by Joyce Slaton posted in Products & Prizes

All-in-one car seats have been on the market for some time, but it's only in the last few years that they've gotten awesome. Multi-stage (a.k.a. 3-in-1 or 4-in-1) seats of the past usually lagged behind in at least one mode -- they didn't fit infants snugly, or were too short for lanky grade-schoolers. After all, making one seat that fits everything from a 5-pound preemie to a tall fifth-grader is a pretty tall order.
But car seat engineers have been hard at work and are coming up with all-in-ones we can wholeheartedly recommend. Buy one of the following 4 seats when your child's on the way, and you might just be able to get away with never buying another seat, ever.
Graco 4Ever
Holding kids from 4 to 120 pounds and up to 57 inches tall (about the height of an average 11-year-old), the 4Ever is such an all-around great seat that it's hard to list all its features without rambling on boringly. One of the downsides of all-in-one seats is that they tend to be gargantuan, but the 4Ever fits easily even in compact cars. Installed rear-facing, you won't have to pull your front seat up uncomfortably. We included it in our lists of car seats that fit in small cars for this reason.
It also fits a wide range of kid-sizes well, with an infant insert that makes things snug and comfy for even extra-tinies, and a nice tall back that works for long-bodied grade schoolers. It does expire after 10 years, so if your child -- like some -- needs...