Best Foldable High Chair

Last Updated: May 11, 2023 @ 1:56 pm.

Best Budget-Friendly Foldable: Cosco Simple Fold High Chair 

Let’s talk about the best foldable high chairs.

After spending the last 25+ years (!) researching and rating high chairs, we’ve learned a thing or two about what makes for high chair happiness.  We boil it down to 3 High Chair Truths:

1. Easy to clean. By definition, high chairs are going to get dirty—but some make it easier to clean than others. Bad ideas: lots of nooks and crannies that are hard to clean. And chair pads that aren’t washable.
2. Easy to use. A good high chair has a safe, five-point harness and is easy to get baby in and out of. That means a tray that adjusts, a back that reclines and a dishwasher-safe tray insert.
3. Easy on the eyes. We know—the high chair is part of your kitchen, which means this one is often in full view for everyone to see. A good high chair should blend into the background and not be an eyesore!

With all that in mind, let’s go to our pick for the best budget-friendly foldable high chair. For some reason, high chairs can get very pricey . . . some fancy models can run hundreds of dollars. But we have good news: here is a high chair that hits all the right notes, at a price that doesn’t break the bank: the Cosco Simple Fold.

As the name implies, it folds simply for storage—and that is a plus if you have a small kitchen.

Yes, it is a low price, but you still get a seat with wipeable seat pad, 3-position tray adjust and built-in leg rest. This chair doesn’t recline, so you can’t use it for kids under six months. Also, the chair doesn’t have wheels but is easy to clean.

Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Standing, flat fold. This feature is important if you don’t have a lot of room in a kitchen—few high chairs have such a compact fold. And even fewer stand when folded.

• Lightweight—that makes it easier to move around, even if it doesn’t have wheels.

• Affordable.

• Easy to assemble.

• High weight limit: 50 lbs. That’s impressive.

• Wide base = safe and sturdy. It’s basic high chair physics: in our testing, we know the wide bases of chairs like this are safe and sturdy.

What Needs Work

• Not height adjustable. And there is no separate dishwasher-safe insert tray.

• Pad isn’t machine washable. You can only wipe the seat pad; it isn’t removable for washing.

• Doesn’t convert to booster seat. If you want a high chair that converts to other uses (booster seat, toddler table and chair), then see our last recommendation.

• Smaller babies can slump in the seat. In our testing, we noticed the slight recline of the seat can cause smaller babies to slump over in this chair. Again, it might be best if your baby can sit up unassisted before using this chair (that is usually around six months).

• No deep seat recline means this high chair is best for babies who are six months old or older (or can sit up on their own). If that feature is important to you, consider our next pick: a foldable high chair with a three-position seat recline.

Best Reclining Foldable Chair: Graco Slim Snacker High Chair

It’s the Catch 22 of high chairs. Most full-feature high chairs do NOT fold in a compact manner. And other bare bones high chairs do fold, but don’t have the features most folks like.

For the best compact fold high chair with a reclining seat, we’d give the nod to Graco’s Slim Snacker. It checks all the right boxes: full features yet compact fold. And a price that is easy on the wallet.

What We Liked

• Three position seat recline plus three/five point harness for safety. That means you can use it for younger babies that can’t sit up unassisted yet.

• Affordable.

• One-hand, standing fold. We found this high chair among the easiest to fold in our testing.

• Lightweight.

• Narrow fold: just 10.4″ wide. Yes, that will fit into a pantry or closet without a problem.

• No assembly required.

• Machine washable pad plus mesh storage basket, full size tray with cup holder.

What Needs Work

• No dishwasher-safe tray insert.

• No wheels.

• Removing pad for cleaning could be easier. This flummoxed some parents and we’d agree: it isn’t easy or intuitive. But there are videos that can help.

• Tray doesn’t lay flat on counter. That’s because the tray has a bar attached to it (to keep baby from submarining out of the chair). While this is a good safety feature, we’d prefer it attached to the chair, not the tray. That’s because you then can’t lay the tray flat on the counter when a bar is in the way.

• Flap that hides the release handle is a food magnet. That’s no fun to clean.

Best Grey High Chair: Joovy Nook High Chair

We know—you have to look at your baby’s high chair every day and it sits square in the middle of your kitchen. What if it was actually easy on the eyes?

Joovy’s Nook high chair is no frills, but gets the job done . . . all without screaming BABY! For those modern homes with that hip grey/white/black color palette, this chair would be right at home.

The Nook has a dishwasher-safe insert, swing open tray and compact fold. But that’s it—it doesn’t morph into a toddler chair or a toaster when you’re done feeding baby. No wheels, but there is a five-point harness for safety.

What We Liked

• Swing out tray—love it!

• Lightweight.

• Compact, one-hand standing fold.

• Minimalist vibe.

• Dishwasher-safe tray insert.

• Compact fold.

What Needs Work

• Pricey for a high chair that doesn’t convert to any other uses.

• Tray doesn’t fit easily in some dishwashers.

• Could be easier to clean.

• Seat cover is difficult to remove.

Best Convertible High Chair: Safety 1^st 3-in-1 Grow & Go High Chair

When it comes to high chairs, you can find full-feature high chairs with height adjustable seats . . . but often they aren’t foldable. Or foldable high chairs don’t have adjustable seats.

If you want the best of both worlds, we’d recommend Safety 1st’s 3-in-1 Grow & Go High Chair. Yes, this chair folds—and it converts to a toddler high chair thanks to a height adjustable seat (adjust the seat to your table height and use it without a tray).

What We Liked

• Easy to assemble.

• Affordable.

• Easy to clean.

• Seat cover is removable to surface wash.

• Standing fold/

• Tray stores on back of legs.

• 4 wheels with locks.

• Anti-submarining post attached to chair—great to keep baby secure when the tray is off.

What Needs Work

• Seat pad is not machine washable.

• Fold isn’t as compact as others.

• Takes two hands to fold.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!