what is the best car seat brands i don't have alot of money but i want a good car seat??

Question

i used a evenflo travel system with my now 6yr old because i received it as a gift but i wanna compare between evenflo, graco, and cosco because i wanna buy it myself but i don't know which brand is the better brand for the money??

Answer 1

I got Safety 1st. I like the car seat, and it is very comfortable for my daughter. I thought it was a good price for the product.

Answer 2

What type of seat are you looking for? Between those three, there is no "best" brand, but Cosco (also branded as dorel, sfety 1st, and eddie bauer) generall has much harder to use and overpriced seats that don't last long.

For an infant seat, a bare bones Graco SnugRide should do good for you. If you have a little more, you might want to look at the Baby Trend Flex Loc or the Graco SafeSeat1. The SafeSeat 1 is extremely easy to install and use, and will last most children past one year and some kids to two years in it. It is an infant seat, but you don't always have to remove it from the car. It's handy when the baby is smaller, but this seat will last so long that is doesn't seem like a waste of money. Evenflo and Cosco do not really make good infant seats.

For a convertible seat (rear facing and forward facing) I would steer clear of anything made by Graco or Evenflo, as they can only rear face to 30 pounds and have very low top slots. Rear facing is far safer than forward facing and children can safely and comfortably rear face for several years if their seat allows it. Graco and Evenflo do not. They also have very low top slots which means kids outgrow them by height very early. My son was too tall rear facing and forward facing for ALL Evenflo and Graco convertibles before he was a year old (Evenflo Triumph he still has some FF height left, but not RF height). Remember a child is too tall forward facing when their shoulders are over the top harness slots.
For a convertible seat, your best options are with the Cosco/Safety 1st brands. The Cosco Scenera at only $50 is a good bare bones seat. There is no padding, but most kids don't mind. It will last the average child until about 3 years old rear facing and 3.5-4 forward facing. The Safety 1st Uptown is $100 and is far nicer than the Scenera. It is very well padded, a nice cover, and has EPP foam for head protection. It will last a little longer forward facing than the Scenera because the harness is one inch taller (most kids outgrow seats by height, not weight).

For a combination seat (forward facing harness and then booster) you have four okay options. The Graco Cargo is nice as a harnessed seat to 40 pounds, but pretty bad as a booster. The same goes for the Evenflo Chase/Traditions. The Evenflo Bolero/Generations is nice as a harnessed seat (to forty pounds) and very nice as a booster as well. Another option is the Cosco/Safety 1st Apex, which will harness to 65 pounds max and then can be used as a decent booster. You need high head rests for this seat, though.

For a booster, Graco is your best bet of those three. Cosco/Safety 1st/Eddie Bauer does not make a single booster seat worth noting. Evenflo's booster seats (the Big Kid and the Big Kid Confidence) are fine seats, with open belt guides. The Graco TurboBooster, however, is still a better bet. It has nice side wings with EPS foam for side protection, open belt guides, and is easy to adjust and use. It can be found for about $50 (though "deluxe" models cost more for more padding and nicer fabrics)

All seats on the market meet the same minimum standards. Some have more safety features than others, but the most important part is that it is correctly installed and used every time. The most expensive car seat on the market won't save your child if you don't use it right.

The best car seat
Fits your car
Fits your child
Will be used correctly EVERY TIME

To recap, if you are looking to spend the least amount possible, I would pick

Infant- Graco SafeSeat1 ($100-120) or Graco SnugRide 2 ($60-130)

Convertible- Cosco Scenera ($50) or Safety 1st Uptown ($100)

Combination- Evenflo Bolero ($80) if using it as a booster is important. If not, any non cosco/safety 1st/eddie bauer (except Apex) is fine.

Booster- Graco TurboBooster ($50-100)

As a rule, any seats that are marketed as a "3 in 1" should be avoided. They are typically "jack of all trades, master of none" are are not particularly good at any of their targeted uses.

Answer 3

For an infant seat - Graco is a good quality seat for a reasonable price. If you are looking for a convertible seat there are many options and it is difficult to make a recommendation without more information about your car, child and your family.

When shopping for an infant seat be sure that it has a FRONT harness adjuster so that you can easily tighten the straps EVERY time. Look for low bottom harness slots so your newborn will be properly protected. Test the seat in your vehicle - not ever seat fits in every vehicle. Know that if you get an infant seat that has a weight max of 22 pounds you will need to buy a convertible car seat (one that faces both forward and rear) sooner but regardless you will need to buy a convertible at some point. Babies should not go from their infant seat to forward facing - they should remain rear facing to the max of their convertible seat (good convertible seats rear face to 33-35 pounds).

Whatever seat you chose do NOT buy a used seat. No one can adequately "check over" a used seat - not even a certified tech. Car seats are a ONE TIME use item - in that if they have been in an accident they should not be used again. There can be stress to straps, cracks internally or over damage that is not visible to the naked eye. There is a chance these stresses from a previous accident would not affect the seat's function in another accident but there is no way to know and your child is NOT a crash-test dummy.

If you must buy a used seat please strictly follow the following guidelines:
Are used carseats safe to use?

If you are unable to verify that the carseat has never been involved in a crash, do not use it. Above that, you should inspect it carefully to make sure all the parts and labels are intact, and that there are no visible stress marks. You should also verify that the stickers with the manufacturer, model number and date of manufacture are legible. You must also have the owner's manual, or get a copy from the manufacturer. Finally, you need to make sure the used carseat has not been recalled (or if it has, that the appropriate corrections were made). Older seats may not meet current safety standards. Older seats may also be less convenient and more difficult to use, and may lack the latest safety features. If there is any doubt on the condition or history of a used carseat, please destroy it completely and permanently (using a saw or otherwise) and purchase a new one. -www.car-seat.org

Answer 4

I liked my Graco one. I picked it up at wal-mart for $50 or so. It's the run of the mill Graco one with the safari animals on it. And IF you have the money later there's the stroller to go with it but they are sold seperately so it's an item you can always acquire later when you have more cash.
I've provided the link to wal-mart to a winnie the pooh one for $72 because they don't have the one I do. This one can clip into a stroller as well.

Answer 5

If you want to compare the brands, go to babiesrus.com--you can compare many different brands there, read reviews on the various styles of seats and make a more educated decision that way. I would only use the website and its information as a reference; you can usually find the same styles for less at Walmart or Target.

Buying a car seat isn't just about money, unfortunately; it's also about whether or not your seat is ideal for your car's seat design. Occasionally, Babies-R-Us hosts a car-seat-check to make sure your seat fits your car properly--I think they're held by the police department or the fire department (I'm not sure on this one).

Answer 6

i offered a Fisher cost risk-free Voyage motor vehicle Seat and this seat is large. it quite is made via Britax and could carry your toddler with a 5 element harness till fifty 5 kilos. I very own a Hyundai Elantra and it extra healthful large rear dealing with in that motor vehicle. This seat is likewise very comfortable. The seat will fee you approximately $one hundred fifty.00, yet well worth each and every cent for my section. If I have been you i could stay removed from the Cosco and Eddie Bauer motor vehicle Seats. This seats are made via the comparable enterprise and are not of the perfect high quality. I owned a Cosco motor vehicle Seat and my son and that i did not like it lots.

Answer 7

I bought the Graco Snugride 2 which is anywhere from 50 to 90 dollars with the snugrider stroller which is 60. Great set, easy to use and easy to clean, set up etc. And it's number one on Consumer Reports for baby stuff. Good Luck.

Answer 8

Graco seats tend to install better, and IMO are better quality than Cosco and Evenflo.

Look for one with a 5 point harness and a front adjuster.

Beyond that, I second everything that amom has said! :-)

Answer 9

Britax is totally worth the $$ if you can manage to save up for it. They meet the same minimum safety standards of the other cheaper brands, but their safety testing goes far beyond the minimums. They started out in Europe, where the safety requirements are much higher to start with.

Answer 10

Your local AAA will have all the information you need about car seats, including how to install them! They will even put it in for you! My local AAA Club has a car seat exchange program. When my baby outgrows her carseat, I take it to AAA, and they give me the next size up for $25! You can't beat that with a stick! And, I believe it's brand new!

Call your local AAA and find out what services they can do for you. My club used to offer free car seats to needy families. They don't anymore, but maybe your local club does! Then you can save that money and buy more onsies! God knows you go through onesies like water!

Answer 11

Graco was rated one of the best in consumer reports this year.