Best convertible high chair: the Stokke Tripp Trapp, and two cheaper alternatives
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Our pick, if you don’t read another word: the best convertible high chair for a growing child is the Stokke Tripp Trapp. We own one, it’s our everyday chair, and it goes from newborn options all the way to a chair an adult can sit in. If you want the same grow-with-me idea for less, two wooden alternatives come recommended by parents we know: the Mamazing GrowPod Pro, which also folds, and the Cowiewie 3-in-1.
One note on scope. We cover high chairs as gear. When a baby is ready to sit and eat is a question for the AAP and your pediatrician, and we set out what they say in when can a baby use a high chair. How to fit the harness and use the chair safely is a question for the manual and the CPSC.
How we know these chairs
We want to be clear about this up front, because it matters for how much weight you give each one. We own the Stokke Tripp Trapp and use it every day. The Mamazing GrowPod Pro and the Cowiewie 3-in-1 we haven’t used ourselves. Each is owned by a parent we know, the photos are theirs, and what we say about the two chairs comes from their experience and the specs. The ratings for those two are ours, based on what those parents told us, and we keep them separate from the chair we’ve tested.
What makes a high chair convertible
A convertible high chair changes as your child grows instead of being outgrown. All three here are the grow-with-me kind: a wooden chair with a seat and a footrest that move up and down the frame. A baby set or cushions and a harness go on for the early months, and later the chair carries on as an ordinary chair, which is why all three are rated to adult weights.
The Tripp Trapp is the original, designed by Peter Opsvik in 1972 so that every age could sit at the same table. The Mamazing and the Cowiewie follow the same idea for less.
The three side by side
| Stokke Tripp Trapp | Mamazing GrowPod Pro | Cowiewie 3-in-1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 5 / 5 | 4.5 / 5* | 4 / 5* |
| How we know it | We own it, our everyday chair | A parent we know owns it | A parent we know owns it |
| Wood | Solid beech | FSC-certified wood frame, wood seat | Natural wood |
| Weight limit | 300 lb | 220 lb, from 6 months | 200 lb |
| Its own weight | 21.4 lb | 15 lb | 8.85 kg (about 19.5 lb) |
| Harness | 5-point, on the Baby Set | 5-point | Harness included |
| Tray | Included in our bundle | Dual removable tray, dishwasher-safe cover | Adjustable, removable tray |
| Extras | Newborn options, 7-year warranty on the wood | Folds compact, 5-year warranty | Eight height levels, two waterproof cushions |
*Rated from what the parent who owns it told us, not from our own use.
1. Stokke Tripp Trapp: the convertible that lasts longest
A solid beech chair, rated to 300 lb, that weighs 21.4 lb. Ours came as a bundle with the chair, the Baby Set, a removable 5-point harness, the tray and a cushion. The Baby Set is for 6 to 36 months and attaches without tools, and there are newborn options for it as well. When your child outgrows the Baby Set, it comes off, and the seat and foot plates adjust as they grow, well into adulthood. It has gliders for stability and a 7-year warranty on the wooden parts.
It’s the most convertible chair we’ve used, in the sense that matters: there’s no stage where it gets outgrown. We bought ours recently, and it has become our everyday chair. We use it with the tray on, it’s easy to clean, and the build is very good.
What we like
- Newborn options, then a Baby Set, then a chair into adulthood
- Solid beech, rated to 300 lb, with very good build quality
- A 5-point harness on a Baby Set that attaches without tools
- Easy to clean with the tray on, and a 7-year warranty on the wood
What we don't
- At 21.4 lb, the heaviest of the three
The full review is our Stokke Tripp Trapp review.
Cheaper alternatives to the Stokke Tripp Trapp
The Tripp Trapp’s idea, a wooden chair whose seat and footrest move as your child grows, has been copied widely, and some of the copies cost a good deal less. We cover two here. We haven’t used either ourselves. Each is owned by a parent we know, and we’ve written up what they told us alongside the specs.
What they share with the Tripp Trapp is the part that matters most: a wooden frame, a seat and footrest that adjust, and a weight limit that runs to adult sizes, 220 lb for the Mamazing and 200 lb for the Cowiewie, against the Tripp Trapp’s 300 lb.
2. Mamazing GrowPod Pro: the closest alternative, and it folds
Our rating, based on the parent we know: 4.5 out of 5.
A wooden grow-with-me chair for 6 months to 220 lb, with an FSC-certified wood frame and a water-resistant natural wood seat. The seat moves to any height, with no tools needed to adjust it, and later it works as an ordinary dining chair for any age. It has a 5-point harness, a footrest and a dual removable tray whose cover goes in the dishwasher. It also folds compact for storage. It weighs 15 lb, comes in white, black, washed natural and walnut, and has a 5-year warranty.
What we like
- Grows from 6 months to 220 lb, and doubles as a dining chair for any age
- Folds compact for storage
- Dishwasher-safe tray cover and a quick-wipe wooden seat
- 5-point harness, tool-free adjustment and a 5-year warranty
What we don't
- We have not used it ourselves, so this is a parent we know, not our own testing
- A lower weight limit than the Tripp Trapp, 220 lb against 300 lb
3. Cowiewie 3-in-1: the budget dupe
Our rating, based on the parent we know: 4 out of 5.
A natural wooden 3-in-1 convertible high chair, rated to 200 lb. It has eight height levels, an adjustable, removable tray and two waterproof cushions, and it comes with a harness. It weighs 8.85 kg, about 19.5 lb.
What we like
- The grow-with-me idea for less, rated to 200 lb
- Eight height levels and an adjustable tray
- Waterproof cushions that wipe clean
- Easy to move around the house, according to the parent we know
What we don't
- We have not used it ourselves, so this is a parent we know, not our own testing
- The lowest weight limit of the three, at 200 lb
How to choose a convertible high chair
Start with how long you want it to last. All three here are rated to adult weights, so all three can carry on as an ordinary chair after the high chair years. The difference is how far: 300 lb, 220 lb or 200 lb.
Check what it does for a young baby. A harness that holds well in the early months matters, and some chairs add a baby set or newborn options, as the Tripp Trapp does. Which your baby needs, and when, is a question for the manual and your pediatrician.
Check the cleaning. A removable tray with a dishwasher-safe part, a wipeable seat and wipe-clean cushions are what you’ll be grateful for every day. Our routine is in how to clean a baby high chair.
Check the space. A wooden grow-with-me chair is a piece of furniture, and the Tripp Trapp is the heaviest of the three. The Mamazing folds compact if it has to be put away. For the wider choice between materials, see wooden vs plastic high chairs, and our full checklist is in the high chair buying guide.
Which one to buy
If you want one chair that lasts from the newborn months to adulthood, and you want the one we can vouch for from our own use, buy the Stokke Tripp Trapp.
If you want the same grow-with-me idea for less and it would help if the chair folds, look at the Mamazing GrowPod Pro.
If you want the grow-with-me idea at a lower cost still, with eight height levels and wipe-clean cushions, look at the Cowiewie 3-in-1.
The wooden chairs we’ve used ourselves are ranked in the best wooden high chairs, and every chair we own is in our best high chair roundup.
The bottom line
The best convertible high chair for a growing child is the Stokke Tripp Trapp, our 5 out of 5 and our everyday chair, because it never gets outgrown. For a cheaper Tripp Trapp alternative, the Mamazing GrowPod Pro and the Cowiewie 3-in-1 both come recommended by parents we know, at 4.5 and 4 on their accounts, and we’ve been clear that we haven’t used either ourselves.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best convertible high chair?
The Stokke Tripp Trapp, our 5 out of 5 and our everyday chair. It is solid beech, rated to 300 lb, has newborn options and a Baby Set with a 5-point harness, and when the Baby Set comes off, the seat and foot plates adjust as your child grows into adulthood.
What is a good cheaper alternative to the Stokke Tripp Trapp?
We cover two wooden grow-with-me chairs from parents we know who own them. The Mamazing GrowPod Pro is rated to 220 lb, has a 5-point harness, a dishwasher-safe tray cover and a 5-year warranty, and folds compact. The Cowiewie 3-in-1 is rated to 200 lb, with eight height levels, an adjustable tray and waterproof cushions. We have not used either ourselves, and we say so on the page.
What is a convertible high chair?
A high chair that changes as your child grows instead of being outgrown. The grow-with-me kind, like the Tripp Trapp, has a seat and footrest that move up and down a wooden frame, with a baby set and harness for the early months that comes off later, so the same chair keeps going for years.
How long can a child use a convertible high chair?
The three we cover are rated to adult weights: 300 lb for the Tripp Trapp, 220 lb for the Mamazing and 200 lb for the Cowiewie, so each can carry on as an ordinary chair long after the high chair years. When a baby is ready for a high chair at all is a question for your pediatrician.
Is the Stokke Tripp Trapp worth it over a cheaper alternative?
It is the one we chose and use every day, its build is very good, and it has a 7-year warranty on the wood and newborn options. The two alternatives follow the same grow-with-me idea for less, and the parents we know who own them are happy with them. If you want the one we can vouch for from our own use, it is the Tripp Trapp.