Any new or expecting parent can tell you searching for baby high chairs isn’t exactly straightforward. The traditional high chair has morphed into a million different configurations, with some that convert into a booster seat, toddler chair, and even a teenage/adult-sized chair, others that are pint-sized and portable, and much more. Clunky high chairs have been replaced with slimmer models with a folding design that fit more readily into a variety of spaces, as well as sleeker-looking high chairs that could pass off as a work of art in your kitchen or dining room.

Modern high chairs are easier to clean than high chairs of the past, with smooth lines and fewer crevices for food to get stuck in, and they’re also more adjustable and lighter for picking up and moving.

Specific models have recline positions or newborn sets for infants for bottle feeding and setting them down while you eat with the rest of the family or work in the kitchen. Generally speaking, most high chairs are designed for babies six months and older, who can sit on their own in an upright position and are ready for solid food.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), an infant may be ready for a high chair once they have adequate head control and indicate they want food by opening their mouth. They should also be able to move food from a spoon to the back of their mouth (without spitting it back out) and at least double their birth weight, which may come around four months of age. Be sure to consult your baby’s pediatrician and follow a high chair’s manufacturer guidelines for appropriate age and weight.

If you’re stressing over which high chair to choose for your little one, take a breath. These can be purchased months after you bring home your bundle of joy, and after you have plenty of time to think about what you want in a high chair.

You’ll want to consider the size of the space where you’ll be using the high chair, whether you’d like it at table or counter height, and how you feel about seeing it all the time. If you want a more permanent fixture, a full-size (aka standard or traditional) high chair with a plastic tray may have a larger footprint but will also be a safe, sturdy, and supportive place for your child to eat.

Alternatively, space-saving or foldable high chairs have gained traction over the years as some people don’t see the need for a full high chair. Clip-on, or hook-on, seats attach directly to counters or tables, and legless seats strap onto dining-room chairs. A travel high chair or booster chair is also ideal for families on the go.

Booster seats are an excellent option for children once they’ve outgrown a high chair, which is usually around age two or three, and many high chairs come with boosters for transitioning to an adult chair. Also, with a travel booster, you won’t have to worry about how well the restaurant cleans theirs!

When choosing a baby high chair, safety should be the main priority—be sure it isn’t tippy, can be secured or locked in place, and comes with safety straps, like a three- or five-point harness. Then consider the level of ergonomic support a chair provides. Babies should be seated at “90/90/90” angles, with a 90-degree bend at the hips, knees, and ankles while they eat. The best high chairs position them this way, upright (no recline when eating solids!) and with a footrest to support their legs and rest their feet.

While some portable high chairs have neither legs nor a footrest, a footrest is recommended for postural support while eating (it also makes reaching for food easier). If a high chair doesn’t have a footrest, a step stool or large cardboard box can be used in its place to provide adequate support.

The correct positioning of a child’s head and neck down to their ankles is essential for parents who choose baby-led weaning (BLW), a method of introducing solids via self-feeding and finger foods rather than spoon-feeding and purées.

Best High Chairs

Before we dive into the best or most recommended high chairs on the market, remember that it’s okay to take some time before making this purchase. High chairs aren’t cheap, but they have come a long way in terms of longevity and durability. Rather than only being useful for a couple of years, a transitional high chair can grow with your child into their toddler years and beyond.

Most are made of plastic or wood, with wooden high chairs being more eco-conscious, sturdy, long-lasting, and less of an eyesore in your home. A wooden high chair can be quite an investment, but it’s also heirloom furniture that can be used with a single child for 10+ years and passed down for generations.

To determine the following list, we sorted through an abundance of reviews from reputable sources, such as TheBump, BabyGearLab, WhatToExpect, Healthline, Verywell Family, and more. We also tested some of the products firsthand.

All of the featured high chairs are safe eating spaces for supervised babies until they try to stand up or get out of the high chair. Buckled straps and crotch posts are crucial, as they keep the baby from slipping out. The following feeding seats are adjustable, easy to move, easy to wipe clean or machine wash, and built to last.

Best Multipurpose: Graco Blossom 6-in-1 Convertible High Chair

For those looking for a “normal-looking”, full-size high chair packed with functionality and versatility, the Graco Blossom 6-in-1 Convertible High Chair has six seat modes: infant chair, conventional baby chair, infant booster, toddler booster, youth chair, and two-seater.

You read “two-seater” right—an older sibling can use the included booster seat while the younger child sits in the high chair. This high chair can be used for newborns up to 40lbs, while the toddler booster and youth chair can hold older kids up to 60lbs. For newborns who are not ready for solids, it has three recline positions for bottle-feeding or relaxing. For older kiddos, the three-position removable footrest ensures they’re adequately supported while sitting up straight.

The Blossom has six height positions to fit any table or counter and includes a five-point buckle harness that converts to three points to keep babies and toddlers safe. It’s also easy to clean with a leatherette seat pad that is machine-washable, plus a removable tray and dishwasher-safe tray insert.

While some high chairs need to be picked up and moved, this one can roll with four wheels and locking rear casters that keep it in place. It’s not the lightest high chair (weighing 32lbs), has a relatively large footprint, and doesn’t fold down, but if you have the floor space, this multipurpose chair won’t let you down.

Best Grow-Along: Stokke Tripp Trapp

Regarding quality, few can match that of Stokke, a Norwegian company known internationally for its award-winning children’s products. Their Tripp Trapp epitomizes minimalist Scandinavian design and maximum function, with a high chair that serves kids from six months to three years, then converts to a chair that holds up to 242lbs!

Designed 50 years ago as a “chair for life,” the Tripp Trapp is a Stokke staple. Its European beech and oak wood construction lend to its exceptional stability, and it pulls right up to a table for family-style eating. A detachable tray can be purchased separately or bundled with a seat cushion.

This high chair is also highly ergonomic, with an adjustable seat and footrest for total support and comfort. While it’s relatively expensive, it’s worth the investment for a chair that can be used into adulthood. It doesn’t fold or have wheels, but it’s also not very heavy (15.4lbs) and can slide beneath a table like a dining chair. For these reasons, we think it’s a winner among “grow-with-me” and transitional high chairs.

Best Travel / Portable: Bombol Pop-Up Booster

For anyone who’s ever dreamt of a booster seat that’s small enough to fit in a diaper bag or large purse, the Bombol Pop-Up Booster is it. This pop-open, 3D seat weighs just 2.5lbs and folds completely flat to about the size of a large book.

It safely locks into place when open and can hold kids six months and older with a weight limit of 75lbs. It is upholstered with a stain, abrasion, and odor-resistant fabric and is equipped with a convertible five- and three-point harness. It fits most adult chairs and comes with a carry bag that can double as a seat cover, making it one of the most versatile travel boosters on the market.

Best Space Saver: Inglesina Fast Table Chair

Clip-on, or hook-on, high chairs have a special place in small spaces as they clip directly onto a sturdy table or countertop. The Inglesina Fast Table Chair is one of the best portable high chairs, with the ability to hold babies six months and older up to 37lbs with a three-point safety harness. With a twist-tight mechanism, it hooks directly onto most tables (0.8in to 3.5in thick) and has a storage pocket for snacks. It's collapsible and comes with a carry bag and can be unhinged in seconds for easy storage and transport.

The Fast Table Chair weighs just 4.2lbs and is relatively inexpensive as far as high chairs go, making it a great secondary seat or high chair for places like grandma's house. One of the best features of this seat is its portability. The biggest drawback of this high chair is the lack of a footrest, which makes it easier for a child to eat, so it should not serve as a primary high chair. It also isn't machine-washable and must be wiped clean.

Best Luxe: ​​Nomi High Chair

If BLW piques your interest, the Nomi High Chair is the ultimate in ergonomic support for assisting a child in their journey with self-feeding. With a $400–$500 price tag, this high chair is definitely a “splurge” item. But it’s also the biggest heavy hitter in terms of weight rating—it converts to a regular seat that can hold up to 330lbs!

Interestingly, this Scandinavian high chair was designed in 2013 by Peter Opsvik, the same world-famous designer that created the Stokke Tripp Trapp 50 years ago. With a simple knob for adjusting the seat footrest without tools, the Nomi ensures an “ergoNOMIcally” correct seating position for all ages and is the most awarded high chair in Europe.

It looks like something from the future and can be custom-ordered, with nine colors and four oak and walnut “stems” to choose from. The streamlined stem is supported by a wide and stable base with wheels for maneuverability and extensions that prevent it from tipping. At just 10.8lbs, it’s incredibly lightweight and easy to pull up to a table. It’s also very easy to clean with zero nooks and crannies for crumbs.

The Nomi converts from a raised newborn bouncer to a high chair, and around age two, it can be converted to a chair that can be used for much more than mealtimes: homework, crafts, coloring, games, or just hanging. While this high chair is designed for use at a table, a tray and machine-washable seat cushions can be purchased separately.

Honorable Mentions

Needless to say, there are a ton of high-chair options out there that fulfill a variety of lifestyles and preferences. Here are a few more that deserve recognition as “best-in-class”:

Best Foldable: Baby Jogger City Bistro

You won’t find a more compact folding high chair than this, which folds down to 80% of its size and stands when folded. When unfolded, it has four height adjustments plus calf support. It also comes with a dishwasher-safe tray and a stain-resistant, removable seat pad that's machine washable for easy cleanup.

Best Trendy: Lalo The Chair

This modern, chic high chair is just as functional as it is pretty. With two sets of different leg lengths, it converts to a booster and toddler chair, making it a three-in-one convertible high chair that can be used with babies as young as four months old and hold up to 200lbs as a play chair.

Best Budget: Fisher-Price SpaceSaver High Chair

A big saver of both space and money, this portable seat can be fastened to most dining chairs and adjusts to grow with a child from 0 to 36 months. Unlike many booster seats, this legless high chair has a five-point harness and tray, which is extra large and deep for catching spills.

Best Step Stool: Skip Hop Skip-To-Step

For parents and caregivers seeking a high chair that converts to a stool so that their little one can be a “kitchen helper”, this convertible high chair can be used as a high chair until a child is around three, and then a toddler step stool for ages three and up weighing up to 200lbs. The high chair is ideal for feeding a baby at counter height and has a relatively large footprint, but it folds small for storage. The toddler stool is backless, so it’s best for older children who are more stable on their feet.

Picking a High Chair

We hope this list gave you some ideas to help narrow down your search for the right high chair for your family. For starters, it’s worth considering how you’d like your family mealtimes to look with a baby and where you plan to feed them (in the kitchen, at the dining room table with the rest of the family, etc.). From there, you can factor in other features, such as adjustability, convertibility, and convenience, to help you make your decision.

Are you interested in a portable high chair, one with a compact fold, or maybe even a hook-on chair? If you're looking for long-term use, it's worth considering high chairs with higher weight limits for extended use into a baby's childhood. And consider the mess: ease of cleaning, with fewer crevices, a dishwasher-safe tray, and a removable seat pad that can go in the washing machine, is a huge plus.

As for high-chair must-haves, a 3- or 5-point safety harness, crotch post, and stable base are non-negotiable. On full-size high chairs, look for locking wheels, back support, and an adjustable footrest to keep your child safe and comfortable while eating. For outdoor dining, consider portable booster seats or a portable chair for the picnic table or anywhere else your outdoor adventures may take you!

For personalized recommendations on which high chair will be best for you and your child, connect with a Baby & Toddler Expert, so they can help you find the perfect fit!