When you are away from home with your little one, the one piece of gear that never gets packed up in the car or suitcase is the highchair right? Not so with the MeToo Chair! This compact and lightweight portable high chair solution works virtually anywhere there is a table - including a picnic table. The MeToo chair is designed to clamp onto the side of a table and suspend at table height. No bulky legs or seat, this clever design allows you to create a seat for your child right at the table with you.  We were intrigued by this suspended wonder of a chair so we tried one out to see how secure, easy and portable it really was.

Phil and Ted's MeToo Chair
Manufacturer: Phil & Teds
Model year: 2007/2008
MSRP: $49.95

MySprout Review
Rating:

Specifications
Dimensions: Approx. 13″ x 15″ x 2″ ( folded flat)
Seat depth: Approx. 8″
Weight: 2 lbs
Max weight limit: 40lbs
Frame: Aluminum
Three-point child harness

Features
Attaches to just about any table
Folds flat for easy packing and transport
Lightweight and compact
Safe and easy C-clamp table attachments screw into place
Durable, washable nylon seat

Testers
Baby sprout (starting at 7 months) over the course of 6 months. Used at the kitchen table as the primary home highchair, at the kitchen counter (with bar style overhang), while visiting friends and family, while traveling on vacation and outdoors on picnic tables.

Assembly
Really none to speak of. Simply unfold, pop out seat, adjust hardware to fit over table edge and screw down clamps to attach firmly to table.

Ease of Use
The MeToo chair is a snap to set up and easy to load and unload with your little dinner companion. Likewise, it is also easy to release from the table and fold up to take with you. This makes it also work well in restaurants when you don’t have a lot of time to be fooling around with baby gear as other diners watch while you attempt to get everyone to the table and away from the table with as little commotion as possible. While attached to a table, the MeToo takes up less space than a traditional high chair and allows hungry eaters to sit closer to the table (whether this is good or bad is up for debate). 

A few comments about tables: The MeToo Chair should probably not be used with tables that have three legs or a single center pedestal since these types of tables can have less support at the edges. The MeToo Chair also tends not to work as well on round tables since there is often not enough sufficient table overhang at both points of attachment. Finally, you need to have at least two inches of free table edge depth for the MeToo Chair to clamp on properly. Some tables are designed to have an “apron” or “skirt” just under the edge of the table top which can prevent the chair from sliding all the way on providing enough depth to clamp it down. If you are planning to use this as your regular highchair at home, we recommend you measure the depth of the edge of your table first to be sure it will work. Note that the MeToo Chair can also be used on a kitchen counter overhang (bar style) which we found worked very well.

Comfort
The seat area is rather large and deep so it is comfortable for children up to age three (recommended age limit by Phil & Teds). Unlike other more traditional highchair designs however, there is less (to none) back and side support for babies with the MeToo Chair so it is better for children who can comfortably sit upright on their own without a lot of support. Our testers had no problem with fit for a 7 month old but it could be a problem for babies who need a little extra support. For toddlers (up to 40 lbs), the MeToo Chair is the perfect size and depth. The three-point harness is very secure but we felt it could have been a bit softer and less stiff (maybe a little padding) and it could be easier to adjust.

Safety
The fact that the MeToo Chair is designed to “suspend” off the edge of a table is probably the thing that gets most people’s attention when they first see it. Be prepared for “Whoa! How safe is that?” and “Well that looks pretty tricky.” from lots of observers. We have to admit, we were also a bit suspicious when we first saw it in action with an unsuspecting (albeit happy) little toddler sitting in one. But rest assured, this little chair is solid (provided it is attached properly and securely). The unique aluminum C-clamp attachments have a rubber flange for grip and close down tightly by screwing into place.  In fact, the bigger risk is with the table not the chair. As mentioned above, the MeToo Chair is not recommended for use with round tables or ones with a single pedestal in the center. If the table is at all insecure, then you might have a problem, but the chair itself will remain attached regardless. We found no safety issues during our testing and also found that it worked very well on almost all public tables we used it on.

Portability
The MeToo Chair gets top ratings from us for travel and portability. We love how it folds up and is compact enough to fit into a suitcase or even a tote bag! With this handy chair, you no longer have to reluctantly use a sticky, germ covered restaurant booster seat or worry about trying to eat your thanksgiving meal with junior on your lap while at your in-laws house.

One thing we found that could improve the portability would be a carry bag or case for the chair. When taken off the table, folded up and carried around, the aluminum clamps have a tendency to swing in and out and the seat doesn’t stay folded in. A simple carry case would help keep everything in place. (Some parents we know even use the “pizza” style box it comes packaged in for storage and travel!)

Cleaning
The durable nylon material that cover the aluminum chair frame is easy to clean with a sponge and soapy water as needed. Like all highchairs, the MeToo Chair collects its share of cheerios, banana and cracker crumbs so being able to clean it easily is a must. We found that the seam at the bottom of the seat did have a tendency to collect a fair amount of crumbs but a quick release from the table and a good shake-out took care of it.

Pros
Incredibly portable and easy to travel with so you always have a seat no matter where you are. Works well in crowded public places, on vacation, at family and friends houses as well as at home. Child sits closer to the table and feels as if they are “part of the family” rather than off to the side in a highchair.

Cons
May not work with all table types or designs. Child harness rather stiff and not as comfortable as it could be. Would be even easier to transport if it came with a matching carry bag or case.

Categories: Gear Reviews, Top Picks, Travel with Kids
Tags: baby travel gear, portable high chair, Travel with Kids