We’ve had a raging love affair with our IKEA Antilop high chair for years. They’ve taken my kids from babyhood through the preschooler years beautifully, but by the time The K Man was about four-and-a-half years old, it was simply starting to get too small.
Problem being, of course, he was still too small to sit in one of our big chairs without a boost. After trying the Baby Bjorn booster seat, it quickly became clear that the structure of a high chair was what he wanted, with the freedom to get in and out as he pleased.
We went on a mission and have tried several options, like the Stokke Tripp Trapp and similar products. A unique choice in the convertible high chair category is the Nuna ZAAZ ($300), which comes all the way from the land of the Dutch. (I hear they know a thing or two about design.)
THE GOOD
The simple, straightforward design of the Nuna ZAAZ fits in well with contemporary décor — though it might be a bit of an odd man out in a really traditional setting, so keep that in mind if that’s more reflective of your design aesthetic.
It’s also got a nice, tight footprint, which means you don’t need to squeeze past it in a narrow kitchen or dining room nor will you spend day after day tripping over its legs.
The Nuna ZAAZ is so ridiculously easy to put together. And it comes with everything you need to reconfigure it down the road (such as removing the harness).
Since there’s no fabric on this high chair, other than the harness, you can just wipe it down with a cloth or spritz it with vinegar-water for a bit of a deeper clean. Heck, if more of your Spaghetti Sunday ends up on the chair than in your child, take it out back and just hose it off.
You won’t believe how easy it is to raise and lower the seat as your child grows. It also means that you can get your kid seated at almost any table without him feeling too high or too low. Except those damn pub-height tables. It doesn’t get high enough to have your baby pulled right up to a table this tall. Just attach the tray that comes with the ZAAZ instead.
No matter how big your kid gets, chances are s/he’ll be able to use the ZAAZ well into high school (and beyond) considering it has a 220-pound weight limit.
It’s BPA-free, PVC-free and DEHP-free. I had to look that last one up. It’s a phthalate and considered one of the top chemical threats to humans. And it’s well on its way to being banned in Europe.
The ZAAZ is very, very heavy. You will never worry about your kid wiggling it across the kitchen floor while trying to avoid Brussels Sprouts, or knocking it backwards as curious hands and feet test the laws of physics. But…
THE GAFFE
DANG! This is one heavy high chair.
The brand will claim that there’s a “no-crevice design.” This is a lie. Unless, I guess, you want to remove the seat pad after every single meal to clean both parts separately. Who’s got time for that? There are grooves in the seat-pad design that are like crumb and grime magnets. And then the buckle comes through a hole in the seat pad that sings sweet, come-hither songs to the stuff that doesn’t make it into your child’s mouth, leading them to a new home trapped under the seat pad. I will never understand why grooves and crevices are created as part of products that involve babies and food.
Your baby will outgrow the ZAAZ’s five-point harness more quickly than just about any other high chair out there. I borrowed a toddler to test this out, and the straps weren’t even long enough to fit over his 15-month-old shoulders. And although you can convert it to a three-point harness, you should be able to do that when you feel ready — not because of the limitations of the shoulder-strap length.
The footrest is super-tiny. It’s more of an Achilles rest. It should be at least triple in depth to make it truly comfortable for little feet and allow bigger kids to get in and out of the chair more easily on their own. As it is, it’s like one of those cute handbags that are made for dogs, which are just silly.
As far as I know, there’s only one colour available in Canada at this time – taupe. It’s fine. It’s neutral. But if you want a pop of WOWEE colour (insert jazz hands), this ain’t it.
THE GEARS
3.5/5
So…where can you buy it?
Dawn Shea says
I love the look of it. 🙂
Dawn Shea says
I love the look of it. 🙂
oddlittleduc says
I like how easy it is to wipe and lower… and the 220lb capacity is hilarious 😀 Can I feed my DH in there?
Mommy Gearest says
Ha! Sure, why not?! (Just be sure to put him in a bib and take photos.)
oddlittleduc says
I like how easy it is to wipe and lower… and the 220lb capacity is hilarious 😀 Can I feed my DH in there?
Mommy Gearest says
Ha! Sure, why not?! (Just be sure to put him in a bib and take photos.)
Julie says
I like how compact it is. I have a tight kitchen and this would work!
Julie says
I like how compact it is. I have a tight kitchen and this would work!
Chaun says
I love how easy it is to clean!
Chaun says
I love how easy it is to clean!
casey r says
i love that this chair isn’t fabric, thus WAY easier to clean. my kids have made such messes in chairs… ugh.
casey r says
i love that this chair isn’t fabric, thus WAY easier to clean. my kids have made such messes in chairs… ugh.
Kirby Dorrough says
I like the look and how functional it is!!
Kirby Dorrough says
I like the look and how functional it is!!
Eliza says
I love that it goes up to 220 pounds and it can be used as a chair. So much baby stuff is used for such a short period of time it’s nice to have something that you can use longer.
Eliza says
I love that it goes up to 220 pounds and it can be used as a chair. So much baby stuff is used for such a short period of time it’s nice to have something that you can use longer.
Heather says
This chair is just simply gorgeous!
Heather says
This chair is just simply gorgeous!
Tiffany A. says
This would be the best high chair to have so it can grow with my baby! Plus it looks amazing 😉
Tiffany A. says
This would be the best high chair to have so it can grow with my baby! Plus it looks amazing 😉
Melissa Meltzer says
I love how sleek and modern this is 🙂
Melissa Meltzer says
I love how sleek and modern this is 🙂
Leslie M. says
I am sooooo picky when it comes to getting stuff for baby that is both stylish and practical, works well, and also matches with my home decor. So when I saw the ZAAZ high chair, I fell in love with it because the style is so very different than most high chairs, its stylish and contemporary and will match easily with many colors. Plus it has awesome reviews to entail that it gets the job done and is a great product! Thanks for the chance to win one!
Leslie M. says
I am sooooo picky when it comes to getting stuff for baby that is both stylish and practical, works well, and also matches with my home decor. So when I saw the ZAAZ high chair, I fell in love with it because the style is so very different than most high chairs, its stylish and contemporary and will match easily with many colors. Plus it has awesome reviews to entail that it gets the job done and is a great product! Thanks for the chance to win one!
Jordan Haining says
LOVE that there is not any fabric!!!
Jordan Haining says
LOVE that there is not any fabric!!!
Grace says
Love the contemporary look!
Grace says
Love the contemporary look!
angela m says
I love that it grows with your child, and that there is no fabric.
angela m says
I love that it grows with your child, and that there is no fabric.
Truly says
Thank you. We are in the market for a new high chair.
Truly says
Thank you. We are in the market for a new high chair.
Kyle says
It looks a little too modern for me. We are in need of a high chair with our new 2nd baby. We were never happy with 3 different high chairs with our last child. The weight and fact that the child can outgrow it too quickly concern me a bit as our youngest is growing very fast.
Mommy Gearest says
You really have to be into a modern aesthetic to appreciate this chair’s look. What other high chairs have you tried?
Kyle says
It looks a little too modern for me. We are in need of a high chair with our new 2nd baby. We were never happy with 3 different high chairs with our last child. The weight and fact that the child can outgrow it too quickly concern me a bit as our youngest is growing very fast.
Mommy Gearest says
You really have to be into a modern aesthetic to appreciate this chair’s look. What other high chairs have you tried?
Josh S says
I like the look of the chair
Josh S says
I like the look of the chair
Jaynah says
Being a mom of two kids that are on a perpetual growth spurt, it’s good to have options that they won’t outgrow so quickly. The weight is a plus for us as I once made the mistake of tightening the foot rest on the Tripp Trapp too far out and my daughter stood up, tipped the entire chair forward, and wiped out into then under her pasta dinner…
Mommy Gearest says
Jane – we made the same mistake with our Tripp Trapp, but fortunately I caught The K Man before he crashed to the ground!
Jaynah says
Being a mom of two kids that are on a perpetual growth spurt, it’s good to have options that they won’t outgrow so quickly. The weight is a plus for us as I once made the mistake of tightening the foot rest on the Tripp Trapp too far out and my daughter stood up, tipped the entire chair forward, and wiped out into then under her pasta dinner…
Mommy Gearest says
Jane – we made the same mistake with our Tripp Trapp, but fortunately I caught The K Man before he crashed to the ground!
Chantal says
I love the modern design and the different stages!
Chantal says
I love the modern design and the different stages!
tennille says
Just reading about the heaviness, my son just knocked over a kitchen chair and broke it…..grrrr. The sad thing is my older son did the same thing when he was about the same age. Needless to say I am not impressed. Would be nice to have a sturdy version like this
Mommy Gearest says
Oh no! And it was probably a chair that matched the rest of the kitchen chairs…fixable?
tennille says
Just reading about the heaviness, my son just knocked over a kitchen chair and broke it…..grrrr. The sad thing is my older son did the same thing when he was about the same age. Needless to say I am not impressed. Would be nice to have a sturdy version like this
Mommy Gearest says
Oh no! And it was probably a chair that matched the rest of the kitchen chairs…fixable?
loucheryl (@loucheryl) says
I like that there is no fabric on this high chair, other than the harness, so I can just wipe it down with a cloth!
loucheryl (@loucheryl) says
I like that there is no fabric on this high chair, other than the harness, so I can just wipe it down with a cloth!
Angela Mitchell says
I like that there is no fabric and I look the look of the chair.
Angela Mitchell says
I like that there is no fabric and I look the look of the chair.
Suzanne G says
I like that it is It’s BPA-free, PVC-free and DEHP-free.
Suzanne G says
I like that it is It’s BPA-free, PVC-free and DEHP-free.
Carla says
I love the slim design and modern look of this chair! Would love to win it!!
Carla says
I love the slim design and modern look of this chair! Would love to win it!!
Monique L. S. says
I like that you can adjust the height of the seat easily, so the child can be comfortable at any table.
Monique L. S. says
I like that you can adjust the height of the seat easily, so the child can be comfortable at any table.
Noa G says
Love the design, and that it is so easy to clean!
Noa G says
Love the design, and that it is so easy to clean!
Sarah says
I would love a chair that actually looks like furniture.. Not a giant plastic eyesore.
Sarah says
I would love a chair that actually looks like furniture.. Not a giant plastic eyesore.
lisa bolduc says
I like how there is no fabric and can just be wiped down
lisa bolduc says
I like how there is no fabric and can just be wiped down