We had very happily been using IKEA Antilop high chairs for both kids when, one day, The K Man asked me to put his feet up on my lap while I was sitting adjacent to him.
This continued – day after day – until I finally asked what the problem was.
“I just want to put my feet on something, Mommy.”
And with that, it seemed his four-year stretch in his beloved high chair had come to an end. We were fortunate to welcome a Tripp Trapp into our home recently, courtesy of Stokke.
THE GOOD
I’ll start by saying that everyone in our house loves this chair – from Big B all the way down to Miss Q, who often asks to sit in her brother’s Tripp Trapp when he’s not home. I would definitely consider getting a second one for her; even with its faults (read on…), it’s a fantastic high chair.
We don’t trip on the Tripp Trapp like we do with the Antilop. Despite two “feet” that stick out at the bottom, they never get in our way. I don’t miss tripping over the old high chairs. Not even a bit.
The Stokke Tripp Trapp is ultra-versatile: with the addition of the infant seat and cushion, your six month old will be as comfortable as your 10 year old will a decade later. And with a price tag of about $300, versatility and longevity are two absolute musts.
So easy to clean. It what I love most about our Antilop – there’s nowhere for crumbs to get stuck and no inconvenient patterns that create ridges that are challenging to wipe clean (like the design on one of my favourite kids’ placemats). Even if all you’ve got handy is a tiny strip of bone-dry paper towel, you’ll be able to clean off the Tripp Trapp without a speck of frustration.
The design – which has been the same since the Tripp Trapp was born in 1972 – is as contemporary as ever. Clean lines, easy on the eyes and will blend in with traditional-modern aesthetics.
If you can’t find a colour that matches or complements your kitchen décor, you’ve got problems. Just saying.
It has remarkable strength (it holds up to about 300 pounds). Once The K Man is finished using his chair at the dinner table, we’ll move it up to his bedroom to use as his desk chair.
It’s the perfect table height. Both kids are really comfortable and The K Man even has his own system of pulling himself closer to the table once he’s seated. I think it’s so important, whether or not you practice baby-led weaning like we did, that kids are seated at the table with their parents and siblings.
I think my favourite thing about this chair is that even toddlers can get themselves into it. You don’t need to lift in and lift out.
Got a climber who likes to get out as quickly as she gets in? No worries – the harness that comes with every Tripp Trapp will securely hold your child in the seat during mealtime. The straps are long enough that they even fit my five year old, with room to spare.
What I really disliked about a booster seat we recently tested is a non-issue with this chair; The K Man sits up perfectly and isn’t twisting and turning in it during mealtimes with awful posture.
An incredible seven-year warranty if you register your Tripp Trapp online. Please be sure you read the gaffes below so you don’t make the same mistake I did and screw yourself out of this amazing warranty.
There are lots of great, optional accessories – but note that the Cushion doesn’t work very well without the Baby Set.
I have heard for years that the Tripp Trapp is a tipping hazard. I have had both kids in this high chair for two months now and there’s been no danger of it tipping backwards – at all. Not even a little. But…
THE GAFFE
One time, The K Man did stand up on the foot rest and the chair started to tip forward (toward the table). I shrieked and he sat down in time to catch it. Of course, this would be less of an issue than tipping backwards, but I still get nervous at times and remind him not to stand on the foot rest ever again.
While it’s mostly easy to put together, I somehow missed that I needed to insert both the seat and the foot rest before tightening the sides. So I had to undo many different screws to slide these parts in. Not the end of the world, but what that means is that anytime you want to re-adjust the Tripp Trapp for a bigger or smaller child, you need to repeat this step of undoing and re-screwing. You can just forget about letting a younger cousin borrow it for a casual dinner visit – it’ll be way too much of a hassle.
I can’t close out this review without again mentioning the $300 price tag. I know that’s going to make some of you run for the hills. Make no mistake – it’s a lot of money. This is precisely the time to employ price per use: if you think you’ll use this chair for upwards of 10 years, it’s a $30 per year investment. Not bad. If you really don’t see this working in your home for more than a couple of years, it’s probably not the wisest investment if you’re on a budget.
The sticker where my serial number once was…
The worst thing about the Stokke Tripp Trapp, however, is the sticker on the seat back. It’s one of those warning labels for idiots who don’t have any common sense and cause companies to spend oodles of money on lawyers and graphic designers so they’re not liable for your stupidity. You know the kind. Anyway, the warning label was the first thing you saw when you walked in the direction of my kitchen – and it was an eyesore. So I started to peel it off. Except it wasn’t one of those easy-peel stickers that slips off with one tug. Oh, no. This is one of the worst stickers of all time to remove. I am still scratching at it to get all of the remnants off. When I asked Stokke how to get rid of the sticker gunk for good, it suggested hot water and also let me know that my serial number was on that sticker. Well, it’s long gone now. And the serial number is nowhere else, so they put this horrible kind of sticker on the chair on purpose! Sadly, I removed the serial number before registering our Tripp Trapp, which means we don’t qualify for that glorious seven-year warranty. This honestly did affect my overall rating of the chair and if Stokke added the serial number to a piece of documentation and made this an easier-to-remove sticker, I’d give this chair a 4.5/5 without question. (If they also figured out a way for the seat and foot rest to safely glide in and out for on-demand adjustments, I’d give it a 5/5!)
THE GEARS
4/5
So…where can you get it?
- In Canada
- SnuggleBugz
- Crocodile Baby (for a limited time, this store is giving away a FREE Baby Set with every Tripp Trapp purchase!)
- BB Buggy
- In USA: Diapers.com (also giving away a Baby Set for a limited time)
- In UK: Kiddicare
Claire says
I’ve bought two used Tripp Trapp chairs off of Craigslist in the US. One of them has a small white clip attached to the end of the crotch strap for the 5 point harness. It has two prongs that have to be slipped into the slot in the seat from the underside in order to remove it for washing. Also, since the rest of the straps are secured around one of the seat back rails and screwed in, you have to practically disassemble the chair to remove those straps for washing. They are so easy to launder in a lingerie bag in the washing machine before line drying. I’d do it more often if it wasn’t such a hassle. It looks like the UK version of the harness is much more laundry-friendly with clips that attach to D-rings on the side rails of the chair. One of the chairs I bought in the US had a large white rectangular clip underneath the slot on the wooden seat panel. It used a piece of metal wire in conjunction with the white plastic bracket to hold the crotch strap securely in place. I found it is much easier to remove that crotch strap for laundering, but I can’t find another one to buy anywhere. Is there a good resource for the history of these parts?
Mommy Gearest says
I wish I knew! But I can tweet at Stokke to see if they will respond here. I still haven’t even really figured out how to remove the white plastic bit and the harness from the seat!!
Mar says
You can try with white vinegar
Epiphyta says
Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but did the clip on the underside look like the one in this photo? If so, it could be for the first version of the Babyset, made only between 2006 and 2008, and I’ll buy it from you in a heartbeat! (Just purchased a chair on Craigslist for my goddaughter, and it’s got the first-gen Babyrail, but not that clip!)
Mommy Gearest says
I have no idea but will check!
Epiphyta says
Oh, thank you! The chair’s cleaned up beautifully — Goo Gone removed what was left of the back sticker and the ones added over the years — and Stokke kindly sent out replacement extended gliders at no charge, but that clip eludes me.
Claire, if you’re still reading, thanks for the comment about washing the harness. The one that came with the used chair looks like new now.
Mommy Gearest says
Did you discuss the clip while you had Stokke on the phone?
Epiphyta says
I did ask about the clip and was told the part was discontinued. I did, however, get the part number: it’s #003423. There are excellent photos of both sides of the clip on this eBay listing.
Claire says
Epiphyta, that is the clip in that eBay listing 🙂 Clearly the chair I have with that clip is older, though I haven’t looked up the serial numbers. I’m glad to hear the straps laundered well for you, too. It works like a charm!
I really want the European harness that has the clips so it’s even easier to remove for washing. It’s not clear from the photos whether or not the EU harness has to slide over (and screw into) the bottom backrest bar like they do in the States or if it only clips onto brackets on the side pieces of the chair at the seat bottom. It might be worth trying to procure the EU straps if the necessary brackets that the clips attach to are included in the harness kit. Can anyone outside of the US speak to that? If I didn’t have to get out two different screwdrivers to disassemble the chair each time I want to wash the straps, it would happen with way more frequency. 😉
Epiphyta says
Claire, looking at one of the UK retailers, the D-rings are included with the harness and they sell spares as well; here’s a link to their sales page, and here’s one detailing how the D-rings attach to the seat plate (you’ll need to scroll down a bit). It looks as if it only clips in on the sides; what do you think?
Claire says
I’ve bought two used Tripp Trapp chairs off of Craigslist in the US. One of them has a small white clip attached to the end of the crotch strap for the 5 point harness. It has two prongs that have to be slipped into the slot in the seat from the underside in order to remove it for washing. Also, since the rest of the straps are secured around one of the seat back rails and screwed in, you have to practically disassemble the chair to remove those straps for washing. They are so easy to launder in a lingerie bag in the washing machine before line drying. I’d do it more often if it wasn’t such a hassle. It looks like the UK version of the harness is much more laundry-friendly with clips that attach to D-rings on the side rails of the chair. One of the chairs I bought in the US had a large white rectangular clip underneath the slot on the wooden seat panel. It used a piece of metal wire in conjunction with the white plastic bracket to hold the crotch strap securely in place. I found it is much easier to remove that crotch strap for laundering, but I can’t find another one to buy anywhere. Is there a good resource for the history of these parts?
Mommy Gearest says
I wish I knew! But I can tweet at Stokke to see if they will respond here. I still haven’t even really figured out how to remove the white plastic bit and the harness from the seat!!
Mar says
You can try with white vinegar
Epiphyta says
Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but did the clip on the underside look like the one in this photo? If so, it could be for the first version of the Babyset, made only between 2006 and 2008, and I’ll buy it from you in a heartbeat! (Just purchased a chair on Craigslist for my goddaughter, and it’s got the first-gen Babyrail, but not that clip!)
Mommy Gearest says
I have no idea but will check!
Epiphyta says
Oh, thank you! The chair’s cleaned up beautifully — Goo Gone removed what was left of the back sticker and the ones added over the years — and Stokke kindly sent out replacement extended gliders at no charge, but that clip eludes me.
Claire, if you’re still reading, thanks for the comment about washing the harness. The one that came with the used chair looks like new now.
Mommy Gearest says
Did you discuss the clip while you had Stokke on the phone?
Epiphyta says
I did ask about the clip and was told the part was discontinued. I did, however, get the part number: it’s #003423. There are excellent photos of both sides of the clip on this eBay listing.
Claire says
Epiphyta, that is the clip in that eBay listing 🙂 Clearly the chair I have with that clip is older, though I haven’t looked up the serial numbers. I’m glad to hear the straps laundered well for you, too. It works like a charm!
I really want the European harness that has the clips so it’s even easier to remove for washing. It’s not clear from the photos whether or not the EU harness has to slide over (and screw into) the bottom backrest bar like they do in the States or if it only clips onto brackets on the side pieces of the chair at the seat bottom. It might be worth trying to procure the EU straps if the necessary brackets that the clips attach to are included in the harness kit. Can anyone outside of the US speak to that? If I didn’t have to get out two different screwdrivers to disassemble the chair each time I want to wash the straps, it would happen with way more frequency. 😉
Epiphyta says
Claire, looking at one of the UK retailers, the D-rings are included with the harness and they sell spares as well; here’s a link to their sales page, and here’s one detailing how the D-rings attach to the seat plate (you’ll need to scroll down a bit). It looks as if it only clips in on the sides; what do you think?
Michelle says
If you heat up the sticker with a hair dryer, it should peel off easily as well.
Mommy Gearest says
Really? Great tip!
Michelle says
If you heat up the sticker with a hair dryer, it should peel off easily as well.
Mommy Gearest says
Really? Great tip!
Emma says
Argh, the sticker! I just bought a second Tripp Trapp for the new baby, both of mine are the limited edition solid Walnut (the first one) and Oak (this one). The first one didn’t have the sticker and I am so peeved about it on the second one! This is a piece of designer furniture, $500 in Australia! I am slowly scraping it off using isopropyl alcohol to dissolve the adhesive. It’s the tyranny of the (stupid) majority – this morning I noticed that the back of the milk bottle says ALLERGEN ADVICE: CONTAINS MILK.
Mommy Gearest says
RIGHT?!?!? It drives me crazy every time I look at it. Your insane milk warning reminds me of something I saw at the mall a couple of weeks ago. It was a mall-rented firetruck-style stroller, with a carryall bag in the back for shopping bags, which read: CAUTION — DO NOT PUT CHILD IN BAG. Ugh.
Emma says
Argh, the sticker! I just bought a second Tripp Trapp for the new baby, both of mine are the limited edition solid Walnut (the first one) and Oak (this one). The first one didn’t have the sticker and I am so peeved about it on the second one! This is a piece of designer furniture, $500 in Australia! I am slowly scraping it off using isopropyl alcohol to dissolve the adhesive. It’s the tyranny of the (stupid) majority – this morning I noticed that the back of the milk bottle says ALLERGEN ADVICE: CONTAINS MILK.
Mommy Gearest says
RIGHT?!?!? It drives me crazy every time I look at it. Your insane milk warning reminds me of something I saw at the mall a couple of weeks ago. It was a mall-rented firetruck-style stroller, with a carryall bag in the back for shopping bags, which read: CAUTION — DO NOT PUT CHILD IN BAG. Ugh.
fraurain says
Actually the serial number is at the bottom on one of the legs. You need to turn the chair upside down. Only chairs before 2000 don’t have a serial number printed on it.
Mommy Gearest says
Woo hoo!!! You are correct! I just checked and it’s there. Amazing. Stokke told me it was ONLY on the sticker, so this is great news.
fraurain says
Actually the serial number is at the bottom on one of the legs. You need to turn the chair upside down. Only chairs before 2000 don’t have a serial number printed on it.
Mommy Gearest says
Woo hoo!!! You are correct! I just checked and it’s there. Amazing. Stokke told me it was ONLY on the sticker, so this is great news.
Tabea says
P.S. I think the sticker is something uniquely American:
We don’t have it on the chairs in Germany.
Tabea says
P.S. I think the sticker is something uniquely American:
We don’t have it on the chairs in Germany.
Jen says
Hi, I just spent 45min removing the sticker on my used Tripp Trapp (yeah Kijiji!), but it was well worth it. I used a combo of a letter opener (the blunt end) to scrap off the adhesive and an eraser to lift and rub off the gunk. I also saw on other forums that goo gone was helpful. My neck is sore from the erasing but the chair looks 100x better.
Mommy Gearest says
Amazing! Thanks for the tip – I think I have some Goo Gone. My sister-in-law said WD40 works, too! How much were you able to get it for used?
Jen says
I got mine for $150 with the baby set accessories. The best part is that I had looked for months for a used one but they were all selling for $200+, but as soon as I got mine, I saw two ads on kijiji and even saw the chair at my local consignment store the next day?!! All were below $150 and in good condition. ;p
Jen says
Hi, I just spent 45min removing the sticker on my used Tripp Trapp (yeah Kijiji!), but it was well worth it. I used a combo of a letter opener (the blunt end) to scrap off the adhesive and an eraser to lift and rub off the gunk. I also saw on other forums that goo gone was helpful. My neck is sore from the erasing but the chair looks 100x better.
Mommy Gearest says
Amazing! Thanks for the tip – I think I have some Goo Gone. My sister-in-law said WD40 works, too! How much were you able to get it for used?
Jen says
I got mine for $150 with the baby set accessories. The best part is that I had looked for months for a used one but they were all selling for $200+, but as soon as I got mine, I saw two ads on kijiji and even saw the chair at my local consignment store the next day?!! All were below $150 and in good condition. ;p
Tabea says
Haven’t read any other comment, but if nobody wrote till now:
If you would assemble the chair as written in the manual, there wouldn’t be the danger of tipping forward.
You should position the boards far more back, then the chair cannot tip over at all.
As written on page 2 in the manual:
http://www.stokke.com/~/media/BEDF1940FED64FC3B9E476E27861A6C3.ashx
“Footrest
Make sure the forward edge of the footrest NEVER protrudes beyond the front tip of the chair legs at floor level. This may cause the chair to be unstable when a child climbs in and out of the Tripp Trapp® high chair.”
Sorry for smartassing…
Mommy Gearest says
Are you kidding? I LOVE SMARTASSING!!!! 🙂 I read the manual. The issue isn’t/wasn’t that the footrest is protruding beyond the chair legs; the issue was that my kid stood on the very front edge of the footrest and leaned forward. I will push it back farther, though – can’t hurt. I need to lower the foot rest since I assembled the Tripp Trapp anyway. Thx for your comment!
Tabea says
I’m curious:
Have you reassembled the chair?
No tipping forward anymore no matter where your son is standing, is it?
Both our elder kids climb and jump and hang around their chairs and it never tipped anywhere.
Tabea says
Haven’t read any other comment, but if nobody wrote till now:
If you would assemble the chair as written in the manual, there wouldn’t be the danger of tipping forward.
You should position the boards far more back, then the chair cannot tip over at all.
As written on page 2 in the manual:
http://www.stokke.com/~/media/BEDF1940FED64FC3B9E476E27861A6C3.ashx
“Footrest
Make sure the forward edge of the footrest NEVER protrudes beyond the front tip of the chair legs at floor level. This may cause the chair to be unstable when a child climbs in and out of the Tripp Trapp® high chair.”
Sorry for smartassing…
Mommy Gearest says
Are you kidding? I LOVE SMARTASSING!!!! 🙂 I read the manual. The issue isn’t/wasn’t that the footrest is protruding beyond the chair legs; the issue was that my kid stood on the very front edge of the footrest and leaned forward. I will push it back farther, though – can’t hurt. I need to lower the foot rest since I assembled the Tripp Trapp anyway. Thx for your comment!
Tabea says
I’m curious:
Have you reassembled the chair?
No tipping forward anymore no matter where your son is standing, is it?
Both our elder kids climb and jump and hang around their chairs and it never tipped anywhere.