Around the six-month mark, most babies are ready to start exploring solid foods – a big milestone that also means it’s time to think about finding the right high chair to support them through this next stage of development.
Babies must sit correctly when they eat, so a good high chair is essential. Baby and child nutritionist and author of How to Wean Your Baby, Charlotte Stirling-Reed, says: “Ideally, baby needs to be able to sit up really well in a high chair and hold their head, neck and trunk easily, so they can focus on their hand movement and self-feeding.
“A footrest is also really important, as it allows baby to sit up straight more easily, without leaning to one side or forwards and backwards,” she adds. “You want their knees at right angles, so they are nice and comfortable. Lastly, you also want them to be strapped in with an appropriate harness.”
Safety is the one of the key factors, but practicality is something worth prioritising too. Take it from me: you’ll want a tray that detaches easily so you can stick it in the sink to clean up. You should also make sure it fits your space – some high chairs take up a huge amount of room, while some are much more compact.
Lastly, make sure the high chair matches your aesthetic. The best high chairs that grow with your child can be used in your home for years, so, make sure it’s one you’re happy to have around.
How I tested
I spent months testing high chairs, from budget-friendly to more expensive models. While testing, I made sure each chair passed on certain factors, including:
- Comfort: I looked at how well each high chair supports babies and toddlers, checking padding, seat shape, and whether my mini testers seemed settled during mealtimes.
- Practicality: I tested how easy the chair is to use day to day, assembling, adjusting, cleaning after messy meals, and moving it around the kitchen or dining room.
- Design: I considered the look and feel of the chair, from modern, space-saving options to more traditional styles, and whether it blends well with family spaces.
- Quality: I assessed the sturdiness of the build, the safety of straps and buckles, and how durable the materials felt after repeated use.
- Longevity: I checked whether the chair adapts as your child grows, through adjustable heights, removable trays, or conversion into a toddler seat.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Zoë Phillimore is a journalist and editor who has been writing review features for IndyBest since 2021. She specialises in all things sleep, bedding and, of course, kids and parenting. Having written several of our best baby product reviews, including the best kids’ mattresses and Christmas toys, Zoë has a keen eye for high-quality materials, durability and affordability. All of which are criterion she applied to the best high chairs over several months of testing.
The best high chairs for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Stokke steps chair: £239, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Ikea antilop high chair with tray: £15, Ikea.com
- Best compact design – Vital Baby nourish scoop high chair: £99.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for playtime – Infantino music and lights 3-in-1 discovery seat and booster: £49.99, Amazon.co.uk
Stokke steps chair
Best: High chair overall
Age range: From birth to three years
Dishwasher-safe tray: No, but easy to clean
Why we love it
- Super comfy
- Spacious
- Looks great
- Grows with your child
This chair was a huge hit with my whole family. The steps chair is designed to grow with your kid. There’s a newborn bouncer – sold separately (£159, Amazon.co.uk) – that slots on top. Then you can adapt it to become a high chair with or without a tray, then a standard chair when your child is a little older. This gave my five-year-old tester the independence to get up and down from dinner, letting him sit more comfortably than if he were on an adult seat.
My toddlers also loved this chair – it seems super-spacious and comfy. As for us adults, I liked that this chair actually looks nice in my house – the understated Scandi style ticked my boxes in terms of aesthetics. Yes, it’s pricey when you consider all the extra add-ons, but it’s well made and has been very well used since we started testing it, so I think it works out as good value for money.
Buy now £239.00, Amazon.co.uk
Ikea antilop high chair with tray
Best: Budget high chair
Age range: Children up to three years
Dishwasher-safe tray: No, wipe clean with cloth
Why we love it
- Easy to clean
- Lightweight
- Stackable
- Large tray surface area
Take note
- Not the most attractive design
- Doesn’t grow with your child
The Ikea antilop high chair is a go-to choice for families and hospitality venues alike, and with good reason. The moulded plastic chair is the perfect size for weaning babies and still sits kids up to the age of three. It’s also super easy to clean, as there are very few grooves for Weetabix to get mashed into.
We love that you can remove the very generously sized tray for a thorough clean, but this is also helpful if you want to draw the high chair right up to the table. These chairs also stack together, so it’s a real space saver if you have two kids in high chairs. For only £12.50, you really can’t go wrong.
Buy now £12.50, Ikea.com
Cybex lemo four-in-one high chair
Best: Versatile high chair
Age range: Six months to three years
Dishwasher-safe tray: Yes
Why we love it
- Stylish
- Easy to change heights
- Great colour options
- Grows with your child
Take note
- Tray could have been bigger
- Pricey
With a baby bouncer chair; high chair with tray; learning tower, and standard chair options available with this seat, it’s a versatile, premium product, with a matching price tag.
The stylish colours are aesthetically pleasing, and we found it easy to keep it looking in good nick. Our testers loved the standard chair options, and the high chair was great. The harnesses feel thoroughly secure, and it’s easy to lift little ones in and out of the chair.
A detachable matching tray was easy to clean, although, it could have done with slightly more surface area. While I focused on the high chair mode, the bouncer seat feels high quality and I can see the benefit of being able to pull it up to the table while you eat. I loved that, to change the height of the chair, you just have to twist and push a handle on the bottom of the seat and footrest – much easier than those that require Allen keys.
Buy now £369.95, cybex-online.com
Mamas and Papas bug floor and booster seat
Best: Booster seat high chair
Age range: Three months to three years
Dishwasher-safe tray: Wipe clean only
Why we love it
- Practical
- Toys included
- Flexible
Take note
- Not a huge tray
For convenience, this Mamas and Papas booster seat is hard to beat. It’s lightweight and can attach to most chairs securely, meaning it’s great to take to grandparents’ houses, on holiday and even to restaurants. It is cumbersome, though – it’s not going to fit under the seat of a pram.
My mini tester was delighted by the activity centre, which sticks to the tray. This is fantastic if you need to keep your little one entertained as you cook or while you wait for food at a restaurant. You can also put the booster on the floor and use it as a place for children to play with toys on their trays – our tester enjoyed practising their stacking skills. You can be confident they’re secure, as you can extend the floor base to provide more flexibility.
Lastly, you can remove the pad inside as your child grows – they can continue to use the seat until preschool age. There are even “crumb stoppers” that slot in the tray gaps, so once you remove the tray, you won’t find the grim remains of food in every crevice.
Buy now £59.99, Amazon.co.uk
Ergobaby evolve high chair system
Best: High chair that converts to a toddler tower
Age range: Six months to seven years
Dishwasher-safe tray: Yes
Why we love it
- Multipurpose
- Looks great
- Can fold down
- Great quality
Take note
- Takes up a lot of space
I appreciate longevity in a product – especially if I’m spending serious cash – and this Ergobaby high chair ticks that box. It’s a high chair that converts to a seat that looks like a regular dining chair. You can also convert it into a helper tower, so kids can stand at a kitchen counter or breakfast bar to help with food prep.
This model is super easy to put together and convert between the different uses, too. Although it takes up a lot of space, especially the helper tower, with a click of a button, you can fold it down somewhat if you need to make room.
I also loved the natural and white colourway and the five-point harness, which is great for mini escape artists.
Buy now £206.86, Amazon.co.uk
Bugaboo giraffe ultimate high chair bundle
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Best: High chair for use from birth
Age range: Six months and upwards
Dishwasher-safe tray: Wipe clean
Why we love it
- Five-point harness
- Grows with your child
- Can be used from birth
Take note
- Pricey
Bugaboo’s amazing quality and eye for design have carried through from the premium pram range to this high chair. The giraffe works from newborn, with a sweet little seat from which they can gurgle at you as you quickly stuff down your meals.
The seat can also be slotted into a rocker/baby bouncer frame. Then, at six months, you can convert it into a high chair with plush padded straps (including over the shoulders) and a seat pad. My tester was able to sit upright in this chair, and you can attach a tray or pull the chair directly up to the table.
Once your child is ready, you can remove the harness and baby seat adapters and be left with a standard chair that will bring your child level with you at the table. However, it’s very expensive for a high chair.
Buy now £575.00, Bugaboo.com
Vital Baby nourish scoop high chair
Best: Compact high chair
Age range: Six+ months
Dishwasher-safe tray: Yes
Why we love it
- Compact
- Includes cushion
- Easy to clean
Take note
- Doesn’t grow with your child
This high chair is compact. I was so impressed by the fact it manages to pack in all the key features (removable cushion, footrest and a removable tray) into such a tiny package. You can also convert it to a little toddler chair. Although, it probably won’t last your child all the way through their high-chair career. My toddler had trouble squeezing in – even though you can adjust the tray depth and foot-rest height – but it’s perfect for a weaning baby. I like that you can also fold it down and then slide it into a cupboard.
Buy now £91.99, Amazon.com
Koo-di tiny taster three-in-one high chair
Best: Simple high chair
Age range: Newborns to eight years
Dishwasher-safe tray: Yes
Why we love it
- Grows with your child
- Easy to move around
- Comfortable
Take note
- Small tray surface area
A high chair that’s designed to grow with your child, you can use this as a standard high chair along with its tray, but I like that you can also remove the tray, so your child can be pulled right up to the table – there are wheels on the back legs, to help with this manoeuvre.
When your child is a bit older, you can remove the lap guard, too. Once they’re older still, you can remove the bucket seat, so it becomes a high stool. The seat is comfy, thanks to a removable insert, and it all clicks together well, without getting jammed.
I did find the tray was slightly on the small side for our toddlers, who like to spread their mess far and wide. However, I liked the Scandi-inspired design and the fact this high chair has real longevity.
Buy now £59.99, Koo-di.com
Infantino music and lights three-in-one discovery seat and booster
Best: High chair for playtime
Age range: Babies up to 33lb
Dishwasher-safe tray: No, clean with cloth
Why we love it
- Flexible use
- Includes activity centre
- Easy to clean
Take note
- Only suitable up to around 18 months
This booster and activity station is perfect for those early weaning days, as you can set it on the floor and use the little snack tray to house some finger food. The tray also comes with an activity centre with plenty of bells and whistles (almost quite literally) to keep babies engaged. You can slide this open to reveal the tray or have it together as just an activity centre – any baby mastering sitting up would love this. You can also remove the tray entirely and strap the seat to a regular chair, then pull it up to the table.
The seat is also generous enough to accommodate a slightly older child, while the seat pad is wipe clean, which I found made it really easy to maintain. My toddler testers loved being able to sit up at the table with the family, and the booster is light enough to chuck in a car boot and take to friends’ houses, rather than lugging a proper high chair around with you.
Buy now £49.99, Amazon.co.uk
Stokke tripp trapp chair
Best: High chair for a long lifespan
Age range: From newborn (with set) to adult up to 136kg
Dishwasher-safe tray: N/A
Why we love it
- Durable
- Grows with your child
- Lots of colourways to choose from
Take note
- Pricey
A design classic, the solid-wood tripp trapp chair has been made to work for all ages. With a weaning baby, you can have your child sitting in the baby seat with a harness, tray and cushion. My toddler looked very happy in this setup and had plenty of space to play and explore their food. Once your child is a bit older, you can remove the tray and have them sit up directly at the table. There are two levels on the chair: one seat and one footplate. I found my older tester loved that they could use it like a ladder to climb up into their own chair. You can then lower both levels as your child grows.
As you might expect from a chair designed for all ages, the tripp trapp is built to last, and I love it for that. It looks great next to my kitchen table and is wide enough that it feels comfy for all. Plus, it comes in a wide range of colours, and you can even get it personalised, so, you’re sure to find a colourway that suits your home. I can see how this has become the best-known high chair on the market, and it gets two thumbs up from me.
Buy now £219.00, Johnlewis.com
Mamas & Papas juice high chair
Best: High chair for comfort
Age range: From six months to five years
Dishwasher-safe tray: Yes
Why we love it
- Comfortable
- Mid-range pricing
- Easy to clean
- Lightweight
- Grows with your child
The Scandi design and colourway of the Mamas & Papas juice very much appealed to me. The legs are half wood, half metal, but designed to all look like a subtle ash wood shade. This is complemented by a moulded bucket seat, which feels robust and can be wiped clean. I found cleaning it a doddle, too, thanks to the seam-free seat pad. Speaking of which, this is really thickly padded, and my little tester seemed secure and comfy in there.
Dragging the high chair around the table was easy because this model is surprisingly lightweight – although, I’m not sure it’s quite as portable as Mamas & Papas claims.
The height on this seat is slightly lower than most of the others I tried, so it didn’t feel like my tester was lording over me, and it converts once your child’s high chair days are behind them.
Buy now £99.00, Amazon.co.uk
Silver Cross buffet high chair
Best: High chair for newborns
Age range: From birth to three years (15kg)
Dishwasher-safe tray: Tray divider is dishwasher-safe
Why we love it
- Use from birth
- Good surface area on tray
- Cup space
- Easy to clean
This high chair is packed with clever features. You can use it from birth, by reclining the seat, too. I think this is a lovely feature, as you can have your newborn join you at the dinner table for quality family time.
This model comes with a very generous table – one of the largest we tried – and it’s really easy to remove. Plus, it has handy little places to put a cup and is dishwasher-safe (although, you’ll need quite an empty dishwasher to fit it in). The seat cushion is quite plastic-y in feel, but is wipe-clean and comes up a treat, even after spaghetti bolognese. I also like that you can adjust the height, so you can slide it up to a breakfast bar or kitchen table.
Buy now £99.00, Silvercrossbaby.com
Munchkin 360 cloud high chair
Best: High chair for innovation
Age range: Six months to three years (up to 15kg)
Dishwasher-safe tray: Yes
Why we love it
- Cool design
- Spinning seat
- Easy to clean
- Stain-resistant
- Comfortable
I really rated lots of the features of this high chair. Firstly, it’s transparent, so it sort of feels like it blends into its surroundings. Secondly, the seat spins, which I found handy when loading and unloading the little one into it. The bucket-style seat is really easy to wipe clean and does actually look clean when you’ve finished – I found some of the other white plastic high chairs tended to attract food stains.
The seat cushion has pads on all sides, which kept my mini-tester very happy. I also liked that the back came up nice and high, which will provide plenty of support as my child grows. The tray comes in two parts, so, if your little angel makes a mess of dinner, just remove the top and they have a fresh surface on which to spread their dessert.
Buy now £219.99, Boots.com
Kaos klapp recycled plastic high chair
Best: Fold-flat high chair
Age range: Newborn to adult (newborn seat sold separately)
Dishwasher-safe tray: Yes
Why we love it
- Attractive modern design
- Easy to store
- Can be used throughout childhood
Take note
- It's pricy and add-ons such as a baby seat, harness and tray are sold separately
Weighing just 4kg, this high chair is relatively light but robust – I found it had a surprisingly sturdy frame for a collapsible chair. It folds flat (like a step ladder) within seconds, so it can be stowed away neatly after use, too. Made from recycled plastic, as well as wood pulp, the sleek Scandi design is available in five different colours, and its smooth edges and surfaces made cleaning a doddle during testing, with no hidden nooks for food to get trapped in.
Designed to grow with your child, it can hold up to an impressive 110kg, according to the brand. The base is a fixed step ladder that gives children of all ages a comfortable place to rest their feet, and enables older children to climb in and out independently. It even comes ready to use, straight out of the box, meaning there’s no time wasted on setting it up. However, note you’ll need to buy add-ons (such as a baby seat, harness and tray) separately, which bumps up the overall cost.
Buy now £189.00, Johnlewis.com
Your questions about high chairs answered
What is the best high chair?
Stokke steps has secured my top spot for a second year running. It works well, looks great in my house, and is moderately priced compared with some other adaptable high chairs. If you’re looking for a budget buy, the Ikea high chair cannot be beaten. It works well, it’s easy to clean, it can be stacked, and it can be broken down easily to take with you when visiting grandparents.
Looking for more baby recommendations? Read our guide to the best prams, buggies and pushchairs
