9 mini-tests to help you choose the right high chair

With some baby products, it's fine to read up on brands and models and then buy with the click of a mouse. For example, you can't take a breast pump out of the box to examine it anyway. But with a high chair, it's better to take a hands-on approach. The display models at baby-product stores--preferably one near you that has a broad selection--can provide valuable information to guide your buying decision. Get ready to poke, prod and:

1. Look for a certification sticker. Found on the high chair's tray or frame, the sticker shows that the model meets the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) voluntary standard, and that its manufacturer participates in the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) certification program.

2. Open and close the fastener on the seat's safety harness. Try it one-handed to make sure it's easy to use. If it's not, you might be tempted not to use it every time your child is in the seat--which is a must. Although the voluntary industry standard doesn't require manufacturers to equip their chairs with a five-point harness (waist and crotch restraint with shoulder straps), a three-point harness (waist and crotch restraint) is required for JPMA certification. Some chairs allow you to convert a five-point harness to a three-point harness, but we don't recommend that. Overall, five-point harnesses are safer because they can prevent a child from standing up in a high chair and possibly falling.

3. Check the tray. It should be easy to engage and disengage for you, but not so effortless that your baby could dislodge it. Ideally, tray latches shouldn't be accessible or visible to your baby. Also, to meet the voluntary standard and qualify for certification, high chairs are required to have a passive crotch restraint, which is usually a fixed crotch post that's attached to the tray or to the seat of the chair. It prevents a child from sliding out of the chair and under the tray.

4. Adjust the seat height to see how well that mechanism works. Not all chairs have this convenient feature. But some come with as many as eight possible heights. Adjustable seat heights can accommodate parents of varying heights and allow the high chair to be used at the level of your dining table, so your baby can eat at the table with the rest of the family.

5. Assess the seat cover. Look for a chair with upholstery made to last. It should feel substantial, not flimsy. Make sure upholstery seams won't scratch your baby's legs. Seat covers should be wipe-clean (preferred) or machine washable.

6. Lock the wheels (if you're buying a model with wheels). You want to make sure they can be locked or that they become immobilized by the weight of your baby in the seat.

7. Watch out for rough edges. Examine the underside of the feeding tray to make sure it's free of anything sharp that could scratch your baby. Nix any model that has small holes or hinges that could capture little fingers.

8. Check for the absence of small parts. Make sure the caps or plugs that cover the ends of metal tubing are well secured. Parts small enough for a child to swallow or inhale are a choking hazard.

9. Fold it. If you plan to fold up your high chair as often as every day, practice in the store. Some chairs may have stiff folding mechanisms, or require a series of steps to fold. Technically they may be foldable, but they're not user-friendly. Certified high chairs are required to have a locking device that prevents accidental folding.

For more information, see our report on high chairs.