Safety 1st Grow & Go Review – Cheapest 3-in-1 Car Seat

Safety 1st Grow & Go

Overall Rating

 4.3/5

Face Rear & Front

How does the all-in-one all-stage car seat sub $200 sound? Well, that’s what the Safety 1st Grow & Go delivers. With a wide weight and height range to ride your boys or girls from day one to tween and plenty of padding with machine-washable fabrics to keep clean and comfortable, it boasts a combo you don’t see on any other child safety seat below $200. Just as I liken the Grow & Go’s reliability, its build quality and ease to use are also impressive. Everything from the cushion to the harness to the headrest seamlessly flows into each other and the attention to detail for the design of components like the dishwasher-safe cup holders – that sit flush to the child restraint while retracted – is a tell-tale sign of quality that other more expensive models have. The compatibility for air travel absolutely adds points to its overall performance.

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Safety 1st Grow and Go Review - Cheapest All-in-one

Pros & Cons

The good and the bad

What is it best for

Who we recommend it for

Value for Money

Is it worth the price tag?

Design

Dimensions, weight, color, etc

Safety Rating

Crash tests, FMVSS213, SIP

Performance

Weight/height limits, airplane, etc

Installation

Install with LATCH or seat belt

Alternatives

Other car seats to consider

1. Pros and Cons

Pros

Super budget price
Up to 100 lb weight limit for big kids
Going through three car seat stages
10 years of lifespan
Can be installed on airplane
Multiple colors for boys and girls

Cons

2. Who Is It Best For?

Will the Safety 1st Grow & Go be a good option for your child and your family?

If you’re looking for a 3-in-1 car seat sub $200 and don’t want to settle for a cheaply made model, but instead want one that oozes quality and reliability, the Safety 1st Grow & Go fits the bill.

As per its moniker, the Grow & Go is an ultra-performance car seat that fits your child from day one to preteenager. It comes with a great weight and height range from 5 to 100 pounds and up to 52-inch, effortlessly making the cut as a booster.

Ultimately, it’s Safety 1st’s best budget car seat that is best suited to those who aren’t concerned with blistering additional features and riding for fanciest extra techniques.

But for parents who would like to have one car seat in their different motor vehicles for day-to-day riding, the Safety 1st Grow & Go is good enough – with many of the features of the much more expensive “name brand” car seats without the price tag.

3. Value for Money

Is the price tag worth it?

Is the Safety 1st Grow & Go good value for money? There are two answers to this question.

The first one is yes – because, at just under $200, the Grow & Go is one of the best budget all-in-one ultra-performance car seats. Aside from its reputation as a provider of entry-level child safety seats, the Safety 1st Grow & Go offers excellent build and ride quality.

It feels quite sturdy, has adequate padding, seems quite comfortable, etc. It has many of the features of the much more expensive “name brand” car seats without the price tag.

If we put the performance of the Grow & Go under scrutiny, though, you may think its value for money is less than comparable models. While the Grow & Go delivers on its safety features and range credentials, other models deliver a slighter better for a much higher price.

However, it’s important to know that the Safety 1st Grow & Go isn’t a throw-away child restraint. It’s the most affordable model that is built to last – with up to 10 years of lifespan.

It may not be the “fanciest” car seat out there, but upon first inspection, it seemed to be just “fine” and you may not be disappointed in the purchase, especially if you need to install one for each of your cars.

Buying a more expensive one will result in money adding up like a rocket!

4. Safety 1st Grow and Go Review Design

Dimension and Width

If you don’t know the exact dimensions of the Safety 1st, you’ll think it’s just as large as other ultra-performance multifunctional car seats. But after checking its dimensions, you won’t believe this – it takes a bit more space than you expect!

Width is not the deciding factor at this time. The bulky design is due to the long depth – up to 31.75 inches, which should be the longest of all reviewed car seats.

That means the Safety 1st Grow & Go will need more space from front to back, no matter installing in rear-facing or front-facing.

The 19.25-inch width is quite average – no wider than Graco 4Ever DLX and Britax One4Life, but not as slim as Diono Radian 3R and Graco SlimFit3 LX, which are good for 3-across fit in the back seat.

The bulky body means that the Safety 1st Grow & Go is sufficient in size for a boost-aged child to grow to a preteenager.

Safety 1st Grow and Go Review: Portability

Weighing just 18.7 pounds, Safety 1st Grow & Go should have its name on the top list of lightweight car seats and is just a bit heavier than Maxi-Cosi Pria 3-in-1 car seat.

For the same reason as the Maxi-Cosi Pria, it does not perform well in portability, only with a rating of 7 out of 10, due to its large size.

The lack of portability makes the Safety 1st Grow & Go not a good option if you need to switch the car seat from vehicle to vehicle.

However, its budget price makes up for this gap because you can purchase at least two Safety 1st Grow & Go and install them for each of your motor vehicles.

If you really prefer an ultra-portable model, the Diono Radian 3R should satisfy your needs. It ranks the no.1 among all-in-one car seats.

Two Cup Holders

The two cup holders are perfect for carrying the kid’s drinks and snacks.

They are nice and deep to fit all-size sippy cups and baby bottles.

Made of dishwasher-safe materials, the cup holders can be easily cleaned. You just need to throw them into a dishwasher if they get dirty. That’s an inevitable thing for toddlers.

Easy In & Out Harness Holders

This is a really smart innovation.

You won’t be bothered by the harness straps anymore. With the holders on both sides, you can easily take the little boy or girl out and put them in the car seat.

The holders will keep the straps out of the way when you buckle them.

Headrest and Harness

The Safety 1st Grow & Go comes with multiple positioned headrests that are adjustable for growing children for a proper and comfortable fit.

With plenty of padding in the headrest around, the Safety 1st Grow & Go not only provides max comfort but also offers two layers of side impact protection from side crash.

The Integrated headrest and harness system makes it easy to customize the perfect fit with one hand in a quick motion for your growing child. No harness rethreading! Even this is a quite common feature for all the car seats we reviewed.

Reclines

This car seat has 3 positions for reclines. These three reclines work well to provide a comfortable fit for children from rear-facing and forward-facing to booster.

1. Rear-Facing Mode

3 Reclined or 2 Semi-reclined For children who cannot sit up unassisted, the Rear-Facing Level Line on the shell must be parallel with the ground using either Position 3 or 2.

For children who can sit up unassisted, you may make the car seat more upright in Position 2.

2. Forward-Facing Mode – 1 Upright or 2 Semi-reclined

3. Booster Seat Mode – 1 Upright or 2 Semi-reclined

When used in Forward-Facing Mode or Booster Seat Mode, semi-reclined Position 2 is only to be used if necessary to install the car seat flush against the vehicle seat back. The vehicle seat back must be upright.

Head Pillow

A head pillow is useful to keep a newborn cradle in the car seat. You can easily attach it for use by sliding the tabs on the back of the head pillow into the slots in the headrest pad.

As your baby grows, they can stably ride in the device, then you can remove it, just gently pull the tabs on the back of the head pillow out of the headrest pad.

Body Pillow

Just like the head pillow, the body pillow is also friendly for small infants. It’s removable if your baby grows bigger and does not need it anymore.

Refer to the user manual for detailed instructions to install and remove the body pillow.

5. Safety 1st Grow and Go Review: Safety Ratings

The Safety 1st Grow & Go features the most basic safety ratings. It passes the standard crash tests that are required for all car seats sold in the US market.

First, it meets or exceeds the child restraint criteria for a frontal crash test under the US FMVSS 213.

Second, it’s approved for safe use with the 5-point harness for side impact protection.

So you don’t have to worry much about the protection to ride your boys or girls. A review on Amazon from a mom proved that it’s safe to use.

Some parents prefer the more expensive models like the Britax One4Life because of its ClickTight and SafeCell protection system. They also think the heavier and sturdier give them confidence in providing better protection.

Additional techniques and features may add points, but they’re not the deciding factor for a car seat to protect your little one during a car trip.

You should always trust a car seat’s reliable safety performance.

6. Safety 1st Grow and Go Review: Performance

Weight and Height Limits

Safety 1st Grow & Go is very similar to Maxi-Cosi Pria, including the weight and height range. The only difference is the bottom rear-facing weight limit.

Safety 1st Grow & Go starts from the 5 pounds for rear-facing while the Maxi-Cosi Pria is able to ride a smaller newborn as heavy as 4 pounds.

The top weight limitation for backward-facing riding is up to 40 pounds, along with the 40-inch height limit, the Safety 1st Grow & Go is great for a long-time rear-facing up to 2 years old age.

The weight and height range for the 5-point harness forward-facing is as common as others, from 22 pounds to 65 pounds in weight and from 29 inches to 49 inches in height, making it good for 4 year old preschoolers.

Featuring a 52-inch booster height limit, the Safety 1st Grow & Go does not perform as well as others with a 57-inch booster limit. The latter is better for growing children.

Age Range

From its weight and height limits, we have known that the Safety 1st Grow & Go is suitable for your kid’s growth from birth to preteenager – more specifically, to 8-10 years old

The age range is decided by the top weight and height limitations, no matter what mode you’ll choose to ride your kid.

If used rear-facing, the Grow & Go is able to ride a toddler up to 40 pounds and 40-inch tall, making it a great option to ride the toddler facing the back for up to 2 years of age or even 3 years old.

Switching it to front-facing with the 5-point harness for protection, the Grow & Go is suitable for kids up to 65 pounds and 49-inch tall. This combination makes it capable of riding 5-year-old preschoolers.

Moving to the booster mode, its 100-pound weight limit and 52-inch height limit would be good for kids around 7 or 8 years old.

After that, it’s not mandatory for kids more than 8 years of age to ride in a car seat. But you can still use a cheap backless booster anyway.

Stages

Though it’s much cheaper than some convertible car seats, the Safety 1st Grow & Go is a real all-in-one car seat that goes through 3 of the 4 car seat stages, based on the definition of NHTSA.

They are rear-facing, forward-facing, and belt-positioning boosters, starting from a child’s birth and ending at her or his tween.

Airplane

Is a Safety 1st Grow & Go 3-in-1 car seat allowed on planes?

Yes. This restraint is certified for use in aircraft when used in harness mode.

You can find the airplane certification label located on the side of this car seat if the airline needs that.

Safety 1st Grow & Go is not certified for aircraft use when used as a booster seat because aircraft seats do not have shoulder belts.

Install the car seat in a window seat to avoid blocking the aisle. If the aircraft lap belt is too short, ask the flight attendant for a belt extender. Use only on forward-facing aircraft seats.

Contact the airline for their specific policies. Some airlines may ask to see a label stating that this car seat is certified for aircraft use. Store the lower anchor belt and tether strap when installing with aircraft belts.

Lifespan

How long is Safety 1st Grow & Go3-in-1 car seat good for

This child safety seat has a long lifespan up to 10 years of time from its manufacturer date.

However, you may not use the Safety 1st Grow & Go for a complete 10-year life cycle, because the lifespan starts from the date it was manufactured, not the day you purchase the car seat.

You can find the date of manufacture label on the side of the car seat, under the cup holder’s position.

But it’s good enough to ride your child until they are ready to use the seat belt. 8-year-old is the most common age requirement in most state car seat laws that no need to travel in a car seat.

If your child grows slower than their peers, a cheaper backless car seat is also a good option if the car seat is expired.

Warranty

The manufacturer promises that the Safety 1st Grow & Go is warranted against defective materials or workmanship for one year from the date of original purchase.

You should prepare the original receipt to validate your warranty.

To make a claim under this warranty, please contact their Consumer Care Department by phone: at 1-800-544-1108 or text: at 1-812-652- 2525.

Proof of purchase is required and shipping charges are the responsibility of the consumer.

7. Safety 1st Grow and Go Installation

Which Installation Method Should I Use?

You can follow these steps to install the Grow & Go. Most parents complain that it’s difficult to install it rear-facing.

Note, the backend of the car seat wiggles a little bit however all the videos I watch state that if you pull back/forth and left/ right on the car seat at the belt path, and it doesn’t move, then the car seat is correctly installed.

Before you begin installing the car seat into your vehicle, did you check:

Your child’s weight and height?

Your child’s fit?

Do you need to make adjustments to the harness/headrest height or the buckle position?

Install Safety 1st Grow & Go in Rear-Facing Mode

Vehicle Belt (Lap/shoulder or lap belt) Install

1. Place Car Seat Rear-Facing in Back Seat

2. Check Rear-Facing Level Line

For children who cannot sit up unassisted, the Rear-Facing Level Line must be parallel with the ground. Recline the car seat to achieve the correct angle, see step 3.

For children who can sit up unassisted, you may make the car seat more upright in Position 2.

3. Recline Car Seat

Pull out on the recline handle and push the top of the car seat back. The recline handle is at the front of the car seat.

4. Check if Your Vehicle Belts Will Work With This Car Seat

This is very important because not all vehicle belts will work with car seats. Review your vehicle owner’s manual to find out what kind of vehicle belts you have and how to lock a car seat in place.

5. Locate Rear-Facing Belt Path

6. Route Vehicle Belt

Thread the vehicle belt through the Rear-Facing Belt Path opening as shown. The belt goes:

• across the car seat; AND

• under the car seat pad; AND

• in front of the buckle; AND

• out the other Rear-Facing Belt Path opening.

Do not twist the belt.

7. Buckle Vehicle Belt

If your car’s vehicle belt has a switchable retractor, use it to lock the vehicle belt. For information about switchable retractors, review your vehicle owner’s manual.

8. Tighten Belt

Place your hand in the car seat. Firmly push the car seat down and back towards the vehicle seat back while pulling the shoulder belt or the free end of the lap belt parallel with the Rear-Facing Belt Path as shown.

9. Check Belt Tightness

Hold the car seat at the Rear-Facing Belt Path with your weaker hand. Push and pull the car seat from side to side. It should not move more than 1 in. (2.5 cm).

If it moves more than 1 in. (2.5 cm), you can try:

• Pulling the belt tighter; OR

• Reinstalling the car seat; OR

• Changing to a different seating location; OR

• Switching to LATCH: lower anchor belt installation if lower anchors are available in your vehicle

10. Secure Child in Car Seat

Properly secure your child in the car seat. Check your child’s fit often and make any needed adjustments to the car seat as they grow.

11. Recheck Rear-Facing Level Line

Redo the installation if the car seat is not reclined correctly for your child.

NOTE: Only if necessary, you may need to place a tightly rolled towel(s) or foam pool noodle(s) under the front of the car seat’s base to help get the correct recline angle for the Rear-Facing Level Line.

Check often to make sure padding is still in place and the belt is tight.

Install Safety 1st Grow & Go in Forward-Facing Mode

Vehicle Belt + Tether Install

1. Place Car Seat ForwardFacing in Back Seat

2. Make Car Seat Flush Against Vehicle Seat

The vehicle seat back must be upright. Put the car seat into Position 1. Only use semi-reclined Position 2 if necessary to install the car seat flush against the vehicle seat back.

If your vehicle seat’s headrest interferes with a flush car seat fit, check your vehicle owner’s manual to see if the headrest can be removed, adjusted, or if there are other possible seating locations to use the car seat.

3. Loosely Attach Tether Hook to Vehicle’s Tether Anchor

Check your vehicle owner’s manual for specific tether (top anchorage) anchor locations.

4. Check if Your Vehicle Belts Will Work With This Car Seat

This is very important because not all vehicle belts will work with car seats. Review your vehicle owner’s manual to find out what kind of vehicle belt you have and how to lock a car seat in place.

5. Locate Forward-Facing Belt Path

6. Route Vehicle Belt

Thread the vehicle belt into the Forward-Facing Belt Path opening as shown. The belt goes: • across the car seat; AND

• under the car seat pad; AND

• out the other Forward-Facing Belt Path opening. Do not twist the belt.

7. Buckle Vehicle Belt

If your car’s vehicle belt has a switchable retractor, use it to lock the vehicle belt. For information about switchable retractors, review your vehicle owner’s manual.

8. Tighten Belt

Place your hand in the car seat. Firmly push the car seat down and back towards the vehicle seat back while pulling the shoulder belt or the free end of the lap belt parallel with the Forward-Facing Belt Path as shown.

9. Tighten Tether

Push firmly on the back of the car seat and pull the free end of the tether strap to remove all of the slack.

10. Check Belt Tightness

Hold the car seat at the ForwardFacing Belt Path with your weaker hand. Push and pull the car seat from side to side. It should not move more than 1 in. (2.5 cm).

• If it moves more than 1 in. (2.5 cm), you can try:

• Putting your knee in the car seat and pulling the belt tighter; OR

• Reinstalling the car seat; OR

• Changing to a different seating location; OR

• Switching to LATCH: lower anchor belt installation if lower anchors are available in your vehicle

Finished! Check the tightness of the install often to make sure it has not loosened.

Properly secure your child in the car seat. Check your child’s fit often and make any needed adjustments to the car seat as they grow.

Securing Child in Car Seat

1. Place Child in Car Seat

Your child’s bottom and back should be flat against the car seat. Position the harness straps over your child’s shoulders and upper thighs.

2. Buckle Harness

Push the buckle tongues into the buckle until you hear them “click”. Pull up on the harness straps to make sure the buckle is locked.

3. Fasten Chest Clip

Insert the right half of the chest clip into the left half and snap together.

4. Tighten Harness

Pull the harness adjustment strap straight out to snugly tighten the harness system.

5. Position Chest Clip

Slide the chest clip up the harness straps and position it at mid-chest (even with armpits) and away from your child’s neck.

6. Check Harness Tightness

Unfasten the harness covers. Try to pinch the harness strap at the shoulder vertically between your index finger and thumb as shown. If your fingers slip off, the harness system is tight enough. If you can pinch the harness strap, tighten it more. Fasten the harness covers.

A snug strap should not allow any slack.

It lies in a relatively straight line without sagging.

It does not press on the child’s flesh or push the child’s body into an unnatural position.

Finished! Your child is now secured in the car seat. Check your child’s fit often and make any needed adjustments to the car seat as they grow.

To Remove Child from Car Seat:

1. Loosen Harness Strap

2. Unbuckle Harness

3. Release Chest Clip

4. Remove Child

Use Safety 1st Grwo & Go in Booster Seat Mode

Install Safety 1st Grow & Go in Booster with Lap/Shoulder Belt

You must store the harness system when using the Booster Seat Mode, see pages 53-56.

1. Make Booster Seat Flush Against Vehicle Seat

The vehicle seat back must be upright. Put the booster seat into Position1.

Only use semi-reclined Position 2 if necessary to install the booster seat flush against the vehicle seat back.

NOTE: If your vehicle seat’s headrest interferes with a flush booster seat fit, check your vehicle owner’s manual to see if the headrest can be removed, adjusted, or if there are other possible seating locations to use the booster seat.

2. Have Child Sit in Booster Seat

3. Position Lap Belt on Child

Route the lap belt portion of the vehicle belt through the Booster Seat Belt Path as shown. The lap belt should lay snugly across your child’s hips; not on their stomach.

4. Buckle Vehicle Belt

Pull up on the lap belt to tighten.

5. Position Shoulder Belt on Child

Pull up on the shoulder belt to tighten.

For models with In and Out Harness Holders: The shoulder belt should lay under the In and Out Harness Holder as shown.

For models without In and Out Harness Holders: The shoulder belt will fall naturally into place.

The shoulder belt should lay snugly across the center of your child’s shoulder and across their chest; not on their face or neck.

Only use the shoulder belt-positioning guide in the headrest if necessary to help position the shoulder belt correctly on your child.

Finished! Check periodically to make sure your child has not moved out of position and loosened the shoulder belt.

Safety 1st Grow & Go Manual

You can find the user manual of Safety 1st Grow & Go in a small storage bag on the back near the bottom.

After receiving the car seat, you should find this and read the manual instructions at the very beginning before you install it in your motor vehicle.

Or you can always find the online user manual on its official website, or download the PDF here.

8. Specification and Comparison

Brand
Brand	Safety 1st
Type
Suitable for	Newborns, toddlers, preschoolers, and big kids
Positions	Rear-facing and forward-facing
Design
Portability (1-10)	7. Bulky and not that heavy
Weight (lb.)	18.7
Weight limits (lb.)	5-40 for rear-facing, and 22-65 for 5-point harness, 40-100 for highback booster
Height limit (inch)	40” for rear-facing, 49” for forward-facing, and 52” for booster
Dimension	31.75” (D) x 19.25” (W) x 28.75″ (H)
Cup holder	Two on both sides
Performance
Age Range	0-10 years old
Stage	1st, 2nd, 3rd
Longevity	0-10 years old
Installation	LATCH and seat belt
Headrest Positions	–
Recline Positions	3
Airplane	Yes
Lifespan	10 Years
Extra Features	Multiple colors for girls and boys

Safety 1st Grow & Go vs Grow and Go Comfort Cool

Car Seats Comparison	Grow & Go	Grow and Go Comfort Cool
Price	$179	$199
Mode of Use	3-in-1	3-in-1
Rear-facing Weight	5 to 40 pounds	5 to 40 pounds
Forward-facing Harness Weight	22 to 65 pounds	22 to 65 pounds
Booster Weight	40 to 100 pounds	40 to 100 pounds
Side Impact Protection	✓	✓
Cup Holders	2 removable dishwasher safe	2 removable dishwasher safe
Machine Wash and Dryer Fabrics	✓	✓
Harness and Headrest Adjust	QuickFit no-rethread adjust	QuickFit no-rethread adjust
Harness Holders	✓	✓
Recline	3 positions	3 positions
Moisture Wicking Fabrics	✘	✓
Fits 3 Across Back Seat	✘	✘

9. Alternatives

What other car seats should you consider?

Graco 4Ever DLX

Why is it better than Safety 1st Grow & Go?

Extra backless mode
Higher rear-facing height limit (+9”. 49” vs 40”)
Higher booster weight limit (20 lb. 120 lb vs 100 lb)
Higher booster height limit (+5”. 57” vs 52”)
More reclines (3. 6 vs 3)

Safety 1st Grow & Go Review – Cheapest 3-in-1 Car Seat