We shopped very carefully for a carseat for our son, and once he outgrew the infant seat (Graco SnugRide), we looked to Baby 411's gear guide to see what rated best. This carseat was the winner.My son is a tad small for his age, but he rides like the king of the backseat when he's in his carseat. This carseat is washable, I can say that for sure! Our son is 3 and eats snacks frequently in it, and we just wipe it down with a baby wipe. Bigger spills can be taken care of by removing the straps and cover, which is easy to do. It's well-padded, cushy, and I feel that the "wings" around the head-area keep my kiddo safer.The only problem we've had is, it's BIG. We drive a BMW 325i and now that his legs are getting longer, my son is getting a little cramped. With my husband's seat pushed back (when husband drives) it's a tight fit.Shop around for the best deals on this seat: don't wait until you MUST have one, and you'll have time to sort through the different prices.