Graco’s Milestone All-in-One convertible car seat is currently one of the most sought-after seats.
In this article, we look at this car seat from all sides, so you can decide whether it’s the right one for you!
Graco All in One Car Seat Review
Convenient for infants and children up to 12 years old, it is a budget model of the Graco 4Ever Seat with similar functions and appearance. It has impressive safety measures, a great latching system, the ability to recline, and exceptional comfort. The headrest and harness boast an elegant and useful design with the ability to accommodate a growing child. Graco’s medium-weight seat also has temperature settings for both cold and hot climates. Great for older children too, the wide seat has plenty of room and comfy headrests. The height of the car seat also allows children to look through the window without straining or leaning forward.
Safe for newborn babies up to toddlers 100lbs
The best term for this car seat would be a “3-in-1” convertible car seat, given it has three stages. The first stage is the rear-facing, harnessed infant car seat for babies between 5 and 40 pounds who also have a height of 1 inch below the headrest adjuster button. The second stage is the forward-facing, harnessed car seat for toddlers between 20 and 65 pounds who have a height of up to 49 inches. The final stage is the high-back, belted booster seat for children weighing between 30 and 100 pounds with a height of 38-57 inches. Overall, the seat is easy to adjust and saves you from buying a series of car seats every year.
Converting the Seat
For the first stage, install the car seat in a rear-facing direction and incline backward with a cushy infant padding placed inwards. In stage two, install the seat to a forward-facing position, remove the padding, adjust the recline, and change the belt feed to face the front. For the final stage, adjust the headrest to the topmost position; remove the harness and any other extra padding.
Straight-Up Safe
What about safety? Below are the Milestone’s safety features highlighted on various consumer websites
1. It meets all safety standards
All car seats in the US and Canada must meet federal safety standards before being allowed entry to the public market. The Milestone is masterminded for safety and rigorously tested to fulfill all safety standards, just like all of Graco’s car seats. It has been thoroughly validated in crash testing for rear, forward, and side impacts. Moreover, the forward-facing and rear-facing belt lock-off guides enable the secure and safe fitting of the seat in your car. The Milestone is steel-framed, reliable, and sturdy in case of an accident.
2. InRight LATCH System
The InRight LATCH system is a mode of car seat installation for the Milestone and other Graco products. It clicks when attached to the latch hook so you know when it is positioned correctly.
3. A Good Harness
The Graco Milestone’s awesome harness system ensures your child is always properly secured. The Simply Safe Adjust Harness System modifies the harness and headrest in one motion to guarantee a precise fit.
Simply Safe Adjust™ Harness System
The car seat’s harness features connected headrest and shoulder straps. Both straps are pulled to the right height by holding the handle at the top of the seat. Rethreading straps isn’t required, and the 10 different positions make it easy to find the right fit. It is also easy to loosen the harness when not in use. An added bonus, the Milestone’s fantastic storage compartment easily stores the harness when it’s not in use. The storage is located beneath the padding at the back and is quickly accessible.
Awesome Extras
1. Cushy insert
A soft and squishy padding insert supports the baby’s neck, head, and body.
2. Machine washable padding
All the padding in the seat can be removed and put into the washer. As easy as it is to remove the padding, so it is to reattach it. Cleaning a messy car seat is never a hassle with the Graco Milestone.
3. 4-position recline
The Graco Milestone is outstanding for its reclining characteristic in that the harness and headrest can be adjusted with one move. The seat has 4 distinct recline positions with 10 adjustable positions for the headrest in order to adapt to a child’s changing height until the age of 12. It reclines in 2 ways each for both the front- and rear-facing modes. This feature enables the seat to accommodate a wide range of ages and give comfort at every stage. Note that it is best to adjust the recline before the baby gets in.
4. Moveable drink holder
The seat has a drink holder that can be moved from one side to the other for easy accessibility. The cup holder can carry most baby cups as well as slimmer bottles for the early years.
How Long Can Your Children Sit Rear-facing?
The Graco Milestone All-in-one Convertible Car Seat Gotham is used as a rear-facing seat for up to 40 lbs (18kg). As children grow at different rates, you should base your decision on weight rather than age.
Is the Graco Milestone ISOFIX compatible?
The UK version doesn’t have ISOFIX, but is a Universal Fit. This implies the adult seat belt must be used to install the car seat. Latch anchors and connectors are normally used to attach child safety car seats in the US, unlike in the UK where the Milestone is only universal. Other differences between the UK and the US versions are:
- The UK version lacks the Simply Safe Adjust harness system which is available only in US car seats.
- The soft parts, such as covers, are attached with poppers in the UK seat whereas in the US version, soft parts are attached to Velcro.
- The seat has a 10-year guarantee which is available only in the US. In the UK the car seat has a 2-year guarantee.
Product Value for Money
The Milestone represents a good value for money, as it grows with the family. It is sturdy and easy to maintain. What’s more, no additional costs are incurred after buying the seat. Because the headrest and harness can be adjusted to fit children of different ages, parents with 2 or more children can save money by using the same seat for each child when the whole family isn’t using the car. The Milestone, if well cared for and cleaned regularly, retains its durability for years to come.
Ease of Use
The Milestone is an easy-to-use seat with clear instructions to ensure your little one is properly buckled up. In addition, the car seat is delivered preassembled and installation is easy with a one-second attachment. The seat comes with basic and straightforward instructions to guide you. Choose the age of the child and adjust accordingly.
Care and Maintenance
1. Cleaning the seat pad
This involves machine washing the seat pad in cold water using gentle soap on a delicate cycle and drip drying. Avoid bleach.
2. Cleaning the buckle
The buckle is cleaned without using soap, lubricants, or detergents. It is placed in a cup of warm water and stirred gently. The red button is pressed several times while the buckle is still in the water. The buckle strap should not be submerged.
3. Cleaning the harness
Use a mild soap with wipes or a damp cloth to clean the surfaces of the harness. The latch or harness straps should not be immersed in water. Clean snack debris as often as possible to avoid food crumbs getting into the harness’s tension latch and loosening the shoulder straps.
4. Cleaning the hardgoods
To clean the metal and plastic parts, use mild soap with cool water. Refer to your user manual for full cleaning instructions.
Graco Milestone Downsides
Although the Graco Milestone All-in-One car seat has terrific features, the term ‘all-in-one’ isn’t perfect, as there are a few needs left unmet. The seat can technically fit a newborn, but seems too big for a tiny baby and doesn’t recline as far as the baby might like. It also doesn’t act as a backless booster, which you would have to buy when the need arises. Unfortunately, the Milestone also has no base; it’s not compatible with strollers and doesn’t act as a portable infant carrier. The seat is made to stay in the vehicle around the clock.
Summary of Features of the All-in-1 car seat
Advantages
- High safety standards and testing criteria under European rollover testing procedure
- A Simply Safe Adjust harness system for US models and storage space for the harness
- Steel-reinforced frame providing durability for 10+ years
- Layers or EPS and energy-absorbing foam for impact absorption
- Easy installation with InRight Latch system
- Removable, machine-washable padding to maintain cleanliness
- Adjustable reclines
- Storage compartment for harness
- Exceptional comfort
- Hot and cold temperature settings
- Removable cupholder
- Preassembled seat
- Simple, straightforward instructions
- 2-10 year guarantee
Disadvantages
- Appears too big for tiny babies
- Straps loosen easily and could possibly be loosened by a toddler, causing danger
- Seat must be latched and strapped in for security
- Recline button is not quickly accessible in a rear-facing position
- Not compatible with strollers
- Does not act as a portable infant carrier
- Cannot perform as a backless booster
Conclusion
The Graco Milestone All-in-1 Convertible Car Seat is impressive with superior safety features. The LATCH system enables the seat to be anchored nicely and tightly. The adjustable harness and headrest are convenient for use and the harness storage compartment is an exciting factor. The recline, machine washability, cushy padding, and the moveable drink holder are all valuable features provided by the Milestone. With a cute design, good features, and a reasonable price, the Graco Milestone 3-in-1 car seat is a great deal for any parent.
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