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    Best Booster Seats for Kids

    Our experts test dozens of models for safety, belt fit, and structural integrity

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    Children sitting in booster seats in a minivan.
    The top-performing booster seats all have a good seat belt fit.
    Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports

    Children pass many milestones on their road to adulthood, including going from an infant car seat to sitting independently with a seat belt. A key step on that journey is a booster seat, which gives the child enough height to position the car’s seat belt most effectively.

    All booster seats might seem alike, but our extensive testing of nearly 40 models shows there are significant differences among models and types.

    More on Car Seats

    That’s why we evaluate the structural integrity of booster car seats in our simulated crash tests and assess how the seat belt fits on a test dummy representing an average-sized 6-year-old. The booster seats are subjected to a simulated 35-mph frontal crash to ensure that load-bearing components and key positioning features remain intact. All booster models we rate fare well in our crash structural integrity tests.

    Proper seat belt fit is crucial. We check belt fit in five vehicles with different seating and belt geometries. (The shoulder belt should cross the middle of the collarbone and sternum, and the lap belt should sit across the upper thighs.) In our fit-to-vehicle evaluations, we also simulate typical child movement by moving the dummy around to determine whether the belt remains in place.

    We also rate each booster for how easy it is to use, which includes an evaluation of its labels and instructions. 

    Below, we present our top booster seat picks in each category. For more options, check out our full booster seat ratings, and consult our car seat buying guide to learn more about the different types of car seats we test.

    Best Highback-to-Backless Booster Seats

    Highback-to-backless booster seats feature bolsters around the head and the torso, which provides additional comfort and side impact protection for kids. With these models you can also remove the back, turning the seat into a backless booster perfect for travel or storage.

    Best Highback-Only Booster Seats

    Highback booster seats are great if any of the seating positions in the backseat of your car don’t have a head restraint, as they provide head and neck support in case of a rear collision.

    Best Backless-Only Booster Seats

    Backless boosters are good options for travel, or if your vehicle has rear head restraints that can’t be adjusted or cause interference with a highback booster. You can use these booster seats for children who surpass the weight or height limits allowed by their harnessed car seat. 


    Emily Thomas

    Emily A. Thomas, PhD

    Emily A. Thomas is the auto safety manager at the Consumer Reports Auto Test Center, leading the child car seat and rear-seat safety programs. She joined CR in 2015 after earning her doctorate in pediatric injury biomechanics from Drexel University and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, focusing on the biomechanical differences between kids and adults in far-side low-speed crashes. Involved in automotive safety since 2008, Emily has been a certified child passenger safety technician (CPST) since 2015.