High Chair

IKEA High Chairs: Which One Should You Pick For Your Baby?

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Overview

Are you considering an IKEA high chair for your baby? The retail giant is known for high-quality yet budget-friendly products that cost around half the price of its competitors. (1)

Aside from offering affordable options, IKEA stores offer a wide range of products for different parts of your home. For example, you can buy different IKEA chairs for your dining room, kitchen, living room, baby’s nursery, outdoors, and home office.

For your little one’s safety, we recommend GREENGUARD Gold-certified nursery furniture and baby high chairs.

However, even if IKEA products aren’t GREENGUARD Gold certified, the company assures consumers that they follow strict safety standards, including reduced formaldehyde emissions. (2)

The brand also offers home furniture and baby products made of raw materials that are free from harmful or toxic chemicals, such as the following: (3)

  • Phthalates
  • BPA (bisphenol-A)
  • Brominated flame retardants
  • PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
  • Carcinogenic AZO dyes
  • Heavy metals (e.g., lead, mercury, or cadmium)

What’s the best high chair from IKEA, is it safe for your baby, and how long can your child use it? Is the popular IKEA Antilop a great high chair?

Read our review below to help you pick the best for your little one.

IKEA High Chairs

  • IKEA Antilop High Chair ($24.99 with tray; $16.99 without tray) – cheapest IKEA high chair
  • IKEA Langur High Chair ($149 with tray; $138 without tray) – a stylish high chair that converts into a junior chair
  • IKEA Gråval High Chair ($199) – convertible high chair and junior chair with adjustable seat height
  • IKEA Blåmes High Chair ($79.99) – a value-friendly but stylish wood-framed high chair

Continue reading to learn more about these IKEA high chairs.

IKEA Antilop High Chair

These IKEA Antilop images are for the high chairs with and without the trays:

IKEA Antilop with tray (source: ikea.com)
IKEA Antilop without tray (source: ikea.com)

Price

  • Antilop high chair with a safety belt (article number 592.284.35): $16.99
  • Antilop high chair with tray (article number: 892.284.34): $24.99
  • Antilop high chair tray: $8
  • Antilop support pillow: $6
  • Antilop seat cover: $4

What Makes It Special?

  • It’s one of the cheapest high chairs on the market.
  • It’s easy to take apart so that you can bring it along.
  • Options are available for a removable tray (sold separately for some Antilop models).
  • The tray has raised edges to help keep spills from ending up on your floor.
  • The smooth plastic-and-steel construction doesn’t have crannies and crevices that often collect crumbs and grime.
  • You can push the high chair closer to the dining table without the tray.

Key Features

  • Materials: Polypropylene for the seat shell and high chair tray; Steel, epoxy, polyester powder coating, polypropylene, and polyethylene for the chair’s legs and feet
  • Safety Features: A safety belt, rounded edges, and a wide, stable base
  • Harness: Includes a 3-point safety harness (retrains your child’s legs and hips)
  • Removable Tray: Yes
  • Portability: It isn’t foldable but can be easy to disassemble and reassemble
  • Colors: White tray and seats; gray legs
  • Seat Height: 21 ¼”
  • Footrest: None
  • Parts & Accessories: Tray, support pillow, and seat cover

How Long Can You Use The IKEA Antilop High Chair?

This high chair is designed for children who can sit up unaided and up to three years old (maximum weight of 33 lbs).

Other Specifications

  • Warranty: No information
  • Quality & Safety Certifications: Meets the ASTM F404 standard for safety, durability, and stability

Product Recall

On January 05, 2012, IKEA recalled the ANTILOP high chairs (red, blue, or white seats with silver-color legs) because the restraint buckles can open unexpectedly, creating a fall hazard. (4)

The retail giant received at least eight reports of the restraint buckles opening unexpectedly, causing minor injuries to three children who fell from the high chair. (4)

This recall included as many as 169,000 units (133,000 in the US, 36,000 in Canada) sold from August 2006 through January 2010 at IKEA stores nationwide.

IKEA high chairs included in this recall were made by supplier number 17389 and had a manufacture date (YYMM format) between 0607 and 0911.

These model numbers were affected: (4)

  • ANTILOP high chair blue: # 701.467.92
  • ANTILOP high chair red: # 501.467.93
  • ANTILOP high chair white: # 300.697.24

Cons

  • It doesn’t come with a footrest.
  • It’s a fixed high chair that doesn’t fold.
  • The tray can be difficult to remove.
  • Unlike high chairs with adjustable trays, you have to lift your child to put them in the seat, then lift them out after each mealtime.
  • The tray can’t be moved closer or farther away from your baby. You might need a back cushion or pillow to bring smaller babies closer to the tray.
  • The seat doesn’t have padding or cushions.
  • There’s no information on whether the tray is dishwasher safe. Instead, IKEA recommends wiping it clean using a mild soapy solution and drying it with a clean cloth.
  • It was recalled in 2012.
  • The low price only applies to IKEA stores. You have to get the item from the nearest IKEA, or else you’ll pay delivery fees or a hefty price from Amazon.
  • The wide leg openings can cause people walking near the high chair to trip.

What Customers Say

Positive Reviews

I’ve had this chair almost a year and my three year old boy hasn’t been able to ruin or stain it at all which is a miracle!” – Reviewer on Amazon.

Negative Reviews

The belt is super hard to click in place and seriously pinched my fingers.” – Reviewer on IKEA’s website.

IKEA Langur High Chair

Langur High Chair with tray (source: ikea.com)
Langur High Chair without tray (source: ikea.com)

Price

  • Langur high chair with tray: $149
  • Langur junior high chair without tray: $138
  • Langur high chair seat shell: $34
  • Langur high chair tray: $11
  • Langur high chair padded seat cover: $8 to $10

What Makes It Special?

  • If you remove the seat shell, it converts into a junior or booster seat. You can push the high chair closer to the dining table without the easily removable seat shell.
  • It features a two-tier footrest that your child can also use as a makeshift ladder to climb up the seat when they’re older.
  • The high chair tray has raised edges to help keep spills from ending up on your floor.
  • The smooth plastic tray and seats don’t have hard-to-reach crannies and crevices that can collect crumbs and grime.
  • The chair’s legs and feet are adjustable to stand steady even on uneven surfaces.
  • It can be stacked with similar chairs or pushed under the table when not in use.
  • The small footprint doesn’t make this high chair a trip hazard.

Key Features

  • Material: Polypropylene for the seats and tray; steel, epoxy, polyester powder coating, polyamide, and polypropylene for the legs and feet
  • Safety Features: Stable, wide L-shaped frame to prevent tipping when your child climbs up or down the seat
  • Harness: Includes a 3-point safety harness (retrains your child’s legs and hips)
  • Removable Tray: Yes
  • Portability: Not portable
  • Colors: White
  • Seat Height: 22”
  • Footrest: Yes, two footrests that can be used as a ladder for the junior chair configuration
  • Parts & Accessories: Padded seat cover, seat shell, and high chair tray

Other Specifications

  • Capacity: No information from the website on its capacity
  • Warranty: No information
  • Quality & Safety Certifications: No information

Product Recall

  • None

Cons

  • It’s a fixed high chair that doesn’t fold.
  • The tray can be difficult to remove.
  • It doesn’t have adjustable trays, so you have to lift your child before and after each mealtime (if you’re using the configuration that has the tray).
  • The tray can’t be adjusted. You might need a pillow or back cushion to bring smaller babies closer to the tray.
  • The seat doesn’t have padding or cushions.
  • It isn’t portable.
  • There’s no information if the tray is dishwasher safe. Instead, IKEA recommends using a mild soapy solution to clean the high chair and a clean cloth to dry it.

What Customers Say

Positive Reviews

The detachable seat and tray fit easily in my kitchen sink for a quick and frustration-free cleaning. There are no crevices and moving parts where caked-on gunk can get trapped.” – Reviewer on IKEA’s website.

Negative Reviews

Minor cons: Removing the tray – You have to pull hard straight up. Make sure you put your foot on the base to secure the chair while you pull. You feel like you may break something, but it does come off.” – Reviewer on IKEA’s website.

IKEA Gråval High Chair

(source: ikea.com)

Price

  • Gråval high chair: $199

What Makes It Special?

  • This high chair has three different height positions.
  • It converts into a junior or booster seat if you remove the tray cover and seat sides.
  • You can push the junior chair closer to the dining table.
  • The two-tier footrest lets your child use it as a makeshift ladder to climb up the seat when they’re older.
  • The smooth plastic tray cover doesn’t have nooks and crevices that can collect crumbs and grime.
  • The small footprint reduces the risk of others tripping on the legs of this high chair.

Key Features

  • Material: Birch veneer with clear acrylic lacquer for the seats and leg frames; polypropylene for the tray cover
  • Safety Features: Stable wooden legs with metal braces
  • Harness: 3-point safety belt
  • Removable Tray: Yes
  • Portability: Not portable
  • Colors: Natural wood color
  • Seat Height: 21 ⅝”
  • Footrest: Yes, two footrests that can be used as a ladder for the junior chair configuration
  • Parts & Accessories: Removable tray cover

Other Specifications

  • Capacity: No information on the chair’s capacity from IKEA’s website
  • Warranty: No information
  • Quality & Safety Certifications: Complies with EN 14988:2017 (European Committee for Standardization)

Product Recall

  • None

Cons

  • It’s IKEA’s most expensive high chair.
  • It’s a fixed high chair that doesn’t fold.
  • It isn’t portable.
  • It doesn’t have adjustable trays. Like other IKEA high chairs, you have to lift your child before and after each mealtime.
  • The tray can’t be adjusted, but you can put a pillow or back cushion to bring smaller babies closer to the tray.
  • The seat doesn’t have padding or cushions.
  • There’s no information if the tray cover is dishwasher safe. IKEA recommends using a mild soapy solution to clean the high chair and a clean cloth to dry it.
  • The engineered wood is prone to breaking apart if the product is regularly exposed to moisture or liquid spills.

What Customers Say

No online reviews are available.

IKEA Blåmes High Chair

(source: ikea.com)

Price

  • Blåmes high chair: $79.99

What Makes It Special?

  • It’s a value-friendly but stylish wood-framed high chair with a child-safe plastic tray.
  • The tray has raised edges to keep spills from ending up on your floor.
  • The smooth plastic tray and simple wooden seats don’t have hard-to-reach nooks and crannies that can collect crumbs and dirt.

Key Features

  • Material: Solid rubberwood and acrylic paint for the frame; fiberboard for the seat and back; and polypropylene for the tray
  • Safety Features: Stable, slanted leg frame
  • Harness: 3-point harness
  • Removable Tray: Yes
  • Portability: Not portable
  • Colors: Black chair with white tray
  • Seat Height: 22”
  • Footrest: Yes
  • Parts & Accessories: Removable tray

Other Specifications

  • Capacity: It’s intended for children who can sit up unaided and up to three years old or a maximum weight of 33 lbs.
  • Warranty: No information
  • Quality & Safety Certifications: No information

Product Recall

  • None

Cons

  • It isn’t portable.
  • It’s a fixed high chair that doesn’t fold.
  • It doesn’t have adjustable trays. So, you have to lift your child before and after each mealtime, like with other IKEA high chairs.
  • The seat doesn’t have padding or cushions.
  • The tray can’t be adjusted, but you can put a pillow or back cushion to bring smaller babies closer to the tray.
  • There’s no information if the tray cover is dishwasher safe. However, IKEA recommends using a mild soapy solution to wash the high chair and a clean cloth to dry it.

What Customers Say

Positive Reviews

Great high chair, worth the money.” – Reviewer on IKEA’s website.

Negative Reviews

The highchair works well for my 10 month old, but tray is very difficult to remove having to tip it all the way forward.” – Reviewer on IKEA’s website.

Summary & Recommendations

IKEA offers four styles of high chairs with different designs and features. Each one can be a great high chair for your child because they all have:

  • A 3-point harness
  • Simple design without many nooks and crevices that can collect dirt and crumbs.
  • Easy-to-clean, child-safe food tray

You can pick the style and features you want.

Choose the IKEA Antilop High Chair ($24.99 with tray; $16.99 without tray) if:

  • You want to pick the most affordable option.
  • You prefer an IKEA high chair that you can disassemble to take along if you’re on the go.
  • You don’t mind a high chair that doesn’t have a footrest (you can always install one later).
  • You don’t mind picking a high chair that had a safety recall in the past (in 2012).

Choose the IKEA Langur High Chair ($149 with tray; $138 without tray) if:

  • You want a stylish high chair that easily converts into a booster or junior seat (with a built-in ladder)
  • You’re looking for a high chair with adjustable feet for uneven surfaces
  • You prefer a chair with a small footprint

Choose the IKEA Gråval High Chair ($199) if:

  • You prefer a convertible high chair and junior chair with an adjustable seat height
  • You don’t mind that it’s the priciest IKEA high chair

Choose the IKEA Blåmes High Chair ($79.99) if:

  • You want a value-friendly but stylish wood-framed high chair

Factors To Consider In Picking Your Baby’s High Chair

  • Safety features (safe and stable)
  • Safe materials
  • Detachable, food-grade tray or tray cover (especially for baby-led weaning)
  • Ergonomics
  • Compact
  • Footrest for stability
  • Can fit your table and dining room
  • Easy clean-ups
  • Good value for your money

Safety Tips For All High Chairs

  • If your high chair comes disassembled, be sure to read the assembly instructions carefully. Keep this piece of paper, just in case you need to refer to it in the future.
  • Choose a high chair with a harness, but never leave your child unattended in one.
  • Check the chair’s weight capacity and limits.

FAQs

Who Needs A High Chair?

This baby product can be useful once your baby is ready to eat solid foods around 4-6 months of age. Stop using the high chair when your baby is too large or heavy for it.

Why Do People Love The IKEA High Chair?

People’s opinions and preferences vary, but many love the IKEA high chair, especially the Antilop, because it’s cheap (only around $20) yet can serve its purpose as a seat where your baby can eat.

At What Age Can Your Baby Sit In An IKEA High Chair?

Most IKEA high chairs are suitable for babies who can sit on their own and up to three years old or a maximum of 33 lbs.

How Can You Upgrade Your IKEA High Chair?

Brands like Yeah Baby Goods let you upgrade your IKEA high chair with support cushion covers with stylish prints, colorful food-grade silicone placemats, premium wraps for the chair’s legs, and sturdy footrests.

Are IKEA High Chairs Made From Sustainable Raw Materials?

Yes. IKEA assures consumers that they’re working on making products from recycled, renewable, or sustainably-sourced raw materials.

The Competition: What’s The Best High Chair Brand?

We recommend GREENGUARD Gold-certified products, so this is our pick for the best high chair brand:

  • Monte Design Tavo High Chair

However, these high chairs can also be great for your little one.

REFERENCES

(1) https://www.businessinsider.com/why-ikea-is-so-cheap-2018-10

(2) https://www.ikea.com/us/en/files/pdf/e1/12/e11228df/ikea_faq_formaldehyde.pdf

(3) https://www.nontoxu.com/furniture-home-furnishings/is-ikea-furniture-nontoxic

(4) https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2012/ikea-recalls-to-repair-high-chairs-due-to-fall-hazard

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