What we love
I was delighted to find that this highchair comes ready to go straight out of the box. You just lift it out, unfold it and you’re done. It really could not be more straightforward. Usually, several wasted hours spent pouring over instructions and the retrieval of the tool box from the very messy garage follows the arrival of new piece of baby equipment in our house!
The folding mechanism works via a foot peal – something I’ve only seen on pushchairs before – and it works so well on this highchair, I’m surprised more companies don’t make use of one. I found it a lot easier than fiddling around for buttons with my hands and more often than not trapping them in the folding process. You do have to release catches with your fingers when both folding and unfolding but they’re easy to find and as the process is so smooth, it isn’t a problem. There is also a safety catch on the foot pedal so mums with babies and older children don’t need to worry about little feet accidentally stepping on to it and collapsing the chair.
I really like highchairs that feel fairly weighty as I feel they’re safer. This highchair – with its wide base and reinforced tubular steel and aluminium frame - certainly falls into this category, yet it also feels feather-light when putting it up and down, something which must be down to the design.
The seat is also large with plenty of room for my 2-year-old son and space to grow. As it reclines to two different positions, I suspect a younger baby would be equally comfortable in it, too.
The moulded footrest can be adjusted and the tray can be moved into three positions, perfect for when you child gets bigger.
Despite these many features, the QuickSmart Easy Fold Highchair is surprisingly compact when folded and can be stored neatly or taken in the back of the car. The tray can also remain in place when folded, which I thought was brilliant as often trays have to be kept separate, wasting more space.
What to watch out for
It’s a matter of taste but the QuickSmart Easy Fold is not the prettiest of highchairs. It has a rather bulky appearance and the one I tested had a red and grey palette, which won’t appeal to those who want their kit to say ‘baby’. Having said that, it might not look out of place in a super-modern kitchen or dining room. And as it’s so easy to store away, looks certainly aren’t everything.
The instructions for the Easy Fold Highchair were misleading to say the least. They are generally unclear, but specifically, buttons that were grey on the chair were described as being ‘red’ in the booklet, which led to a lot of head-scratching. Fortunately, the chair is so intuitive to use, I just worked it out for myself.
The PVC padding on the seat has been designed so as little food as possible gets trapped in it, and although tough and durable, this type of fabric does tend to get a bit sweaty for little ones in the height of summer, which is something to bear in mind.
Who is the QuickSmart Easy Fold Highchair best for?
Mums after a solid highchair they can easily put out of sight.
It may not be the nicest to look at but the QuickSmart Easy Fold Highchair has plenty of handy features, from the recline to the footrest. The biggest one though is the fold – you’ll struggle to find a chair that’s as easy to put up and down.
