Booster Seat or High Chair: Which is Better?

Getting ready for a baby means making lists of all the essential items you need once you bring the baby home. While making that list, you may be wondering, ‘should I get a high chair or booster seat?’

In short, the answer is both actually because they each have very different and useful functions. But, if you were only to get one, I would say it largely depends on your situation (the space you have available, do you travel a lot, etc.).

There are pros and cons to both the high chair and the booster seat. Throughout this article, I will go over each type and the best ones, in my opinion, for each type. By the end, you will have a good understanding of what will work best for you.

Bumbo seat vs High Chair

	Pros	Cons
Bumbo Seat	• portable • smaller to store • cheaper • can use on an existing chair	• baby needs to be able to support themselves • can be harder to clean • smaller tray • doesn’t have a 5 point harness
High Chair	• can be used before baby can support themselves • easy to clean • can recline for bottle feeding • adaptable to age of baby	• may need a lot of space • most are not portable • more expensive

Baby high chairs

High chairs are convenient for a baby to eat when they are too small to sit in a regular chair. In addition, most of them have a removable tray that makes clean up easier, especially if you are doing Baby Led Weaning.

Do I need a high chair?

Not only are high chairs a great place for baby to eat safely, but it is also a safe space for them to hang out in while you are cooking in the kitchen. I loved having my baby close to me strapped into the high chair while cooking or baking. They loved watching me while they played with toys on their tray.

You need a high chair if you want a safe place for babies to learn to eat when they can’t quite support themselves. High chairs are best for Baby-Led Weaning since they are easier to clean and give them a stable environment to sit and eat.

How is a high chair used

A high chair is designed for babies to eat in. Many high chairs are designed for both infants and toddlers in mind. As an infant, you can feed them by the bottle in their chair, and as they get older, you can introduce solids to them in it.

You will want to look for a high chair that is easy to clean, grows with baby, is comfortable, fits in the space you have, and has a 5 point safety harness.

Best baby high chair

The best high chair for the baby is going to have all of the features listed above. Then, after finding a few with the features you want, you can decide on the other features you need for your ideal situation.

Here are some of the best infant high chairs that are easy to clean, adjust with baby, comfortable, safe, and reasonably priced.

What age is a high chair for?

Some chairs can accommodate an infant from 4 months up to 3 years old, depending on the type you get. However, the ideal age for most high chairs is 6 months. Babies at this age can sit up on their own (or almost sit up on their own) and are starting to eat solid foods.

Do you really need a high chair?

Once you start introducing solid foods to your baby, you want a safe place for them to eat instead of just formula or breastmilk. High chairs allow your baby to sit up straight while eating and gives them the support they need.

The good news is once you start using a high chair at about 6 months, you can expect to get a good 2 years or more out of it, depending on the type you decide to get. This is because a lot of high chairs these days adapt and grow with your baby.

Do you need a reclining high chair?

A reclining high chair is good if you plan to bottle feed them in a high chair. I loved having a high chair that could recline once my baby could hold onto the bottle themselves. It gives just the right amount of incline for bottle feeding.

Best Space Saving High Chair

If you have a small space, you might be looking for a compact high chair that can be folded up and stored when you need more room. These portable high chairs are perfect for small spaces when you don’t want to leave the high chair out at all times.

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Why we like it:

This lightweight, the high chair only weighs 14 lbs. It is collapsible and compact so that you can store it in tight spaces. It can seat infants as young as 3 months. In addition, the moisture-wicking fabric makes it easy to clean.

Why we like it:

This slim space high chair can fold up with one hand, making it easy to store in a tight place or closet until mealtime. The machine-washable seat pad makes it easy to clean any messes that you can’t wipe away.

Why we like it:

This comfortable compact high chair folds away easily. The durable fabric is wipeable and soft for baby’s sensitive skin. It’s the perfect chair for a small space or for taking on the go for travel. It can hold a child up to 50lbs.

Why we like it:

This compact high chair is easy to fold and stands up while folded. It also has a convenient carry handle when folded for easy moving. This high chair makes for easy clean up with a removable tray and wipeable seat.

Best High Chair for Travel

Looking for a foldable high chair for travel? All the above would work if you wanted something that can do double duty. But, if you just want a high chair specifically to take traveling, these chairs are perfect.

Why we like it:

This high chair is perfect for indoor and outdoor dining. It can be used for a baby 6 months to 45 pounds. It comes with its own carry case for easy portability. The tray is removable and the fabric is machine washable. It even comes with a storage pocket for all of baby’s essentials for mealtime.

Why we like it:

This chair gives you a quick and easy spot for your little one to eat from 3-36 months, making it a great pick if you are looking for a traveling infant to toddler high chair. The 5 point harness gives your baby added safety. The carrying bag makes it easy to carry where ever you need to go.

When can babies sit in restaurant high chairs?

While traveling you may just want to use the high chairs available in restaurants. As long as your child can fully support themselves and can sit up on their own, these work great. Until they can sit up independently it may be a good idea to use an alternative to high chairs.

Alternative to high chair: Booster Seat

Booster seats are good to have when your child can sit up on their own. They can be strapped to a chair to use for eating once your baby can sit up. Some booster seats have more support than the typical high chair found in restaurants.

A lot of high chairs have the option to convert to a booster seat when your child is ready. However, there are also some other good booster seat options. A booster seat can be more portable than a high chair so it is easier to bring along when traveling.

What age can child use booster seat at table?

The age to start using a booster seat at the table is between 9 months to 1 year. Your child needs to be able to sit up on their own before using a booster seat for eating. Be sure to look at the manufacturer’s recommendations for age. Booster seats that have the 5 point harness for safety can be used at an earlier age.

Best baby chair

If you are looking for a good baby chair for baby to eat these are a few of the best options. The first type can be securely buckled onto an existing dining chair. They are perfect for young toddlers that may be starting to outgrow their high chair.

The second option is a booster seat you can clip onto a table. The clip-on seats are great to bring to restaurants when your baby can’t quite sit up in a restaurant high chair.

Booster Seat for chair

Why we like it:

The fisher-price booster seat straps securely to most dining chairs. It has a feeding tray and a cup holder. This chair is easy to clean. There are 3 height adjustments and can be used for an older toddler to use at the table without the tray. This booster seat has a carry strap and is compact enough to travel with.

Why we like it:

This booster has an infant feeding seat with a tray and 3 point restraint. It transforms into a toddler booster you can use at the table. It folds up to a compact size allowing you to take it on the go. The seat pad is removable and washable.

Why we like it:

This Fisher-Price booster seat has all the features of a full-size high chair. The infant chair has 3 recline positions and 2 height adjustments. The tray has a removable insert for easy cleanup. The seat pad is machine washable and has a 5 point harness.

Best Booster Seat for table

Why we like it:

This table chair clips on to tables up to 3.3″ thick. This chair quickly gives your baby a seat at the table without leaving scratches. It can be used for a baby as early as 6 months and up to 37 pounds. It is portable and collapsible, making it perfect to bring along for dinner out. The washable design makes it easy to clean. You can get a tray that attaches.

Why we like it:

This clip-on chair has a QuickSeat mechanism that cinches the seat to dining tables with one pull. It also has a snap-on tray that is included. It can be used on tables .75″ to 1.5 inches. It has a 3 point harness for safety. The seat cover is washable for easy cleanup.

Final Decision: Which is Better?

The high chair is a better decision for young infants and if you get one that converts it will be useful for years to come. The high chair gives baby a stable and secure place to learn how to eat. If you are introducing your baby to solid food using Baby Led Weaning, a high chair makes clean up much easier.

If you don’t have a lot of space, the foldable high chairs are a great option for your baby. The benefits of a high chair outweigh the extra cost.

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Why it is our favorite:

This high chair has everything. It has 7 growing stages, starting with an infant high chair. You can use it for 2 kids at a time. It not only turns into a youth seat but a kitchen stool so your child can help cook. Very versatile and convenient for any household.

If you don’t need an option for a young infant and your child can already sit up independently the booster seat would be the better option for you. You just need to make sure you have a dining chair that will accommodate the seat.

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