When you add a child to your otherwise peaceful dinner, things will never be the same. Will it be more entertaining? Yes. Chaotic? Certainly. Will the high chair you choose actually matter? Well… maybe. I reviewed the Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair — an adjustable, tray-less chair that frankly costs as much as a high-end car seat — to find out.
In this Stokke review, I’ll go over:
- What makes the Stokke unique
- Assembly
- Size and features
- Pricing and where to buy
- Is the Stokke worth it?
- FAQs
I’m Matt, by the way. I’m a high school band teacher based in Ohio, a dad of two, and a self-appointed high chair tester. Before writing this review, I tested the Stokke Tripp Trapp for two months with my youngest kid, who was six months old when we began testing. Keep reading and you’ll also hear about my three-year-old, who was very helpful (wink) when assembling the chair.
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What makes the Stokke high chair unique?
You’ll find there are about as many high chairs as there are presidential candidates before the primaries (and as much variety!)
- Wondering what else you need to feed your baby? We’ve got a new baby checklist for that.
From huge, cumbersome high chairs that could hold up in a zombie apocalypse to portable seats that might make you question your child’s safety (like when you load something into the back of your truck, give it a shake, and say “eh, that’s probably not going anywhere”), the options are endless. If you’re here, you likely know this. And you know finding the high chair that’s right for your family and living space is important. So, without further ado… What is it about a Tripp Trapp that’s so different?
The Tripp Trapp connection
Stokke (the company that makes the Tripp Trapp) is a Norwegian brand whose mission is to “support parents and caregivers as they support their children to grow up confidently.” They’re known for making high chairs and strollers that support physical development and connection, featuring designs that bring the child closer to their parents (in the literal, “this seat is physically closer to my face” kind of way).
So, one of the first things you’ll likely notice about the Tripp Trapp is that it doesn’t look like your typical high chair. It was designed by Peter Opsvik, credited as “the designer who set a new standard for sitting.” We’ll get into this later, but its design makes it a lot easier to bring your child closer to the table.
The Stokke cool factor
In addition to being kind of fun to say, the Stokke Tripp Trapp is pretty freaking cool and — dare we say — fancy. If you’re looking for sophistication points, you should know this chair is on display in a permanent exhibit in the MOMA. I told you: It’s fancy.
… Which also means it’s sort of a big-ticket item, especially for a high chair, coming in at $319. So, how does the functionality, safety features, and general fanciness of the Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair stack up against its price? Let’s find out.
Assembling the Tripp Trapp high chair
Spoiler Alert: I like the Tripp Trapp, but assembly is one of my first knocks on this high chair. The instructions have precisely 0 words — just pictures (which are fairly vague). I believe most people can figure these out, but if I didn’t have experience putting together various baby-related things, I might be lost and looking for a YouTube video tutorial.
To make things more complicated, my 3-year-old now wants to help me assemble everything, which is awesome. Unless, of course, there are 12 bolts and washers and various other small pieces that can easily be misplaced. While I love the help, the constant worry that I’d lose something was unnerving. I didn’t expect there to be so many pieces for a high chair.
We’ll get to this part later, but, like I said, I really do like this chair. It’s sturdy and reliable. But the downside is that the assembly takes some time and focus. In fact, while putting this chair together I inadvertently skipped a step — something I didn’t realize until the end, and the chair wouldn’t fit together correctly. This was very annoying because I had to deconstruct the chair back to the step I missed. I’m not blaming anyone, but a certain 3 year old might have distracted me with his cuteness.
Stokke high chair size and features
A version of the Tripp Trapp high chair has been around since 1972, and its design was inspired by Opsvik’s growing child, who outgrew a high chair but wasn’t big enough to use an adult chair. The Tripp Trapp is designed not only to grow with your child but also to help them find an “ideal” sitting position, which — as noted by Stokke — means they’re able to shift and move using the adjustable footplate.
So, what does this mean for size and features?
Size
We loved the size and stature of the Tripp Trapp. Practically, the Stokke high chair does a great job of finding the middle ground between a bulky high chair and a tiny portable one. Our previous high chair was like a throne that took up more room than a small car. This one only stands 32.5 inches tall and 18 inches wide. The floor space is 18 x 22.4 in. This becomes important because, as we’ll discuss, the chair pushes right up to your dining room table.
Features
One of the most notable features of the Stokke high chair is its lack of a tray. You read that right — this high chair is intended to be pushed right up to your table. Stokke sells a tray separately, but we just set our baby in the chair and put his food on our dinner table.
According to Stokke, this is to help foster a sense of connection. But we liked this feature because, when the chair is not in use, we can leave it at the table without worrying about tripping over it. It’s nice to be able to leave the high chair out whenever we need it.
The Tripp Trapp also features an adjustable seat height and footplate height. These two components work independently, which allows babies/kids of all heights to be comfortable in the chair. By itself, Stokke is designed the chair to accommodate children from 6 months to 3 years (they even claim the chair can safely hold an adult weighing up to 242 lbs!). But you can also add a Tripp Trapp newborn attachment and cover to safely cradle your newborn at the table or a Tripp Trapp baby set which provides extra support for a young infant learning to sit.
Honestly, for our 6-month-old, we decided to just leave the footplate off entirely. His little legs barely reach over the seat anyway, so I decided to neglect that step. If I had an older child sitting in this high chair (18 months or so), I’d probably put the footplate back on for them.
Colors and More Tripp Trapp Customizations
The Tripp Trapp chair comes in 17 different colors/wood stains, and you can customize it online with different colors and accessories, like storage bins and cushions (!). The material used is Beech Wood, and it does a great job of cleaning up after messy meals. The high chair also features a 5-point harness to keep the little ones safe.
Pricing, where to buy, and extras
You can get the Tripp Trapp directly from the Stokke website, which gives you the advantage of customizing the chair, or you can purchase it on Amazon.
Pricing for the Tripp Trapp on Stokke’s website currently looks like this:
- Tripp Trapp high chair + baby set with a five-point harness: $319
- Includes the Tripp Trapp high chair and a seat with a five-point harness so that your child can start using the chair at 6 months
- Tripp Trapp high chair + newborn set:
- Includes the Tripp Trapp chair and a newborn attachment which cradles your infant until they begin to sit independently
- Tripp Trapp chair
- Just the Tripp Trapp chair, with no baby seat
If you purchase directly from Stokke, you have the option to customize your chair. This could be a good option if you want a custom color or if you’d like to include both the baby seat and the newborn set.
You can also purchase on Amazon:
If you have Amazon Prime, purchasing on Amazon might get you faster shipping.
Stokke Extras
If you customize your chair on Stokke’s site, you might notice a variety of optional add-ons like storage and cushions. At the time of writing, you can purchase the following accessories in a variety of colors:
- Seat cushion
- Tray
- Baby cushion
- Glider set
- Storage bin
- Newborn seat cover
Oh, and if you’re a Disney family? Stokke just released a Disney collection including Mickey-themed cushions for the Tripp Trapp.
Is the Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair Worth It?
We’ve used this high chair for over 2 months now. Compared to the only other high chair we’ve had, I like this one much better! It is very convenient in a few different ways. First, it matches our table and other chairs pretty well (obviously something that I [my wife] care a great deal about). It actually almost looks like it came with our kitchen table/chair set.
Second, its size is great for our kitchen space. It can scoot up very close to the table which is great for the baby when eating, but also for our 3-year-old when he wants to run around and around. He doesn’t have to worry about dodging the high chair.
Third, and most importantly: Our baby loves it. It’s supportive, comfortable enough that he likes sitting in it, and it’s safe. We’ve had zero “close call” moments with the chair almost tipping or him almost falling out.
This chair is also lightweight enough that, if we had to (we haven’t yet) transport it to another house we could do so easily. The weight also makes it super easy to move around when not in use, and the floor needs to be cleaned up from all of the food splatter.
The Awesome
Style: Of course, there’s the cool factor. How often can you say that your baby’ furniture is featured in the MOMA? Not all that often, I’d bet.
Safety: The Tripp Trapp is sturdy and well-made. I felt safe with our son in it, especially with the baby set attachment. If you need extra support, they also sell gliders to make the chair more stable.
Size/Weight: Sure, the chair is cool, but the size and weight of this chair are what really stood out to me. I really liked that the Tripp Trapp was big enough to feel sturdy but small and light enough to fit well in our kitchen. It moves easily (but only when we want it to move). This makes clean-up a lot easier.
Level of Baby Enjoyment: The most important question for me: Does my son enjoy it? And he does!
Lifespan: The adjustable height and footplates, along with the different attachments, means this chair can grow with your child during all of their younger years. This is a plus for me, considering its price tag.
The Wish-It-Were-Different
Assembly: Ease of assembly was on par with convincing a toddler that broccoli is delicious (that’s… not easy). Some words in the instruction manual would be helpful.
Price: There are ultimately much cheaper high chairs out there. You have to decide how much you value what Stokke brings to the table (pun intended).
Final Verdict
After reviewing the Stokke, would I buy it again? I would say absolutely! I was pretty stoked on Stokke. It has been a great addition to our dinner table. It’s compact, safe, and my son loves sitting in it and joining in on the mealtime fun.
Stokke High Chair FAQs:
Is the Stokke Chair Montessori-friendly?
We don’t claim to be Montessori experts at Fathercraft, but the short answer is yes. Because of the way the Tripp Trapp fosters connection at the dinner table and enables independence as the child grows, the chair tops a variety of “best montessori” chair lists.
Curious about other Montessori-inspired products? Check out our Lovevery play kit review.
Can a baby sleep in the Stokke Chair?
According to Stokke’s website, no. A baby should sleep on their back in a bassinet or crib.
Where is the Stokke Tripp Trapp made?
The Tripp Trapp is made in Europe, using wood found in Central Europe. (and according to this Reddit board, it’s quite popular there).
How long can my child use the Tripp Trapp?
Your child can use the Tripp Trapp from 6 months until 3 years old.
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