How to choose the best highchair:
Highchairs have come a long way in the last couple of decades as companies have begun to apply intelligent design to baby equipment. There are several broad types on the market, so consider which functions are important to you before making your choice.
1. Budget highchairs
At the inexpensive end of the spectrum are the budget chairs. These tend to be standalone highchairs (intended to be used by themselves using a plastic tray, instead of being pulled up to a table), short on adjustability features and elaborate design – favouring instead a functional simplicity that often, incidentally, means they’re much easier to clean.
Indeed, they can still tick all the essential boxes without the added extras and loads of Mumsnet users will tell you that you don't need to spend much on a highchair to make it worth your while. Our Best for award went to the IKEA Antilop, which was also the cheapest on the list.
2. Multi-functional highchairs
A multifunctional highchair is a step-up in functionality and price. It has been designed to include features that make life easier or that adjust the chair to suit your child.
Multifunctional chairs usually include adjustable seat height options, reclining seat backs, trays that can move between several different positions, extra tray inserts to save on washing up or under-seat toy storage baskets. Single-stem highchairs, which stand on one leg instead of four, even rotate 360 degrees as well as adjust in height.
Multifunctional options might also include newborn accessories so you can use the chair before six months, or have a removable tray so the chair converts from a standalone chair to a table-side one. They usually fold away and often stand when folded for easier storage, and come with luxuriously padded cushions, which are comfortable for your baby to sit on but are crumb magnets for any dropped food.
A multifunctional chair might be a good choice if you want to adjust the chair to fit your baby or sit at your table, if you prefer a more comfortable cushion or if you know you’ll want to fold it away when you’re not using it.
3. Transitional highchairs
These are the big guns of the group – the chairs intended to last as standalone models in babyhood and then convert to table-side models that can be used in toddlerhood, childhood and even beyond.
As a result, they are usually crafted from sturdy, high-end materials, are intentionally designed to look elegant and minimalist, and come with a range of design options so you’ll want to stick with it long-term.
They are also, of course, the most expensive – and be aware that, in this group in particular, you’ll need to pay extra for everything except the chair frame itself (including newborn accessories, baby seats, trays and even safety harnesses), so make sure this is included in your budget.
The good news is that, because these chairs last so well, there’s a thriving second-hand market on eBay and Facebook Marketplace, where you can sell yours on or pick up a used model for a fraction of the cost.
4. Travel highchairs
These ensure that your child always has somewhere safe and age-appropriate to eat when they’re not at home – whether that’s at a grandparent’s house, a friend’s, or away on holiday – although many are designed so well that people use them at home too.
Most travel highchairs either attach to an adult dining chair as a chair-mounted booster or clip onto the table edge (sometimes called a hook-on or clip-on highchair) like a vice. In both cases, you need suitable furniture to make it work – though, anecdotally, the chair-attaching kind fit more universally than the table-attaching kind.
It’s a good idea to read up on their specs before choosing one to make sure you’ll be able to use it safely. It’s helpful when travel chairs collapse to a portable size and many come with their own carry cases or shoulder straps to help with this.
They might also be a good choice if your child spends regular time at a relative’s house but the relative doesn’t have space for a full-time chair, if you know they’ll eat better on holiday in a chair made for them, or if your kitchen is small and you want something that won’t take up any extra floor space.