Safety

  1. Baby and kid
  2. Safety
Safety is a core requirement of any product we recommend for babies and kids, and for a select few products—such as car seats—it's the most important feature. For these items, we go beyond our usual standards of testing to ensure that our recommendations are the absolute safest of their kind.
  • The Best Baby Gate

    by Doug Mahoney

    We tested 20 baby gates to find the Cardinal Gates SS-30 Stairway Special is the best.

  • Our three picks for the best booster car seat, arranged in a row.

    The Best Booster Car Seats

    by Rebecca Gale

    After researching over 50 booster car seats and testing 13, we’ve concluded that the convenient Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus is the best overall choice.

  • Our three picks for best earplugs for concerts, including our pick the Loop Experience 2 earplugs, alongside a pair of sunglasses and a lighter.

    The Best Earplugs for Concerts

    by Lauren Dragan

    Although custom earplugs are best for pro musicians and frequent concert-goers, we like the Loop Experience 2 earplugs for the occasional concert.

  • Two infant car seats side by side, with baby toys.

    The Best Infant Car Seats

    by Christina Szalinski

    After extensive research and field testing, we found that the Graco SnugRide SnugFit 35 DLX is the best infant car seat for most families.

  • Three of our top picks for the best travel car seats, shown side by side.

    The Best Travel Car Seats

    by Christina Szalinski and Rebecca Gale

    After testing 17 lightweight, portable car seats, we have five good options for infants, toddlers, and big kids to recommend.

  • The Britax Poplar Convertible Car Seat (left) and the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat (right), holding kids' water bottles and toys, situated next to each other.

    The Best Convertible and All-in-One Car Seats

    by Christina Szalinski

    After researching dozens of seats and testing 17, we’ve concluded that the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible is the best convertible car seat for most families.

  • A person wearing a black baby carrier with a baby in it stands outside.

    The Best Baby Carriers

    by Winnie Yang

    We talked to six babywearing experts and had 10 parents test 16 carriers before concluding that the Beco Gemini is the best baby carrier for most parents.

  • Four different mobile phones pictured together.

    The Best First Phones for Kids

    by Ellen Lee

    Kids smartphones and flip phones have built in or add-on protections or limits that can help kids ease into having their own phone.

  • Our picks for best baby monitor, displayed together in front of a green background.

    The Best Baby Monitors

    by Kerry Davis McGuinness

    Local-video? Wi-Fi? Hybrid? Audio-only? The best baby monitor for you depends on your needs and preferences. We have picks in all four categories.

  • Illustration of a person with questions marks over their face adjusting a rear-facing convertible car seat in a the back seat of a vehicle.

    Are Rotating Car Seats Worth It?

    by Christina Szalinski

    Rotating car seats are gaining popularity—but for the typical family, they’re not better than simpler options. Here’s what to know before buying one.

  • Some of our favorite baby-proofing tools strewn on a wooden table.

    Our Favorite Baby-Proofing Tools

    by Wirecutter Staff

    Once babies become mobile, they can get themselves into all kinds of trouble. These are our favorite tools for baby-proofing our homes.

  • A child sitting in a car seat in the back seat of a car, buckled in and smiling.

    When to Switch Car Seats

    by Rebecca Gale

    Car seats and booster seats are most effective when they’re used for the correct age, stage, and size of kids. We break down when it’s safe to make the switch.