Budget infant car seat for occasional use

[Okigen]

Hi, does anyone have a recommendation for a budget infant car seat for very occasional use? We live in Central London with GP and community midwife very nearby and don’t have a car, so I imagine we will only use the car seat to take baby home, take him to hospital if required, and take him on taxi to grandparents sometimes (they will more likely to visit).

Thank you so much in advance

How much is budget to you?

I would buy a car seat with no base. Seatbelt installation is really easy and then you don't need to lug around a heavy base too.

The real problems start when they grow out of the infant seat. Todder carseats are much more bulky to haul around.

Halfords have Jovikids Aria for £60, I think that's probably the cheapest infant carrier around currently. It is up to 87cm so could last you up to about 18 months or possibly longer, depending on the size of the seat. If their head still fits inside the shell, it's OK to keep using it regardless of age. It's compatible with most pushchairs by the look of it as well.

Oh or they have Joie i-Juva for £50 - but I think the Jovikids is worth the extra £10 for the pushchair compatibility and larger height limit. IME, as a non driver the pushchair compatibility is really helpful.

If you don't drive and only travel rarely in cars, it makes sense to have an infant carrier which is as long lasting as possible IMO, because the most portable seats for the next stage are forward facing, but it's much safer to keep children rear facing as long as possible/practical. So if you can get an infant carrier you can keep using for a long time and works with your buggy, sometimes you can stretch the use of this out until your DC is over 2 or so before you have to ever sit them forward facing and then you can still make use of the folding seats which are out now.

BTW - avoid the Argos Cuggl seat which is majorly discounted as I believe it was part of a recall. The Cuggl seats tend to not be especially well designed in any case and tricky to use as a result.

@BertieBotts thank you I’ll look into the Jovikids. £60 is the range we aim for, we don’t think we will use it that much at all!

https://www.kiddies-kingdom.com/birth-15m/54950-britax-romer-baby-safe-core-group-0-car-seat-space-black.html?_gl=11c3rjf6_upMQ.._gaMTMxNzcyMzI3OS4xNzkzMjI0MTY5_ga_J3PH0E7W9HczE3OTMyMjQxNjgkbzEkZzEkdDE3OTMyMjQxNzMkajU1JGwwJGgxNDU2Nzk1NzI1_ga_8ZH5SHR4N8*czE3OTMyMjQxNjgkbzEkZzEkdDE3OTMyMjQxNzMkajU1JGwwJGgw

£50, installs with a seatbelt. Idk why the link is so long, sorry!

We went for the joie I-juva one and liked it. We needed it for the same reasons as you, also in Central London. Didn’t think about pushchair compatibility though as I babywore DD until she could sit in a folding stroller. Our tiny flat at the time didn’t have room for a bassinet!

We use public transport everywhere in our day to day lives so haven’t needed the car seat since she was born (we are within walking distance or 5 mins on a bus from an A&E though I guess which is an important consideration). I left it at my parents to use in their car when we visit, and they then kindly bought a larger size seat for her and kept it there.

You can also just use a pram in the back of a black cab to get home from the hospital etc.

Oh this is brilliant for £50! I would prefer Britax over Jovikids, and it also has the 87cm height limit and the pram compatability. IME Britax also tend to be designed very well for seatbelt fitting. Good find.

@Nonplus thank you! It looks like a bargain. We wouldn’t get it at full price but at £50 it meets our budget and looks really sturdy too! We have ordered it!