Highchairs

Highchairs are basically that. A chair that raises the baby to a height that is comfortable for you to feed them when you are sitting in a normal chair. It just so happens that is high enough to allow a baby to sit at the dining table at the same level as the other members of the family and so be able to have dinner with them.

High Chair Prices

The range of highchair prices is almost as large as the number of different highchairs themselves. It is always worth looking around for a good deal with baby stores often having a discount highchair for sale. The price of the highchair will depend upon its quality, purpose and features but to give you an idea, cheap highchairs can sell for as low as $100 while top of the range highchairs can sell for around $500.

When you begin looking at highchairs, you will find the best highchair to purchase is one that has all of the following features. Whilst highchair reviews are always a good place to refine your choice to a specific brand, the following list will give you a starting place in terms of what to look for. The first 5 features are an absolute must have for reasons of safety while the remaining features will probably be determined by your budget and purpose.

• The highchair you are considering must have a safety accreditation from your local government agency.
• The highchair must have a safety harness that ties the child into the chair to guarantee there is no chance of falling out.
• A leg divider also helps keep your child secure as they are stopped from attempting to turn sideways in the chair.
• The highchair must be sturdy, well built and have a low centre of gravity so that it cannot be knocked over when the child is strapped in and will not collapse if leant upon.
• A highchair that has swivel wheels is far more convenient as you can easily move the child from place to place around the table without having to lift the entire chair. This can be particularly useful if you have a troublesome back. If your highchair comes with wheels, make sure there is some sort of breaking system to stop junior kicking himself away from the table into mum as she enters laden with plates of hot food.
• When you are looking at highchairs, you want one that is easy to clean. If it has lots of crevices you’ll spend all of your time trying to get all the small bits of food out of those crevices with a wash cloth or brush. Although it may look fancy, a highchair with lots of crevices will only create a rod for your back. Far more practical is a highchair with clean lines that is easily cleaned with a quick wipe over.
• It helps to be able to remove the tray for easy cleaning at the sink and an added bonus is gained if the tray is dishwasher safe.
• A removable vinyl or polyester seat covering is an added bonus to help facilitate cleaning.
• See what positions the highchair can moved to – does it have several height adjustments to allow for a growing child? Can you recline the back of the seat for the sake of the child’s comfort and so that baby can eat, play and sleep without having to move him from the chair?
• Do you need a portable highchair that can fold away? If so check that the highchair locks together when fully unfolded. Also check that it is easy for you to lift and that when folded, it fits into the storage space you have in mind for it.

Highchairs for babies come in a huge range of shapes, sizes, colours and materials. For example a very basic highchair will be made from plastic with a fixed height that is relatively inexpensive to buy. These have basic features including a tray and safety harness.

From there you can buy very modern highchairs that are top of the range. These have a variety of features including adjustable seat heights, the ability to recline the back of the seat, wheels so the child can be moved easily, several point safety harnesses, removable, dishwasher safe trays, easily cleaned removable seat covers, the option to fold them into a very manageable size and the list goes on.

Wooden highchairs are highly sought due to their more traditional look and sturdy build. A wooden highchair also makes a far more elegant addition to the dining room than it’s plastic equivalent.

When it comes to colour, a pink highchair remains the perfect choice for a baby girl, a blue highchair for a baby boy and a white or cream highchair if you’re not yet sure what you will be having.

Some of the more common brands include the Greco contempo highchair,  chicco highchair, svan highchair and bloom highchair.

Highchairs can then be categorised based on their specific purposes.

For example, portable highchairs and travel highchairs are mainly concerned with being light weight and if they can fit into a particular space easily. They are usually made from plastic or light metal. They can either be folding highchairs, or come as a seat that bolts to the table. These are often used when going on holidays, going to a restaurant or when visiting relatives. Although in modern times, special restaurant highchairs can be found at most restaurants.

Then you can get combination highchairs. Their purpose is to be used by your child for many years and as such are great value for money and an excellent investment. Some start out as a traditional highchair and then convert to a booster seat. Others come with a large choice of positions so that they can start as a traditional highchair and later convert to a infant highchair and then a youth chair.