Eddie Bauer Wood High Chair Review

Traditional Design, Lots of Storage

The traditional look of an Eddie Bauer wood high chair compliments your home. You'll love how easy is to use and appreciate the sturdiness.

If you like more of a traditional look, then you will love the Eddie Bauer Wood High Chair. This beautifully-crafted baby high chair features a nicely-sized dishwasher-safe plastic tray and seat pad in different plaid designs you can choose from. This wooden high chair has a footrest and 3-point safety lap belt. Underneath the larger tray is an insert tray, which is smaller for quick snacks and is also dishwasher-safe. The main big tray is a one-hand release.

Keep in mind that the Eddie Bauer wood high chair does not recline, so a baby who can sit up for a longer time would do better.

While parents say that this chair blends in well with their home decor, the Eddie Bauer wooden high chair has gotten mixed reviews. Lately the reviews haven't been that great, but reviews from early 2011 and earlier tend to be much more positive. But on a better note, Consumer Reports has something more positive to say about it, which you'll learn further in this review.

The overall rating for the Eddie Bauer Wood High Chair has been 3½ and 4 stars, across various online retailers, factoring the negative comments of late. As you read this review, you'll find out just what consumers love - and don't love so much - about this attractive wooden high chair.

Eddie Bauer Wood High Chair Features:

Classic design for complementary room decor
4-position tray with dishwasher-safe insert and 1-hand release
Child's footrest
Easy-to-clean seat pad with vinyl coating
Storage space beneath seat
3-point safety lap belt
Weight limit: Up to 50 lbs.
Product Dimensions: 20"W x 41"H x 22½"D
Product Weight: 20 lbs.
JPMA certified

Tell me about the seat

First off, you've got to keep in mind that this Eddie Bauer Wood High Chair does not recline. If you have a younger baby and wish to start solids, you might consider a reclining high chair. A Philadelphia mother of a 4½-month-old tried to use this high chair, but baby just isn't ready to sit up in such a straight seat back. She's afraid he will topple over onto the tray. So keep this in mind.

However, if your child is ready to sit in a straight-back chair, then this wooden highchair is a nice way to start. The seat comes with a cushion that goes with many of your home's color schemes and while consumers say the padding is a bit thin, it will probably suit your child for the duration of the meal.

Don't let the thin padding be the deal breaker, though, if you're in love with the obvious great design of this classic wooden high chair. I've discovered a couple of nice high chair seat pads you can buy separately that have gotten some great customer reviews. Take a look here and here. This one even has a storage pocket that goes over the seatback. Nice touch!

Now for me, this is a highlight feature: the storage space beneath the seat! What an amazing idea! A mom named Ann writes in her 4-star review that she uses this storage space for all her son's bibs and washcloths, saving precious drawer space in her kitchen.

This high chair has a footrest for your child's comfort.

How easy is it to clean?

The pad can be wiped clean with a damp cloth, or you can run it through your washing machine and then let it air dry.

Nooks and crannies in the Eddie Bauer wooden high chair are easy to get to and don't pose a problem. Simply use warm, soapy water to clean the frame. The insert tray can be wiped clean like the frame and the tray is dishwasher safe.

What about safety features?

This amazing video shows you in plain sight how sturdy the Eddie Bauer wood high chair is. I don't know about you, but I'd be uneasy seeing my toddler climbing any high chair. Please don't let your child climb on a high chair like the video shows because it is dangerous.

However, this video does show you how well-balanced and solid this chair is, and I like knowing it will stay standing up even with an active toddler.

For safety's sake, the Eddie Bauer wood high chair has a 3-point lap belt to keep your child snugly secure, yet retain freedom of movement while eating. I also like the T-bar beneath the tray that divides the child's legs so that the child cannot "submarine" between the seat and the tray.

What is the tray like?

I love the fact that the tray on the Eddie Bauer wood high chair is adjustable and moves in and out of position so easily. The tray adjusts to four settings depending on how far away you want the tray from your baby, or adjust accordingly as your child grows.

A Florida mom named Susan comments that she loves how the tray pushes right up against her baby's tummy so that food won't drop down on her child's' lap. She also remarks that the tray is just the right size, not cumbersome.

The one-handed removal of the tray is so easy to do! Then you can pop it into your dishwasher afterward - it couldn't be simpler to clean.

This Eddie Bauer wood high chair basically has three trays: One insert that rests on the main tray (see photo at right), the main tray and then the bottom permanent snack tray that is not removable (see Seat section above for photo.). The top tray can be removed and put in the dishwasher right away and you still have a clean main tray to use. Very convenient.

I like that the tray is recessed with a rim around the edge to prevent liquid spills from dripping onto the floor.

Now beneath the removable "main" tray is the tray insert, a permanent part of the high chair. It is a small tray with a little well for snacks or for sitting with the family at the dining table. Simply wipe the tray insert as you would the chair, with warm water. Customers say this is very easy to keep clean.

How much should I pay for the Eddie Bauer wood high chair?

This is one of the more economical wooden high chairs and I've seen the Eddie Bauer Wood High Chair priced between $120 up to $150. You'll find a good deal on Amazon for the Stonewood color scheme. You might like the Cherry wood color scheme called Michelle.

For other colors, I suggest Target for the Caitlin, a nice warm brown color. You should also consider the full plaid Sinclair, popular for both little boys and little girls.

Eddie Bauer Wood High Chair reviews: what others have to say

This attractive wooden highchair has been getting some mixed positive feedback. While some online retailers have mostly 3½ stars, others give 4. But overall, taking into account online retailers across the web, 4-star reviews seems to be the overall average for the Eddie Bauer wooden high chair.

Lots of parents love the way their Eddie Bauer wood high chair looks. Words like "love the look" and "fits our decor" is used fairly often. "My baby will eat in style," were the words from one reviewer!

Numerous reviews mention how sturdy this high chair is. A grandma wrote in her review that she has used it for 2½ years and is still holding up like new. She just started using it for her second grandchild.

Some parents have remarked that this high chair is easy to assemble. One particular 5-star review stated that it took about 20 minutes.

Consumer Reports has given some positive ratings, too. In the most recent update, Eddie Bauer wood high chair received an overall 76% with an excellent mark for safety and a very good mark for ease of use. I feel assured with ratings like that from such a reliable professional consumer organization.

If you like this Eddie Bauer wood high chair, you might like an Eddie Bauer stroller or travel system too.

Disadvantages

A couple of reviews mentioned that the padding could be thicker. Because of this, extra propping may be necessary for babies who are not self-feeding yet. For babies who can sit up on their own, the padding should be sufficient for the duration of the meal, otherwise you might consider purchasing an extra seating pad.

This pad will be especially good because it drapes over the top of the chair and many complaints about this chair is that babies bang their heads on the chair back and the padding doesn't come up far enough. These pads I recommend cover the chairback completely and they're cute!

Some reviews say that constant scrubbing causes the paint to wear or chip off.

A few are also disappointed that this chair does not recline. Please be aware of this before purchase so that you are not disappointed too.

Where can I buy the Eddie Bauer Wood High Chair?

So far the two best retailers I've seen selling the Eddie Bauer Wooden High Chair is on Amazon and on Target. Target gives you the most selection online and Amazon is just plain awesome to use.

Can you just see your new Eddie Bauer High chair in your home right now?