- Baby Dry vs Swaddlers Diapers: Parent’s Guide - May 26, 2022
- The Ultimate Guide to the Best C-Section Scar Creams - May 20, 2022
- Solly vs Moby Baby Wrap: Which Baby Wrap Is Best? - May 20, 2022
A shopping cart cover might be one of those baby products you see once and consider essentially useless, but in reality, they provide many benefits for your little one. For starters, with a shopping cart cover in place, your baby can be protected from the germs that inevitably inhabit most public shopping carts.
And if you use one instead of plopping your baby in the cold metal and plastic seat, there’s far less of a chance of your baby’s skin getting pinched or scratched in any way. Take the Lumiere Baby Shopping Cart Cover vs. the Summer Infant 2-in-1 Cushy Cart Cover, for example.
Both are fine options when it comes to protecting your child and keeping him or her comfortable while you shop. They both also make the whole experience that much more enjoyable to your baby, who might have a short fuse when it comes to sitting in a hard and sometimes uncomfortable shopping cart seat, sans cushion insert.
But at their core, there are some differences between the two different shopping cart covers that are difficult to ignore. They’re both right around the same price, but the Lumiere has an actual buckle built-in to keep your baby safe and secure. However, while the Summer Infant doesn’t have this, it does have a thick infant insert pillow to keep your little one from shifting around while you push the cart.
And while both cart covers have clear pockets to hold smartphones for your baby’s entertainment, they both also have little straps where you can attach toys to keep your baby entertained. Overall, they offer some of the same aspects for your baby’s comfort and fun, but when it comes down to it, one of them is going to be the better option for your little one.
Contents
Lumiere Baby Shopping Cart Cover
The Lumiere Baby Shopping Cart Cover is, at its core, a comfortable cover for your baby, but it’s also a high chair cover. It can be stretched to fit over most shopping carts, even larger ones, as well as most highchairs.
In either case, you can use the Velcro tabs to hold it in place and the built-in adjustable safety harness. When you’re done, you can roll it into its compact bag and slip it into your purse or diaper bag with ease. Regardless of what size cart you need to fit the cover over, it provides complete protection from germs all the way around and is cushioned enough to keep your child comfortable.
And just in case you have any messes afterward, the entire thing is entirely machine washable. To give you added peace of mind, the Lumiere also comes with a lifetime warranty, which is hard to find with baby products, so you’ll mostly never have to worry about purchasing another one if something happens to yours.
Features
- Set-up And Take Down: To fit it over a shopping cart, you unroll it and stretch it to fit. Then, you use the attached Velcro tabs to secure it into place.
- Other Uses: You can also use the Lumiere Baby Shopping Cart Cover to go over your child’s highchair and keep them safe and comfortable there too.
- Size: The dimensions are 10.5 x 7.3 x 3.3 inches.
- Where To Buy: You can purchase it on the manufacturer’s website and on Amazon.
- Has This Item Been Recalled?: There are no recent, or current recalls on the shopping cart cover.
Pros
- The attached loops make it easy to keep toys nearby to keep your little one entertained in the shopping cart.
- You can use it for a variety of shopping cart sizes as well as highchairs.
- It comes in a few different patterns to choose from.
- There’s a pocket on the back of the cover to put your keys, wallet, and any coupons you might have while out shopping.
- It also has a small window pocket on the front to slide in your phone for your child to play on through the plastic window.
Cons
- The harness straps might not be long enough to fit all children properly.
- It doesn’t have as much cushion as the Summer Infant 2-in-1.
- After even minimal use, some parents may find that the cover ripes more easily than others.
Reviews
“I’m very happy with this. It works on all sizes of shopping carts that I try, Costco, Target, etc. I like how it attaches and also has a safety belt that works independently of the dirty ones on shopping carts. It also doubles as a high chair cover, so I’m not lugging around a second cover for that. It all folds up into a nice carrying case that’s part of the cover, so you’re not worrying about losing the case.” – Glenn M. on Amazon.
“This product has been so amazing. The material is durable but easily wipes off. The clear pouch will come in handy when my daughter isn’t more interested in the people walking around and I can put something in there to entertain her. This has worked on grocery carts as well as high chairs and is easy to fold into a compact pouch!” – Mary Smith on Amazon.
“Absolutely love this! It is large enough to fit over carts at Sam’s Club and folds up easily. My favorite feature is the clear pocket that hold your cell phone allowing my daughter to watch Baby First TV while I shop.” – M. G. Harris on Amazon.
“Love it, exactly as described! We have used it in shopping carts and various high chairs. The only thing I feel is missing is a little bit more padding behind the head to protect from some of the shopping carts high metal back. But then again it wouldn’t fold up so nicely! We love it, and especially the cup/toy Velcro strap has been great!!” – Gina R. on Amazon.
Summer Infant 2-In-1 Cushy Cart Cover
The Summer Infant 2-In-1 Cushy Cart Cover may cost a few more dollars than the Lumiere, but it too has another use than just a shopping cart cover. It can also fit over most highchairs to give your child added comfort and safety whether you’re home or out to eat.
Like the Lumiere, it also has loops for toys, even if they’re a little harder to access. When you’re done using it, you can fold the cover into its little pouch to take with you on the go. To keep your baby entertained when attached toys won’t do it, it also has a little pocket on the front to slide in your smartphone.
Unlike the Lumiere, though, the Summer Infant cart cover has a thick infant insert to not only keep your younger or smaller baby safe but also comfortable. The entire thing still folds up to a compact size, and it even comes in two different patterns to choose from.
Features
- Set-up And Take Down: To fit the cover over any standard shopping cart, you simply stretch it over the top and push it into place in the actual cart seat.
- Other Uses: You can also use the cart cover to go over most highchairs, whether you’re at home or not.
- Size: The dimensions are 33 x 26 x 7 inches.
- Where To Buy: You can find it on the manufacturer’s website and on Amazon or in-store at Walmart.
- Has This Item Been Recalled?: The cart cover has no recent or current recalls.
Pros
- Even smaller infants can safely and comfortably sit in your shopping cart thanks to the thick cushion insert.
- The filling inside of the pillow insert is soft but still keeps it firm enough to offer support for your baby.
- It’s quick and easy to slip it right over the top of most shopping carts.
- It covers essentially every part of the cart that your baby could come in contact with.
Cons
- Some parents may find it difficult to fold up the cover when they’re done using it.
- The smartphone pocket may not fit every parent’s phone, thus rendering it useless for some.
- Unlike the Lumiere, there are no convenient pockets in the back of the cover.
Reviews
“Love this product! My little guy started using this towards the end of 3 months old. He is still a supported sitter, so the pillow is especially nice! Seems to fit a variety of cart sizes – highly recommend!” – Lisa K. on Amazon.
“So glad I bought this. I have 4 children and never gave in to the cart cover purchase with the previous 3. What a blunder. This thing is awesome, and the insert pillow for younger babies is genius and works like a charm. Makes my trips to the grocery store so much easier.” – Kayleen Overlund on Amazon.
“After trying another shopping cart cover first, I truly wish I had discovered this one first! It fits literally on any shopping cart, is easy to put on, baby likes it and finds it comfortable, neutral colors. No complaints!” – Allison S. on Amazon.
“Wonderful! It’s exactly what I was looking for! My five month old can’t quite sit up by himself, so the cushion is perfect! He loves shopping and being able to look around. Even without the cushion, the back is nicely padded, so I’ll definitely continue to use it when he outgrows the need for the support.” – Bethany Hooks on Amazon.
The Verdict
If the goal is comfort and quality, then the Summer Infant 2-in-1 Cushy Cart Cover is your best bet in this instance. That’s not to say that the Lumiere Baby Shopping Cart Cover isn’t also a solid option, however. It does offer a more affordable price, which is important on its own.
But you just can’t beat the benefits of the infant insert and general comfort of the Summer Infant cover. The primary goal of getting a shopping cart cover is finding something that keeps your baby safe and comfortable while also keeping them entertained and away from direct contact with unsightly germs.
The Summer Infant checks off those boxes thanks to the thick cushion, smartphone pocket, and toy tabs. As a parent, the decision is solely yours to make of course, but when it comes down to it, the stronger option here is the Summer Infant 2-in-1 Cushy Cart Cover.
Final Thoughts
If you can find a shopping cart cover that’s easy to slip on and even easier to get your baby situated in each time, then you’re very likely to keep on using it after the initial try.
Clearly, both the Lumiere and Summer Infant 2-in-1 covers are easy enough to use and can provide your baby with a safe and germ-free space while you shop. At the end of the day, going with the Summer Infant 2-in-1 is your best bet, but regardless, you can’t go wrong with a cart cover in general.