Baby high chairs have come a long way from the simple wooden variety to the full-featured modern variety with wheels, dishwasher-safe trays, height-adjustable seats, folding frames and other features.

Experts say that babies don’t really need high chairs until they start eating solid foods, which is usually after they are about 6 months of age. But some parents still prefer to buy a high chair early on, because high chairs can be a useful landing place for their babies.

Types of Baby High Chairs

Wooden High Chairs – Although wooden chairs have an old-fashioned appeal and are considered by many parents to be more aesthetic, they also have some drawbacks. Wooden high chairs are usually harder to clean, don’t fold, less portable and typically do not have as many features as the modern plastic types of high chairs.

Metal High Chairs – Metal high chairs usually have more features than wooden high chairs and are easier to clean. They can be folded for storage, but are also heavier than plastic high chairs.

Plastic-Metal High Chairs – These high chairs are usually the most convenient. Most models of plastic high chairs offer reclining seatbacks, adjustable heights, well padded easy to clean seats, easy to clean removable trays, wheels for good maneuverability and lightweight with easy fold-up for storage.

Tips on Choosing a Baby High Chair

When choosing a baby high chair, make sure that the high chair has the JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association) logo. The JPMA along with the CPSC (Consumer Products Safety Commission) and the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) all work together in developing safety standards for baby products like the high chairs.

If you are looking at folding high chairs, make sure that the folding mechanism locks well and operates easily. Check to see if the high chair could be accidentally folded while in use.

A high chair with height adjustment is a good choice if you plan to use the high chair long-term. Reclining high chairs are best if you’ll use the chair to hold an infant. Check the high chair’s belts to be sure the straps are strong, durable and washable. High chairs get very grimy, so choose a model that washes well.

Aside from being easy to clean, the most important feature of a high chair tray is ease of use. Check (and test) to see its ease of use and when looking at wooden high chairs, don’t forget to make sure they don’t have any splinters that are exposed.

Baby High Chair Reviews

There are a lot of places online to read baby high chair reviews. Parent-written reviews can be helpful and are available on websites such as Amazon.com, Target.com, Epinions.com and Diapers.com. Points of their satisfaction include simplicity of cleaning and how easily a child can kick off the tray.

Generally, parents say price isn’t necessarily an indicator of satisfaction when it comes to high chairs. For example, the Peg-Perego Primma Pappa Diner (*Est. $220) is one of the priciest chairs on the market, yet the reviews for this model aren’t any better than for high chairs that cost almost half as much. Although Peg-Perego high chairs in general get some good reviews from parents for ease of use, stability and comfort, others say the it is hard to clean, and some parents hate the fact that it stains easily or scratches their wood floors. Although parents do like that it folds easily for storage. Overall, the Peg-Perego high chair gets good-to-average reviews, but other chairs, like the Fisher-Price Rainforest High Chair (*Est. $95) and Graco Contempo Highchair (*Est. $110) get similar or slightly better owner feedback for a fraction of the cost.

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