High Chair Information

High Chair Links

If you have limited space, a booster seat can be a good choice, although experts say your child should be at least 1 year old to use a booster. Booster seats can strap to a suitable chair and allow your child to eat at the table with you. Reviewers warn that these seats are not specifically covered under safety standards and recommend that you buy a model with a belt.

Hook-on high chairs, another option, have frames that mount onto a table. While these chairs typically have restraint systems similar to those found on regular high chairs, many experts don't recommend them. The reason: experts say hook-on high chairs can pose serious safety threats if they're attached incorrectly or to the wrong type of table. Still, when employed properly, these portable chairs can be a godsend in restaurants, which often have outdated or no high chairs. One particular model, Phil & Teds MeToo (*Est. $50) has been recognized by People magazine as the best high chair for travel, and it receives positive reviews from users posting to Amazon.com and Target.com.  Many parents applaud its simple design, convenience, and ease of use. Some complain, however, that there's no back support, other than the metal tube that holds the fabric.

Additionally, while high chairs tend to be relatively trouble-free compared to most types of baby gear, there has been one recall this year. In March 2010, Graco recalled more than a million Graco Harmony high chairs due to fall hazards resulting from cracked or loosening parts. If you own this product, call the company toll-free at (877) 842-3206 or visit its website to receive a free repair kit.

For ongoing recall information, visit the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission's website.

The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association also offers information on models whose safety it has verified. Product submission is voluntary, and not all seats have been submitted for review.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Nursery Checklist discusses baby gear and safety considerations. A PDF version is available here.

Heather Corley, the About.com baby-products guide, offers a helpful high chair buyer's guide. http://babyproducts.about.com/od/feedingdrinks/bb/highchairbuy.htm (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

BabyZone.com has an article about finding the best high chair.

BabyCenter.com has an article about high chairs, including a helpful buyer's guide.

ConsumerReports.org features a useful (and free) blog with tips on how to test a high chair before you buy.

ConsumerReports.org posts a brief but useful article related to restaurant high chairs in a June 2009 blog entry. The article points out that restaurant chairs are notorious for having broken safety restraints, and they tend not to be cleaned between uses.

ConsumerReports.org also offers an article discussing midpriced high chairs and key features to look for: "Spotlight on: Mid-Priced High Chairs."

Parents.com provides a brief article, "How to Choose the Best High Chair," which highlights important questions to ask when selecting a high chair.

Manufacturer websites offer detailed specs and product information:

Age Design  

Baby Trend  

Bloom  

Boon  

Fisher-Price

Graco

Inglesina

Keekaroo

Peg-Perego

Phil &Teds

Stokke

Svan (distributed by Scandinavian Child)