Maxi-Cosi Minla highchair review

At £179, the Minla is a higher-end product and you can expect a stylish, comfortable chair that will last in return for your cash. From the infant seat that’s used from birth right up to the sleek stool perfect for older children, the longevity of this product is impressive and it makes it one of only a few to choose from in the market. The plush, aesthetically-pleasing, grown-up design of the highchair also make it a standout star.

Tested by:

Annabelle is a journalist from Gloucestershire who tested the highchair with her seven-month-old son, Tadhg.

Do you like the look of the Maxi Cosi Minla Highchair?

Very much so – as soon as I got the Minla out of the box, I was already thrilled with it. It looks so stylish and high quality. The plastic highchairs I’d considered before pale in comparison to the Minla, with its padded soft seat and range of seating positions. It looks great in my kitchen so I was happy to have it on display – an opinion shared by both home testers from the MFM 2020 Awards who enthused about its stylish design, saying it was their favourite element of the seat, and remarking how much better it looks than most others. There are three colour options available and each one is understated and chic.

What is the age range of the highchair?

The Minla is suitable from birth right up to six years – the chair adapts depending on how old your child is, which is one of its major selling points. I love that it can be used as an infant chair for younger babies if you take off the tray and recline – many reviewers on Amazon, where it’s currently rated 4.7 out of 5, commented that their baby was much happier in the Minla than in their bouncer or rocker as it is so tall and allows your baby to watch as you prepare food or to be at table level during meals. My son is seven months old and I wish we’d had this earlier as it would been perfect for sitting him next to us while we ate.

As your child grows, it can be used as a conventional highchair, a booster seat (where the seat part is removed and mounted onto a chair), or as a child stool. These options definitely rack up the chair’s value for money points, although by age 4 or 5, arguably your child would be happier on a normal chair.

How does the Maxi Cosi Minla Highchair compare to other highchairs?

There are a handful of rivals at a similar price point that offer comparable functions to the Minla: the Chicco Polly Magic Relax (£184.99 on Amazon) is a worthy, multi-functional contender that’s slightly cheaper, it has a comfy cushioned seat that can be used from birth and it includes a toy bar, but it can only be used up to 36 months to the Minla’s 6 years.

The Peg Perego Prima Pappa Zero 3 (£130) is another option that’s slightly easier on the bank balance, it’s available in a number of bright shades and can be used from birth – like the Chicco Polly Magic Relax however, it’s only designed to be used up to age 3 and its seat is less cushioned, with a handful of reviewers saying their newborn could have been better supported.

Finally, the Evomove Nomi highchair (£179.95) delivers in the style stakes, with its minimalist, Scandinavian look. It has the potential to work from birth right to up to 12 years, but you need to buy numerous additional attachments to do so, including a newborn attachment for £99.95, making it a hefty investment. Plus it doesn’t fold down, so you either have to have a decent amount of space, or really love the look of it.

How adjustable is the Maxi Cosi Minla Highchair?

The Minla is very adjustable - there are nine height positions, five recline positions and four tray positions. All are easy to adjust and the mechanisms are really smooth. I can even take the tray off and recline the chair one-handed.

I especially love how tall the chair can stand – we have a breakfast bar in our kitchen and it was great that our son could sit at the same height as us.

Does the highchair feel comfy?

Tadhg loves being in the Maxi Cosi Minla and he’s a baby who doesn’t like being strapped into anything! The padded insert feels lovely and he looks so snug in there. Even after feeding he happily sits and plays with his toys on the tray while I clean the kitchen. The comfort factor is backed up by two home testers from the MFM 2020 Awards, who remarked how squashy the seat was, and how happy their children were in it.

Is the Maxi Cosi Minla Highchair tray easy to use?

The tray slides out easily from the chair and can be wiped clean or popped straight into the dishwasher, which is really handy after a particularly messy meal. The tray also has four positions which is useful as in other highchairs I’ve tried I found the tray sometimes sat too far away and food ended up falling down the front of my baby.

How easy is the highchair to clean?

Initially I was concerned as the seat fabric is material rather than plastic, making it less wipeable. And while it’s probably not as simple to clean as a plastic chair, it is easy to wipe with a damp cloth. You can also remove the covers by zipping them off at the back and putting them straight in the washing machine, which is a game changer. Almost all of the reviews on online retailer, Pramworld, mention how easy the seat is to clean.

How do you fold the Maxi Cosi Minla Highchair?

• Pull the armrest down by pressing the button on the outer side of them
• Pull in the clips on the back of the seat unit and pull the seat to its lowest position
• Use the large buttons on the side of highchair to pull it together

It’s not too difficult though sometimes the final step takes a little bit of welly as it is a little clunky and you need both hands.

Does it take up a lot of space?

It isn’t particularly compact but because the chair looks so nice, we were happy to have it unfolded (D87cm x W55cm x H107cm) all the time and we didn’t feel the need to hide it away when we had guests over. It does fold fairly neatly (D30cm x W55cm x H120cm) so could be stored in a cupboard if needed, or even against the wall when not in use. A number of online reviewers love how the tray clips onto the highchair’s legs, which is a nifty extra feature.

In comparison to its competitors, the Peg Perego Prima Pappa Zero 3 and the Chicco Polly Magic Relax both fold smaller, though not dramatically so and the Evomove Nomi highchair doesn’t have the option to fold at all.

Can you take the Maxi Cosi Minla Highchair away?

When it’s built as a highchair or infant seat it’s not practical to take away with you as it’s so big and bulky, but it’s definitely easier if you wanted to take the chair off the frame and use it as a booster seat or child stool. At this point in a child’s age though, it’s arguably easier for them to sit on an adult seat anyway, so there may be less need to take it anywhere.

Can you move it easily around the house?

Yes, the front legs are on wheels so it’s really easy to move it from room to room. We use it between the kitchen and the dining room and I’ve found it really manoeuvrable.

What’s in the box?

The seat
The high chair frame
The tray

What design elements did you like the best?

The ease of removing the tray is one of my favourite things about the highchair as inevitably this needs to be done after every meal. The front legs with wheels are also super handy.

Considering its higher-than-average price, is the Maxi Cosi Minla Highchair good value?

For me, it’s certainly worth the price – the quality, ease-of-use, comfort, style and longevity all make it a good investment. I would definitely recommend it to other parents-to-be.

Where can I buy it?

You can get it from Amazon, John Lewis and JoJo Maman Bebe

MadeForMums verdict:

While its undoubtedly a premium product with a price tag to match, the Maxi Cosi Minla Highchair boasts a variety of features to justify the heftier expense – almost chameleon-like in its ability to adapt to a growing child right through to age 6, the Minla will be in use long after many leading chairs are outgrown.

Added to this, it’s brilliant washable covers, host of everyday functions that work seamlessly and beautiful, sleek finish, and you have a highchair that pays for itself many times over. There’s no wrestling with the chair to get the tray off or to put it in recline position and the wheels make it easy to move from room to room.

It’s also perfect for those who feel their house is being taken over by rainbow-bright baby products – this chair really does look very stylish.

Read More...

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• Buyer’s guide to highchairs
• Peg Perego Prima Pappa Zero 3 highchair review