6 Things to Consider When Buying a High Chair

Solids have arrived and suddenly the floor is covered in pureed carrot. Choosing the right high chair is one of those decisions that affects every single mealtime for the next two or three years. Get it right and feeding becomes so much easier. Get it wrong and you will be wrestling with it three times a day. Here are six things to consider when buying a high chair for your baby.

Part of our complete guide to silicone baby feeding sets.

1. Safety Standards Come First

Any high chair sold in Australia must meet the mandatory safety standard AS/NZS 4684. This covers stability, harness strength, and the risk of entrapment. Before you buy, check that the chair carries this certification. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission product safety page is a good place to verify what is required. A five-point harness is strongly preferable over a three-point harness. Your baby will wriggle, lean and eventually try to climb out, so the more secure the restraint, the better.

2. Stability and Footprint

A high chair that rocks or tips is a hazard. Test the base width before you buy. Wider legs mean a more stable chair, but they also take up more floor space. Measure your kitchen or dining area first. Some chairs fold flat for storage, which is worth considering if space is tight. Check that the chair does not slide easily on your floor type, whether that is tiles, floorboards or carpet.

3. The Tray Matters More Than You Think

The tray is where most of the mess happens. Look for a tray that removes with one hand, because the other hand will almost always be holding a slippery baby. A tray with a lip around the edge helps contain spills. Smooth, seamless trays are far easier to wipe down than ones with ridges and grooves that trap food.

Adding a silicone placemat to the tray makes clean-up even faster. A well-fitted mat protects the tray surface and gives your baby a defined eating area. Our silicone placemats for highchair trays are designed to sit flat and stay put. If you are weighing up your options, this guide to choosing between silicone and traditional high chair placemats breaks down the differences clearly. And if your mat keeps lifting, the fixes are simpler than you might expect. Read about why suction plates and mats sometimes fail to stick and how to sort it.

4. Adjustability and Longevity

Babies grow fast. A chair that adjusts in seat height, footrest height and recline will serve you for longer. A footrest is not just a comfort feature. When a baby's feet are supported, they are better able to focus on eating. Look for chairs that grow with your child, ideally converting to a toddler chair or booster seat once the high chair stage is done. That extends the value considerably.

Recline Settings

A recline option is useful in the early weeks of introducing solids when your baby may not yet have strong enough trunk control to sit fully upright for a long meal. As they grow, you will likely move to an upright position. Check that the recline mechanism is easy to adjust and locks securely.

5. How Easy Is It to Clean?

This is the question most parents wish they had asked before buying. Fabric seat pads look appealing in a showroom. After three weeks of puree and yoghurt, they are much less appealing. Removable, machine-washable seat pads are a minimum requirement. Wipe-clean surfaces are even better for daily mess.

Think about the number of parts that need dismantling for a proper clean. Harness straps that cannot be removed are notoriously difficult to keep hygienic. Check whether the tray is dishwasher safe. Pairing a dishwasher-safe tray with one of our food-grade silicone highchair mats means the entire eating surface can be properly cleaned in minutes. If you prefer to order online, you can also buy a highchair silicone placemat online with free shipping across Australia.

6. Style Versus Practicality

High chairs take up real estate in your home. Colour, finish and design matter, especially if your dining space is open plan. Wooden high chairs tend to look more considered in a home environment. Plastic chairs are often lighter and easier to move. Neither is wrong, but be honest about how much the aesthetic will matter to you when you are scrubbing down the seat for the fourth time in a day.

Narrow down your shortlist by visiting stores in person if you can. Operate the tray, test the harness buckle and check the fold mechanism before you commit. Reading reviews from Australian parents is useful, but nothing replaces hands-on testing for a product you will use this many times.