We recently did a lot of research to find the right table and chair set for our daughter’s second birthday. We were trying to match multiple criteria and finally found the one we all are really happy with – the Bebetrix .
The main criteria for us were:
- Both the chair and the table had to be height-adjustable so that our daughter could always sit in an ergonomic position while playing, drawing, and working on her fine motor skills.
- The set had to look fun and fit nicely in her room.
After looking into different toddler table and chair set options, we were sure that a Montessori aligned cube chair and table set would be the way to go for us. But we really did not like the ultra minimalistic design of most of them for our daughter’s room.
After thorough research, we finally found the Bebetrix butterfly set. We’ve had it for over three weeks now and are really happy with it.
Disclaimer: We got the first demo version of the set with a special deal from the manufacturer.
Assembly of the Bebetrix set
Our set includes a table and two chairs. The set came in three boxes (each piece packaged separately) and was relatively easy to set up. Each of the pieces took 7 minutes to assemble, so altogether it took a little over 20 minutes to get them ready.
Our little helper also pitched in and made sure we hurried up and got a fair bit of fine motor skills practice screwing in all the screws 🙂
Height Settings and Ergonomics
Making sure that our daughter can sit in an ergonomic “working” position is very important to us. The right position is not only important to ensure good posture but also provides longer independent play-and-learn time.
So the three-height settings of the Bebetrix set are perfect for us in that sense.
Each of the pieces can be simply flipped sideways to change the height, there’s no need to unscrew anything or move any parts. The table’s possible heights are 15.7 cm (6.18 in), 36.0 cm (14.17 in), and 46.5 cm (18.31 in), and the chairs’ are 14.8 cm (5.83 in), 19.9 cm (7.83 in), and 31.5 cm (12.40 in).
| Bebetrix table and cube chair heights | Tabletop | Seat of the chair |
| Minimum height | 15.7 cm / 6.18 in | 14.8 cm / 5.83 in |
| Middle height | 36.0 cm / 14.17 in | 19.9 cm / 7.83 in |
| Maximum height | 46.5 cm / 18.31 in | 31.5 cm / 12.40 in |
The perfect setting for our daughter (81 cm / 2 ft 8 in) at the moment is when both the table and the chairs are in the middle setting. This way, the soles of her feet fully rest on the ground and her elbows are comfortably on the table.
When she grows, we can just flip the table and the chairs to make sure she can still sit in an ergonomic position while playing by the table. The manufacturer says the set is for kids up to nine years old. It’s probably still okay to use at that age but by then, a regular kids’ desk and chair set will probably be more comfortable already.
The table in its lowest setting is not actually meant to be used as a table but rather as a shelf for books or toys or as a bench (it’s too low to comfortably play by it).
But if you want to get this set for a younger kid, just use the first chair in its lowest setting as a chair and the second one in its highest setting as a table until they’re tall enough to use the table in the middle setting.
The table is wide enough for two chairs to fit nicely under it, so two kids can play together. Due to the pandemic, our little one hasn’t had any playdates for quite a while but she keeps bringing her teddy to sit with her on the other chair and talks about how her cousin is going to sit with her when she can finally come to visit.
Build and Quality
It’s very light
We really like how light the Bebetrix set is. The panels are made from poplar wood which is about two times lighter than oak. The chair weighs only 2.1 kg (4.6 lbs), so our daughter can effortlessly move the chairs around when she is playing by the table.
On the other hand, it means that the set is not as sturdy as heavier wooden sets. It’s completely fine for kids but we wouldn’t dare use the chairs as a stepstool ourselves because the boards might break under our weight.
A bigger problem could be if our daughter decides to climb on the table. The tabletop slab is quite light, long, and is supported only from the two sides, there’s no support in the center. We’re a little worried the tabletop could break in half if too much pressure is put on it in the center area. For now, this is not an issue because she only weighs 10 kg / 22 pounds but it might become an issue in a couple of years.
Finish
The sides are covered with varnish, and the tabletop and seats are painted white. The manufacturer says all the finishings are non-toxic and safe for children.
Our set is a first demo set and we noticed some irregularities in the wood and the finish during the assembly. So we contacted the manufacturer for comments and this is what they said:
“All the products are manually painted. Therefore there might be some parts with thicker paint. What we noticed at the first products is that the wood was not a top material. We improved this aspect and we continue to improve it. We are very careful with the quality of the products and we continually make improvements.”
The quality of our demo specimen is not top-notch but it’s good and we are happy with it. The next batches will definitely be even better 🙂
As we are using the set on wooden floors, we added small pieces of felt under the set to avoid scratching the floor.
Price and Shipping
Bebetrix is reasonably priced – the set including a table and two cube chairs is about €108 ($131). The set with just one chair is about €83 ($102). They have international shipping to selected countries in Europe and to the UK.
Final verdict
Although we got the Bebetrix table and cube chair set with a special deal, we would definitely pay the full price for it. It’s nice and light, our daughter loves the butterflies and we believe it will serve her well for at least 3-4 more years.