When you leave home with your small child, it can be incredibly helpful to have a high chair on hand. At restaurants, in parks, while visiting friends and even in your backyard, owning one of the best portable high chairs provides a safe place to securely set your child and feed them a meal.
The best portable high chairs provide your child with a safe seat while traveling or eating out, ... [+] easing parental worries. Restaurant Furniture Store Near Me
The good news is that even the best portable high chairs are quite affordable—Phil & Teds Lobster Clip-On High Chair (our choice as the best model if you do a lot of traveling) sells for $100. Even better: Our favorite high chair overall, the Fisher-Price Portable Toddler Booster Seat, costs just $40 or so. And you have other options as well. On this page, I’ve rounded up the best of the best portable high chairs. And after reading this article, you may want to check out the tested best full-size high chairs story or the best diaper bags after extensive testing.
Materials: Plastic with nylon straps | Special features: Carrying strap, dishwasher safe tray | Weight: 4 pounds | Seat weight maximum: 50 pounds
Described as “perfect in every way” by excited reviewers, this seat is my favorite portable high chair. We’ve owned it for years, and it’s the one we grab for everything from backyard dinners to a trip to grandma’s house. The Booster is simple, lacks gimmicks and frills, and it’s easy to clean. Most of the seat is made of dishwasher-safe plastic, and you can clean the nylon straps with a damp cloth. It’s also lightweight and portable, which means it’s easy to throw in the car. Plus, the backrest and tray table come off, meaning the table grows with your toddler.
Materials: Polyester, water-resistant nylon, foam | Special features: Pocket for diapers and wipes, removable foam padding | Weight: 2 pounds | Seat weight maximum: 55 pounds
At around $20 on sale, Nuby’s portable high chair is at the lower end of the price range for these seats, but it still has enough special features and durability to make any parent happy with their purchase. A small pocket for wipes and diapers means parents don’t have to lug in the whole diaper bag along for dinner out with the kids. Its machine washable materials and collapsible design also make it easy to clean, and they take away some of the bulk that is more problematic in other toddler seats.
Materials: Metal frame, nylon seat fabric, hard plastic “lobster claws,” rubber grips | Special features: Carrying case, dishwasher safe tray | Weight: 4 pounds | Seat weight maximum: 37 pounds
The Lobster lives up to its name. This lightweight but sturdy framed high chair clips on to nearly any table. It can fold up small into a tiny 4-pound package (perfect for airplane travel), but it can also hold children up to 37 pounds. The folded system comes with a nylon carrying case that lies flat. The dishwasher safe tray gives parents a clean surface for their little ones to eat on, no matter the locale. And while the price might scare the budget-friendly among us, this seat will last through multiple years of multiple kids.
Materials: Plastic body with a foam cushion | Special features: Easy fold, high weight limit | Weight: 3.5 pounds | Seat weight maximum: 70 pounds
Sturdy, moderately priced, good for big and small kids and easy to clean: the Tot Perch is a winner. Toddler parents will appreciate the Perch’s minimalist and compact design, and the large foam cushion can hold up to a whopping 70 pounds, making it great for older tots who still need a boost. To clean the seat, simply take the foam off and wipe it down.
Materials: Steel frame, plastic hardware and tray table, polyester seat cushion | Special features: Clip-on system, carrying strap, removable and washable seat cover | Weight: 9.5 pounds | Seat weight maximum: 37 pounds
A common complaint of clip-on chair models centers on their inability to attach to tables with complicated or low-hanging lips. This means that parents have to play a little game of roulette every time they go out: Will the chair fit, or will you be stuck holding your kid for the entire meal? Chicco’s portable seat removes this uncertainty with a design that allows attachment to tables with awkward or deep edges. One reviewer noted, “I appreciate how it allows baby to sit directly at the table with us.” Most other clip-on chairs’ designs force littles ones farther away from the table (making a significant mess in the process).
Materials: Steel frame, plastic hardware and tray | Special features: 3x adjustable height, compact fold, carrying strap | Weight: 5.5 pounds | Seat weight maximum: 50 pounds
The first thing to get fouled on any baby or toddler chair is the fabric. The best part of this chair? No fabric at all. The sturdy metal frame is adjustable to three different heights to keep up with a growing toddler. You can place it directly onto a chair or use the little legs when not eating at a table. Plus, as one parent noted, “You can just hose it down!” The Pocket Snack folds down into a smaller package with a carrying strap that makes taking this on the go that much easier.
The Forbes Vetted’s team has deep experience in testing and reviewing baby and kids gear—and includes a number of parents with years of experience in the category. We’re focused on sharing safe and useful products that make this parenting journey a bit easier and enjoyable.
For this story, writer Jenni Gritters tapped into the expertise of pediatricians and other experts to ensure we were evaluating these high chairs in the best possible way. These experts included Dr. Freda Singletary, a pediatrician at Rainbow Pediatrics; Shushanna Mignott, the program director for Safe Kids Worldwide; occupational therapist Julia Barnes; and Dr. Christina Johns, a pediatric emergency physician and senior medical advisor at PM Pediatric Care. She also consulted the high chair safety recommendations from the AAP, and of course, reviewed the high chairs closely.
I spent a lot of time researching the best portable high chairs. I read online reviews and consulted the parents in my community, but I also interviewed several experts, including those quoted in this story. Ultimately, I narrowed my list down to the options in this guide based on their safety features, durability, ease of use (and ability to be easily washed) and portability.
I travel often with my children and have used several of these options myself. If I hadn’t used them, I consulted online reviews to get a good sense for complaints and benefits.
I’m also a journalist with a decade of experience reviewing kids products, outdoor gear and apparel. You can find my bylines in the New York Times, Forbes, Slate and elsewhere. Most recently, I tested baby carriers and diapers for Forbes Vetted. I also have two kids, ages 1 and 3.5. I’ve reviewed high chairs extensively for other publications in the past and have used 10 different models with my two kids.
Once your child can maintain head control, they’re ready for a high chair.
“A baby can start using a high chair at around six months, but they must be able to sit up on their own,” Johns says. “When choosing a high chair—stationary or clip-on—make sure to go for one with a 3-point harness with waist and crotch straps. The harness should hold the child in place without stifling them. Always tug on the straps to make sure that everything is secure after putting the baby in the high chair.”
Many children will continue to use a high chair through toddlerhood, but that will depend on your little one’s height and weight.
Absolutely. Portable high chairs are an option that can be used on the go and at home, as long as you have a table and chair present for attachment. That said, stationary high chairs are safer and you should opt to use one at home most of the time; portable high chairs should be considered a back-up option.
Check the weight limits for the chair; age doesn’t matter as much as their height and weight. Most kids will let their parents know when they feel too big to be in a special chair and will often want to use the same chairs as their parents.
“From a feeding perspective, ideally the chair should promote that 90/90/90 positioning for proximal stability,” says occupational therapist Julia Barnes. You’ll want to be sure that your four-year-old can sit with this appropriate positioning; if not, it may be time for a regular chair. Typically, booster seats grow with your child while high chairs are mostly meant for infants.
Portable high chairs are designed to be used out and about. Therefore, they should be easy to use and adjust as needed for a safe fit. This means there’s an onus on parents to make sure they know how to use these chairs so that their little ones don’t take a tumble. (Clip-on chairs have a tendency to mess with the balance of a table, and can cause the table to crash over if it’s not equally weighted on the side across from the child.)
But beware: Portable high chairs operate differently than standard models. Experts, such as those at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), recommend exercising caution when using a portable high chair compared to a stationary chair, and warns against using portable high chairs at home in favor of a more stable, free standing option. But that doesn’t mean that a portable high chair can’t be used safely as intended.
Other experts agree. “Although regular standalone high chairs are always the safest option for use in the home, clip-on (hook-on) high chairs can be a suitable option when traveling or taking your child to a place where there might not be a high chair available,” says Dr. Christina Johns, a pediatric emergency physician and senior medical advisor at PM Pediatric Care.
Many portable high chairs clip onto tables or chairs, so you’ll want to be careful to secure all the straps tightly, lock any clips or screws, make sure the table or chair is well-balanced (and not covered in a table cloth) and clip your child’s harness on tightly—and don’t forget to provide supervision. “Always supervise your child closely while they are in the high chair to prevent falls and discourage them from leaning over the table, which could lead to accidents,” says Dr. Freda Singletary, a pediatrician at Rainbow Pediatrics.
Barnes offers additional advice: “Make sure [the chair is] securely attached and at no risk for tipping or falling over.”
Finally, “in order to ensure the baby's safety, make sure you choose the table you use wisely,” Johns recommends. “It should be sturdy and heavy enough to support the weight of the clip-on high chair without toppling over. Avoid tables made of flimsy plastic or glass, and never hook a high chair over a tablecloth or placemats.
Chloe Sorvino leads coverage of food and agriculture at Forbes, and writes the newsletter Fresh Take. Her book Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed and the Fight for the Future of Meat published on Dec. 6th, 2022 with Simon & Schuster’s Atria Books. Since joining Forbes in 2015, Chloe has reported at In-N-Out Burger’s secret test kitchen, drought-ridden farms in California’s Central Valley, burnt-out national forests logged by a timber billionaire, a 100-year slaughterhouse business in Omaha, and even a chocolate croissant factory designed like a medieval castle in Northern France.
Follow Chloe on Twitter and Instagram.
Chloe Sorvino leads coverage of food and agriculture at Forbes, and writes the newsletter Fresh Take. Her book Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed and the Fight for the Future of Meat published on Dec. 6th, 2022 with Simon & Schuster’s Atria Books. Since joining Forbes in 2015, Chloe has reported at In-N-Out Burger’s secret test kitchen, drought-ridden farms in California’s Central Valley, burnt-out national forests logged by a timber billionaire, a 100-year slaughterhouse business in Omaha, and even a chocolate croissant factory designed like a medieval castle in Northern France.
Follow Chloe on Twitter and Instagram.
I'm a tech journalist working and living in Gloucestershire, in the UK. I ran my own PC hardware review website for many years before transitioning into freelance writing. I've covered everything from the rise of Bitcoin and the encroachment of anti-privacy laws, to tabletop wargaming and advances in virtual reality. I've written, authored, edited, and copywritten for a broad array of the most prominent publications, including Digital Trends, Lifewire, PCGamer, The Inquirer, and KitGuru. I've also written two novels, and contributed backstory and dialogue to a handful of games. I am passionate about all the cutting-edge hardware inside and out the latest gadgets, PCs, and consoles, even if I can't always afford them.
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