high chairs! FP Linkadoos vs. healthy care (& deluxe?)

[jslatch]

Ok, based on BB recs, I am looking at the Fisher Price Healthy Care high chairs line. I think the Linkadoos version is new since my 5.0 version of BB, but I've heard good things about it. It's about $100. My question is whether it's worth the $30 extra... also, how important are wheels? I can't decide whether to go more bare bones or get the extras. Thanks!

[SissyTone]

According to the FP website, there are 3 different versions: HC, HC Deluxe, and HC Deluxe Plus (linkadoos). We wanted the casters and the extra trays, but didn't need the towel bar, storage box, etc, and I HATE the Linkadoos print. It's really bright, and has a huge ruffle on it that must be a pain to clean.

Here's the problem. It's almost impossible to find the Deluxe version. Here's the secret... there is a store that auctions them on eBay! I just bought the Smiley Bear Deluxe chair from "babygear2002" which is netkidswear.com... I got it for $65 plus $18.95 shipping, cheaper than on their site ($70 + $25 shipping). They seem to have a good number of them.

[SissyTone]

Actually, it looks like the Deluxe does have the towel/jar holder, just doesn't have the toys that the DP has. Like we need more toys!!

[new_mommy25]

I bought the Healthy Care Deluxe from Sears. It's the Noah's Ark print, which I wanted. I think I could have gotten by with the regular model. I never move the chair and I use the same tray with every meal. The other two are sitting in a closet. I just don't have room for three trays floating around and I also don't have a dishwasher. I hate the toy, it gets really grimey.

Really, it's what you think you need. For instance, if you plan on wheeling your child around the kitchen then something with wheels is important, kwim?

[jasabo]

We have the Deluxes in the teddy bear pattern for our guys and they've worked great. I love the wheels because I slide the chairs around fairly often, moving the boys closer to me at the table, or scooting the chairs around so I can clean under them. I also LOVE the 3 trays. I usually wash them after each meal, but there are times when I just don't get to it or just put them in the dish washer, which we only run at night, so it's nice to have the back up trays. I've seen the Linkadoos version at BRU - very cute, though I agree about the pattern. Also, I don't like having toys attached to the high chair because it distracts the boys. If they have toys within reach, they don't eat. The Deluxe version does have the baby food holder, but we never used them at all and ended up just taking them off.

Lisa - mom to 14 month old twin boys

[dr mom]

I have Funny Butterfly (from Target) which doesn't have the hard-to-clean ruffle and is a fairly subdued navy blue print. Doesn't have wheels, but we haven't missed them - the chair pretty much sits in one spot, and if I want to move it around, it slides easily across our tile floor.

If you really want the extra trays or a different print (Smiley Bear was one popular model that is no longer made) you can also order these parts directly from Fisher-Price. If you search the archives, another poster wrote about doing this a few months back. We really haven't missed having the extra trays/toys/basket, and I absolutely hated the Linkadoos print, so I've been pretty happy with my non-Deluxe model.

[heidi_timms]

We have one of the HC Deluxe models. I LOVE the 3 trays. I had them put away until my dd really started to self-feed. Now we use all three daily!

~Heidi
Mom to Kailey
4/03