Primo PopUp vs Ingenuity Sun Valley: which fold-flat high chair
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Learn more.
Our verdict, if you don’t read another word: in the Primo PopUp vs Ingenuity Sun Valley choice, buy the Primo unless a 5-point harness is a must for you. We own both, and both fold flat. The Primo is our 5 out of 5: better made, lighter and ready out of the box. The Ingenuity is our 4, and its 5-point harness is the one thing it has that the Primo doesn’t.
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 how to fit the harness and use the chair safely is a question for the manual that ships with it and the CPSC, rather than a blog.
The quick verdict
These are the two high chairs we own that fold flat, and we’ve had both for about six months. They solve the same problem: a chair that has to be put away between meals. They differ on build, on the harness and on what comes with them.
Buy the Primo if you want the better-made chair, the thinnest fold and nothing to assemble. Buy the Ingenuity if a 5-point harness matters to you, or if you like the tray storing on the chair and a plate that locks onto the tray.
Three differences that decide it
The first is build quality. The Primo sits on a wide base with an alloy steel frame and feels solid. The Ingenuity is sturdy enough that we’re comfortable with our 18 month old in it, but it doesn’t feel as well made as other high chairs we’ve owned. That gap is most of the difference between our 5 and our 4.
The second is the harness. The Ingenuity has a 5-point harness. The Primo has a 3-point. Of our folding high chairs, the Ingenuity is the only one with a 5-point, so if that’s on your list, it’s the one.
The third is how they fold and what comes with them. The Primo folds with one button to about 4 inches thick in around 10 seconds and arrives fully assembled. The Ingenuity folds flat and stands up on its own when folded, with its tray clipped onto the back so the whole thing stays together. It goes together without tools, and it comes with a two-section Twist and Dine plate that locks onto the tray, so it can’t be thrown on the floor, and goes in the microwave.
Side by side
| Primo PopUp | Ingenuity Sun Valley | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 5 / 5 | 4 / 5 |
| Fold | About 4 in thick, one button, 10 seconds | Folds flat, stands up on its own |
| Tray storage | Tray comes off | Tray clips onto the back of the chair |
| Standing size | 28 x 24 x 38 in | About 29 x 22 x 39 in |
| Weight | 10 lb | 5.5 kg (about 12 lb) |
| Harness | 3-point | 5-point |
| Seat | Padded leatherette, cover lifts off to wipe | Soft seat pad comes off to clean |
| Tray | Top-rack dishwasher safe | Three positions, with a lock-on Twist and Dine plate |
| Assembly | Arrives fully assembled | Tool-free |
| Ages and max weight | 6 to 36 months, 35 lb | 6 months to 3 years, 33 lb |
| We have tested to | About 25 lb | About 25 lb |
Our ratings are a judgment about living with each chair, not a total worked out from this table.
Primo PopUp: the better-built fold
The Primo is the most focused chair we own. Everything about it is aimed at folding small and going up fast. It weighs 10 lb, folds to about 4 inches thick, and comes out of the box ready to use. The seat is padded leatherette with a 3-point harness, and the tray goes on the top rack of the dishwasher. It’s made for 6 to 36 months, up to 35 lb, and it’s BPA, phthalate and lead free.
What we like
- Feels solid on a wide base and a steel frame
- Folds to about 4 inches thick with one button
- Arrives fully assembled
- Lighter, at 10 lb
What we don't
- A 3-point harness, not 5-point
- No lock-on plate, and the tray does not store on the chair
The full review is our Primo PopUp review.
Ingenuity Sun Valley: the 5-point fold
A lightweight plastic chair that folds flat and stands up by itself when folded, with the tray clipped onto the back. It has a 5-point harness, a large tray with three positions, a soft seat pad that comes off to clean, and a lock-on Twist and Dine plate. It weighs 5.5 kg, about 12 lb, and it’s made for 6 months to 3 years or up to 33 lb, whichever comes first.
What we like
- A 5-point harness, the only one among our folding chairs
- Stands up on its own when folded, with the tray stored on the back
- Lock-on Twist and Dine plate that goes in the microwave
- Tool-free assembly and a three-position tray
What we don't
- Not as well made as other high chairs we have owned
- Heavier than the Primo, and it needs putting together
The full review is our Ingenuity Sun Valley review.
Which one fits your home
If a 5-point harness is a must, buy the Ingenuity. The Primo doesn’t have one, and that settles it. If you don’t need it to fold, the Stokke Tripp Trapp is the other chair we own with a 5-point.
If you want the chair that feels best made, buy the Primo. It’s the reason we rate it a full point higher.
If you’ll be carrying the chair around or setting it up somewhere new, buy the Primo. It’s lighter and arrives assembled, so it’s ready in seconds.
If you want the whole chair to stay together when it’s put away, the Ingenuity’s tray clips onto its back and it stands up on its own.
If your baby throws plates, the Ingenuity’s lock-on plate is a genuine help, and it’s in the box.
If you’re not sure you need a fold-flat chair at all, and the real problem is floor space at the table, look at the Graco, which we compare with the Primo in Primo PopUp vs Graco.
The bottom line
The Primo PopUp is our 5 out of 5 and the fold-flat chair we’d buy: better made, lighter, about 4 inches thick folded and ready out of the box. The Ingenuity Sun Valley is our 4, and the one to choose if you want a 5-point harness in a chair that folds flat, with the tray storage and lock-on plate as extras. Both are compact second chairs rather than everyday ones, and our everyday pick is in the best high chair. Every compact chair we own is ranked in the best high chairs for small spaces, and what else to check before you buy is in our high chair buying guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Primo PopUp or the Ingenuity Sun Valley better?
We rate the Primo PopUp 5 out of 5 and the Ingenuity Sun Valley 4. The Primo is better made, lighter at 10 lb, folds to about 4 inches thick and arrives fully assembled. The Ingenuity is the one to choose if you want a 5-point harness, a tray that stores on the back of the chair and a lock-on plate.
Which has a 5-point harness?
The Ingenuity Sun Valley. The Primo PopUp has a 3-point harness. How to fit and use either is a question for the manual that ships with the chair rather than a blog.
Do both fold flat?
Yes. The Primo folds to about 4 inches thick with one button in around 10 seconds, the flattest fold of any chair we own. The Ingenuity folds flat and stands up on its own when folded, with its tray clipped onto the back.
Which is easier to set up?
The Primo PopUp. It arrives fully assembled and is the easiest high chair we have ever set up. The Ingenuity goes together without tools, which is the next best thing.
Which lasts longer?
They are close. The Primo is made for 6 to 36 months, up to 35 lb. The Ingenuity is for 6 months to 3 years or up to 33 lb, whichever comes first. We have used both with a child of about 25 lb.