Perched on a large, round pedestal base, the curvy chair is crack- and crevice-free, which makes it super easy to clean. Made from plastic (free from BPA, Phthalates and PVC), the chair features a chemical-resistant, waterproof seat pad, with a 5-point harness completing the set up.
The removable food tray is put on and taken off using a release handle found under the tray. The tray can be used in two positions. A clear plastic insert (dishwasher-safe) slots onto top of the tray to protect it and keep it clean. A curved ‘restraining post’ stops your child from sliding forward.
The USP of the Flair is that the seat height is adjustable - a pneumatic lift system allows for continuous height adjustment so that the seat can be positioned to fit perfectly under a table, or at the height you need. To adjust, you just use your foot to press down on the button on the base unit then pull up, or push down on the arms to change the height.
To move the highchair, you can hold the handle at the top of the seat and tip it backwards onto the rollers – it can then be rolled back or forwards.
Suitable from 6 months (or when your baby can hold their head up) to around 4 years, the Flair accommodates children of up to 22.7kg/50lb.
What we love
There’s no doubt that the Boon Flair is a good-looking highchair. The white sculpted plastic on the model I tested looks great against the bright orange seat cushion and added a little bit of cool to my otherwise cluttered kitchen.
Poppy, 6 months, is in the first stage of weaning (the messy one). She dutifully put the Flair through rigorous testing by smearing, flinging and squashing food all over the chair. But cleaning it was so easy because there are no cracks or corners.
My 2-year-old loved the Flair and fitted snuggly in the seat. She too put it through its paces with lasagne, which seems to have the ability to leave oily tomato stains on anything plastic. Once again, the Flair came up sparkling. What’s more, once you don’t need the tray anymore, the chair can be positioned up against a table, which immediately extends its shelf life (although because the base is so big it takes up a lot of room).
The ability to slide the tray on and off one-handed (using a handle under the tray) is a great idea and useful for when you have your baby in your arm. And whilst the tray is small (the size of a large plate) this does mean that you can, to some extent, contain the mess.
The highchair was relatively easy to put together but a screwdriver is required. The instructions are very clear.
What to watch out for
This highchair is big. The chair itself is compact and neat but the round base unit has a diameter of 59.7cm, making it as wide as many buggies. This means you probably need a big (ish) kitchen to avoid having to constantly move it, or to avoid tripping over it.
Whilst moving the Flair is quite easy, thanks to the roller on the bottom, it does weigh 13kg, so it’s not particularly portable. Lugging it up steps (I tried to move it out into the garden) is probably out of the question.
To look at, this is a well-designed highchair and with such a large base unit, you would expect it to be sturdy. But even at its lowest height the Flair isn’t particularly stable – if Poppy wriggled, the chair moved from side to side. It’s not enough to be dangerous but enough to draw your attention to the movement. At its highest position, and with a bigger child, the movement is more pronounced.
The Flair is also let down by its harness - it’s a basic fabric harness with lots of corners and cracks for food to hide in. And I would expect at least some padding on the shoulders.
The Boon website claims one of its aims is “keeping it [its products] affordable”. But I doubt that £199.99 is affordable for many parents.
Who is the Boon Flair highchair best for?
Parents who like their functional baby products to double as style statement pieces.
The Boon Flair is a funky, style-led highchair that will get people talking. It has some great features, such as the tray insert, crack-free seat and pneumatic lift system that allows you to fine-tune the height. But it’s not particularly sturdy and at a penny short of £200, it’s not in everyone’s budget.
