We surveyed 45 mommies who used a total of 8 different brands of high chairs. Here are our main findings:
- 35% of mommies are users of the IKEA Antilop, making it the most commonly used high chair.
- 15.6% of mommies are users of the Stokke Tripp Trapp, making it the next most commonly used high chair.
- The top 3 main considerations when purchasing a high chair are safety, ease of cleaning and the presence of a footrest.
In this article, we list the best high chairs you can find in the market, and where you can get them. Read on for their pros and cons now!
Who Am I
Hello! I’m Serene, a mom of one successful baby who went through Baby-Led-Weaning (BLW). I have tried several high chairs at home, at people’s homes and in restaurants or cafes. High chairs vary in weight, price and longevity. Some high chairs can grow with your child, while some are suitable for the first few years of a child’s life. From a BLW perspective, I have my personal favourite, the IKEA high chair. This could differ based on your needs.
To gather a more comprehensive view of high chairs, we surveyed 45 mommies who used 9 different brands of high chairs. With their help, we consolidated the different high chairs mommies use, and described their pros and cons for you.
Why Do You Need a High Chair?
According to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, a high chair, where you position your child at eye level, is crucial for communication skills. When your child is able to sit upright, it is time for them to try solids. For traditional feeding or baby-led weaning, a high chair would be helpful during mealtimes.
Babies learn to feed themselves a lot better and much faster when they’re placed in a high chair. With a high chair, they are able to explore, play and swallow their food themselves. By eating themselves, they learn the life skill of tuning into their natural hunger cues and eating only as much as they want.
With a high chair, your child is placed at your eye level and they feel more included during mealtimes. They get to take part, even if it’s not verbally, in dinner conversations. They also learn that dining is a social activity and they could pick up on manners too. This allows your child to learn behavioural lessons from observing others, and not grow up to be socially awkward.
A high chair doesn’t limit you to eating, you can conduct activities or reading. Your child can be drawing, writing, or reading on your table as you help them. It also helps to manage your child while you’re working, and you can keep an eye on them without having to worry about their safety.
With a high chair, the mess is concentrated in an area. With a spat mat or newspapers on the floor, it makes cleaning up a lot easier. When paired with a coverall like the Bibado bib, it makes cleaning up easier. You just need to clean the bib, and probably just wipe down the high chair.
Best Baby High Chairs
IKEA ANTILOP High Chair
Hawker centres – they are commonly found in Singapore and food prices are more affordable. Just like hawker centres, the IKEA high chair was found to be the most commonly used high chair. It is also very affordable – SGD 35.
After considering its price and advantages, there is no doubt why 35.6% of our mommies love this very affordable high chair!
Mommies mainly loved the IKEA high chair because it’s easy to clean, affordable and lightweight.
Mommies mainly disliked the IKEA high chair for its lack of footrest. This can be solved by purchasing an add-on footrest.
Just like 1-star Michelin restaurants, the Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair is made of premium quality material and is pricier than most high chairs.
Mommies, who bought the Stokke Tripp Trapp, loved it for its footrest, and ease of cleaning. It helps that it can grow old with the child too. They loved the sleek design of it, and how stable and durable they were. However, they did not like how most accessories – baby set and 5-point harness – needed to be bought separately.
Hauck High Chair
Decent Restaurants – premium food, but is usually more affordable than 1-star Michelin restaurants.
Just like decent restaurants, the HAUCK Alpha+ Wooden High Chair is slightly expensive and is the strongest competitor to the Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair. They are usually compared because of their similar wooden finishing, their inclusion of a footrest and the longevity of it – growing old with the child. They are strong enough to be sat by adults too!
Their main difference would have to be their price and the base of the high chair. The HAUCK is slightly cheaper, with accessories included, but it is bulkier than the Stokke. We would recommend going for the Stokke if you prefer the sleeker design and have the budget.
Ingenuity Baby Base Seat
Takeaways – can be brought around everywhere and consumed anytime. Just like takeaways, the Ingenuity Baby Base 2-in-1 is loved for its portability. It can be used anywhere in the house and can be easily carried somewhere else.
It is a baby booster and toddler seat in one. Mommies loved it because it is easy to clean and babies can use it from 6 months onwards when they are trying to sit upright. It can also serve as a portable high chair, giving you the ease of bringing it around when going to your friend’s, parents’ place, etc.
What to Look Out For When Buying a High Chair?
14 out of 45 mommies stated that safety and security is the first factor they considered when looking to buy a highchair. Other important considerations are ease of assembling and aesthetics of the chair.
A safety-restraint system, with a groin strap, would be important to keep your child well-seated on the high chair. This prevents your child from escaping or falling from a high height.
In the early months or years of using the high chair, mess is inevitable. For your sanity, an easy-to-clean high chair would be very helpful.
According to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, a footrest is crucial to support and develop good sitting posture with feet placed flat. A footrest also increases stability and encourages your child to sit upright without slouching.
It is important that the high chair doesn’t slip and has a stable base.
Although you will probably only be assembling the high chair once, it would be great if it assembles easily.
“It’s so easy to assemble and disassemble. I bring the high chair to every house I visit. In that way, I’m not worried if the house doesn’t have a high chair for my daughter”
Owner of the IKEA high chair
Just like any piece of furniture in your house, it would be nice if your high chair suits the interior design of your house.
Thoughts on High Chairs
- If you need portability, go for the Ingenuity Baby Base Seat.
- If you are on a tight budget, go for the IKEA Antilop High Chair.
- If you want a high chair that grows old with your child, but on a budget, go for the Hauck Alpha+ High Chair.
- If you have the budget to splurge, go for the Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair.
We hope that through this article, we were able to give you the information you need to purchase a suitable high chair.
Frequently Asked Questions About High Chairs
When should I buy a high chair?
I personally bought a high chair when my daughter was around 6 months old. At 6 months old, babies typically sit on their own and start eating solids. I feel that would be the perfect time to purchase a high chair.
When can a baby sit in a high chair?
A baby can typically sit upright in a high chair once they are around 4 to 6 months old. They will often show some signs of readiness with regard to their posture, head control, ability to grab objects, and interest in food!
Disclaimer: Nuevamae is not sponsored by any of the mentioned brands or platforms. This article expresses our honest opinion based on our experience and research. Read more about our mission. This article includes affiliate links so we may earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase via the link.
