High Chairs : Ratings of Sources

Our AssessmentSeasoned parents and consumer advocates Denise and Alan Fields test many of the products featured in this baby-gear book, and parent interviews also factor into the ratings. The book includes shopping tips and reviews of selected manufacturers, along with ratings and a section of top picks. At the close of the chapter devoted to high chairs, there is a chart comparing 19 models with ratings for overall quality.

Our AssessmentEditors at this Australian publication test nine high chairs for safety and durability. While some models are not widely available in the United States, there is detailed discussion of what features are most important when choosing a high chair. While most of the high chairs reviewed here aren't available in the U.S., one of the recommended models, the Inglesina Zuma, and another reviewed model, the Bloom Contemporary, are. Also available are the results of the previous high-chair test, conducted in June 2007 and updated with new pricing information in 2008, which includes coverage of some models available in the U.S. as well.

Our AssessmentBecause publications are sometimes out of date when it comes to high-chair reviews, owner-opinion websites are valuable. The parent-written reviews at Amazon.com are mostly thorough and sometimes cautionary. The Fisher-Price Rainforest and Space Saver high chairs are among those that receive both high ratings and a large number of reviews.

Our AssessmentEpinions.com has a few high-chair models that have earned more than 40 reviews, although many of the models listed here haven't had any reviews at all, and some have been discontinued. The best bet is to narrow your list to a handful of favorites, and then see what owners have to say. The Fisher-Price Space Saver High Chair has an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 with 75 consumer reviews, while the Fisher-Price Rainforest High Chair also maintains an average of 4 stars out of 5 but with just eight reviews. The Eddie Bauer Natural Wood high chair, with 17 consumer ratings, has mixed reviews, with some comments that commend its classic design and others that call the seat uncomfortable and the harness poorly designed.

Our AssessmentThis now-defunct parenting magazine selects the best high chairs in various categories, providing each with a rating between 1 and 5 stars for cleanability and durability. The article refers to testing, although specific methodology isn't described. We'd rate this review higher if it were updated more recently -- however, the magazine is now no longer in existence. The Stokke Tripp Trapp is the only model reviewed that receives 5 out of 5 stars for both cleanability and durability.

Our AssessmentDiapers.com, the official store for popular baby and parenting tips site BabyCenter.com, allows parents and caregivers to post reviews on and purchase a variety of baby-related products. There aren't as many high chairs available here as on other sites such as Amazon.com, and many products haven't been reviewed. High chairs receiving more than 20 reviews and earning a high rating include the Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair with an average 4.5-out-of-5-star rating, and the Fisher-Price Rainforest High Chair, which gets an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5.

Our AssessmentParenting.com editors highlight four high chairs in this short guide. Write-ups are brief and very positive. Each blurb ends with a parent quote, but these too are uniformly glowing. We'd rate this article more highly if ratings were more balanced and critical.

Our AssessmentBabble.com features a variety of reviews and top picks for various baby and child-related products, including high chairs. This particular review is geared specifically toward travel high chairs. The Babble Best pick is Phil & Teds MeToo, with runners-up including Inglesina Fast, Kaboost, HandySitt and The First Years' On-the-Go Booster.

Our AssessmentBobbysBest.com offers product reviews and recommendations for a variety of consumer products, including many baby-gear products. This review is of the Baby Trend High Chair, and although it's implied that this high chair is recommended over other brands, direct comparison testing isn't conducted. The review itself is detailed, however, and the author notes that he prefers the Baby Trend High Chair over the popular Fisher-Price Rainforest High Chair. Each review on this site includes a "devil's advocate" section, which sometimes contains negative aspects of the reviewed product. In this case, it merely mentions that the Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair is another model worth considering, depending on your space constraints.

Our AssessmentLilaGuide.com is another feedback site for parents, operated by the same company as TheBump.com. It's becoming a decent place to look for baby-gear reviews, and there are entries on dozens of high chairs including the Fisher-Price Rainforest High Chair and the Stokke Tripp Trapp. The site is fairly easy to navigate, but the reviews themselves tend to be much shorter and less detailed than those on Amazon.com or Epinions.com. The most heavily reviewed high chairs here include the Fisher-Price Space Saver High Chair, which earns an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 based on more than 80 reviews, and the Prima Pappa Rocker High Chair, which has accumulated more than 75 consumer reviews but garners an average rating of only 3.5 out of 5 stars. The Svan High Chair with Tray Cover, Fisher-Price Rainforest High Chair, Baby Trend High Chair, Chicco Polly and Stokke Tripp Trapp have also accumulated a fair number of reviews and maintain high average ratings.

Our AssessmentMumsnet.com is a parent-focused site with a good selection of owner-written, baby-gear reviews. Mumsnet is based in the U.K., but a few of the models listed are available in the U.S. as well. The Fisher-Price Rainforest High Chair does well here, as does the Stokke Tripp Trapp, which scores just over 8 out of 10 in more than 270 reviews.

Our AssessmentThis informal review is more of a product list than a comparison review. The author discusses five high chairs with modern styling and the best features offered by each. The reviews are fairly balanced, as some negatives are mentioned, although the high chairs aren't ranked in order of performance. The author doesn't appear to have personal experience with these high chairs, mentioning that in the end she chose and has been pleased with the Stokke Tripp Trapp. This review is useful for parents specifically looking to compare high chairs that have a modern look.

Our AssessmentConsumerGuide.com lists a large selection of high chairs, but only the Fisher-Price Rainforest High Chair gets a full expert review. The write-up is highly positive and no drawbacks are listed.