When I worked on the first version of this guide, in 2018, I became certified as a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST). I completed a 40-hour training program through the Safe Kids Worldwide organization, which teaches the proper installation and use of car seats. Since that time, I’ve interviewed over a dozen experts on car seat safety, policy, and installation. I’ve spoken with representatives from 10 car seat manufacturers and talked to dozens of parents about their car seat experiences. And I've scanned hundreds of reviews and read articles from reputable media outlets, including Car Seats for the Littles and BabyGearLab.

To help steer our decisions on which seats to test, we also relied on rankings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which independently ranks booster seats based on their ability to provide a good seat-belt fit.

Different types of car seats are designed for different stages of a child’s development. The good news: Boosters are, by design, typically the most straightforward to install and to 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 for those who are ready to graduate from a five-point harness. (Regulations on when a child is eligible to ride in a booster also vary from state to state and seat to seat.) Unlike infant car seats and convertible car seats, which provide protection using their own five-point harnesses, a booster seat relies on the vehicle’s seat belt to restrain a child. Younger kids have small frames that are not well matched to adult seat belts, so a booster’s job is to raise and position a child so that the lap and shoulder belts fit properly across their body. In the event of a crash, the vehicle’s safety belt is what holds the kid in place.

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.) 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 that booster seats are not intended for use with lap-only seat belts, which can still be found in some cars manufactured before 2007. And boosters cannot be used on airplanes.

Parents often look forward to transitioning their kids from one stage to the next. 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 celebrate. 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.

Some of us who have worked on Wirecutter’s car seat guides have opted to keep our own kids in a convertible car seat with a five-point harness through kindergarten and beyond. 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.

In addition to meeting the minimum size requirements, to safely ride in a booster, a child must 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 who 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 please consult with a health-care professional or CPST trained to handle special needs.)

High-back vs. backless booster seats

There are two types of booster seats: backless boosters, which simply raise a kid up so they’re 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 with correctly positioning the shoulder belt, and they are potentially comfier for naps in the car. Because of the additional protection that high-back boosters provide, we recommend them for regular use until a kid outgrows the height limits of the backrest.

Despite the safety advantages of high-back boosters, 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 a seat needs to be moved frequently. 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, as our picks can.

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, which are built into the seat, to a set of anchors, which are built into the car. With infant, convertible, and forward-facing five-point harness seats, to use LATCH as the sole method of installation, a child must weigh less than 40 pounds; 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.

Plenty of booster seats offer LATCH—including our top picks. But LATCH is not 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’s restraining a child.) Booster seats work by enabling your vehicle’s seat belts to do their job. So rest assured, a LATCH-less booster seat is 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; this will also keep the seat securely in place when it’s unoccupied and prevent it from becoming a projectile in the event of a crash or sudden stop.

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

We’ve tested boosters both with and without LATCH; you’ll find multiple non-LATCH recommendations in the Other good booster seats section of this guide.

All of our research led us to conclude that the ideal booster seat should 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 sit up straight and not slouch. If a high-back seat has side wings, they should allow for good sight lines and peripheral vision, so that a kid won’t be tempted to lean forward to see around them. It should be easy for a kid (or the adult who’s helping them) to pull the seat belt through the belt-positioning mechanism and get buckled in. The belt should rest flat against the shoulder and chest, and low on the hips or upper thighs, and it should stay there. If a kid leans forward and then leans back, the seat belt should be routed so 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 easily retract when unbuckled, readying it for the next use.

Versatile: Seats that are narrower or have a more-streamlined design will fit better in a wider range of cars. We looked for seats that, though narrow, have generous height and weight limits, as well as for those that can be adjusted or expanded to accommodate older and larger kids. We give preference to high-back boosters because of their added safety advantages, but to meet different needs, we included options that convert from high-back to backless as well as ones that are backless only.

Appealing to kids: Kids in boosters 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 cupholders and high-quality fabric.

Equipped with a LATCH option: LATCH is a system that allows you to install a car seat with metal clips or hooks, which attach to anchors built into the car. As we explain above, LATCH is optional for booster seats. However, LATCH has some perks, such as helping to keep the seat in position and preventing it from becoming a projectile.

Convenient for adults: 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. And maintenance matters: 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, the seat should be easy to keep clean.

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. So we focused on models that were $200 or, in many cases, far less.

Based on these criteria, we’ve tested close to 20 models over the past five years.

I tried out each booster seat with two of my children over the course of six months. We also asked three other families and Wirecutter editors to compare some of the booster seats with kids ranging in age from 4 to 9 years old. We looked at the pros and cons of every seat, including install, fit, child preference, aesthetics, and ease of use.

When we were working on the original version of this guide, in 2018, we hired an independent lab to conduct crash testing on the booster seats that we considered as our top contenders. The results were factored into our final recommendations, which included earlier models of the Chicco, Graco, and Diono high-back seats that we recommend now.

We later decided not to commission further crash testing. 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-. Jessica Jermakian, VP of vehicle research at the IIHS 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.”

After careful consideration and consultation with experts, we decided that field testing alone should dictate our picks within this guide. 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 then to use it correctly. “The best car seat is the one that fits your kid, fits your car, and is used properly on every trip.” said Matt Maltese, an engineer and crash-testing expert who’s worked for both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

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 has a sporty, modern look. 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.

It’s a cinch to install. The 10-pound KidFit ClearTex Plus is easy to install and remove, thanks to its alligator-style LATCH connectors, which are equipped with a clever tightening and release mechanism. Chicco calls its installation system SuperCinch; you clip the latches to the vehicle’s anchors; then you pull on a center strap at the front of the seat to tighten and snug the seat into place with one tug. The seat’s quick-release feature 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 seat-belt threader has been improved. The KidFit ClearTex Plus has an updated seat-belt threader, which is clearly labeled and functions exceptionally well. On the previous KidFit model, the belt threaded into the loop from top to bottom, but now it threads from bottom to top; this configuration is easier to use. 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.

Kids say it’s comfy. The seat is well padded (according to Chicco, it has two layers of foam and ergonomic support), and kids found it comfortable to sit in. As one kid put it, “It feels fine. Like a regular seat.” Our kid testers enjoyed the removable double cupholders, which are dishwasher-safe and made from a flexible material that can be pushed in and out. The headrest adjusts to 10 positions; the side wings are ample and comfortable, but they 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 fabric feels smooth and substantial. And it has 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.

It’s easy to put together and to take apart. The KidFit ClearTex Plus is quick and simple to assemble out of the box; you need only to attach the back and armrests to the base. To convert it to a backless booster, you detach the top half from the bottom part by pulling on a lever and lifting up. (When it’s in backless mode, it has a small carrying handle for easy transport, but there are no storage slots for the LATCH connectors.)

Cleaning it is simple. The fabric is easy to wipe down, and crumbs shake off easily enough. For a more-thorough wash, follow the manual instructions for machine washing. 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.

It’s narrow and will fit a child for years. In high-back mode, the KitFit ClearTex Plus 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 wider booster seats. 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

It’s not the best for bigger kids. 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.

You can’t store the LATCH connectors. 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, which could be annoying.

It’s a little pricey. We do think this booster seat’s price is reasonable, considering the quality. But you don’t need to pay this much to get a safe booster seat that works well.

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 it costs a bit less than our top pick, the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus. But you do sacrifice some conveniences for the lower price. The TurboBooster LX is lightweight, at 9.8 pounds (slightly lighter than the KidFit ClearTex Plus), and it has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat-belt fit. Graco recently released the TurboBooster 2.0 LX. It’s the same seat as the TurboBooster LX, in a new color scheme. The TurboBooster LX will continue to be sold while supplies last. We will test the TurboBooster 2.0 LX soon.

The install is a bit annoying. The biggest compromise with the TurboBooster LX is that it has hook-style LATCH connectors; they’re the least-user-friendly type of LATCH. It’s often tough to see what you’re doing and to maneuver around in the tight space behind the seat, and the TurboBooster LX’s LATCH hooks can be particularly tricky to get on and off your car’s anchors. This could get frustrating if you’re intending to rely on the LATCH and to frequently move the seat to different locations.

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. (Note: The Graco TurboBooster 2.0 is essentially the same seat but without LATCH; it costs less than the TurboBooster LX and the TurboBooster 2.0 LX.)

But the seat-belt threader is simple. 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.

It fits most kids well. The kids who tested this seat were happy with how it felt. The TurboBooster LX has a standard stationary plastic cupholder on one side, and on the other there’s a cupholder that slides in and out of the seat base. These cupholders cannot be removed for cleaning (as the Chicco’s cupholders can). The TurboBooster LX’s side wings aren’t so big that they block kids from being able to see around them, and the headrest is easily adjustable up and down to six different positions (fewer than the 10 on our top pick).

One tester noted that the headrest had a tendency to slide down after being adjusted; we also saw the same complaint in several online reviews. We reached out to Graco, and a company spokesperson acknowledged that the headrest can slide downward if not properly locked into place. Graco has since included instructions on how to lock the headrest into position, in the user manual and on the seat for all TurboBooster LX models manufactured after March 9, 2022.

It takes a little time to set up. The TurboBooster LX requires a few more minutes of setup out of the box than the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus. The armrests, cupholder, and seat pads need to be attached, and it takes a moment to connect the top and bottom half of the seat.

It’s easy to clean. The seat is covered in a 100% polyester fabric that’s simple to spot-clean. For bigger messes, the entire cover can be removed in two parts for machine washing on the delicate cycle; it must be air-dried.

It has a narrow footprint. The seat is 17 inches across, same as the top pick, and the TurboBooster LX’s backrest is 21 inches across at its widest point; it may be possible to fit three seats across. The seat should accommodate most older kids, but a kid who needs a wider seat may outgrow this early. The narrow footprint makes it fairly easy for most kids to buckle themselves in.

It converts to backless and fits kids up to 100 pounds. 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 (the Chicco seat’s height range is 38 to 57 inches); the backless range is also 40 to 100 pounds (for the Chicco seat it’s 40 to 110 pounds) and 43 to 57 inches (for the Chicco seat it’s 38 to 57 inches).

The Diono Monterey 2XT Latch is similar to our top pick in terms of function, but it’s covered in a plusher fabric and has the option of extending the sides through the shoulders. This makes it a good choice for kids who have a wider frame and parents who want bigger children to stay in a high-back booster seat longer. This seat received a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat-belt fit.

The install is easy. The Monterey 2XT is a cinch to put together. Simply attach the seat to the back and then slide in the headrest. Our testers found the install fairly simple. Similar to the Graco TurboBooster LX, the Monterey 2XT comes with simple, hook-style LATCH anchors (unlike the Chicco seat’s alligator-style LATCH system). The Monterey 2XT seat’s anchors are initially challenging to fish out from the seat, but they make the seat easy to install (though it can be a bit tricky to disconnect them). As with our other picks, the Monterey 2XT’s seat-tightening pulls are through the front of the seat, not the side, which makes tightening the LATCH straightforward. And as with our top pick, the seat belt slides into the threader from the bottom up (though one tester found Chicco’s version to be more intuitive).

It expands at the shoulders, which bigger kids may find especially comfy. Unlike our other picks, the Monterey 2XT has shoulder wings that can expand via a knob on the back of the seat, to allow more room widthwise; this is unusual among booster seats. As with our other picks, the Monterey 2XT headrest adjusts easily by notching up to grow with the kid; this seat has an 11-position headrest, compared with the KidFit ClearTex Plus’s 10.

It’s larger than our other picks. The Monterey 2XT is bigger, wider, and heavier than our top and runner-up picks (the Monterey 2XT is 14.3 pounds, versus the KidFit ClearTex Plus’s 10 pounds). So this model is not an ideal choice for those who want a booster seat they can quickly swap in and out of the car. And you may not be able to install three car seats across. One tester found that her 5-year-old couldn’t buckle herself into the seat (which she could do in our top-pick Chicco seat); this was due to the Monterey 2XT’s large armrests and seat base, which partially covered the seat-belt buckle slot.

The add-ons are appealing. Our young testers enjoyed the double cupholders, which push in and out (they are not removable, unlike those on our top pick). And the easy-to-wipe-down, machine-washable, colorful fabric comes in red, blue, yellow, plum, as well as traditional black. One of our testers said her kids all vied to sit in the “fancy blue seat,” as they described the Monterey 2XT.

It should last a long time. Like all of our other high-back picks, this seat converts to a backless booster. Both the high-back and backless modes fit kids between 40 and 120 pounds and 38 to 63 inches; this seat better accommodates heavier and taller kids than our other picks.

The Chicco GoFit Plus backless booster is the best of all the backless-only boosters we tested, thanks to 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, the GoFit Plus is a quality option. This seat weighs 6 pounds and has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat-belt fit.

The LATCH makes for an effortless install. 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, and detach from, the car’s anchors with a one-pull mechanism for tightening and releasing. (The Chicco GoFit is identical to the GoFit Plus, but without LATCH; it normally costs about $15 less.)

Little extras are appreciated. The seat has plenty of padding and feels cushy for the rider. Like the KidFit ClearTex Plus, the GoFit Plus has removable, dishwasher-safe cupholders that expand and collapse. There’s a handle built into the side of the seat that lets you carry the GoFit Plus like a briefcase. (The Chicco KidFit ClearTex also has a handle, which can be used when the seat is in backless mode.) However, 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.

The basic fabric is washable. 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 Greenguard Gold Certification, ensuring low VOCs; the GoFit Plus does not); the fabric still has a nice feel to it. The seat cover can be removed; it’s machine-washable on the delicate cycle and must be air-dried.

Most kids can buckle themselves in. 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. This seat is narrow enough for most kids to be able to buckle themselves in. 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. 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).

If you want our top-pick high-back 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 (which 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. The KidFit Zip Plus and KidFit Zip Air Plus have a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for their ability to provide a proper seat-belt fit.

If you like our runner-up high-back booster, but you don’t want LATCH: The Graco TurboBooster 2.0 high-back booster is almost identical to our runner-up pick, the Graco TurboBooster LX, as well as the new Graco TurboBooster 2.0 LX, but without a LATCH option, and it usually costs about $30 less. This Graco TurboBoosterhas 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: The Evenflo GoTime Sport booster is the lowest-priced high-back booster of the models we tested. It’s lightweight (6 pounds), and it’s a good option for caregivers who want to keep an extra high-back booster on hand. The GoTime Sport converts easily from high-back to backless, and has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat-belt fit.

If your kid tends to fall asleep 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 need additional support to keep the belt in position, as well as 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 older children found it annoying. The Alta weighs 16.6 pounds, has a wide (19-inch) base, and cannot be converted to backless mode. It has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat-belt fit.

If aesthetics are a top priority: The Nuna Aace is a beautiful, expensive high-back booster. The Aace has rigid LATCH connectors, the easiest and most secure type of LATCH connectors, and they allow the seat to have a recline feature. The Aace comes with one removable cupholder, which falls off easily. This seat converts from high-back to backless mode and has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat-belt fit.

If you want a lightweight five-point harness seat that converts to a booster: The Cosco Finale 2-in-1, a pick in our guide to the best travel car seats, is a good choice. The forward-facing seat has a five-point harness that holds kids from 30 to 65 pounds and up to 49 inches; you can also remove the harness and switch to a high-back booster (this mode works for kids who are 40 to 100 pounds and 43 to 52 inches). It does not convert to a backless booster, and has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat-belt fit.

If you like our favorite backless booster, but you don’t want LATCH: The Chicco GoFit is identical to our backless pick, the Chicco GoFit Plus, but without the LATCH. (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 pick without LATCH: The Graco TurboBooster Backless is the backless-only version of our runner-up Graco high-back booster, minus the LATCH. The TurboBooster Backless weighs just over 5 pounds and has two cupholders; it has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat-belt fit. Graco recently released the TurboBooster 2.0 Backless, which is the same seat with updated fabrics.

If you want a cheap, light, zero-frills backless booster without LATCH: The Cosco Rise, our pick for the best backless booster seat for travel, is usually under $20, weighs just 2.2 pounds, and doesn’t have cupholders. It comes with a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat-belt fit. Cosco is phasing out the Rise for the Rise LX, which costs about $6 more and has fabric-covered arm rests. We plan to test this seat soon.

If you want an extra-wide backless booster with LATCH: The Diono Solana 2 is a high-end, wide booster 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 room on the side to access the buckle. The hook-style LATCH system can be difficult to maneuver; Diono recently added a rigid LATCH version of the seat as well. The Solana 2 has a Best Bet rating from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat-belt fit.

Most booster seats have an upper size limit for kids—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. For specific criteria, see our guide on when to switch car seats.

No matter what type of restraint a kid is in, experts recommend that they sit in the back seat of the car (PDF) until they are at least 13 years old.

Boosters are positioning devices, meaning the car’s seat belt is responsible for restraining the child. In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on how a car’s seat belt can impact the risk of injury; in particular, the focus is on the presence or absence of seat-belt pretensioners and force limiters, which are built-in devices that enable seat belts to function more effectively in a crash.

In the first milliseconds of a crash, pretensioners remove several inches of slack from the belt—reducing how far forward the occupant moves, as well as the likelihood of the occupant falling sideways and out of the shoulder belt. The pretensioner activates after the belt is already locked, to take even more slack out of the harness. While pretensioners and force limiters have been standard in the front seats of vehicles since 2008, they are not standard in the back seats of most cars.

Cars either have pretensioners and/or force limiters or they don’t; they can’t be added on. So when considering where to place the booster within your car, 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.

The Britax Highpoint is another high-back booster seat with push-button alligator LATCH connectors that can be converted to backless. This pricey seat has an optional crotch buckle, which can help with correct posture and positioning but can also be a nuisance. We were unable to test the Highpoint due to availability issues.

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.

The Clek Oobr is an astonishingly expensive high-back booster seat. And at 20 pounds, it’s heavy! It has a Best Bet rating for the high-back mode from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat-belt fit. The Oobr features rigid LATCH connectors that quick-release with the pull of a strap. The seat can recline, and it converts from high-back to backless. It has one dishwasher-safe cupholder 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 testing, depending on the child’s size and the vehicle. 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 did not test it. But a Wirecutter editor who has had it for nearly three years can attest to its overall quality and that it was easy 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. As of this publication, it is still available.

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 it has a removable carrying strap and dishwasher-safe cupholder. But it costs way too much for a backless booster. Clek makes a less-expensive version called the Ozzi, which does not have the quick-release feature, carrying strap, or cupholder, but it’s still pricey. Both seats were subject to a 2022 safety recall notice related to labeling, which is correct on newer seats.

Maximize your kid’s safety on an ongoing basis by being sure to do the following things:

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. Most kids will hit a high-back seat’s height limit before they reach its weight limit. A child has outgrown a high-back booster when the tops of their ears are at or above the top of the seat’s head restraint at the highest setting. Read the seat’s manual for additional guidance.

Follow the cleaning instructions. The correct method for cleaning your booster seat is detailed in the car seat’s manual. As we explain in this post on how to clean a car seat, it’s important to follow the instructions; 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 seats generally last around 10 years. If your seat has reached its expiration date—or has been the subject of a recall—you should dispose of it. 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. 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.

This article was edited by Amy Miller Kravetz and Kalee Thompson.