BABYLO Icon 2-in-1 Highchair & Junior Chair

Product Information

These ensure that your child always has somewhere safe and age-appropriate to eat when they’re not at home – whether that’s at a grandparent’s house, a friend’s, or away on holiday – although many are designed so well that people use them at home too.

Type: Aluminium high chair which clips onto tables| Materials: Aluminium; rubber; fabric | Suitable from: 6 months+ | Harness: Yes | Wheels?: No What we love A multifunctional chair might be a good choice if you want to adjust the chair to fit your baby or sit at your table, if you prefer a more comfortable cushion or if you know you’ll want to fold it away when you’re not using it. 3. Transitional highchairs These are the big guns of the group – the chairs intended to last as standalone models in babyhood and then convert to table-side models that can be used in toddlerhood, childhood and even beyond. While it may just seem like just a place to pop your child while they eat, there's more to what makes the best highchair than just how it looks. Parents want one that is easy to clean after messy mealtimes - because food will get into every little nook and cranny! - as well as straps that are safe and a good size tray. But there are a host of other extra features that you can look out for too.At the inexpensive end of the spectrum are the budget chairs. These tend to be standalone highchairs (intended to be used by themselves using a plastic tray, instead of being pulled up to a table), short on adjustability features and elaborate design – favouring instead a functional simplicity that often, incidentally, means they’re much easier to clean.

Although some of the chairs we tested had extra accessories making them suitable for smaller babies, children should only use a highchair to eat once they’re able to sit unaided.

Type: Plastic freestanding highchair with two size trays for growing child | Materials: Metal; plastic; foam seat insert | Suitable from: Birth | Harness: Yes | Wheels?: No What we love Another Stokke chair to feature on our list, the Steps is a stylish highchair that can be used from birth. There's no doubt about it, it's a pricey piece of baby equipment but for the price tag you get a good quality high chair that your child will get plenty of use out of. Most travel highchairs either attach to an adult dining chair as a chair-mounted booster or clip onto the table edge (sometimes called a hook-on or clip-on highchair) like a vice. In both cases, you need suitable furniture to make it work – though, anecdotally, the chair-attaching kind fit more universally than the table-attaching kind.

Highchairs have come a long way in the last couple of decades as companies have begun to apply intelligent design to baby equipment. There are several broad types on the market, so consider which functions are important to you before making your choice. 1. Budget highchairsThe chair is suitable from newborn with a clip on baby bouncer, which allows them to be at the table when you're eating. Then when your child is weaning, you can use it as a high chair with a comfortable baby seat insert and removable tray, before turning into a chair when your toddler is more independent. All the accessories need to be bought separately so the costs do run high, but we love the Scandi design which comes in three neutral colourways for blending nicely into your home. And as it can be used up to the age of ten, it'll be a worthy investment if you can afford the hefty price tag. A multifunctional highchair is a step-up in functionality and price. It has been designed to include features that make life easier or that adjust the chair to suit your child. It can be used with the newborn set from birth, the baby set from six months (sitting unaided) and after three years or 15kg until adulthood and beyond, so it's great if you need a piece of furniture that will last and can be used by every member of the family. We also like that the tray is dishwasher-safe for particularly messy mealtimes! It's expensive but with a thriving second-hand market you should get a high resale value when you're finished with it. Saves your food: Made from non-toxic, BPA- free, PVC-free and food-safe material, so you can save dropped food (that would otherwise get wasted on the floor) and re-offer it to baby or save it for later! Upright seat: Yes, with infant insert | Footrest: Yes | Convertible: Highchair to booster to play chair with parts sold separately | Size: Wide four-legged stance | Easy to clean: Dishwasher-safe tray; machine-washable cushion

A beautiful, intelligently designed chair with lots of thoughtful details, the Oribel Cocoon missed out on our transitional award as it’s still only suitable up to age three. But it’s a stylish and flexible model, available in four attractive colours, that will complement your kitchen and make mealtimes a breeze.The life-span of your chair will depend on the type of model you choose, as some are intended to be used throughout childhood and beyond (see section below). You’re likely to find a chair with a tray essential from first weaning up to the age of three. We have a Stokke steps and LOVE it! It looks stylish, It’s easy to clean and has a foot rest. Highly recommend!” Loved by Mumsnetter AfternoonTea12 Our verdict Upright seat: Baby seat insert has slight incline | Footrest: Yes | Convertible: Newborn to adulthood (all accessories sold separately) | Size: Smaller footprint | Easy to clean: Removable tray; optional removable cushions As reliable as it is ubiquitous, in our extensive tests the IKEA Antilop excelled, living up to its reputation as the king of all highchairs. While it may not look like anything special, our Mumsnet users rave about this highchair for being budget-friendly, functional and easy to clean up after mealtimes. Doubles as a footrest: Catchy doubles as a footrest for toddlers to provide that foot support that is so important for focused eating.