2 in 1, if that's what you want.
Written: Jun 19 '02 (Updated Jun 19 '02)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Stable, safe, comfortable, easy to use, easy to assemble
Cons: huge & clunky, ugly, expensive, bare bones w/o many features
The Bottom Line: I would recommend this chair to anybody who loves 2 in 1 type of stuff and who doesnt need a chair with bells & whistles.
|
|
|
| ktmcda's Full Review: Evenflo Steps To Grow Multi-Use High Chair |
I bought my Evenflo Steps to Grow highchair from Netkidswear.com. I got it promptly and was thrilled to have no problem assembling the chair. The instruction are clear and the chair was easy to put together.
The chair consists of 2 parts that simply fit together:
There is a little desk with a writing surface and a building blocks surface (with little raised parts to plug the blocks into, not sure what brand of blocks go in there) and a couple compartments for art tools or whatever.
And there's the chair, which is just the seat part of the high chair, removed. Being kids furniture, it looks a little odd to me with that high back and all the padding, but it is reminiscent of executive office furniture which makes me laugh.
To assemble, the desk part is placed on one end, and the seat part is lowered onto it. There are 2 height options. I chose the lower one because it seemed more stable and it was a good height for convenient feeding at our table.
The padded cover is sturdy plastic but I doubt it will hold up for the life of the chair/desk. I don't see that as a problem since the chair and desk are fine without the padded seat cover.
The high chair claims to be a feeding seat for small babies as well as solid-food-eating infants. There is a way to recline the seat which is for the small infants, I suppose, to prop a bottle or something. This a one-position recline. So if you want a comfortable seat for a tiny infant, this is not your seat, IMO. The seat is better suited for a baby who can sit up and eat solid foods. So, roughly, a six month old or an older baby.
There is a 3 pt restraint system on the seat which is adequate for keeping my child (11 months) in the chair. I don't like the restraint AT ALL. It annoys me because every single time I put my daughter in the chair, I have to figure out which strap goes where, as they all stem from one strap low in the back rest of the seat. So the 3 parts come together around the child from there, and you have to make sure you have the right one between the legs. I think the between the leg strap and the waist straps should have different origins to make it less irritating and more secure.
The seat is wide and comfy and my daughter doesnt mind being in it. I can easily see a bigger child in the seat. There is a foot rest (not adjustable) that indicates the chair would be comfortable for a MUCH older child. My daughter's feet dangle high above even though she is a large almost 1 year old!
The cover is easy to clean because it has clean lines and no ruffles or deep nooks & crannies. The directions say to not submerge the cover. Sounds like good advice since the cover feels like it is basically a sponge covered in vinyl. The cover has a pocket to hold it securely over the top of the backrest. It slips over the top and then velcros in place on and underneath the seat. So when stuff falls in between the cover and the chair itself, you simply unvelcro it and wipe out the mess. Its very simple.
The tray is large and secure. There are no compartments and no diswasher safe liner tray, like some of the fancier seats we checked out, but it is deep (important!) and has a groove all along the outer edge to draw wet stuff away from the main eating surface. This is a great feature. Also there is a one-handed release button on the front of the tray so that you can adjust the tray or remove it without using both hands. There are also buttons on the sides to remove or adjust the tray. Very easy to use.
The tray itself is NOT dishwasher safe and is already stained after overnight (my bad) contact with sweet potatoes! :-( I anticipate it will become badly stained before we're through with it. It has a sort of slightly textured surface. The instructions warn to clean with no harsh or abrasive chemicals.
There were two color themes when I bought my chair online. I chose the smaller plaid, its like a navy blue and grey and white and the chair is navy and grey plastic. Ugly as hell!
But the other one was uglier (IMO) with a large vibrant plaid. (why is EVERYTHING plaid?) It sticks out likea sore thumb in my dining room! Would not buy it again! But I know my daughter is going to Love it when she's older and has the cheesy desk.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
ktmcda
|
|
Location: Portland, Maine
Reviews written: 17
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
I'm a 27 year old single mom/student/activist. My daughter is 3 1/2.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.