Britax King Plus review

What we love

The ample side protection and inner headrest on the Britax King Plus means my son Peter’s head looks snug and secure, particularly while he is sleeping. The height of both the inner headrest and shoulder straps are fully adjustable, without the hassle of rethreading the shoulder straps. The straps are also very wide and well padded, making it much more comfortable for your baby. Its five-point harness holds your little one in place and you know if you have adjusted the tension strap between the legs correctly thanks to Britax’s ‘Click & Safe’ feature, which makes an audible click to tell you that you’ve got it right.

I initially found the tension strap a bit tricky to pull, but this has eased with time, especially after re-reading the manual’s instruction which advised me to pull the strap end as straight as possible. The seat also features four recline positions, which are easily set by pulling at the front of the seat, even when your child is already in position. The tilt function enables you to fit this seat correctly straight away, with minimal fumbling. It was a bonus to discover that the padded cover is removable and washable and can be easily whipped off without disturbing the harness. The fact that the cover can be removed without the hassle of altering the harness is particularly fantastic with such a mucky boy as Peter!

Peter is a chunky boy and this seat holds him well. In particular, I found the extra-wide shoulder straps lay comfortably down his body. The adjustable headrest is vital for the taller child, offering extra protection and comfort. It’s also wonderful not having to mess around re-threading shoulder straps to alter the height - the headrest lifts easily, bringing the straps with it. When fitting the seat, the tilt-forward mechanism leaves clear space to feed the car seat belt into place and affix the red clips. I was immediately comfortable that I had fitted it tightly enough. This is important if you are going to be moving it frequently between different cars as I do. It also comes in five funky different styles for you to choose from - Black Fusion, Claire, Heidi, Peter and Robbie.

What to watch out for

I initially found it tricky to keep the two pieces of the harness buckle tongues together before putting them in the buckle, but this has become easier with time. The tension strap has also been a little stiff. This seat is also slightly more expensive that other products for this age group owing to the tilt function and extra side protection.

Who is the Britax King Plus best for?

The Britax King Plus is best for those looking to spend a bit more on their car seat, gaining more robust side protection and an easier fitting process. It will particularly suit someone who wants to frequently move the seat between cars.

MadeForMums verdict

Although the Britax King Plus car seat is a little on the pricey side, you get a seat that is easy to fit with the first attempt. A lot of thought has been given to the comfort of your little one – extensive side protection, wide chest straps plus the inner headrest. The buckle can be a bit fiddly to close initially, but when you have mastered this, the Click & Safe system then means you can be confident that it’s tightened correctly.