The High Chair Lowdown: The Best High Chairs for Your Family

You want a high chair that's easy to clean, that baby finds comfortable, and that doesn't completely overwhelm your interior design scheme. With so many high chair models, the options are dizzying. To help, we've got the goods to help you find the best high chair for your family. Pulling from customer reviews and our own experience, we've rounded up the best of the best.

Budget High Chairs - Deluxe High Chairs - Travel High Chairs - Booster High Chairs

The Best High Chairs on a Budget

Many parents want to save a little cash in the high-chair department, and the propensity of babies to get a little messy makes this choice understandable. Budget-conscious parents love the Lipper Natural Wooden High Chair. At $59.99, the Lipper is a virtual steal, and the no-nonsense design keeps baby secure. Without a tray, your child eats at the table with you, leading to family bonding. Writes one happy Lipper High Chair user, "The fact that there is no tray is wonderful, less to clean and my toddler loves sitting at the table with the rest of the family." On the downside, the Lipper does not fold and is not suitable for use with infants.

For a budget folding high chair, check out the Combi Hero High Chair ($149.99). With the flexibility to become a toddler booster seat, families who want more from their baby high chair love the Combi Hero. Not only this, but the lush padding keeps baby sitting comfortably all through dinner-time. A parent in Baton Rouge, LA remarks, "The tray is easy to clean, and I love that the seat reclines. I haven't used it as a booster yet, but I like that I have that option. In addition to being so functional, it also looks fantastic!"

With 3 reclining modes and a super-secure 5-point harness, the Chicco Polly High Chair ($129.99 - $139.99) makes meal-time easier. Parents love the cushy padding and slim fold. One mom reviews, "This chair is great looking, easy to put together, folds incredibly flat, and is easy to clean." What more could you ask for? One thing to note - many of parents find the tray too big to fit into the dishwasher.

The Best Deluxe High Chairs

For parents who go ga-ga for modern design, the Stokke Tripp Trapp ($229.99 - $299.99) is an amazing find. With the ability to go from infant high-chair to youth-chair as your child grows, the Tripp Trapp is a fantastic value. The unique design sets off any decor and the high-quality construction makes this chair a potential family heirloom. A parent in Minnesota raves, "The high chair is all that - blends in with the furniture, takes very little space as opposed to the traditional ones, it is truly good looking. It is also very easy to clean."

With a super easy pneumatic lift, washable fabrics, and easy-to-clean design, the Boon Flair High Chair ($229.99) is a favorite among HighChairs.com customers. With a design the Jetson's could appreciate, the Boon Flair works well with any style and provides baby with a comfy spot to sit. One parent raves, "This chair is awesome. It's small, easy to push around and adjust, super easy to clean and comfortable for my child. It also looks cool." Some parents find the tray a tad small for their messy babies.

For the ultimate in cushioned comfort for your little one, we recommend the Peg Perego Prima Pappa Best High Chair ($264.99). Standout features of this top-of-the-line high chair include soft stain-resistant fabrics, an adjustable footrest, a storage pouch, and a tray that stores directly on the chair legs when folded. An excited parent tells us, "Just got my Prima Pappa Best in Paloma and set it up in 15 minutes. It's beautiful and my 6 month old is strapped in and playing happily." While the look of the Prima Pappa Diner Best is more traditional, the cushy padding is everything a baby could want!

Best Travel High Chairs

Going somewhere? The Phil and Teds Me Too ($49.99) attaches to the edge of a table, giving baby a place to sit in restaurants or at grandma's. Folding up to a tiny package and weighing just 2 lbs, your child enjoys a comfy seat on the go. Some parents find the Me Too to be so fantastic, they use it as their primary high chair - a great option for small kitchens. A parent in Ohio says, "Purchased the Me Too for my 7 month old. This is a great product: it folds down so thin that I can actually slip it into the diaper bag. It's lightweight and sets up quickly. We take this everywhere we go out to eat."

Like the Phil and Teds Me Too, the Chicco Travel Seat ($49.99) attaches to any table for a high-chair on-the-go. The cushy padding and Italian woven fabrics make the Travel Seat truly luxurious. Best of all, kids come up to the table, allowing true family meals. A parent in North Carolina exclaims, "It was the only high chair I ever bought - nice b/c baby sits at table with you!"

With excellent back and bottom support, the Chicco Caddy Hook On Chair ($39.99) is another great travel-friendly option. The rubberized arms won't mark tables and provide an additional layer of security. A parent raves, "We use a peninsula type counter for our eating area. The Chico Caddy Hook on chair has been very convenient for our purposes. It hooks onto our counter and our baby loves it. No bulky chair." One caveat: the distance from table to baby can lead to some messy meals!

Best Booster Seats

Softer than a phone-book, the Baby Smart Cooshee ($34.99) provides a comfy spot for your toddler and raises them up to the table. With a non-slip surface and a bacteria resistant surface, family meal-times are much more fun with the Cooshee. "This seat is great for toddlers. It is very light, easily cleaned, and offers enough support to help keep children from wriggling out of their seat," says one parent. However, as many caretakers discover, some toddlers will prefer to sit on the chair instead of a booster.

For toddlers who want a big-kid chair, check on the Kaboost Portable Chair Booster ($37.95). An ingenious invention, the Kaboost attaches to the bottom of your chair's legs, lifting the chair so your child can sit like an adult. For families on the go, the Kaboost folds up compactly, making this an excellent option for restaurants or grandma's house. One parent explains the simple beauty of the Kaboost, "Our 2 year old shunned the high chair and we couldn't find a booster that was stable and easy to clean. This changed everything. I highly recommend this unobtrusive, easy to use, and very stable booster product."

Choose a Chair

Whether you're looking for high fashion or a low price, there's a high chair for you. With the above guidance from those who know best - parents - you're ready to shop around for the best high chair for your family. From space-age to traditional and budget friendy to haute fashion, you and baby will enjoy family meals in style.