The Stokke Tripp Trapp has widely been touted as the high chair of choice for discerning parents, especially by infant feeding experts. But with an eye-watering price of US$400 for a full set, is it truly worth the hype?
We surveyed 45 mommies who used a total of 8 different brands of high chairs. Here are our main findings:
- 15.6% of mommies are users of the Stokke Tripp Trapp, making it the second most commonly used high chair, after the IKEA high chair.
- The top three main considerations when purchasing a high chair are safety, ease of cleaning and the presence of a footrest.
Read on for our Stokke Tripp Trapp review, as we share more about its features and flaws below!
Introduction About the Stokke Tripp Trapp
Image credit: Stokke
The Stokke Tripp Trapp is a high chair from the Scandinavian company, Stokke. Created in 1972, it was designed to be an ergonomic chair with depth and height adjustable seat and foot plates that would grow with children through to adulthood. Since then, additional accessories have been added to the range which also allows for the chair to be used by newborns.
Unlike some other high chair options, the Tripp Trapp and its accessories can be bought separately or as a bundle. Some of the most popular accessories include:
- Baby Set consisting: Backrest, Rail, 5-point Harness and Extended Gliders
- Tripp Trapp Cushion
- Tray
- Newborn Set
Importance of a High Chair and 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 I Feel About the Stokke Tripp Trapp
When choosing a high chair, my priority was to find one that was safe and recommended by experts as promoting optimal posture for infant feeding. Ease of cleaning was also important to me as we were practising baby-led weaning (BLW) – which involves a whole lot of mess! The Tripp Trapp emerged as a clear winner, especially since the sleek design matched the style of my home and my child could use it well into teenage years or adulthood. The only drawback was the very expensive price point.
I got around this by sourcing for a secondhand Tripp Trapp and accessories that were still in very good condition and ended up saving around 30% of the regular retail price. Since then I’ve used my secondhand Tripp Trapp for more than a year and am so pleased with how it worked out.
I loved how both the height and depth of the seat and footplate were adjustable. This was particularly important as my child is small for his age and he often ended up slouching when we used other types of high chairs as his back could not reach the backrest. With the Tripp Trapp, I could easily adjust the seat to ensure that he maintained an optimal feeding posture – upright, with hips, knees and ankles bent at 90 degrees.
The Tripp Trapp and Baby Set were easy to clean when used without seat cushions. Just wipe down the smooth wood finishing of the chair with a damp cloth, rinse off the baby set in the sink and it’s good to go! The Baby Seat was also easily removable with no tools needed, which meant that it could serve as an extra chair for friends’ children who came to visit (or a bar stool for adults!).
The ability to pull the high chair right up to the table was a huge benefit. My child was far more engaged when he was at the table with us and could help himself to food when dining family-style. Clean-up was also easier with one less item to wash. We stopped using the tray when he turned 9.
The only accessories I didn’t enjoy were the 5-point harness and seat cushions. While necessary for safety reasons, I found that it was difficult to detach from the chair and took a long time to dry between washes. I also found the seat cushions to be unnecessary and tedious to wash – I’ve not used them for over a year and my child doesn’t seem any less comfortable!
In hindsight, I would have skipped the cushions or put them aside until my child was more skilled at eating.
Overview of the Stokke Tripp Trapp
Pros of the Stokke Tripp Trapp
From our survey, we found that Mommies who owned the Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair loved it for its footrest and ease of cleaning. They also loved the sleek design of the Tripp Trapp and how stable and durable they were. However, they did not like how most accessories – such as the baby set and 5-point harness – needed to be bought separately.
Top favourite reason: Ease of cleaning
Look anywhere on social media and you’ll find parents who use and love the Stokke Tripp Trapp, especially parents practicing baby-led weaning with their children. The ease of cleaning this chair is a big reason why!
The smooth wood finish of the Tripp Trapp makes it easy to wipe down with a damp cloth. With the ability to easily dismantle the Baby Set and optional tray for washing at the sink, it’s a simple matter to clean up any food that may fall into attachment points during a meal.
The only downside is that the machine-washable harness can be a hassle to remove and takes time to clean and dry between meals. Likewise, it can be tedious to clean the optional seat cushions after every meal, especially in the messy early stages of learning to self-feed. Many people choose not to use the cushions, and in my experience, my child has not seemed any less comfortable in his Tripp Trapp.
Top favourite reason: Footrest provided
Tying with the ease of cleaning for first place, Mommies loved that the Tripp Trapp comes with a footrest.
Many infant feeding experts and occupational therapists recommend using a high chair with a footrest in order to create the most ergonomic positioning for your child when eating. Ideally, a child should sit upright, with hips, knees and ankles bent at 90 degrees (known as the “90-90-90 position”) to provide the most control over his chewing and swallowing muscles.
When an infant first starts on solids (or if he is slighter in build), the foot rest may need to be raised and the seat depth narrowed to maintain the optimal feeding posture. As a child gets taller, his footrest would need to be lowered downwards in order to maintain the 90-90-90 position. His seat would also need to be lowered to maintain a comfortable table height.
The Tripp Trapp ticks all the boxes in this category, as it comes with a height and depth adjustable footrest and seat plate that can grow with your child. Once your child outgrows the need for a footrest or if an adult uses the chair, it can be stashed out of the way at the bottom rung of the chair.
Safety and stability
Mommies also cited safety and stability as a reason for choosing the Tripp Trapp. The Tripp Trapp has a wide sturdy base that lends the high chair stability even when squirmy babies and toddlers move around in it. The extended gliders that come with the Baby Set lend further protection against the chair tipping over – such as when the child kicks against the table.
Also included with the Baby Set is a 5-point harness, which is the safest type of restraint available to prevent babies from climbing or falling out of their high chairs.
Design
With its wood finish and sleek lines, the Tripp Trapp is a high chair that looks like a standard dining chair – and is even more stylish than some! This is one high chair that won’t become an eyesore once your child outgrows it.
It also comes in a variety of colours to suit the colour scheme of your home or the personality of your child. Plus, it can be engraved with the name of your child so everyone will know it’s his/her special seat!
Other things I loved about the Tripp Trapp
Longevity – The Tripp Trapp is fully adjustable and will grow with my child into childhood and beyond. The easily detachable Baby Set and high weight limit also means that it can be used as an extra chair at the table by older children or as a bar stool by adults.
Removable Tray – Having an optional tray means that the Tripp Trapp can be pulled right up to the table, allowing for a child to dine at the table with family from the very first day of weaning. This helps to keep children engaged and interested in the family meal. In fact, my son hasn’t used the tray table since about 9 months old, as he loved being able to reach out and help himself to food from sharing plates!
Relatively small footprint – Despite the wide and sturdy base, the Tripp Trapp’s legs mostly slide under the table when not in use like a regular dining chair. This means it takes up surprisingly little space, and there is no need to have a designated spot to park it out of the way.
Cons of the Stokke Tripp Trapp
While the only thing most Mommies dislike about the Tripp Trapp is the price, it’s an important concern. At almost US$400 for an entire set, this is one of the most expensive high chair systems in the market.
Comparing the Stokke Tripp Trapp and IKEA Antilop
When talking about the best high chairs, arguably the most popular high chair option used by families everywhere is the IKEA Antilop. As many restaurants offer the IKEA Antilop for use, I’ve had ample opportunity to try them at every stage of my son’s weaning journey from 6 months to 2 years. So how does it stack up against the Tripp Trapp?
From our survey, Mommies also cited the lack of a footrest, safety and longevity as their reasons for choosing not to purchase an IKEA Antilop despite the affordable price point.
Personally, I would still opt for the Tripp Trapp over the IKEA Antilop as well, primarily for its adjustable seat and foot plates that promote good feeding posture. As my child is small in build, his back is often left unsupported in the IKEA Antilop. This means he slides down in his seat to lean against the backrest and tires more easily in the IKEA Antilop as compared to the Tripp Trapp. I also find that the additional room in the IKEA Antilop allows him to put his feet on the table – something he can’t do in the snug Tripp Trapp!
Where to Buy the Stokke Tripp Trapp
What Goes With the Stokke Tripp Trapp?
Here is a brief rundown of the prices and functions of the Tripp Trapp and its most commonly-used accessories:
Backrest, Rail, 5-point harness and Extended Gliders
Snaps onto the Tripp Trapp to turn it into a baby chair for use from 6 months onwards. 5-point harness and extended gliders provide added safety features.
Attaches to the Tripp Trapp to allow it to be used from birth. The Newborn Set has 2 angle adjustable positions and allows baby to be lifted to table height. For use up to 9kg/20lbs.
Stokke Tripp Trapp: Splurge or Skip?
I love my Tripp Trapp and have zero complaints, save for the price point. The Mommies we surveyed generally had views very similar to my own!
If you are able to afford the splurge, or even better, if you receive it as a gift, the Stokke Tripp Trapp is a fantastic high chair and ticks all the most important boxes and more.
However, if it is out of your budget, consider skipping it. There are much more affordable high chairs (such as the IKEA Antilop) that will still do the job well, and chances are it will make no difference to your child.
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.
