From Baby to Big Kid: Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Car Seat {Review}

While there will always be differing opinions on the necessity of baby items such as a wipes warmer or an umbrella stroller, there is no question on the importance of a car seat.

It is one of the most-researched items for parents-to-be and one that veteran parents continue to check, recheck and update as their child gets older. After all, if you consider the infant seat, the toddler seat and at least one or two types of booster seats, we end up purchasing approximately four car seats per child, right?

That has always been the case, at least, until now. Until Graco, the brand already known for their broad range of baby gear, debuted what I consider a complete game-changer to the world of car seats: the Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Car Seat.

From baby to booster and for children 4lbs to 120lbs, Graco has dubbed the 4Ever 4-in-1 Car Seat the only car seat you will ever need.

I'm not going to lie, when I read about the 4Ever, I was not only extremely surprised, but very skeptical. Of course there are car seats that can switch between rear-facing and forward-facing, but how was it possible that Graco had come up with a way to have one seat fit tiny infants all the way up to big, big kids?

Now this, I had to see.

Available in Cameron (shades of grey) and Kylie (touches of pink edging), this high quality convertible car seat provides the comfort, safety and protection at each stage and grows right along with your child.

We're talking one car seat for 10 years!

As soon as I lifted this car seat out of the box, I was impressed with how sturdy and dependable it felt, not to mention the level of softness of the cushions and padding. This doesn't at all feel like a hard piece of plastic, instead it features a steel-reinforced frame with every inch covered with energy absorbing foam padding and plush inserts.

At the same time, Graco has included so many features to make the 4Ever extremely safe — their Simply Safe Adjust Harness System, 10-position head rest and the level to which this car seat has been engineered and crash tested (including side-impact tested) to meet or exceed US safety standards, just to name a few.

I especially love the great protection that Graco includes to protect a child's head!

But let's get to the one-of-a-kind unique innovation of this car seat, shall we? How in the world can one seat take the place of four?

Stage 1: Rear-facing for infants weighing 4-40 pounds.

Using the simple recline lever in the front, adjusting the 4Ever to the correct recline position is a snap... made even more so with the easy-to-read level indicator right on the side. 

Ensure that the bubble is in the designated area, the seat is installed tightly in your vehicle (using the LATCH straps or your car's seat belt) and the harness straps are at the correct level and your new little one is sure to be comfortable, safe and supported!

Stage 2: Forward-facing with harness for toddlers weighing 20-65 pounds.

Simply remove any extra padding, reduce the recline and adjust the head rest and 5-point harness to the correct locations to fit your child. Again, install the 4Ever tightly using the LATCH straps or your car's seat belt and your toddler is good to go.

Stage 3: Highback booster for children 3+ weighing 30-100 pounds and 38-57" tall.

While I had initially assumed that I would have to completely remove the 5-point harness, Graco instead created a genius storage system in which the harness straps simply get hidden out of the way.

By unsnapping and lifting up the back padding, I found that the harness, chest clip, buckle tongues and even the buckle had a place to stay out of the way and non-bothersome to the passenger.

After getting the padding snapped back into place and the head rest adjusted, this backed booster is ready to be installed. Just thread the vehicle seat shoulder belt through the seat belt guide on the head rest and your child is secure.

Stage 4: Backless booster for big kids 4+ weighing 40-120 pounds and 40-57" tall.

As if I wasn't already amazed at the way that Graco had created a storage system to turn a convertible, harness car seat into a highback booster seat, they then make things completely mind-blowing with the fourth transition: removing the back.

Also tucked away underneath the padding, the back of this car seat is locked in place by two red latches. By lifting them and sliding them out of the way, the entire back can then be leaned forward and lifted straight off!

The result is a backless booster seat that will then stay in place and be used with the lap/shoulder seat belt for as long as your child needs it — no other car seat purchase is ever necessary!

I'm just not sure that I could be any more impressed with this car seat or any other features that could have been included!

It is extremely easy to adjust and install, fully safe, has a washable cover, is very comfortable, has not one but two cup holders... not to mention that Graco takes away any worry that you might have a level or the recline incorrect with their convenient label right on the side showing precisely which setting to choose.

Including innovative features, revolutionary safety technology and comfort and convenience, the Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Car Seat makes it easy to make one purchase that will last from the day that you bring your newborn home to the day that they outgrow the need for a car seat altogether... not to mention the peace of mind of knowing that your most precious cargo is well-protected in any situation.

Retailing for $299.99 exclusively from Toys 'R' Us, the Graco 4Ever does have a higher price tag — but remember (in case I haven't mentioned this 100 times already), this is four car seats in one! Find out more about this and all of Graco's fantastic products at GracoBaby.com and by connecting with them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube.

Other than the 4Ever 4-in-1 Car Seat I was provided by Graco to facilitate my review, I was not compensated or enticed to do this review in any way. This post is solely my honest opinion of this product and this company.