The answer: Yes and no.
When I needed to replace my expired infant car seat because I was expecting my fourth child, I chose to forgo the big brand names and bought the least expensive new car seat I could find. I bought Baby Trend EZ Flex Loc Infant Seat from Wal-Mart. The Baby Trend car seat will work until my son reaches 22 lbs (at which time I’ll switch to a rear-facing convertible car seat).
The EZ Flex Loc Infant Seat is a fine car seat for us. The unique design of the carrying handle on my Baby Trend car seat is very comfortable and I like how the car seat can be adjusted for height without having to unthread and re-thread the straps through the seat. As my baby grows, a simple turn of a dial on the back of the car seat moves the straps up so they are properly positioned for his height.
With that said, here are some complaints that I’ve heard about inexpensive car seats that I find to be true:
The straps tend to twist and may require a bit more strength to properly tighten or adjust (please take the time and energy to do this right if you choose an inexpensive car seat).
Inexpensive car seats tend to be bulkier and take up more space than pricier options.
They don’t tend to have additional safety features like side air bags.
So, is it worth it to buy an expensive car seat? Yes.
According to the people I’ve asked and blog posts I’ve read, pricier car seats are easier to use properly. Also, some more expensive infant car seats now accommodate babies and toddlers who weigh up to 35 lbs.
Are you endangering your child if you choose a less expensive option? No.
As long as you purchase a car seat that bears the Canadian National Safety Mark and use it properly, you are still making a safe choice for your child.
As for me, I’m still debating whether to choose bells-and-whistles or basic when it comes to upgrading my son to a convertible seat in a few months’ time.
Tell us: What brand(s) of car seats do you own? Why did you choose this brand?
Disclosure: This review is unsponsored.
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