Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Our twins were on the brink of turning four when we decided to invest in some new car seats. We previously had Britax Marathon convertible seats and our kids were big enough to switch to booster seats (using the 5-point harness system) so we figured we might as well buy some new ones. My husband and I did a lot of research on the best booster car seats and the Evenflo Maestro seats were high on the list on many websites. We have boy/girl twins so we ordered one of the Thunder color (blue and black) and one of the Taylor color (pink, gray and black). When they arrived, we opened them up and found them fairly easy to set up, especially since they have a similar setup to the convertible car seats we already had. After pulling the seats out of the boxes, we had to snap in the cup holders (two for each car seat), set up the straps according to our kids' heights, and fasten them into the car. I'd say the setup time for each seat from start to finish was about ten minutes but that's because we had experience with seats that are similar. Initially, we ordered two seats over four months ago and liked them enough to purchase two more so both of our cars have two seats in them. We have a total of four of these seats, two Thunder and two Taylor, and have had good luck with them in the four months we've been using them. Here are some pros and cons we've discovered so far: Pros - Easy to install and remove in case you need to switch cars - Comfortable for kids to sit in for long car rides with plenty of padding to keep them safe in case of an accident - Two cup holders on each seat (diameter of the inner part of the cup holders measures three inches and there is a stretchable piece at the front) for drinks, snack cups, small toys or whatever your little ones want to put in there - Affordable and come in colors for both genders - Can be used on airplanes - Cover can be easily removed and washed if needed Cons - Hard to tighten straps. I'm fairly strong and I have to pull hard to tighten the straps but, now that I've gotten used to them, I hardly notice it. - Seats are light enough that they shift occasionally when you tighten the straps but they still stay in place - By the child's feet is a button you push to loosen the straps. This is surrounded by hard plastic and my husband has cut himself a couple times (not to the point of bleeding) on his fingers when he puts his finger in there. He has bigger hands than I do and I've never had this problem. Points to Consider - This seat is NOT a rear-facing seat. It can be used with the 5-point harness use as well as the booster seat use in the forward-facing position only. - For Harness Use, child requirements are: 22 to 50 pounds (10 to 22.6 kg) and 28 to 50 inches (71 to 127 cm) - For Booster Use, child requirements are: 40 to 110 pounds (18 to 49.8 kg) and 43.3 to 57 inches (110 to 145 cm) These car seats are made in the USA and the ones we received were manufactured in December of 2016 with a six-year expiration date of November of 2022. As of right now, there haven't been any recalls on these particular seats. We've been using these car seats for over four months and really like them so far! Despite the couple of cons, which weren't enough to deter us from purchasing our second set of these seats, I'm very pleased with these seats and feel our kids are very safe in them. We've only been using the harness so far so I will update this review when we switch to the booster use with any new information. I have a 2008 Ford Fusion, my husband has a 2008 Ford Escape and these seats easily fit and work well with both cars. As a parent, I feel these seats are very safe and I would only buy a seat that has high safety ratings. I love the design and feel these seats are very well-made and sturdy. There is plenty of padding to keep my kids comfortable and to protect them should we get into any accidents. My kids can easily climb into the seats and need me to fasten them in since we still use the 5-point harness system. Once we switch to the booster use, I will add any pertinent information in as well as update this review with anything else I discover and adjust my rating as necessary. I'm impressed with these seats and think they are a great option for anyone looking for booster seats that will last for a long time. I feel they are reasonably priced so you could purchase a few if you need them for your car, your spouse's car, or a grandparent's car. We found a couple of cons to these seats but they don't present major concerns and shouldn't impact the safety of your child. If you are looking for a booster seat for your child, I recommend these seats!