Choosing a High Chair: Best Materials & Colors

A high chair may seem simple, until you're in the store (or webshop) and suddenly have to choose between wood, plastic, different materials and colours, a dining chair with a 5-point harness, or a model that's easy to take along. Sometimes there’s also limited space in a terraced house, a small kitchen, a visit from grandparents, and the question: “Which high chair fits best at table height?” With this guide, you’ll choose the best high chair with purpose — and later a safe, comfortable high chair for your toddler that is safety-proof.

1) Which high chair suits your family situation?

Before you look at the design, first decide how and where you’ll use the chair.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do you eat daily at the table or often at a kitchen island? (What is the table height?)

• Should the chair be easy to take along to grandma/grandpa’s, to a restaurant, or on holiday?

• Do you have little space and want a foldable high chair?

• Are you starting solids and want a high chair suitable for babies?

2) Materials and colours: what’s smart (and what stays beautiful)?

The choice in materials and colours determines not only the style, but also maintenance, durability, and price.

Plastic vs wooden high chair

Plastic vs wooden high chair is the classic comparison:

• Plastic

  • Light, often cheaper

  • Easy to wipe clean

  • May show some scratches or discolouration after years (especially in light colours)

• Wood

  • Looks warm, fits beautifully into your interior

  • A wooden high chair is a durable alternative

  • Often heavier and very stable

  • Sometimes needs a bit more attention with stains (depending on the finish)

3) Safety first: harnesses, stability, and tipping risk

A high chair should above all be safe. Pay attention to these points:

Harness and support

• A high chair with a 5-point harness is strongly recommended for babies and active toddlers. It keeps shoulders and hips in place.

• Check whether the bar/front piece closes securely and doesn’t wobble loosely.

• See whether there is a non-slip base.

Stability and tipping

This is how to recognise a high chair that is stable against tipping:

• Wide base or outward-angled legs

• Enough weight (or clever construction) so a toddler can’t easily push the chair backward

• No seat that is too high without a solid base

Practical tip: Test it in the store by gently pulling on the tray (as if your child were pulling themselves up). A good chair stays “firmly on the ground.”

4) Tray, space, and ease of use

For many families, a high chair with a removable tray is a game changer:

• Easier to lift the child in and out

• Convenient to wash the tray separately

• Ideal if you want to let your baby “join in” at the table or eat independently

5) Maintenance: quick to clean without hassle

After spaghetti or yoghurt, you’ll know immediately: maintenance matters.

How do you clean a high chair?

“How do you clean a high chair” without scrubbing for hours:

• Daily: wipe down and wash with lukewarm water and mild dish soap

• Weekly: check harnesses and crevices (crumbs!)

• Cushions: preferably removable and washable, or just leave them off during the messy stages

• For wood: don’t use harsh degreasers; choose mild soap and dry well afterwards

Tip: If you spill often, fewer seams and less fabric are almost always better.

6) Portable, foldable, or a booster seat?

Not every home is big, and you're not always at home. Then compactness comes first.

Foldable for small kitchens

A foldable high chair for a small kitchen is useful if:

• you have little storage space

• you only need the chair at mealtimes. Just make sure to check stability and whether the folding mechanism is child-safe.

Booster seat vs high chair

The choice between a booster seat and a high chair depends on age and the type of table:

• High chair: better for babies and young toddlers (posture + safety)

• Booster seat: handy for travel and at grandparents’ houses

“When to switch to a booster seat” usually only makes sense once your child:

• can sit steadily on their own

• no longer stands up in the chair all the time

• can (preferably) get foot support or at least slide up to the table well. For many children, that’s around toddler age, but look mainly at behaviour and stability, not just months.

Extra tip for on the go: A light model that is easy to take along (foldable or clip-on) is ideal, but only choose it if it clamps securely to the chair and table.

8) Checklist: the best high chair for babies (and later toddlers)

Take this short checklist with you to the store:

• Fits your table: which high chair fits your table height?

• Safe: high chair with a 5-point harness, stable base

• Practical: high chair with removable tray

• Material choice: plastic vs wooden high chair

• Fits your lifestyle: easy to take along or foldable high chair e.g. for a small kitchen
  

• Easy to maintain

Conclusion

The right high chair is a mix of safety, ergonomics, and practical use in a household. Choose a model that is stable, easy to adjust, simple to keep clean, and fits your space and routines. Our favourites are the high chairs from KAOS and Leander. They tick all the boxes!