Note: There is no one universal “best,” especially when it comes to parenting. These are “The Best High Chairs” based on Also Mom's strict criteria, detailed here. 

Baby’s first half birthday is a big deal. Right around six months of age, assuming other markers of solid food readiness, the big wide world of solid food becomes your baby’s oyster. Whether you plan to introduce food using baby led weaning (recommend!) or purees, a high chair will be your friend as your baby gourmand discovers new tastes and textures.

Stokke Tripp Trapp @laura.siew

These are our favorite high chairs, in loose order of preference. Depending on your priorities, any of these high chairs might be the perfect one for you.

1. Stokke Tripp Trapp ($411) – If this high chair fits your budget, get it, because it is the hands down best high chair out there. With its sleek Scandinavian design, the Stokke Tripp Trapp fits in beautifully with most aesthetics, and above all, it is wonderfully functional, adjustable, and easy to clean. Use it with a tray and baby set for those early days of food exploration or pull it right up the dining table for a family meal. [full review]
2. Stokke Steps ($397) – A great alternative to the Stokke Tripp Trapp, the Stokke Steps has a slightly different look that might suit your taste. Similar to the Tripp Trapp, the Steps is functional, adjustable, and easy to clean. It can be used with a tray or at the dining table, and it can even be used before baby is eating solid food with the family. Just add on an infant bouncer (sold separately), which attaches directly onto the chair and brings baby up to eye-level during family meals. [full review]
3. Ikea Antilop ($19.99) – This high chair is cheeeaaaap, easy to clean, and actually looks totally fine in all but the fanciest and trendiest of dining rooms. Use it with a tray for those early days of food exploration or pull it right up the dining table for a family meal. Unlike the Stokke chairs, the Antilop does not have a footrest, but most kids don't seem to mind.  [full review]
4. Guzzie & Guss Perch Hanging High Chair ($69) – If a hanging high chair seems like it might suit your space best, this might be what you've been looking for. The problem with most clamp high chairs is that they can only be secured onto completely flat counters and table surfaces. The Guzzie & Guss Perch Hanging High Chair solves for this by providing 3.75 inches of clearance to help maneuver around table ledges and lips. It's available in neutral black and gray, which look pretty decent just about anywhere. They are also great for travel. [full review]

Which is the Best High Chair for Your Home?

If you want a great-looking high chair and are willing to spend ~$400 for a chair that will last a lifetime (literally we have friends who bought this chair for their kids 20 years ago and still pull it out for baby guests)… get a Stokke Tripp Trapp or a Stokke Steps. These are our two favorite high chairs and they are perfect in most spaces.

If space/budget is limited and you want a hanging high chair… get a Guzzie & Guss Perch.

If you want a good-enough-looking high chair on a budget... get the Ikea Antilop.

What Makes a Great High Chair

To us, a great high chair…

• Is beautiful and fits in with your dining room aesthetic
• Grows with your child from infancy through the toddler years and beyond
• Is easy to clean (!!!)
• Can be used tableside for family mealtime or with a tray for early messy food exploration

And these are a few high chairs we don't recommend, though depending on your personal preferences, they may still suit you.

• Bloom Fresco ($550): Although this high chair is beautiful in a sort of futuristic, George Jetson-y way, it is difficult to clean and difficult to use for tableside dining. Because it is height adjustable, it can technically be used at both table and even breakfast bar height, which is super cool, but the shape of the chair itself is somewhat reclined and very deep, making it difficult for toddlers to sit close enough to the table to eat comfortably. Opt for a Stokke instead.
• Bloom Nano High Chair ($150): This might be the best high chair for small spaces, but it has some serious downfalls. It collapses to a mere 50”H x 23”w x 7”D, but it takes up a large footprint when open. It is also difficult to clean and has an awkward slight recline that makes it difficult for toddlers to sit close enough to the table to eat comfortably. Opt for a Stokke, pushed into your table, or a hanging high chair instead.
• Boon Flair ($249.99): Some people really love this chair, but the footprint is huge and the colors are way too bright for our preference. It works for tableside dining, but doesn’t integrate seamlessly with most dining aesthetics. Opt for a Stokke if your budget allows it, or even an Ikea Antilop.
• Inglesina Fast Table Hanging High Chair ($69): Very similar in functionality and price to the Guzzie and Guss Perch, the Fast Table has half an inch less clearance for tables with lips and is significantly more difficult to clean. Otherwise, this is a perfectly fine high chair and one with which many families are very happy.
• Micuna Ovo High Chair ($429.99): This is the world’s most gorgeous high chair, but it’s also pretty dysfunctional. For example, the tray is completely off to the side (why?). It’s also more expensive than the Stokke chairs and takes up a bigger footprint. Opt for a Stokke instead.
• Mima Moon ($549): Another gorgeous high chair that is just all around impractical. Although it converts to a “junior chair” and can be used without the tray, it is deep and reclines at such an angle that it is not ideal for upright sitting and tableside eating. Plus it’s really expensive. Opt for a Stokke instead.
• Phil & Teds Lobster High Chair ($89.99): This chair is very similar to the Inglesina Fast Table Hanging High Chair in both aesthetic in function, but $20 more expensive. Go for the Guzzie & Guss chair instead.
• Phil & Teds Poppy High Chair ($119.99): This decent-looking chair also sadly isn’t designed to be used tableside. Go for the Ikea Antilop or splurge for a Stokke chair if your budget allows it.
• Skip Hop Tuo Convertible High Chair ($159.99): Although this chair is beautiful, it is unfortunately not designed to be used at the dining table without the tray. Additionally, the five-point harness does not easily detach from the chair, making cleaning difficult.  Go for the Ikea Antilop or splurge for a Stokke chair if your budget allows it.
• Tripp Trapp Knockoffs: The Keekaroo, Abiie Beyond, Sepnine, and others look vaguely similar to the Stokke Tripp Trapp, but are significantly cheaper. They are also noticeably worse in many ways, both aesthetically and functionally. If you’re on a budget, it’s better to get the Ikea Antilop or the Guzzie & Gus Perch.