I’m a Mom of 3, and I Tried the New Mockingbird High Chair. Here’s My Honest Review

As a mother of three, I have…opinions…when it comes to high chairs. Between the ones my family owns and the ones we’ve tested on various trips and visits to friends’ houses, I’ve tested about 10 different high chairs over the past five years — and I thought about it all. So when I started seeing all the buzz in my mom’s groups the new Mockingbird High ChairI 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 more affordable than its competitors. Like this, Mockingbird’s high chair has many great features like other popular high chairs, including a beautiful design, adjustable footrest and the ability to convert it into a big-kid chair.

Mockingbird has also added some additional functionality, such as an easy-to-clean design and the ability to adjust the footrest without disassembling the high chair. And while it’s not cheap, at a price point of $225, the Mockingbird High Chair is significantly less than others that cost upwards of $300.

I was lucky enough to test out the Mockingbird high chair with my 10-month-old son (full disclosure: I was sent one free for testing purposes, but the opinions here are my own) . After trying it for about a month, here is my unfiltered review.

Advantages of the Mockingbird high chair

I can definitely see why moms and moms-to-be are excited Mockingbird High Chair — there’s a lot to love. Here are some of my favorite features.

Looks great

Honestly, I think this is probably the best 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.

Very easy to clean

One thing you will notice immediately after you build the Mockingbird High Chair there are very few nooks and crannies — and that’s on purpose! The curved seat is made from a non-toxic, BPA-free plastic that is very easy to wipe down after eating. Same goes for the back and footrest, and the solid beechwood legs also have very few corners where crumbs can get stuck.

The tray is also removable for easy cleaning, and it actually has a removable surface that you can throw in the dishwasher. Even the straps are silicone-coated for easy wiping — or you can remove 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 grows — and you don’t have to disassemble the high chair to move it between different positions.

The tray itself can also be moved more tightly to the seat to suit your baby (or you can skip the tray and pull the high chair up to the table).

When 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 also added some other nice touches, like the fact that the suction bowls and plates actually stick to the tray (although when your baby gets older, he’ll still be able to remove them if he really wants to) and attachment on the back of the seat that holds the straps out of the way when you put your baby in the high chair or clean it.

Weakness of Mockingbird

A curved seat makes it difficult for babies to sit up straight

The curved seat design 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 float slightly in the seat. I tried pushing the tray as far as possible, and while it helped a little, it didn’t completely solve the problem.

For smaller babies like mine, the footrest is also difficult to use. That’s because it’s designed to be both a footrest for babies and the actual seat of the seat for older kids, but it doesn’t come out far enough for some babies to use it.

Because of these factors, it is difficult for babies to sit in the perfect 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 is uncomfortable, they won’t eat properly).

I have stubbed my toes several times

No one warned you about how often you stub your toes on various baby items! Unfortunately, because the legs of this high chair are angled, it’s very easy to stub your toes on it. If you know you can stow the high chair or store it in a low traffic area, this may not be an issue for you. But if you’re going to use the chair in a high-traffic area, it’s definitely something to watch out for.

Is the Mockingbird High Chair better than the Stokke Tripp Trapp?

Many of the conversations I’ve seen online are about how the Mockingbird High Chair compared to the Stokke Tripp Trapp (which we also reviewed). I have owned the Tripp Trapp since my first child was born in 2018. While it was given to me for testing purposes, I loved it so much that I bought our family another Tripp Trapp when I had my second child in 2020. This was absolutely my favorite high chair before I tried the Mockingbird. If you’re debating between the Tripp Trapp and the Mockingbird High Chair, here are some key differences to keep in mind between the two.

The Mockingbird is easier to clean and is a better value

Many of the features of the Mockingbird they seem to be designed to address issues with Stokke Tripp Trapp — meaning that the Stokke can be difficult to clean. All Mockingbird surfaces are easy to wipe down, and it has many pieces that can be thrown in the dishwasher.

The Stokke, meanwhile, is made of wood coated with non-toxic paint, and it has several nooks and crannies where food can get into. Its worst aspect is the notches on the legs. Their surface is quite rough, which makes it more difficult to clean. And since there are 14 of them (to make the seat super-customizable) cleaning can be a real pain.

The Mockingbird is also $225, compared to Stokke Tripp Trapp including the infant seat, which is $319. It’s also worth noting that the Mockingbird comes with a tray, whereas it’s an extra $69 if you want a tray for Tripp Trapp.

The Stokke Tripp Trapp is more ergonomic and has a smaller footprint

As I mentioned above, it can be difficult 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 were able to sit in the expert-recommended 90-90-90 position 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 is in a high-traffic area where you or other family members may trip over it (unfortunately, I speak from personal experience about this).

How to decide

True, I see myself using Stokke Tripp Trapp more often than not Mockingbird High Chair. Even though the Mockingbird is easier to clean, my son has had some issues staying on his growth curve, so it’s important to me that I do everything possible to make mealtime comfortable for him.

If you’re less concerned about your baby’s posture while feeding, then the Mockingbird High Chair is probably the better option for you, thanks to its better price and parent-friendly features.

So…is Mockingbird worth the hype?

Overall, I’d say yes! Although it has some real drawbacks – it can be difficult for some babies to sit fully upright, and its legs stick out more than is ideal – it’s a great high chair with tons of thoughtful details in a beautiful. price. You can do it learn more about the high chair via Mockingbird.