A surprising number of highchairs on the market are fixed heights, but this one has seven positions. The seat also has three recline positions, notching up the comfort factor and making you more likely to use it beyond just mealtimes. The recline positions also mean the highchair is ideal for little ones who are ready to wean, but still wobbly on the sitting-up front.
The chair is a reworked version of Fisher-Price's original Healthy Care Highchair, and forms part of the Fisher-Price Rainforest range, which includes everything from swings to a baby gym, so children get to recognise the cheeky monkeys, goofy giraffes and other characters.
What we love
When it comes to adjusting any new piece of kit, there's nothing worse than scratching your head, searching for hidden buttons, or battling with fiddly clips and clasps. With its clearly signposted controls, I found the Fisher-Price Rainforest Healthy Care Highchair refreshingly idiot-proof to manipulate, whether lowering and reclining the seat or sliding out the tray - which can be done one-handed. It also folded up easily, meaning it could be taken away on holiday, tucked in a corner or kept as a spare.
The seven height positions give it fantastic flexibility. This is handy for transfering mealtime from dining to coffee table if you want your baby to sit at a lower level with the grown-ups (or it could be used for - dare we say it - a TV supper).
Any highchair worth its salt should be easy to clean, and this certainly is. The vinyl seat pads are both wipe-clean and removable, while the top tray can be popped in the dishwasher to blitz bugs and germs (though bear in mind its fairly big, so might not fit some smaller models). Harnesses can get hideously filthy, thanks to the constant slurry of purees and assorted baby mush. Thankfully, you can remove this one for machine washing, or stick it in the top-rack of the dishwasher – why don't more designers think of that?
Another small design feature that Elliot and I both loved is the way the feeding tray has 'dips' for beakers and food - handy for attractively arranging finger foods, whether chunks of cheese, florets of broccoli or strips of toast for tiny hands to grab.
What to watch out for
While sturdy, the chair is quite large and cumbersome to move, even when folded up, so make sure the bulky dimensions won't swamp smaller rooms. A clip to keep it together when folded would make transportation easier, while a storage basket underneath wouldn't have gone amiss either.
The shiny plastic quotient is high – while the cheerful animal design is brilliant for kids, parents with minimal homes may prefer something a little more restrained.
Who is the Fisher-Price Rainforest Healthy Care Highchair best for?
Practical parents who want an easy-clean, comfy highchair with plenty of flexibility.
Fisher-Price is famous for its toys, and the Rainforest Healthy Care Highchair will feed your baby’s imagination with its bright jungle theme. Your baby (or toddler) will feel safe and comfy inside, it's easy to clean and is one of the more flexible chairs on the market, particularly in terms of height. While it's not particularly compact and a little pricier than some more basic chairs, it's a great-value choice for parents who have the space.
