The 6 Best High Chairs, Tested By A Mom Of Five (2024)

High chairs provide essential seating for your child’s first foray into food and family mealtimes. And the best ones, I’ve found, are ergonomic, durable, easy to clean and simple to maneuver. After testing 12 popular models with an 18-month-old and a 6-month-old (and continuing to use the six top-scoring contenders for several months), I named the Mockingbird the best high chair overall for its portability, intuitive use and easy maintenance. Graco’s Blossom 6-in-1, my choice for the best value high chair, also impressed me with its highly adjustable and ergonomic design.

Below are all six of the best high chairs based on my thorough testing:

With so many high chairs on the market, it can be hard to know what features to focus on. When narrowing down my picks, I made sure to keep sturdiness and safety top of mind; these aspects are strongly emphasized by both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the experts I interviewed for this story. Ahead, details on the six best high chairs, according to my recent testing. (If you’re also looking for a more compact option, make sure to check out our guide to the best portable high chairs.)

The Mockingbird High Chair is clearly designed with everyday use in mind, making it one of the most parent- and baby-friendly high chairs I’ve ever encountered. And after testing a dozen chairs for this guide (and many more as a product reviewer and parent to five kids), I ended up liking it a bit more than my previous top pick, the Graco Blossom 6-in-1. It’s also become the high chair I prefer to use with my youngest, a 9-month-old.

Easy To Move, Easy To Clean

The Mockingbird glides easily across the floor without any wheels or wheel locks. There were no additional shenanigans getting in the way of what I need to do: Push the baby from the kitchen island to the table, or from the big table to the kitchen where I’m doing dishes—or even to the living room when everyone else is finished but the baby is snacking. It’s the first high chair to get this right but without compromising safety, because it doesn’t feel unstable or flimsy.

Many high chairs with pads and extra features for comfort end up being a bit more difficult to clean. For example, the Graco’s padded cover is removable and washable, but it’s slightly more difficult to clean day to day compared with the Mockingbird. The Mockingbird high chair has a more straightforward shape, with fewer curves and grooves where food and gunk can hide. A simple wet cloth takes care of all of the mess, with an occasional deeper clean with your cleaner of choice.

An Intuitive Setup

Some high chairs have so many settings and movable, changeable parts that can be overwhelming for parents. But the Mockingbird has two basic setups: a typical high chair and a simple booster seat when you remove the baby seat. Both are functional and help elongate the life of the high chair’s use in your family.

The baby seat also lets you adjust how close the tray gets to the baby and how high or low the footrest goes, but there aren’t too many extras or confusing features (I’ve found that simple is better in many baby gear items). Plus, the tray itself doesn’t have additional features like a cupholder or other bumps or sections, meaning any type of plate or cup can easily sit on the flat surface.

One Drawback

My only gripe with the Mockingbird high chair is that the safety strap is a bit cumbersome. It has a rubber insert into a hole on the back of the chair that sags down a bit when the baby isn’t sitting in the chair and using it. Though experts always recommend strapping babies in, if you are a parent who doesn’t use the straps, the straps and rubber pieces are removable.

What other parents say: Margaret Badore, our baby gear editor and mom to a toddler, also uses the Mockingbird. “I really like that there are many ways to configure this chair as your toddler grows,” she says. “My son is 2-and-a-half, so we use it as a booster seat at our table. I’ve removed the straps and front restraint but kept the bucket seat in place. He can climb easily in and out himself.”

The Graco Blossom has all of the necessary features of the best high chairs at an affordable price. The “six in one” refers to the fact that the chair can convert from an infant high chair to traditional baby high chair, infant booster, toddler booster and youth chair. It can seat two kids at once out of the box, thanks to a separate booster that comes with the high chair.

Impressive Versatility And Maneuverability

I used this chair’s infant insert—a supportive pillow that slips in and out easily—when my children were younger and appreciating the additional support. But my older toddler can use the same chair as a booster, while the whole chair is positioned right up to the table where the rest of us are eating. (Note: I previously owned an older model of this high chair.)

After a year of testing at home with my now 2-year-old toddler for mealtimes, this high chair continues to impress, though I found myself reaching for it a bit less with the Mockingbird around. It’s extra maneuverable, meaning I never experience issues with rolling it across the floor (I frequently wheel the chair between rooms if he needs to eat closer to me), or with pivoting it around our home.

Designed And Priced With Busy Families In Mind

The Blossom feels like it’s made with a real family in mind. It rolls between the counter and the dining table with ease; the one-handed tray comes in and out with a button press; the tray’s contour means the baby can slip in and out without moving the tray every time. Plus, both the 18-month-old and 6-month-old testers were in ergonomically correct positions: knees at a 90-degree angle, feet firmly planted thanks to the adjustable footrests, strong posture without slouching or sliding, and securely fastened without too much wiggle room from side to side or forward to back. That’s in contrast to the Ikea high chair I tested, which had close to a foot of extra space around the toddler. I do wish the footrest was slightly deeper for older kids so my now-older tot could climb into and out of the chair on his own.

This chair was most comparable to the Chicco Polly Progress 5-in-1 I also tested. But the Polly had a much higher, rounder headrest that neither of my kids were tall enough to touch, along with a slightly harder-to-fasten buckle system and a wider base. But the main reason I chose the Graco over the similar Chicco as my best value pick was that the foot position of the latter was not as ergonomic: Its footrest pops up like a reclining chair, which wasn’t ideal for a young baby.

Cleaning Is Simple (With Small Quibbles)

The Graco Blossom has one of the simplest removable and washable fabric covers among the chairs I tested. It all comes off in a single piece and makes use of simple plastic prongs, which you secure into holes on the arm rests. After I washed the Graco’s fabric multiple times and set it out to dry, it revealed a a fresh-looking high chair after serious stains each time; that said, wiping with a wet cloth is perfectly sufficient most days too. After a year, the fabric remains stain-free, as does the tray, but the fabric is slightly more worn and wrinkly. Unfortunately, the snaps to reattach the seat cover after cleaning are a bit flimsy and are now cracking and bending. This means that the seat cover is starting to not fully reattach properly.

The only thing I don’t love about Graco’s high chair is the tray’s divided sections and raised edges. Not all plates and cups fit within their confines, rendering them useless. A flat tray would be more accommodating to multiple types of dishes. Read more in my in-depth review of the Graco Blossom high chair.

The Luxury Vehicle Of High Chairs

If you are looking for a seriously sweet baby shower gift or plan to have multiple children, the Peg Perego Siesta feels might be worth the pricey investment. It offers nine height adjustments compared with the Graco Blossom’s six, and it can fold into an upright standing position for easy storage (which neither the Mockingbird nor the Graco can do). Its sleek Italian design gives it a modern aesthetic; I especially appreciated the pricier Ambiance Brown color for its faux wood accent, but other colorways will save you up to $100.

My daycare provider continued testing this winner chair for the remainder of the year, using it with children ages 6 months through 3 years, for both snack and mealtimes. She calls it one of her more versatile chairs because it works for children of varying ages, including toddlers who often outgrow high chairs as they get bigger. We both find the seat easy to wipe down and appreciate that the tray slides on and off with one hand.

Seamless, Stylish, Functional Features

The Siesta has exceptionally easy-rolling wheels and a premium fabric profile. It does not convert into a toddler chair or booster seat the way the Graco and Stokke models do, but it does boast a higher 45-pound weight limit, meaning you could use it well into the preschool years. The leather-like seat pad is stain-resistant and easily wiped clean after a Jell-O mess. The wheels automatically lock for safety.

In stark contrast to some other high chairs, including the Lalo and Ikea models, the Peg Perego has extensive adjustment options—such as three positions with the footrest alone. It also offers a halfway-to-the-ground reclined position, designed for hanging out, not eating. Most buckle systems seem to fall into two categories: ones that stay mostly together, and ones that completely separate and needed to be reassembled each time. Parents are likely to prefer the simpler assembly that this Peg Perego model offers.

A Clever Feature And A Word Of Caution

One of the most creative innovations on this chair is that when you fold it, there’s a secret place to stash the tray itself between the back legs to minimize how large the chair would be when it’s folded. It is a bit more bulky than other options, so you may want to pay careful attention to the dimensions. The wheels also don’t maneuver as easily as I would like, but that may not be an issue for those planning to use the chair in one main location.

A word of caution: The very youngest babies or smaller children might not be the best candidates for this chair. When I tested the Peg Perego on a 6-month-old, he was a bit too short, and the tray was way too close to his head. (As pediatric physical therapist Brita DeStefano notes, “The tray or table should be at baby’s belly height so that they can lean forwards on it with their forearms”—which wasn’t the case with the Siesta.) Read my in-depth review of the Peg Perego Siesta.

The Stokke Tripp Trapp offers the most convertible options of all the chairs I tested, transforming from an infant chair to an adult chair. That wins it many fans, including pediatrician Dr. Whitney Casares. Not only does its robust convertibility make it the easiest for bigger kids to climb into (rather than chairs designed just for babies and toddlers); it’s also most likely to stand the test of time in your house.

Instant Extra (And Ergonomic) Seating For All Ages

Casares says she loves the Stokke Tripp Trapp the most of the high chairs she’s tried. “It worked when [my kids] were first starting out with solid foods, and it could even hold their father-in-law when we needed an extra chair at the holidays.” Chloe, the mom of our 6-month-old tester, also chose it as her favorite high chair because of its ergonomics; her baby’s feet were firmly planted on the wide platform (much bigger than the competitors), his knees and hips were at a right angle, and he was able to sit back far enough without having any extra wiggle room near the belly. Chloe opted to take the fabric off of the seat to make it easier to clean and move her child in and out of the chair. Older kids will also be able to sit at the perfect angle due to the Stokke Tripp Trapp’s adjustable footrest and seat levels.

The Tripp Trapp’s all-wood Scandinavian design may appeal to those who prefer to avoid plastic baby gear; it looks much more like a piece of real furniture. Furthermore, the Z-shaped design of the high chair’s base means the legs don’t stick straight out like some others, eliminating a trip hazard. I also found the wood and tray easy to clean and quite stain-resistant.

Pricey But Versatile

The Stokke’s versatility and higher-end design come at a cost. I tested the $400 version of the chair, a bundle that includes all the baby seat items and the actual tray. Pediatric occupational therapist Marielle Marquez also places the Stokke high chair among her top few picks even while she hesitates the price. “The Tripp Trapp is a favorite among feeding therapists due to the secure ergonomic position it reinforces and ease of cleaning. ... It’s stylish and comes in a variety of colors, so it can fit in nicely with any family’s décor.” Adding to the cost is the fact that some add-ons are sold separately, such as the newborn set that converts it into a reclined infant seat.

The seat is most comparable to the Abiie Beyond Wooden High Chair, which I also tested; the Abiee can also convert and hold a wide range from infant through 250 pounds. But I found that babies had too much room from front to back in the Abiie, and when they sat all the way back, their legs were no longer at a 90-degree angle, especially for our 6-month-old tester.

Some Drawbacks

Beyond its price, the Tripp Trapp was one of the most complicated high chairs to assemble. If you are looking to frequently adjust the chair’s settings, the Abiie might be a more convenient option; it more easily changes position in my experience. However, this aspect would only be important if you have multiple kids of different ages using the same high chair.

Finally, the Stokke is simply not as mobile or portable as the other top high chairs. Its anti-skid features sometimes fell off when I tried to move it, for instance. If you plan to move your chair around a lot, I’d opt for high chair with wheels over the Stokke. But if your end goal is to have a chair that lasts for nearly a decade, the Stokke Tripp Trapp is your best choice.

The Baby Jogger City Bistro high chair looks and feels exactly like a stroller, from its slim profile to the sleek fabric. Most notably, this high chair collapsed for me just like my favorite strollers, allowing me to tuck it away when needed. This feature makes it the opposite of many high chairs we tested with larger footprints and no collapsibility, such as the bulky Chicco Polly Progress and the Peg Perego Siesta, which do fold—but not as small as this one. Also like a stroller, the City Bistro was the easiest to buckle a baby into due to features like an extra-large button and an easy-to-access harness.

A Very Slim Chair That Easily Collapses

The Baby Jogger City Bistro features a smaller, slimmer design compared with the the similarly collapsible Chicco Polly Progress. I also found the City Bistro the easiest to fold, with a one-hand, two-step process; it folds down to 27 x 19.5 x 7 inches and weighs only 18 pounds. It is a couple more pounds than the Mockingbird, our best high chair overall. If you plan to fold the high chair between uses each time, I suggest either pick a color that won’t be a major eyesore in its designated corner. Similarly, for tighter spaces, compare the dimensions of the unfolded high chair’s footprint on the floor to see how much space it will take up during use.

Supportive Positioning For Younger Ages

The mother of one of our baby testers loved how padded and plush the City Bistro seemed. While she wished that its foot support could go up just a bit higher for smaller babies, she appreciated its positioning, as her baby wasn’t able to slouch or rock too far forward or backward.

The City Bistro High Chair does not offer a convertible or transitional seat, however, and its max weight is 40 pounds. Based on my average-sized 4-year-old who just crossed this weight threshold, this still means you will get multiple useful years from the high chair until the slim profile makes your child feel too squished left to right—which might happen once they hit toddlerhood.

The Baby Jogger City Bistro stood up well to messes and some liquid stains, which I partially attribute to the dark color of the fabric. It does have a very wipeable feel, but not as easy to clean as the Mockingbird or the Graco Blossom’s leather cover. If you are fine with cleaning your high chair, you will be fine with this choice.

Many high chairs offer conversions to seat both babies and bigger toddlers and sometimes even to create a reclining hangout spot for younger babies. It’s less common, though, to see the third conversion that the Ergobaby Evolve High Chair offers: a kitchen helper.

Smart Conversions That Don’t Require Tools

With this model’s configuration, families can enjoy up to three baby products in one: a high chair, chair and kitchen helper tower for children. And the best part is Ergobaby made its new high chair user-friendly. Parents can easily convert the setup in a few seconds without needing to get out tools or taking additional time out of their busy days. The intuitive tool-free transition allows for multiple height adjustments to accommodate a range of ages.

A Little More Portability Would Be Ideal

After testing other high chairs that roll, collapse and are otherwise portable, I found the Ergobaby Evolve a bit tougher to maneuver—although it does fold. The anti-slip grippers on the bottom of the product—otherwise excellent for a young chef chopping vegetables at the table—make it challenging to roll a baby up to the kitchen counter while you prepare a meal.

The lack of portability might be a barrier for parents who have a hard time lifting the high chair to move it. In addition, toddlers and young children using the toddler seat might have a difficult time maneuvering the chair away from the table to get situated.

Stylish And Easy To Keep Clean

Some high chairs are clear eyesores, with tacky fabrics and materials that don’t blend in with other décor. The Ergobaby Evolve, however, is a sleek, modern wooden chair (much like the Stokke Tripp Trapp) that’s offered in a lighter or darker stained wood.

In addition, the chair is easier to clean than some competitors, making it more visually appealing because it’s less likely to be covered in kid dirt and grime. The dishwasher-safe removable tray makes for easy cleaning, and the chair itself has never needed more than a wipe-down with a wet cloth from me. Fellow contributor and tester Meg St-Esprit, a mom of four in Pittsburgh, agrees. “I like that it’s very wipeable, not all plasticky and sort of looks nicer in our house,” she says.

St-Esprit has been testing the product as a booster seat for her preschooler, and though she also struggles to move it in and out of position, she believes its versatile conversions make it particularly ideal for grandparents’ homes, where kids of different ages might rotate out at different periods of time.

The Other High Chairs Tested

In addition to my top six picks, I tested six other high chairs that didn’t make my final list. See the pros and cons of each tested chair below. (Editor’s note: Maxi-Cosi, Nuna and Uppababy have new high chair models coming onto the market this summer, and we have plans to evaluate them.)

Chicco Polly Progress 5-in-1 Chair: This high chair was a close runner-up in the value category. It folds, has wheels and includes convertible booster seat options. However, its extra large back makes it somewhat of an eyesore, and our baby tester preferred a footrest that adjusted up and down, rather than kicking out like a recliner’s chair. It also costs more than the Graco.

4Moms Connect High Chair: This is one of the easiest-to-clean high chairs with a non-fabric seat, but it still offers a comfortable padded feel for the baby. But aside from that, it doesn’t roll or fold, making for more difficult movement around the room and store. At $300, I wanted it to have additional features.

​​Lalo’s The Chair: I wanted to like this cute high chair, but it wasn’t adjustable enough to keep our testers in an ideal, ergonomic position (there is a footrest adjustment but not a height adjustment). It also doesn’t fold or include wheels, limiting its portability. It is only convertible to a booster seat with the purchase of an additional conversion kit. Finally, because of the lack of adjustments available, we could not get our youngest tester to sit securely in it; there was too much front-to-back space available, causing him to slouch and slide around too much. The fabric is also difficult to clean.

Antilop IKEA High Chair: This exceptionally cheap high chair (it’s currently only $20) is one of the simplest chairs available, and this might be why you often see it at restaurants. However, like the higher-priced Lalo, there are no adjustments or extra features. Nor are there any pads or fabric to clean. This is both a pro and con: Our smaller baby tester was flopping all around, especially with only a lap belt available rather than a five-point harness, giving us both serious concerns about safety and eating position. It also has extra-wide legs that pose a bit of a trip hazard.

Abiie Beyond Wooden High Chair: The Abiie Beyond, the most similar chair to Stokke’s Tripp Trapp, is just a bit too deep for our younger testers, preventing their knees from resting at the proper angle. We did love the easy-to-wipe down rubber back more than Stokke’s fabric padding; the black pad also isn’t likely to stain, ever. It’s also less expensive ($228) than the Stokke and transforms from infant to toddler to big kid to adult seating if needed. We simply felt more confident in the Stokke positioning of our baby testers.

Joovy Nook NB Chair: This chair, with its comparatively less sturdy structure and overall cheaper feel, might work for those on a budget or for a relative’s house for occasional visits. It does fold down flat for storage, but it only offers two front wheels, which didn’t function well in my tests. Its price tag of roughly $120 felt too high to compete with some other options with stronger features. However, the swing-open tray is an innovative idea that I’d love to see more high chair designers look into.

How I Tested The Best High Chairs

To determine which features were most important, I interviewed pediatricians and occupational and physical therapists. All of our top picks align with their advice for what to look for in high chairs. These include an ergonomic design to encourage a good eating posture, easy-to-clean materials and convenience for parents. I also considered whether higher-priced chairs offer conversions to fit your child at various ages. I tested these high chairs in my own home with my 18-month-old toddler and a friend’s 6-month-old baby to get a sense for the fit.

Here’s a full breakdown of the criteria I used to evaluate all 12 high chairs:

Assembly: I assessed the setup and assembly process to see if most parents would be able to quickly and easily follow the directions to build the chair.

Adjustable settings and functions: I used each high chair for multiple meals, testing various settings and adjustable parts, such as seat heights and footrests. I noted how easily I could get my toddler back into each chair, buckled and out again. The first time I tested each chair, I experimented with straps and buttons. And without the baby in it, I adjusted each high chair for movability, collapsibility and versatility to other configurations.

Maintenance: I made each seat intentionally messy with foods like red gelatin to see how they held up to stains and how easily they wiped clean. I took fabric covers on and off to determine which would be able to easily head to the laundry and fit back on without hiccups. I assessed whether it was something I’d want to clean every day.

Key features: I looked for helpful features, like a chair that fits into a small space, converts into a booster seat or doesn’t have legs that are a tripping hazard. I disregarded unnecessary features. For example, DeStefano called reclining high chairs unnecessary—no baby should eat lying down.

Tray testing: How easily does the tray adjust as well as come on and off? I tested all this while holding a baby in my arms as parents often need to do.

Durability and sturdiness: I shook each high chair to imitate a baby trying to climb it or topple it over, and also to see what it would be like for our 65-pound dog to run into it.

Six-month-old baby tester: After testing with my 18-month-old child, I also tested it with the 6-month-old. We examined how secure he was, how ergonomically correct the seat could maintain him, and took note of other pain points and features for babies.

Aesthetics: I considered the overall look of each chair and whether or not it would feel like an eyesore at the table and during all those photos of first food moments and birthday cakes.

How To Pick The Best High Chair

Our experts had strong opinions on what to look for while high chair shopping. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends seeking out a sturdy chair that cannot be tipped over easily. The organization strongly suggests that high chairs have safety harnesses (and that parents actually use them). If you’re using a hook-on seat, ensure that the seat locks firmly onto the table and that your child can’t kick against the table (and potentially dislodge the seat). Here’s what else to look for in a high chair:

Ergonomic Position

Keep an eye on the proper baby posture, which is a 90-degree knee and hip bend with the feet flat on a footrest for optimal eating. Marquez says, “A footrest helps to support overall posture and provides a sense of security and grounding. Think about the difference of how it feels to sit on a kitchen chair with your feet planted on the floor versus sitting on a barstool with your feet dangling. When children are learning a new skill, such as eating, we want them to feel safe and secure.” It was surprising how many chairs didn’t account for multiple babies being able to access the footrest, or it wasn’t adjustable in the direction our testing babies needed.

Portability

I move our high chair at least a dozen times per day. It lives near the counter while I cook, and then it goes back to the dining table when it’s time for a family meal. It then goes toward the living room if I’m helping an older kid with homework on the couch. Some parents might move it from one room to another for storage. If you expect to move your high chair a fair amount as well, it needs to be either lightweight, collapsible or come with wheels attached—or all three.

However, if you live in a smaller house or apartment, you may not value wheels on a high chair. You may prefer that it collapses up small for storage during the day. Test a high chair’s collapsibility before purchasing to ensure it’s easy and doable for you, and whether it collapses small enough to store without taking up half of your closet.

Ease Of Cleaning

If a baby eats in the high chair three times a day (sometimes five), that’s a lot of wiping, spraying and washing. Make your own life easier by picking the easiest-to-clean high chair as possible. Fabric that draws in liquids and stains necessitates additional laundry trips when it doesn’t wipe right off—and no parent needs more laundry. Look for minimal nooks, crannies and crevices to make the wipe-down less complicated. If you choose a fabric option, opt for slicker material that doesn’t seem absorbent and consider darker colors to avoid early staining.

Adjustable

While all those notches, levels and buttons might be intimidating at first, when you have a child who is too big (or too small) for their chair, you’re going to want some adjustability. Look for chairs that have footrests that move up and down, trays that have many available in-and-out stopping points, and a back support angle that isn’t too reclined or can be easily moved into a more vertical position. Finally, an adjustable height matters, so the high chair should fit at various tables and also potentially match you and your partner’s heights.

Convertible

A major consideration when choosing is a high chair is whether you see it as a temporary baby product or you hope it will grow with your child beyond those early years. Answering that question will narrow your choices quickly, helping you to find the right chair. Some children want to move to “big kid” chairs eating with the family right at the dining table. In this case, you might only use a high chair for a couple of years and maybe a booster for one more. Or, you could opt for a higher-priced high chair that converts into other kid-friendly furniture, like a toddler chair and kitchen helper tower.

Sturdy And Safe

In recent years, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported a 25% increase in high chair injuries, causing some physicians to take a closer look at high chair use, UT Southwestern reports. As a parent trying to become more consistent with diligent strap use myself, I looked to see just how easily the 5-point harnesses were to put on and to put to use. Check to make sure the harness comes from a high enough spot on the high chair back that you aren’t having to loop the straps from the middle of the baby’s back over the shoulders. Finally, consider high chairs that are heavy enough to stay put if an older child or pet bangs into them. I appreciated lightweight chairs when trying to carry them, but not when it felt like a small child or dog could knock it right over.

My Expertise

As a mom of five children under age 8, I’ve fed babies, toddlers and older children in my fair share of high chairs and booster seats. I’m also a product journalist who spends hours each day researching, analyzing and testing parenting and kid products for Forbes Vetted and other parenting publications. Most recently, I tested the best pregnancy pillows.

Since my youngest is 18 months—a bit older than when babies typically begin using high chairs—I enlisted the help of my friend Chloe, mama to a precious 6-month old, to have a younger tester for my high chair research. Her feedback was essential in determining which chairs would work for smaller babies as well.

Meet The Experts

I also interviewed the following experts to determine the most important features to look for in a high chair:

• Dr. Whitney Casares, pediatrician, mom and founder of Modern Mommy Doc, a resource for parents;
• Brita DeStefano, a Denver-based pediatric physical therapist and Enfamil’s movement expert;
• Marielle Marquez, pediatric occupational therapist at Thrive Little.

What Is The Best High Chair?

While the Mockingbird is our top pick overall, the Graco Blossom, Stokke Tripp Trapp and Peg Perego Siesta chairs also scored well in our extensive research and testing process. These options offer the most features and customizable options for your specific child’s needs at various ages. These brands have long been trusted for creating safe, high-quality baby products that stand the test of time (or multiple kids, if you have them). We were also impressed with the Baby Jogger City Bistro and Ergobaby Evolve high chairs’ performance.

Are Expensive High Chairs Worth It?

This depends on the chair. My top pick, The Mockingbird, is fairly affordable at just $225. Our best value pick, the Graco Blossom, also comes with a booster seat and is slightly more affordable at $200—and both chairs can last you into toddlerhood with conversions. While some chairs like the Stokke Tripp Trapp are hundreds of dollars more expensive, they also typically offer a number of conversions for long-term use and boast more ergonomic features and a sleeker aesthetic.

At What Age Do Babies Need A High Chair?

You should put your baby in a safe high chair with straps once they can confidently sit on their own, which typically happens closer to 6 months. The American Academy of Pediatrics is now recommending introducing food at 6 months of age, when babies are more likely to have excellent head and neck control, among other indicators of readiness. Before that age, it’s likely more helpful to hold your baby while feeding a bottle.

But there are times when a baby slightly younger than 6 months might enjoy trying out a change of scenery, such as hanging out in a high chair. “As a developmental specialist, I love high chairs for more than just feeding,” notes Marquez. “While babies should spend as much free time on the floor as possible, sometimes you need a safe place for them to hang out while you get something done.” She adds that many of the infant seats on the market don’t support great ergonomic positioning, so working on their fine motor skills in a safe chair for a few minutes each day can be helpful.

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