This $20 High Chair Is Hard to Beat (I Used It For Years!)

Picking out a high chair for your baby is a pretty big deal. It’s where they’ll eat most of their meals for the first couple of years of their life, and a good high chair can also even encourage them to eat more. The choice doesn’t just affect your baby, either: Whatever chair you choose will be a main feature in your dining room for years to come, so consider the size and look of the chair as well as how easy it is to clean.

I used the ANTILOP high chair from IKEA for years and with multiple kids. It’s a great chair to use as your main high chair, which is why it was one of the parent-picked winners of the 2024 Cubby Nursery Awards. Among other things, I especially liked the ANTILOP as a more portable and lightweight option to use in different locations. Here’s my review.

High chairs come in all shapes and sizes. Here’s what I look for when shopping for a high chair. 

• It should be sturdy. A good high chair needs to be sturdy to lower the risk of tipping and falling. I’m looking for something that’s well-made and that isn’t going to wobble or tip while my kids are eating. Especially for younger toddlers who might try to climb out of the chair, I also look for straps to hold them in.
• It has to be easy to clean. High chairs get messy. Like, really messy. High chairs that are easy to clean are a major bonus. If there is fabric on the chair, it makes life so much easier if it’s machine washable, and I prefer that there aren’t too many nooks and crannies for food to get stuck. Old pieces of food stuck way down in a high chair crevice is not a pretty sight.
• It needs to be comfortable for my child. Some high chairs come with fabric and padding to help kids be comfortable, although I don’t find that entirely necessary. Kids should be able to comfortably sit in their chair and be able to reach their food. 
• I like when it’s easy to move around. While we typically eat most meals at our dining room table, we also often eat out on our patio in the summer. It’s nice to have a lightweight high chair that isn’t too cumbersome. We’ve even been known to throw our high chairs in the car for trips to Grandma’s house, so something that can come apart or fold up for travel is a major bonus. 

• Name: IKEA ANTILOP High Chair
• Model: 892.284.34
• Price: $19.99

After using the IKEA ANTILOP as well as many other high chairs over the years, I really like the simplicity and ease of use of the ANTILOP. Nothing needs to be adjusted, and the chair cleans up really well. 

Here are a few standout features of the ANTILOP, in my experience. 

• The ease of cleaning: It doesn’t get much easier to clean than the IKEA ANTILOP. There’s no fabric to wash, and there are very few nooks and crannies on the seat, legs, or tray. It’s so easy to wipe down, and when we use it outside, hosing it down is also a great option.
• The price: You really just can’t beat the price of the IKEA ANTILOP chair. At just $20, it’s ideal for families on a budget. The price is also low enough to justify buying a second chair to keep at the grandparents’ house (which is something I did) or to throw in the trunk of the car to use as a travel high chair.
• The portability: The ANTILOP high chair weighs less than eight pounds, is relatively small, and comes apart and goes back together easily. This makes it an ideal option to move from one place to the next, and this can be a huge money-saver, too. If you move this chair around, you won’t need to purchase a separate travel high chair.
• The simple design: I find this high chair so easy to use. Simply put your child in, strap the safety belt, and they’re ready to go. There is nothing to adjust. Other chairs I’ve tried sometimes had difficult buckles or trays that had to be removed to get kids in and out. The simple design is also ideal because it doesn’t clash with the decor in my home. 

While this chair is a favorite of mine, you are sacrificing some things when you opt for the lower price tag — namely ergonomics. The chair doesn’t have a footrest, and it’s also lacking any sort of padding or fabric to help kids be more snug in the seat. This is especially apparent when trying to use the chair with a baby who is first starting solids and might not be the best at sitting unassisted. You can, however, purchase a footrest and additional padding, like this ANTILOP chair hack shows.

Buy It: ANTILOP High Chair, $19.99 from IKEA