PLEASE...More high chair reviews...

[nofeea]

OK-I know this topic has been done to death but it just keeps getting MORE confusing. I've reviewed months of old posts and I just can't decide!
1- I love the leatherette look of the PP- Is there anyone out there who doesn't hate cleaning it? Does EVERYONE think the tough cleaning job outweighs the chair's other features?
2- Are there any generic inserts for infants (like the one with the Chicco) that works with other chairs if the trays are too far away?
3- Safety bars on trays (ie. Zooper)- Can you accidently catch the baby's leg under the bar when you attach the tray?
4- I know the FP is the new 'recommended chair'. (Why can't they make the same sleek looking upholstery?) :(

Lastly, how do I convince DH that every chair really does have different features and the 1000 hours of research are absolutely necessary.... :)

[Marisa6826]

I'm having the same quandry - although I have some time since Sophie is only four months old...

I went and saw the FP one IRL and was really disappointed at how flimsy it felt. Everytime I pulled on it the whole seat rose up to the top height. The only thing that I liked about it was that it wasn't as gianormous as the PP or Chicco.

My concern with the safety bar on the tray rather than on the chair is that the baby could slide down in the moment that you have the kid in the chair WITHOUT the tray.

I personally wasn't crazy about the "leatherette" look...

Will be keeping my eye on this thread to see where it goes.

Good luck!

-m

[heidi_timms]

I would consider the distance away from the chair thing with the PP and Chicco Mama. My baby isn't here yet and I think that I'm going to get the Fisher Price Deluxe HC. My sister has the Chicco Mama and all of my niece's clothes are stained because there is too much room between the tray and her. She wears a bib, but it just doesn't cover everything, especially when she started feeding herself!

[JustMare]

A friend of mine uses the Highchair Helper ($13 at BRU) for her Pappa chair and has been very happy with it.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000056JOZ/ref%3Dnosim/shophub1-20/002-7179529-4612848

[celfsh]

Hi, ladies! I just went through this same quandry a couple of months ago. Like you, I spent hours and hours researching (especially on these boards!) and finally ended up getting the Zooper Peas and Carrots. It is not the perfect chair, but of all the choices, it is what works best for our needs. Which features are you primarily looking for? For us, it was the following:

-Vinyl seat cover--I really didn't want to have to wash a fabric seat cover all the time.
-Wheels for moving DD from the kitchen to the eating area, and vice versa.
-Basket for storing bowls, spoons, cups, toys, etc.
-Good fit for DD.
-5-point harness for safety.

You can get other features like snack trays and activity trays, but these were not really a priority for us.

Anyway, to answer some of the above questions:

1) While I personally have never had to clean the Pappa, it did appear to be more difficult to clean than the Zooper. If I remember correctly, the Pappa's leatherette seat consists of two pieces whereas the Zooper only has one. From my understanding, the gap between the two pieces on the Pappa tends to make it harder to clean. I don't know that this is necessarily a deal-breaker since, as I said, I've never actually had to clean the Pappa. But I will say that the Zooper is very easy to clean.

2) All of the "high-end" chairs (Pappa, Mamma, Zooper) I tested--and I do recommend testing them out with your baby, if you can--seemed to have trays that sat pretty far away from DD. Someone on this board recommended getting a Baby Bjorn bib, which has worked great for us. The "bowl" on the bib catches most everything that would fall between the tray and the baby. I highly recommend trying this bib.

3) Whether you get the safety bar on the chair or on the tray is a matter of preference. Some people prefer to have the bar attached to the seat, while others prefer to have it attached to the tray. IMO, I don't think it really matters. As long as you have your baby belted in, it's not a problem either way. Oh, and I have never had a problem with DD's leg catching under the bar on the Zooper.

4) I have heard good things about the FP chair as well as the Baby Trend. Unfortunately, I did not like the look of either of these chairs. Plus, at the time, I think they only came in fabric.

Well, HTH a little! Overall, I really like my Zooper Peas and Carrots--my only caution is that it is often hard to track one down. I had to convince my local USA Baby to start stocking it so I could give it a try. If you do find a store that caries the Zooper, it is really a great chair. The quality is exceptional, and I love how it looks. People are always commenting on it when they come over :)!

Good luck in your search!

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

[nofeea]

Apparently, BRU no longer stocks the High Chair Helper :(
I couldn't find it anywhere on a Yahoo search. Looked like a good idea, though...