Do you find yourself googling what’s the best high chair available in 2022? Or, when can my baby sit in a high chair? What’s the best newborn high chair? What’s the best high chair for toddlers? What about easy-to-clean high chairs, reclinable high chairs or foldable high chairs?
There are so many options, styles and sizes out there that shopping for a high chair can be overwhelming. But there are only three essentials you really need. A good high chair should be safe, simple to use and easy to clean.
Here’s the PishPosh Baby Highchair Buying Guide: how to pick a high chair that will work for you, your baby and your home.
When Do I Need A High Chair?
Most high chairs are suitable from six months, which is roughly when your baby is able to sit up on their own and starts weaning. Be led by your child, and make sure they’re ready, there’s no rush.
There are also reclinable newborn high chairs that are safe to use from birth, which are ideal if you’re bottle feeding or have other children to keep an eye on. Reclinable options are not recommended when your child starts eating solid foods, however, as this could create a choking hazard.
What Should I Look For And Consider When Buying A High Chair?
Do You Need A Space-Saver High Chair?
If your kitchen is compact, you’ll want a high chair with a small footprint or one that folds easily. Or, you might want a high chair that easily stows away to keep at the grandparents’.
If you like the foldable high chair, consider where you’re going to store it. If it’s staying in the kitchen, you’ll need one that can stand up by itself. The problem with it leaning on a wall is that it could be pulled over by your little explorer.
Another consideration with foldable high chairs is that you may need to remove the feeding tray each time you flatten it.
How Easy Is It To Lift Your Baby In And Out?
The best way to solve this conundrum is to take your little one high chair shopping and test them out! Some high chairs are flexible, enabling you to remove or pull the tray forwards to pop your baby in. Others don’t have this option.
While you’re there, practice removing the tray, doing up and undoing the safety straps and folding the chair down to see what works best for you.
If you're near our boutique in Lakewood NJ, please feel welcome to pop in and chat to our store assistants. We're always happy to help with honest baby gear advice and hands-on experience for parents!
Do You Need An Easy To Clean High Chair?
Think about your lifestyle. If both parents work and you need to quickly feed your baby before rushing out the door, a smooth, wipe-clean plastic or wooden option with vinyl or PVC padding/covers would be best.
Fabric covers need to be removed to clean and may not always be machine washable, leading to stress if you’re pushed for time. Remember that extra padding is lovely and comfy for your baby but creates more nooks and crannies for food to get stuck into.
After a particularly messy meal, it might be easier to just pop the feeding tray straight into the dishwasher. Look out for a removable, dishwasher friendly trays for hassle-free mealtimes. A removable tray also means you can pull your baby right up to the table so they can join in with family meal times.
Do You Need A Portable High Chair?
You may want the convenience of moving your high chair from room to room at home. A lightweight portable high chair on caster wheels will make life much easier than having to pick up and move the chair each time. Ensure that there is a solid brake function to keep your little one safe and sound.
Or, you may need a travel high chair that can be folded easily and stowed away in the car. Compact booster seats or hook-on high chairs are also great for travel or going out to restaurants.
Do I Need A High Chair That Grows With My Child?
A flexible high chair that grows with your child are a great choice to save money in the long term. Features such as adjustable seat heights and foot-rests that can be adapted as your baby develops into a toddler are much more useful than having to buy a new chair to suit different needs.
Some high chair models turn into a pre-schooler chair and are designed to seat your child into their teens. However, your toddler may not agree with your carefully thought-out plan. Lots of little ones are keen to leave their ‘baby’ chair behind and move straight on to a ‘grown-up’ seat – you have been warned!
What Safety Guidelines Should You Look Out For?
The Consumer Product Safety Commision has clear safety guidelines for buying and using a high chair:
- Look for the ASTM F404-21 High Chair Standard.
- Always use the safety straps and adjust to fit the child snugly.
- If a high chair includes a tray, do not use the tray to hold the child in the high chair. Instead, use the restraints.
- Stay near and watch the child during use.
- Do not let children climb into or stand on the high chair.
How Much Do I Need To Spend On A High Chair?
There’s a high chair out there to suit all budgets. Cheaper plastic models may not look as good as some high-end alternatives but they do the job perfectly well.
Top-of-the-range high chairs are more likely to offer a stylish option that also ticks all the necessary safety, comfort and ease-of-use boxes.
It all boils down to the best option for you and your baby’s needs – not what your besties have!
Which High Chair Is Best For Me?
PishPosh Baby has a wide range of quality high chairs to suit all styles, needs and budgets. Whether you prefer bright colors, a sleek contemporary look or a classic wooden feel, rest assured that our high chairs are safe, comfortable, simple to operate and a breeze to clean.
Use From Birth/Newborn High chair
Stokke Tripp Trapp Newborn Set
Designed to encourage family bonding and interaction from the very first days of your baby’s life, the Stokke Tripp Trapp Newborn set is comfortable and ergonomic. Cradling your newborn, it lifts them to a table height, which helps you bond.
Mima Moon 2G
The Mima Moon 2G boasts a multi-angle seat recline system that’s perfect to use from birth and beyond. It goes from a reclined position for newborns to a highchair for toddlers and then converts to a junior seat that holds children up to 99 pounds. Oh, and it’s sleek, contemporary and will add sophistication to your space.
Oribel Cocoon Z
Oribel Cocoon Z’s iconic cozy shell keeps your baby comfortable at every stage, from newborn to toddler. You can adjust the height as your child grows, while concealed wheels allow you to ‘glide’ from room to room with ease, keeping your baby close at all times. Pantone colors keep this high chair super-cool.
4moms Connect
The 4Moms Connect High Chair is a great all-rounder. Sleek and sturdy, it blends beautifully in modern kitchens, while reclining to allow your baby to take a seat at the table and enjoy family mealtime moments. Adjustable features seamlessly adapt with your little one as they grow.
Peg Perego Siesta
The Peg Perego Siesta High Chair is a multi-functional, ultra-compact high chair that follows your child’s growth. From birth, it can be used as a recliner, or or as a high chair for feeding and playing. The removable tray also allows your baby to sit with you at the table. It comes in an array of trendy colors.
High Chairs For Toddlers/Big Kids
Children of Design Deluxe High Chair
The Children of Design Deluxe High Chair transitions with your child. The removable tray and legs make it easy for this high chair to be used from ages 6 months to 6 years old as a high chair, booster seat or kids chair. From bottles to eating solids, three positions adjust to your child’s age and food ability. The sleek and sturdy design will look great in your kitchen, too.
Peg Perego Siesta
Suitable from birth to 3 years, the Peg Perego Siesta’s height can be adjusted in three positions. As your child grows, they can eat at the table just like an adult by removing the tray.
Phil & Teds Poppy 20/21
Available in metal and wood, this classic high chair with a twist is hygienic and versatile. The Phil & Teds Poppy 20/21 seamlessly converts to a toddler sized ‘my chair’ without the use of tools. It’s compatible with a whole family of accessories, for years of use far beyond your baby’s feeding days.
Nomi High Chair
The Nomi High Chair was developed from an ambition to create a seating solution from newborn to the teenage years and beyond. It will fit your child from approximately 6 to 24 months and then seamlessly transforms into the Nomi Chair for the teenage years. It’s designed to enable your child to safely climb in and out from the age of 24 months: just remove the crotch restraint and harness.
Melo Revel
The Melo Revel looks cool in black or burnished brass – a real seat for sore eyes! It comes with two foam cushions, providing comfort and support. As your child grows, replace these with a seat cushion to provide more space for your toddler.
Space Saver High Chairs
Stokke Tripp Trapp
With a small footprint, the Stokke Tripp Trapp doesn’t take up significant space in the kitchen. This chair isn’t bulky in the least, and the compact and classic design is a plus for both aesthetics and as a space saver.
Chicco Snack Booster Seat
Save space in your kitchen and streamline meals with the Chicco Snack Booster. This high-back booster seat offers all the convenience of a standard highchair in a footprint that fits your space. Simply secure it to any dining chair with the straps. Rubberized pop-out feet stabilize the seat and protect your chair. Snack includes a large, snap-on tray, a lift-off liner and a machine washable seat pad to make cleanup a breeze.
Phil & Ted's Lobster
Lightweight and portable, Phil & Teds Lobster packs flat for you to take anywhere, from restaurants to vacations to the grandparents’. Or just use it as a massive space saver at home! It quickly and easily clamps onto any table, is easy to clean, has a washable fabric seat and a removable, dishwasher-safe food tray.
Easy To Clean High Chairs
4moms Connect
Easy to clean with a removable EVA foam seat insert and dishwasher-safe tray liner, the 4Moms Connect High Chair has rounded edges and none of those hard-to-get-to nooks and crannies. Cleaning up will be a pleasure, not a chore!
Oribel Cocoon 3-stage
The Oribel Cocoon 3-stage high chair is super-easy to clean. Just wipe down the waterproof EVA seat after a messy meal. There are no crevices for tiny crumbs or food to get trapped in, whilst the top tray insert pops off easily and is dishwasher-safe. Easy cleanup after dinner – what could be better?
Melo Revel
From its soft and supportive seat to the easy wipe-down surfaces, the Melo Revel chair is guaranteed to add a touch of luxury to any kitchen. Plus, the extra-smooth surface of the entire chair leaves no place for dirt to hide, for easy cleanups and peace of mind.
Children of Design Deluxe High Chair
Toddlers are messy, so the Children of Design Deluxe High Chair has an easy-to-clean removable tray. Simply unlatch the tray and rinse off quickly or place in the dishwasher for a deep clean. You’ll spend less time stressing about the mess and more time being there for your child’s precious moments.
Booster Seats
Peg Perego Rialto
Allow your baby to sit right at the table with the Peg Perego Rialto. Suitable for children nine months and up, this booster seat has five height positions and an adjustable seat. Plus, it folds easily and super-compactly for travel and storage.
Phil & Teds Lobster
Once your little one is able to hold their head up, they’re ready to sit in the Phil & Teds Lobster and join the rest of the family at the table. It’s a compact, lightweight feeding solution for smaller households, and also makes eating out with your child really easy.
OXO Tot Nest
The OXO Tot Nest Booster Seat will bring your child to the family table from as young as nine months. Designed with a soft cushion, as well as a high back and sides, it will make any grown-up chair comfortable for your little one.
Bombol Pop-Up Booster
Weighing just 5 lbs, the Bombol folds down to a small packet the size of a book! This makes for super-easy storage when mealtime is over, ideal for travel, meals out and as a space saver at home. It’s designed to fit most adult chairs and locks instantly into a safe, sturdy 3D structure.
Need more inspiration? Shop the PishPosh Baby high chair range and find your perfect high chair today.