Pretty much as soon as your baby is able to sit up, they’re ready to start edging away from a purely liquid diet and towards solid food - which will mean that it’s time for a high chair.
There are some basic factors to consider here, if only to make your own life easier - because let’s face it, babies aren’t born with table manners and highchairs (and everything within about 10 feet of them) tend to get very messy indeed.
So, ease of cleaning should be high on your list of priorities, as should ease of getting your baby in and out of the chair: dangling a pair of kicking legs over a tray as you try to insert the baby into the gap between it and the seatback is not ideal.
Safety is also a large concern - is the chair sturdy? How secure is the harness? Could the chair topple if there is a flailing, tantruming little person in it?
Look for chairs that cover a decent amount of floor area, whether by way of splayed legs or a solid base, to ensure stability.
In addition, developing bodies need adequate support to promote back health, so look for a highchair that won’t see your baby sliding or slumping, but that holds them safely and snugly in place.
Best high chairs in the UK 2019
Stokke Tripp Trapp
Look ma, no tray! That’s probably the first thing that sets this highchair apart from many others on the market: the idea is that your baby will be seated at the table like an adult from the get-go.
But fear not, there are attachments of all manner that will accommodate the traditional setup, too.
Available in a huge range of colours and finishes, it’s not the easiest to assemble, but incredibly sturdy once done, taking even a grown man’s weight without issue - which is partly the point, as the Tripp Trapp is made to be a chair for life, spanning right through the childhood years to adulthood using an adjustable foot and seat plate.
Ergonomically designed and with adjustable seat and footplate, it’s guaranteed to keep your child well supported and secure at every age, and means you don't need to buy additional seating once they really start to grow.
Various add-ons - a harness, cushions and so on - are offered for all different stages of a child’s life.
From £178 | Stokke | Buy it now
IKEA Antelop
There’s a reason why the IKEA Antelop highchair will be familiar to you from so many cafes, even before you’ve had your own children, and it’s not just the incredibly accessible price point.
It’s suitable up to the age of 3 (that’s basically £4 per year!) and, as a no-frills solution to baby/ toddler dining, the Antelop has it all: it’s easy to put together and take apart, it grants the peace of mind of a safety belt, it’s a doddle to clean and its tray has raised edges to minimise spills - although the day they invent a highchair to obviate the effects of thrown food, you’d better expect to pay far more than £12 for it.
£12 | IKEA | Buy it now
Mamas & Papas Baby Bud
Storage a problem? Or perhaps you’re frequently out and about. In either case, the Mamas & Papas Baby Bud has legs.
Well actually, it doesn’t - it’s an über-portable highchair solution that simply affixes to existing chairs to ensure that baby is part of mealtimes.
Adjustable feet and a harness ensure security; while a removable tray gives the product life well beyond the weaning stage and right through to toddlerhood, when your little one just needs a ‘boost’ to be able to sit at the table with everyone else. Add the play tray to provide entertainment outside of eating hours.
£49 | Mamas & Papas | Buy it now
Mothercare Star High Chair
Fairly easy to assemble, this highchair is far more ‘playful’ in appearance than many of the others on the market, which seem to have seamless decor blending in mind.
It’s also fairly chunky which, on the one hand, makes it feel reassuringly secure but, on the other, means that it’s best suited to larger kitchens and living areas: even when folded down, it’s pretty substantial and, for those who favour natural materials, the amount of plastic may be off-putting.
The tray is nicely large and niftily sectioned (although not every cup will fit neatly into the space created for drinking vessels) but food will, inevitably, gather in the seams of the cushioning, so regular removal and nitty-gritty scrubbing will be essential. Overall, a solid choice at a good, mid-range price.
£55 | Mothercare | Buy it now
Béaba Up & Down High Chair
With no fewer than six adjustable heights, the Béaba Up & Down High Chair lets your baby join in, no matter what the surface level.
Easy to assemble (always a bonus) the meal tray is removable, meaning that the highchair is still entirely practical once the weaning years are over - and the ergonomic design supports back health and posture.
A five-point security harness and broad-angled legs provide optimum security and stability, while the surfaces are easily wipeable and the nooks easily accessible - no poached pear discoveries 8 months down the line, thanks very much.
£150 | Béaba | Buy it now
Micuna OVO highchair
If the Scandinavians have ever made an ugly object, I for one don’t know about it.
This highchair is simply an exquisite piece of furniture that threatens to upstage everything else in one’s kitchen - yet it wouldn’t do so maliciously; just look at those gentle, curving lines and you’ll know that it doesn’t have a mean bone in its gorgeous body.
Handmade from solid beechwood, the OVO highchair is suitable from 6 months and can be adapted for use as a child’s chair, once the baby stage is over.
Extension legs are available to suit different surface height requirements, and there’s a choice of 5 different fabric covers to complement your decor. Meanwhile, the tray - nicely edged to minimise spillages - adjusts to three different positions and is both removable and washable.
£339.99 | Micuna | Buy it now
Safety 1st Timba Wooden highchair
Longevity is again the name of the game with the Timba wooden highchair; it can be adjusted throughout the weaning and toddler years right through to be about the age of ten, making its fairly accessible price point even more alluring.
Beyond this, however, it’s just a very decent bit of kit: easy to assemble, good looking, sturdy and easy to keep clean. The tray is removable, which maxes eases of access and seating, as well as upping the ‘cleanability’ stakes, and both the seat and footrest are height adjustable; you can buy an optional padded seat cushion to keep baby comfy, too.
£64.95 | Safety 1st | Buy it now
BabyBjörn High Chair
This highchair looks every bit as good as you’d expect something from BabyBjörn to look - but it comes with some pretty solid credentials, too, having been developed in consultation with paediatricians.
The curved back gives support to developing frames and ensures that your child is secure in the seat - snugness that also goes a long way towards keeping spills to a minimum.
Suitable from 6 months to three years, security is ensured with a childproof lock and safety harness and, unlike many highchairs, this one folds flat, so it’s easy to store and transport. As well as there being no crevices in which food can collect, the tray is not only detachable but also dishwasher safe - perfect for those parents contemplating baby led weaning.
£199.99 | BabyBjörn | Buy it now
Verdict:
First designed in 1972, there’s a reason why the Stokke Tripp Trapp has become so iconic in the world of family furniture: it’s a genius design that not only looks great but also lasts forever. Yes, the price tag is hefty but this highchair is a true investment which will more than pay for itself over time.
The absence of a tray, should you forgo the add-on, and its effect in letting the baby enjoy a completely inclusive table experience is also brilliant, in my opinion: there are few better ways to teach than by example, so allowing the baby to partake of meals like a fully-fledged member of the family from the outset just makes good sense.
For its portability, price and day-to-day usefulness, the Mamas & Papas Baby Bud also deserves a mention - family visits and meals out, sorted
