8 Best High Chairs for Babies, According to Experts
March 2023
Author:
Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN
Coauthors:
Erinn Jacobi, M.S. OTR/L
About Kids Eat in Color
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
Author:
Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN
Coauthors:
Erinn Jacobi, M.S. OTR/L
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Inside: The best high chairs for babies are functional for you and make eating safe for babies. Here are our top recommendations, plus learn about high chair safety and when babies should start using them.
When your baby is showing signs of readiness to start eating solid foods, it’s time to break out the high chair.
High chairs can be an important baby gear decision because the chair may continue with your child into toddlerhood and beyond.
When is a baby ready to start eating solid foods in the high chair?
Babies typically show signs of readiness to start eating solid foods around 6 months of age. That is when they would start using a high chair to eat foods, whether you are doing baby-led weaning or Puree-to-Table Feeding.
Your baby does need to be able to sit upright alone or with support in order to eat in their high chair.
How high chairs can promote good eating and safety
High chairs are much more than just a chair that is high enough to make feeding your baby easy.
Often we think of all the “practical” aspects of high chairs, but we miss the fact that they can help improve the eating and nutrition of babies.
The chair itself can help your baby develop feeding and eating skills. These skills can help prevent some parts of picky eating and increase the nutrition that your child eats.
We recommend looking for the following safety and ergonomic features of a high chair:
Footrest.
Ability to sit upright.
The importance of a footrest
When your baby or toddler have their feet supported by a footrest, they are better able to concentrate on eating.
It takes a lot of energy for a child to be able to sit upright. When they have a footrest, they can focus their bodies on the process of eating better.
Your baby will be supported if their feet can be flat on the footrest. Some high chair footrests are not high enough and need to be built up with tissue boxes, small pillows or household items until the baby grows and their feet can be flat on the footrest.
Along with a footrest, your baby needs to have their body supported. Again, when they are supported, they can put all of their energy toward eating.
Ideally, your baby should be able to sit up at a 90 degree angle. Their back should be supported by the back of the chair and they should not be tipping to one side or the other.
If your baby is leaning to the side, you can roll up a towel or small blanket to help support them.
Practical aspects of choosing a high chair
Additional practical features that you may consider include:
Ability to convert to booster seat or chair
Durability
Visual appearance
Ease of cleaning
Ability to fold for storage or travel
Cost
Space that the chair takes up
Stability (can’t tip over easily)
Just like the ergonomics of the chair are important, so are the practical aspects. Knowing what you are looking for will help you find the right chair for your family.
Do I need a special high chair for baby-led weaning?
No, you do not need a special high chair for baby-led weaning. Regardless of the method of weaning that you choose to use, your baby still needs to be sitting upright, fully supported and have a footrest.
Additionally, no matter what method you use, you will still care about all of the same practical aspects.
Some high chair manufacturers will try to lead you to believe that there are special high chairs for baby-led weaning, but there are not!
High chair safety
When you are using a high chair, safety should always be the top priority.
Here are some safety recommendations to help your baby stay safe in a high chair:
Make sure the chair is stable and can’t tip over easily.
Always stay with your child.
Always use the safety straps according to the manufacturer’s user manual.
Make sure folding high chairs are locked when you are using them.
The best high chairs for babies doing baby-led weaning or Puree-to-Table Feeding
Here are our top recommendations for high chairs.
All of these chairs meet our recommendations for support and footrests, so you can know that they will all help your baby eat well.
Top high-end baby high chairs
These high-end high chairs meet most practical concerns. They often grow with your child through the baby, toddler, elementary and teen years.
The quality is exceptional and if you do choose to purchase one of these chairs, you can be confident of the quality.
This high chair is very versatile. It can be a standard high chair, a high chair that sits on a chair (for small spaces), a booster seat and a child’s chair for using around the house.
If you’re looking for the top of the line, this is your chair. It is fully adjustable and fully supportive of the baby. The design helps encourage core development of your baby. It can also grow with your child and eventually be a chair for your child to use in the future.
Top mid-priced high chairs for babies
Mid-priced high chairs are practical, versatile and good quality. Many are simple and some have added features.
This chair folds almost flat for storage in small spaces. It also converts to a toddler chair. It is appropriate for approximately ages 6 months through 3 years old.
This high chair converts to a low high chair and also a toddler chair. Its claim to fame is that the seat and tray are dishwasher safe and the pad can be machine washed. Additionally, all of the surfaces are smooth, so there are no crevices where food can get caught.
Top economical high chairs
Just because a high chair is affordable doesn’t mean that the quality is poor. These simple high chairs still meet ergonomic and safety requirements. Their simplicity is a big benefit to many parents.
You can’t beat the price of the IKEA high chair. It doesn’t come with a footrest, however, so we strongly recommend you add on a footrest to make it easier for your baby to eat. Additionally, the baby will have to sit forward to eat, so you can put a rolled towel behind their back so they are fully supported.
This basic high chair converts to different heights. If you need to travel with it, it is very portable because it folds. You can also use it when your baby becomes a toddler.
Whichever high chair you decide to use, we wish you well on your journey as you start solid foods with your child!
References
Hulme, J. B., Gallacher, K., Walsh, J., Niesen, S., & Waldron, D. (1987). Behavioral and postural changes observed with the use of adaptive seating by clients with multiple handicaps. Physical Therapy, 67, 1060-106.
Morris, S. E., & Klein, M. D. (2000). Pre-feeding skills (2nd ed.) Tuscon, AZ: Therapy Skill Builders
Reilly, S., & Skuse, D. (1992). Characteristics and management of feeding problems of young children with cerebral palsy. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 34, 379-388.
About Kids Eat in Color
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
Jennifer Anderson is a registered dietitian and has a masters of science in public health from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. In 2019, she founded Kids Eat in Color®, a public health resource that improves child and family nutrition and mental health. Prior to starting Kids Eat in Color® she coordinated youth nutrition programs at a food bank, performed research in inner-city food deserts, and consulted for the USDA national office SNAP-Ed program. Her academic background is in public health nutrition, cultural anthropology, and economics.
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Inside: The best high chairs for babies are functional for you and make eating safe for babies. Here are our top recommendations, plus learn about high chair safety and when babies should start using them.
When your baby is showing signs of readiness to start eating solid foods, it’s time to break out the high chair.
High chairs can be an important baby gear decision because the chair may continue with your child into toddlerhood and beyond.
When is a baby ready to start eating solid foods in the high chair?
Babies typically show signs of readiness to start eating solid foods around 6 months of age. That is when they would start using a high chair to eat foods, whether you are doing baby-led weaning or Puree-to-Table Feeding.
Your baby does need to be able to sit upright alone or with support in order to eat in their high chair.
How high chairs can promote good eating and safety
High chairs are much more than just a chair that is high enough to make feeding your baby easy.
Often we think of all the “practical” aspects of high chairs, but we miss the fact that they can help improve the eating and nutrition of babies.
The chair itself can help your baby develop feeding and eating skills. These skills can help prevent some parts of picky eating and increase the nutrition that your child eats.
We recommend looking for the following safety and ergonomic features of a high chair:
The importance of a footrest
When your baby or toddler have their feet supported by a footrest, they are better able to concentrate on eating.
It takes a lot of energy for a child to be able to sit upright. When they have a footrest, they can focus their bodies on the process of eating better.
Your baby will be supported if their feet can be flat on the footrest. Some high chair footrests are not high enough and need to be built up with tissue boxes, small pillows or household items until the baby grows and their feet can be flat on the footrest.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to High Chair Footrests
Ability to sit upright
Along with a footrest, your baby needs to have their body supported. Again, when they are supported, they can put all of their energy toward eating.
Ideally, your baby should be able to sit up at a 90 degree angle. Their back should be supported by the back of the chair and they should not be tipping to one side or the other.
If your baby is leaning to the side, you can roll up a towel or small blanket to help support them.
Practical aspects of choosing a high chair
Additional practical features that you may consider include:
Just like the ergonomics of the chair are important, so are the practical aspects. Knowing what you are looking for will help you find the right chair for your family.
Do I need a special high chair for baby-led weaning?
No, you do not need a special high chair for baby-led weaning. Regardless of the method of weaning that you choose to use, your baby still needs to be sitting upright, fully supported and have a footrest.
Additionally, no matter what method you use, you will still care about all of the same practical aspects.
Some high chair manufacturers will try to lead you to believe that there are special high chairs for baby-led weaning, but there are not!
High chair safety
When you are using a high chair, safety should always be the top priority.
Here are some safety recommendations to help your baby stay safe in a high chair:
The best high chairs for babies doing baby-led weaning or Puree-to-Table Feeding
Here are our top recommendations for high chairs.
All of these chairs meet our recommendations for support and footrests, so you can know that they will all help your baby eat well.
Top high-end baby high chairs
These high-end high chairs meet most practical concerns. They often grow with your child through the baby, toddler, elementary and teen years.
The quality is exceptional and if you do choose to purchase one of these chairs, you can be confident of the quality.
1. Stokke Tripp High Chair or Kekaroo
These chairs are easy to use, stable when used as recommended and will grow with your child.
2. Skip Hop EON 4-in-1 Multi-Stage High Chair
This high chair is very versatile. It can be a standard high chair, a high chair that sits on a chair (for small spaces), a booster seat and a child’s chair for using around the house.
3. Nomi Nomi High Chair
If you’re looking for the top of the line, this is your chair. It is fully adjustable and fully supportive of the baby. The design helps encourage core development of your baby. It can also grow with your child and eventually be a chair for your child to use in the future.
Top mid-priced high chairs for babies
Mid-priced high chairs are practical, versatile and good quality. Many are simple and some have added features.
1. Dream on Me Portable 2-in-1 Tabletalk High Chair
This chair can fold for easy storage and also converts to a toddler chair.
2. Primo Cozy Tot Deluxe
This chair folds almost flat for storage in small spaces. It also converts to a toddler chair. It is appropriate for approximately ages 6 months through 3 years old.
3. Boon GRUB Dishwasher Safe Adjustable High Chair
This high chair converts to a low high chair and also a toddler chair. Its claim to fame is that the seat and tray are dishwasher safe and the pad can be machine washed. Additionally, all of the surfaces are smooth, so there are no crevices where food can get caught.
Top economical high chairs
Just because a high chair is affordable doesn’t mean that the quality is poor. These simple high chairs still meet ergonomic and safety requirements. Their simplicity is a big benefit to many parents.
1. IKEA High Chair
You can’t beat the price of the IKEA high chair. It doesn’t come with a footrest, however, so we strongly recommend you add on a footrest to make it easier for your baby to eat. Additionally, the baby will have to sit forward to eat, so you can put a rolled towel behind their back so they are fully supported.
2. Bellababy Adjustable 3 in 1 Baby High Chair
This basic high chair converts to different heights. If you need to travel with it, it is very portable because it folds. You can also use it when your baby becomes a toddler.
Whichever high chair you decide to use, we wish you well on your journey as you start solid foods with your child!
References
Hulme, J. B., Gallacher, K., Walsh, J., Niesen, S., & Waldron, D. (1987). Behavioral and postural changes observed with the use of adaptive seating by clients with multiple handicaps. Physical Therapy, 67, 1060-106.
Morris, S. E., & Klein, M. D. (2000). Pre-feeding skills (2nd ed.) Tuscon, AZ: Therapy Skill Builders
Reilly, S., & Skuse, D. (1992). Characteristics and management of feeding problems of young children with cerebral palsy. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 34, 379-388.