A Lot of $ for Little Convenience
Written: Apr 11 '00 (Updated May 04 '00)
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Pros: Sturdy; 5 point harness; Safe
Cons: Too small; will not attach to shopping carts or Snap-N-Go stroller; Expensive
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| kwasa's Full Review: Britax Handle With Care Infant Car Seat |
What a shame to find myself writing a largely negative review of a Britax product! Britax is hands-down the best in the car seat business. They consistently preform better than other brands in crash tests. In addition, they specialize in auto safety products, so more of their R&D dollars go towards developing safer CAR SEATS. Other companies, on the other hand, dabble in everything from bottles to playpens. I own another Britax carseat, the Roundabout. Read the review, and you will see I cannot say enough good things about it.
The problem with the Handle-With-Care is that it tries to be an infant carrier without including the convenience features which make such car seats popular. For example, the Handle-With-Care does not have a bottom groove. This means that will not attach to shopping carts. Nor will it work with a Snap-N-Go stroller chassis. These are not minor issues when one considers that a main factor in choosing an infant carrier as opposed to a stay-in-car model is convenience and portability.
The reason why there is no groove on the bottom of the seat is that the Handle With Care does not have an easy-click base like most other infant carriers on the market. Instead, there is a difficult to install tether device, which remains bolted to the car. So, putting the baby in and out takes longer than with other infant carrier brands.
The other main drawback of the Handle-With-Care is that it is so small, most babies will outgrow it by age six months. Although the weight limit is 20 pounds, like other infant carriers, the Britax is much shorter. Only the most petite babies will every get enough use out of it to justify the hefty price tag.
Well, the important thing is that it is safe, right? Absolutely. The Handle with Care is made by Britax which equals safety in my book. Since it lacks the convenience of an infant carrier, though, you might as well buy one of Britax's stay-in-car models. They are as safe and can be used up to your baby's 3rd or 4th year as opposed to month. The one exception to my caveat might be tiny preemies. Little babies under 5 pounds would be quite cozy, if not better off, in a Handle-With-Care.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 140
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 months
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Epinions.com ID:
kwasa
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Location: New York's Capital Region
Reviews written: 43
Trusted by: 14 members
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