7 criteria you should definitely consider when buying a high chair

Are you also looking for a suitable high chair for your little one, where they can sit safely and comfortably? Buying a highchair can sometimes be complicated…..

Well, there are probably few parents who don’t want that.

After all, a child spends a lot of time in the high chair, eating, crafting, or watching the parents curiously doing housework.

However, when buying a high chair, most parents have the following questions in mind…

• How much does a high chair cost?
• Will the high chair be safe enough for my child?
• Does the chair look good and “fit” into the home environment?

If you’re considering any of the dilemmas mentioned above, we can surely help you.

In addition to these questions, you probably have many others… and there are so many options on the market!

We’ll guide you through the guide and reveal the most important aspects to consider.

Technical Aspects

The first dilemma that many people don’t initially think about is how much space you have and where you want to place the high chair in your apartment…

If you don’t have a large house, it’s important to find a high chair that can be stored neatly under the table and doesn’t take up too much space.

There is a wide range of different high chairs, including those that can simply be pushed under the table. Sometimes, you only realize once you’ve placed the high chair in the room that it has large, solid legs that can quickly become a tripping hazard.

Another point that plays a big role in choosing a high chair is certainly its adaptability.

For a good high chair, you definitely have to spend a little more money, so it’s particularly important that the high chair adjusts to the child’s height, meaning it grows with them, so that the child can use it for at least 10 years and you don’t have to buy two high chairs.

Of course, it’s also advantageous if the high chair looks nice, if it has a beautiful, modern design, as it will be a eye-catcher in your home for years to come. More important than appearance, however, is that the high chair is compact. In this case, it’s better to choose a high chair that is a bit heavier and whose center of gravity is always in the middle of the chair, ensuring exceptional stability, even with strong leaning, climbing on the footrest, and other mischief.

All children between 6 months and 3 years old must use a safety ring or baby set, which prevents the child from climbing out of the high chair and getting injured. For even more safety, it’s advisable to strap the child in with a 5-point safety harness, so they can’t unbuckle themselves.

To know if a high chair has all these features, look for the quality certificate (TÜV), which proves that the high chair has been certified by an international quality laboratory.

And there’s one more thing to consider…

This is a feature that didn’t receive much attention in the past, but the fact that people are living more sustainably speaks for itself.

Since we’ve already talked about wood and plastic, let’s now address this dilemma…

Sustainability

The lifespan of a high chair is a factor that should definitely be considered. This largely depends on the material from which the high chair is made…

These days, both plastic and wood models are mostly made from high-quality and durable materials so that you and your child can enjoy them for as long as possible.

But the fact remains…

Wooden high chairs are still the “long-distance” winners, as they are automatically a bit heavier and therefore not as easily tipped over and damaged.

Furthermore, the longer lifespan of the high chair is a great advantage if you want to use it for your next child or even one day for your grandchildren…

After all, we all have a piece of wooden furniture at home that dates back to our grandparents’ time 🙂

But one thing is for sure…

Wooden chairs may “live” longer, but they are also more expensive because they are more durable.

However, it’s always advisable to consider the fact that some high chairs can be used by a toddler for 10 years. From infancy to adolescence, the chair grows with the child. This means that the costs of the initial purchase are spread over 120 months, which in turn means that the monthly costs for buying a high chair amount to only €3.

Furthermore, a wooden high chair is more environmentally friendly and, most importantly, child-friendly.

Wood is a naturally renewable resource, can be recycled, and makes an important contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The use of just 1 m3 of wood products instead of other materials reduces CO2 emissions by 2 tons. But the benefits of wood are far from exhausted.

Adjustability

As you know, children grow very quickly and sometimes they outgrow things from one day to the next…

That’s why it’s good to have a high chair that can be adjusted as needed.

In designing our high chair, we focused on three main points – adaptability, the tray, and versatility. In doing so, we found that there are a number of things we need to pay attention to:

Convertible high chair (so that the high chair can be converted into a lower seat or a high chair that children can still use when they are older).

Height adjustable (so you can place your child at any table or other surface).

Adjustable tray (to prevent your child’s belly from being squished as they grow).

Removable tray (a very practical option, as it can be easily removed and placed in the sink or dishwasher).

Adjustable backrest, seat height, and footrest.

Ergonomic – only a few high chairs can be adjusted in 3 positions, i.e., not only in height and at the footrest, but also in the area of the backrest, so that your child is well protected.

A future without back pain – promotes proper sitting posture and supports the proper development of the spine.

Convenience

A comfortable high chair may be even more important than how much space you have in your apartment…

After all, children really spend a lot of time in their high chair, and we’re sure you don’t want your child to be unhappy in their high chair due to inadequate comfort.

To make your child as comfortable as possible, it’s a good idea to choose a high chair with a footrest so that they can more easily develop their motor skills.

According to many pediatricians, a footrest provides the child with more stability and support, making it easier to feed them and improving their concentration.

It is crucial that the child maintains a knee angle of 90 to 100 degrees while sitting to ensure optimal seating ergonomics.

Caution should also be exercised when selecting chair cushions, as some may have rather sharp edges. And that’s not good for your baby’s delicate skin…

A child is more likely to feel uncomfortable if something is constantly poking or scratching their back, causing them to want to be taken out of the high chair as soon as possible.

Care and Cleaning

Children are true “artists” when it comes to mess and dirt, and it doesn’t take long for us to find ourselves in a vicious cycle at the end of the day because we constantly have to clean the high chair.

You can make cleaning much easier for yourself by opting for a high chair with a removable tray from the outset…

The removable cushion and straps are definitely a plus.

However, we want to revisit the topic of wood and plastics, as there are many dilemmas and misunderstandings regarding cleaning in this area…

Many parents believe that plastic surfaces are easier to clean than wood surfaces…

But that’s not entirely true, as it depends on the design of the high chair itself and the upholstery.

Rounded and smooth surfaces are therefore the easiest to clean. Smaller openings such as cracks and gaps are understandably more difficult to access.

And it’s the plastic designs that are often a bit “trickier”, with unusual shapes, larger corners, and slots. Wooden high chairs, on the other hand, are more simple and have a larger surface area that is easier to wipe down.

Furthermore, dirt sometimes just penetrates into the plastic and can no longer be removed…

Ultimately, the decision depends more or less on your preferences, and probably also on your love for cleaning itself 🙂

But there’s something else we don’t initially think about until our research leads to some rather concerning results…

“Healthy” Sitting…

You’re probably aware of how important it is to sit properly – whether you’re an adult or a child.

For children, it’s even more important for them to develop properly and, above all, healthily…

The correct sitting position of your little one during feeding is also crucial for their success…

Here’s a mathematical rule you should definitely consider when buying a high chair…

We’re talking about the 90:90:90 rule, which means that the child sits in a position where their hips, knees, and ankles are all angled at 90 degrees…

Comfort doesn’t just mean a soft cushion for the baby’s bottom, but above all, a high chair that’s well-suited for your child, where they feel comfortable and, most importantly, doesn’t harm them…

This way, you can ensure from a young age a correct posture and healthy development of the spine. After all, there’s nothing more important than the health and happiness of our children.

And so we come to the last point or sentence on the list, which we all have in mind anyway, but which parents often say…

Be careful not to fall!

As important as the factors mentioned above are, this one is usually crucial…

We don’t need to explicitly mention that a high chair must have a safety belt, as that is probably clear to all of us.

In this case, we would prefer to talk about our findings regarding the center of gravity and stability of the high chair…

We know all too well that some children are just more energetic than others…

And no matter how many times you tell your child not to climb onto the chair by themselves, they will probably still do it.

But that shouldn’t mean that you have to keep an eye on your little one all day, out of fear that they might do something crazy on the high chair…

In this case, I strongly recommend choosing a high chair with a center of gravity in the middle…

… to give your child the stability and safety they need.

This way, you can hop into the pantry while cooking, or quickly go to the bathroom, without worrying that your child will tip over from the chair and get hurt in those few seconds. Or, in the worst case, have an accident while climbing onto the chair…

And with this advice, we’ve come to the end of our insights that we recommend to you if you’re considering buying a high chair…

It would be a dream if all baby products on the market today would fit your little one in every way, and not where you least expect it, shopping traps lurking.

So you might be wondering at this moment…

Is there even a perfect high chair that meets all the criteria?

It’s difficult to find a high chair that meets all the factors described above, but the most important thing is that the whole family sits down at the table at least once a day to eat together.

This can sometimes be quite difficult, but a study published in the journal Pediatrics found that children who regularly eat with their family are less likely to suffer from depressive symptoms.