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As a mom of three, I have…opinions…when it comes to high chairs. Between those that my family owns and ones we’ve tried during various trips and visits to friends’ houses, I’ve tested about 10 different high chairs over the past five years — and have thoughts on them all. So when I started seeing all of the buzz in my mom groups about the new Mockingbird High Chair, I had to see if it lived up to the hype.
Mockingbird is known for making a great single-to-double stroller that feels high-end, but is much more affordable than its competitors. Similarly, Mockingbird’s high chair has a lot of the same great features as other popular high chairs, including a chic design, an adjustable footrest and the ability to convert it into a big-kid chair.
Mockingbird also added some extra functionality, like an easy-to-clean design and the ability to adjust the footrest without disassembling the high chair. And while it’s not cheap, at the price point of $225, the Mockingbird High Chair is significantly less than others that cost upwards of $300.
I was lucky enough to test the Mockingbird high chair with my 10-month-old son (full disclosure: I was sent one for free for testing purposes, but the opinions here are my own). After trying it out for about a month, here’s my unfiltered review.
Pros of the Mockingbird high chair
I can definitely see why moms and moms-to-be are so excited about the Mockingbird High Chair — there’s a lot to love. Here are some of my favorite features.
It looks great
Honestly, I think this might be the best-looking high chair you can buy right now. The design is really modern and fun, and it looks equally chic as a high chair or as a big-kid chair.
It’s super-easy to clean
One thing you’ll notice instantly after you build the Mockingbird High Chair is that there are very few corners or crevices — and that’s intentional! The curved seat is made from a non-toxic, BPA-free plastic that’s super-easy to wipe down after meals. Same for the back and footrest, and the solid beechwood legs also have very few nooks and crannies where crumbs can get stuck.
The tray is also removable for easy cleaning, and it actually comes with a detachable surface that you can throw in the dishwasher. Even the straps are coated in silicone so they can be easily wiped clean — or you can detach them and wash them in the dishwasher, too.
It grows with your baby
The footrest can be moved between four different positions as your baby gets older — and you don’t have to disassemble the high chair to move it between the different positions.
The tray itself can also be moved in tighter to the chair to get the right fit for your baby (or you can skip the tray and pull the high chair right up to the table).
Once your child is old enough to use a big-kid chair, you can remove the baby seat entirely and use it as a big-kid seat.
It has other thoughtful features designed to make your life easier
Mockingbird has added some other nice touches, too, like the fact that suction bowls and plates really do stick onto the tray (although once your baby gets stronger, they will still be able to pull these off if they really want to) and attachments on the back of the seat that hold the straps out of the way when you’re putting your baby into the high chair or cleaning it.
Cons of the Mockingbird
The curved seat makes it hard for babies to sit upright
The curved design of the seat makes for easy cleaning, but it’s not ideal for sitting when you’re a baby still working on your motor skills. Both my 10-month-old and my neighbor’s baby have a tendency to flop around a little bit in the chair. I tried pushing the tray in as far as possible, and while this helps a bit, it doesn’t totally solve the problem.
For smaller babies like mine, the footrest is also hard to use. That’s because it’s designed to be both a footrest for babies and the actual seat of the chair for big kids, but it doesn’t come out quite far enough for some babies to be able to use it.
Because of these factors, it’s hard for babies to sit in the ideal 90-90-90 position (a 90-degree angle at the hips, knees and ankles) while eating. Experts generally recommend this position when introducing solids to babies to make meal and snack times as safe as possible, and also to make eating more comfortable (because if your baby's not comfortable, they can’t eat well).
I’ve stubbed my toes on the legs multiple times
No one warns you about how often you’ll stub your toes on various baby gear! Unfortunately, because the way the legs of this high chair are angled, it’s very easy to stub your toes on it. If you know you’ll be able to store the high chair away or keep it in a low traffic area, this might be a non-issue for you. But if you’ll be using the chair in a high-traffic area, this is definitely something to watch out for.
Is the Mockingbird High Chair better than the Stokke Tripp Trapp?
A lot of the conversations I’ve seen online are about how the Mockingbird High Chair compares to the Stokke Tripp Trapp (which we've also reviewed). I’ve owned the Tripp Trapp since my first son was born in 2018. While I was given that one for testing purposes, I actually loved it so much that I bought our family another Tripp Trapp when I had my second son in 2020. It was definitely my favorite high chair before I tested out the Mockingbird. If you’re debating between the Tripp Trapp and the Mockingbird High Chair, here are some key differences to note between the two.
The Mockingbird is easier to clean and is a better value
Many of the features of the Mockingbird seem like they were designed to address issues with the Stokke Tripp Trapp — namely, that the Stokke can be hard to clean. All of the surfaces of the Mockingbird are easy to wipe down, and it has multiple pieces that can be thrown in the dishwasher.
The Stokke, meanwhile, is made of wood finished with non-toxic paint, and it has several crevices and nooks and crannies where food can get stuck. The worst aspect of this is the notches in the legs. The surface of them is a little rough, which makes them much more difficult to clean. And since there are 14 of them (to make the chair super-customizable) cleanup can be a real pain.
The Mockingbird is also $225, compared to the Stokke Tripp Trapp with the baby seat, which is $319. It’s also worth noting that the Mockingbird comes with the tray, whereas it’s an extra $69 if you want a tray for the Tripp Trapp.
The Stokke Tripp Trapp is more ergonomic and has a smaller footprint
As I mentioned above, it can be hard for babies to maintain good posture in the Mockingbird High Chair. I’ve never had this issue with the Tripp Trapp — all three of my kids have been able to sit in the 90-90-90 position that experts recommend while using it.
Because of the way the legs are positioned, the Tripp Trapp also has a smaller footprint, which is helpful if you’re working with a small space, or if your chair will be in a high-traffic area where you or other family members might trip over it (unfortunately, I speak from personal experience on this).
How to decide
Admittedly, I find myself using the Stokke Tripp Trapp more often than the Mockingbird High Chair. Even though the Mockingbird is much easier to clean, my son has had some issues with staying on his growth curve, so it’s important to me that I do everything possible to make mealtimes comfortable for him.
If you’re not as worried about your baby’s posture while eating, then the Mockingbird High Chair is probably the better option for you, thanks to its better price point and parent-friendly features.
So…is the Mockingbird worth the hype?
Overall, I would say yes! While it does have some real downsides — namely that it can be hard for some babies to sit fully upright in, and that its legs stick out more than would be ideal — it’s a great-looking high chair with tons of thoughtful details at a good price. You can learn more about the high chair via Mockingbird.
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