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.
- The top 3 main considerations when purchasing a high chair are safety, ease of cleaning and the presence of a footrest.
The average spending on a high chair amounts to 216 SGD. That got us thinking – is it worth spending 6 times the price of the IKEA Antilop High Chair?
After a series of interviews, surveys and personally testing them out, we concluded that this fuss-free and affordable high chair makes mealtimes more pleasant than those that cost 5 to 10 times more.
Which Is the Most Popular High Chair?
35% of mommies we interviewed used the IKEA Antilop High Chair at home. Coupled with how often we see them being used in restaurants and cafes, this confirms our theory that this high chair is the most popular one of all.
What exactly is it about this high chair that makes it so popular? Was it only because it was cheap for these mommies and shops to purchase? Or were there more compelling reasons to purchase these high chairs?
Mommies’ Review of the IKEA Antilop High Chair
After using the IKEA high chair, mommies gave some insights about how they felt:
- It’s a good-enough chair for mommies who are on a budget
- It’s really easy to clean
- You may need to purchase accessories – footrest or seat cushion – to make your child feel more comfortable
- The high chair is really lightweight and it may move
Importance of a High Chair & What to Consider
A high chair is important for your child’s development. By placing your child at eye level, they feel included during mealtimes. That helps with communication skills and encourages self-feeding in babies. Apart from eating, a high chair can also be used to conduct activities for the child.
Mommies mainly considered these before purchasing a high chair – safety and security, ease of cleaning, and price.
How Do I Feel About the IKEA Antilop High Chair?
I have owned 3 of these IKEA Antilop high chairs for about 2 years now. I have one in every house I go to – my parents’, my in-laws’ and my own place.
I am obsessed with this chair for 2 reasons – affordability, and weight. I don’t think twice about buying another chair and placing it in another home. It is simply so affordable, costing 35 SGD with a tray!
Moreover, I love how lightweight it is. I can easily bring it from the kitchen to the toilet and wash it down. Coming from a Baby-Led-Weaning (BLW) mommy point of view, cleaning up has always been a horror. I absolutely hated high chairs with lots of nooks and crannies because it’s so tough to clean them thoroughly. The IKEA high chair also has small spaces where food can be stuck at, but it can be easily brought into the toilet for a wash. That’s truly a breeze!
Although the design isn’t as aesthetically pleasing as the infamous wooden Stokke high chair, I feel that the basic white is easy to match in most houses. Also, we all know the importance of a footrest in creating the safest eating environment. Unfortunately, that is something the IKEA high chair is unable to provide. Hence, my solution to this problem is to purchase a Footsi® High Chair Footrest. Even after purchasing this, the total cost of the high chair and the footrest is around SGD 80!
You will either fall in love with it too or hate it. You may even realise that you are willing to buy others out there! You do you, mama!
Overview of the IKEA Antilop High Chair
16 out of 45 mommies we surveyed bought the IKEA Antilop high chair. They also voted for what they liked and disliked about the IKEA high chair.
55% of mommies who bought other high chairs also considered buying the IKEA high chair. However, they still did not buy the IKEA high chair because of the following reasons – flimsy, unfoldable, no foot rest and inability to grow with the child.
The following sections would explain these pros and cons in detail.
Pros of the IKEA Antilop High Chair
Mommies voted that they mainly loved the IKEA high chair for its ease of cleaning, simple design, and wide and stable base.
With feeding, comes mess.
Mommies do not have the luxury of time to clean up after a mobile baby, who can roll almost everywhere at 6 months of age. With this IKEA high chair, it is so light that you can easily carry it anywhere, and even into the toilet. Since it is plastic, it is super easy to wash down as well.
The high chair’s simple design makes it easier to:
- match with a house’s interior design
- clean as there aren’t many nooks and crannies
IKEA promotes that their baby chairs are designed for safety with wide bases and round edges for family dining. A groin strap is included in the chair to ensure that your child remains seated while eating.
An IKEA high chair costs SGD 35 with a tray and another famous high chair – Stokke Tripp Trapp – would cost 15 times more! The Stokke Tripp Trapp can grow with the child, but is the price worth it? We tested them out and here is our verdict.
The IKEA high chair is easy to assemble, disassemble and carry along. A mom said she loved the portability of the IKEA high chair. She always disassembles the high chair and brings it to her friends’ or relatives’ houses. Instead of being on her lap, she prefers for her child to sit on a high chair to eat and socialise at the dining table.
As most restaurants and cafes use this high chair, a mom mentioned that her kid is very comfortable with it outside. Her child would not be too excited over a new high chair and constantly fiddle with the features of a different high chair.
Almost 50% of mommies disliked this chair for the lack of a footrest. Having a footrest is important and not having one meant mommies had to look for accessories.
Several companies sell accessories to pair with the IKEA High Chair. A footrest can come in the form of a wooden board (Woodsi Footsi) or a fabric cloth (Footsi). I own the Footsi but would prefer the Woodsi Footsi because it seems more stable when the child steps on it.
You could also consider buying supporting cushions, with or without covers, to better support your child. I personally own the IKEA one and I find it good enough. It supported my daughter when she first started eating solids.
Cons of the IKEA Antilop High Chair
The IKEA high chair has its drawbacks as well.
Here are some of the flaws, which deterred some mommies from purchasing the IKEA high chair.
Toddlers are always tempted to stand on high chairs. With this high chair, mommies are concerned about its instability and it might even topple over.
Due to its wide base, active toddlers and even adults, may trip over the legs and fall. Moreover, mommies also mentioned that the chair is unable to slide under the table to keep it away. It is also unfoldable so it wasn’t easy to store it away.
Most mommies, who didn’t purchase the IKEA high chair, said it was because of the lack of a footrest. This could easily be solved by purchasing a compatible footrest (see accessories above!).
Unlike some high chairs, the IKEA high chair is not adjustable. It can’t grow with the child. With that being said, you could consider the IKEA LANGUR High chair which can be converted to a junior chair in future (see below!)
IKEA Antilop vs Langur High Chair
With 4 times more budget, you could consider the next-best IKEA Langur High Chair, costing $140.
This high chair comes with a detachable seat shell for infants and young toddlers. Eventually, it converts to a junior high chair. Besides, this high chair comes with 2 footrests, allowing your junior to climb up and down easily. Even though the footrest is a little low for infants, you can buy accessories too. Finally, the junior high chair can be stacked. It would be suitable for a family with more older children!
Thoughts on IKEA Antilop High Chair
Mommies we surveyed had made the flaws of the IKEA Antilop high chair much more apparent to me. Despite these flaws, I would still go for the IKEA high chair. I foresee using this high chair until my daughter turns about 3 or even 4 years old.
In future, I may consider buying a junior chair on its own so my second child could continue using the IKEA high chair.
From a BLW mommy perspective, I choose to see the perks in this high chair, over the fact that it’s flimsy. Since my daughter is using the chair daily, I am fine with not being able to store it away easily. Moreover, it’s so affordable. Even if I had to change it out after 3 years, it was still worth the price!
These are just some of my thoughts. After all, it is about finding a high chair that suits your needs. I do hope this article is able to show you the pros and cons of owning an IKEA high chair and enable you to make a more informed purchase decision.
To end this post, I would like to give thanks to the sweetest mummies, who completed the survey amidst their busy schedules to make this review possible:
- Adw.swan
- alice.lowsf
- athenabenana
- Blingnsplitz
- c1nc4y
- Carinapeiqi
- charis.xu.he
- Chelxh
- cinteo
- Claramummee
- eatplaylovez
- flyaholic
- GwenElgee
- hello.little.chompers
- Iamjaslinepan
- Jesschong4732
- jessiehuenmade
- jlkeiko
- Joannephangyx
- kartinimulyadi
- Lilian_sg
- Lindayeo
- Luxiz
- Meadowsmin
- Nessalyz
- niellendegeneres
- Paulineswt
- prisgoh2803
- Reas.on.for.joy
- Rineezx
- saraxjanelle
- seahpy
- sharlenetng
- shopnoahstoys
- stephhyong
- sucy_oktari
- Tanpy1988
- the.ngfamily
- theletteredjourney
- Tinkle_cygnet
- weeqiweeqi
- Zcyainyi
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.
