In a nutshell

A stylish, easy to wipe clean high-chair that has a nifty reclining function, allowing even a young baby to enjoy mealtimes with the family - but it’s fiddly to adjust and takes up a lot of room.

What we tested

  • Ease of use
    A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.
  • Ease of cleaning
    A star rating of 3.5 out of 5.
  • Comfort
    A star rating of 3.5 out of 5.
  • Style
    A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.
  • Durability
    A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.
  • Worth the money
    A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.
Overall Rating
A star rating of 3.9 out of 5.

Pros

  • Stylish, light, adjustable footrest and reclining seat with a variety of positions, double tray and easy to clean

Cons

  • Bulky, awkward fitting tray table

MadeForMums reviews are independent and based on expertise and testing. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, but this never influences our product choices.

Advertisement

If you’ve not heard of Peg Perego, they’re an Italian brand that has been designing baby products since 1949 - and the Prima Pappa Zero 3 exudes classic Italian style and care. It’s not the cheapest, sitting alongside other leading baby brands such as Phil and Ted’s Highpod chair and the Evolve Nomi, but expect fantastic design and craftsmanship.

It’s clear a lot of effort has gone into designing this highchair, aiming to make family life and a baby’s first exploration of food that little bit easier. This fully reclinable highchair can be used from birth - and has seven height positions, enabling the chair to grow with the child.

It’s light, the back legs have wheels which make it easy to roll about the house and there’s a double tray - one for play and one for getting messy. Or two for getting filthy, depending how quickly you clean them up...

peg-perego-prima-pappa-siz

Tested by:

Ruth tested the Prima Pappa Zero 3 with her 6-month-old baby.

Is the Peg Perego Prima Pappa Zero 3 comfortable for babies and toddlers?

With thick padding and a special eco-leather seat, the Prima Pappa Zero 3 looks spacious and comfortable. My son is a wriggler and doesn’t like to be strapped in - and sometimes I found the five-point harness a bit fiddly.

And at 6 months, my son often ended up slumping to the side - but the reclining position gave him a break when he became frustrated and tired.

How portable is it to move around the home?

At 16.7lbs, this chair is lighter than my 6-month-old. The wheels on its back legs make it easy to move around the room - but it is quite large. Sure you can fold it down so it’s nice and compact but I found it difficult to do one-handed, with a toddler at my feet. And the sheer size of the legs made it a trip-hazard in our family home. For open-plan living, this chair would be a dream.

peg-perego-prima-pappa-baby

How big is it?

Peg Perego describe it as “the small high chair that does great things” but I wouldn’t call it small, unless you’re prepared to fold it away after every use.

Unfolded, the Prima Pappa Zero 3 is 75.5cm x 55 x 104.5cm, while folded it shrinks down to 30cm x 95.5cm. The good news is that it’s a really simple fold mechanism and the buttons either side of the chair give a satisfying click, too.

The seat itself is quite neat - but the aluminium legs seem to poke out and get under everyone’s feet.

Could you use the Peg Perego Prima Pappa Zero 3 as a travel highchair?

No. It’s compact when folded but it’s still a bit too bulky to take on holiday. Although if you have a large family car, you could probably sling it in the boot, along with everything else.

What do you think of the quality of the highchair?

It’s a good quality highchair and feels sturdy. I like the special eco-leather seat cover which feels comfortable and padded - and the aluminium legs add a touch of class. But I find the tray very fiddly and almost impossible to do one-handed.

peg-perego-prima-pappa-chair

I’m not used to a tray table highchair as my elder son was weaned on a Stokke Tripp Trapp (£198 on Amazon) and still uses it to this day. I like the design of the Prima Pappa Zero 3, it feels smooth and looks great and I love the reclining function for when your baby doesn’t have the strength to sit up for a long period of time.

Tell us about the comfort recliner function – is it effective?

I really like this function. With seven different heights and five reclining positions, it can be used from an early age and reclined so that baby is comfortable while sitting at the table. Sometimes I found the different positions jarred slightly and there were a few occasions where I thought I’d clicked it into place only for my baby to jolt backwards.

peg-perego-prima-pappa-thumbnail

Is the Peg Perego Prima Pappa Zero 3 anti-tilt?

When I push the highchair with some force, it doesn’t tip backwards but moves along the floor. My little one has a habit of stretching out his toes and pushing off the table but he hasn’t tipped over, despite my fears.

What did you think of the tray?

The double tray is genius: one for play, one for mess - and it’s really easy to keep clean. But trying to fit the tray table onto the highchair is hard work. You have to push a button at the front and jostle it into the grooves and when you have a frustrated baby on your hands, it can take a bit too much time.

I also wish the tray was a bit closer to my child as so much food seems to get dropped in the gap between child and tray.

When not in use, the removable tray can be stored on the back legs.

peg-perego-prima-pappa-tray

What did you think of the wheels?

This is a new one for me. The back legs have two non-scratching rubber wheels with rear brakes. Now I’ve never had a highchair that could move and I love how you can shuffle your baby around the place easily, feeding them in the kitchen or just bringing them closer to you to avoid some mess - and actually succeed in getting some food into their mouth.

Is the Peg Perego Prima Pappa Zero 3 easy to clean?

A baby’s ability to get things dirty never fails to impress me. The seat cushion can be chucked in the washing machine at 30 degrees for those really hard to remove stains but otherwise everything can be wiped down.

Like all padded highchairs, food finds its way into the corners and hard to reach places and you have to be vigilant for bits of wayward banana or porridge but this streamlined highchair is pretty simple to keep clean.

The leather seat cushion seems to hide most stains and the rest can be easily wiped off with a cloth. There are also fewer nooks and crannies for crumbs to get stuck in which is a big plus.

Does the highchair feel sturdy and long-lasting?

Yes. It feels sturdy and well-made, built to last and can be used from birth. I like the aluminium legs which feel classy and smooth to touch (providing you clean them well!).

peg-perego-prima-pappa

What do you think of the Peg Perego Prima Pappa Zero 3's harness?

The five-point harness feels secure and clicks into place. The shoulder straps of the harness can be used at two different heights by threading it through the back of the padding. The material tends to be a magnet for food mess and I sometimes found it a bit fiddly while holding a wriggly baby.

Can the highchair be used in different positions and heights?

Yes. It’s easily adjustable and the highchair can be used in seven different height positions. To raise or lower the highchair, simply press the two black side levers and stop when it meets your desired height. This is great for when you want to sit your child at a toddler table.

What age is the Peg Perego Prima Pappa Zero 3 suitable for?

It would be great to start using this chair from an early age so that your baby is comfortable and used to sitting in their high chair before the weaning process starts. I’d say from around 3-4 months would be ideal. You could use the reclining function and the footrest and let them enjoy the fun of mealtimes - without the mess.

Once they’re 12 months, you can remove the tray and let your baby sit directly at the table.

peg-perego-prima-pappa-footrest

How quick and easy is the Prima Pappa Zero 3 to assemble?

It’s super simple as it already comes assembled in the box - it’s your job to figure out how to attach the tray.

Where can I buy the Prima Pappa Zero 3 highchair?

It's available from Amazon and Trendy Baby.

MadeForMums verdict:

I like this chair. I don’t love it. There are a few things that bug me like the tray table and the fact that the legs seem to take up half my dining room floor - but it’s a really great padded highchair and I would definitely recommend it to other mums and dads.

Read More...

Advertisement

MadeForMums product articles are independent, honest and provide advice you can have confidence in. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links. However we never allow this to influence our coverage. Our reviews and articles are written by parents who are professional journalists, and we also include feedback from our parent community and industry experts.

Authors

Product Specifications

Product
BrandPeg Perego
ModelPrima Pappa Zero 3
Price£130.00
Dimensions & Weight
DimensionsH:104.5cm W:55cm D:76.5cm
Dimensions (folded)H:95.5cm W:55cm D:30cm
Suitable for
Child age (approx)Birth to 3 years
Features
Seat height positions7
Recline positions5
Made fromIron, plastic and leather
Features
  • Recliner and highchair
  • Backrest can be tilted by over 150 degrees
  • Padded seat with 5 point safety harness
  • Extractable double dishwasher tray can be adjusted to 2 positions
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Anti-scratch rear wheels 
  • Free standing when folded
Accessories
Accessories includedTray
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement