The best high chairs offer ergonomic seating for your child’s first foray into food—and family mealtimes. They’re also durable, extra easy to clean and maybe even convertible, providing your family with extended seating for years. After testing a dozen high chairs—and continuing to use the top winners over many months—I found the Mockingbird High Chair is the best high chair overall, and the Graco Blossom 6-in-1 is the best value pick.
Read on for details about the best high chairs, according to my recent testing:
Easy To Move, Easy To Clean
The Mockingbird High Chair is one of the most parent and baby-friendly high chairs, I’ve ever encountered. It’s clearly designed with everyday use in mind—and after testing a dozen chairs for this guide (and many more over my years of parenting five young children and as a product reviewer), this is the high chair I prefer to use with my youngest. I tested the recently launched Mockingbird chair with both my 2-year-old, and my 9-month-old baby over the last few months—and liked it a bit more than my previous top pick of the Graco Blossom 6-in-1.
It glides easily across the floor, without any wheels, or any locks for wheels, or any additional shenanigans getting in the way of what I need to do: push the baby from the kitchen island to the table. Or from the big table to the kitchen where I’m doing dishes. Or even to the living room when everyone else is finished but the baby is snacking. It’s the first high chair to get this right, without compromising safety, because it doesn’t seem unstable or flimsy.
Many high chairs with pads and extra features for comfort end up being a bit more difficult to clean. For example, the Graco’s padded cover is removable and washable, but slightly more difficult to clean day-to-day compared to the Mockingbird. This is because the Mockingbird high chair has few extra nooks and crannies where food and gunk can hide, and there aren’t lots of curves and grooves. It’s a more straightforward shape, which makes for simple cleaning. A simple wet cloth takes care of all of the mess, with an occasional deeper clean with your cleaner of choice.
An Intuitive Setup
Some high chairs have so many settings and movable, changeable parts, that it can be overwhelming for parents. Instead, the Mockingbird has two very basic, useful setups: a typical high chair, and then if you remove the baby seat, there’s a simple booster seat concept. Both are helpful and functional, elongating the life of the high chair’s use in your family.
In addition, the baby seat has adjustability in how close the tray gets to the baby, and how high or low the footrest goes, but not too many extras or confusing features — simple is better in many baby gear items, I’ve found.
Finally, it’s helpful that the tray itself doesn’t have additional features like a cupholder or other bumps or sections, so that any type of plate or cup can easily sit on the flat surface.
Couple Of Drawbacks
My only gripe with this high chair is that the safety strap is a bit different, and cumbersome. It has a rubber insert into a hole on the back of the chair that sort of sags down when the baby isn’t sitting in the chair and using it. Though experts always recommend strapping babies in, if you are a parent who doesn’t use the straps, the straps and rubber pieces are removable.
You know that feeling when you pick up an item at the store, only to find out it’s on sale? That’s how the Graco Blossom 6-in-1 Convertible High Chair felt when I first tested it. It has all of the necessary features of the best high chairs, at an exceptionally affordable price. The “6” refers to the fact that the chair can convert from an infant high chair to traditional baby high chair, infant booster, toddler booster and youth chair. It can actually seat two kids at once out of the box, thanks to a separate booster that comes with the high chair. I remember using this chair’s infant insert, a supportive pillow that slips in and out easily, when my children were younger and appreciating the additional support. But, my older toddler can use the same chair as a booster with the whole chair moved right up to the table where the rest of us are eating. (I previously owned an older model of this high chair.)
After a year of testing at home with my now 2-year-old toddler for mealtimes, this is high chair continues to impress, though I found myself reaching for it a bit less with the Mockingbird around. It’s extra maneuverable, meaning I never experience issues with rolling it across the floor—I frequently wheel the chair between rooms if he needs to eat closer to me—or with turning or pivoting it around our home.
Designed For Busy Families At An Affordable Price
The Blossom feels like it’s made with a real family in mind. It rolls up to the counter with ease and then back to the table for a family meal. The one-handed tray comes in and out with the press of a button, and the contour of the tray means the baby can slip in and out without moving the tray every time. Both the 18-month-old and 6-month-old testers were in ergonomically correct positions, according to our experts’ definitions: knees at a 90-degree angle, feet firmly planted thanks to adjustable footrests, strong posture without slouching or sliding and securely fastened without too much wiggle room from side to side or forward to back. That’s in contrast to the IKEA high chair I tested, which had close to a foot of extra space around the toddler. I do wish the footrest was slightly deeper for older kids so my now older tot could climb into and out of the chair on his own.
This chair was most comparable to the Chicco Polly Progress 5-in-1, I also tested. But the Polly had a much higher, rounder headrest that neither of our testers were tall enough to touch, along with a slightly harder-to-fasten buckle system and a wider base footprint. But the main reason I chose the Graco over the similar Chicco was that the foot position was not as ergonomic. The Chicco footrest pops up like a reclining chair, which wasn’t ideal for a young baby.
Cleaning Is Simple
The Graco Blossom has one of the simplest removable and washable fabric covers among the chairs I tested. It all comes off in a single piece and makes use of simple plastic prongs, which you secure into holes on the arm rests. I washed the Graco’s fabric multiple times, and set it out to dry, revealing a fresh-looking high chair after serious stains, though wiping with a wet cloth is perfectly sufficient most days too. After a year, the fabric remains stain-free as does the tray, but the fabric is slightly more worn and wrinkly. Unfortunately, the snaps to reattach the seat cover after cleaning are a bit flimsy and are now cracking and bending. This means that the seat cover is starting to not fully reattach properly.
The only thing I don’t love about Graco’s high chair is the tray’s divided sections and raised edges. Not all plates and cups fit within their confines, rendering them useless. A flat tray would be more accommodating to multiple types of dishes. Find more info in my in-depth review of the Graco Blossom high chair.
The Peg Perego Siesta feels like the luxury vehicle of high chairs. If you are looking for a seriously sweet baby shower gift or plan to have multiple children, it might be worth the pricey investment. It offers nine height adjustments compared to the Graco Blossom’s six, and it can fold into an upright standing storage position, which neither the Mockingbird nor the Graco can do. Its sleek Italian design gives it a modern and chic aesthetic. I especially appreciated the pricier Ambiance Brown color with its faux wood accent, but other colorways (it comes in more than a dozen), including a neon orange or black, will save you about $100 on the purchase price.
My daycare provider continued testing this winner chair for the remainder of the year using it with children ages 6 months through 3 years old for both snack and mealtimes. She is equally impressed with it, calling it one of her more versatile chairs, because it works for children of varying ages, including toddlers who often outgrow high chairs as they get bigger. We both find the seat easy to wipe down and appreciate that the tray slides on and off with one hand.
Seamless, Stylish Features
The Siesta has exceptionally easy-rolling wheels and a fancier fabric profile. It does not convert into a toddler chair or booster seat the way the Graco and Stokke models do, but it does boast a higher 45-pound seat weight limit, meaning you could use it well into the preschool years. The leather-like seat pad is stain-resistant and easily wiped clean after a Jell-O mess. The wheels automatically lock for safety. In stark comparison to some other high chairs, including the Lalo and IKEA models, the Peg Perego has extensive adjustment options, including three positions with the footrest alone. It also offers a halfway-to-the-ground reclined position, designed for hanging out—not eating.
Most buckle systems seem to fall into two categories: ones that stay mostly together, and ones that completely separate and needed to be reassembled each time. Obviously, parents are likely to prefer the simpler assembly, which Peg Perego offers. Marquez says safety straps are essential (here’s looking at you, parents who just plop their baby in and don’t always fasten them—oh, that’s me). “You may think straps are unnecessary if you will be sitting with them through the entire meal but chances are you will have to get up to grab a napkin, answer the phone or get a drink,” Marquez says. “It’s not worth the risk.”
Better For Older Babies
One word of caution is that the very youngest babies or smaller children might not be the best candidates for this chair. When the 6-month-old tested the Peg Perego, he was a bit too short, and the tray was way too close to his head. Imagine eating at a bar that’s closer to your shoulders than your belly button. DeStefano notes, “The tray or table should be at baby’s belly height so that they can lean forwards on it with their forearms,” which was not the case with the Peg Perego Siesta.
One of the most creative innovations on this chair is that when you fold it, there’s a secret place to stash the tray itself between the back legs, to minimize how large the chair would still be folded otherwise. This is the level of thought and ingenuity Peg Perego put into all aspects of creating this high chair. It is a bit more bulky than other options, so you may want to pay careful attention to the dimensions, and the wheels don’t maneuver as easily as I would like, but that may not be an issue for those planning to use the chair in one main location. Read my in-depth review of the Peg Perego Siesta.
The Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair offers the most convertible options, from an infant chair to an adult chair. That wins it many fans, including with our infant tester and pediatrician Dr. Casares. Its robust convertibility make it most likely to stand the test of time in your house, and it is the easiest for bigger kids to climb into it than a chair designed just for babies and toddlers.
Instant Extra Seating Ergonomic For All Ages
Casares said she loves it most of all: “It worked when they were first starting out with solid foods and could even hold their father-in-law when we needed an extra chair at the holidays.” Chloe, the mom of our 6-month-old tester, chose it as her favorite high chair because of the ergonomic position her baby was in, with his feet firmly planted on the wide platform, which is much bigger than all the other competitors, his knees and hips at the right angle and his butt sitting back far enough without having any extra wiggle room near the belly. She opted to take off the fabric from the seat, making it easier to clean it and to move her child in and out of the chair. Older kids also sit at the perfect angle due to the Stokke Tripp Trapp’s adjustable footrest and seat levels.
The Tripp Trapp’s all-wood Scandinavian design may appeal to those who prefer to avoid plastic baby gear, and it looks much more like a piece of real furniture. Furthermore, the Z-shaped design of the high chair’s base means the legs don’t stick straight out like some others, eliminating a trip hazard. The easy-to-clean wood and tray made me believe that it isn’t likely to be stained as it becomes a mainstay for many years to come.
Pricey But Versatile
But the versatility and higher-end design come at a cost, literally. I tested the $400 version of the chair that includes all the baby seat items, as well as the actual tray. Marquez, too, places the Stokke high chair among her top few picks, but hesitates at the price. “The Tripp Trapp is a favorite among feeding therapists due to the secure ergonomic position it reinforces and ease of cleaning,” she says. “It’s stylish and comes in a variety of colors, so it can fit in nicely with any family’s décor.” Adding to the cost is the fact that some add-ons are sold separately, such as the newborn set that converts it into a reclined infant seat and the aforementioned tray.
The seat is most comparable to the Abiie Beyond Wooden High Chair, which I also tested. It can also convert and hold a wide range from infant through 250 pounds. But in testing, I found that babies had too much room from front to back in the Abiie, and when they sat all the way back their legs were no longer at a 90-degree angle, especially for our 6-month-old tester.
There are a few drawbacks to the Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair beyond the price. It was one of the most complicated to assemble. Also, if you are looking to frequently adjust the chair’s settings, the Abiie might be a more convenient option, as it more easily changes position in my experience. This would only be important if you have multiple kids of different ages using the same high chair. Finally, the Stokke is simply not as mobile or portable as the other top high chairs. Its anti-skid features sometimes fell off when I tried to move the high chair. If you plan to move your chair around a lot, I’d opt for high chair with wheels over the Stokke.
If your end goal is to have a chair that lasts for nearly a decade, the Stokke Tripp Trapp is your best choice. If you see your child moving to a regular dining chair in just a year or two, I’d skip this option.
If you left your stroller in your kitchen, and plopped your baby in it to eat lunch, you’d have a Baby Jogger City Bistro high chair. It looks and feels exactly like a stroller, from its slim profile to the fabric that is sleek but a bit harder to wipe down than other chairs. But most notably, this high chair collapsed for me just like any of my favorite strollers, allowing me to tuck it away when needed. This feature makes it the opposite of many high chairs we tested with larger footprints and no collapsibility, such as the bulky Chicco Polly Progress and the Peg Perego Siesta, which does fold but not as small as this one. This was the easiest to fold, with a one-hand (but two-step) process, that hints at the future of high chairs, which will surely collapse with just one step a few years from now.
The Slimmest Chair With An Easy, Compact Fold
Choosing a chair that folds compactly matters in tight spaces. The Baby Jogger City Bistro folds down to 27 x 19.5 x 5.5 inches and weighs only 18 pounds, compared to other competitors like the Peg Perego Siesta, which is a heftier 35 x 23 x 12.5 inches and weights almost 21 pounds. It is a couple more pounds than the best high chair overall, the Mockingbird. But if you plan to fold the high chair between uses each time, pick one that won’t be a major eyesore in the corner, or that you’ll struggle to jam into a closet. Similarly, for tighter spaces, compare the dimensions of the unfolded high chair’s footprint on the floor to see how much space it will take up during use. The Baby Jogger City Bistro features a smaller, slimmer design and is almost 20 x 25 inches set up, compared to the wider footprint of the Chicco Polly Progress at nearly 32 x 24 inches.
Also like a stroller, it’s easiest to buckle your baby into this high chair, which features an extra large button and easy-to-access harness. It does not offer a convertible or transitional seat, however, and this high chair’s max weight is 40 pounds. Based on my average sized 4-year-old who just crossed this weight threshold, this still means you will get multiple useful years from the high chair, unless the slim profile makes your child feel too squished left to right, which might happen once they hit toddlerhood.
The mother of the baby tester found the tray a little cumbersome to slide back on, but easily got it off. She loved how padded and plush the chair seemed for ultimate baby comfort (but who’s to say given that babies can’t talk). She wished the foot support could go up just a bit higher for smaller babies, but appreciated the positioning, as her baby wasn’t able to slouch or rock too far forward or backward.
The Baby Jogger City Bistro stood up well to messes and some liquid stains, which I partially attribute to the dark color of the fabric. It does have a very wipeable feel, but not as easy-to-clean as the Mockingbird—or the Graco Blossom’s or Peg Perego Siesta’s leather cover. If you are fine with cleaning your high chair, you will be fine with this chair.
Many high chairs offer conversions in order to seat both babies and then bigger toddlers or even a reclining hangout spot for younger babies—but it’s less common to see the conversion that the Ergobaby Evolve High Chair offers: a kitchen helper. By offering this configuration as its third conversion, families can enjoy three baby products in one: a high chair, chair and kitchen helper tower for children.
Smart Conversions That Don’t Require Tools
Ergobaby made its new high chair so user-friendly that parents can easily convert the setup in just a few seconds without needing to get out multiple tools or taking additional time out of an already stressful meal preparation moment. Instead, the tool-free transition is intuitive and allows for multiple height adjustments to accommodate a range of ages.
A Little More Portability Would Be Ideal
After testing other high chairs that roll and scooch and collapse and are otherwise portable, I found the Ergobaby Evolve a bit tougher to maneuver although it does fold. The anti-slip grippers on the bottom of the product make it basically impossible to move. This is excellent for a young chef chopping vegetables at the table, but not so helpful if you are trying to roll a baby in a high chair up to the kitchen counter while you prepare a meal. The lack of portability might be a barrier for parents who have a hard time lifting the high chair to move it. In addition, toddlers and young children using the toddler seat might have a difficult time maneuvering the chair away from the table to get situated, and I sure had a hard time pushing it back in with those anti-slip grippers and the weight of a preschooler.
A Stylish, Modern Chair That’s Easy To Keep Clean
Some high chairs are clear eyesores with tacky fabrics and materials that don’t blend in with other décor. The Ergobaby Evolve, however, is a sleek, modern wooden chair, much like the Stoke Tripp Trapp, offered in a lighter or darker stain.
In addition, the chair is easier to clean than some competitors, making it more visually appealing because it’s less likely to be covered in kid dirt and grime. The dishwasher-safe and removable tray makes for easy cleaning, and the chair itself has never needed more than a wipedown with a wet cloth from me. Fellow contributor and tester Meg St-Esprit, a mom of four in Pittsburgh, agrees. “I like that it’s very wipeable, and I like that it’s not all plasticky, and sort of looks nicer in our house,” she says. She’s been testing the product as a booster seat for her preschooler, and though she also struggles to move it in and out of position, she believes its versatile conversions make it particularly idea for grandparents’ homes where kids of different ages might rotate out at different periods of time.
The Other High Chairs Tested
Chicco Polly Progress 5-in-1 Chair: This high chair was a close runner-up in the value category. It folds, has wheels and includes convertible booster seat options. However, its extra large back makes it somewhat of an eyesore, and our baby tester preferred a footrest that adjusted up and down, rather than kicking out like a recliner’s chair. It also costs more than the Graco.
4Moms Connect High Chair: This is one of the easiest-to-clean high chairs with a non-fabric seat, but it still offers a comfortable padded feel for the baby. But aside from that, it doesn’t roll or fold, making for more difficult movement around the room and storage. At $300, I wanted it to have additional features.
Lalo’s The Chair: I wanted to like this cute high chair, but it wasn’t adjustable enough to keep our testers in an ideal, ergonomic position (there is a footrest adjustment but not a height adjustment); nor does it fold or include wheels, limiting its portability. It is only convertible to a booster seat with the purchase of an additional conversion kit. Finally, because of the lack of adjustments available, we could not get our youngest tester to sit securely in it, with too much front to back space available, allowing him to slouch and slide around too much. The fabric is also difficult to clean.
Antilop IKEA High Chair: This exceptionally cheap high chair (it’s only $30) is one of the simplest chairs available, and this might be why you often see it at restaurants. However, like the higher-priced Lalo, there are no adjustments or extra features. Nor are there any pads or fabric to clean. This is both a pro and con: Our smaller baby tester was flopping all around, especially with only a lap belt available, rather than a 5-point harness, giving us both serious concerns about safety and eating position. It also has extra wide legs that pose a bit of a trip hazard.
Abiie Beyond Wooden High Chair: The Abiie is here to give the Stokke Tripp Trapp a run for its money. The mostly similar chair is just a bit too deep for our younger testers, preventing their knees from sitting at the proper angle. We did love the easy-to-wipe down rubber back more than Stokke’s fabric padding, and also the black pad isn’t likely to stain… ever. It’s also less expensive ($220) than the Stokke and transforms from infant to toddler to big kid to adult seating if needed. My baby tester just felt more confident in the Stokke positioning of her child.
Joovy Nook NB Chair: This chair performs more like a budget buy with a less sturdy structure and overall cheaper feel, which might work for a relative’s house for occasional visits. It does fold down flat for storage, but it only offers two front wheels, which didn’t function well. Its price tag of roughly $200 felt too high to compete with some other options with stronger features. However, the swing open tray is an innovative idea that I’d love to see more high chair designers look into.
How I Tested The Best High Chairs
To determine which features were most important, I interviewed pediatricians and occupational and physical therapists. All of our top picks align with their advice for what to look for in high chairs, including characteristics that encourage a good eating posture, offer strong foot support, are made with easy-to-clean materials and provide convenient features for parents. I tested these high chairs in my own home with my youngest toddler and a friend’s 6-month-old baby to get a sense for the fit.
As pediatric physical therapist DeStefano said, “The exact right high chair will differ from family to family,” but she prefers chairs that grow with your child. “These high chairs may have a higher price point at first, but when you consider the longevity, it is well worth the upfront investment compared to other options which the child will quickly outgrow,” she said.
I initially evaluated 10 high chairs based on the following criteria, and then I tested additional models as they came out against the same criteria.
Assembly: I assessed the setup and assembly process to see if most parents would be able to quickly and easily follow the directions to build the chair.
Adjustable settings and function: I used each high chair for multiple meals, testing various settings and adjustable parts, such as seat heights and footrests. I noticed how easy I could get my toddler back into the chair, buckled and out again. The first time I tested the chair, I experimented with straps and buttons. And without the baby in it, I adjusted each high chair for movability, collapsibility and versatility to other configurations.
Maintenance: I made each seat intentionally messy with foods including red gelatin to see how they held up to stains and how easily they wiped clean. I took fabric covers on and off to determine which would be able to easily head to the laundry and fit back on without hiccups. I assessed whether it was something I’d want to clean every day.
Key features: I looked for helpful features, like a chair that fits into a small space, converts into a booster seat or doesn’t have legs that are a tripping hazard. I disregarded unnecessary features. For example, DeStefano called reclining high chairs unnecessary—no baby should eat lying down.
Tray testing: How easily does the tray adjust as well as come on and off? I tested all this while holding a baby in my arms as parents often need to do.
Durability and sturdiness: I shook each high chair, imitating a baby trying to climb or topple it over, and also to see what it would be like for our 65-pound dog to run into it, or a rambunctious 7-year-old who might misstep and fall into it. Sturdy chairs are also more likely to last longer.
Baby tester: After testing with my 18-month-old child, I also tested it with the 6-month-old. We examined how secure he was, how ergonomically correct the seat could maintain him, and took note of other pain points and features for babies.
Aesthetics: I considered the overall look of each chair and whether or not it would feel like an eyesore at the table and during all those photos of first food moments and birthday cakes.
How To Pick The Best High Chair
Our experts had strong opinions on what to look for while high chair shopping. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends seeking out a sturdy chair that cannot be tipped over easily. The organization recommends that high chairs have safety harnesses (and parents should actually use them). If you’re using a hook-on seat, ensure that the seat locks firmly onto the table and that your child can’t kick against the table (and potentially dislodge the seat). Here’s what else to look for in a high chair.
Ergonomic position
Keep an eye on the proper baby posture, which is a 90-degree knee and hip bend with the feet flat on a footrest for optimal eating. Marquez says, “A footrest helps to support overall posture and provides a sense of security and grounding. Think about the difference of how it feels to sit on a kitchen chair with your feet planted on the floor versus sitting on a barstool with your feet dangling. When children are learning a new skill such as eating, we want them to feel safe and secure.” It was surprising how many chairs didn’t account for multiple babies being able to access the footrest, or it wasn’t adjustable in the direction our testing babies needed.
Portability
I move our high chair at least a dozen times per day. It lives near the counter while I cook, and then it goes back to the dining table when it’s time for a family meal. Then toward the living room if I’m helping an older kid with homework on the couch. Some parents might move it from one room to another for storage. If you expect to move your high chair a fair amount as well, it needs to be either lightweight, collapsible or come with wheels attached—or all three. However, if you live in a smaller house or apartment, you may not value wheels on a high chair. You may prefer that it collapses up small for storage during the day. Test a high chair’s collapsibility before purchasing to ensure it’s easy and doable for you, and that it collapses small enough to store without taking up half of your closet.
Easy To Clean
If a baby eats in the high chair three times a day (sometimes five), that’s a lot of wiping, spraying and washing. Make your own life easier by picking the easiest-to-clean high chair possible. Fabric that draws in liquids and stains necessitates additional laundry trips when it doesn’t wipe right off—and no parent needs more laundry. Look for minimal nooks, crannies and crevices to make the wipe down less complicated. If you choose fabric, opt for slicker fabric that doesn’t seem absorbent and consider darker colors to avoid early staining.
Adjustable
While all those notches and levels and buttons might be intimidating at first, when you have a child who is too big (or too small) for their chair, you’re going to want some adjustability. So, look for chairs that have footrests that move up and down, trays that have many available in and out stopping points and a back support angle that isn’t too reclined, or can be easily moved into a more vertical position. Finally, an adjustable height matters, so the high chair fits at various tables and also potentially better matches you and your partner’s heights.
Convertible
A major decision to make is whether you see a high chair as a temporary baby and toddler product, or if you hope it will grow with your child much beyond those early years. Answering that question will narrow your choices quickly, helping you to find the right chair. Some children want to move to “big kid” chairs eating with the family right at the dining table. In this case, you might only use a high chair for a couple of years and maybe a booster for one more, or less.
Sturdy And Safe
In recent years, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported a 25% increase in high chair injuries, causing some physicians to take a closer look at high chair use, UT Southwestern reports. As a parent trying to become more consistent with diligent strap use myself, I looked to see just how easily the 5-point harnesses were to put on and to put to use. Check to make sure the harness comes from a high enough spot on the high chair back that you aren’t having to loop the straps from the middle of the baby’s back over the shoulders. Finally, consider high chairs that are heavy enough to stay put if an older child or pet bangs into them. I appreciated lightweight chairs when trying to carry them, but not when it felt like a small child or dog could knock it right over.
My Expertise
As a mom of five children under age 8, I’ve fed babies, toddlers and older children in my fair share of high chairs and booster seats. I’ve navigated the frustration of a stuck high chair tray in one hand and a screaming kid in the other, scrubbed spaghetti sauce off many surfaces and pondered why high chair inventors couldn’t have just made X, or designed Y to make parenting a hair easier. I’m also a product journalist who spends hours each day researching, analyzing and testing parenting and kid products to help other parents learn what might work best for them. Most recently I tested pregnancy pillows for Forbes Vetted.
I interviewed experts like pediatrician Dr. Whitney Casares, a mom and the founder of Modern Mommy Doc, a resource for parents; pediatric occupational therapist Marielle Marquez at Thrive Little; and Brita DeStefano, a Denver-based pediatric physical therapist and Enfamil’s Movement Expert. I learned just how important the perfect eating position can be for kids.
Since my youngest is 18 months—a bit older than when babies typically begin using high chairs—I enlisted the help of my friend Chloe, mama to a precious 6-month old, to have a younger tester for my high chair research. Her feedback was essential in determining which chairs would work for smaller babies as well.
Are Expensive High Chairs Worth It?
This depends on the chair. While high chairs are a necessity for most families for safe and easy baby and toddler feeding, from about 6 months old through whatever age your child is able to independently sit at the table with the rest of the family in a dining chair, my top pick for the best high chair overall is fairly affordable at just $225, and the value pick, which comes with a booster seat too, is under $200—both chairs can last you into toddlerhood with conversions. That said, another of our top picks, the Stokke Tripp Trapp is an expensive chair at more than $400. It also offers a number of conversions for long-term use, however, and it’s a darling of both ergonomic proponents and those who prefer a Scandi-aesthetic.
If you’re considering an expensive high chair, consider how many conversions it offers, the quality of the materials used and whether or not it offers the must-have features your family prefers whether that is folding for storage or wheels for portability.
It is a baby gear item that we highly recommend in order to keep little ones safe. High chairs secure the child safely with straps and a tray for easier clean up for the parents, and prevent you from trying to hold a squirming baby that you are also trying to feed, while you feed yourself (quite a feat).
What Is The Best High Chair On The Market?
The Mockingbird high chair, Graco Blossom 6-in-1, Stokke and Peg Perego chairs tested best in our extensive research and testing process, offering the most features and customizable options for your specific child’s needs at various ages. These brands have long been trusted for creating safe and high quality baby products that stand the test of time (or multiple kids, if you have them). We also liked the Baby Jogger and Ergobaby high chairs—and perhaps those brands aren’t a surprise either as they’re also trusted names in baby gear, making strollers, carriers and baby seats.
What Should You Look For When Buying A High Chair?
Look for a high chair that will fit your baby properly now and in the future. Look for easy-to-clean surfaces without too many crevices or difficult-to-wash fabric. Finally, look for adjustable features and settings, and potentially a collapsible option if you plan to store it away between meals (or between children).
Can I Put My 4-Month-Old In A High Chair?
You should put your baby in a safe high chair with straps once they can confidently sit on their own, which typically happens closer to 6 months. Also, the American Academy of Pediatrics is now recommending introducing food at 6 months of age when babies are more likely to have excellent head and neck control, among other indicators of readiness. Before that age, it’s likely more helpful to hold your baby while feeding a bottle.
But, there are times a 4-month-old might enjoy trying out a change of scenery, such as hanging out in a high chair. “As a developmental specialist, I love high chairs for more than just feeding,” notes Marquez. “While babies should spend as much free time on the floor as possible, sometimes you need a safe place for them to hang out while you get something done.” She adds that many of the infant seats on the market don’t support great ergonomic positioning, so working on their fine motor skills in a safe chair a few minutes each day can be helpful.