster seats based on their ability to provide a good seat belt fit; we relied on those rankings to help steer our decisions on which seats to test ourselves.

When I worked on the first version of this guide, in 2018, I became certified as a CPST, completing a 40-hour training program through the Safe Kids Worldwide organization, which teaches the proper installation and use of car seats.

I also interviewed representatives from car seat manufacturers Chicco, Diono, Nuna, Graco, BubbleBum, and MiFold. For the 2022 update, I consulted representatives from Chicco, Graco, Diono, Maxi-Cosi, Evenflo, UPPAbaby, and Britax. I talked to dozens of parents about their car seat experiences, scanned hundreds of Amazon reviews, and read articles from reputable media outlets such as Car Seats for the Littles and BabyGearLab.

I’ve also reported on other types of car seats for Wirecutter, writing the first editions of the infant and convertible car seat guides. Prior to that, I worked for almost a decade on Capitol Hill at the Department of Commerce, and I’m familiar with governmental rules and regulations that affect car seat safety. My reporting on policy and parenting has appeared in outlets including The New York Times, Slate, The Washington Post, Health Affairs, and Marie Claire. I have three kids (ages 8, 6, and 2), and I’d be confident placing my older two in any of the booster picks within this guide.

Who this is for

Different types of car seats are designed for different stages of a child’s development. By the time your kid is ready for a booster seat, odds are good you’ve already been around the block. You’ve passed the test of carefully checking (and rechecking) the infant seat that carried its impossibly tiny passenger, and you sweated over the umpteenth install of a well-worn convertible seat. The good news: Of all the car seats, boosters are, by design, typically the most straightforward to install and use. But their cargo is no less precious.

Although the specifics can vary, boosters are generally intended for school-age kids who are at least about 40 pounds and 38 to 40 inches tall, and who are ready to graduate from a five-point harness. Unlike infant seats and convertible seats, which provide protection using their own five-point harnesses, a booster seat relies on the vehicle’s seat belt to restrain a child. Since younger kids have small frames that are not well matched with adult seat belts, it is the job of the booster to raise and position a kid so that the lap and shoulder belts fit properly across their body. In the event of a crash, it’s the vehicle’s safety belt that holds the kid in place.

Why is proper belt positioning so crucial? The shoulder belt must fit diagonally across a kid’s chest. And the lap belt must fit over a kid’s thighs, not their abdomen; otherwise the abdomen could be injured by the seat belt in the event of a crash. (The chest and thighs are stronger parts of the body and are better able to absorb the pressure of a seat belt; adults have a different body structure and aren’t at the same risk of abdomen injury, which is why a shorter adult doesn’t need a booster seat.) A 2003 study of children ages 4 to 7 found that booster seats are more than twice as effective in reducing risk of injury than seat belts alone.

Note: Booster seats are not intended for use with lap-only seat belts, which can still be found in some cars manufactured before 2007. (If your child must ride in a vehicle that doesn’t have a shoulder belt, you’ll ideally want to find a five-point harness that can accommodate their height and weight.) And boosters cannot be used on airplanes (unlike five-point harness seats, which can be used if they’re FAA-approved).

Parents often look forward to transitioning their kids from one stage or milestone to the next—and plenty of junior passengers may try to cajole adults into letting them graduate to a “big kid” seat. But, as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has pointed out, car seats are one area where delaying a transition is the better thing to be celebrated. Each transition—from rear-facing to forward-facing, from forward-facing to booster seat, and from booster to seat belt alone—reduces the degree of protection to the child. Anecdotally, we’ve witnessed many a well-meaning caregiver allow a child to level up to the next seat—or, worse, to no child seat at all—long before it’s safe to do so.

Most families will use a convertible car seat with a five-point harness from the time a child is a toddler, and it’s ideal to keep using that seat for as long as possible for a simple reason: A car seat with a five-point harness is safer than a booster. Some of us who have worked on Wirecutter’s car seat guides have opted to keep our own kids in a convertible car seat through kindergarten and beyond. Many of those seats can accommodate kids up to 65 pounds or 49 inches tall, which is well into grade school for most kids. However, there comes a time when a child outgrows the height or weight capacity of a five-point harness seat and develops the emotional maturity to shift to a booster seat.

Although the regulations for when a child is eligible to ride in a booster can vary from state to state (and seat to seat), typically the minimum height requirement is around 38 inches and the minimum weight requirement is around 40 pounds.

In addition to meeting the minimum size requirements, to safely ride in a booster, a child must also be able to sit still in the seat without slouching or leaning over. Otherwise, the seat belt can’t do its job properly. Kids with special needs who have outgrown convertible seat size limits but are not able to maintain proper posture in a booster will require a special harness seat. (We have not tested any of those for this guide. So for additional guidance, please consult with a health-care professional or CPST trained to handle special needs.)

Understanding different kinds of booster seats

High-back vs. backless booster seats

There are two types of booster seats: backless boosters, which simply raise a kid up to put them in the correct position for the vehicle’s seat belt, and high-back boosters, which both raise the kid up and offer some support and protection to the head, neck, and upper back. High-back boosters can also help to correctly position the shoulder belt, and they are potentially comfier for kids who nap in the car. Because of the additional protection they provide, we recommend high-back boosters for regular use until a kid outgrows the height limits of the backrest.

When selecting a high-back booster, you’ll want to ensure that the headrest’s side wings are not overly large, since side wings that block sight lines are more likely to promote an unsafe, forward-leaning posture. While sitting in the seat, your kid should be able to see around them without having to lean forward.

Despite the safety advantages of high-back boosters, we recognize that they may not be ideal for every situation. Since backless boosters are smaller and lighter, many caregivers find them to be more convenient, especially when the seats need to be moved around frequently within vehicles or transported between locations. And some kids outgrow the height limits of a high-back booster before they’re ready to be out of a booster entirely. That’s why we’re big fans of seats that can convert from high-back to backless, like our top picks from Chicco and Graco.

What about LATCH?

LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. This system allows you to install a car seat by attaching a pair of metal hooks or clips that are built into the seat to a set of anchors that are built into the car. Almost all cars and infant and convertible car seats manufactured after September 1, 2002, include the LATCH option. And many caregivers have come to anticipate the satisfying “click” sound that signifies a secure installation. Infant, convertible, and forward-facing five-point harness seats require a child to weigh under 40 pounds to use LATCH as the sole method of installation; once a child is over 40 pounds, the car seat must be secured using a seat belt. But for booster seats, it’s a different story.

You’ll find plenty of booster seats out there that offer LATCH—including our top picks in this guide. But LATCH is not actually required for a booster seat to function safely. (And the 40-pound weight limit doesn’t apply, either, since it’s the seat belt that is restraining a child in a crash, rather than the LATCH serving as a weight-bearing restraint.) Booster seats work by enabling your vehicle’s seat belts to do their job, and the presence or absence of LATCH plays no role in that process. So if you’re presented with a LATCH-less booster seat, rest assured that it’s fully equipped to do the task at hand.

With that said, there are potential advantages to getting a booster with LATCH. Attaching the booster to the car will help prevent the seat from shifting around when a child is getting in or out, and it will keep the seat securely in place when unoccupied and prevent the seat from becoming a projectile in the event of a crash or sudden stop. (As one Wirecutter editor pointed out, a booster with LATCH can also deter kids from picking up a stray seat and using it as a weapon against another family member—hypothetically speaking, of course.)

There are valid reasons to forego LATCH, too. You may need to use the booster seat in a vehicle position that doesn’t have the LATCH anchors, like a middle seat or third row. Also, the addition of LATCH to a booster almost always translates to a higher price tag.

The decision to get a booster with or without LATCH is a matter of preference. We’ve tested both types extensively, and you’ll find multiple non-LATCH recommendations in the Other good booster seats section of this guide.

How we picked

Over the past four years, we’ve considered more than 50 different booster seats, and we’ve tested a total of 18 in real-world conditions with multiple families. To help narrow down our list of contenders, we spoke with experts on car seat safety, policy, and installation. And we looked closely at the results of government testing conducted by the National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA), the federal agency charged with road safety. We also considered the ratings and recommendations by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which evaluates booster seats based on their ability to provide a proper belt fit.

We polled Wirecutter staffers, as well as other parents and caregivers, to assess families’ needs, common likes and dislikes, and priorities. We read the reviews of booster seats by other media outlets including BabyGearLab and Car Seats for the Littles. And to identify trends and themes, we combed through consumer reviews on sites like Amazon, Walmart, and Target. (A couple of common threads: Caregivers’ opinions about LATCH connectors are nearly as strong as their kids’ opinions about cup holders—they really like them.)

As we got started on a major update to this guide in late 2021, we decided that we would spend a significant amount of time researching and testing backless (only) boosters, with the intention of finding our favorite—which is something we didn’t do for our first booster guide. High-back boosters are safer because of the additional head and neck protection they provide. But for those times you want or need a backless booster (carpooling, traveling, going to Grandma’s house), we wanted to be able to recommend a great option.

All of our background research and information gathering led us to conclude that the ideal booster seat would:

Be easy to use safely: A booster’s ability to deliver a proper belt fit is what makes it safe, and several factors contribute to achieving that fit. A booster should promote correct posture; a kid should be able to position themself in a seat correctly and stay that way, so they’re sitting up straight and not slouching. If it’s a high-back seat with side wings, the shape and size of the side wings should allow for good sight lines and peripheral vision, so that a kid won’t be tempted to constantly lean forward to see around them. It should be easy for a kid (or the adult who’s helping them) to pull the belt through the belt-positioning mechanism and get buckled in. The belt should rest in the proper position—flat against the shoulder and chest, and low on the hips or upper thighs—and stay there. If a kid leans forward and then leans back, the seat belt should be routed in a way that it moves with them. (A belt that does not retract would be too loose in the event of a crash.) The belt should also retract easily when unbuckled, readying it for the next use.

Be versatile: The best booster seat is the one that will get used, so we sought out seats that would work for various lifestyles. Seats that are narrower or have a more-streamlined design will fit better in a wider range of cars and situations. (Note: There are many variables that factor into whether it’s possible to fit three across—including the types of car seats, curvature and dimensions of those seats, and shape and layout of the vehicle itself. But we aimed for seats that would be strong candidates.) Similarly, we stayed away from seats that are so large or wide that they would be unlikely to fit in a lot of different car types or scenarios. We looked for seats that, though narrow, have generous height and weight limits that kids won’t outgrow too quickly, and for those that can be adjusted or expanded to accommodate older and larger kids. Although we still give preference to high-back boosters because of their added safety advantages, we wanted to include options that could convert from high-back to backless, or that were backless only, to meet the needs of different circumstances.

Be appealing to kids: Kids in boosters aren’t babies anymore, and they are likely to have strong opinions about how they ride (as well as everything else)—so it’s important to have a booster that appeals to them. We gave extra points to seats that were notably comfy and had qualities that kids would find cool or features that would improve their overall experience, such as cup holders, high-quality fabric, or a recline option.

Come with a LATCH option: LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) is a system that allows you to install a car seat with metal clips or hooks that attach to anchors built into the car. As we explain in detail below, LATCH is optional for booster seats, and it’s not necessary for the seat to function safely. However, LATCH has some perks, such as helping to keep the seat in position and preventing it from becoming a projectile. And since the majority of caregivers we surveyed declared a strong preference for boosters with LATCH, we considered the presence of LATCH to be a plus.

Be convenient for adults: By the time a family reaches the booster stage, most caregivers have developed a familiarity with the inner workings of car seats. They’re also likely to have a deep appreciation for convenience—and for gear that makes life with kids easier. For example, a booster seat that’s lighter in weight and designed with handling in mind will be less annoying to move in and out of a car. Intuitive installation is also a big boon; if the seat has LATCH connectors, they should be pleasant (not a pain) to use. Maintenance matters, too: The headrest should be easy to adjust, and if a seat converts from high-back to backless, that process shouldn’t be a headache. Finally, it should be easy to wipe up messes and keep the seat clean.

Provide a good value: We considered seats that cost well over $200. But given how many high-quality options are available for less than that, we couldn’t find a valid reason to spend any more, and so we focused on models that were $200 or, in many cases, far less.

Based on that criteria and our additional research, we narrowed our list of candidates down to seven high-back models for in-person testing in late 2021 and early 2022:

We also put five backless models to the test:

How we tested

I tried out each booster seat with two of my children (ages 8 and 6). I unboxed, assembled (when applicable), and installed and uninstalled each seat. Over the course of six months, my kids took turns sitting in the seats in different cars (a crossover SUV and a minivan) and in different moods (from cooperative to cranky) while I took down the feedback on their likes, dislikes, and preferences. I formed my own opinions on the pros and cons of every seat, including install, fit, aesthetics, and ease of use.

We also asked three other families to try out the booster seats; each family (with kids ranging in age from 4 to 9 years old) tried four to five seats. They responded to detailed questionnaires about what it was like to install and move the seats into various cars, the buckling-in process, whether their kids were able to get a proper seat belt fit once buckled in, the overall look and feel of the seats, and how easy the LATCH system was to use (if applicable).

Since kids in boosters are often able to clearly articulate their opinions, their feedback was extremely valuable; we were curious to get their thoughts on everything from cup holders to cushions to armrests. The kids also reported on how well they were able to see out the window and whether they were able to get and stay buckled in comfortably.

For the seats that convert from high-back to backless, we asked families what they thought of that process. Were the pieces easy to separate, but not so easy that they fell apart each time the seat was moved? Finally, we inquired about cleanup, encouraging families to make a mess and then deal with the aftermath (we had one instance of car sickness and many more instances of cracker crumbs and grape juice spills).

What about crash testing?

For the first version of this guide, published in 2018, we elected to do independent crash testing on the booster seats that we considered as our top contenders. We hired Calspan, a highly regarded lab in Buffalo, New York, to perform the tests. The results were factored into our final recommendations, which included earlier models of the Chicco and Graco high-back seats that we are recommending again now.

When we began working on the update to this guide, in late 2021, we were open to pursuing independent crash testing once again, eager to take a thorough and comprehensive approach that would arm us with information to inform and improve our decision-making. To help us better understand the latest crash-testing protocols, we reached out to three industry experts: Alisa Baer, a pediatrician, CPST, and co-founder of The Car Seat Lady website; Matt Maltese, an engineer and crash-testing expert who’s worked for both the NHTSA and CHOP; and Jessica Jermakian, VP of vehicle research at the IIHS.

Much to our surprise, the more we learned about independent crash testing, the less certain we became that it made sense for us to commission our own lab tests. Everything we learned in no way diminishes our faith in the mandatory, regulated crash testing that the government requires of all car seat manufacturers; it is essential to maintaining high safety standards and accountability. But we realized that even though we could certainly conduct a series of crash tests that would generate plenty of data, it’s unlikely that data would be meaningful or serve its intended purpose—that is, to provide us with information that would help us zero in on the best options among a small group of high-quality seats.

Our plan had been to crash test the four to six booster seats that had already performed the strongest in our field testing, based on criteria like accessible installation, ability to provide a proper belt fit, and ease of use. But multiple experts told us that, as advanced as today’s crash-testing tools are, they aren’t advanced enough to reliably differentiate among a set of well-engineered seats or to tease out an A+ from an A-. In a nutshell, crash testing can be extremely useful for determining good versus bad, but it is less helpful for determining really good from really, really good. Jermakian said, “I’m not sure that crash testing would give you meaningful results. If you’ve already picked the four best seats from all the other perspectives, then you can feel confident that engineers have spent a lot of time designing those seats for a good and safe user experience.”

In fact, in some cases, the data that crash testing yields can actually be misleading, and it might encourage us to draw the wrong conclusions, experts advised. For example, when crash testing high-back boosters, extremely large or heavily padded side wings would likely help a seat pass side-impact crash tests with flying colors. But put a kid in that seat in the wild, and those same side wings could tempt them to lean forward in their seat, which is an unsafe posture. “In the real world, we’ve found that kids don’t like having those big blinders on that block their sight lines, so they tend to move their head forward to see around them,” Jermakian said.

Here are some of our key takeaways:

• Crash testing is still an imperfect science. In a testing lab, it’s difficult to simulate the real environment of a car and real circumstances of a crash. For example, Baer said, “The seat belt is different from those in a real car in some notable ways that prevent the dummy in the crash test lab from moving in a way a real child does in a real car.” Also, dummies aren’t all that sophisticated or life-like. (In their defense, the name doesn’t imply otherwise.) “Humans are very complex,” Jermakian said. “Dummies are not so sophisticated that they act exactly as a real human would in a crash, or give us the level of confidence needed to differentiate between similar results.”
• Numerical results don’t tell the whole story. After a crash test, seats are assigned injury measure scores—scores that predict the likelihood of injury—and it would be logical to conclude that if one seat gets a better score than the other, it’s clearly the safer seat. But unfortunately, it’s not that simple; those scores come with some complex caveats and asterisks, which raise questions about how accurately they translate to differences in real-world injury risk. “Everybody wants the easy, intuitive answer—one number is bigger and one is smaller—but it’s so much more nuanced than that,” Jermakian said.
• Crash-testing results tend to vary. With crash testing, there tends to be some level of test-to-test (and lab-to-lab) variability. This means that you can run the identical scenario multiple times and come away with different injury measure scores each time. Without repeating the tests on each seat multiple times—a process that can cost thousands of dollars, plus the cost of providing a brand-new seat for each setup that needs to be disposed of afterward—we’d have to assume that the differentials between our results could be driven simply by randomness.

After careful consideration and consultation with experts, we reached the decision that field testing alone, without crash testing, should dictate our picks within this guide. Caregivers can take comfort in knowing that most car seats do their jobs very well. “Booster seats and five-point harness child restraint seats are highly effective in reducing the chances of injury and death,” Maltese said. So the most effective strategy for keeping your kids safe on the road is to choose a car seat that works well for your family, and to use it correctly. According to Maltese, “The best car seat is the one that fits your kid, fits your car, and is used properly on every trip.”

Our pick: Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus

Our pick

The Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus has the best combination of features we’ve found in a high-back booster. It’s user-friendly, our kid testers thought it was comfortable, and the fabric cover is easy to keep clean. We also like that it converts from high-back to backless, requires minimal assembly, and looks good. The KidFit ClearTex Plus is an updated (and improved) version of the Chicco KidFit, our previous runner-up pick in this guide. The old KidFit received a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide proper seat belt positioning; the new model has not yet received a rating.

The KidFit ClearTex Plus is easy to install and remove, thanks to its alligator-style LATCH connectors, which are equipped with a clever tightening mechanism called SuperCinch (you just clip them to the vehicle’s anchors, and then pull on a center strap at the front of the seat to tighten and snug the seat into place with one tug). The seat also has a quick-release feature that detaches the LATCH connectors with a single (one-handed) pull of a front handle—no need to jam your hand between the vehicle’s seat cushions, fishing for a clip to unhook.

The alligator-style (see the mouth shape?) LATCH connectors on the KidFit ClearTex Plus are easy to attach to the car’s anchors. Photo: Michael Hession

The KidFit ClearTex Plus also has an updated seat belt threader, which is clearly labeled and functions exceptionally well. The previous KidFit model had the belt threading into the loop from top to bottom, but now it’s from bottom to top. A Chicco spokesperson told us the company’s internal research revealed that this new configuration was easier to use, and in our testing we found that to be the case as well. The threader also keeps the belt from getting twisted. The KidFit ClearTex Plus was better than any other seat we tested at securely and comfortably positioning the strap on the correct part of a kid’s shoulder.

The seat belt inserts into the threader from bottom to top at a diagonal angle. Photo: Michael Hession

The seat is well padded (according to Chicco, it has two layers of foam and ergonomic support). Kids said the KidFit ClearTex Plus was comfortable to sit in, or, as one kid put it, “It feels fine. Like a regular seat.” Our kid testers enjoyed the removable double cup holders, which are dishwasher-safe and made from a flexible material that can be pushed in and out. The headrest adjusts to 10 different positions to accommodate a range of different-size kids; the side wings are ample and comfortable, but aren’t so big that they block kids’ sight lines. The backrest can be adjusted between two positions, to better fit the angle of the vehicle seat.

The KidFit ClearTex Plus has nicer fabric than its predecessor. It feels smooth and substantial to the touch. And it has a Greenguard Gold Certification, which promises low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); the textiles used to make the seat are manufactured without any added chemicals.

In terms of cleaning, the fabric was easy to wipe down. At one point, I took the booster out of the car and shook it; the crumbs came off of the fabric easily enough. For a more-thorough wash, the entire cover can be removed; to do this, you partly disassemble the seat and peel off the fabric elements, as detailed in this step-by-step video from Chicco. The instruction manual calls for the cover to be machine-washed in cold water on the delicate cycle, using mild detergent, and then air-dried. It can take a few tries to master putting the cover back on. But once you get the hang of it, it should take only a few minutes.

The KidFit ClearTex Plus is quick to assemble out of the box—you need only to attach the back and armrests to the base. It’s lightweight enough (10 pounds) to move around easily within a car or between locations. It also has a narrow, space-saving frame, at 17 inches across at the base and 19 inches at the widest part of the backrest; this should allow for fitting three seats across in many vehicles. The narrow frame also allows kids to easily access the seat belt buckle, which can be tougher with booster seats that are wide (though some of that depends on the car).

To convert the booster to backless mode, you pull a lever on the headrest and lift. Video: Michael Hession

The KidFit ClearTex Plus converts from a high-back to a backless booster. (When in backless mode, it has a small carrying handle for easy transport, but there are no storage slots for the LATCH connectors.) To make the conversion, you detach the top half from the bottom part by pulling on a lever and lifting up. Our 2018 testers who tried out the previous generation of the KidFit observed that when they transferred the seat in and out of a car in high-back mode, it had to be held at an angle to prevent the two seat halves from coming apart. None of our 2022 testers experienced the problem with the new KidFit ClearTex Plus. A spokesperson for Chicco confirmed that the issue had been addressed—a new, stronger “catch” to join the two parts was added to all KidFit models made from 2020 onward. Since the seat had just been released at the time of publication, we were not able to rely on online user reviews for additional input.

The KidFit ClearTex Plus has a sporty, modern look and satisfying curves. It comes in Obsidian (black), Shadow (black/gray), Lilac (purple), Drift (gray), and Reef (blue). The high-back mode fits kids from 40 to 100 pounds and 38 to 57 inches tall; the backless configuration has the same height range but a weight range of 40 to 110 pounds.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Although we believe most kids will fit comfortably in the KidFit ClearTex Plus, its slender frame may be less appealing to bigger kids who prefer a wider seat. Our only design complaint is that there’s nowhere to store the LATCH connectors when they’re detached. So if you’re carrying the seat around, they’ll flap. (This is no big deal when you’re moving from car to car, but it could be annoying when you’re traveling or walking through an airport.) Finally, we do think the price for this booster seat is reasonable, considering the quality. But you don’t need to pay this much for a safe booster seat that works well; those who are buying multiple booster seats for multiple kids, carpools, or different vehicles may prefer to explore other options.

Runner-up: Graco TurboBooster LX

Runner-up

The Graco TurboBooster LX is a solid—if slightly basic—high-back booster seat. It has the main features that matter in a high-back booster and costs less than our top pick, the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus. But you do sacrifice some conveniences for the lower price. The TurboBooster LX has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat belt fit. It was the budget pick in the 2018 version of this guide and was $20 cheaper back then; Graco has not made any changes to the seat.

The biggest compromise with the TurboBooster LX is that it has hook-style LATCH connectors; they’re the least user-friendly type of LATCH. That won’t be much of an issue if you’re planning to keep the booster in the same place most of the time. But it could get annoying if you’re intending to move the seat to different locations frequently and use the LATCH. The TurboBooster LX’s LATCH hooks can be tricky to get on and off the car’s anchors, and it’s tough to see what you’re doing and maneuver around in the tight space behind the seat.

Once you’ve clipped the hooks to the anchors, you can snug the seat into position by pulling on the front strap. But unlike the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus, which allows you to release the LATCH hooks with a simple lever, the LATCH connectors on the TurboBooster LX must be manually loosened and detached. When I use this seat for my kids, I deliberately leave it unlatched because I find the hooks so difficult to undo, especially if they’ve been put in place tightly. (Note: The Graco TurboBooster is the same seat but without LATCH; it costs less than the TurboBooster LX.)

The seat belt threader on the TurboBooster LX is well designed; the belt slides into the opening smoothly from bottom to top, easily enough for most kids to manage it on their own. The seat belt threader on the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus is similar, but it has more of a diagonal at the entry point, which we prefer.

The kids who tested this seat were happy with how it felt, and they found the cushioning comfortable. The TurboBooster LX’s side wings aren’t so big as to block kids from being able to see around them, and the headrest is easily adjustable up and down to six different positions (fewer than with our top pick).

A tester who had been using this seat for several years noted that the headrest had a tendency to slide down after being adjusted; it pulled up as it should, but it would sometimes inch down on its own. Although only one of our testers personally experienced this, we did see the same complaint mentioned in several online user reviewers. We reached out to Graco about it, and a company spokesperson acknowledged that the headrest can slide downward as a result of not being properly locked into place. To help address the issue and ensure that people are operating the headrest correctly, Graco is including additional instructions on how to lock the headrest into position and to confirm that it’s been done properly; the instructions will appear in the user manual and on the seats themselves for all TurboBooster LX models manufactured after March 9, 2022.

The TurboBooster LX has a standard stationary plastic cup holder on one side and a cup holder that slides in and out of the seat base on the other (it can be used as a small storage drawer). Those holders cannot be removed and cleaned in the dishwasher like the Chicco’s cup holders.

The seat is covered in a 100% polyester fabric that’s easy to spot-clean; when we covered it in juice and crackers, they wiped right off with a damp rag. For bigger messes, the entire cover can be removed in two parts. Both pieces should be washed in cold water on the delicate cycle with gentle detergent, and then drip-dried before being put back on.

The TurboBooster LX requires a bit more setup out of the box than the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus. (All in all, it comes out to just a few minutes extra.) The armrests, cup holder, and seat pads need to be attached, and it takes a moment to connect the top and bottom half of the seat. The TurboBooster LX is lightweight, at 9.8 pounds (slightly lighter than the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus). The seat is 17 inches across, same as the Chicco, and the widest point of the backrest is 21 inches across; it may be possible to fit three seats across, depending on the vehicle. The TurboBooster LX should accommodate most older kids, but—as with our other picks—a kid who needs a wider seat may outgrow this early. The TurboBooster LX’s narrow footprint makes it fairly easy for most kids to buckle themselves in.

The TurboBooster LX converts from high-back to backless the same way the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus does, by separating the top half of the seat from the bottom half.

Aesthetically, the Graco TurboBooster LX isn’t quite as sharp-looking as the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus. But it does resemble the Chicco seat with respect to the size, width, height, armrests, and cup holders. The TurboBooster LX has a “classic” booster vibe. As my 8-year-old put it, “It looks like a booster seat should look.” The TurboBooster LX comes in a single color option, a black-and-gray combination. (If bright colors are a priority, the Graco Affix, which we have not tested, comes in a livelier palette. A similar seat in most ways, the Affix is slightly less padded and has a different cup-holder style.)

In high-back mode, the TurboBooster LX has a weight range of 40 to 100 pounds (the same as the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus) and a height range of 43 to 57 inches (for the Chicco it’s 38 to 57 inches); the backless range is also 40 to 100 pounds (for the Chicco it’s 40 to 110 pounds) and 43 to 57 inches (for the Chicco it’s 38 to 57 inches).

Runner-up: Flaws but not dealbreakers

The biggest drawback of the TurboBooster LX is the hook-style LATCH connectors. The LATCH systems on our other picks make those seats easier to install and uninstall. But if this is not a feature of the seat that you’re engaging with regularly, then it may not be a big deal to you. Now that Graco has improved its instructions on how to properly lock the TurboBooster LX’s headrest into place (as of March 9, 2022), we hope that will resolve the issue of the headrest sliding down; we will continue to monitor the user reviews.

Upgrade pick: Maxi-Cosi RodiFix

Upgrade pick

The Maxi-Cosi RodiFix has a luxurious look and feel. This seat also has some unique advantages—it’s the only one of our picks with rigid LATCH—that could justify its higher price, depending on your priorities. Although the RodiFix does not have cup holders and cannot be converted from high-back to backless (two features that some might deem essential), in all other ways it was the most enjoyable seat to engage with of those we tested. Like our top pick and runner-up, this seat has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat belt fit.

One of the distinguishing features of the RodiFix is its rigid LATCH system. The seat’s LATCH connectors, which look like small staplers, project out directly from the back of the seat, making them very easy to connect to the car’s anchors. (No need to fiddle for the hooks and line them up into position.) The connectors release with the push of a button. Rigid LATCH creates an extremely secure connection between the seat and the car, preventing any movement or shifting. If you’d prefer to use this seat without LATCH or are in a circumstance where LATCH anchors are not available, such as a third row, the RodiFix’s LATCH connectors can be retracted so they’re out of the way.

The rigid-style LATCH connectors release easily with a button; no need to fish around in the seat cracks to undo the hooks. Video: Michael Hession

The rigid LATCH feature also allows the RodiFix to recline, so you can choose the angle that best fits the car’s seat and is most comfortable for the passenger. The seat adjusts quite easily between Position 1 and Position 2, tilting back by about 8 degrees (or 2 inches). Our kid testers enjoyed trying out the recline option, and it came in particularly handy for a 6-year-old who dozed during a road trip. (Note: According to the instruction manual, the recline position should not be changed while there’s a passenger in the seat.)

The RodiFix is the only one of our picks that can recline. Video: Michael Hession

The RodiFix has a seat belt threader that we like almost as much as the Chicco KidFit ClearTex’s. The belt glides easily into the opening by pushing past a small retractable lock mechanism that snaps back into place once the belt is in. The lock helps to keep the belt in the correct position.

The seat belt slides past the “lock” to rest in the threader. Video: Michael Hession

The RodiFix is as comfortable as it is stylish. My kids liked sitting in it, as did the other testers. The back of the seat is deeply curved, creating a pleasant, almost hug-like effect. There are no armrests, which didn’t seem to bother anyone, and it makes getting buckled in easier. The lack of armrests could offer a safety advantage, as well: A common mistake people make with boosters is putting the seat belt over, rather than under, the armrests; with the RodiFix, that’s not a possibility.

The seat does not come with cup holders, and they can’t be purchased separately. We expected pushback on this, but it wasn’t a dealbreaker for our testers, who ended up using their car’s cup holders instead. (But it might be a tougher sell for kids who don’t have access to back-seat cup holders, or for kids who are used to having cup holders in their convertible seat and are expecting the same from their booster.)

The headrest on the RodiFix adjusts to 12 different positions (more than our other picks) with minimal effort; you just pull upward on a handle. The side wings are well-padded and expandable; they can be flexed out or in according to preference. They’re larger than those on the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus, so some kids might not be able to see as well around them. One Wirecutter editor noted that they seemed a little big for her son, which might encourage him to lean forward in order to peer around them.

The RodiFix’s side wings are adjustable and well cushioned. Photo: Michael Hession

According to Maxi-Cosi, the RodiFix is made with fabric that has not been treated with added chemicals. It feels soft and smooth, and we found it easy to spot-clean; for a full washing, the cover can be removed completely. (The cover comes off in two pieces, as demonstrated in this detailed video.) It should be machine-washed in cold water on the delicate setting with mild detergent, and then air-dried before being put back on.

The RodiFix does not convert from high-back to backless, and it arrives in one piece—no assembly required. It’s 17 inches wide at the base and 21 inches across on the backrest at its widest point. So, as with our other high-back picks, with the RodiFix it may be possible to fit three across, depending on the vehicle; the lack of armrests frees up some additional space. (The Car Seat Lady website includes the RodiFix among its featured “recipes” for three-across configurations.) The RodiFix weighs 13.5 pounds, a few pounds more than either of our other high-back picks.

Our testers were particularly impressed by the RodiFix’s sleek and stylish appearance. As my 8-year-old explained to me, it has the look and feel of a more-grown-up seat—less like a five-point harness seat and more like something an older child would want to sit in. Because this seat is of such high overall quality, CPST Harrison told us she often recommends it to families who want a higher-end option while still keeping safety as a top priority. The RodiFix comes in either black or gray. The weight range for the seat is 40 to 120 pounds (20 pounds more than the Chicco’s and Graco’s weight maximums in high-back mode). The RodiFix’s height range is 40 to 57 inches (versus the Chicco’s 38- to 57-inch range and the Graco’s 43- to 57-inch range in high-back mode).

Upgrade pick: Flaws but not dealbreakers

There are some drawbacks to the RodiFix; it does not come with cup holders, which are important to some families. It also doesn’t have the option to be converted to backless, so you may need to purchase an additional seat if your child outgrows the RodiFix’s high-back size limits but still requires a booster. It’s heavier than the other high-back picks, which may not be ideal if it’s being moved around a lot. And the RodiFix is about twice the price of our main Chicco high-back pick, so it’s definitely a splurge.

As we were working on this guide, we learned that the RodiFix is being retired at the end of 2022. The seat should still be in stock for the remainder of the calendar year, inventory allowing. At the time of publication, a spokesperson for Maxi-Cosi declined to provide details on whether there are plans to replace the RodiFix with a new version. The company does make another high-back booster, the Maxi-Cosi Rodisport, which has rigid LATCH and converts to backless but is wider than the RodiFix (22 inches) and has a lower weight limit (100 pounds). We will consider testing it—or any new models that Maxi-Cosi may release—for a future update to this guide.

Also great: Chicco GoFit Plus

Also great

The Chicco GoFit Plus backless booster is the best of all the backless-only boosters we tested. There are lots of really solid backless booster options out there, but the GoFit Plus has a winning combination of essential features and thoughtful touches. Our top-pick high-back booster, Chicco’s KidFit ClearTex Plus, does convert to a backless version that’s very similar to the GoFit Plus. But for families that want to purchase a standalone backless booster for any number of reasons (carpooling, older kids who’ve outgrown a high-back booster but still need a lift to get a proper seat belt fit), the GoFit Plus is a quality option. Like our other picks, this seat has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat belt fit.

The SuperCinch LATCH connectors on the GoFit Plus release from the car’s anchors with the pull of a handle. Video: Michael Hession

The GoFit Plus has the same user-friendly SuperCinch LATCH system as our high-back Chicco booster pick. The alligator-style LATCH hooks easily attach to the car’s anchors, and they detach just as easily; there’s a one-pull mechanism for tightening and releasing them. (The Chicco GoFit is identical to the GoFit Plus, but without LATCH; it costs about $10 less.)

The seat has plenty of padding and feels cushy for the rider. Like the KidFit ClearTex Plus, the GoFit Plus has removable, dishwasher-safe cup holders that expand and collapse, which some kid testers really seemed to like. There’s a handle attached to the side of the seat that lets you carry the GoFit Plus like a briefcase; this is a small touch, but it’s one we appreciated. (The Chicco KidFit ClearTex also has a handle, which can be used when the seat is in backless mode.)

The cup holders on the GoFit Plus can be folded in to give the seat a slimmer profile. Photo: Michael Hession

The cover on the GoFit Plus is made from a polyester knit fabric that’s different from the material on the KidFit ClearTex Plus (the latter has a Greenguard Gold Certification, ensuring low VOCs; the GoFit Plus does not); the fabric still has a nice feel to it. Spot-cleaning the material takes very little effort; stains wiped off easily. The seat cover can be removed by detaching a series of elastics from their loops; the cover should be machine-washed in cold water on the delicate cycle with gentle detergent, and then air-dried before being put back on.

Since this is a backless booster, no assembly is required. The seat is the same width at the base (17 inches) as our Chicco high-back pick, so it’s possible to fit three across in most cars. (Collapsing the cup holders saves a bit of space.) This seat is narrow enough for most kids to be able to buckle themselves in around it. The GoFit Plus weighs 6 pounds, which is more than some of the ultra-lightweight boosters we tested (such as the Cosco Rise, at 2.2 pounds), but its weight is similar to that of other backless boosters with LATCH.

Like the KidFit ClearTex Plus, the GoFit Plus is aesthetically appealing; it has clean, attractive, sporty curves. It comes in multiple colors, including Iron (black), Vivaci (purple), Avenue (gray), and Stream (blue). And it has a weight range of 40 to 110 pounds and a height range of 38 to 57 inches (the same as for our top-pick Chicco in backless mode).

Also great: Flaws but not dealbreakers

Because of its ample seat padding, the GoFit Plus is bulkier than some other backless boosters. If your primary goal is a compact backless booster for travel, you may prefer an ultralight model, like the 2.2-pound Cosco Rise. Also, there’s no dedicated storage spot to stow the seat’s LATCH connectors when they’re not in use, so when you’re carrying the GoFit Plus around, they flap about. And the GoFit Plus is not inexpensive; there are cheaper backless boosters to be found (particularly if you’re willing to forego LATCH), but we found it’s a good value for the quality.

Other good high-back booster seats

If you want our top-pick high-back Chicco booster, but with upgrades: The Chicco KidFit Adapt Plus is the same seat as our top pick, except it’s covered in a high-performance fabric that claims to draw away moisture, helping the passenger maintain a comfortable temperature. The Chicco KidFit Zip Plus is also the same seat as our top pick, but it has extra seat and backrest cushions that zip on and off and a detachable console compartment, where kids can stash small toys and other treasures. The Chicco KidFit Zip Air Plus also has the extra zip-on and zip-off padding and the console compartment, plus an extended leg rest (which makes it look kind of like a lawn chair); our testers didn’t find this useful when they tried out a previous generation of the seat, but some kids might like it.

If you like our runner-up high-back booster, the Graco TurboBooster LX, but you don’t want LATCH: The Graco TurboBooster high-back booster is identical to our runner-up pick, the Graco TurboBooster LX, but without a LATCH option, and it costs about $20 less. This seat has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat belt fit.

If you want an inexpensive high-back booster without LATCH: At less than $40, the Evenflo GoTime Sport booster is the lowest-priced high-back booster of the models we tested. It’s lightweight (6 pounds), and it is a very good option for caregivers who want to keep an extra high-back booster in their car or garage in case of carpools. The GoTime Sport is the replacement for Evenflo’s popular Big Kid booster, which has been discontinued. In our testing, we were unable to discern any significant differences between the GoTime Sport and Big Kid models, aside from the color and pattern choices and cup holder configuration. (A rep for the company was not able to identify any other differences.) The GoTime Sport converts easily from high-back to backless mode. The kid testers who sat in this seat found it comfortable. (Our family has been using the previous version, the Big Kid, for several years, and it’s my 6-year-old’s booster of choice over the higher-priced options that we have on hand.)

If your kid tends to fall asleep (and slide down) in the car: The UPPAbaby Alta is an expensive high-back booster seat that has a “lap belt positioner” (aka a crotch buckle), which helps keep the lap belt and passenger securely in place. That can be helpful for kids who are transitioning from a five-point harness and need additional support to keep the belt in position and/or for those who are prone to dozing off and then creeping downward in their seat, creating an unsafe posture. But if those cases don’t apply, then the crotch buckle is likely to be a drawback; several of the older children who tested the Alta found the buckle annoying to use, and it can be a particular nuisance to fasten over a skirt or dress. (Although the lap belt positioner is not required to use this seat, an UPPAbaby spokesperson strongly encouraged it to help fit the belt properly across the child’s body.) The Alta is a heavy seat, weighing in at 16.6 pounds. It has a wide (19-inch) base, which our at-home testers (and online reviewers) found difficult to buckle around, and large side wings, which our kid testers complained were tough to see around. The Alta has one dishwasher-safe cup holder. And it cannot be converted to backless mode.

If aesthetics are a top priority: The Nuna Aace is a beautiful, expensive high-back booster seat. Like our upgrade pick, the Maxi-Cosi RodiFix, the Aace has rigid LATCH connectors, which are the easiest and most secure type of LATCH connectors, and they allow the seat to have a recline feature. The Aace comes with one cup holder, which is not permanently attached to the side of the seat and falls off easily. This seat converts from high-back to backless mode. It did not seem to offer any added functionality compared with models that cost less than half as much. But if aesthetics are your main concern, the Aace might be worth the splurge. This seat has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat belt fit.

If money is no object: The Clek Oobr is an astonishingly expensive high-back booster seat. It has a Best Bet rating (which applies only to the high-back mode) from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat belt fit. As you’d expect for such an expensive seat, this one comes with the works: The Oobr features rigid LATCH connectors (our favorite type of LATCH) that quick-release with the pull of a strap. The seat can be reclined, and it converts from high-back to backless. It has one detachable, dishwasher-safe cup holder and a well-designed seat belt threader. (In backless mode, the Oobr has a Check Fit rating from the IIHS, which means the seat belt fit varied in its testing, depending on the child size and vehicle.) This seat is stylish and sophisticated—there’s nothing “kiddie”-looking about it—and it comes in a range of high-end fabric options that will complement most any car. Clek is known for making sturdy, heavy car seats—and at nearly 20 pounds, this one is no exception. Because the Oobr is three times as expensive and twice as heavy as other seats that are just as safe and easy to use, we eliminated it as a serious contender and did not officially test it for this guide. But a Wirecutter editor who has had it for nearly three years can attest to its ease-of-use and overall quality. She pointed out that the booster’s padded areas have a noticeably firm and stiff feel, which her son didn’t mind, but some kids might prefer more cushioning. Also, by the time the editor’s (very tall) son was 8, he could no longer sit comfortably in the seat in high-back mode (the lower seat cushion wasn’t deep enough), so he had to transition to backless mode.

Other good backless booster seats

If you like our favorite Chicco backless booster, but you don’t want LATCH: The Chicco GoFit is identical to our backless Chicco pick, the Chicco GoFit Plus, but without the LATCH option. (Because of that, it weighs 5 pounds instead of 6.) This seat has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat belt fit.

If you want a backless version of our runner-up Graco pick without LATCH: The Graco TurboBooster Backless is the backless-only version of our runner-up Graco high-back booster, minus the LATCH option. The TurboBooster Backless weighs just over 5 pounds and has two cup holders; it has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat belt fit.

If you want a light backless booster without LATCH: The Evenflo Big Kid Sport weighs just 3 pounds and usually costs under $30 (sometimes far less). Our kid testers found it comfortable. This seat has two cup holders and a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat belt fit.

If you want a cheap, light, zero-frills backless booster without LATCH: The Cosco Rise is less than $20 (but it can go on sale for as low as $12). This is an excellent small backless booster to keep in the trunk of your car for impromptu carpooling. It weighs just 2.2 pounds and does not have cup holders. And it comes with a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat belt fit.

If you want an extra-wide backless booster with LATCH: The Diono Solana 2 XL is a high-end wide booster (20.1 inches across) that could work well for kids who want or need more space. Just be sure that your vehicle seat is large enough to accommodate its footprint, with ample room on the side to easily access the buckle. This seat has a hook-style LATCH mechanism; the hooks are positioned upside down and can be difficult to maneuver, making the seat harder to install and take out. It has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat belt fit.

When can a child sit without a booster seat?

Most booster seats have an upper size limit for kids that’s often 100 pounds (or more) and 57 inches in height. The AAP recommends that kids stay in a belt-positioning booster seat until they are at least 4 feet 9 inches in height and are 8 to 12 years old.

In addition to the height and weight criteria, according to the NHTSA (PDF), a child is ready to graduate from a booster if they meet all of the following criteria:

• They are able to keep their back against the vehicle seat.
• They are able to keep their knees naturally bent at the edge of the seat.
• The lap belt fits snugly across the top of their thighs (not their tummy).
• The shoulder belt comes across the center of their shoulder and chest.
• They can do all of the above for the whole trip.

The role your car plays in booster safety

Unlike infant and convertible car seats (which have five-point harnesses), boosters are positioning devices—meaning the car’s seat belt is completely responsible for restraining the child. In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on how a car’s seat belt—in particular, the presence or absence of seat belt pretensioners and force limiters—can impact the risk of injury.

Pretensioners and force limiters are built-in devices that enable seat belts to function more effectively. In the first milliseconds of a crash, pretensioners remove several inches of slack from the belt—reducing how far forward the occupant moves (in a frontal crash) and the likelihood of the occupant falling sideways and out of the shoulder belt (in a side-impact collision). Every seat belt locks in a crash; the pretensioner activates after the belt is already locked to take even more slack out of the harness. For a child in a booster seat, a pretensioner can help keep the shoulder belt on the shoulder and limit the distance the child is thrown from the seat. Force limiters kick in later during a crash, allowing a controlled amount of slack back into the seat belt to prevent a too-tight hold that could cause chest injuries.

Pretensioners and force limiters have been standard in the front seats of vehicles since 2008, and, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), they can lower the risk of death by 12.8% (PDF). But—surprisingly—they are still not standard in the back seats of most cars. Alisa Baer, co-founder of The Car Seat Lady website, estimates that although around 40% of new vehicle models feature pretensioners in the back seat, they’re predominantly found in higher-end European cars.

Unfortunately, cars either have pretensioners and/or force limiters or they don’t; it’s not a modification that can be added on. So when you are considering booster seat safety and where you’ll be placing the booster within your car, it’s important to find out whether the car has these features and where they’re located. The Car Seat Lady website has a helpful tool that allows you to search for this information by make, model, and year. For example, some vehicles may have pretensioners in the back seat but not in the third row, or some may have them on the right and left sides but not in the middle seat.

A November 2003 study by the NHTSA found that seat belt pretensioners and force limiters were able to successfully reduce the amount of distance that test dummies moved in a crash, including in the back seat. Given the effectiveness of pretensioners and force limiters, why haven’t they become more common in back seats? Baer said it’s likely because vehicle manufacturers have not been properly incentivized to make the change. “No one is calling them out on the absence of pretensioners and force limiters in the back seat,” Baer said.

Federal regulations do not currently require vehicle manufacturers to publicly release crash-testing data. The vehicle crash-testing data that does get released comes from tests performed by the NHTSA (a government organization) and the IIHS (an independent organization). And they dole out their safety ratings—which many consumers factor into their car shopping—according to the results of those tests. But for decades, the front-crash ratings have been based on how the dummies in the front seats fare. So car manufacturers’ resources have historically gone into providing safety features (like pretensioners and force limiters) that will help yield the best results for dummies in the front seat.

Meanwhile, the safety needs of the back seat have taken, well, a back seat. Consumer awareness on this issue may be helpful, particularly if caregivers use their purchasing power to demonstrate that advanced seat belt safety features are a priority. In response to concerning research on common injuries to rear-seat occupants, Jessica Jermakian, VP of vehicle research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, told us the IIHS has developed a new frontal crash test that will include crash-test dummies in front and rear seating positions. The new test, launching in 2022, could encourage automakers to make these safety devices standard in the back seat and promote other safety improvements to rear-seat restraint systems.

What about travel booster seats?

If you have children of booster-seat age and are looking for a seat particularly for travel, we recommend using one of the inexpensive and lightweight backless boosters featured in this guide, such as the Cosco Rise. (We have a separate guide to the best travel car seats, but it focuses mostly on seats for younger kids.)

In our original testing for this guide, we tried out two portable travel booster seats: the inflatable BubbleBum and the fold-up MiFold. Our testers found the hard plastic shell of the MiFold uncomfortable. And we’ve subsequently been cautioned by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Jessica Jermakian that volunteer studies have shown that low-height boosters (like the MiFold) may encourage slouching. The BubbleBum performed well in our tests, and we made it the booster pick in our guide to the best travel car seats.

However, in February 2022, the IIHS raised concerns about the safety of inflatable boosters; a study using a computerized model determined that an inflatable booster may not have the stiffness required to keep a child from sliding out from under the lap belt upon impact. Until more research and information is available, we are no longer recommending the BubbleBum.

What to look forward to

We plan to test a new version of our former top-pick booster seat, the Diono Monterey XT, as soon as it becomes available. As we were working on the update to this guide in late 2021 and early 2022, this seat was being updated, and there was no sample available for us to review. The previous Monterey XT we recommended was one of the widest booster seats we tested, with a back that extended up and out, allowing bigger children to stay in the seat longer and more comfortably than in any of our other picks. (Naturally, wide seats may not work well for compact cars or for those trying to fit three across.) The seat had hook-style LATCH connectors, which are not as easy to use as the LATCH connectors on our current top pick, the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus, or the rigid LATCH connectors on our upgrade pick, the Maxi-Cosi RodiFix.

According to a Diono spokesperson, the new Monterey XT will have an updated headrest, similar to that on the Monterey 4DXT (Diono’s higher-end booster model), as well as other minor cosmetic changes. We’ll be interested to see what type of LATCH the new seat employs, as well as how much it costs.

The competition

The Britax Highpoint is another high-back booster seat with push-button alligator LATCH connectors that can be converted to backless. Like the UPPAbaby Alta, this seat has an optional crotch buckle, which can help with correct posture and positioning; the buckle can also be a nuisance and a particular deterrent for older kids. Due to availability issues for the Highpoint, we were unable to test it for this guide.

The Britax Skyline is a high-back booster seat with push-button alligator LATCH connectors that can convert to backless. It worked fine, but one of our 8-year-old testers had a hard time getting a proper seat belt fit with this model.

The Clek Olli is a backless booster seat with rigid LATCH that weighs 5 pounds. The LATCH connectors release easily with the pull of a strap. This seat comes in a range of stylish, premium fabrics and has a removable carrying strap and detachable, dishwasher-safe cup holder. But we think the price is just way too much to pay for a backless booster (though Clek products do occasionally go on sale). Clek makes a less-expensive version called the Ozzi, which does not have the quick-release feature, carrying strap, or cup holder, but it’s still pricey.

Note: In July of 2022, Clek issued a safety recall notice that applies to Olli booster seats manufactured between January 20, 2020 and May 10, 2022 and Ozzi booster seats manufactured between March 1, 2020 and May 10, 2022. The seats are missing a label with a diagram demonstrating how to install the booster seat with a continuous-loop lap/shoulder belt, which could result in an improper installation. Owners of the affected seats can contact Clek at or 1-866-656-2462 to receive the correct label; the booster seats are otherwise safe to use.

The Peg Perego Viaggio HBB 120 is an expensive high-back booster seat with rigid LATCH; it can be converted to backless mode. In 2018, a spokesperson for Peg Perego told us that the company was planning to phase the model out of the product line, so we did not test it. When we began working on the update to this guide in 2021, we contacted the company multiple times to inquire about its status but received no response. As of this publication, it appears to still be available.

Care and maintenance

Once you’ve chosen a booster seat, you can maximize your kid’s safety on an ongoing basis by being sure to:

Observe the seat’s size and weight limits: It is essential that your child ride in the type of car seat that is appropriate for their size and developmental stage. As with infant and convertible seats, when it comes to booster seats, most kids will probably hit a high-back seat’s height limit before they reach its weight limit. A child has outgrown a high-back booster seat when the tops of their ears are at or above the top of the seat’s head restraint at the highest setting (it’s okay for the top of a child’s head to be above the top of the seat as long as the ears are not). Read the seat’s manual carefully for additional guidance.

Follow the cleaning instructions for your particular seat: The correct method for cleaning your booster seat will depend on the make and model that you have. (The guidelines related to machine-washing, drying, and appropriate detergent and soap types vary widely from seat to seat.) As we explain in this detailed post on how to clean a car seat, it’s important that you follow the instructions carefully; failing to do so can compromise the safety of the seat and/or its textiles.

Dispose of your seat when the time comes: Car seats expire; booster and convertible car seats generally have a longer usable life (around 10 years) than infant seats do (five or six years). If your seat has reached its expiration date—or has been the subject of a recall—you should dispose of it. (The expiration date can typically be found on a label somewhere on the back of the seat, or you can look up the information online or contact the manufacturer.) Some stores—including Target, which holds an event twice a year—sporadically offer trade-in events; bring your old seat to the store, and the store will get rid of it for you responsibly, typically offering a coupon toward your next purchase.

Any car seat that has been involved in a moderate or serious accident should also be thrown away, since the damage or structural changes incurred may compromise its ability to perform safely in the future. You can continue to use a seat after a minor crash if all of the following criteria are met: You’re able to drive away from the crash site; airbags did not deploy; the passengers are uninjured; the car seat has no visible damage; and the vehicle door nearest the car seat is undamaged.

—Additional reporting by Ingela Ratledge Amundson.

This article was edited by Ingela Ratledge Amundson and Kalee Thompson.

Sources

1. Julie Mansfield, research engineer with the Injury Biomechanics Research Center, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, phone interview, July 23, 2018

2. Aditya Belwadi, PhD, biomechanics research scientist, Child Passenger Safety Research team at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, phone interview, May 1, 2018

3. Lani Harrison, Child Passenger Safety Technician, Car Seats for the Littles, phone interview, May 1, 2018

4. Mike Kulig, business unit director, and Bill Horn, SLED head engineer and operational manager, Calspan, phone interview, April 24, 2018

5. Monica Mikan, Graco product development, Casey Anthony, senior manager of Graco product development, William Conway, Graco research and development, phone interview, May 21, 2018

6. Joshua Dilts, marketing product manager, Chicco USA, phone interview, May 1, 2018

7. Allana Pinkerton, Child Passenger Safety Technician, Diono, phone interview, April 26, 2018

8. Alisa Baer, MD, pediatrician and co-founder of car seat safety website The Car Seat Lady, phone interview, February 28, 2022

9. Kerry Chausmer, program and member services director, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), phone interview, December 15, 2021

10. Jessica Jermakian, PhD, vice president for vehicle research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), phone interview, January 31, 2022