Graco Contempo
Fisher Price Rainforest
Ease of Storage
It is very compact, stands upright on its own (no need to lay against a wall), and fits where other highchairs don't.
According to reviews it folds remarkably flat and when folded, can easily fit in a pantry or broom closet of even be slid next to the fridge.
There is a storage option on the back of the highchair for the tray & the clip-on toy, but according to reviews this isn't very practical because the toy sticks out.
Ease of Clean
According to reviews, the removable seat pad is easily wiped clean and can be machine-washed separately.
Some parents commented that it is a bit difficult to get the cover off for washing and to put it back on again. Also, the extra seat cover provided is fabric, rather than vinyl.
Food can sometimes get caught between the trays, which means the base tray needs to be wiped-clean because it doesn't fit in standard dishwashers. The straps are not removable and cannot be washed in a dishwasher or washing machine, just wiped clean.
The removable vinyl seat cover can be wiped off very easily, and some people have even tossed it in the washing machine.
Some reviewers mentioned that since the piping and frills on the seat are fabric they cannot be wiped off as well as the vinyl seat, and need to be washed.
Tomato sauce leaves stains on the vinyl, and some parents had problems with food and liquids getting into the seams and creases of the seat and under the seat cushion, and then cannot be washed.
The tray insert is dishwasher safe, but sometimes food gets all over the rest of the tray, which cannot go in the dishwasher and has to be wiped clean.
The straps are easy to release and are dishwasher-safe. The toy is also dishwasher-safe, although some parents mentioned that it doesn't fit in a standard dishwasher and has to be washed by hand.
Ease of Use
The 6 height levels allow you to have your baby at table height or at your level. The easy to use recline provides body support for infants and a comfortable position for feeding or an after-meal bottle or nap. There is also a soft infant head support, for extra comfort.
The double tray is an advantage. You can use both the snap-on top tray and the bottom one. The 5-point harness is also very easy to use and designed for quick removal of the baby when the harness is unsnapped.
There are excellent reviews from parents on the recline feature, the height adjustment mechanism, and the overall ease of use of the Graco Contempo. According to reviews the wheels are easy to roll, although may be squeaky sometimes. Very few reviews mentioned any problem with the castors (wheels) locking system. Some reviewers mentioned that it may be too easy for toddlers to pull up the top tray and spill food. Also the un-adjustable footrest is not very functional.
The various height levels mean that you can bring the baby to table height when having a family dinner, lower her down to near-floor level when watching TV or having a snack, and other height levels in between to suit your needs.
The back recline can support infants who still cannot sit very well on their own, especially with the extra newborn pillow provided with the chair. The seat recline is also used by parents to put child in a more relaxed position for drinking their bottle or having a nap. Reviews from parents say that the back recline and height adjustments systems are easy, intuitive and work well. There have been some negative reviews from parents on the Fisher-Price Rainforest's performance. Many reviewers have reported on having had problems with the wheels (castors) brakes system, which makes them lock down randomly with even the slightest touch - something that can be rather annoying when you move the chair around.
Some people also mentioned that the tray was a bit loose and it was too easy for toddlers to unlatch the tray themselves, and knock it to the floor. The cup holder sections on the tray are too far away and may be hard to reach for younger or smaller babies. Another point mentioned by reviewers is that the footrest is not adjustable, and therefore not very useful.
Ease of Set-up
Entertainment for Baby
Style
Graco Contempo
Fisher Price Rainforest
Graco Contempo
based on 121 customer reviews
Feel factor: 12
Mostly pleased
(Score 4/5)
This is our second highchair for our third child. I despised our other chair, the Graco Harmony High Chair. I really like the Contempo chair.
What I like:
1) The print blends nicely with our kitchen decor.
2) I love that there are two chair pads and I can wash them on gentle cycle in cold water and air dry. They come out beautifully. Being able to take the pad off allows for me to clean in all the underside nooks and crannies where things like cheerios hide. Another review I read said that it is hard to clean but I disagree. Taking the pads off is not intuitive but when the directions are followed to a T it is surprisingly easy. We lost our instruction manual but I was able to print a new one from the GRACO webpage so I can refresh my memory if I need to.
3) This really does fold fairly flat - much needed for our small space. We were even able to fold it and put it in our van and take it to our in-laws for the holidays last year.
4) We can pull this chair right up to our kitchen table when the tray isn't attached and our little guy loves being at the table with everybody.
5) There have been complaints about the straps. I haven't had problems with the straps - they've been fine.
What I didn't like:
1) Our baby's arm kept getting caught between the chair and the top of the leg rests. He was never hurt - it just startled both of us! There are other reviews describing this same problem. We resolved it my rolling up a receiving blanket and putting it in the space. Now that he is bigger - just turned one - it is no longer an issue for him. However, it should not have been an issue at all in the first place. This issue is why I gave the chair four stars instead of five. If Graco could fix this design flaw this would be an outstanding high chair.
Posted on: 2010-07-19
By mom23
Good product, just make sure they have cloths
(Score 4/5)
Great chair. easy to move around and setup. the only issue i have had so far is that my son had some scratches from not wearing cloths and being in the chair. the scratches were very monior. after more use the scratches stopped. and can now be in the chair without getting scratched.
Posted on: 2010-07-06
By Patrick D. Nelson
Awesome Highchair!!
(Score 5/5)
I bought this highchair because my Costco folding highchair tray didn't slide close enough to my baby. I absolutely love this high chair. I have a space issue in my house so I am able to fold it up and store it when I am done. I also love the different reclines and heights the seat allows!
Posted on: 2010-06-16
By B. Clough
Clean up is a total pain!!!
(Score 3/5)
I am very frustrated with this product. It looks great and has nice features but is a COMPLETE PAIN to clean. It takes me twice as long to clean up than to feed my son...and almost all of this time is cleaning up the high chair. The plastic has too many crevices that trap food...most of which don't seem to serve a purpose; the safety harness straps are textured and this also traps food as do the buckle and size adjustment brackets on the straps; finally, the metal and plastic stand has a number of areas where food gets lodged. The fabric seat you can wipe clean, but you have to take a damp sponge to it every time and then plan on washing it every week or so. I get so irritated every day that I use this product and wish that I had never bought it. It's as if GRACO never tested this product - unbelievable!!
Posted on: 2010-06-08
By H. Benfield
Deserves more than 5 stars!
(Score 5/5)
This high chair is amazing. Love the two trays, when one is dirty you just lift it off and another clean one is underneath. Unlike other reviews, I don't have any issues with staining, or with the tray 'catching' on things. I have the Kasbah brown pattern, we just wipe it down with a Clorox wipe after feeding. Folds very flat, which very few folding chairs actually do. I have been using this chair for almost a year with my 100%+ percentile little girl who eats like a grown man, never had a single issue related to size or ability to clean. Would give it more stars if I could.
Posted on: 2010-05-17
By J. Hartwig
Fisher Price Rainforest
based on 223 customer reviews
Feel factor: 13
Healthy Care has been a sturdy, safe, functio
(Score 5/5)
We purchased the 2003 version of FP's Healthy Care high chair. Seven years and 3 kids later, this chair looks and functions like new. Our version does not have the wheels and a few "bells and whistles" that the newer models include; however, it has held up well and has been easy to use, clean and has kept our children safe.
Posted on: 2010-07-16
By Mark Grotto
Good product with reasonable price
(Score 4/5)
I am happy with this high chair. It serves the job with reasonable price.
The only 2 cons I have in mind are the wheels are a bit difficult to move and control.
My son loves to be pushed while he is sitting on the high chair.
However, it is not easy to push as the wheels do not working smoothly.
The 2nd con is the toy that comes along. It is pretty useless. I rather FP didn't provide the toys but sell for lower price.
Posted on: 2010-07-08
By Liku Liku
Great addition
(Score 5/5)
Excellent product, my son loves it, we like that it has the attached toy and removable tray, works well and appears to last a while. It can adjust as child grows. Once you put it together, you're good to go for a long time.
Posted on: 2010-07-06
By Bruno Soares
Great highchair!
(Score 5/5)
This highchair is wonderful. It has a vinyl seat cushion which is easy to clean and can be removed when the whole chair needs to be cleaned. It has adjustable, removeable straps which can easily be cleaned. The seat does recline to different positions so that it can be used for infants at a young age. The rainforest toy is great for when you have an infant that needs entertaining to eat. As your baby gets older the toy can be removed and there is an extra tray that sits on top. This can easily be cleaned in the sink and is dishwasher safe. The best feature about this highchair is that you can remove the tray with a 1-hand release. This is really important for when you are holding your infant with one arm and you want to set up the chair without putting your child down. Also the tray snaps on just by placing it on top - rather than having to thread it through 2 guide rails. Again this is a great convenience for when your child does not like to sit still or your hands are full. I know some of the reviewers have complained about the wheels locking/ unlocking but I have not encountered any difficulty with them so far and we have been using it now for over a year. I highly recommend this chair.
Posted on: 2010-06-29
By PTmommy
A good high Chair
(Score 4/5)
I bought this high chair for my 6 month old. It was recommended in the Baby Bargains book so I decided to go with this one. The chair works well. The tray can be removed easily with one hand. The wheels works ok but sometimes are not as smooth as I would like. The toy that comes with it is great but is a little tall for my daughter. The restraints have been good so far and clean up is easy. I would recommend this product.
Posted on: 2010-06-14
By Beth
