Rotating car seats swivel towards you, which makes getting that wet noodle of a child safely into the car so much easier. When you’ve buckled them in, simply rotate the seat back position and off you go.
Swiveling car seats are great for rear-facing kids because they take the stretching, climbing and contortions required to strap a toddler into a backward seat out of the equation.
What to look for in the best rotating car seat
It’s important to consider how long you’d like to keep your child rear-facing when shopping for a rotating car seat. The rear-facing maximum weight can vary in swiveling seats—and is often less than the forward-facing maximum weight.
You’ll also want to keep in mind the size of your back seat and how many car seats you plan on installing. In short, make sure you’ll have lots of room to fit and swivel your new car seat in your car.
Finally, pay attention to the swiveling mechanism and think about how you’ll want to use it. Some offer one-handed operation, which means you can hold a squirmy baby in one arm and rotate the seat with the other. (Or you can always just leave the seat rotated when you take your kid out of the car so it’s ready for the next trip.)
The best rotating car seats 2023
Best overall
Graco Turn2Me Rotating Car seat
Merchant
This swiveling convertible car seat is a favorite because it can be turned using just one hand. It goes from a rear-facing seat for babies as small as four pounds and as big as 40 pounds, to a forward-facing harness for kids between 22 and 65 pounds, and finally, a high-back booster for kids up to 100 pounds. This seat only rotates when it’s in a rear-facing position, but you won’t need the rotation as much when your child is forward facing.
This seat has been thoroughly crash-tested and protects against all kinds of impacts. It also offers 10 different headrest positions. Verified Amazon shopper, Parmelee, says “I LOVE this car seat. so easy to get my daughter in and out. Definitely saves my back. My daughter loves it. Best money I’ve ever spent.”
Pros
- Can be rotated with just one hand
- Steel-reinforced frame
- Crash tested
- Goes from four pounds to 100 pounds (rotates until 40 pounds)
- Includes removable infant inserts
- Four recline positions make it easy to find the right one for your car
Cons
- Only allows for kids up to 40 pounds to be rear-facing
