by Joyce Slaton posted in Products & Prizes

There are times when you can spend hundreds of dollars on the newest and grooviest baby gear, and times when value is more important to you. Maybe you're broke. Maybe you need a second car seat for traveling, Grandma's, or carpools. Whatever your reason, when you go looking for car seat bargains, there's one thing you should know: every single car seat, no matter how cheap, has passed the same set of safety standards. It it's for sale at a reputable store, it's safe to use.
What you basically give up when you pay less for a car seat are bells and whistles: more padding, buckles that function more smoothly, seats that are easier to adjust as your child grows. But make no mistake, the seat is safe to use, and some are even easy. Here are 10 of our favorite sub-$100 car seats, arranged from low-to-high prices

1. Cosco Scenera Next: Beloved by safety advocates who point to this seat to show there are fine car seats at almost any price point, the Next is incredibly light -- under 8 pounds -- which leads many parents to bring it on trips. This seat's only downside is the forward-facing weight limit, which tops out at 40 pounds (as does the rear-facing weight limit). That's not particularly impressive when many seats handle kids forward-facing until 65 pounds, but it may be plenty for you if your child's on the smaller side. (Walmart, $45.40)

2. Evenflo Tribute LX: This solid seat is light and narrow, so it's easy to haul around, a...