Our Engineering Lab rated 28 high chairs on how easy they are to use, store, and clean and how well they stand up to wear and tear — and these winners came out on top.How We Tested: First we made sure chairs complied with national safety standards. Then we compared assembly time, design, seat comfort, and more. We dropped trays at least three times, and stains like pasta sauce sat for two hours before cleaning. Monopoly Just Got Rid of the Thimble Britax Recalls 700,000+ Faulty Strollers After Infant Injury Reports Children's Items & Toys Meet Riley, the Ridiculously Cute New Gerber Baby BabyBjorn Bouncer Balance Soft The Best Toys to Buy Your Kids Toys R Us Recalls Tonka Truck After It Goes on Fire and Explodes The 10 Most Dangerous Toys of 2016 Have Been RevealedIn the past, you only needed to think about buying a high chair when your baby was sitting up and ready to eat independently. Not so now, with many of them suitable from birth (doubling up as rockers, for instance).
What’s more, with more choice of high chairs than ever, you’ll need to start thinking as early as possible about what kind of features you want. Your first consideration is space. Some high chairs look fabulous and do everything they should, but are huge. This might not matter if it can be stored away, though, so also be sure to check how easy the chair is to fold and how compact it is when folded. The chair should have a wide base and feel stable, and if it doesn’t have a harness, make sure there’s something else about the design that will keep your child secure. Do you want a multi-function high chair, which converts into a separate low chair and table when your baby is a toddler, or one that can be used well into primary school and beyond? Check how well padded it is too. Does the seat recline? Are there adjustable seat highlights and adjustable foot rest? How easy is it to clean? Can you get kids in and out simply? You’ll also want to think about style – do you want something bright and colourful or wooden?
1. Cosatto Noodle Supa: £110, Cosatto Cosatto makes practical and durable baby products that don’t compromise on fun. This high chair has six heights, three recline positions, a removable double tray (great for messy mealtimes, when you can just lift one up and leave a clean one underneath) and it comes in vibrant patterns, including this egg and spoon one. It’s comfy, is easy to use and fold, and a doddle to clean. Six months to three years. 2. OXO Tot Sprout: £204.95, John Lewis This stylish, compact and practical high chair is extremely robust and long-lasting, as well as being as ergonomic and easy to clean. Up until three-years-old, you use it as a high chair, then the seat comes down to the lowest of its three settings and various bits are removed and replaced with a new seat pad (which is included) – so this will keep them going until they’re five. It doesn’t fold down, however. Various colour options available. 3. BabyBjörn High Chair: £189.99, BabyBjörn
This brand is better known for its baby carriers, but it actually makes a whole range of baby products, including bouncers and travel cots. Its high chair – which is suitable for children aged from six months to three years old – has a space-age look, is really lightweight, folds up compactly and is a cinch to clean. We also like the way the tray drops down, meaning children don’t have to be raised high above the chair to be put in and taken out. Some parents won’t like the lack of harness though and it’s not height adjustable. 4. Graco Duo Diner: £101.98, Amazon Suitable for babies up to three-year-olds, this can be used as a standard high chair or a booster seat for when you’re travelling. It’s comfy, with lots of padding and a secure fit, while the large, double-layer tray fits snugly against your baby, which is great for saving their clothes from spilt food. It’s got three reclined positions and four height positions. On the downside, the wheels aren’t lockable and it’s quite heavy.
5. Stokke Tripp Trapp: £169, Stokke This multi-award winning high chair suits babies right up to teenagers, thanks to the 13 different heights and adjustable, removable footrest. Made from durable beechwood, it allows little ones to join you at the table as there is no built-in tray. We love the new colours, including pink, yellow and grey, and although it doesn’t fold away, why would you want to put it away? Accessories (including safety rail, harness and cushion) cost extra. 6. Nuna Zaaz: £180, Nuna This looks great and is robust, well-made and extremely stable – a good investment if you think you might have a succession of little ones. Suitable from six months upwards, it is available in cream, red or green and comes with a harness (starts with five-point for babies and switches to three-point as your child grows). It adjusts really smoothly and is easy to clean up, not least because the parts are dishwasher safe. 7. Mamas & Papas Baby Bud: £58, Mamas & Papas
This is just the thing for wriggly babies and weaning toddlers. You can start using it around three months and it comes with a play tray that you fit over the feeding tray, with toys aimed at difficult stages of development (or you can buy it without the play tray for £39). It’s also easy to put together, stylish, durable, comfy, good value and wipe-clean. It’s transportable too – great for weekends away. On the downside, it can’t be strapped to a chair. Three months to three years. 8. Mima High Moon: £385, Cheeky Rascals If you don’t want to ruin the clean lines of your kitchen with a cumbersome, unsightly high chair, then feast your eyes on this stunner. It triples up as a newborn lounger and junior chair – just as well, given the steep price-tag. The padded five-point harness keeps small babies safely off the floor and you just add the tray and height when they’re ready to join you at the table. Then you just add the seat pad (available in eight colours) to make it into a chair for younger children.
It’s easy to operate and clean and extremely comfy. Newborn to eight years. 9. Chicco Polly Progress: £195, Chicco Here’s another stylish high chair that grows with your child. Newborns can sit in the deep padded seat, then later use it as a traditional high chair with or without the tray, and finally it can convert to a compact booster seat that sits on an existing chair. There are eight different heights, four reclining positions and the adjustable leg rest is great too. We found it easy to assemble and store. 10. Ikea Antilop: £13, Ikea This no-nonsense high chair is brilliant for short meals or occasional use for babies and toddlers. It’s quick and simple to assemble and although it’s basic, it does its job well, with the simple design making it easy to clean and to transport. Don’t expect padded comfort or even a footrest, but it’s an absolute bargain for under £15 and an optional tray is available. 11. Mothercare Fruit Salad Highchair: £25, Mothercare
This well-padded, wipe clean high chair has a footrest and five-point harness system – all for a bargain price. It is very quick and easy to put together and is suitable from six months to three years. The design is bold and colourful, and it folds flat for easy storage, although it is still quite large even then, so you’ll need a decent amount of storage space. 12. Moodelli Growi Baby High Chair: £219, Bebemoda This unusual-looking wooden high chair has been designed to reach different table and bar heights and to grow with your child. If you buy extra kits, you can also turn it into a rocker or low child’s chair. We found the footrest, leg guard and tray easily detachable, which made the converting process quick and easy, although you will have to invest a bit of time putting it together in the first place. Suitable from six months to eight years and the harness is included. The Cosatto Noodle Supa is an amazing high chair, ticking every box, although if you have more money to spend, the OXO Tot Sprout is excellent.