This post is sponsored by Mockingbird, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board.
I always imagined that starting solids with our first baby would be exciting, but in reality it introduced us to a whole new world of challenges. I was wholly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of mealtime gear I found online. Even after months of reading reviews before purchasing, our first high chair ended up being rather disappointing. We’ve had it for almost two years now, and I still find it a pain to adjust and maintain clean. Its frustrating features always had me shaking my head thinking, “There has to be a better way.”
Clearly, I wasn’t the only parent who expressed this same frustration with their high chairs, and there was one brand that was taking diligent notes. It’s difficult for one product to meet a family’s all-encompassing needs, but baby brand Mockingbird is always up for the challenge. Their Single-to-Double Stroller is an editor-fave (and Registry Award winner) because it combines high-end quality with affordability and transitions seamlessly as your family grows. Multiple editors on our team and friends of mine have used their stroller for years and can’t recommend it enough. So, when Mockingbird announced they were adding a High Chair to their lineup, I was bouncing at the heels to review it.
I got my hands on it over a month ago and put it to the test with my 22-month-old daughter, Monroe. After my previous tumultuous experiences, I was eager to find out if Mockingbird could combine everything I needed into one long-lasting chair. Spoiler: It ended up exceeding my expectations altogether. Read on to learn why I think the Mockingbird High Chair is, in fact, worth the hype.
What Sets the Mockingbird High Chair Apart
Simple functionality
Before I read any instructions or watched any demonstrations, I was struck by how simple and intuitive it was to use. I was able to walk right over and start using it. I notice this whenever I go to a friend’s house and find myself fumbling with their high chair and having to ask for help. Mockingbird eliminates that issue altogether. You don’t even need to read the instructions—even though I highly recommend doing that so you’re aware of all the features. This is a huge plus if you have grandparents or anyone else frequently coming into your house to help who may not be the most savvy when it comes to baby gadgets.
Converting the chair or adjusting the footrest is also so simple. It offers a four-position footrest and three-position tray to customize height and depth for a safe and supportive fit (great for smaller babies). I’ve found with our previous chair, we don’t realize something needs adjusting until we are sitting down for dinner—not exactly the right time to pull out the tool kit and remove an already cranky kid from the chair. The Mockingbird High Chair makes adjustments so simple—you can just reach down from your seat and easily adjust without interrupting meal time.
Sleek design
I’m not afraid to admit that the way a high chair looks has always been important to me. When I first purchased one, I had given up every square inch of my small home to toys, gear, pumping supplies, and the never-ending rotation of dishes that needed to air dry—I wasn’t ready to let an ugly plastic high chair in my space. I wanted a modern version that was simple to use, easy to clean, and would blend in with our decor since it would become a staple in our small space.
My immediate thought once I laid eyes on the Mockingbird High Chair? “It’s so cute!”
Even though our previous chair was aesthetically pleasing, it was quite bulky and took up way too much space in our home. This one seems so much smaller and more compact, but not in a way that has me missing any features or doubting its quality. It just uses space so much more efficiently. And in true Mockingbird fashion, it’s, of course, also beautiful to look at.
Easy to clean
The tray liner is by far my favorite feature. It makes cleaning up such a breeze. You can do it with one hand—a major plus when you’re holding a toddler and trying to make only one trip to the sink. You can easily rinse it OR pop it in the dishwasher for a deep clean. I also noticed the material on the tray is stain resistant, so unlike our old highchair tray, which is almost soaked in stains, the hard-to-clean food seems to wipe right off even after it’s been sitting for a little bit.
It’s also a huge plus that you can still use the tray without the liner on it. I can’t tell you how many times I left my old tray soaking and then needed it and had to rush to wash and dry it. With the Mockingbird High Chair, if the liner is in the dishwasher, I can just use the base tray. It’s the backup you’ve always needed. Plus, neither the tray nor the chair itself has a dozen tiny nooks and crannies for food to sneak its way into—much easier to wipe down.
The wipeable and easily removable straps are a game changer! The fact that you can just wipe stains away due to the silicone material is absolutely magical—and a feature that only Mockingbird offers. Our old high chair had fabric straps that were nearly impossible to take out. We would let the food stains collect to a very gross level before committing to removing them for a deep clean. Being able to easily take the Mockingbird High Chair straps off and pop them in the dishwasher for a deep clean is just the cherry on top. I sincerely don’t know how I functioned without these features before, especially since we started with baby-led weaning (and we all know how much of a mess that is).
Grows with kids
Mockingbird really knows how to make products that can be used through every age and stage—I’d argue that’s one of their specialties. You can use it from the beginning stages of early feeding all the way to the big kid years with its tool-free conversion to a Child Chair and a max weight of 150 pounds. It’s the type of chair that you’ll be excited to use for the next kid. Actually… you may have to buy another one because your older child will still want to be using it as a chair at the table. I love the longevity and that I’m not buying a product for a single stage.
My Overall Rating
I genuinely give this chair a 10/10. The Mockingbird High Chair design is incredibly thoughtful and really works to solve every pain point parents have with their high chairs. I paid almost double for the previous chair, and Mockingbird’s version is even better. You’re getting all the features of the other high-end brands, the aesthetic, and a more intuitive design for half the price. I’m truly sad this didn’t exist when we first started solids, but it is the High Chair I will forever recommend to all my new mom friends from now on.
Mockingbird
This post is sponsored by Mockingbird, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
