While it may just seem like just a place to pop your child while they eat, there's more to what makes the best highchair than just how it looks. Parents want one that is easy to clean after messy mealtimes - because food will get into every little nook and cranny! - as well as straps that are safe and a good size tray. But there are a host of other extra features that you can look out for too. Can’t be used without an adult dining chair to hold it – not convenient for everyone’s dining situation At the inexpensive end of the spectrum are the budget chairs. These tend to be standalone highchairs (intended to be used by themselves using a plastic tray, instead of being pulled up to a table), short on adjustability features and elaborate design – favouring instead a functional simplicity that often, incidentally, means they’re much easier to clean. And as for eating, your baby will enjoy more than ever, without any fuss or crying. The seats on the chairs are so cushiony and comfy, that your sweetheart will happily sit there and eat some baby food. They also come in cute patterns and prints, with cutesy characters and entertaining shapes, to keep things fun. So if baby entertainment is on your mind, then these chairs are prefect for you and the apple of your eye. And when it comes to keeping things clean, you’ll have no issues with these chairs. Mothercare provides inserts for the trays. These inserts are skid-proof, so no matter how playful your li’l darling is, there will be minimal spillage. Besides, the inserts also double as placement mats, making the set-up look quite neat.

Although some of the chairs we tested had extra accessories making them suitable for smaller babies, children should only use a highchair to eat once they’re able to sit unaided. A multifunctional highchair is a step-up in functionality and price. It has been designed to include features that make life easier or that adjust the chair to suit your child. The robustness of the safety harness (is it three-point or five? Does it seem secure when attached?)An almost 50-year-old classic, the robust and intelligently designed Stokke Tripp Trapp continues to perform well for kids of any age. Solidly constructed from high-quality wood and available in a dizzying array of colours, the Tripp Trapp is a firm favourite on our forums – especially second-hand. Baby highchairs are suitable from 6 months, around the same time you can start to introduce your baby to solids. It can be a good idea to feed baby their first ever solids in the morning or right after a nap. Once baby has gotten used to eating, introduce new foods rapidly—it can take up to 15 tries before a child will accept a new food, so don’t give up! Apart from the highchair, there are plenty of other accessories that help make mealtime easier. Like some colourful baby plates and bowls, to make trying new foods extra fun. And, since a mess is unavoidable, you need a removable tray that you can easily pop off and wash. Type: Freestanding highchair which converts into a toddler chair | Materials: Not stated | Suitable from: 6 months+ | Harness: Yes | Wheels?: No What we love Multifunctional options might also include newborn accessories so you can use the chair before six months, or have a removable tray so the chair converts from a standalone chair to a table-side one. They usually fold away and often stand when folded for easier storage, and come with luxuriously padded cushions, which are comfortable for your baby to sit on but are crumb magnets for any dropped food.

Transitional-style chair – can be used from birth with a baby bouncer attachment, from six months with a baby set, and indefinitely as a chair after three years or 15kg A baby chair will keep your baby completely safe while seated, offering a secure opportunity to explore new foods. Being able to join the family at the table will make the little one happier and can help ease them into the new routine. It’ll also keep your baby at your height, making the feeding process easier for you too. Great gadgets for highchairs We spend hours researching, speaking to parents, analysing data and listening to experts before we test out the products on our shortlist. A beautiful, intelligently designed chair with lots of thoughtful details, the Oribel Cocoon missed out on our transitional award as it’s still only suitable up to age three. But it’s a stylish and flexible model, available in four attractive colours, that will complement your kitchen and make mealtimes a breeze. Most travel highchairs either attach to an adult dining chair as a chair-mounted booster or clip onto the table edge (sometimes called a hook-on or clip-on highchair) like a vice. In both cases, you need suitable furniture to make it work – though, anecdotally, the chair-attaching kind fit more universally than the table-attaching kind.Once your little one is out and about, exploring the world with curious eyes and a wondrous smile, you want to be a part of every experience. Be it your angel’s first steps, or smile, or even a magical giggle, you want to witness it all. So why should meal-time be any different, right? After all, having meals together is said to strengthen the bond between families. The large and luxuriously comfortable Polly Magic Relax begins with a bouncer mode for newborns and then converts to a highchair with a generously-sized tray, which can be completely removed to allow a toddler to sit at the table. It’s a good idea to read up on their specs before choosing one to make sure you’ll be able to use it safely. It’s helpful when travel chairs collapse to a portable size and many come with their own carry cases or shoulder straps to help with this. And if you’re worried about your little champ sliding off, then don’t be. Mothercare ensures that their baby high chairs are designed to be completely safe, with soft harnesses to keep your baby secure. These harnesses are also present on our bouncers. Big gap between tray and the baby, even in its closest setting – a little inconvenient for mealtimes

Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about how we tested the products we recommend. We won't always recommend the cheapest products, or the ones with the most extra features. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the one's we'd recommend to our own friends and family. Babies often learn what and how to eat by watching their parents and siblings eat too”, she says. “It’s more likely that they will happily accept foods that they see you gobbling up yourself.”Time for your baby to join the big leagues! Weaning doesn’t have to be a pain, even though a mess is unavoidable. With a highchair, your baby can explore new tastes and textures in a safe and controlled space. And it might help give you some peace during mealtimes too. A highchair can help with the weaning Type: Freestanding, fold-away highchair | Materials: Not stated | Suitable from: 6 months+ | Harness: Yes | Wheels?: No What we love