I get this question a lot - I am having a new baby and I don’t want to spend a ton of money on an infant seat, but I need a new one… what are my options.
The key when buying an infant seat is understanding how long you think you’ll use it, and how you’ll use it.
Most infant seats go up to 22lbs for a weight limit. This generally means less then a year of use in the seat. At that point, the baby requires a convertible carseat that rear faces but has a higher weight/height limit.
One thing parents don’t realize is that height is just as important as weight. But it’s not necessarily the childs overall height - you want to make sure your baby has at least 1″ of room between the top of their head and the top of the shell of the carseat (not the fabric - press the fabric down to see the true room left).
Some infant seats now go up to 30lbs and have a taller seat back allowing the average child to use the seat over a year. Most parents don’t realize that you should keep your baby rear facing well past the age of 1. Rear facing is best - and babies don’t outgrow a rear facing seat by their legs. The AAP, Safekids, and NHTSA all recommend rear facing to the limit of your seat - which can mean a 2-3 year old can still rear face. I’ll go into this more in another post - but for now - keep that in mind.
I’d say the most important feature in an infant seat is a front adjuster. The really cheap infant seats must be adjusted in the back of the seat - and this is a huge PITA. Generally the straps are never as tight as they should be while buckled and they are a huge pain to get over the babies shoulders when properly tight.
I find most babies prefer convertible rear facing carseats once they are a little older - so while the 30 lbs seats are a good idea, I think most people don’t get the full use out of them. There are exceptions to this - if you live in a city - get a 30lb seat if you ever travel by cab. This way you have an easy way to transport the baby through almost their 2nd year in life without trying to figure out how to use a convertible carseat in a cab.
One thing to note about “sale” carseats - these are generally seats that are no longer current models. This usually isn’t an issue - but besides the general updates by the manufacturer, you need to realize that a carseat does expire from the date it was manufactured… not the date you buy it. The only reason this would matter is if you are buying an infant seat with the intent on using it for the next 5 years with future children.
So “cheap” seats that I would recommend are:
Graco Snugride - the base model with the strap - see that strap coming off the front of the carseat - that’s the front adjuster. Graco does make a model below this without the strap… so when looking online, that’s definitelysomething to look for. Generally- you can find this seat for around$99. They come in a variety of colors - can you find them on Graco’swebsite. This is probably the most compatible carseat to strollers out there - in general, if a stroller has a carseat adapter, one will be a graco adapter.
Baby Trend Latch Loc / Flex Loc - this seat always gets great reviews - there are two models - one with a rigid latch and one with a flexible latch (which is the more common latch connector). The rigid latch basically you just click the whole base in one push vs. attaching one strap, attaching another, and pulling tight. These seats are anywhere from $79 - 100. They all have front adjusters and a funky handle that you either grow to love or hate!
Rigid Loc:
Flex Loc:
Compass Light & Portable - I used this seat with my second son. I was very impressed with the quality. It was very plush and depending on the color it is between $79 and $120. It is being replaced by the Via infant seat - which looks to just be a change in the handle and fabric… but not sure on the price point for the new updated seat.
The one “negative” with this seat is that you MUST always use it with the base. You cannot use this seat with the seatbelt only like all the other seats in this posting. If you have to use this carseat in multiple cars, you will either need to purchase two bases, or move the base each time you want to change cars. Sort of a pain. But if you plan on using only one car with baby… then it’s not a big deal.
If you are looking for a cheaper 30lb weight limit seat (the three on the market include: Peg Perego SIP 30/30, Chicco Keyfit 30 and the Graco Safeseat), Albeebaby.com has the graco safeseat for $99. I’m sure it’s a 2007 or 2006 color - so buy it knowing you’ll be shorted years… but still a good value.
Now - just one warning on seats to avoid - don’t touch an Evenflo Infant seats. They have had more recalls in the last 7 years or so - until they do a serious redesign on their seats, don’t touch them.
Stay tuned!
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