Choices abound, from price and features to form and style

Given the many types of high chairs available, parents easily can find a model that meets their functional and aesthetic needs. Safety is a primary consideration, of course. Other common criteria: price, how it fits into your living space, your baby's age and feeding stage, intended use and how it looks in your home.

When does a higher price buy more?

Like all baby and child products, the functional lifespan of high chairs is only as long as that of the child's first years. Traditional high chairs are usually designed to accommodate children from infancy (0 to 6 months) through 3 years of age. But older children will need a booster seat until they are tall enough to sit in a chair comfortably. It may be worth it to spend more on a convertible high chair that transitions into a booster and/or a child seat.

What features do you really need?

  • If you intend to use the high chair for small babies (newborn to 6 months) or for bottle feeding and napping, look for a high chair that reclines and provides infant support.
  • If you want to be able to move the high chair about, you need a model with good wheels that also lock securely.
  • If you want a chair that can seat the baby at the table, look for a high chair that has adjustable height positions and that doesn't have a seat design that prevents it from being pulled up to the table.
  • If you want to feed your baby at counter height, you will need to find a chair with a relatively high top height position.
  • If you want to be able to entertain baby in the high chair, look for a seat with a large tray table that can hold lots of toys.

Try it and check it before you buy it

No matter what features you choose, a good high chair in any category will be sturdy and functional even if you have to operate it with one hand tied behind your back. No matter what claims companies make about the one-hand operable features the seat may have, user reviews reveal that these claims do not always hold true. It is easy to get overwhelmed in the baby gear department, so make a checklist:

  • Do the wheels roll easily and lock securely?
  • Does the tray table remove easily with one hand?
  • Is the tray insert secure enough to prevent a child from removing it?
  • Does the frame's folding mechanism work?
  • Can the harness be adjusted and secured easily?
  • Is the chair easy to clean? Check for:
  • Smooth easy to wipe surface
  • Nooks and crannies where food could hide
  • Tray insert that will fit in your dishwasher
  • Wipeable seat cover

Look for these safety features

Falls are the most common form of high chair injuries. Falls occur when an infant or toddler slips out of or off of the seat or when the chair tips. Features that distinguish the safest high chairs include: 

  • A wide, stable base and sturdy build
  • All wheels must lock securely
  • The chair should not tip if you apply weight to the footrest
  • Folding high chairs need to have a secure locking system to prevent accidental collapse.
  • A passive restraint crotch post or T-bar: The crotch restraint should come up between the child's legs to prevent them from slipping out of the chair.
  • A three-point or better yet, a five-point harness: The best harness restraint systems connect low on the frame of the chair, are easy to operate and cannot be opened by the child.
  • The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) seal of approval: This means the high chair is certified for compliance with ASTM International specifications. Compliance is voluntary. High chairs meet drop-test criteria, have no sharp edges and include warnings about proper use, among other things.

Be wary of second-hand seats

Newer seats usually meet more stringent standards and have a greater number of features. In addition, after five years or so, plastic or wood can degrade and crack, spurring potential safety issues. Be sure to check all structural aspects of a chair you are considering if you decide to go the second-hand route. Also, older models of current high chairs may not have the same safety and usability features on the current editions. Older chairs may also have been recalled, since recalls are usually retroactive by several model years.

Back to top