Evenflo Car Seat vs Graco

Along with choosing a crib and a stroller, one of the main items you need to think about purchasing when you’re preparing for a baby is a car seat. It goes without saying that safety should be at the top of every parent’s list, but many car seats these days come with a lot of useful features, and can be adapted in various ways as your child grows.

Here’s a detailed look at two of the most common convertible car seat options available on the market today, from two well respected brands; the Evenflo SureRide and the Graco 4Ever DLX 4 in 1 car seats. Let’s get down to it and take a look at the specifications, how the two car seats are used, and the pros and cons of each so you can decide what the best choice is for you and your family.

Specifications – Evenflo vs Graco

Evenflo Sureride Convertible Car Seat

• Weight: 14lbs
• Colour: Bishop, Paxton and Windsor
• Dimensions: 29.5 x 19.5 x 19.5″
• Rear Facing Child Weight: 5-40lbs
• Forward Facing Child Weight: 22-65lbs

Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat

• Weight: 23lbs
• Colour: Matrix and Studio
• Dimensions: 20 x 21.5 x 24″
• Rear Facing Child Weight: 4-40lbs
• Forward Facing Child Weight: 20-65lbs
• Forward Facing Weight (in booster mode): 30-100lbs, 40-120lbs (2 settings)

Which car seat is more popular?

According to the search volume online, the Graco 4ever has almost 3 times the monthly searches compared to the Evenflo SureRide model, although this is worldwide traffic, not just the US.

Evenflo SureRide Convertible Car Seat Review

Summary

The Evenflo SureRide combines comfort and safety in a well designed 2 in 1 convertible car seat. It goes beyond the basic requirement for safety by ensuring it is 2 x greater than the minimum Federal Crash Test Standard along with side protection which reduces impact by 50%.

It features quick connectors and an easily adjustable harness, which you can slide to fit snugly around your child. The Evenflo can be used in 2 settings;

1) Rear facing for infants (from 5-40lbs)

2) Forward facing for toddlers (up to 65lbs)

It comes with a removable cup holder for convenient access to drinks, and you can recline the seat into 3 different positions.

Pros

• Comfortable for your child due to all the padding
• Straps are easy to use to keep you child secure
• Easy to clean
• Great safety rating. 2 x the Federal Crash Test Standard
• Removable cup holder

Cons

• Quite bulky, which might be an issue in smaller cars.
• A little tricky to install at first, but you get used to it.

Is it easy to clean?

All the fabric is machine washable and you can take it all off easily without having to remove the harness.

Is it easy to use and install?

Yes. You shouldn’t have much trouble installing this car seat. It uses quick connector LATCH which ensures connecting the straps are a breeze, and the straps are easy to adjust aswell.

Graco 4Ever Car Seat Review

Summary

The Graco 4Ever is a convertible car seat that offers 4 different functions:

1) Rear facing for young babies (can be used when your infant is 4-40lbs)

2) Forward facing for toddlers (can be used from 22-65lbs – child’s height should be less than 49” and should be at least 1 year old)

3) A high-backed booster for when your child gets bigger (from 30-100lbs with a child height ranging from 38-57” (around 4 years of age)

4) A backless booster for the final stage (from 40-120lbs with a height range of 40-57” (from 4 years upwards)

The Graco 4Ever should last you 10 years, so you should never need another one. This gives any busy parent peace of mind that it’s something you can buy once and forget about. The cup holders are well built and are in a convenient location for your child to have drinks and snacks. Furthermore, there is a bubble indicator that makes it easier for ensuring the seat is level when you’re using it in rear facing mode.

Pros

• Very sturdy
• Easy to install
• 6 recline settings (3 rear facing and 3 forward facing)
• Very easy for your child to get in and out of the car seat
• 4 in 1 feature (you can use the seat 4 different ways to cater for your growing child)
• Dual cup holders

Cons

• Padding could be better, especially once you remove the infant insert
• Tightening strap is a little fiddly to use at first
• Some parents complain that the head rest rattles a bit when the car’s moving.

Is it easy to clean?

The head rests, shoulder straps and base pad can all be removed for cleaning. It’s all machine washable which makes things a lot easier. You’ll just want to ensure you clean the plastic and metal parts with a damp cloth and a bit of soap.

Is it easy to use and install?

It’s fairly easy to install. Graco have added a 1 second LATCH installation to make it easier to use (not sure if anything can be installed in 1 second to be honest!) However, it is quick, and you only need to unfasten the fabric and lift the headrest before your child goes in the car seat.

However, you will need to fully remove the car seat if you wish to put it in a different setting. This is understandable, but a bit frustrating if you’re in a hurry.

Conclusion

Hopefully you’re a little more informed about these 2 car seats after reading this article. If you decide to purchase either of them, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think after you’ve used it for a few months. Although there are many similarities between the two, here are a few thoughts which you might want to think about.

The Graco4Ever can be used for babies from 4lbs upwards (so if your baby has a very low birth weight, you can use this car seat straight away). The Evenflo is a bit more bulky than the Graco due to the padding. This shouldn’t be much of an issue, but if you have a small car, or if someone tall is sitting in the front seat, it might make things a little uncomfortable.

Also, the Graco has 4 settings (rear setting, forward facing, and two booster settings) which is great for the comfort of your child as they grow over the next few years. The Evenflo is also cheaper than the Graco, but Graco is one of the top brands and you’re really paying for the 4 in 1 feature which means it will last a lot longer.

You might also feel a bit more reassured about paying more for the Graco, in terms of safety as it is a leading brand in car seats. A tough decision, but you’ll probably be happy with either option really.

Click here if you want to look at a comparison between Maxi-Cosi and BeSafe car seats

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