A high chair is one of the most important things you need to buy when you have a toddler; not only are they vital for feeding times once you start weaning, but they also mean your child can be fully engaged at mealtimes with the family even when they’re not eating. They allow your toddler to be at the right height for the table, meaning weaning is that bit easier for parents. They’re an important feature of your home to ensure your little one is safe during those messy mealtimes.
High chairs are also a brilliant idea, once they've outgrown an activity seat, for keeping your child at your side if you’re working at the table, preparing and cooking dinner in the kitchen, or simply want your child sitting next to you for five minutes while you have a coffee.
The best high chairs at a glance
Best overall high chair: Maxi-Cosi Minla High Chair, $249.99
Best swivel high chair: Munchkin 360° Cloud Baby High Chair, $199.95
Best long-lasting high chair: Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair, $319
A high chair is a great idea for those first interactions with crayons, giving them an easy table to use while you’re next to them. You can also entertain your child in their high chair with a range of toys that use suction to stick on to the table.
There’s a huge range of high chairs to choose from, whether you’re looking for portable and foldable functionality, or a stylish high chair that will grow with your child. You can decide between plastic high chairs that are easy to clean, and wooden high chairs that will suit your home’s design.
Some high chairs are available from birth, with newborn inserts to give your baby somewhere to rest, and will grow with your child even up to the age of 12. With so many to choose from, take a look at our edit of the best high chairs to buy today.
What to look for when buying a highchair
Space - If you have enough space to keep the chair fully assembled, even when it’s not in use, then that’s great – a highchair can be useful for much more than just mealtimes, and you can pop your baby in it when you’re busy in the kitchen so baby can see what you’re doing and feel involved. If you’re short on space, though, then a highchair designed to fold easily for compact, easy storage between uses may be more practical.
Age suitability
How old is your baby, and for how long will they be using a high chair? Before you buy a new high chair, check from what age they are suitable, and for how long they can be used. Many high chairs can be used from birth, some with special newborn inserts, and many will grow with your baby thanks to adjustments and moveable sections.
Cleaning
Toddlers are messy - especially when they’re weaning. If you’re starting to introduce solid foods to your little one, then expect a lot of mess. That’s why it’s important to choose a high chair that’s easy to clean. Look for materials that are easy to clean, and not too many nooks and crannies that will trap crumbs.
Weight
Bear in mind how much the high chair weighs, especially if you struggle to lift heavy items, or if you’ll be moving your high chair from one room to another. Look for a lightweight high chair, and one with wheels to make moving it easier.
Multi-function
Many high chairs are multi-use, meaning they can be converted into seats, rockers, booster seats, and more. Some high chairs are suitable from birth right up to 12 years old. Although these might cost more to buy initially, you’ll be saving money over the years.
Safety harness
You’ll need to fasten this every time you pop your child into the highchair. Make sure the harness is easy to fasten and release, but still too tricky for an escaping toddler to undo. And prioritize this – you’ll use a high chair with a fast fasten-and-release harness far more than you will one that’s tricky to do up.
Traveling
If you want a high chair that you can take away with you, either on holidays or to friends’ homes, then look for a portable high chair that can be folded down easily and packed into the trunk.
Footrest
It’s a small thing, but a footrest makes a huge difference to how comfy your baby feels when in the high chair. Check whether you can adjust the height as their legs get longer.
Tray table
Big is generally better, and a removable tray means your child can join in comfortably with mealtimes at the family table –and that’ll become more and more important as they get older. A double-layered tray makes mealtimes easier, as you can whisk one away for cleaning and serve the next course on the tray underneath. And one you can pop in the dishwasher is a godsend.
How we tested and chose these high chairs
Our product recommendations combine hands-on testing by our growing community of mom reviewers with the extensive expertise of our editorial team and product specialists. Whenever possible, we collaborate with experts to ensure you receive accurate advice along with the right product.
For those essential items, our annual Mother&Baby Awards meticulously shortlist the top-tested products, accompanied by comprehensive reviews from our mom testers which you'll find on the product page. The winners and runners-up in each category are featured in our curated top picks article, showcasing not only the champions but also other products highly rated by our team.
When evaluating high chairs, our criteria include various factors, including budget, portability, adjustability, style, space efficiency, height and weight considerations, suitability for babies or toddlers, adaptability as your child grows, and most importantly, their safety features.
Find out more about how we test and what considerations we take into account in our testing process.
Best overall high chair
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If you’re looking for a high chair with plenty of functionality, then look no further. The Maxi-Cosi Minla has five recline settings, four tray positions, and nine different heights; with a cosy inlay, it can be used as a toddler seat, as a high chair while you’re weaning, or even as a booster seat with the tray - it has six different modes in all. It’s easy to clean up the weaning mess thanks to washable covers and a liquid-repellant fabric. If space is of a premium then you’ll love how it folds into a compact size, and wheels make it easy to move around. There’s also a snack tray to add on top, although some moms say it doesn’t fit completely snug.
Won a Gold Award in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards in the Best Highchair category
Our reviewer Jen says: "The product is very easy to clean. The cushion is wipe-clean without it being plastic feel (baby doesn't stick to it when sweaty), and it's great that you get a spare cushion so you can wash it. I also love the fact that the chair grows with baby, so you don't need to buy several different products. With the different settings, a small baby can use the chair (ie adults can have a hands-free dinner whilst baby lies in the chair), and an older child can also use the chair as a 'booster seat'. The seat can also be used as a travel seat, connecting to a dining chair. I also love the fact that the chair puts the child in a great sitting position with a footrest."
Read our full Maxi-Cosi Minla review
Pros
- Lots of functionality
- Easy to fold up
- Wheels
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Snack tray not snug
- Heavier than some
The best swivel high chair
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What could be better than a high chair that rotates 360º? This innovative high chair makes mealtimes a breeze with its swivel function, meaning baby can be turned around easily to face you wherever you are.
It’s easy to clean, easy to assemble, and super safe thanks to its five-point harness system. It’s stylish to look at thanks to the clear ergonomic seat and Scandi wooden legs; plus, the removable cushion and dishwasher-safe tray mean it’s easy to keep clean too.
The only downside we found was the legs have a wide area - this means it’s safe and won’t tip over, but you might find you trip over them.
The Munchkin 360° Cloud Baby High Chair was awarded Silver and Gold for Best Highchair at the Mother&Baby Awards 2023 and 2024.
Our trusted reviewer said: "The chair was super easy to set up. It's so sleek and modern looking, and it looks great in our dining room. My son seemed to be comfortable in it too. The swivelling feature is really useful for us as we could face our little one in the direction we wanted with just one click of a button. The five-point harness system is very useful in containing the little one in the chair for mealtimes meaning I don't have to worry about him escaping or trying to climb out."
Read our full Munchkin 360° Cloud Baby High Chair review
Pros
- 360 degree rotation
- Easy to clean
- Easy to assemble
Cons
- Wide legs
Best long-lasting high chair
www.stokke.com
One of the most famous and well-loved high chairs across the world, it’s no wonder the Stokke Tripp Trapp can be found in so many homes considering how sturdy, long-lasting and functional it really is. This is an investment piece, but you’ll find it lasting your child’s growth through the years, it's even sturdy enough for adults to sit on. It might not be able to recline, but you can change the height of the seat and the foot step. You can buy it with a harness for toddlers, up to three years, and you can invest in the newborn bundle too if you want to convert it to a seat for your baby.
It comes in a wide range of colors meaning it will fit into your home whatever your design choices; we know from experience that you can also customize your Tripp Trapp high chair by sanding and painting it, if you wish.
It’s easy to clean, especially once your child grows and you’re just using it as a wooden seat, but the tray and cushion for toddlers are easy to wipe clean too.
Review: “Excellent quality, super sturdy, and simple design that's easy to assemble and keep clean. I love that it has a foot platform! I also love that it doesn't look like a high chair. I see why it's *the* high chair. The only negative is that the straps really are a pain to adjust. They are very different to maneuver. But other than that (which isn't that big of a deal), it's great.”
Pros
- Longevity to 12 years
- Easy to clean
- Stylish with lots of colour options
Cons
- No recline
Best basic high chair
www.ikea.com
We see this high chair everywhere - not just in our friends’ homes, but in coffee shops and restaurants too. It’s no wonder, given it’s one of the simplest and cheapest high chairs you can buy. It’s easy to put together, easy to clean, and doesn’t cost the earth. It might not be the most stylish high chair you could buy, but sometimes we just want simplicity and practicality. There are no functions with this high chair beyond a removable tray, but it’s easy to put together and take apart should you want to move it around or travel with it. We know from experience and from other moms’ reviews that the tray can be an absolute pain to remove (and we’ve got the grazed knuckles to prove it) but you simply can’t knock this price.
Review: “The Ikea high chair is so easy to clean, it’s really simple and does the job without any fuss - yes it’s not the best-looking high chair but it’s really practical and does everything I need it to. I’ve got four kids and this has stood the test of time and didn’t cost much!”
Pros
- Cheap
- Simple design
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Tray difficult to remove
- Just one mode and height
Best high chair for functionality
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This Graco Table2Table high chair is a 7-in-1 option, which converts from a reclining high chair to a toddler seat with table, and a booster seat, among other modes; you can even seat two kids at once, if you use the booster and the toddler seat separately. There are lots of functions, including two types of harness - three- and five-points; five heights, three recline positions, and a footrest with three heights. It folds easily so can be packed away neatly when not in use, helped by the integrated wheels; it has a large footprint so you will want to tidy it away.
Review: “Putting the table part on is a bit of a hassle when you have a squirming toddler but I just love how the colors look with my home and when looking at all the other high chairs.”
Pros
- 7-in-1
- Lots of functions
- Grows with your child
Cons
- Heavy
Best modern high chair
www.meetlalo.com
If you’re looking for a modern high chair that will fit into your home seamlessly thanks to effortless design, then this Lalo high chair might be the one for you. Its Scandi minimalist design doesn’t take anything away from its practicality, though; this high chair can convert into a booster seat and then a toddler chair, taking your little one through weaning and beyond. The insert cushion is easy to remove and clean, although the straps can be tricky to take off. It includes a footrest (adjustable) and belly bar for the littlest ones, and the cushion makes the plastic seat more comfortable. There’s a small but gorgeous range of colors to choose from. Some parents have reported it to be a bit wobbly however.
Review: “When choosing a high chair for my baby I was looking at these features: safety, easy to clean, design and big tray. This chair has all of it. So it doesn’t miss anything and I wouldn’t change anything in it. It definitely looks way nicer than almost all other chairs on the market, it’s very sturdy and extremely easy to clean.”
Pros
- Grows with your child
- Easy to clean
- Stylish, minimalist
- Cushion is included
Cons
- Height isn't adjustable
Best evolving high chair
ergobaby.com
To save money in the longterm, consider a high chair that will grow as your child grows. This Ergobaby Evolve high chair does exactly that, changing from a high chair for weaning into a toddler chair and then a sturdy kitchen stool. The stool version does take up a lot of floor space with its wide footprint, so might not be the best choice if space is tight in your kitchen - you can buy the high chair without the stool option, if you wish.
This wooden high chair is stylish - available in light or dark wood - and folds up easily to be stored away when not in use. Our only down side was that you can’t remove the tray table with one hand, which you can do with some other high chairs - this might not be a deal-breaker considering its other benefits.
Review: “Love how ergonomic and easy to clean this high chair is. It looks great and the quality is amazing, I’m sure it will last my family for years. Only negatives are that I wish the foot rest had more than two levels and I also wish that the high chair tray was bigger. Other than that I really recommend this high chair!”
Pros
- Grows with your child
- Easy to fold
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Wide footprint
Best high chair for newborns
www.stokke.com
We love this Stokke Nomi chair as you can buy the newborn add-on, meaning you can use the chair from birth through to three years. Use the add-on to keep your newborn at your side at table height while you eat dinner; then at six months, remove the baby attachment and turn your chair into a high chair for weaning. This high chair is great as a toddler seat too, once you take the toddler attachment and harness off; this one really does grow with your child.
As we’d expect from Stokke, this high chair is stylish and will fit into your interior design thanks to a range of wooden designs.
The newborn cover is removable and washable, and the main parts of the high chair are easy to wipe clean.
Review: "I feel that it hits all the pain points that all parents are familiar with when it comes to meal times and high chairs, such as style, practicality and ease of use. It's usually a struggle trying to wrestle a strong-willed and wiggly toddler into a high chair, then having to strap them in, but with the Stokke Nomi that really isn't a problem as babies over six months and toddlers can just slide into the seat easily."
Pros
- Newborn attachment
- Grows with your child
- Easy to clean
- Stylish
Cons
- Modern aesthetic may not suit everyone
Best durable high chair
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One of the cheaper high chairs we’ve shortlisted, this Ingenuity Beanstalk high chair is durable and sturdy - although it doesn’t fold up, so it’s not the smallest option available. If you want to buy this high chair, make sure you’ve got the room to accommodate it. It has six different modes, including for two children at once - if you use the baby insert, and the toddler booster seat modes at the same time. We love the variety of options, meaning you can feed your baby with the attached tray, or even pull it into the dining table to fully engage at mealtimes. The toddler seat is a great bonus too. The footprint is quite large however, and without the option to fold away it does mean it’s less practical than many other high chairs available. It’s easy to clean, though, which is always a priority when weaning - that mess is unavoidable, whichever high chair you buy!
Review: “The infant attachment sits up a little bit too straight for newborns, but that’s my only gripe. Easy to put together and switch between features. Amazing for the price. If you’re planning on having more than one kid, this is the high chair to get.”
Pros
- Six modes
- Easy to clean
- Great for multiple children
Cons
- Doesn't fold away
FAQs
Safety tips when using a high chair
Before buying a high chair, check out the safety options: what sort of harness, if any, does the high chair include? Most feature a five-point harness for ultimate safety and this is the best option.
Federal law requires that high chairs comply with the Safety Standard for High Chairs, 16 CFR part 1231 so check the smallprint before you buy.
What age is a baby ready to use a high chair?
Most moms and dads start using a high chair when their baby reaches six months, which is the average age that babies start weaning and are introduced to their first solid foods.
Some high chairs have inserts to allow them to be used as newborn seats.
How do I get my baby to stay in their high chair?
If your baby is a wriggler and doesn’t like to stay in their high chair, here’s some advice for helping them to stay put:
Exercise right before the meal
Letting off steam before mealtimes is a sure-fire way to help your baby stay put, by burning off some energy before they have to sit still. Let them have tummy time, crawl or jump around, or even dancing with mommy before mealtimes.
Bring baby to the high chair hungry
Your little one is more likely to stay seated if they're hungry and motivated to eat.
Serve the food right away
Try not to put your little one in their high chair until their food is completely ready. That way, their stamina and attention span is saved for eating the meal itself.
Hide or cover toys during the meal
Keep distractions away from the dining table if you’re about to feed your baby; those toys can be too much fun to ignore.
Honor when baby signals that they are done
When babies are kept in their high chairs longer than they want to be, they can develop a negative association with the chair and eating. Trust that your baby knows when they are done and give them their freedom again.
What comes after a high chair?
Once your child has outgrown their high chair, the next step is moving them to a booster seat at the dining table. It will allow your little one to feel more grown-up sitting around the dinner table and will take up less space than a high chair. Some high chairs can convert into booster seats, so it’s worth considering investing in one that has more longevity.
Your child should be ready to use a booster seat at home and in restaurants anywhere from 18 to 24 months.
Sophie Knight is a journalist and mum of two, and previously edited motherandbaby.com before moving on to write about family cars for Parkers.co.uk. Sophie went on to become Commercial Content Editor for M&B, Closer, Heat, Empire, Yours, Garden News, and WhatsTheBest.co.uk before deciding to dedicate more of her time to her family and write freelance.