If you’re researching car seats and the choice came down to Safety 1st Grow and Go vs. Graco 4Ever, this is the place to be.
The page below contains all the information you’ll ever need to choose between the two convertible car seats.
Just make sure to take your time here – it can save you a lot of headaches and frustration down the road.
The gist – we’re comparing two solid car seats
The Safety 1st Grow and Go and the Graco 4Ever car seats are both designed to grow with your baby, from a newborn right up to the stage where they are old enough to be safely restrained with the vehicle seat belt.
It’s all reflected in how well-received the two car seats are – both are extremely popular with dozens of thousands of overwhelmingly positive reviews from owners.
What this means for you
It means you can relax knowing that you’re not likely to be disappointed, whichever of the two seats you choose.
What it doesn’t mean
It doesn’t mean that both seats are right for you.
There is a better choice and a winner. By the end of this comparison, we’ll find it.
Let’s dive right in!
Safety 1st Grow and Go vs. Graco comparison table
| Graco 4 Ever | Safety First Grow and Go | |
| Modes of use | 4 | 3 |
| Max weight capacity | 4 | 5 |
| Minimum weight | 120 | 100 |
| No-rethread harness | yes | yes |
| Recline positions | 6 | 3 |
| Side impact protection | yes | yes |
| Harness holders | no | yes |
| Machine washable | yes | yes |
| Cup holders | 2 | 2 |
Safety of convertible car seats
The first thing to consider when choosing a convertible car seat is safety. Both of these car seats are exceptionally safe and have received excellent reports after both simulated crash tests and real-life accidents.
At one time or another, all moms and dads have experienced trying to strap a screaming baby or toddler into a car seat.
Often the child will resist purely because they’re uncomfortable in their seat and know that it won’t be a pleasant ride. For this reason, your child’s comfort is crucial when they’re strapped in.
We understand budgeting
While every parent naturally wants only the best for their precious bundle, there are budget constraints. We understand that and will take it into account.
In fact, it’s gonna play a major role in the comparison.
But, even if you are on a tight budget, you should always buy the very best car seat you can afford.
It’s all in the install
Any car seat may have a top safety rating, but it remains only as safe as the installation.
A seat that is complicated and finicky to install is more likely to be incorrectly installed. That could lead to a tragic outcome if you are involved in an accident.
Installation MUST be easy.
Safety 1st Grow and Go convertible car seat
The size and weight of your child will determine what kind of seat is required. As your child grows from newborn infant to bigger baby to toddler to independent child, their needs will change when it comes to a safe car seat or restraint.
One morning, as you are dressing little Jimmy for kindergarten, you think to yourself, “Those jeans fit him only last week. I wonder if they have shrunk in the wash?”
Well, of course, you know that the jeans did not shrink. Little Jimmy is just not so little anymore.
It’s one thing to buy new jeans every season, but no one wants to have to replace a perfectly good car seat because little Jimmy has outgrown it.
With the Safety 1st Grow and Go, you will not have to buy a new car seat. You will be able to restrain him safely with this seat until he is old enough to use the car’s seat belt.
How safe is Safety 1st?
The safest way for your baby to be positioned in a car seat is with the rear-facing installation. You should aim to keep him rear-facing for as long as possible because it’s been proven time and again to be the safest.
The Safety 1st Grow and Go is designed to be installed rear-facing (for 5 to 40 pounds babies).
It can then transition with your child as he grows to be used forward-facing (up to 65 pounds), and can finally be used as a belt-positioning booster seat for older children (up to 100 pounds).
The Grow and Go has side impact protection, which will ensure that your child is cushioned on all sides in the event of a collision. This seat has been put through rigorous safety tests and exceeds Federal Safety Standards.
Comfort and Convenience
The Safety 1st Grow and Go has a seat pad that is soft and comfortable.
Often kids need to eat or drink in the car. This seat has two cup-holders so that Jimmy can have his juice and his water, but the result can be a grubby car seat. The dryer safe seat pad and the cover are removable and machine-washable, making it easy to keep the seat clean and hygienic.
The grow-with-baby pillows will give your baby a comfortable ride in every stage of use. The seat features three recline positions and has good head support, making it possible for your baby to sleep comfortably in the car.
Beyond baby’s comfort
Safety 1st Grow and Go seat is not only comfortable for the baby. It’s also great for the adult who is strapping him in – the process is simpler than in 99% of other car seats.
We know how difficult it can be to strap a baby in when the straps flop down and the baby sits on them. You then have to try to pull them out from under him to belt him up.
No such problems here.
The Safety 1st Grow and Go comes with harness holders to keep the straps out of the way as you put your baby in the seat. That makes strapping him in so much easier and quicker.
Value For Money of the Safety 1st seat
The Safety 1st Grow and Go is a middle-of-the-range car seat that offers excellent value for money. Because it’s a three-stage seat that will see your child through from a newborn to elementary school age, Safety 1st advertises it as “the only seat you’ll ever need.”
Installation
One of the many things that we like about this seat is the ease of installation. The instruction manual is clear and straightforward, and you do not have to be a technical genius to install the seat correctly.
Latch and vehicle seat belt
This seat is equipped with a QuickFit harness. The system allows for a one-step easy adjustment of both the harness and the headrest.
The seat is installed using the LATCH system, which is quick and simple to fit. It is also possible to install the seat using the car’s seat belt to hold it securely in place.
Once your child is big enough to use this as a booster seat (from 40 pounds up to 100 pounds), you need to use both the seat and the backrest.
It cannot be used with only the seat and not the backrest.
Other factors
Weight Recommendation
The Safety 1st Grow and Go is designed for three stages of use, based on your child’s growth.
Stage one is rear-facing for babies from 5-40 pounds.
Stage two switches to forward-facing and is safe for babies from 22 right up to 65 pounds.
Stage three is designed to be used as a booster seat with the car’s seat belt for children from 40-100 pounds.
Appearance
We know that when it comes to your child’s car seat, your primary concern is safety, but you naturally also want a seat that looks attractive. The Safety 1st Grow and Go is a nice-looking seat that comes in a wide range of colors and fabrics, and you are sure to find one that will match the interior of your car.
PROS
- Easy installation
- Grows with your child
- Harness holders
- Double cup-holders
- Easy to clean
- Good value for money
CONS
- A little bulky
- You can’t use the booster seat without the backrest.
Related reads: Best car seat for premature babies | Best 3-in-1 car seats
Graco 4Ever car seat
Like the Safety 1st Grow and Go, the Graco 4Ever is designed to grow with your child – from newborn to toddler.
The one thing that will make the most difference in real life is that Graco 4Eever can be used with a backless booster seat, which would be a nice plus in the long run.
But let’s take a step back…
This seat has four stages of use.
It starts as rear-facing for tiny babies and can then be switched to forward-facing for bigger babies. It will be used as a booster seat with a backrest once your child outgrows stage two and eventually as a booster without the backrest for bigger children.
Safety
The Graco 4Ever has safe side impact protection formed by an easy-to-adjust harness, backed by a sturdy steel-reinforced frame, giving your child complete protection from the force of the impact in a collision.
This seat is engineered with a Simply Safe Adjust Harness System.
The rear-facing installation in the first stage makes this seat super-safe for babies up to 40 pounds.
Comfort and Convenience
The Graco 4Ever is very comfy.
It’s well-padded and covered with breathable fabric to keep your baby cool. The 6-position recline and 10-position headrest mean that your baby will always be comfortable.
The seat pad and covers are removable and fully washable, enabling you to keep the seat clean and hygienic.
Value For Money of the Graco 4Ever
This seat has a reasonably high price tag.
While it has many wonderful features and will last your child until he can safely use an adult seat belt, it is a lot more expensive than the Safety 1st Grow and Go, which offers many of the same benefits.
Other factors
Installation
The Graco 4Ever is a 4-in-1 convertible seat, with four possible installation set-ups adjusted to your child’s size. You can install it in the forward or rear-facing position, and it can be used as a booster (with or without the backrest).
InRight LATCH
The Graco 4Ever features an installation system called the InRight LATCH System, with a one-second attachment that makes installation quick and easy. It’s also equipped with a belt lock-off for seat belt installation.
It features an easy-to-read level indicator that enables you to get the angle perfect, making for a fully safety-compliant installation.
Weight Recommendation
The Graco 4Ever is designed for four stages of use (you’ll remember that it was 3 for Safety 1st).
Stage one is rear-facing for babies from 5-40 pounds.
Stage two switches to forward-facing and is safe for babies from 20- 65 pounds.
Stage three is designed as a booster seat with the backrest (for children from 40-100 pounds),.
Stage four is a booster without the backrest (for children up to 120 pounds).
Appearance
This seat is available in numerous colors and patterns and will be a stylish addition to your car.
PROS of the Graco 4Ever
- InRight LATCH system for simple installation
- 120-pound weight limit
- 10-position headrest
- Excellent safety rating
- Very comfortable
- Robust, steel-reinforced frame
- The car seat cover is easy to remove and clean
CONS of the Graco 4Ever
- Quite pricey
- Very heavy and bulky.
Related reads: Best combination seats | Best forward-facing seats
Pre-final thoughts
After giving birth to a baby, one of the very first items of your baby equipment that you will use is your infant car seat. That trip home from the hospital will be the first of literally thousands of rides your child will take in a car.
And you will want to know that he is safe every single time!
Buying a car seat can be pretty overwhelming, as there are so many to choose from.
How do you know what to look for?
What are the critical features that every car seat must have?
Your child’s car seat is one item on your shopping list that requires prudent consideration. The right car seat, correctly installed, could potentially save your baby’s life in the event of an accident.
Life sometimes throws unexpected curveballs in our direction.
No one ever leaves home expecting to be involved in a car crash.
But they happen. Frequently!
Statistics prove that a baby or small child securely restrained in a safe car seat stands a much better chance of escaping unharmed. And it’s not even close.
Conversely, those statistics also prove that a baby or small child who is not restrained correctly can be thrown from the vehicle with massive force.
WINNER: Safety 1st Grow and Go
Both of these convertible car seats are very safe and surpass the minimum standards in safety requirements. They will both last you until your child is old enough to be safely restrained by using only the car’s seat belt.
While choosing a convertible car seat should not be based on price alone, we looked at value for money along with the safety features that the seat offers and overall ease of use.
At a significantly lower price, the Safety 1st Grow and Go offers almost as much as the Graco 4Ever.
In this case, ‘cheaper’ most definitely does NOT mean ‘inferior,’ and we found the Safety 1st Grow and Go to be an excellent car seat that will keep your precious baby safe, secure, and protected while in the car.
Safe travels!
Paulo is a passionate dad who founded Wumblers to share his parenting journey with other new parents. He graduated from Concordia University and worked as a test engineer for over a decade. Paulo loves dad jokes and craft beer.
Learn more about Paulo and Wumblers here.