Trofast Hack for the Hauck High Chair: Storage That Fits

The Trofast hack turns an IKEA TROFAST box into a small drawer directly under the seat of your Hauck high chair. Bibs, wet wipes, children's cutlery and favorite toys are then right where you need them at mealtimes. The easiest and most convenient way to do this is with a suitable adapter for the Hauck Alpha and Beta (also for the Plus versions). It guides the box securely, rather than somehow holding it in place with adhesive tape. Here you will find out which boxes fit, how the installation works and what you should pay attention to regarding safety.

Key Takeaways

• The hack works with the Hauck Alpha, Alpha+, Beta and Beta+ and with TROFAST boxes with a base area of 42 × 30 cm.
• The shallow box with a height of 10 cm is the most versatile choice. The deep box with 23 cm offers more space, but also requires more room under the seat.
• An adapter holds the box securely, and you can pull it out like a drawer. Adhesive tape solutions from social media reels are more of a temporary fix.
• The box is for light items: bibs, cloths, toys. According to IKEA, it is not intended for food.
• An adult installs it, you regularly check that it is securely attached, and the box is never used as a climbing aid for your child.

Table of Contents

• What is behind the Trofast hack
• Which Hauck models and boxes fit together
• Three ways to attach the box
• Step-by-step: Mounting the box with the adapter
• What belongs in the box and what does not
• Safety at the high chair
• Our perspective as a family and DIY enthusiasts
• The CacheWerk adapter for Hauck Alpha and Beta
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Sources

What is behind the Trofast hack

You may know the reels: A colorful IKEA box disappears under the high chair, and suddenly every meal has its own order. That is exactly what the Trofast hack is. The plastic boxes from the IKEA TROFAST shelving system have a rim around them. This rim is the trick: It rests on rails or brackets, just like in a shelving unit where the box slides as a drawer.

With the Hauck high chair, you use the crossbars under the seat for this. There is space there that otherwise remains unused. With a suitable bracket, the box hangs between the bars and can be pulled out to the front or back.

Families pack the following in the box:

• Bibs and drool cloths
• Wet wipes and a small roll of kitchen paper
• Children's spoons and cups (clean and packaged)
• One or two small toys or books for the wait
• Drawing pencils and paper, if the high chair later becomes a craft table

The advantage is obvious: You get up less often during meals, and everything that belongs to the high chair stays at the high chair. Especially in small kitchens or dining areas, this really helps keep things tidy.

And the benefits grow with your child. The Alpha and Beta can grow with your child for a long time because the seat and footplate are adjustable. The box with bibs then becomes a box with drawing materials, playdough, or exercise books. If you have several children, you can give each high chair its own color. This way, every child immediately knows which drawer belongs to them. So the hack is not just something for a short phase, but becomes a permanent place for small items at the dining table.

Which Hauck models and boxes fit together

The hack is designed for the Hauck Alpha and Beta models, including today's Plus versions. Both chairs are similarly constructed, with crossbars under the seat where the brackets attach. According to the manufacturer, the Hauck Beta+ is a wooden high chair for children from 6 months, with a 5-point harness and a load capacity of up to 90 kg. The Hauck Alpha+ has an adjustable seat and footplate and is also rated for up to 90 kg.

For the boxes, the base area is important. IKEA offers the TROFAST boxes in 42 × 30 cm, including 10 cm and 23 cm heights, as well as wire baskets in the same dimensions. You need this base area for the hack.

A practical tip from everyday use: How much space is under the seat depends on how high you have set the seat and footplate. If the plate is set lower, it can get tight for the deep 23 cm box. So measure briefly before you buy the deep version. The shallow 10 cm box usually always fits.

Be careful with other high chairs: Models like the Tripp Trapp are built differently. You need a separate bracket for them. A Hauck adapter will not fit there, and vice versa.

Three ways to attach the box

Various versions are circulating online. Here is an honest overview so you know what you are getting into.

The adhesive tape version from the reels

The quickest idea: Slide the box between the bars and secure it with adhesive tape. It costs almost nothing and is done in two minutes. However, the box can then hardly be pulled out, the adhesive tape loosens over time, and residues can remain on wood or plastic. This is enough for a weekend at grandma's. For everyday use with three meals a day, it is not a permanent solution.

The DIY version

DIY enthusiasts thicken the box rim with a piece of hose or a plastic strip so that it gets more support on the bars. This requires tools, patience, and some experimentation. Often the box then either sits too tightly or slips too easily. And the drawer function often suffers as a result.

The adapter version

The adapter attaches to the crossbars and forms the guide on which the box rim rests. You can then slide the box in and out again without changing anything on the high chair. This version comes closest to the idea of the hack: a real drawer on the high chair.

Step-by-step: Mounting the box with the adapter

The installation is quickly done. Here is how you do it:

1. Select the box: Take a TROFAST box with a 42 × 30 cm base area. For starters, we recommend the shallow box with a height of 10 cm.
2. Check the space: Set the seat and footplate as your child is currently sitting. Measure the distance between the crossbar and the underside of the seatplate, especially if you want to use the deep box.
3. Attach the adapter: Place the adapters on the left and right at the same height on the crossbars under the seat. Follow the adapter instructions.
4. Slide the box in: Place the rim of the box on the adapters and slide it in. It should rest evenly and not wobble.
5. Test run: Pull the box out a few times and slide it back in. Give the high chair a good shake. Nothing should come loose or shift.
6. Fill: Fill the box with light items. Your storage space at the high chair is ready.

If you pull the box out very often, a strip of double-sided adhesive tape between the adapter and the bar can additionally help prevent slipping. This is optional, and you can remove it later.

To remove it, simply pull the box out and detach the adapters in reverse order. This way, you can return the high chair to its original condition at any time, for example if it is passed on to the next sibling or within the family.

What belongs in the box and what does not

The TROFAST box is a storage container for the playroom and children's room. According to IKEA, it is made of polypropylene with at least 50% recycled content and is expressly not suitable for contact with food. This means: snacks, sandwiches, or food leftovers do not belong loose in the box.

Suitable are:

• Bibs, wash mitts, and drool cloths
• Wet wipes in the package
• Packaged or clean children's cutlery in its own container
• Small toys, cloth books, drawing pencils

Less suitable are:

• Heavy items such as glass bottles, several full drinking bottles, or stacks of books
• Loose food
• Small parts that your child can reach and put in their mouth

Keep the weight low. A box full of light textiles and cloths hardly puts any strain on the bracket. A box full of picture books, on the other hand, can quickly weigh several kilos. A damp cloth is enough for cleaning.

Safety at the high chair

A high chair is a safety product. The Hauck Beta+ is tested according to EN 14988, the European standard for children's high chairs. Anything you add must not compromise this safety. With these rules, you are on the safe side:

• Installation only by adults: An adult always attaches the adapter and box, not the older sibling.
• Check regularly: Check about once a week whether the adapters are securely attached and show no cracks. Replace damaged parts immediately.
• No climbing aid: The box is not a step and not a handle. Show your child early that they are not allowed to pull themselves up on it or stand on it.
• Harness remains mandatory: Even with the box, your child sits buckled in the high chair. Use the 5-point harness as usual.
• Keep small parts in view: The adapter and the contents of the box are not for children's hands as long as your child puts things in their mouth.
• Load lightly: The lighter the contents, the less strain is put on the bracket and bars.
• Do not modify the chair: Do not drill holes and do not screw anything into the load-bearing parts of the high chair. A good adapter does without such modifications.

Are you unsure whether your high chair is still in order after a modification or fall? Then contact Hauck customer service before using it further.

Our perspective as a family and DIY enthusiasts

The Trofast hack fits exactly what we started with. Before CacheWerk existed as its own label, we had already developed 3D-printed accessories around the family under ABCreative, including accessories for high chairs. The question was always the same: Where to put bibs, cloths, and spoons when the child is eating?

Adhesive tape was too wobbly for us, and a box that cannot be pulled out misses the point. That is why we designed an adapter that is precisely tailored to the Hauck Alpha and Beta high chairs, including the Plus versions. The box should slide like a drawer, rest securely, and leave the high chair unchanged.

What is important to us in this is: We develop and test our parts ourselves, just as we do with our geocaching caches, which have to withstand the wind and weather outside. This thinking of durability and everyday suitability is also in the high chair adapter.

Our tip from experience: Start with the shallow 10 cm box. It almost always fits, and you will quickly notice how much more relaxed mealtimes become when everything is at hand.

Benedikt

The CacheWerk adapter for Hauck Alpha and Beta

Do you want to implement the Trofast hack without adhesive tape and without DIY? That is exactly what our adapter for IKEA TROFAST on Hauck high chairs is made for. It fits the Hauck Alpha and Beta as well as the Plus versions and transforms the space under the seat into a practical drawer.

You can get the TROFAST box itself at IKEA in many colors, matching the kitchen or the children's room. Do you have a Tripp Trapp instead of a Hauck high chair? For that, we have our own TROFAST adapter for the Tripp Trapp. And if you like to be outdoors as a family, also take a look at our geocaching range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Trofast hack fit every Hauck high chair?

The hack is designed for the Alpha and Beta models, including Alpha+ and Beta+. These chairs have the appropriate crossbars under the seat. It is not designed for other Hauck models with a different design.

Which TROFAST box should I buy?

You need a box with a base area of 42 × 30 cm. The shallow version with a height of 10 cm fits in almost every seat position and is sufficient for bibs, cloths, and cutlery. The deep 23-cm box offers more space, but check the height under the seat beforehand.

Can I remove the box again?

Yes. With an adapter, you simply pull the box out and remove the brackets. The high chair remains unchanged because nothing needs to be drilled or screwed in.

Can I store food in the box?

Not loose. According to IKEA, the TROFAST box is not suitable for contact with food. Snacks belong in a separate, food-safe container, which you can then place in the box.

From what age is the hack worth it?

As soon as your child eats in the high chair, which according to Hauck is from about 6 months with the Beta+. The storage space is most useful during the weaning phase, when you constantly need bibs and cloths.

Sources

• Hauck: Beta+ High Chair
• Hauck: Alpha+ Product Data Sheet
• IKEA Germany: TROFAST Boxes and Lids
• IKEA Germany: TROFAST Box 42 × 30 × 23 cm