Ickle Bubba Flip Magic Fold Highchair review: a slim-folding, affordable highchair for smaller kitchens

Our verdict

If your kitchen already feels like it’s one snack bowl away from collapse, a highchair that folds down flat to just 7cm starts to look very appealing.

New mum Izzy tested the Ickle Bubba Flip Magic Fold Highchair over a period of eight weeks with her daughter, using it daily for bottle feeds and then mealtimes once she’d started weaning.

“Our overall experience with this highchair has been very positive,” she said. “The standout feature is its compact design, with a quick one-handed fold that makes it slim and easy to store, which is ideal for smaller spaces.”

Its slim fold is what really sets this highchair apart. In a smaller kitchen or dining room, floor space disappears quickly once a highchair joins the mix. So one that folds down neatly and can be stored under the table or in a cupboard is a genuine plus.

Izzy found the highchair “lightweight, simple to set up, easy to manoeuvre, and very easy to clean, with a removable tray and wipe-clean cover.” The five-point harness felt secure too, although she noted that “the straps were a little fiddly to adjust.”

“The main drawbacks are that the tray is not adjustable and the seat is a bit too spacious for younger babies. I expect it to be a better fit as my daughter grows,” Izzy said.

“Overall, I think this highchair offers great value for money and would recommend it to parents looking for a stylish, practical and space-saving option.”

Our parent tester Izzy found the Ickle Bubba Flip Magic Fold Highchair slotted neatly alongside the family dining table for everyday meals.

How we tested the Ickle Bubba Flip Magic Fold Highchair

Izzy tested the highchair over a period of eight weeks with her daughter, aged five months to seven months.

“Before we started weaning our daughter, we used the highchair as a way for her to sit comfortably and securely with us at mealtimes and feel involved by being at our eyeline,” she said. “When we started weaning with her, we used it every day so that she could eat her food and drink her bottle sitting in the highchair.”

Because it was used for family mealtimes, early weaning and bottle feeds, Izzy was able to assess how easy it was to use, how quickly it cleaned up after food and whether it was a highchair she’d happily keep using as part of her daily routine.

What’s in the box and how easy is the highchair to assemble?

“The highchair comes in two parts - the highchair frame, which already has the cover attached, and the removable tray,” Izzy said. “It also comes with an instruction booklet.”

There wasn’t much to unpack or assemble, which she appreciated. Some baby products seem to arrive with all the charm of flat-pack furniture and a small engineering degree. Thankfully, this didn’t.

“The highchair was very easy to use from the first time - it required minimal assembly and was set up in just a few minutes,” Izzy said. “Although instructions were included, the process was so straightforward that we didn't need to refer to them.”

How does it look?

Izzy was pleasantly surprised by how well the highchair fitted into her home. “The chair blends nicely with our dining room décor and doesn't feel like an eyesore,” she said. “We especially liked the look and feel of the chair cover.”

The Flip Magic Fold Highchair is available in a choice of three colours: Sage Green, Pearl Grey and Blush Pink. Izzy tested the Sage Green and felt it looked more premium than you might expect from a £50 highchair.

“The only downside to its appearance is that the legs are quite wide (for stability purposes), and in our smaller dining space we found ourselves tripping over them,” she said.

When folded, the Ickle Bubba Flip Magic Fold Highchair is just 7cm deep, making it easy to store in narrow spaces.

How easy is it to use day to day?

“The highchair is very easy to use on a day-to-day basis,” Izzy said. “It's designed as a space-saving highchair and is lightweight, easy to manoeuvre, and can be folded with one hand using a single button.”

That one-handed fold was a real plus during testing. "When folded, it's really slim and compact, which is a huge advantage when space is limited. Since having a baby, we've found storage space is at a premium, so being able to slide it under the table when it's not in use has been really useful."

Getting her daughter in and out of the chair was straightforward, though Izzy usually removed the tray first. The roomy seat should mean there's plenty of space as your child grows, but it did feel a little too spacious for Izzy’s daughter at five to seven months. She was secure in the harness, but didn't quite fill the seat in the way an older baby or toddler would.

Adjustability is fairly limited. “The chair has adjustable harness straps and a removable tray,” Izzy said. However, the tray itself can’t be moved closer to or further away from your baby, which made it trickier for Izzy’s daughter to reach comfortably during testing.

The harness also took a little patience. “The harness straps are a little fiddly to adjust, but once set up the chair is quick and convenient to use every day.”

Which safety features does the Ickle Bubba Flip Magic Fold Highchair come with?

Izzy felt reassured by the highchair in use. “The highchair feels very safe and sturdy, with no slipping at all” she said. “It includes a five-point harness that kept our daughter secure and gave us confidence while she was in her highchair.”

The harness straps were “a little tricky to adjust,” but once fastened, they felt secure. There’s also a footrest, although Izzy's daughter was still too young to make proper use of it.

The large tray provides plenty of room for weaning meals, while the wipe-clean surfaces make clearing up quick and easy.

How easy is the Ickle Bubba Flip Magic Fold Highchair to clean?

“I found the highchair very easy to clean and we really liked that the tray is easily separated from the frame, making it quick to clean after mealtimes,” Izzy said.

“The seat cover can be removed if needed using the two poppers on each side,” Izzy said. “We found this very quick to get on and off if there was a particularly messy meal. Most of the time we left it on because it could simply be wiped clean with a damp cloth.”

Is it good value for money?

At £50, the Ickle Bubba Flip Magic Fold Highchair feels like very good value for money. "I would recommend it to other parents, especially if they're looking for a space-saving highchair that's affordable but still looks stylish and attractive," Izzy said.

It doesn't have the adjustability or padding of some pricier highchairs, so if you want something more cushioned or adaptable, the Flip Magic Fold probably isn't the one. But if you're after a practical highchair that folds down flat, wipes clean easily and doesn't dominate the room, it's a strong choice.

About the author

Laura Westerman is an editor, writer and Deputy Head of Editorial Content at Mumsnet. Also mum to a four-year-old, she specialises in researching and reviewing baby products, helping parents find practical, good-value buys that genuinely make everyday family life easier.

With more than 10 years' experience as a full-time editor, including eight years writing, commissioning and editing product reviews and buying guides, she has a keen eye for what parents really value and is passionate about delivering honest, practical reviews that help families shop with confidence.

Alongside her work as a writer and editor, Laura has also appeared in a number of product review videos for Mumsnet's YouTube channel.