OXO Tot Baby & Toddler Review

Reviewed by Jo Tebbs
With today’s modern technology and our desire for items to help make life that little bit more simple, companies are manufacturing an array of gadgets and accessories that help complement our hectic and busy lifestyles. This is especially true when it comes the demands that babies and toddlers may bring to our lives. Any item that aids the day to day chores, or serves to support us whilst caring for our little ones, is welcomed by me and usually gratefully received by parents and care providers.
There are so many diverse products available in the Baby and Toddler sector. With this in mind, we are often drawn to the design and features of products which would best serve our own requirements dependent upon our/our children’s needs.
OXO is a company that provides over 1000+ products, not all tailored to the Baby and Toddler sector but which are all created in the principle of, ‘making everyday living easier’. By studying the population and examining the processes that we carry out day to day, they study our needs and identify areas for improvement. OXO produce innovate solutions for our daily needs.
The 3 OXO Tot products that I was chosen to review were sent via Royal Mail. Due to the size of the box and not being home when the postman came, I was required to collect the items from my local depot. This was an extremely easy and convenient method of delivery (had I been home) and alternatively, I knew the items were still in the safe hands of the Royal Mail and I could then collect them at a time suitable to myself.
The 3 items came clearly labelled and carefully packaged in a cardboard box sized 32cm x 42cm x 16cm.
Inside my OXO Tot package were the following 3 products:
– OXO Tot Roll Up Bib (RRP: £12)
– OXO Tot On-the-Go Wipes Dispenser with Nappy Pouch (RRP: £18)
– OXO Tot Perch Booster Seat with Straps (RRP: £40)
All these 3 products come from the OXO Tot Grey Collection, meaning they matched and are colour co-ordinated, which I love!
OXO Tot Roll Up Bib
The main packing that comes with the bib highlights on the front of the packaging that the bib can be rolled up for storage and travel (including a picture demonstrating this), is suitable for children aged 6 months+, is made from a comfortable, wipeable fabric and is BPA free. It also and probably most importantly for me, states that the bib is machine washable.
On the back of the packaging, the website address for the OXO company is provided along with some further bullet points explaining the benefits of the bib. One thing that I think is important to mention but is found written in smaller print in the bottom corner are the warnings regarding the bib. The bib must be worn with adult supervision, it should be discarded if there is damage or weakness and in capital letters it states, DO NOT microwave and DO NOT boil.
As a health conscious individual and being concerned for the welfare of little ones, it is extremely important to know that this product is BPA, PVC and Phthalate free. The bib is designed in USA but made in China.
The bib is comprised of a top and bottom section. The top section is made of 100% nylon whilst the bottom part is made of soft, flexible silicone that is food safe. The nylon fabric is comfortable to wear against a toddler’s skin and due to its waterproof properties, it stops any moisture or damp soaking through the bib thus preventing clothing or skin getting wet underneath it. The bottom section has a food catcher so as your little one feeds, any food that misses the mouth with hopefully get caught by the silicone pocket but unfortunately, there will never be a food catcher on a bib, big enough to catch all the remnants left over from a meal time!
On the back of the bib is a little white label with the washing directions.
There is a Velcro strap around the neck to hold the bib in place and this is adjustable so the ‘one size fits all’ statement can be applied. The Velcro is relatively strong so a toddler shouldn’t be able to pull the bib off if they tug on it.
The bib comes in a range of bright colours (as well as the grey one!) if you look on the OXO Tot website.
The bib is roughly 30cm long x 22cm wide (at the widest part of the food catcher) with the food catcher being about 5cm deep.
The great thing about this bib is that the nylon top section rolls up and fits neatly into the silicone food catcher with a hook and loop closure. The size of the bib when rolled up is 22cm x 6cm x 4cm. Due to the flexible material and the easy fold up design, this makes the bib easy and convenient to pop in a bag if you are heading out or travelling.
Personally, I think this is a great product with a well thought out design and it is not only functional but stylish too! It will certainly always be found in my baby changing and feeding bag! 4/5 stars! There are a number of other silicone based food catcher bibs available on the market too but I hadn’t seen one previously with the nylon top section.
OXO Tot On-the-Go Wipes Dispenser with Nappy Pouch
This grey and white wipes dispenser comes with packaging that stipulates on the front, that the materials it is made from are both BPA and PVC free. It also has 2 pictures to demonstrate that it can keep 20 wipes in the top section and can hold 5 nappies it the back compartment. On the back of the packaging, there are instructions in 6 different languages. The instructions re-iterate the capabilities of the dispenser but also mentions that it comes with a silicone strap so you can securely attach the dispenser onto a stroller/pram.
The silicone strap has a hook and loop attachment allowing the dispenser to be hung on a pram. The silicone is very strong so won’t easily get pulled off or break. This means you can access the wipes at any time which is probably more useful with older children because they can help themselves to wipes if they have dirty hands etc. Alternatively, with younger babies/toddlers, I would probably keep the dispenser in my changing bag so everything is kept together, especially if the nappies and tube of nappy rash cream etc. is kept in the back section.
The item is made in China like the OXO Tot bib previously discussed.
When empty, the product measures 24cm x 15cm x 5cm.
The wipes compact compartment is made of a strong, solid plastic which I imagine will be hard wearing over time. On the side, is a push clip which opens up the plastic storage area to insert the wipes. Inside, I found a warning information sheet with cleaning instructions. To be honest, the item is relatively self-explanatory so although there are minimal instructions with it, you don’t really need any! Due to the full plastic surrounds, the wipes will remain moist and the inside can be easily cleaned itself.
This wipe section does hold about 20 wipes. I find this to be the perfect amount if you are out for the day. Alternatively, rather than taking the wipes out of a multipack pack (so more cost effective) and placing them in the section, I found, if I wanted to be lazy, I was able to put a travel pack of wipes straight into the section and then throw the plastic packet away when the wipes ran out, thus saving the need to wash the main compartment after use.
The main plastic compartment has an easy to use, smaller, grey section with a push button opening, to access the wipes (without using the side clip) so you can access the wipes using just one hand. This is extremely valuable especially when your other hand is busy holding onto a little wriggling person who has goodness knows what, smeared everywhere.
The back section of the dispenser is for storing nappies and made from 100% polyester. This appears to be waterproof and is secured by Velcro. The only issue I have with the Velcro fastening is that when the section is full, there is only a small surface area of the 2 Velcro surfaces touching, so items may be liable to fall out. The rough edge of the Velcro is also facing outward so should you store this in a bag, muslin cloth, blankets, spare clothes may get ruined if the Velcro attaches to them. The Velcro is a great idea (rather than buttons or poppers which could fall off) but I would have thought it would make more sense to switch the Velcro pieces around so the softer part faces outwards.
I found that I could only really fit 4 nappies into this section unless I rolled them up and slid them in, then I could squeeze 5 in. However, if you are only out for a few hours then this would hopefully be enough or spare nappies could be kept elsewhere. A tube of cream for nappy rash etc. neatly fits down the side next to the nappies along with some nappy bags.
The total size of the dispenser when at full capacity is 24cm x 15cm x 8cm.
I think this is a great little gadget for other family members who may be babysitting for a few hours but whom may not own a full changing bag. Alternatively, it’s also very handy if you are quickly popping out for a few hours and not wanting to be loaded up carrying everything (and the kitchen sink!) but just want to carry the minimal necessities.
If your children are already potty trained, then the back section could always be used to carry extra spare wipes or spare underwear in case of little accidents.
I would rate this 3.5/5.
OXO Tot Perch Booster Seat with Straps
This product comes in its own cardboard display box sized 33.5cm x 29.5cm x 12cm. The box has 2 finger holes cut out on opposite sides to help carry it. There are multiple pictures of the product inside displayed on the packaging. The seat inside will be found in its compact, portable state.
The front of the box stipulates that the Perch Booster Seat with Straps is aimed at children aged 15+ months and like the other OXO Tot products, is PVC and BPA free.
The front of the box shows a picture of young girl sitting on the booster seat wearing a 3 point harness so she is strapped into the booster seat, whilst the seat itself is strapped to a dining chair using a further 2 straps provided. Therefore, the young girl is safely and securely sitting on a dining chair to eat her meal at a dining table.
A further picture then demonstrates that the seat can be used for children aged 3+ years but that the 3 point harness straps and 2 seat straps can be removed so the product acts purely as a booster seat. The final picture highlights the compact folding system of the booster seat which has been designed for travelling and storage purposes.
The product packaging on the back further explains the booster seat’s features i.e. The straps are adjustable and are conveniently stored under the seat cushion, the chair cushion is removable and easy to clean. It also importantly emphasises that 33lb/15kg is the maximum child weight that the seat can be used for.
On the bottom of the display box, it shows the dining chair size required for compatibility with this product. The seats must have a back rest of 19+ cm, and a seat area of 39+ cm x 34+ cm. I have to admit that I had no idea the size of our dining chairs until I got a measuring tape out and quickly realised that this product would certainly be viable with our chairs and likely to be with the majority of dining chairs. I even called multiple members of my family to see if it would indeed be compatible with their chairs and it was a unanimous, yes!!
The booster seat is presented stylishly and professionally in this display box.
I love the colour of this OXO Tot product and it complements and co-ordinates with my other products from the OXO Tot range. All the products I have are from the OXO Tot Grey Collection (white and grey – gender neutral) but there is also a range of bright and beautiful colours available for the OXO Tot products.
Inside the display box, the seat is wrapped in a plastic bag and comes with an instruction pamphlet. The instructions are clearly set out. There are warning instructions for the health and safety elements of the booster seat. Simple instructions with detailed pictures take you through the assembly, step-by-step process of correctly installing the seat on a dining chair and removing it as well as instructions for the reattachment of the booster straps.
As a non-technical person, I think I managed to navigate my way through these instructions with relative ease and actually, like with their other products, the products are often relatively self-explanatory.
The main body frame of the booster seat is made from a tough white plastic so it is durable, hard wearing but yet easy to wipe down and clean.
The seat itself is made of a soft foam like material so the seat is comfortable to sit on but it is also waterproof and easy to wipe clean. The great thing about this seat cushion, is that it can lift off from the base thus making cleaning easier but also means that the straps can be neatly hidden away under the cushion seat.
If your child needs to wear the harness straps, these grey, booster harness straps are 2.5cm wide, made of a tough woven fibre (I believe to be nylon) and are also adjustable. Working on a T-strap design, similar to most pushchair strap systems, the T-strap system uses 2 push/clasp clips so that the child has a strap comes up in between their legs and this, together with the 2 separate side straps, come together and clip in place to form a secure waistband holding the child in place in the booster seat.
2 other woven material grey straps are found hidden under the foam cushion seat. One strap wraps around the underside of the dining chair it sits on. It uses a push clip to hold it in place under the dining chair whilst a clamp/ military buckle under the cushion booster seat allows the strap to adjust to the length required. Any excess strap is neatly stored under the cushion of the OXO Tot Percher Booster seat. Similarly, a second strap then wraps around the back rest of the dining chair and fastens with a push clip. The strap is then adjusted to the required length using the second clamp/military buckle found hidden under the booster cushion seat. This means that not only is the child securely held into the booster seat but the seat itself is securely held in place and strapped onto the dining chair.
On the base of the booster seat, you will also find 6 non-skid feet which help to keep the booster seat in place, especially when the child is older and the seat is not requiring to be strapped onto a dining chair.
One final note to mention, is that for ease when transporting, a push button at the back of the booster seat enables the backrest to fold down making the booster seat more compact and this reveals a hollow section on the base which ultimately works as a handle when carrying the portable seat.
I think the concept of this OXO Tot Perch Booster Seat is perfect for people who have limited space so that the booster seat can be easily stored away and means that previously purchased furniture (i.e. dining table and chairs) can be utilised without needing to find extra room for highchairs etc. This booster seat, due to the portable nature of it, is also perfect if you are going out to other people’s houses, on holiday or going to restaurants where other environments may not cater for your or your child’s seating requirements at meal times.
This is also a great gift or purchase if you are a temporary care provider to children i.e. Grandparents who will occasionally need to provide a safe environment for meal times and it can be kept over a period of years as the child grows and develops.
I would rate this product 4.5/5.
For more information or to buy any of these products visit www.oxototuk.com.