What to look for in a highchair

[Eilly]

Help! I need to buy a highchair ASAP and haven't done any research on the subject at all. What features should I be looking for? Any advice on different brands and the advantages/disadvantages of these would be much appreciated!

[brubeck]

You're going to find people in different camps here. People are devoted to their highchair brand (I'm a Chicco Mamma devotee) and will recommend it like crazy! But to summarize the important points:

Full recline is great if you want to feed a smaller baby. My children often fall asleep in the high chair. You may also like a chair with multiple recline settings.

One hand release on the tray is very helpful.

Raising and lowering the chair is nice if you plan on using it as a 'booster' at the regular table later.

Wheels are VERY IMPORTANT!

If you have a small kitchen area then you may wish to go with a model that folds compactly.

Ease of cleaning is important. You don't want lots of nooks and crevices that will collect food. And you may prefer a vinyl-like fabric on the chair that wipes off easily (instead of having to be put in the washing machine).

5 point harness is nice, but not necessary on an infant. It is GREAT on a Houdini toddler though.

Basically you have to decide which of these features are important to you and make sure the chair you get has them.

Then there is the universal 'crotch bar on the tray or crotch bar on the seat' debate. Basically on the tray means it gives more room for the child and allows a toddler to climb up into the seat more easily. On the seat means it's a little easier to clean the tray (fitting it in the sink).

I'm sure there are other issues but these are the basics. The big brands people like on this board are the Chicco Mamma, the Peg Perego Primo Pappa, the Zooper, and models by Fisher Price and Baby Trend (sorry, I can't remember the names right now, I'm sure someone will give that info soon).

Whatever you decide, try to hit a few baby stores and see/play with these things in person before you buy. Good luck!

[AngelaS]

The key thing I look for: ease of cleaning. Seats with cracks and crevices are a PITHiney to clean!

I didn't look for the things the above poster did---I own an antique oak chair that has a simple leather piece to keep the child from sliding out, a tray that you must flip up over the child's head and no wheels or safety belt.

And I LOVE it! LOL

[stella]

You are wise to ask now - I didn't ask, so now I know what's important:

1.ease of cleaning (you cannot imagine how nasty thos hc's get!)
2.wheels
3.one-handed tray release

Actually, those three things are good on almost any baby gear - ease of cleaning, one hand maneuverability, and ease of cleaning!

I think there are some good graco and evenflo hc's out there now that have knocked off the expensive ones.

I have the peg and I like it fine - a lot of the features are really nice - like the recline.

But I really consider many of its features overkill.

Good Luck

[Marisa6826]

One other thing you might want to do is take your child to test drive the chair you are most interested in. From what I understand there is a great variation in how much room is between the child and the tray.

Sometimes you can find a special highchair pillow to push the child forward a little bit. However, a lot of parents suggest getting one of those Baby Bjorn rubber bibs with the bowl on the bottom to catch food until the child is old enough to reach the tray.

-m

[cara1]

Just thought I'd throw this out to you, but we don't have a regular high chair. We use The First Years Reclining Feeding Seat, and I love it. $29.99 and soooo glad I didn't bother with a regular high chair. Only downside for me is it's harder to move into the bathroom when I shower. But that really is the only downside for me.

[celfsh]

Definitely get a model with a storage basket if you can! I didn't really think it was a necessity while I was shopping for highchairs, but now I think it is a must-have feature. I put toys and books in there, and it's nice to have them handy so DD can entertain herself while I cook.

Just my 2 cents...

celeste
mom to olivia 9/25/02
http://homepage.mac.com/the_big_fish