In this post, I am going to discuss the best cheap car seats for newborns. This should help you in making the right choice regardless of your small budget.
As a new parent, keeping your newborn safe is your top priority, especially when you’re on the move. One of the most essential pieces of equipment for your baby’s safety in the car seat. However, they often come with a hefty price tag, leaving many parents wondering if there are any affordable options that still provide the necessary safety features.
Luckily, there are some excellent ones on the market that offer both affordability and safety as I will discuss in the next part of this article.
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Top 5 cheap car seats for newborns
We have spent a good number of hours evaluating cheap car seats in search of the ideal blend of safety, comfort, functionality, adaptability, and pricing.
The good news for you is that we found plenty of options and picked only five that stood out to offer all-round features that are essential for a good baby car seat. Among our picks are cheap car seat for under $110.
Of course, we do not compromise on safety features and quality. So, here are our 5 picks:
1. THE SNUGRIDE SNUGLOCK 3(Cheap car seats for newborns)
The Snug Ride Snug Lock 35 Elite Infant Car Seat is a highly innovative product that stands out in the market for its top-of-the-line safety features and hassle-free installation. Parents can have peace of mind knowing that their infants are safe and secure while traveling.
The installation process is straightforward and can be completed in just three easy steps. The In Right Latch provides a quick and secure one-second connection, and the base’s 4-position recline and level indicator make the installation process even easier.
Whether using the Latch or the vehicle seat belt, parents can feel confident that their child’s car seat is installed correctly.
The Simply Safe Adjust Harness System is another outstanding feature of the Snug Ride Snug Lock 35 Elite. It allows parents to adjust the harness and headrest height simultaneously, ensuring their child’s comfort and safety.
The Snug Ride Snug Lock 35 Elite also has an innovative Safety Core designed to absorb crash forces in the event of a frontal collision. This feature enhances the car seat’s safety, making it an excellent choice for parents concerned about their child’s well-being.
In addition, the Rapid Remove seat cover makes cleaning a breeze, saving busy parents time and hassle. The Click Connect technology allows for easy attachment to all Graco Click Connect strollers, providing a custom travel system that suits any lifestyle.
The Snug Ride Snug Lock 35 Elite Infant Car Seat is suitable for infants weighing between 4-35 lb and up to 32″. It’s an ideal choice for parents looking for a car seat that combines ease of use, hassle-free installation, and top-of-the-line safety features.
Overall, the Snug Ride Snug Lock 35 Elite Infant Car Seat is a game-changer in the world of infant car seats, providing parents with peace of mind and ensuring their child’s safety on the road.
2. INFANT CAR SEAT LITEMAX 35
Evenflo LiteMax 35 Infant Car Seat is a suitable option that offers security and convenience.
Evenflo, with its more than a century of experience in designing child-safety systems, created the LiteMax 35, which is a lightweight, sturdy, and user-friendly infant carrier that can accommodate babies from 4 to 35 pounds and up to 32 inches tall. This rear-facing car seat is ideal for newborns and infants to guarantee their comfort and security during car rides.
The Evenflo LiteMax 35 Infant Car Seat comes with a stay-in-car convenience base, which is one of its main features. This feature makes it easy for parents or other caregivers to move newborns and infants around.
The car seat has four reclining options, allowing parents to modify the angle of the car seat to optimize their child’s comfort. This feature is especially useful on long journeys, as it allows babies to sleep more comfortably.
The buckle pockets are another handy feature of the car seat. These pockets store the buckle tongues away for better loading and unloading, which is a significant time-saver when you’re on the go.
The full-coverage canopy provides protection from the sun and other weather elements, while the machine-washable pads make cleaning after spills or accidents easier.
The Evenflo LiteMax 35 Infant Car Seat also includes removable head and body pillows to keep your baby comfortable. These pillows provide extra support for the baby’s head and body, ensuring they are in the correct position and minimizing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Safety is the most important consideration for a child car seat. The Evenflo LiteMax 35 Infant Car Seat has undergone testing twice the federal crash test standard, giving parents the assurance that their child is secure in the event of an accident.
The car seat is composed of high-quality materials and has been assembled to precision-manufacturing standards, ensuring its durability and reliability.
Evenflo LiteMax 35 Infant Car Seat is a reliable, convenient, and safe option for parents in search of a car seat for their newborn or infant. With its lightweight design, user-friendly features, and high safety standards, it is a product that parents can rely on to keep their child secure and comfortable during car journeys.
3. SAFETY FIRST ONBOARD 35 LT INFANT CAR SEAT
The Safety 1st Onboard 35 LT Infant Car Seat is an ideal car seat for parents who want to ensure the safety and comfort of their little ones while traveling.
It is designed with outstanding safety features and a lightweight construction that guarantees your child’s safety and comfort while providing peace of mind.
This car seat is equipped with a Latch system that allows it to fit infants weighing between 4 and 35 pounds in a rear-facing position, which means it is suitable for newborns up to infants who are about one year old. The car seat’s lightweight design makes it convenient to carry around, especially when you’re on the go.
In terms of safety, this infant car seat has side-impact protection to safeguard your baby in case of an accident. It also comes with head and body inserts that provide extra comfort and support for your newborn.
You can adjust the fit of the car seat using the four harness heights to ensure that your child is fastened securely in the seat.
The car seat is also easy to clean, as the seat pad is removable and machine washable. This feature allows you to maintain the car seat’s hygiene and cleanliness, ensuring that your child is always seated in a safe and clean environment.
If you are looking for an infant car seat that prioritizes safety and comfort, the Safety 1st Onboard 35 LT Infant Car Seat is an excellent option.
With its lightweight design, side-impact protection, compatibility with QuickClick-equipped strollers, and adherence to safety standards, this car seat is built to offer maximum safety and convenience for both parents and babies.
4. BABY TREND FLEX LOC INFANT CAR SEAT
The Baby Trend EZ Flex-Loc infant car seat has been meticulously designed to ensure maximum safety and ease of installation. It has been rated the top infant car seat for its awesome features.
One crucial component of any infant car seat is its safety harness. The Baby Trend EZ Flex-Loc infant car seat comes with a 5-point safety harness that guarantees your child’s security and comfort during every ride.
The harness can be easily adjusted with one hand, simplifying the process of getting your child in and out of the car seat. Furthermore, the push-button release allows for quick and effortless removal of the harness when it is time to take your child out of the car.
The EPS energy-absorbing foam is another key safety feature of the Baby Trend EZ Flex-Loc infant car seat. This foam offers exceptional side impact head protection for your child in case of an accident. You can be confident that your child is secure and protected while traveling in this car seat.
Additionally, the car seat comes with a smooth carry handle that is gentle on your arms, making it convenient and comfortable to carry your infant in and out of your car.
The car seat comes with an EZ Flex Loc base that features an exclusive flex-lock latch system and standard 4-position push button height adjustment with a level indicator. These features simplify the process of securely installing the car seat in your vehicle, ensuring your child’s safety and your peace of mind.
The Baby Trend EZ Flex-Loc infant car seat is suitable for infants weighing between 5-30 pounds (2.2 and 13.6kg) and up to 30″ (76.2cm) in height, meaning you can use it for a long time as your child grows.
Minor issues
However, there were a few minor issues that irritated us during our tests. When we attempted to belt in the infant, we discovered the shoulder straps to be a little fragile, causing them to twist around.
The installation was simple enough. However, there were no belt lock-offs and the reclining was restricted, which was problematic for babies.
The handlebar was also difficult to adjust; we had to press the buttons fairly hard to get it to come loose, and then we had to push pretty hard to move it back or forth (that was one of the most frustrating aspects of this seat).
The weight range isn’t tremendous, though, with 5 to 30 pounds supported. In terms of weight, it seemed a little heavier than the majority of the other selections on our list.
Finally, the crotch buckle proved to be really difficult to work out and problematic at times. We eventually found out how to do it with one hand after a few tries, which was amazing, but it took a long time to perfect.
5. NURTURE INFANT CAR SEAT
When it comes to car seats, Evenflo is a well-known and trusted brand that has been around for many years. Their newest addition, the Nurture infant car seat, is a great example of their commitment to safety and quality.
It is designed for rear-facing usage, which is recommended for infants up to 2 years old, the Nurture car seat provides the best protection for your baby’s head, neck, and spine in case of a crash. It can be used with or without a base, making it easy to transfer from home to car, which is particularly useful for busy parents.
One of the standout features of the Nurture car seat is its comfortable, mom-friendly handle. Its ergonomic design makes it easy to carry the car seat for extended periods, which is especially important for new moms who may still be recovering from childbirth.
The Nurture car seat also comes with a pivoting shade canopy, which provides extra protection from the sun and other elements while your baby is in the car seat. The canopy can be adjusted to provide the right amount of coverage, and it can be easily removed for cleaning.
Another convenient feature of the Nurture car seat is its machine-washable pad, which makes cleaning up spills and accidents a breeze. This is especially helpful for parents dealing with the challenges of early parenthood.
The Nurture car seat features a 5-point harness system to keep your baby securely strapped in, and the harness and buckle positions can be adjusted as your baby grows to ensure a proper fit.
For information related to head support Click to check on our previous post.
Selecting the Best Cheap Infant Car Seat
After reviewing the features of the five baby car seats mentioned in the article, it is difficult to recommend a specific one without knowing the individual needs and preferences of the parent.
However, based on the features mentioned, the Graco Snug Ride Snug Lock 35 Elite Infant Car Seat and the Evenflo LiteMax 35 Infant Car Seat stand out as good options.
The Graco Snug Ride Snug Lock 35 Elite Infant Car Seat has top-of-the-line safety features such as the Safety Core designed to absorb crash forces in the event of a frontal collision.
It also has a Simply Safe Adjust Harness System that allows for simultaneous adjustment of the harness and headrest height for a child’s comfort and safety. Its installation process is easy and straightforward, and it is compatible with all Graco Click Connect strollers.
The Evenflo LiteMax 35 Infant Car Seat is lightweight and user-friendly. This makes it convenient for parents to move their babies around. It also has a stay-in-car convenience base with a one-step vehicle belt lock-off that ensures quick and secure installation.
Its four reclining options allow for modification of the angle of the car seat to optimize the baby’s comfort. It has undergone testing twice the federal crash test standard, ensuring its safety and reliability.
In conclusion, both car seats have unique features that make them stand out if you were to choose between the two.
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