Foldable Booster seat Review

Pop-up portable high chair

What is a Foldable Booster Seat?

Pop-up portable high chair

Foldable booster seats – a seat that can fold flat and fold up to open. A bit like a mini camping chair. Another word to describe it, a “pop-up” portable high chair. Sits on top of adult chair and straps on securely to the chair below and back. Gives additional height so baby can sit right up to the table.

 

 

 

Pros

Easy to set-up – You just open out to set up. It just pops out to open.

✓ Light weight – It made with light metal rods and fabric. Stays light weight.

✓ Comes with a carry bag – Comes with a carry bag so ease of portability.

✓ Folds Compact – Folds flat and compact.

Great for camping – The chair is designed like an adult camping chair so does not need to be tied to a chair to be used except if you need to be boosted up onto the adult table, then you will need to be tied to an adult chair. As a camping chair, you can use it on the ground on the beach or on the grass.

Cons

  Fabric is flimpsy and easily rip – Common complaints from mums that the fabric easily ripped and with that it exposed metal rods, making it uncomfortable for toddler to sit on if they hit their legs on the rod.

  Uncomfortable for most toddlers – As the seat sinks down, it can make for an uncomfortable posture for the child.

  Not suitable for big babies – The chair is made quite small so not suitable for big babies so the seat could topple over when the weight is concentrated on the side.

  Fabric is not washable – The fabric used is easily wiped down however you can’t really take it off for a good wash.

  Not sturdy – As with adult camping type chair designs, the chairs are not made to be sturdy. If the child is swaying left to right and trying to get up, they could fall side-ways or back if not supervised. So even though the seat is like a bucket seat, the sides don’t really hold the baby safely inside.

Top 4 Mum’s Best Picks! 

1.Summer Infant Pop and Sit Portable Booster

Pop-up portable high chair

2. Ciao! baby Portable Travel Highchair

ciao portable high chair

3. Summer Infant Pop and Sit Portable Highchair

summer infant pop and sit

4. Phoenix Baby Goto 2-in-1 Carseat Holder & High Chair

phoenix baby high chair

 

 

Fabric Seat Harness Review

Fabric portable high chair

What is a Fabric Seat Harness?

Fabric portable high chair

Fabric seat harnesses –fabric that wraps around your baby and the chair holding baby in place so more like a harness rather that an actual seat. Does not give any additional height so baby stays on the chair’s height.

 

 

 

 

Pros

Light weight and portable – The whole seat is more a harness and made wholly out of fabric and straps so you just fold it flat like your clothes. It can fit into any bag especially a diaper bag.

✓ Easy to clean – Machine washable so you can just throw it into the wash for a thorough clean together with your clothes even!

✓ Comes with a carry bag – Comes with a carry bag so ease of portability.

✓ Easy to assemble – It’s easy to attach onto the baby and the chair.

Cons

  Not a booster – As it does not boost the height of the child, the infant or child will not be able to come up to the table level. Whereas the other portable high chairs all have this benefit of being able to bring the child up to the table level

  Security and comfort – Common complaints from mums that most kids feel like it is a strap rather than a seat. They don’t feel secure or comfortable so will try to wiggle out of it. So it will probably suit much younger child who are not as adventurous or rebellious!

  Not suitable for older children – When a baby can start to stand, it won’t work anymore as there are many temptation for the toddler to stand up such as trying to get up to the table level and they also feel like they tied down, not being able to sit with the table. Therefore it is not suited for babies when they can start to stand or wriggly around

  Compatibility to chairs – Will not fit all chairs. Some chairs might be too wide for the slip over to work

  Not as secured as it seems – The harness is secured over the chair through a slip over or cover over the back part of a chair. If this slips off, then the harness if no longer secured to the chair

  Needs to be washed to keep clean – If you were travelling, and you need to throw into the washing machine to wash, then this could be inconvenient while travelling. As it is probably not easy to do the washing and drying all in the same day so that you can use it again the next day. Even if you were not travelling, and you were using this locally, you will need to wait for the harness to dry before you can use it again. Wiping down does not keep the harness clean as it is not made with materials that can just be wiped clean.

Top 5 Mum’s Best Picks!

1.The Cozy Cover Easy Seat Harness

Fabric portable high chair

2. YISSVIC Baby Chair Belt Baby Chair Harness

  yissvic baby harness seat

3. YISSVIC Portable Baby Feeding Chair Belt

yissvic soft belt outdoor portable harness

4. Child Leash by Lucky Baby, 3 in 1 Toddler & Baby Harness

child leash by lucky baby

5. Baby HighChair Harness

baby high chair harness

Hook-on High Chair Review

Inglesina-fast-table-chair-hook-on

What is a Hook-on High Chair?

Inglesina Hook on high chair

Hook-on / Clamp-on / Clip-on seats – a fabric seat that hooks, clips and clamps onto the table’s edge, rather than the chair. Hence the inter-changeable names for it. Brings baby right to the table height but height of baby will depend on how tall baby is.

 

 

 

Pros

Suitable for Infant (6+ months) – As hook-on portable high chairs are bucket seat by design, it means it is well suited for infants and toddlers who are able to sit up but can’t sit up that independently yet or still wobbly as they still need the side support like a bucket seat. Whereas a Booster seat will give no such side support.

✓ Fold Flat – As the whole bucket seat is made of fabric held by metal frames that are collapsable, it means the seat can be fold flat when collapsed. Making it easy to transport. Also it makes storage very minimal around the house and when travelling in your suitcases.

✓ Light weight – The fabric and metal frames are minimal structures so the actual seat is light to carry around.

✓ Fabric can be washed – Some of the hook-on high chair models can washed in the washing machine and air dried by taking the fabric out of the metal frames. Though I caution that most mums found it was not that easy to take out and then put it back into the frames eventhough the instructions say you can take it out to wash. So although this is possible, it may not necessarily be easy to do.

Cons

  Not suitable for child over 3+ years old (or over 15 kgs) – As the seat is held by only two clamps through a hook-on or clip-on mechanism, a child that is heavy, and I use an indication of 3+ years old, or even younger if they are heavy, will not be safe in these type of seats. I would personally recommend when they turn 1+ years old or able to sit up independently that you use a booster seat as you are able to use the seat for a lot longer. The booster will not have weight issues

  Not easy to keep clean – Although manufacturers may claim some of the seats can be taken off and thrown into the wash, there are a few things to consider here. Common complaints are:

  • it is actually quite difficult to take off and then put back together so this may not be practical
  • if you are travelling, it is not practical to be putting this into the wash and then wait for it to dry. You may not be in a position to do this. So when it comes to keeping a portable seat clean, booster seat will always win hands down
  • Being a bucket seat, you will always catch food between the table to where the baby is. When the food is caught inside the bucket seat, it is stuck inside the folds and a chore to find them in between the folds and brush it off

  Not easy to install – Not all designs are easy to install. The metal rods and clips or clamps may be a bit complicated to start with.

  Compatibility to tables – All hook-on high chairs will have this problem. Some may be more compatible than others to various tables but will not be compatible with all tables. Things to consider are where the lip of the table is, how deep is the lip, how thick the table is, etc.

  The hook/clamp can cause marks on tables – Depending on what table you have and what model hook-on high chair you have, it could cause marks or damage to the table as you do have to tighten it quite tight onto the table

Top 5 Mum’s Best Picks!

1. Inglesina – Fast Table Chair – Hook-on

Inglesina Fast Chair

2. Mountain Buggy Pod Clip-on

mountatin buggy pod clip on

3. Phil and Ted Lobster High Chair

phil and ted lobster

4. Chicco Caddy Hook-on Chair

chicco caddy hook on

5. Chicco 360 Hook-on Chair

360 chicco high chair

Booster Seats Review

booster_seat

What is a Booster High Chair?

Yummigo Benbat Booster seat

As the name suggests, it is a box-type booster seat so boosts the height of baby’s seating  height to the table’s height. Sits on top of a dining chair and straps on securely to the chair below and back. Cannot be folded so usually comes compact and in a squarish box shape. Most designs allow storage inside the box seat. This type was my best pick!

 

Pros

✓ Clever design – compact box-type design with built-in straps. Some models has a Bonus storage inside the seat so double up as storage and seat

✓ Easy to Clean – As the booster seat is installed onto a chair, you can push the chair right up onto the table so less food would fall onto the seat. And if it does, most booster seats are easy to wipe clean as it is not a bucket seat that catches food

✓ Easy to install – It’s just a strap at the back and a strap at the bottom of the seat to secure. Very easy installation onto most type of chairs. No need to worry about types of tables you can install on

✓ Light weight – Very easy to carry as most models come in-built with straps and very light to carry around for travelling

Cons

  Not suitable for child under 1 years old – As a booster, they don’t come with side or back support so the toddler will need to be able to sit upright quite well

  Does not fold down flat so can seem bulky

  Fabric parts are not removable – Fabric parts of a booster seats are not made to be removed to wash like the Hook-on or Fabric harness, so the best you can do it wipe it down. However with booster seats you can push the chair right up onto the table to reduce less food from falling onto the booster seat.

Top 5 Mum’s Best Picks!

1. Benbat Yummigo Booster

Benbat Best toddler portable High chair

2. The First Years On-The-Go Booster Seat

Thefirstyear_booster_seat

3. Munchkin BRICA GoBoost Travel Booster Seat

munchkin_brica_goboost_travel

4. OXO Tot Perch Foldable Booster Seat oxo_perch_foldable_booster_seat

5. Summer Infant Deluxe Comfort Folding Boostersummer_infant_comfort_folding_booster