In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician
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Need a high chair? You've come to the right place. Our review ranks the top 7 high chairs available today. With an endless variety of functions, materials, and designs, how can a new parent determine the best option? To determine the best, we extensively researched the market before selecting and purchasing the most promising contenders for in-house, hands-on testing. We evaluated essential performance attributes for each chair, such as ease of use, level of involvement in cleaning the chair, quality, and more. Ultimately, our comprehensive review includes the details you need, like each contender's pros and cons, to help you find the best option for your baby and budget size.
The Peg Perego Siesta is a high-quality chair with years of potential service. This chair is well-designed with practical features like adjustable recline, height, and footrest. This option creates a good place for infants to recline with a bottle, is great for a self-feeding hungry toddler, and almost everything in between. The Prima Classe fabric comes in multiple colors and has a supple, leathery feel that is easy to clean. The chair has wheels for easier moving around the kitchen, and it features a Stop & Go Brake system that is safe and simple to use. This chair has a compact fold, perfect for small homes or parents who prefer to keep gear stowed away.
Some parents find the wheels tricky to maneuver as the back wheels swivel and the front wheels don't. However, rolling it backward and steering with the rear wheels instead of the front makes this easier. This chair is also challenging to clean. While the fabric is easy to wipe and the tray is dishwasher-safe (we recommend hand washing), there are so many nooks and crannies for gunk to hide that are nearly impossible to reach. If you want a wood high chair, the Abiie Beyond Wooden High Chair is a lovely chair that can grow with your little one. Despite these minor issues, we were impressed with the quality and flexibility of the Siesta and believed it could keep many families happy.
The snack tray on the Siesta offers plenty of space and room for a cup. The lip around the edge of the tray helps prevent small spills from making it onto the floor.
The Abiie Beyond Wooden High Chair is a fantastic wood chair that can grow with your child shifting from a high chair to a booster to a step stool and adult chair. This product works for adults up to 250 lbs and is high quality enough to last as long as needed. We like the easy-to-remove and clean tray, and we love the waterproof and stain-resistant cushion you can rinse clean. The seat is comfortable and looks nice enough to display at your table or island.
This chair is heavier than plastic competitors. While not prohibitively heavy, it is harder to move when your little one is in the chair. If you want one that is light and moves more easily with wheels, the Peg Perego Siesta performed well in our tests. Also, the Abiie takes longer to assemble, but luckily, this is a one-time concern, and the adjustments after assembly are quick and tool-free. Overall, we think this high-quality chair has a fair price for what you get and believe it is one you will enjoy and want to use for years to come.
The Graco Slim Snacker High Chair is a wallet-friendly, straightforward chair that allows for baby feeding from a fairly young age up to 40 lbs. The chair has a simple assembly, and the adjustment and tray removal all work well. This chair is one of the few that folds for storage, and while not ultra-slim, it will fit in most closets or pantries. The tray is top-rack dishwasher safe, and the cushion can be wiped clean with a cloth.
This chair has a wide footprint, making it one of the widest in the group, so it might not be suitable for tiny spaces even if you can store it out of the way. Also, you need to remove the Slim Snacker tray before folding it to store, which means you'll need a different location for storing that. Depending on your space, this could be challenging or a hassle. The Peg Perego Siesta is smaller and folds compactly when not in use. Despite the size and tray, we think The Graco is a cost-effective solution for baby feeding, and we think it gets the job done with only a few hiccups. If money is a concern and you aren't worried about long-term use or the highest quality, it will meet your needs without much frustration.
Product Weight: 15.6 lbs | Usage Range: 6 mos (with Baby Set) to 242 lbs
REASONS TO BUY
Easy to clean
Durable
Pull up to a table
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Infant accessories are sold separately
There are many reasons to love the Stokke Tripp Trapp. It has a simple design that is easy to clean and pulls right up to the table so your little ones can eat with the rest of the family. Durable construction and height adjustments for the seat and footrest create a chair that children can use through their first ten years of life. The Stokke Tripp Trapp Bundle caters to 6 mo+ infants and includes a removable 5-point harness, Tripp Trapp Baby Set, and Mini Baby Cushion. Additional custom accessories include the Stokke Tray, the Tripp Trapp Cushion, and the Tripp Trapp Junior Cushion. We love the versatility of this innovative seat and European Beech Wood, free of harmful chemicals like bisphenol and phthalates.
Because this is a solid, durable chair, it comes at a premium price; it is one of the most expensive chairs in this review. With a high price, it's somewhat frustrating to have to purchase the baby insert, tray, and other accessories separately. If you are looking for wood on a budget, the Abiie Beyond Wooden High Chair is less expensive but better quality than most. However, if your budget allows, we love that the Tripp Trapp is a high-quality chair that can grow with your child longer than the average chair and will complement almost any kitchen decor.
The Infantino 4-in-1 Convertible High Chair is hands-down the cutest little chair you can find for feeding babies. Seriously, the little ones all headed straight to this chair when given a choice, and the fox also brought smiles to the parents' faces. We like this chair's look; it is super easy to assemble, with useful instructions and well-labeled parts. This chair converts to a booster/travel chair and a toddler chair when little ones are old enough to sit at the table. We like that it has a reusable dishwasher-safe food tray with dividers for food and a cup, limiting the need for dish use and potentially decreasing your clean-up time.
This chair is somewhat harder to use and clean. The adjustments aren't as smooth as the competition, and there are places for food and gunk to get trapped, making it harder to clean. It is also not the highest quality, and some toddlers might pick at the softer cushion foam, which could limit the lifespan overall. A wooden chair will have a longe lifespan and be of higher quality, and the Abiie Beyond Wooden High Chair is one of our favorites. However, despite these minor issues, we think the Infantino has a fair price for what you get, and if it gets your child excited about mealtime or feeding themselves, we are all on board. It is a good choice for those who value child excitement and budget over superior quality.
The SimpleSwitch can be used with children up to 37 lbs.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
How We Test High Chairs
We spent countless hours researching and testing these chairs in-house and in real life to help you find the perfect chair for your family. The high chairs were used with little ones of various ages and sizes to determine which work well and which lack overall functionality or features parents may want. We started our search with more than 50 high chairs and narrowed it down to the most popular options for testing. Each chair was subjected to more than 14 individual tests across various metrics. We considered ease of use, difficulty of cleaning, quality, and more to help you find the right chair for your goals and budget.
Why You Should Trust Us
This high chair review and testing is led by our founder, Dr. Juliet Spurrier, a board-certified pediatrician. Dr. Spurrier uses her background and education combined with her experience as a mother of two to select products with ease of use and safety in mind. She is instrumental in testing development and final product selection. Wendy Schmitz, the Senior Review Editor, rounds out the team and uses her science education to help guide her in the testing and review process to make thoughtful testing procedures and analysis of test results. Wendy is a mother of two and has worked on most BabyGearLab reviews as a tester and analyst since 2014.
The chair can be adjusted to make a perfect ergonomical fit for different size children.
We like the simplicity of the design and ease of use of the SimpleSwitch.
Analysis and Test Results
Mealtimes with your baby take up a large part of the day, so finding the perfect chair (or the best portable high chair) is important. We tested each chair across several metrics to find the best options.
Value
Some of the high chairs in this review have high price tags that make them unreachable for those with tighter budgets. Luckily, there are some useful and budget-friendly options with features parents desire, like a removable tray and folding for storage. The Graco Slim Snacker is less expensive and has what you need without bells and whistles or higher quality materials that increase prices. If you are looking for something high quality or to use for multiple children, the Abiie Beyond Wooden is a stylish wood option that grows with your child. We think this high chair is a good value despite the higher price as it is less expensive than similar wood chairs, and it can last for a longer time, becoming an adult chair for those up to 250 lbs.
Important Terms
The high chairs we tested work for a range from infancy to a 250 lbs adult! They are all considered full-size, meaning they are meant to stay in your home, basically in one location. Let's review key terms you'll see when reading about high chairs to get a feel for the features and functions you might want in a high chair.
The simple 3-point restraint system that buckles around baby's waist.
Credit: Jessica Stevenson
Harness/Restraint System: This includes the belts, buckles, and straps that retain a baby safely in the chair. Some chairs have a 5-point harness, two shoulder straps, and two waist straps that buckle into a crotch strap. Others have only a 3-point harness with waist straps that buckle into the crotch strap. Still, a minority of options have only side straps that meet in the middle, like an old-school seatbelt. Whatever your preference, a harness should be easy to adjust to get a secure fit.
Crotch Restraint/Safety Post: The safety post goes between the baby's legs to prevent slipping under the tray or out of the chair. Some chairs have a stationary crotch restraint, and others have a crotch post attached to the tray or seat bottom. We prefer products with a fixed center post as it is a little less likely that the baby will slip out. If the post is connected to the tray, it likely won't fit in the dishwasher, and you can't put the tray flat on the counter, something you'll want to do when prepping a meal.
Adjustments: Many chairs have adjustable features. Chairs with recline and height-adjustable features tend to offer more comfort for the baby or parent.
Portability: Full-size high chairs are not portable chairs or boosters suitable for travel. For this review, 'portability' refers to moving around your house.
Compared to others, the Abiie Beyond is one of the easiest high chairs to use.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
Considering how frequently you'll use a high chair throughout the day, it must be easy to operate. Also, quirks that could lead to potential injury or leave marks are serious deal-breakers. Here are some ease-of-use features and quirks to consider:
The seatback of the Slim Snacker can tilt slightly back for feeding younger babies who maybe can't sit upright on their own.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Recline: Some chairs recline, but there is one recline feature we like the best. The Peg Perego Siesta's entire seat tilts back to the footrest. Other chairs offer recline functionality, but only the chair's back moves. This style can cause the baby's bottom to slide forward and make it feel like they can slide out of the seat. If your baby is unlikely to fall asleep in their chair, reclining may not be a big deal for you.
Recline Safety
Always ensure that the baby's fingers are out of the way of potential pinch points when adjusting the seat back! Some recline features create pinch points, and your baby can get hurt when adjusting.
The Abiie has a lot of adjustments for height working as a high chair, booster, and adult chair.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Height Adjustability: Determine where you think you'll feed your baby. Most stand-alone chairs should work if you sit at your table and want your baby nearby. You may want a taller chair if you think you'll be standing while feeding your little one. In our tests, we like the more elevated options with adjustable heights. Alternatively, chairs like the Abiie Beyond High Chair, Keekaroo Height Right, and Stokke Tripp Trapp are great options for the table because they can easily push up to most tables of the right height, even counter height. Whatever your preference, check the chair's dimensions to ensure it will work in your space and your lifestyle.
The Stokke Tripp Trapp can easily be pushed up to the table to dine together.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Comfort Features: Some chairs don't have padding but may provide an ergonomic sitting position. The chairs without fabric cushions are generally easier to keep clean. The Abiie Beyond has a waterproof and stain-resistant cushion you can remove and spray down easily.
Many snack trays, like the one from the Keekaroo shown here, are dishwasher safe, but we recommend using warm soapy water to clean them by hand instead.
Credit: Jessica Stevenson
Ease of Cleaning
Babies are messy. Toddlers are messier. While comfort for your baby is essential, comfort often results in more areas for food to collect. A few options, like the Keekaroo Height Right, have unique design features that eliminate the majority of crevices and provide ergonomic support. To our delight, chairs like the Peg Perego Siesta combine comfort with easy cleanability. Chairs should be easy to clean, especially as you'll use them often.
Here are a few things to consider when looking for a chair that is a breeze to clean:
Chair cushions: If it has a padded cushion, ensure that you can wipe the cover clean to avoid the need for regular removal for washing. Chairs with removable, machine-washable seat cushions are even better to ensure a deep clean of food and other things. We recommend avoiding fabrics that attract stains or absorb liquids as they require more frequent deep cleaning and may never look clean after a short time of messy use.
Luckily, those sneaky food-collecting creases in the seat cushion were super easy to wipe clean with a damp cloth.
Credit: Jessica Stevenson
Base: Larger bases will catch food and require frequent cleaning. Smaller bases or regular legs mean quicker chair clean-up.
Buckles: Buckles act like magnets for food collection. By necessity, buckles have nooks and crannies built into their designs. This is where food will collect or might even be intentionally crammed by playful eaters. Cleaning buckles is easier when they don't require cotton swabs to fully clean.
There is much to love about skipping the need for dishes if you use the Infantino tray insert that acts as a dish and cup holder.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Some chairs have food trays with a snack tray "cover." For convenience, these tray covers are often top-rack dishwasher safe. However, we recommend washing plastic by hand to to avoid potential chemical leaching and heat-related damage over time. We love the food tray on the Infantino Grow-with-Me as it has dividers for different food types and a cup holder, which could mean making fewer dirty dishes to clean later. The most straightforward chairs to clean include the Keekaroo Height Right with Infant Insert and the Abiie Beyond Wooden.
The Stokke is expensive but a great value when you consider the longevity of use.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Quality
Quality can be an essential metric for a high chair, given that your little one could be using it multiple times a day suspended above the floor. The product quality can impact safety, and you'll want a chair that keeps your baby safe and secure during use.
Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair is very well made and does not scream baby furniture.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Try When You Buy
Even if you purchase your chair online, we recommend testing it in person when you get it; shake it, push it across the floor, adjust the height, and recline, remove the seat cushion, play with the tray. If you can look at it in the store, we suggest bringing your baby with you. Put them in and take them out. Does it pinch, or will it be more challenging when your baby is bigger? This in-person experience can give you information on chair stability and the quality of the materials and construction. Buying from a retailer like Amazon allows you to return the chair if it doesn't meet your expectations or needs.
The highest quality options in this review are all wood chairs with a much longer lifetime use moving through your child's growth stages as a high chair, booster, and adult chair or stool. The Stokke Tripp Trapp Bundle earned some of the highest scores for quality, while the Peg Perego Siesta, Keekaroo Height Right, and the Abiie Beyond follow right behind.
While this Graco can fold in half, it is still not narrow enough for some spaces and you need to remove the tray when you fold it.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Footprint and Portability
The footprint and portability of a high chair refer to the size and how easy it is to move in your house. It is not about whether a chair is good for travel. While only a few products have wheels in this review, we think they aren't necessarily easier to move. The smallest footprint in the group is 2.6 sqft for the Abiie Beyond. The Stokke Tripp Trapp is almost as small, taking up 2.8 sqft. The largest is the Infantino 4 in 1, taking up 5.3 sqft of floor space.
Some things to keep in mind:
Footprint Size
The footprint is the floor space the chair occupies. If your kitchen is small, you'll want to pick a chair with a smaller footprint or one that folds.
The front wheels on the Infantino make it easier to move into the best position for feeding and for storage, but it only works well on smooth surfaces as the wheels are too small for carpet or other flooring.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Wheels
Moving your chair around via wheels may or may not be a priority, but wheels didn't always make moving something easier in our testing. Also, the brakes on the wheels weren't always effective or user-friendly. Wheels can potentially lead to unsupervised and unsafe "rides" around the house from older children, or the chair can shift when you put your baby in if you forget the brakes. Our favorite wheels are on the Peg Perego Siesta, which has an automatic brake lock with an easy press-to-set and release design. This method is more straightforward than flipping the tiny levers on competing wheels.
Foldability
You may need or want to store your chair out of the way. If you think this is a requirement, you'll need one that folds. The Peg Perego Siesta folds relatively flat, as does the Graco Slim Snacker.
Additional Considerations
Easiest to get baby in and out - Do pudgy legs get stuck going in or out? Is it difficult to locate the harness once your baby is in the chair? Does the baby slide around when you remove the tray? Do the brakes work?
Harnessing baby - Is the harness easy to operate? Can you adjust it with your baby in the seat? Does it have a three or five-point harness? Can it quickly unbuckle? What about with gunk stuck in the buckle?
Baby's comfort and positioning - Is the seat comfortable, or do you need to reposition your child regularly? Does the tray squish body parts or allow food to fall into the chair or on the floor? Is there enough legroom, and where is the footrest located?
Ease of use throughout your baby's growth - Will the chair work for an infant and an older toddler?
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Conclusion
A high chair is typically considered must-have baby gear for most parents. While you can skip this purchase with a laid-back lifestyle, it's hard to deny that a high chair can make life easier by creating a dedicated space for your little one to eat, especially if you regularly sit down as a family for meals. Because high chairs are traditionally used for 2-3 years and potentially through multiple children, it's a decision we think you should thoughtfully consider. No matter your specific dining needs or goals, there is a practical, functional (and potentially stylish) high chair for you in this roundup of top products.
