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High chair shopping? There are dozens of high chairs on the market. BC is here to help you narrow down your options.
First, what should you look for in a chair? Here are six important considerations:
- Is it easy to clean? The fewer crevices for food and crumbs to hide in, the happier you'll be. You'll be washing the tray three or more times every day and wiping down the seat almost as often.
- Can you remove the tray easily (preferably with one hand)? You may need to hold something else in your other hand simultaneously (like the baby!).
- Can you strap your child into the seat easily and quickly? At minimum, high chairs should have a harness that goes around the waist and between the legs. ALWAYS use the straps. You may also want a chair that has a post between the legs so the child can't slide down.
- Is the seat adjustable to fit your baby's changing body? You don't need a million points of adjustment, but you do need a few. Babies get a lot taller and a lot heavier between, say, six and 18 months.
- Can you live with how much room it takes up? The safest chairs have the widest bases. In other words, they're big. Even if you choose a foldable chair, you probably won't put it away very often. Still, you'll be glad to have the option.
- Will you usually feed your child standing up or sitting down? If you think you'll be feeding as you stand up or move around the kitchen, look for a chair that's height-adjustable. You don't want to have to bend over. Conversely, if you'll be sitting down as a family, you don't want the baby in her chair to tower over the table.
Fisher Price Rainforest Healthy Care (shown above) is the best selling chair at Amazon. 117 consumers have given it 4.5 stars. The pattern may be a bit hard to take for you decor-sensitive types, but hey, it's got toys! music! lights! It sells for around $90. Right now it's $89.96 at BabyCenter
Graco Baby Contempo. Designed with portability in mind, this seat has rollers and folds flat for storage. Comes in lots of patterns. $99.99 at Amazon
with free shipping on several colors and patterns.
Chicco Polly. Stylish chair. Usually around $130. The model shown is $89.99 right now at Amazon with $14.90 shipping.
Evenflo Expressions Plus Priced right at $50 - $70. You can pick it up for $54.99 right now at Sears.
Graco Easy Chair. This is the chair we had. It's basic and easy to clean. A budget-friendly buy. Reclinable seat. Pad wipes clean. Drawbacks? It doesn't fold, it doesn't have wheels, and it's not height-adjustable. That said, this is the chair we used and we found it quite serviceable. You can pick it up for around $50. It's $39.99 right now at BabyAge with $7.95 shipping. You can pick it up for the same price at Target.com, where if you spend $50, you get free shipping on baby gear.BC Pick:
If I had a do-over, I'd forego the high chair altogether and buy the Fisher Price Space Saver High Chair/Booster that I discussed in our Skip the High Chair post. Of the five listed here, I'd go with Evenflo Expressions Plus. I'm impressed with the level of features you get for the price.
Shopping Tip: A high chair is a great item to pick up used. They're highly cleanable and they easily outlast a single user. We found ours, a Graco Easy Chair, for half the price it would have been new at a kiddie consignment store. Church/neighborhood consignment sales, yard sales, Craigslist, Freepeats and Freecycle are also good places to look.
Tell us about your high chair. Love it? Hate it? Find a great deal?
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37 comments:
I love my Chico highchair. (I have the one you have pictured.) I wheel my son arouind the kitchen with me and he is high enough to watch me cook. I agree that the spacesaver highchairs are nice - they do save space. But I enjoy being able to roll mt son around the room and he is seated high up.
I love my FP Rainforest Highchair! It's colorful & cute! It's nice to be able to have my son up sometimes while I'm cooking w/ cheerios or some other snack. He loves the toys too!
I'm a huge fan of the whole rainforest line! We got most of it through babyshowers! All the pieces look great in pictures too!
We had the Chicco Polly and I loved it. It was easy to keep clean, especially with two seat pads. One was always ready to go!
Also, I loved that it was height adjustable. We eventually used it at the dinner table, sans tray. It was a perfect fit for us.
Now we just use a small booster seat that she can get into and out of independently. I kept the highchair though...for the next one!
We have the same Chicco Polly you showed and we loved it. We used it from age 5 months to 15 months. It is very easy to clean (unlike some highchairs that are more fabric-y). At 15 months she started sitting at the table with a booster.
I LOVE my Graco Contempo High Chair. I would have liked the space saver chair, but it was too wide for our chairs. The Graco folds up thin and can easily be put away, but I usually leave it out. I found a nice brown and cream pattern. (Sometimes the bright color/circus look gets to me.) It blends in and is really easy to use!! I found my pattern on walmart.com, free shipping to the store in your area. Think it was called Kasbah, might be spelled wrong.
I know I'm in the minority here but I don't love my Chicco Polly. The clear snap on tray didn't fit into the diswasher (even though it's "dishwasher safe") and food always got stuck in the thin line of the regular tray that I'd end up using a toothpick to get it out. I also found it to be quite bulky. At a friend's house, I discovered the FP Rainforest highchair and so wished I had gone with that. Now we just use the FP booster since I didn't want to deal with the bulky, not-so-easy to clean (this is where my opinion seems to differ from the majority) Chicco anymore.
I have the FP Space Saver chair and love it. I got it when my son ws about 6 months old and he just turned 2. I also have a regular booster too for my older child that we bought to replace her highchair and use that with my nephew who is turning 1 in a few weeks. Without the tray on the Space Saver fits right under our table that it can be pushed in almost all the way. That is the only thing bothers me at all is that it doesn't go all the flush with the table when pushed in. But it is still great and I am glad we purchased it.
The Contempo is supposed to be a lot like the Rainforest chair. Just less rainforesty...and no toys.
I totally agree with the person who doesn't like the Chicco Polly highchair. Even though it has very mixed reviews on babiesrus.com, I bought it. I wish I had listened to the poor reviews. The snap-on tray is huge and doesn't fit in the dishwasher. Food gets stuck in the crevices the other person mentioned. I really didn't like it too much and switched to the extremely inexpensive Ikea high chair.
We have the FP Healthy Care Booster in blue and green with the removable tray and tray cover. We love it! However, now that I see they have a more basic model out without the removable tray top and tray cover (for MUCH less money), I would have chosen the one without the removable tray. Our daughter quickly mastered the removal of the tray so although we use the seat daily (with the main tray or pushed directly up to the table), we haven't used the removable tray since almost the beginning.
A side-note re: good places to get gently-used items like high chairs...try local Mothers of Multiples club sales. They usually happen twice a year and are a great source of baby and child items.
We have a FP Healthy Care highchair. I wouldn't recommend it if you plan on using it for more than one kid, primarily because the tray is rapidly dying on us. It apparently is not meant to be washed every day, though I can't imagine the makers thought that washing would be unnecessary. We are on our second child with it and the internal springs on the part that you push in to attach the tray to the chair have rusted through and are falling out in pieces.
I think son #2 will soon be ready for the FP booster, which we attached to a regular dining chair for son #1. I highly recommend that as one as a booster or for dining out.
Hi,
does anyone know if there's a BRU coupon out there? I want to use it to get one of these high chairs. Thanks!
Here you go, Nadia: Take $5 off $25 at BRU instore or online:
http://tinyurl.com/3fufq7
I love my FP Deluxe Healthy Care High Chair. It has a neutral pattern, and comes w/ 3 dishwasher insert trays. I love those, since one is always in the dishwasher when I want to use another! Its on baby #2 now with no problems. I personally love high chairs, and don't like baby's mess on my table and chairs (what happens with a booster seat). Too much mess to clean up!
I have the Graco EasyChair and I mostly love it! Love the pull out parent tray in the front, my little guy turned over many jars of food before we got this HC and now he cant reach them. Mine came with a cloth cover, NOT Plastic and must be washed in the washing machine, i got tired of it, and just stopped using it. Wish it had a plastic cover, or came with two covers so one can be in the wash and one clean. Found it on clearance at Baby Depot in Burlington Coat Factory for $25!
I have the Chico Polly posted and really love it. I love how stylish it is and I couldn't belive the adjustability of it. The chair rolls easily on carpet and tile and can be adjusted so you can stand and feed or literally sit on the floor and feed.
It also folds up quickly and neatly so when it needs to be out of the way it can be. It does however have a pretty big footprint, but if space is not an issue, this is a nice chair.
I am another Mom that did NOT like the Chicco Polly. We have two for our twins and it has too many places for food to get into and I find that the tray doesn't get close enough too them and food falls on their laps a lot. I wish we hadn't done these at all.
Wow! I'm glad the Polly was the MOST expensive chair I featured and not the least! :)
We have a Graco Mealtime Highchair and absolutely love it! It folds up, although not as flat as the Graco Contempo High Chair. We actually too this highchair out of town with us- it took my husband maybe 1 minute to get it apart.
Every night we wash the removable tray in the dishwasher and after 8 months it still looks brand new. The chair is extremely easy to clean and wipe down as well.
Also, the mealtime highchair is height adjustable so we can pull it up to the table when our son gets older. Love the wheels so we can pull it into the kitchen while cooking, etc. It's really a great chair!
We love our Chicco chair! I found that with two snap in trays and the larger tray, it was never a problem that they only fit in the dishwasher diagonally. Both of the snap in trays can be dirty and you can still use the larger tray so we never end up not having a clean surface for food. Plus, the snap in trays are so smooth that it is not that difficult to run it under water in the sink to rinse it off between meals/snacks. We have road tripped to beach houses, etc. and taken it with us and it really does fold down easily to fit in the car. I am still glad we purchased it and would recommend it. I will admit however that I am not one to clean ANYTHING with a toothpick so perhaps the personal cleanliness preference makes a difference as to what type of chair you would prefer.
I love my Evenflo Expressions Highchair. We originally registered for a Fisher Price Healthy Care one, but the tray in the store was hard to get off. When you choose one be sure to play with the store model.
The Expression is easy to use, has a pull out tray for baby food and is easy to clean.
You can usually find a good sale at Target or TRUS. We got the Zazoo pattern at Target on sale for $45. It doesn't fold away, so if you are short on space you might want to reconsider.
We almost got the spacesaver, but our chairs are not wide enough for them. Be careful about that if you are considering them.
I have the evenflo expressions and love it! The removable plastic tray doesn't fit in my dishwasher (but that is like a million years old and tiny!). I love the easy height adjustment and my son (after trying so diligently) to get out of it while I'm not looking has yet to succeed. So easy to clean the seat and even remove the vinyl cover.
okay im going to sound nuts here bc i can review several chairs. the first, the Chicco Polly. my MIL bought it for us despite my asking for the other kind of high chair you put on the regular chair. i hated it. its hard to clean, the tray doesnt fit into the dishwasher, the food gets all under the seat cover. i eventually took it to my inlaws and left it at their house. the second we got one of those booster seats that has a tray and also folds for travel. its okay. the snap tray is a pain. we used it primarily for traveling so it worked out. the last is the basic booster made by the first years. its like fifteen dollars and is blue and light yellow. the swing tray is marvelouse and it is quick to clean up!!! perfect! we should have gotten this one to start.
i love my chicco polly highchair, although my daughter is only 7 months and isn't eating finger foods yet, so we don't have to wash off the tray (just wipe off). i love how easy it is to wipe down the chair and the tray's easy to take off. also, i agree that folding up takes a second and i just leave it standing in the corner - piece of cake. i've been using the FP booster seat while my nephew was staying with us and he got food ALL over the place since the tray's not big - all over the chair. also, it's so much lower than a traditional high chair and you can't adjust that.
If you're not into the bright colors of the FP Rainforest chair, you can find non-Rainforest Healthy Care chairs in much more neutral colors for about $20-$30 cheaper. Sure, they don't have the huge fun tray toy, but you can pick up a couple of suction toys for $6 :)
We got our Healthy Care chair off craigslist for $20. Obviously, it's been through one kid already, and it's still in great shape. The paint on the tray insert is a little chipped and there are quite a few crumbs in the bottom of the chair (not visible when the seatpad is on), but that's it. It's SUPER easy to clean.
This is along the lines of the post about sippy cup parts. I found this site and it lets you buy replacement parts for mattel and fisher price. I actually found it because I left my jumparoo out on the carport and it got mildew on the seat. I can order a new seat from here for only 7.50, so I can pass it on to my friend. Also they have the trays for the fisher price high chairs for only 6.50. I'm also ordering replacement toys for a baby gym I have (it was second hand and the toys got lost) for only 3 dollars! It's great! Here's the site: https://store.mattel.com/
I have the Chicco Polly and I love it! It's got a compact design and it's easily cleaned. The only downer is that the plastic snap-on cover doesn't fit in a normal dishwasher, but it wipes down easily enough.
I love my Evenflow Expressions chair. I received it as a gift and it has worked out nicely for us. The chair is super easy to adjust and move around and the seat cover washes beautifully. I just toss it in the wash once a week and it comes out looking brand new. Great chair for the price.
I have a high chair from ikea called ANTILOP that is great because not only is it easy to clean and wipe down, but also it was not more than $25 with the tray (sold separately). Also, the high chair doesn't take up a lot of space. My decor is more minimalist so this chair was a perfect fit for us.
I love my Evenflo Expressions highchair. We got it at Target for $69.99 I believe. The tray is super easy to remove with one hand and the top tray is even dishwasher safe. The only downside is that it doesn't roll that easy from wood to carpet and the locks on the wheels can lock easily causing you to bend down and unlock them more often than you might want to.
We just got the Graco Contempo a month ago and we're very happy with it. Plus I got last year's model (in black and white toile - ooh la la) at Big Lots for only $60!
It's a snap to use and so far my baby likes to sit in it.
So far...
Thanks Angie for this post. It was extremely helpful!!!
Hello. Has anyone ever tried the Eddie B. wooden high chairs? I like the look of the wood and that it has a plastic removable tray, but would prefer wheels.
Thanks for your imput!
I ordered a highchair from Target.com that is made by an Italian brand called Cassato. It folds in half an is only a couple of inches wide so it can slide behind the fridge or in a closet when not in use. It's only about $40 and there are no bells and whistles - which also means less cleaning. 5-point restraints, vinyl cover that snaps on and off, and the tray is attached with no crevices to hide crumbs. Some people don't like that the tray doesn't come off, but really sterilizing your high chair tray in the dishwasher is pretty unnecessary. I just use a baby wipe or wet paper towel right after baby eats and it cleans up in seconds. It's a very retro looking chair, too! Ours is light pink with white polka dots, and there is also a light blue one available with white stripes. The mix of metal and vinyl reminds me of a diner!
The chair I talked about in blue:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5854457
not on the list, but great none the less: the ikea antilop highchair. costs about $25 and i absolutely love it. its made from a solid piece of plastic-no nooks and crannies for crumbs, etc. wipes down easily. you can take the legs off for major clean ups in the sink/tub or for storage. its comes in solid white, blue, or red and is easy on the eyes.
We have the Evenflo Expressions Plus Little Pink Kisses chair. We LOVE it! If I ever have to get another chair, it will definitely be another Evenflo Expressions Plus. Seems like there was a feature or two that the plus had over the straight Evenflo Expressions, but I can't remember what it is at the moment. We've never had a problem with the chair, and love all the features it has: locking wheels, dishwasher safe removable tray (yes, it does fit in dishwasher, it has two pieces that make it up that snap together/apart), wipeable pad (this has been nice several times!), and I like being able to pull out the tray a little bit from the front one handed and then get my girl out without taking off the whole tray. I think it's cool that it has height adjustments, but up until now we've only used the highest setting. She's now interested in sitting at the table, so we may lower it now so that it can fit up to the table. It'll be our first time using the adjustment, but I'm glad it's there. We bought a bunch of the switcheroo toys and change them out frequently as she gets excited to see something new on her tray. Her favorite is the spinning ball with the fish and beads in it.
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