Which high chair doesn’t sacrifice form for function? I put them to the test.
One of my biggest concerns as a first-time-mom: my beautiful, curated, clean and organized home becoming a chaotic frenzy filled with unnecessary, and worse, ugly, baby products.
So as with everything, I approached my research on high chairs with scrutiny. I wasn’t looking to sacrifice form for function, especially for a high chair which will have a prevalent place in our most frequently used room in our home. Check out my full registry list here.
Lalo The Chair vs. Stokke Tripp Trapp
My research led me to two finalists: Lalo’s The Chair and Stokke’s Tripp Trapp. My tendency to over research got the best of me, and I decided to order both to see which high chair was best.
Criteria 1: Design
Lalo
The Chair has clean lines, is lightweight, and has a minimal footprint. It’s a timeless, simplistic take on the high chair design we grew up with. It comes in five beautiful, soft colors and has tonal matching cushions (that Sage color 😍). And they just released a collab with West Elm featuring the store’s iconic acorn finish! Score: 5/5
Stokke
The Tripp Trapp is bulky, and honestly, just doesn’t do it for me. Its heavy frame doesn’t compliment the aesthetic in my home, and the cushions have patterns on them which isn’t my vibe. It’s definitely a nicer, higher quality look than an all plastic high chair (which is why I was interested in it), but I can’t say I’m personally a fan. Score: 4/5
Design Winner: Lalo
Criteria 2: Longevity & Value
Lalo
The Chair is designed for babies starting at 4 months of age and can support a baby’s legs before they even reach the footrest (unique to Lalo). The footrest is reachable as soon as baby’s legs are able to bend over the seat and can be flipped over for more legroom as your baby grows. Then it can be converted into a booster seat for the toddler age, and then as a play chair (pairs nicely with the Lalo Play Table) once your child no longer needs seating assistance while eating. The Chair Full Kit which includes the cushion and tray is $235. Score: 5/5
Stokke
The Tripp Trapp is designed for babies starting at 6 months of age. The seat and footrest are adjustable by both depth and height to support your baby as he/she grows. For toddlers, it's easy to climb the steps to sit in the chair. It has a Newborn Set that lifts your baby to table height in a cushioned reclined seat, however this seems like an unnecessary addition if you already have a bouncer which is a much more practical purchase IMO. The Tripp Trapp Highchair with seat cushion and tray will run you $399. Score: 3/5
Longevity & Value winner: Lalo
Criteria 3: Ease of cleaning
Lalo
The Chair is super easy to clean with its smooth surfaces. I just pop off the tray, spray it down in the sink, do a quick swipe of the seat and voila, good as new. Some crumbs do find their way in between the belly bar and the front slot of the seat, but it's easy to pop this piece out to wipe down. The straps are made from a material that can be wiped down, and I usually throw them along with the cushion in the washing machine for a deeper clean. Score: 4/5
Stokke
The Tripp Trapp is also quick to wipe down, but does have more cracks and crevices for crumbs to get stuck into 😑. I also found that a lot of food got stuck under the tray. The straps are complicated to remove, making my weekly deep cleaning of them a hassle. Score: 3/5
Ease of cleaning winner: Lalo
Criteria 4: Ease of use
Lalo
You can quickly place your baby in or take your baby out of the high chair without removing the tray (big improvement over most high chairs). As far as assembly goes, it was extremely fast and easy with legs that just click into the base of the seat. Score: 5/5
Stokke
*Sigh* you have to take the tray off to get your baby in and out of the high chair. The assembly is reminiscent of Ikea furniture… many pieces with directions that don’t make sense. Score: 3/5
Ease of use winner: Lalo
And the high chair showdown winner is…
On paper the Lalo and Stokke high chairs look to be neck and neck, but after testing them IRL, Lalo is the obvious choice.
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