Maxi-Cosi Minla review

Maxi-Cosi Minla at a glance:

No matter their age, your little one will always be part of family mealtimes with the Maxi-Cosi Minla highchair. With its five recline, four tray and nine height positions, you can use it as a relaxed infant seat thanks to the cosy inlay, as a highchair or as a cool booster seat with tray. Whilst they can't guarantee less of a mess, Maxi-Cosi can ensure a hassle-free clean up as Minla benefits from washable covers and a compact fold, although with its premium fabrics and stylish look, you won't want to put it away.

How did this product make your life easier?

Jen: 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 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.

Tracy: It is an excellent product, mostly in part due to its longevity being able to be used from birth to 6 years. Baby can sit at the table and join in during meal times from birth onwards. It is easy to clean with its water repellent fabric, as well as being able to be unzipped and put in the washing machine, making clean up easy. There are many different combinations of settings to suit. child's preferences. I like that it stores very compactly with being able to clip the tray on the back to make it look neat.

Rebecca: This product is so versatile I love that it’s suitable from birth as a comfy safe place for your baby to spend some time while you get jobs done and especially great if you have had a c section as you can lift your baby easily as it’s a convenient height. It’s lovely to use this from birth so your baby is close to you at mealtimes you can start family meals together without having to hold your little one. The washable cover and inlay make keeping the chair clean a breeze they can be quickly wiped down or if it is a really messy job the cover can be removed easily and popped into the washing machine saving so much time. The seat cover and inlay are both lovely and soft unlike plastic coated seat inlays that crack with constant cleaning saving money on replacement covers. The removable tray is able to go in the dishwasher which saves so much cleaning up time leaving me more time to get other jobs done. The chair can be adapted to be used as a booster seat on a regular chair with a couple of straps that are attached to the seat saving room around the dining table. The stool component of this high chair is fantastic as it’s good to use all the way up to six years my daughter loves using it to sit to the table for colouring game playing as well as eating it’s really sturdy and comfy. It’s a great all in one combo saving money and time. The instructions that came with the product were good although the chair did not need putting together just advice on how to use it.

Would you recommend this to other parents?

Jen: I would recommend this product for the following reasons: It’s easy to put together (I did it on my own, the instructions were easy to follow) It’s very stylish and I love the materials it is made out of. Materials make it very hygienic as it can all be washed easily. It grows with the child so can be used from small baby to older child It can also be used as a travel highchair It’s good value

Tracy: It looks modern and sleek, not ugly and clunky at all. It is easy to fold and store if need be. As mentioned before its longevity is its best feature, being able to use it from birth, during weaning/toddlerhood and beyond. Being easy to clean is also a definite plus point seeing how messy toddlers can be, especially when doing baby-led weaning.

Rebecca: I would recommend this product to everyone as it’s so adaptable to family life, being suitable from birth all the way through to six years. It is simple and convenient to use and has very sturdy legs with wheels making it easy to set up and close. The high chair is not bulky to store as it does not take up much room and with wood effect legs it’s very stylish. It can also be used as a booster seat on a dining room chair making it super flexible for every growing child. This all singing all dancing high chair folds up well for such a big comfy high chair/stool.

I love the height adjustment on the chair so you can sit anywhere with your child while feeding, this is especially important when weaning as you need to sit face to face with your infant for successful feeding. The chair comes with an adjustable footrest which is helpful as not all children are the same. It’s really helpful that this chair when being used as a booster seat can be pushed up to table instead of the tray so your little one can really enjoy meal times together which so important. The high chair is easy to convert to the booster seat and stool just a slide button a squeeze and it’s done with no faffing.

Would you choose this product above all others on the market?

Jen: This is certainly the best highchair that I’ve seen on the market. Although it is a high-end product, when you take into account that you only need to buy one product rather than several it makes it value for money. Maxi cosi are a well known brand known for safety and durability and this highchair also fits their brand. Highchairs are often white but the colours of this highchair make it stylish and great to look at. It’s also easy to put together and lightweight.

Tracy: It can really be used from birth to 6 years, and I am particularly impressed that it can this one high chair can be used simultaneously (smaller toddler in a seat attached to a dining chair, older child in booster on the frame). There are many other products that perform the job which are cheaper but I think the added functionality and longevity makes it a worthwhile purchase.

Rebecca: I love everything about this chair it is so versatile and oozes quality and functionality. One of the main reasons that makes this chair great is it’s the only thing you will need from birth to six years and not many high chairs can boast this. It’s comfy inlay means that it’s suitable for even small babies and it’s many reclining positions makes it great for sleeping and helpful if reflux is an issue after eating. Weaning would be easy as it’s adjustable height is great for feeding anywhere. It’s super easy to clean as the cover is water repellent and for big messes you can pop the covers in the washing machine saving lots of scrubbing. It folds up fairly compact for such a big chair plus the tray can be stored on the back of the legs taking up no extra room. It has useful wheels on the bottom so you can wheel it away to its storage place and with its wood effect it’s not an ugly room feature.

I love that it can be used as a booster seat on my existing dining room chairs utilising the built-in straps provided in the chair. The stool feature is a huge bonus as it can be used until your child is six for sitting to the table it’s great for eating but also useful for games and messy activities like painting. I also found this chair very easy to set up with the high chair or stool with just one tab to slide over and a handle to pinch they can be easily removed and the new one just popped into place. Another feature that I love is the tray is nice and close to my daughter but has five other positions to adapt for bigger children. The tray can be removed with just one hand which is really useful and it’s not heavy either which is great.

What changes would you make to this product?

Jen: Personally I don’t feel the need for the seat part for the older child. It doesn’t look particularly safe as doesn’t have a harness etc or a back. I wouldn’t feel comfortable using this even if the child is a lot older (it states from 36m). Once my little one is too big for a highchair I would be investing in a booster seat.

Tracy: The tray is an awkward shape with a hole for a drinking cup, if using suction mats this may not fit properly on the tray. The tray is a bit bulky, but just about fits in the dishwasher which is great. Sometimes food debris falls into the crevices which can make it difficult to clean but the ability to machine wash the seat pad definitely helps in this respect.

Rebecca: I don’t think I would change anything about this product it really is a great high chair. It does everything I want and more and it’s great value for money. The only thing that would be useful is being able to buy spare covers so one can be in the wash and one on the chair but this is not essential and does not affect use. It really is a great chair with so many uses for so many ages. It’s a quality chair it’s very well made with some great features. I am sure any new parent would be very pleased with this product with washable covers and a dishwasher safe tray cleaning up is a breeze. It’s super comfy and safe with a lovely padded inlay and a five-point harness. It looks good with its wood effect legs and muted colours. It does not take up much room when folded as you can hang the tray on the back when it’s folded making it less bulky. My daughter loves the stool component of this chair and sits for hours up at the table playing games painting and eating. It is so functional, easy to keep clean, and stylish it would be a great addition to any growing family.

About the author

Rebecca Lancaster is a Digital Writer for Mother&Baby, drawing on ten years of parenting her two children to help others navigating their own parenting journey. As a freelance writer, she spent ten years working with leading lifestyle brands, from travel companies to food and drink start-ups, and writing everything from hotel reviews to guides to the best British cheeses. She’s particularly interested in travel and introducing her children to the excitement of visiting new places, trying different foods (less successfully) and experiencing different cultures.