Design
The Genesis highchair is a slick-looking design; its neat construction gives it a really light look, not at all bulky or dominating.
Its lack of white plastic is refreshing; the leatherette seat is very modern and would suit most interiors. It comes in aqua, orange, ivory, black, green, pink and red.
It's well made and although it looks light, is very sturdy and all the components are well made.
You can buy an optional carry bag for travelling.
Features
The Genesis features a 5 point harness, removable tray, adjustable footrest, seat recline and a removable and washable leatherette seat cover. The seat is roomy and deep but has no structure so it's not suitable for a baby that cannot sit independently.
It doesn't have wheels, but wheels seem so old school when you see how light and easy the Genesis is to fold and stash away.
Performance
The Genesis impresses from the moment you pull it out of the box. It comes fully assembled, opening it is so easy and voila!, it’s ready to go.
The seat and harness is very comfortable and gets the toddlers' thumbs up. The footrest adjusts to two lengths; the higher is suitable for the average 1 year old, the lower from 2 to 3 years.
The tray is a great size, not very wide but quite long. This has the advantage of keeping the high chair’s profile compact when in use but giving your baby lots of room to spread out. You can fit an average sized melamine plate, bowl and drink comfortably on it and within easy reach of your baby. The tray is also deep which is effective in keeping the food on the tray and off the floor.
The Genesis is oh-so-easy to keep clean; there are no nooks and crannies in the seat or frame to collect food. You simply wipe down the leatherette with a damp cloth and when the harness gets too crusty you can remove the whole seat and pop it in the wash. It comes out as clean as a whistle.
Although it only weighs 7 kgs and has a light looking frame this highchair is stable. I don't encourage my number 1 tester to throw his weight around at dinnertime but sometimes it happens. The Genesis got a really heavy workout and it did not budge a millimetre.
It takes less time to fold the chair than it will take you to read this sentence. Two simple steps and it's flat.
Forget the instructions, everything about the Genesis works so logically that you just know how to use it. The best example of this was when I washed the seat; Dad grabbed it off the line and popped it back on without asking for assistance or instructions. The little guy was seated and eating before I even noticed.
What our tester said
Our little Best Buys' tester has been using the Valco Genesis highchair for 5 months now and you'd hardly know it's been used at all. The tray is a little worn but the seat and frame look new. The seat is really easy to wash and comes up clean and fresh every time.
It's taken a toddler bashing and the one thing I was concerned about, the footrest, has passed the test with flying colours. No matter how much our toddler tester has thrown his weight around this chair has not rocked or moved an inch.
It's comfy and our little tester is happy to spend time playing in it before and after dinner and the easy fold is used frequently.
In every way the Valco Genesis has lived up to its 5 star score.
Drawbacks
The Genesis' biggest drawback is the food falling on lap factor. Even though the tray has two settings there is still a gap between it and the average sized two year old.
You can’t put the tray in the dishwasher.
The design sacrifices some functions such as wheels but really the usability that it gains by not having is more practical.
Conclusion
Products like prams and highchairs don't usually score a 5 star rating on Best Buys because of the necessary compromise of function, looks and/or price.
The Genesis has some drawbacks but gets its 5 stars because it sets a standard in simple, yet functional high chair design.
Combine that with the Astro's very reasonable price and good looks and you've got a designer product that everyone can afford.
About Valco
Yeah! Valco is an Aussie company producing a wide range of prams and accessories and distributing them around the world.
