The Cosco NEXT Convertible car seat is light, priced right and compact

Having a baby means a whole new department of product education. One of the biggest entries in that category are car seats. We were offered the chance to review the Cosco NEXT Convertible Car Seat.  Baby car seats run the gamut with bells, whistles and colors, but at the end of the day all you, as the parent want is for it to be safe, just in case an accident happens.

The Cosco NEXT Convertible Car Seat is a basic level car seat.  All it does is provide a safe place for kids 5 to 40 pounds to sit.  It meets or exceeds the Federal Safety Standards (NHTSA)and  has a compact design that is TSA friendly for when you need to take it on the airplane.

I say ‘basic’ to also mean that it doesn’t have a cup holder, arm rests or additional cushioning that you’ll find on other baby car seats. Baby car seats that have those amenities cost more. That additional cost will certainly vary, but we’re five years into car seats and here is the dirty little secret about the add-ons.  The children don’t use them. The armrests just get in the way, get kicked down when the kids climb in the car and the cup holders were either broken or put in the garage somewhere.

Because the Cosco NEXT Convertible Car Seat doesn’t have that stuff it’s lighter and takes up less space. The safety is still the same.  The cushion is just as simple to clean.  However, it’s more affordable and three car seats will fit in the back seat of a normal sized car.  That may not seem like a big deal, but it’s huge when you factor in that you might be picking up friends for a play date and need to get three little people in your back seat.

The anchor that slips in the middle of seat is simple to move back and forth. There is also plenty of space in the back of the seat where you run the seat belt through to lock it into place. We’ve put in some other car seats that were tight and much more difficult to lock down that way.

It comes in nine colors and costs $69, but you can find it online for $44 if you extend some effort.  Bottom line: don’t think that because this is more affordable than any other baby seat you’re settling for cheap quality.  The Cosco car seat meets all the safety regulations and its slightly more compact size is something that you’ll cherish when the children are three years old.  Factor in that you can also put three of these car seats in most vehicles and you’ve got ample reasons to save money and thank your future self.