Many parents choose to skip the traditional high chair altogether in favor of a booster with a tray. Why?
- The life span of a high chair is relatively short. We used ours for less than a year before we switched to a booster.
- High chairs take up a LOT of room.
- Boosters are generally less expensive
A few weeks ago I asked BC readers to share their favorite booster seats. There was a clear favorite:
The Fisher Price Healthy Care Deluxe Booster: around $27 at
Walmart.com with .97 shipping. (the non-deluxe version is about $7 cheaper, but does not have adjustable height settings).
Features three height adjustments, removable tray and back. This is indeed a popular item–there are more than 750 reviews for the deluxe model at Amazon (where it receives a five-star rating).
- Low price
- Easy to install
- Easy to clean
- Tray goes in the dishwasher
- Can be used with or without the tray
- Sturdy enough to last through more than one child
- Easy transport: folds and is small; has carry straps
- Adjustable height
- Deluxe model has a lid for the tray
These boosters were also tops with parents:
BabySmart Cooshie Booster: around $40 at Amazon (left). Comes with travel bag. No straps. Comes in lots of colors.
The Space Saver High Chair straps on to your dining room chair like a booster. It reclines and has a five-point harness for babies who can’t sit up on their own yet. You can remove the pad and back to transform it into a booster set–making it a money-saver as well as a space-saver. Six months and up.
One parent says, “The Fisher Price Space Saver high chair has lasted through two kids, is easy to clean …and ties securely to our old-fashioned chairs.”
Kaboost: around $37, shipped at Amazon
plus has straps to hold in the child; Comes with a carry case.
Shopping Tip: Look for used models at consignment stores, consignment sales, garage sales, Freepeats.org, Freecycle and Craigslist. Just make sure all the safety straps are there.
Readers, if you have any feedback on these (or any other) boosters, feel free to leave a comment below.
I bought a booster from Walmart for like $11. It's beige and is made of "eco-friendly plastic." I cannot for the life of me remember which one it is. It might be made by Safety 1st. Anyway, it is non adjustable but generously sized and a pretty good height for sitting at a table. It has a 3pt. harness that worked pretty well on my squirmy kid. It straps to the chair around the seat and around the back and has always been secure. It washes easily in the dishwasher (though it takes up a lot of room and only fits on the bottom rack.)
All in all, you can't beat the price tag. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but I sat on telephone books most of my childhood so I'm not sure those bells and whistles are really necessary.
thanks for the links, amazon always has good prices on baby items