The Best High Chairs for babies and toddlers of 2026

New parents can be marketing magnets, desperate for any product that promises simplicity and ease. While one could certainly make do without a great swath of the baby gear available today, there are indeed some truly must-have items. A good high chair tops that list.

Sturdy, well-made, and user-friendly, the right high chair can make all the difference at mealtimes, providing a safe way to bring baby to the family table. But with endless options on the market, how can parents even hope to choose the right one? That’s where we come in.

We put seven of the best high chairs to the test, looking for durable items that are easy to clean, simple to use, and grow with your little one from babyhood through the toddler years. Our top pick, the Skip Hop Sit-to-Step , earned high marks for its versatility as well as how easy it was to use.

For something that's more high style and can be used long past the toddler stage, you won't be disappointed with the Stokke Tripp-Trapp (available at Amazon for $199).

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Other High Chairs We Tested

How We Test High Chairs

The Tests

We evaluated each product from assembly to clean-up, giving each high chair at least one week of continuous use. Through breakfast, lunch, and dinner—and all the necessary cleaning in between—we relied on each item for feeding our toddler (and, at times, our niece).

As we lived with these chairs, we took note of how difficult it was to assemble and clean them. We looked for simplicity in both strapping a child in and removing them from the seat. We noted options for customizing and adjusting. And we considered sturdiness, portability, design, and each item’s overall size.

The Tester

I’m Lizzie Duszynski, a writer and mom of two who, for years, has had the pleasure of reviewing baby gear and gadgets meant to simplify parenthood. Studying these high chairs was a months-long family affair, as everyone from my husband to my toddler daughter to my baby niece had a hand in putting them to the test.

What You Should Know Before Buying a High Chair

It needs to be easy to clean

Any parent who has chiseled old food from a high chair’s crevices will tell you that finding a product that’s easy to wipe clean is paramount. Look for chairs that have a smooth seat design, machine-washable cushions, and dishwasher-safe trays. Check measurements to ensure the tray will fit inside your dishwasher. It's worth noting, however, that just because a tray is billed as "dishwasher safe" doesn’t mean you’ll be able to put it in your dishwasher. Not all of the trays will fit in either shelf of a standard-sized dishwasher.

You need a footrest

Some high chairs don’t include footrests, or those that are included are not adjustable to your child’s height. A proper footrest offers stability and support, and is recommended by health experts.

High chair heights vary

If you’re counting on bringing the high chair right to the table, make certain you measure. Not all high chairs will be height compatible, so it’s worth checking that the bottom of your dining table allows enough room for your child’s legs. If you use a tall table (or a shorter-than-average one) you’ll want to measure from the bottom of your table to the floor and check the high chair’s seat and tray height before ordering.

How to Choose the Best High Chair for Your Baby

• Safety No matter what kind of high chair you decide to purchase, you need to ensure that it has adequate safety features, specifically a harness to keep your little one safely secured. While this may not seem like a big deal when they’re first starting to eat solid food and can’t walk or crawl yet, curious toddlers are apt to attempt to climb right out, which can cause serious injury.

• Durability As with all baby gear, your high chair is going to take a beating. If you’re planning on having another child (or two) and expect your high chair to last through quite a few baby and toddler years, you’re going to want a high chair that’s durable and can withstand heavy duty use. Look for quality materials, surfaces that can be cleaned easily, and adjustable height seats and footrests to take you from baby to big kid, and back again.

• Adjustability A high chair that promotes good posture will help your child to be calm and focused during mealtime. Look for a chair that can adjust as your little one grows.

• Portability Standard full size high chairs aren’t all that portable. Sure, you can move them from room to room, but you’re not going to be putting them in the back of your car for your next road trip. If you want a truly portable high chair that you can take with you to grandma’s house or on your next vacation, you’re going to want to spring for a second high chair that’s more compact and designed for just such use case.

• Cleaning Babies are messy and high chairs are collateral damage. Don’t waste precious hours scrubbing a difficult-to-clean high chair; opt for one that wipes down easily and that has dishwasher safe parts. Life is too precious to spend time scrubbing caked-on peas out of nooks and crannies.

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