The short version
A basic upright plastic high chair with a strap and a wipeable tray does everything a meal needs; every feeding guideline wants the baby sitting upright, not reclined. Premium convertible chairs make sense only with space and a second child planned.
What happened
We borrowed a high chair from a friend whose daughter had outgrown it. It was the big one: padded, reclining, five height settings, a tray with a tray, wheels. It took up a quarter of our dining space and I cleaned dal out of its seams for a month. He loved it. I didn't.
When we had to return it I did something I rarely do: I bought the cheapest one I could find that passed one test. Could it hold him upright, feet supported, at the height of our table, with a strap? A plain plastic chair with a detachable tray did. It wipes down in thirty seconds and lives in a corner when not in use.
The upright test isn't a preference, it's the thing every feeding guideline agrees on. Before starting solids a baby should be able to sit with good head control, and every meal should be sitting up straight, not reclined in a bouncer or propped on a sofa. The expensive chair's recline feature was for a stage that, by the rules, shouldn't involve food at all.
The honest trade-off: the premium chairs convert into toddler chairs and last till five, and if you have a big dining room and a second child on the way, that maths can work. In a two-bedroom flat with one cub, a chair that gets thrown out at three was the right answer.
The AAP says a baby should be able to sit in a high chair or feeding seat with good head control before starting solids. The NHS adds that baby should be sitting still and upright, and never left alone while eating. The CDC: sit up to eat, no eating in a car or stroller.
AAP, Starting Solid Foods. Source · NHS Start4Life, Introducing solid foods. SourceThe verdicts
A basic plastic high chair with detachable tray and 3-point strap (R for Rabbit Jelly Bean or similar)
Upright, wipeable, and small. Everything a meal needs and nothing a flat doesn't have room for.
LuvLap 4-in-1 convertible high chair
The middle option: converts to a toddler chair, folds, and the tray comes off. Good if you want it to last past three.
Cubworthy, with a catch
R for Rabbit Marshmallow or similar premium chair
Lovely to sit in, a nightmare to clean, and the recline is for a stage that shouldn't involve food. Borrow one if you can.
Cubworthy, with a catch
Booster seat strapped to a dining chair
Worked at nani's and on holidays. Not stable enough as the everyday chair for a wriggler.
Product details are as we used them; the version on sale now may differ. Check the exact model and the manufacturer's instructions.