Best-of buying guide
Best Highchairs UK — For Weaning & Beyond
By Clever Mum Parenting · Parenting guides
·
Historical price reference date: 11 July 2026. Confirm current prices and availability with the retailer.
How do these picks compare at a glance?
| Pick | Best for | Size | Care | Surface | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stokke Tripp Trapp | Best long-term buy | — | — | — | From £199 (chair only, baby set extra) |
| Chicco Polly Progres5 | Best all-rounder from six months | — | — | — | From £120 (RRP £160) |
| Joie Multiply 6-in-1 | Best multi-stage versatility | — | — | — | From £110 |
| Cosatto Noodle 0+ | Best budget | — | — | — | From £65 |
| IKEA Antilop | Best ultra-budget | — | — | — | From £10 |
| Womumon Splash Mat (51") | Best highchair accessory | ~130cm (51") diameter | Wipe clean / machine washable | Waterproof, anti-slip backing | Check on Amazon |
Which highchair will work at your table?
Begin with a safe upright seating arrangement, then compare cleaning, storage and total accessory cost. The NHS advises that babies should sit upright and be safely strapped in for feeding. A reclining seat feature does not mean it is the appropriate position for eating.
| Space or routine | Useful measurement or check |
|---|---|
| Small dining area | Measure the full leg footprint, not only the seat width |
| Eating at the family table | Check table clearance, armrest height and the tray-removal process |
| Daily cleaning | Look for accessible straps, seams and removable parts with clear washing instructions |
| Moving between rooms | Check weight, stability and where the chair can be stored |
| Growing with the child | Price any separate baby set, harness, tray or footrest required for the intended stage |
A low headline price can change once required accessories are added. Conversely, an expensive wooden chair is not automatically the best fit for a cramped kitchen. Compare the complete configuration you need now and keep the manual for later adjustments.
Our weaning and family recipe collection lets you browse food ideas by stage, with allergen information on each recipe.
Evidence and scope
Published sources consulted on 9 September 2026. The practical comparisons are editorial guidance, not physical product tests. NHS: starting weaning and equipment.
A highchair is a safety seat for food: upright, strapped, footrest if you can get one, always supervised. The £10 IKEA Antilop is a genuine option. The £200 wooden chair is a genuine option. What is not an option is feeding a baby in a reclined bouncer. Start when they can sit with a steady head — around 6 months, with the weaning signs.
Who should skip this highchair guide?
Skip this if you already have a stable chair with a working crotch strap. Skip "newborn highchairs" that recline for bottle feeds; those are a different product and a poorer place to eat. Skip the splash-mat-only shopper — jump to the Womumon pick.
Do you need a footrest?
It helps. A dangling-leg baby fidgets and chews less well. Adjustable wooden chairs (Tripp Trapp and copies) win on this for years. Budget plastic chairs often skip it; a folded towel on a rung is a hack, not a design feature.
When can a baby sit in a highchair?
When they can sit upright with a steady head, which is also when weaning usually starts. Straps on every time. No standing. No leaving the room "for a second" with food in reach.
Which highchair is best for most UK kitchens?
If you want one chair from weaning to homework, a wooden adjustable. If you want wipe-clean and cheap, Antilop plus a tray. If you want recline-to-highchair in a small flat, a multi-stage plastic frame. Measure the gap between table and wall before you fall in love with a wide wooden footprint.
Prices below are historical estimates, not live retailer quotes. Confirm whether the tray, baby set and cushions are included — "from" prices often are not.
Which products made the shortlist?
Best long-term buy
1.Stokke Tripp Trapp
From £199 (chair only, baby set extra)
The Norwegian design classic that adjusts from a six-month-old’s first meal to an adult’s dining chair — the seat and footrest slide independently to fit almost any age with the baby set attachment.
Pros
- +Genuinely usable from 6 months to adulthood on one frame
- +Solid beech construction holds resale value well
- +Huge accessory ecosystem — baby set, cushions, tray
Cons
- –Baby set (harness and tray) is sold separately from the chair
- –No recline — strictly for babies who can already sit unsupported
Best all-rounder from six months
2.Chicco Polly Progres5
From £120 (RRP £160)
A reclining, height-adjustable highchair that converts through five configurations from a compact newborn recline (for supervised bottle feeds) to a toddler chair — with a removable, dishwasher-safe double tray.
Pros
- +Recline and height adjust independently for a good fit at any age
- +Double tray (outer catches spills, inner lifts out for the dishwasher)
- +Folds compactly for a small kitchen
Cons
- –Fabric seat pad needs more careful cleaning than a wipe-clean vinyl chair
- –Bulkier footprint than a simple wooden chair once the tray is attached
Best multi-stage versatility
3.Joie Multiply 6-in-1
From £110
Six configurations from one frame — newborn recliner, highchair, toddler chair and stool — aimed at families who want maximum flexibility without buying a premium wooden chair.
Pros
- +Six genuinely different configurations on one frame
- +Compact, one-hand fold for smaller kitchens
- +Wipe-clean seat pad copes well with weaning mess
Cons
- –Not as visually "grown-up" as a wooden adjustable chair for the toddler-to-adult stage
- –More moving parts to learn than a simple fixed highchair
Best budget
4.Cosatto Noodle 0+
From £65
Proof a budget highchair doesn’t mean a flimsy one: height-adjustable, a recline for early feeds, and a removable tray with a cup holder, regularly under £70 in Cosatto’s signature bold prints.
Pros
- +Genuinely height-adjustable and reclining at a budget price
- +Compact fold and light enough to move room to room
- +Wipe-clean seat pad in distinctive Cosatto prints
Cons
- –Tray is single-layer — no dishwasher-safe removable inner tray
- –Less structurally substantial than premium wooden chairs long-term
Best ultra-budget
5.IKEA Antilop
From £10
The highchair every UK parent has sat a baby in at least once: a simple polypropylene shell and steel legs for around £10, no adjustability, and nothing to wipe clean but hard plastic — the honest, no-frills option.
Pros
- +Genuinely unbeatable price — from around £10
- +No fabric or padding at all, so wipe-clean is instant
- +Legs detach easily; light enough to take to a grandparent's house
Cons
- –No recline and no height adjustment — one fixed size
- –Suitable only once a child can sit up unaided, up to about 15kg/age 3
Best highchair accessory
6.Womumon Splash Mat (51")
Check price on Amazon
The unsung hero of the weaning months: a 130cm waterproof, anti-slip mat that lives under the highchair and catches the astonishing percentage of every meal that goes floorward. Wipes clean in seconds, machine-washes when it's beyond wiping, and folds away for grandparents' houses — it protects carpet, saves mop-time after every meal, and later earns a second life under craft projects.
Pros
- +Big 130cm catch radius — actually covers the highchair splash zone, unlike smaller mats
- +Waterproof and anti-slip; wipes clean or machine-washes
- +Folds small enough for the changing bag — solves mealtimes at carpeted cafés and grandparents' houses
Cons
- –Needs a wipe-down before folding or you're laminating yesterday's porridge
- –Lightweight edges can lift on very smooth floors under a determined chair-scooter
How did we choose these products?
These are research-based shortlists. We compare the published specifications, intended use, limitations and likely additional costs. We have not performed physical or laboratory tests, and the selection does not cover every product on the UK market. Retailers cannot pay to appear, and commission never affects rankings. Price references are historical estimates, not live offers. Confirm the exact variant, total cost and availability with the retailer.
What UK safety standard should you check?
UK standard: BS EN 14350 (drinking equipment) · BS EN 14988 (highchairs). Drinking equipment standards cover chemical migration and mechanical safety of bottles and teats; the highchair standard covers stability, restraint and entrapment.
- ✓ Bottles and teats cite BS EN 14350; highchairs cite BS EN 14988
- ✓ Highchairs have a crotch post or 5-point harness — never rely on a tray alone
- ✓ Never use bottle-prop or self-feeding devices — flagged by OPSS as a choking risk
Check live UK recalls before buying: gov.uk product recalls & alerts · Read our guide to dangerous baby products sold online .
Still deciding between two models?
What questions come up most?
When can my baby start using a highchair?
Once they can sit unsupported with good head control — usually around six months, and always alongside starting solid food (weaning), not before. A reclining infant seat can be used earlier for bottle-feeding, but a baby should not be left reclined with food.
Is a wooden adjustable highchair worth the extra cost?
If you want one chair from six months to adulthood, yes — chairs like the Stokke Tripp Trapp adjust seat and footrest height to fit a growing child and eventually seat an adult at the table, which changes the cost-per-year math versus buying (and disposing of) two or three cheaper chairs.
What is the safest way to use a highchair?
Always use the harness (waist and crotch strap, not just the tray) every time, keep the chair away from the table edge, worktops, or anything a child could push off from, and never leave a baby unattended in a highchair.
Which other buying guides should you read?
Best Baby Monitors UK
Our curated shortlist of the best baby monitors in the UK — smart cameras, wearable trackers and reliable non-WiFi video units compared.
Best Pushchairs & Prams UK
The best prams and pushchairs in the UK compared — all-terrain, city, budget and travel options from birth to toddler.
Best Car Seats UK — i-Size & R129
The best i-Size (R129) car seats in the UK — rotating toddler seats, infant carriers and budget picks compared, with fitting guidance.