Bugaboo Giraffe high chair review

A high chair is a must-have for your baby or toddler, helping them to become part of family mealtimes as well as providing a safe space for their weaning journey.

Of course, we all know that baby gear can be expensive, so if you're after an option that can grow with your little one from birth to beyond, the Bugaboo Giraffe may be the highchair for you.

Designed for all ages, the chair can be adjusted with snap-on accessories (sold separately) to take your child from their very first day until they are 100kg, with five seating solutions, including a newborn set, baby set, children’s chair and more.

Tim and Liv are first time parents to their little boy Otis who is now 6.5 months and just starting the weaning journey, Suzanne also put the Bugaboo Giraffe to the test with her 11-month-old. Here's how they got on with the Bugaboo Giraffe...

Testing the Bugaboo Giraffe high chair - Tim and Liv

We had the IKEA Antilop highchair initially and wanted something for Otis that was more supportive and sturdy with the 5point safety harness that the ikea antilop lacks along with the comfort of a padded seat unless you buy the additional accessory.

One thing we thought about this highchair was that it’s an incredibly nice design that fits in with our kitchen theme. It’s nice to have options of other modern colours too, meaning it fits in with a lot of different décor styles. We loved the 5-point safety harness, making our baby secure whilst in his highchair and it’s also adjustable, with shoulder straps for added comfort. Something lacking from our last highchair. The Bugaboo Giraffe is incredibly sturdy, and gives you the reassurance that it isn’t going to topple over and it also has rubber foot pads on each leg to stop it from sliding on different flooring. The tray does come off and without this on there is a plastic part to stop your child falling out, however, it does not feel as stable as it does with the tray in place.

Putting the highchair together was super easy. It has a one second adjustment too, meaning you can move the seat and footrest without having to use any tools, which is a huge bonus. It also has five possible positions for height and depth and the footrest has 9 different levels. This is ideal for our baby as he is on the 9th centile, so smaller than average at this age, but it meant we could make it comfortable for his size which some high chairs do not have as an option, or you have to buy accessories such as a footrest to make it suitable.

The highchair itself is really lightweight, but has quite a large weight capacity. It is easy to move around, however, it does not fold down meaning once it’s up it’s a permanent fixture and you can’t fold it up and take it with you somewhere. I think for smaller spaces this could be an issue, as you may want something that is a space saver as opposed to a highchair that has to be out all the time.

It is one of the more expensive highchairs and depending on your need you will need to buy the correct insert, for example the newborn insert or the insert for 6 months which make it more pricey. However, if you make the investment it will literally last you from newborn all the way through generations making it worth the money. This means that you can also use it for subsequent children potentially as well, the newborn insert makes it ideal for families and you can have baby with you in a safe space whilst you do things in the kitchen or to keep out the way of enthusiastic siblings.

The hard parts such as chair legs and main chair are really easy to clean. We used sterilising spray and it works well. The tray comes off and you can put in the dishwasher if needed. The main cushioning in the seat is not washing machine safe but you can spot clean. The covers you can easily put in the washing machine and I was able to wash and dry these in the day in time for dinner. However, the straps are a bit fiddly to clean and although easily wiped with a damp cloth, with the material parts it doesn’t make the highchair as quick and easy to clean as some of its plastic counterparts.

Final verdict

We were extremely impressed with this product. It has that premium feel which a lot of cheaper plastic highchairs don’t. It’s small and sturdy and we feel confident our baby is safe in this highchair meaning we can use it for feeding him and also whilst we potter around the kitchen.

The highchair will take him all the way through different stages of life which is brilliant, and I love the way it’s modern and fits in with our kitchen decor meaning that even though it doesn’t fold away it is not an eyesore. It is slightly more difficult to clean than others but for the additional padding and comfort for our baby, it is worth it. It is more expensive and an investment compared to others on the market, so depending on what you’re looking for may not be for those looking for a cheaper option.

Testing the Bugaboo Giraffe high chair - Suzanne

The Bugaboo Giraffe was tested on my 11-month-old and I wanted to use it for everyday use including feeding, arts and crafts, and having a safe place to put him down. The product was tested every day over a one-month period.

The product was mainly used in the kitchen, but as it’s so lightweight we could easily move it into other rooms. We did not personally need the newborn function as my child is 11 months but used the toddler seat, tray, and adjustable footrest.

The chair looks lovely and the colour scheme and overall look of the chair fit in well with our home and is very aesthetically pleasing.

It feels safe and secure and is made of tough materials so you can see what your money is spent on. I love the sustainable materials and the fact the chair is eco-friendly.

As a highchair used for eating it worked well, the adjustable footrest and harness made it safe and comfortable. I love how large the tray is, and how comfortable the cushion is.

The seat itself is small and trying to squeeze my son into it is a challenge- especially if he doesn't want to go in there! It also raised the worry that if he did choke, I wouldn’t be able to get him out as quickly as some other highchair options.

At first, I was worried about the light colours, but it was so easy to clean. The chair does not fold away, so unless you have a large space it may get in the way.

Final verdict

For me, the Bugaboo Giraffe wins on looks, and sustainability. It has a luxurious, elegant feel to it. The materials feel strong, and the overall build is very secure.

The simple design is very aesthetically pleasing, the colour scheme and comfortable cushions make it feel very fancy and because it's easily cleaned it can stay that way! However, it can't be folded away so unless you have a large space it can often get in the way.

Unfortunately, it falls down the list when it comes to longevity and price. When adding all the accessories you need, it becomes very expensive. I feel that most of these accessories (such as the cushion) should be included in the price.

The small seat also meant it was hard to get my child in, he is not old enough to not be in the safety seat and will probably grow out of the chair in a month or two, before he is old enough to use the chair as a seat it will be going in the garage which is such a shame!

On top of this, if he did not want to go in the chair there was no easy way to slot him in. This also meant that if I needed to get him out quickly (i.e. choking) I would not be able to do this quickly.

Our other high chair, the Joie Baby Multiply 6 in 1, doesn’t look as nice and is bulkier, but does fold away and is equally as sturdy. It has also done well from newborn to now, and the seat reclines so I can easily slip him in and out.
The chair is a fraction of the price of the Bugaboo but comes with all the accessories you need.

Overall, if you are looking for a nice-looking, environmentally-friendly high chair, the Bugaboo Giraffe will be a great choice.