
I'd recommend anything by AxKid. Invest in something extended rear facing up to the very maximum weight (I think 35kg). There's no amount of convenience features that comes over keeping your baby safe. I have two for my kids, a minikid and a movekid. We bought spare tethers for our other car as they're the most fiddly thing to move and the seats themselves take maybe three minutes each to switch once you've got the hang of it. Worth every penny. Edit - can confirm I did in fact mean 25kg and n
"Worth every penny", owns two Axkids for their kids, practical tip about spare tethers, seats take 3 mins to switch. Enthusiastic endorsement with no caveats.
Axkid Minikid2. Nearly 3 year old and he's had it basically half his life, I love it so much!
"I love it so much!" — enthusiastic with duration of use (had it half his life, nearly 3). No caveats.
If you're happy to spend that much I would recommend an Axkid Minikid tbh. Both the seats you've mentioned only rear face to 18kg, the Axkid would go to 25kg and depending on their centile kids can get too heavy for the seats before the age the manufacturers quote (they assume a 50th centile kid). The Minikid is one of the safest car seats you can buy and it has some nice little features like self adjusting headrest so it's always the perfect height. In terms of how easy they are to use - the
"one of the safest car seats you can buy", highlights self-adjusting headrest feature, 25kg limit advantage over 18kg competitors. Knowledgeable detailed recommendation.
I'd go for an Axkid Minikid 2. It's £295 from most places, but rearfaces until 25kg, is easy to fit in the car and to get a good fit on the child. My son is nearly 5 and isn't close to maxing it out yet.
Specific price (£295), "easy to fit" and "good fit on the child". Son nearly 5 and still has plenty of room — demonstrates excellent longevity.
We really like the axkid minikid 2, it's Swedish plus tested extended rear facing to 25kgs. Our toddler has just turned 4 and is 91st centile and still has plenty of room. There's a couple of Facebook groups that are really useful if you can provide your kids height and weight they can advise from there, one is car seat advice UK and one is something like extended rear facing erf uk
"We really like" it, child is 91st centile at age 4 and "still has plenty of room" — excellent longevity for a bigger child. Swedish Plus tested noted.
Axkid minikid 2 fan here, extended rear facing is safest! My tall 2.5 year old has sooo much room to grow into it yet.
Self-described "fan", "sooo much room to grow" for a tall 2.5 year old. Enthusiastic endorsement emphasising ERF safety and room to grow.
I agree it's bewildering choice! We looked at so many. We went with the Axkid Minikid 4. We wanted extended rear facing, but also not taken up too much space and prevent the car seat in front being able to come back. It's a fantastic car seat, and definitely took up the lest room of the ERF options.
"It's a fantastic car seat", "took up the least room of the ERF options" — specific positive about space-efficiency compared to other ERF seats.
If the Avionaut stardust existed when we bought our ERF seat I would have got that. We have an axkid minikid2, which is amazing and I really like the axkid brand so it would be money well spentb
"which is amazing", "I really like the axkid brand", "money well spent" — enthusiastic owner though also notes they'd consider Avionaut Stardust if buying now.
For tall kids the axkid minikid 4 is the best and safest, I also had the same issue with my (newly!!) 3 year old who reached 105cm. If they're low centiles for weight you might get off with an avionaut stardust but in terms of height the axkid has the longest shell. There is also the new axkid core or something which is just seatbelt installation - might be easier to switch between your cars!!
"the best and safest" for tall kids, "the axkid has the longest shell" — specific recommendation for tall children with comparison to alternatives.
I'd buy the axkid minikid 4 and then an extra set of tether straps. It's so easy to switch the seat between different cars. It takes me about 3 mins tops. Though I appreciate if one of you does a drop off and the other a pick up, then you'd need 2 seats.
"so easy to switch the seat between different cars", "takes me about 3 mins tops" — practical experience with quick car-to-car transfers.
Second vote here for the Axkid Minikid. My wife is a bit of a rear facing evangelist, son is 5 and still happy and comfortable in his.
Son is 5 and "still happy and comfortable" — demonstrates longevity. Seconding another recommendation enthusiastically.
We had the MiniKid. Really good seat!
"Really good seat!" — direct ownership, positive with no caveats, though brief.
Do you know what percentiles your child is on for height and weight? If not, what is your child's height, weight and age in months? Seats vary in limits between 18kg, 25kg and 36kg, and 105cm or 125cm for height. If you have a petite child a 18kg/105cm would keep them rear facing until 5, but if they are particularly tall or heavy then it may be worth investing in a seat with a higher limit, but these usually come at higher cost. The Axkid Minikid 2 is pretty universally recommended, is Swed
"pretty universally recommended, is Swedish plus tested" — knowledgeable recommendation with detailed context about weight/height limits. Positive framing as a go-to choice.
Axkid minikid 2 and Avionaut Sky here, both lovely seats. Axkid is a bigger shell and a bit heavier so might suit the taller child but both 25kg seats. Both ERF, Swedish plus tested. Belted and tethered, easy to put in and take out once you know. Lots of pay in installment plans on websites now to help spread the cost.
"both lovely seats", "easy to put in and take out once you know". Owns both, notes Axkid has bigger shell for taller children. Balanced positive comparison.
For awareness, safe forward facing needs a survival gap of 55cm - the gap from nose of the child when sat back to the seat in front. If there isn't space for a rear facing seat, it's highly likely there won't be the 55cm required for safe forward facing. We have an Axkid Minikid 2 and have lots of space for the passenger it is behind, it'll last him until 25kg which is 5+.
Owns the Minikid 2, "lots of space for the passenger", will last until 25kg (5+). Debunks the myth that ERF takes more space than safe FF.
Moving toddler seats between cars is a massive pain! We had an Axkid Minikid and an Axkid Move (both great seats!), and only went in those two cars between 1 and 5 basically! Avoid Halfords and similar stores, and find your local car seat specialist (for me this was Baby & Co in Keynsham) who can advise you on what will work best with your cars. I'd also avoid that seats that say they go up to 12. They don't allow you to rear-face as long as a more specialist seat, and they're really heavy.
"both great seats!" — used Minikid from age 1 to 5. Notes moving between cars is a pain generally, but recommends specialist retailers and the Axkid brand.
Budget option: Joie Steadi R129 - about £100, will rear face until 18kg/105cm so around 3-3.5 years old for your higher centile child. Longer lasting option: Axkid Minikid Core - £350, will rear face to 28kg/125cm so around 5-6 years old for your higher centile child.
Recommends as the "longer lasting option" at £350, specifies 28kg/125cm limit for 5-6 years of use. Practical comparison with budget alternative.
As a few others have said, I would suggest looking into extended rear facing brands. We have an Axkid Minikid 2 for our 2 year old, it is suitable up to 25kg, as he is in the lower centiles, this should do him up to at least 6 and then once outgrown he can move into a high back booster, so it will last. They do ones suitable up to 36kg too. If you are on facebook I'd recommend joining the group 'Bump to Booster - UK Car Seat Support' they can give some helpful advice and are friendly.
Owns the Minikid 2, expects it to last until child is at least 6 (lower centiles). Positive about longevity and the 25kg/36kg options. No complaints.
Not Swedish plus tested as they don't include any that have a forward facing option. Check your child's weight centile - my son is on the 90th and will outgrow the Joie before 3.5 (we do like the seat otherwise though). We have Axkid MiniKid 2 in our main car and it's a great seat!
"it's a great seat!" — direct ownership, used in main car. Also provides useful context about weight centiles and Joie limitations by comparison.
If you're wanting to be ERF for as long as possible, I'd recommend an Axkid (Minikid is a great option, the newer versions go up to 36kg / 125cm or a Britax Maxsafe Pro which has the same limits as the Axkid. Obviously none of these swivel but they'll last the longest (if your child isn't a giant, anyway!)
"Minikid is a great option", notes newer versions go to 36kg/125cm and will "last the longest" — recommendation based on longevity and ERF limits.
We have an Axkid Minikid 2 for our 2 year old. He's happy in it, and it's ERF. We wanted a seat we could get maximum use out of. It is a bit bulky and takes a few mins to install (definitely recommend an extra set of tethers if you'll be moving between 2 cars it makes life a lot quicker and easier) but honestly they're so safe and well reviewed that was a bigger priority to us. The minikid 2 is discontinued now but we will definitely be getting another axkid for our 11 month old once he's outgr
"He's happy in it", "they're so safe and well reviewed", planning to buy another Axkid. Notes it's "a bit bulky and takes a few mins to install" as minor caveats.
Axkid minikid4. It's an extended rear facing seat as our boy is 98cm and isn't even 2.5 years yet, and we want to keep him rear facing as long as possible. It takes up a lot of space though.
Owns the Minikid 4 for ERF, child is 98cm at 2.5. Notes it "takes up a lot of space" as a genuine caveat. Positive overall but acknowledges bulk.
I've got the Joie ispin and am super happy with it, being able to swivel the chair is a massive quality of life upgrade. Did the get axkid mini before but sent it back because it was massive and the tethers were annoying.
"sent it back because it was massive and the tethers were annoying" — returned the product due to size and installation frustration. Chose Joie iSpin instead.