Concord Lima travel highchair review

On the other end of the scale, less rigid but cheaper (and more portable) options include lightweight fabric boosters including the Totseat and Polar Gear Go Anywhere Booster.

What’s In The Box?

• Ready-assembled Lima Seat Unit
• Moulded plastic feeding tray
• Nylon Carry bag
• Instruction Booklet

Any additional extras?

• No

What were your first impressions?

The first thing I noticed about the Lima was that it was a perfectly formed little chair! There’s nothing childish about its simple good looks. Indeed its cushiony-soft red upholstery (I got the Lava red option) and tubular aluminium frame could easily be upscaled to a grown-up chair three times its size, and I’d be happy to sit cosily in it. The whole thing is good to go straight out the box, which is brilliant, and the instructions are few and easy to follow.

How well does it travel?

Well. I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about what constitutes a travel product. There’s a wide chasm between what easily fits in the car for dinner at grandma’s, to what can be hauled in a holdall for a trip on the train and all day festival fun.

The Lima certainly fits into the first “I’ll just nip out and fetch the baby’s high chair from the boot” category. It packs a lot of strength into its 2.3kg, and its impressive.

But it’s not the sort of thing, for example, you want to be taking as hand luggage on a plane.

So how is it when out and about?

It provides excellent stability and safety when you’re out and about. I had no qualms about turning down a smeared and sticky chain-restaurant high chair, letting bemused waiters watch while I got to grips with fastening the Lima to one of his establishment’s bog-standard seats.

Thick fabric straps buckle both behind and below the adult-sized chair ensuring two-way stability, and on four seat styles I tried I never had a problem.

That said, particularly well padded upholstery, small seat pads and benches or stools with no back are a no-go. Fans of Wagamamas take note!

How does it fold?

The folding mechanism, which opens out like a deck chair, slips into position with a reassuring, high-quality click. And the rubber feet add a nice stability.

Is it easy to keep clean?

It certainly is, I like the feel of this little beauty and am particularly impressed by what’s hidden away.

There’s a smooth-edged beech seat base under the cosy covers, which pop off to launder at 30 degrees.

How long do you think it will last?

I’m pretty sure it will last for years (much longer than we’ll need it, at any rate)!

What do you think of the size?

The chair’s instructions actually say this seat is suitable from age two plus but I can’t help but think ‘er, really?’. With its dinky physique many kids will have outgrown it before their second birthday.

How is it when feeding your little one?

We quickly learnt that the chair, albeit a bit low, is easiest to use when eating with the family at the main table.

Although there’s a cup holder indent in the moulded plastic tray there’s not too much other surface space for uncoordinated little kids to eat their meal from (I’m just beginning to wean baby Ru and his baby-led options have narrowed when yet another bit of avocado has been knocked sideways the floor).

The same goes for toys, books etc. But since it is a travel high chair, maybe you’ve left everything bulky at home?

Tell us about the tray.

It’s frustrating that the supplied tray can’t be added and removed while baby’s in situ. For some this will be a plus point because the fit is so snug the whole thing feels safer.

However more fussy toddlers who don’t like confinement are likely to kick and scream as you try to lower them into place.

Who is the Concord Lima best for?

Great for small homes as well as on-the-go crews who want to bring baby along to be part of the action!

In a nutshell

This is German engineering on a small but perfectly formed scale. Simple and stylish, the Concord Lima travel highchair doesn’t try to be over-clever. It just does what it does very well.