High Chair Reviews

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Highchairs reviews for these cheap models are mostly positive. Parents are especially pleased with the value they get, according to highchairs reviews, even as they quibble about minor flaws.

Highchairs Portability. One appealing feature of the cheapest highchairs is the ease with which they can be moved around and stored away. Parents posting highchairs reviews appreciate the folding design of the Graco Meal Time, Safety 1st Plus LX, and Cosco Flat Fold. These models fold flat (or almost so) and suit families that travel or have small living quarters. One parent writes in a highchair review on Amazon of keeping a Cosco Flat Fold permanently stashed in the trunk of the car; another comments on Buzzillions about hanging this 14-pound model on hooks in a closet. The Fisher-Price Space Saver doesn't fold (no legs on this one), but at eight pounds and a 18.5x18x16.5-inch footprint, it easily moves from chair to chair to floor and back, according to highchairs reviews on Sears, or to the homes of friends and family; in between uses, the Fisher-Price Space Saver can be stored in a pantry or closet.

The wheels on the legs of these cheap highchairs go round easily and enhance their portable functionality. Highchairs reviews of the Graco Mealtime and Safety 1st Plus LX say being able to move a highchair around the house as you go about your chores keeps children out from underfoot and lets them keep a watchful eye on you. As an aside, one parent reports on Diapers.com that the wheels on the Safety 1st Plus LX slide on wood floors rather than roll. The two-wheels-on-the-front design of the Combi 3-in-1 Hero compromises the portability of this low-cost highchair, according to highchairs reviews on Amazon. The Badger Basket is the least portable of the highchairs we researched: it neither folds nor rolls away (no wheels).

Highchairs Design. Some parents start off looking for a highchair that will blend with their décor but quickly realize that functionality trumps beauty. Case in point: highchairs with height-adjustable seats and backs that recline win strong support from parents. The Graco Meal Time, with its four seat heights and three seat-back positions, keeps parent and child happy, according to highchairs reviews on the Target site; one mom writes that her baby sits for hour-long stretches and another reports that her baby enjoys sitting at table-level with the family, although one notes that the upright position angles too far back and requires a folded blanket to prop the child up. Parents also like the three recline positions and seven height adjustments on the Safety 1st Plus LX , and one says in a highchair review on Walmart that the highest setting is just a bit shy of the family's bar-height table but still lets the child participate in the family meal. With three seat heights and three recline positions, the Fisher-Price Space Saver wins kudos from parents for the same reasons; the different seatback angles on this legless model facilitate eating as well as sleeping and bottle feeding, and one highchair review on Amazon tells of a toddler who actively disliked a traditional highchair and is a better eater now that he sits with the family at the table. You get five height and three recline options with the Combi 3-in-1 Hero, but parents' highchairs reviews on Amazon comment less on the merits of these design features than on the shaky and unstable feel of the chair.

The barebones Cosco Flat Fold, on the other hand, neither reclines nor adjusts for height, and this leads to some parent gripes. A parent posting a highchairs review on Kmart asserts that the seatback angle is a bit too relaxed and requires a small pillow to position the child properly and another writes on Buzzillions that a 10-month old slides down even when strapped in; note, however, that this cheap highchair is not intended for infants but for toddler-age children and most parent reviewers are satisfied with the design. The Badger Basket is also fixed at one height and one seatback angle (the footrest moves up and down), and a highchair review on Overstock cautions that the lack of a recline or head support means this model doesn't work for children who cannot sit on their own.

Highchairs Cleanup. Little eaters make big messes, so a highchair that's easy to clean is a necessity. Parents like the washable seat cover, two dishwasher-safe tray inserts, and wipe-down clean up of the Graco Meal Time, according to highchairs reviews on Target. Ditto for the Fisher-Price Space Saver, which boasts a spills-resistant and washable pad, although one parent post on Sears notes that the fabric isn't as easy to swipe clean as is plastic; a few grouse on Amazon that food and spills collect under the seat cover and the one-hand removable tray is too large for a dishwasher. Parents applaud the one-hand removable and adjustable tray with a dishwasher-safe insert on the Safety 1st Plus LX, but several highchairs reviews on Buzzillions note that the cloth storage basket under the seat catches bits of food and is very hard to clean. The tray on the Cosco Flat Fold can be set in three positions, but even at its tightest, say several highchair reviews, food and crumbs cascade down and the permanently-attached seat pad is hard to clean (one parent suggests on Buzzillions that you'll need to use the power spray in a car wash). A highchairs review on Babyearth.com asserts the wooden Badger Basket is far easier to clean than traditional highchairs because there are fewer nooks and crannies where crumbs and grime gather, although other reviewers wonder how you can properly clean this model given that the instructions caution against using soap.

Highchairs Overall Functionality. In general, the best and good highchairs on our list win plaudits from parents for ease of use and practicality, especially given their budget prices. We didn't find any reports about struggles to assemble these models, and many say the chore is handled in less than 30 minutes. Still, it's worth noting some minor issues that popped up in the highchairs reviews we read.

The Cosco Flat Fold isn't suitable for infants, for example, and it features a small tray and requires two hands to collapse; also, the seat doesn't come off the frame so it's a highchair only. Parents posting highchairs reviews on Target of the Graco Meal Time report that it doesn't fold quite as flat or roll quite as effortlessly as the more expensive Graco Contempo model (starting at $105, Amazon). The wide base of the Safety 1st Plus LX takes a few hits in highchairs reviews, with one parent saying it can be a hazard when trying to remove a baby, and a few comment that the straps aren't snug. More than one parent complains in reviews on Amazon of pinch hazards on the harness of the Combi 3-in-1 Hero, an unstable base and chair, wheels only on the front, and the small apple-shaped tray insert that's easy for children to remove and toss to the ground. About the Badger Basket parents write of struggling to get their children in and out of the seat due to the fixed tray and generally gripe about the quality of the wood and finish.