Favorite Wooden High Chair?

[daisymommy]

What is your favorite wooden high chair? Who has the best prices? What age is this really appropriate for, and how long do you think they will last age wise? I know they advertise up to grown children, but after seeing them in person, do you think that's true?

[MeAndMyStar]

I don't think this is considered a high chair, but I really like my Stokke seat (It's $200. retail price.): http://www.stokkeusa.com/tripptrapp.htm

I know these chairs have been mentioned on this board many times before, but I can't tell you how much I adore this seat!

The chair I linked to is the Tripp Trapp, which has a five point harness and can be used with the additional baby rail for children as young as 6 months, I believe. I own the Kinderzeat (replaced by Tripp Trapp) with a three point harness that can be used from 18 months old.

Sorry if you know all this already, but I like this seat as an alternative to a high chair, as you will get many years of use out of it. HTH!

[new_mommy25]

I wanted to get the Kinderzeat/Tripp Trapp but DH said they were too expensive at $199. We ended up with the Kettler Tipp-topp which I bought off Amazon on sale for $99.

We've been happy with it so far. It's a nice, sturdy chair. We don't use the tray, we just push it up to the table. DS can get in and out on his own.

I don't know how long he'll be able to use it because of the arms on the side but it should be fine as long as he doesn't become fat and wide as a teenager. I think the weight limit is 150. I have sat in my cousins Kinderzeat very comfortably. I think that limit is 300 pounds.

My nephew wanted a chair just like DS's so my SIL ended up getting him the Kettler too. She has been happy with it as well. I'll probably snag another for Ruby if they ever go back on sale. Right now she's in a high chair but prefers the big boy chair. :)

We bought DS the chair when he was 3. My nephew is 2. DD is 15 months and sits in the chair comfortably as well. We use the belt with her. I think as far as age appropriate, it is really just what you are comfortable with.

[daisymommy]

Thanks all! And yes Sarah, thats exactly the type of chair I mean when I said high chair!

[mudder17]

We have the [link:http://www.amazon.com/Euro-Baby-Family-High-Chair-Natural/dp/B000F1MX22/ref=sr_1_16/105-4321737-9078840?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1186877971&sr=1-16|Eurochair] from Amazon. It normally goes for $230, but they have a bunch of these chairs and fairly frequently, on their Friday sales, they'll have these on special for $99. They vary which style/color goes on sale each time, but Jo always posts about them in Bargains, so you can always keep an eye out for that.

We started using this with Mika at about 6.5 months and for the most part, she's done pretty well. But it doesn't cradle her the way the Fisher Price Healthy Deluxe chair does. I would definitely suggest this chair only for a child who can sit pretty well with some support. Also because there's more room than in the traditional non-wooden chair, if she's really interested in something, she can pull one leg out and move it towards the side. She can't do it easily with the harness on and I wouldn't worry about her getting out if she were harnessed, but she is quite flexible and has short legs compared to her torso.

The tray works pretty well, but it doesn't have a lip so if she sweeps her arms, she can knock things off pretty easily, unlike with the Fisher Price one. BUT, this high chair is soooo much easier to clean than the Fisher Price and I love that she'll be able to graduate to using it as a regular chair. It does have arms (unlike the Kinderzeat or the One Step Ahead version, which we also have), so I don't know how well a wide person could use it. I can use the OSA version, as can DH, but I haven't tried the Euro chair yet because the tray is usually in it.... Okay, I just checked. I can sit in it pretty comfortably. The arms do get in the way of our table so that it can't be pushed underneath, but I still think she'll be able to sit at the table okay. Overall, I like the look of this one better than the OSA one. I'm thinking that both our OSA chair and this one will last all the way through childhood. We'll probably always have them around.

HTH!

Eileen

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[kitmama]

We have a Kinderzeat (3 pt harness) and a Tripp Trap (5 pt harness). We don't have any kind of tray or other accessories. We like both chairs, but prefer the 3 pt harness. We used a Baby Trend high chair until the boys could sit very well unassisted, so that's why we like the simpler setup- the 5 pt harness just gets in the way. So, I can't give any reviews based on using the chairs for children who are still wobbly sitters.

However for kids that sit very well, we LOVE these chairs. I waited until Littleman's second birthday before getting the Kinderzeat, but with Sweetcheeks we went ahead and got him a Tripp Trap at 16 months (Christmastime, for him). It probably would have worked well a little sooner than that. Both boys loved their "big boy chairs" and still do. DH and I regularly sit in them, too- they are really pretty comfortable and are super sturdy. They are SO easy to clean, and push right up to the table. The kids can climb in and out on their own, and they feel very independent. It's great to have them right at the table with us.

Knowing we wanted to get a chair, I kept an eye out for sales, codes and free shipping offers before buying. I think I used a code for some percent off the first time, and a free shipping offer the second time? I don't remember. Anyhow it has been well worth the money- I bet these chairs really will last a long long time! Even if for some reason we quit using them as dining chairs, they would make great study chairs too. We got boring old natural colored wood, because it matches our dining set and will not look out of place for an older child.

[daisymommy]

Thanks for the reviews! I actually came here to post about 2 more seats I found--one of them being the One-Step-Ahead chair that Eileen just reviewed.
I've seen that chair in person myself as well, at a friends house, and sat in it. It's quite comfortable. AND even though it says that it only holds up to 150 lbs. I will admit that I sat in it when I was 9 months preggo with Hannah, and I weighed more than 150 at the time ;) I like how afordable it is, and that it comes with a tray too.
http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=534089&parentCategoryId=85181&categoryId=85205

There is also the Keekaroo, which comes with a free wooden tray right now. I like the look of the wooden tray, but like that with the plastic one from OSA you can stick it in the dishwasher and /or sanitize it better.
http://www.keekaroo.com/herihich.html

One thought though, I wonder of I could buy a cushion that goes on the Tripp Trapp and use it on these other 2 chairs? The only bad thing about them is there isn't any color choices for them.

[Kindra178]

Anyone have the Svan chair?

[colegiala]

Hi,
We have the Trip Trapp/Kinderzeat and really like it except for the harness its hard to adjust. I also heard of the Hipposmile which seems to be a knock-off to the Kinderzeat but its half the price. I haven't read any reviews on it though. They also sell it on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/HIPPOSMILE-HAPPY-HIPPO-HIGH-CHAIR-TEAK-COLOR_W0QQitemZ140126396227QQcmdZViewItem

[missy425]

I have the Svan chair and have been using it since DD was about 6 months old with the tray. She's now 31 months and loves being able to climb up into her own chair at the table. I have been very pleased with the chair both when I used it with the tray and now at the table. It is very lightweight, definitely tip-proof, and takes up little space which was ideal when DD used it with the tray b/c we lived in a 1 bedroom apartment with very little extra space. Svan didn't make the plastic cover when I started using it but it really wasn't a problem. I just cleaned the tray in the sink with soap and water. I highly recommend getting the cushion to add comfort and style. It can be tossed in the washing machine when dirty and comes out like new. The chair is easy to clean but food can accumulate on the metal bolts but it vacuums up easily.
Melissa