Portable High Chairs Guide
Love checking out new restaurants and going on weekend adventures? With the right gear, those things don’t have to stop once you have a baby.
Portable high chairs, sometimes also called travel high chairs, are designed to provide a safe and clean spot for your little one to chow down wherever you go. Most either latch onto a table or strap around a dining chair and, because they take up far less space than traditional high chairs, some parents even use them full-time to save space at home.
Both kinds of portable high chairs have a harness so your little one can’t push out of their seat or slip through the bottom, but don’t use them until your child can sit up independently without slumping over (around six months).
Do You Need a Portable High Chair?
A portable high chair is great for eating out at restaurants that don’t provide any baby-friendly seating options or when you want to avoid the sticky, crusty broken-safety-belt loaners many places offer. (Another option is bringing a seat cover to place over the loaner high chair.)
If you plan on traveling frequently—whether to grandma’s house or overseas—having a portable high chair ensures your child always has a safe spot at the table. But you could also feed your child from your lap if you don’t mind the mess.
What Type of Portable High Chair Is Best?
Portable high chairs that clamp onto tables are small, light and easier to pack. But they might not work with round or oval-shaped tables, tables with thin lips or ones that aren’t solid enough to support your baby’s weight. Sometimes the fabric seats on these chairs are hand-wash or spot-clean only, making cleanup difficult. They also lack footrests, a feature recommended by most pediatric feeding specialists to help your little one facilitate a safe swallow.
Portable high chairs that strap onto dining chairs are often easier to clean, and sometimes more versatile—you can remove the tray to use them as a simple booster seat for toddlers. But this type of portable high chair can be bulky and a pain to tote around. And, depending on what type of table and chairs you’re working with, the high chair might not put your child at level height with the table or may not fit correctly on the seat.
Deciding what type of portable high chair to buy depends on what features matter most to you. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Usability: Is the seat safe and sturdy? Will it work with multiple types of tables or chairs? Is it easy to attach?
- Portability: Can you pack it in a suitcase or diaper bag? Does it have a carrying case or strap to put over your shoulder? Is it lightweight?
- Cleaning: Can you wipe it down? Is the fabric removable and washable?
Best Portable High Chair for Travel
There’s a reason this is called the Fast Table Chair: This portable high chair clamps onto tables in no time flat with a few twists of the knobs, making it perfect for travel but just as good to use at home, too. It’s even easier to pack up, with a drawstring carrying case that’s attached (and hidden) on the bottom of the seat. Just pull it out and package up the seat that folds flat when you’re ready to go. The seat is removable and washable and there’s a small pocket in the back to stash a bib. There’s also a custom-fit dining tray, sold separately. The seat will fit most tables from about 0.8 inches up to 3.3 inches thick.
Best Portable High Chair for Outdoors
If you’re headed to the beach, the pool or even adventuring to your yard or roof deck to dine alfresco, you could feed your little one on your lap—but odds are everyone will be more comfortable (and safer) in their own seat. This portable booster is the ideal solution. It’s lightweight, easy to open and close and packs up compactly in the included travel bag. There’s a tray and a three-point harness, and you can use the chair either on the ground or strapped to an adult chair. And it’s no match for any type of mess your baby or toddler can throw at it; the entire cover pulls off the frame in seconds and can be tossed right into the washing machine.
Another Outdoor Option
Baby Delight’s Go With Me Venture Chair is another option to consider if you’re looking for an outdoor seating solution—but there’s a lot more going on with this chair than just a picnic in the park. You’ll be able to use the Venture for a long time; three stages grow with your baby from about three months old until they hit 75 pounds. It’s also really stable, with a wide base that stays put even in grass and dirt. There’s a detachable canopy for shade and the whole chair folds up into the included carry bag quickly and easily.
Just note that although the polyester fabric is resistant to fading, stains and mold, it’s wipe-clean only.
Best Affordable Portable High Chair
This travel booster chair is easy to pack up and sling over your shoulder when you’re on your way to anywhere you’ll need a safe seat for your little one, and it won’t cost you a ton, either. The Dreambaby booster weighs under 2.5 pounds and fits most adult chairs using the long, adjustable safety straps. There’s a three-point harness, a built-in shoulder strap and a removable cover. (Just note that the cover is hand-wash only.) There’s even a storage compartment inside the seat that’s large enough to stash a bib, bottle and wipes.
Easiest to Install Portable High Chair
Most Compact Portable High Chair
Keep in mind that although it’s approved for babies six months and up, we found it works best once your little one is a bit older and more stable. It’s also expensive.
Best Full-Size Portable High Chair
Think a full-size high chair can’t be portable? Think again. This seat works for kids up to 45 pounds but folds compactly into the included carry bag. It sets up in seconds thanks to the pop-and-fold design and can be used either indoors or outside. (It can also be pulled right up to the table since the seat’s footprint is fairly small.) The fabric seat cover is machine washable and the included tray is dishwasher safe, and there’s a three-point harness for safety.
Easiest to Clean Portable High Chair
Being able to toss your high chair cover in the wash is an important feature to look for when you’re shopping for portable seats, but what if you don’t have to deal with the washing machine at all? This sturdy, portable seat has no fabric or sneaky crevices to worry about—simply give the entire seat a quick wipe after use and you’re good to go. It’s designed to work on top of a dining chair and features three height adjustments and three tray positions so you can find the position that’s most comfortable for your little one. It also folds up for easy portability.
Best Portable High Chair for Small Spaces
The SpaceSaver High Chair proves that just because you have a small dining area doesn’t mean you have to compromise on cushy features. It sits atop a dining room chair—no need to make room for more baby gear—and provides a just-right seat for your little one with two height adjustments and three recline positions.
It’s a popular replacement for a traditional high chair and it’s easy to see why: the seat and tray are dishwasher safe, the seat pad and harness are machine washable, and later it can be turned into a booster seat. Also, unlike other portable high chairs, this one can be used from the newborn stage and features a five-point safety harness (the kind that goes over the shoulders). Just keep in mind that it’s not the best for taking with you to restaurants or for traveling since it’s bulky and doesn’t fold down.