With the outbreak of coronavirus upon the world this year, I wondered whether there was anything that was out there that I could put over the shopping cart when I'm buying groceries that a) means they aren't exposed to any nasties and b) might make the experience more comfortable for them. Low and behold there is such a thing! In the form of shopping cart covers which are designed just for this purpose.
This post looks at some of the best shopping cart covers on the market while also sharing a few tips on what to look for when buying a shopping cart cover for the first time.
If you don't have time to read all of this post, for people with one child, we recommend the which is available from Amazon for . While for people like us with twins (Yay!) we recommend the which is available from Amazon for .
Why Use a Shopping Cart Cover?
Before the Coronavirus COVID-19 kicked off throughout the world, people might have thought you were slightly crazy for needing a shopping cart cover for your infant. Fast forward to now as I write this article we are in the thick of the coronavirus, it doesn't seem to far fetched after all to want a cover to help protect your infant from germs. But shopping cart covers for toddlers isn't just about protecting from germs. Some of the key uses for shopping cart covers include:
- Helps avoid germs - As the shopping cart cover attaches over the top of your shopping cart, this helps keep your child safe from any nasties that might be on the shopping cart. Especially important at the moment during the coronavirus crisis.
- Added comfort - Metal shopping carts aren't the most comfortable things out there and for this reason, shopping cart covers are great as they probably plenty of padding to create a comfortable surface for your little one.
- Positive association - Some children don't embrace sitting in a shopping cart like others. Placing a shopping cart cover on with the cover a pattern that your little one likes may persuade them to sit on the trolley.
What to Look for When Buying a Shopping Cart Cover
Buying a shopping cart cover is a relatively straight forward process but we thought we'd share a few tips to help with buying one for the first time:
Safety
Safety for your child while they are using a shopping cart cover should be your number one priority. We recommend looking for a shopping cart cover that comes with a safety harness for your child. While also including straps that securely mount to the shopping cart so the cover remains tightly secure to the shopping cart. From our experience, most covers come with a lap strap and do not come with a 3 point safety harness. These are still safe but just something to bear in mind if you're used to placing your child in a 3 point harness and using a safety belt is a relatively new concept.
Ease of use
Like anything baby related, you want something that's easy to use and not a hassle to take on and off the trolley each time you use it. For this reason, we recommend looking for a shopping cart cover that's easy to install on the shopping cart while also being easy to fold down for when it's not in use.
Comfort
One of the drivers for buying a shopping cart cover is the comfort that it provide your little one while they are sitting in the shopping cart. For this reason, we recommend looking for a good amount of padding and isn't a cover that comes with no padding and serves just to protect your child from touching the trolley. You want something that provides a bit of padding so they're nice and comfortable!
Ability to Wash
As the cover will be sitting on shopping carts that has been by anyone and everyone, you want something that can easily be put in the wash to get rid of any nasties that you may pick up while you're out and about. For this reason, look for something that's machine washable.
Twinventions Shopping Cart Cover
What We Liked
What We Disliked
Being a twin blog, we wanted to share the best twin shopping cart cover and we're glad we did as we found a winner with the Twinventions Shopping Cart Cover.
The cover relies on a waist strap to secure your twins on the cover while it's in use. While installing the cover to your shopping cart is easy thanks to its simple one strap design which is similar to other shopping cart covers we reviewed.
Like other shopping cart covers we reviewed, the Twinventions Cover works on both shopping carts and high chairs which is great if you're travelling.
While from a portability perspective, the Twinventions Shopping Cart Cover folds down nicely into a bag. Another plus is the fact the cover also works with Costco shopping carts which we noticed a lot of covers don't.
One slight downside to the Twinventions Shopping Cart Cover is that it doesn't come with a pouch to store things like a pacifier or your phone like other shopping cart covers include. This might be due to being designed to hold two children so removing the pouch was the compromise. Who knows.
Looking to Buy?
Munchkin Brica GoShop Baby Shopping Cart Cover
What We Liked
What We Disliked
Similar to other shopping cart covers we reviewed, the Munchkin Brica GoShop Baby Shopping Cart Cover is capable of fitting both shopping carts and high chairs. Perfect if you're travelling!
The design of the Munchkin Brica GoShop Baby Shopping Cart Cover is a little different to other shopping cart covers we reviewed. One noticeable difference is the phone pouch which comes with a clear cover meaning you're able to see incoming calls or messages while the phone is safe in the pouch.
While other differences we noted include a slightly different mounting system to mount the cover to the shopping cart. Most covers we reviewed use a strap however the Munchkin Brica uses more of a universal locking system rather than a strap. Personally, we prefer using a strap as you can tighten the cover down nicely to the shopping cart but this works just as well!
Similar to other covers we reviewed, this shopping cart cover is easy to carry thanks to it folding down into a nice small size. We thought it was a bit more difficult than others due to the pockets being quite bulky but it still folds down well.
One slight negative about this shopping cart cover is that your child will be able to touch your phone's screen if you decide to put your phone in the phone pouch. This basically means they'll be able to open apps and the like which may or may not be frustrating for you.
Looking to Buy?
Lumiere Baby Shopping Cart Cover
What We Liked
What We Disliked
The Lumiere Baby Cart Cover is another great looking design thanks to its strong black and white stripes with nice faux-leather strap details. We thought the logo was a bit too much but you might be fine with that.
We really liked that the Lumiere shopping cart cover comes with a nice little pouch for storing your phone, pacifiers and other odds and ends while your child is using the Lumiere cover.
Rather than relying on a 'hold in' mechanism to fold the cover away, the Lumiere cover relies on being rolled and then slipped into a cover. From our experience this works great and make storing the cover away a breeze.
While the Lumiere Baby Shopping Cart Cover is easy to attach to any shopping cart thanks to its hook and loop fasteners which uses 3 elastic bands to easily attach to the cart while ensuring a tight fit. This is slightly different to some of the other covers we reviewed with Lumiere saying this is safer than other brands which rely on a single strap.
Amidst the positives about the Lumiere Baby Shopping Cart Cover is a few small negatives we wanted to touch on. These include the cover not being compatible with Costco shopping carts while the safety harness uses just a lap belt and doesn't come with shoulder straps. Some buyers found the cover to be quite slippery for your child but we didn't experience this as much. Maybe they have squirmy kids?
Looking to Buy?
Murphyfine Shopping Cart Cover
What We Liked
What We Disliked
The Murphyfine Shopping Cart Cover is a great option for anyone looking for a safe shopping cart cover. The cover uses one strap to mount to the shopping cart while having a safety harness to ensure your little one is safe at all times.
In terms of design, the Murphyfine Shopping Cart Cover comes in one colour which is best described a a black and white chevron pattern. It's easy going on the eye and inoffensive.
While from a portability perspective, the Murphyfine Shopping Cart Cover folds down nicely and fits in your handbag or carry bag without getting in the way.
One slight negative about the Murphyfine shopping cart cover is the fact that it has a tendency of sliding around if not securely strapped down. We recommend giving it a good pull to ensure it's nice and tight!
Looking to Buy?
Skip Hop Shopping Cart and Baby High Chair Cover
What We Liked
What We Disliked
Rounding out our article on the best shopping cart covers is the Skip Hop Shopping Cart and Baby High Chair Cover. This was our preferred option from the shopping cart covers we reviewed. Let's look at why...
One of the things we really liked about the Skip Hop Cover was the nice stylish looking design. The Skip Hop comes in two different seat options of triangles and grey feather. Both use minimalist designs while looking great.
In terms of attaching the Skip Hop to the shopping art, the Skip Hop uses one strap for attaching. Once the cover is attached, your child is secured with a safety strap for helping keep them safe and sound.
While the Skip Hop Shopping Cart Cover is easy to carry around thanks to coming with a small carry case for carrying the bag when it's not in use.
There were two minor issues we had with the Skip Hop Shopping Cover we wanted to note. Firstly, when using the cover in a high chair, the cover has a tendency of moving around a fair bit while your child is in the high chair. This can result in them slipping around. While secondly, the front of the cover isn't padded. Basically this means if your child leans forward and touches the front of the cover, there isn't any padding.
Looking to Buy?
Affiliate Disclosure – This post may contain affiliate links where we may receive compensation if you purchase products linked below. As an Amazon Associate, I can earn from qualifying purchases. This doesn’t cost you anything and helps keep our little blog running. Read our privacy policy for further information.
Affiliate Disclosure – This post may contain affiliate links where we may receive compensation if you purchase products linked below. As an Amazon Associate, I can earn from qualifying purchases. This doesn’t cost you anything and helps keep our little blog running. Read our privacy policy for further information.
My name’s Alex and I’m a husband, dad to beautiful identical twin boys, cyclist, photographer and connoisseur of great coffee!
Help I’m Having Twins has been created for me to share what I found useful as a new parent and dad to twins.
