I found this at Target and have completely fallen in love with this portable placemat. It is so easy to carry, fits beautifully into a smaller size diaper bag, it's washable and it has a built in food catcher! We've so many people stop us while we are eatting to ask where we got it from! It's a must have for any parent of a young toddler, and it's so much better and gives us parents a safe feeling to know your child's food is on clean surface! This will be a definate gift for any family and friends that have new babies. 1 thing I will caution you about is when you roll it up and store it, don't roll it up super tight, because the next time it will be harder for the suction cups to stick. This only happened once to me and then the next time I rolled it up much looser and it stuck down!
The Tiny Diner portable placemat is a rubber mat that includes a crumb/spill tray to bridge the gap between the table and your little one. It secures to the table with suction cups that work with many surfaces.
The mat is made of a high-quality material that should stand up to lots of use for years to come. It cleans up easily either in the sink at home (I also called the manufacturer and found out that it's dishwasher-safe in the top rack) or else with wipes on the go. It will protect your table at home from knicks and scratches from banging utensils and dropped cups. It minimizes the mess all around with a lip on its border that trips minor spills and a deep tray that hangs over the edge of the table, protecting your baby's lap. This last feature is a must-have during the independent phase of learning how to use forks and spoons.
Away from home, it's a great way to let your child eat according to his or her home routine. It also protects him or her from germs on the table. The only drawback is in the transportation. The mat is a little like a roadmap you'll never get it folded back as nicely as when it first arrived. As a result, it can take up a lot of space in a small daytime/afternoon diaper bag.
Judging from other reviews, it seems that this is yet another in the long list of love-it-or-hate-it items that are subject to your child's tastes. Based on our experience, the Tiny Diner is certainly worth a try for its low price if you can get your toddler used to using it, it will become invaluable.
PROS
* Traps all sort of crumbs and spills, including a tray between table and baby
* Protects your table from bumps and scratches
* Durable I can't imagine it wearing out
* Easy to clean and maintain
CONS
* Doesn't fold up very well
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This is my first review on any product (and as most first time parents, we own LOTS of baby gear) but I have been SO pleased with this product. My son is 11 months old and VERY busy. Eating out and away was quite difficult until we received this product as a gift. We can put his finger food down on a LARGE clean surface and it keeps him busy while we also get to eat! The mat stays put with the suction cups, is large enough to allow him to push his food around, is fun to look at, has a great "catch" for the food he pushes off the mat, is easy to clean, and rolls up neatly for transport. This has become one of the essentials of our diaper bag. This product is an absolute necessity!
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I bought a pink one of these for my daughter about eight months ago. It's wonderful and I don't know what I would do without it. I use it so much, I decided to get a second one. When it arrived I thought it was defective and returned it for another. The third one is just as awful. Unlike the first beloved one, the new model doesn't lay flat, doesn't keep it's shape, can't be washed in the dishwasher, and doesn't stick to the table. I am so sad that they ruined a product that I liked so much.
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I purchased this in Mar 2012, to relpace the 'same' mat I had originally purchased sometime in 2010. I used to love this product, and was just interested in replacing the original mat because of expected wear and tear. The mat I just received in was SMALLER, constructed of NOT AS DURABLE plastic, and the catch-trough was ALREADY WEAK, immediately spilling anything my child dropped into his lap.
I have reccommended this product to countless friends, but will STOP doing so, as it has become an inferior and basically useless product. I would have continued to include it in all baby-shower gifts I gave, but NOT anymore. I would return it, but with return shipping costs/my time, it is not worth it.
Buyer Beware-The favorable reviews you have read are probably based on the earlier product.
My twins love this for breakfast. They love the combination of the cinnamon and apples with the oatmeal. Great product!
