Best Bottles & Sippy Cups I’d Buy Again (and Ones That Were a Total Waste)
Becoming a parent turns you into a shopper. Babies need a lot of crap, so it seems like a good idea to stockpile every bottle, cup, and contraption that promises to make your life easier. But then reality hits, and you realize half that junk is just taking up space.
Lucky for me (and my wallet), I’m the queen of Amazon returns. Our house is small, money is tight, and I have zero patience for stuff that doesn’t pull its weight. So, after testing way too many bottles and sippy cups, here’s what was worth the money—and what I wish I never wasted my time on.
In this article:
Best Baby Bottle: Dr. Brown's Narrow Glass Baby Bottle
Dr. Brown's Baby Bottle Nipples
Which Sippy Cups Are Actually Spill-Proof? (Spoiler: None of Them)
Best Straw Cups Even Though Experts Say Not To
Leak-Proof Doesn’t Mean Mess-Free
Best Baby Bottle Sterilizer: HAUTURE Bottle Sterilizer and Dryer
Buy Smart, Not Hype
Best Baby Bottle: Dr. Brown's Narrow Glass Baby Bottle
I went with Dr. Brown's Narrow Glass Baby Bottles, and no regrets. Glass bottles:
Dry faster
Feel cleaner
Don’t need to be replaced every few months like plastic ones
Can be reused for a second kid (assuming you survive the first)
The internal parts of the Dr. Brown’s bottles supposedly help with colic are optional. Surprisingly, cleaning them wasn’t the nightmare, as they’re all dishwasher safe—just get a dishwasher basket. I found that using the Dr. Brown’s one for the longer colic pieces took up less space than the generic version I had. Definitely worth it for keeping all those little parts in check.
That said, glass bottles aren’t indestructible. Despite surviving multiple toddler rage-throws, one did finally meet its fate when it slipped from my hand. And those little plastic and silicone parts inside? You’re supposed to replace them periodically (so not too different than plastic bottles).
One change I wish I’d made: I should have only bought the 4-ounce ones. The 8-ounce glass bottles are heavy, and—fun fact—they don’t fit in the minifridge on my bedside table. Once my son was old enough to hold his own bottle and chug more milk, plastic 8-ounce bottles would’ve made more sense.
Speaking of bottles, if you’re planning to pump, make sure you’re not paying full price for a breast pump when you don’t have to. Check out How Expecting Mothers Can Get Free or Discounted Breast Pumps so you can save that cash for more important things—like coffee.
Dr. Brown's Baby Bottle Nipples
Dr. Brown makes a whole lineup of bottle nipples with different flow rates. The bottles come with level 1 (a.k.a. "drink at a glacial pace"), but you can also get levels 2, 3, 4, and Y. Figuring out the right one is a fun little game of trial and error.
For example, I thought jumping straight from level 1 to 3 would be fine—nope. That was like hooking my kid up to a fire hose. Level 2 was the sweet spot for making feedings faster without drowning him. The Y-cut nipple, supposedly for thicker liquids? Might as well have been a waterboarding device.
One thing I do love about Dr. Brown’s is their Sippy Spouts. Instead of ditching the bottles when my son started transitioning, I just swapped the nipples for these. Less crap to buy, and the kid gets a familiar feel while adjusting.
Which Sippy Cups Are Actually Spill-Proof? (Spoiler: None of Them)
Finding the best sippy cup for a toddler was an adventure. I bought so many different ones trying to figure out what worked best, and of course, that changed every few weeks.
First up, the Re-Play 10 Oz. Sippy Cups. Classic shape, silicone valve, mostly leak-proof—mostly. When my son threw it (which was often), a few drops would spray out, but it wasn’t a full-blown flood.
Traditional shape with silicone valve
Affordable—4 for $20, way cheaper than the others at $10+ per cup
Shoots less liquid when thrown compared to the others
Best Straw Cups Even Though Experts Say Not To
Then, since my son loves stealing our tumblers, I grabbed the Zak Designs Kelso 15 oz Tumbler Set. These were the least messy, even when launched by a furious toddler. But here’s the thing—research says straw cups aren’t great for toddlers’ oral development, so they’re not an all-the-time option.
Minimal mess, even when thrown
Not ideal for kids learning to drink from an open cup
Leak-Proof Doesn’t Mean Mess-Free
And then we get to the Munchkin® Miracle® 360 Trainer Sippy Cup. This one mimics an open cup, which is great in theory. In reality? If your kid throws it, you might as well have handed them a full glass of water and said, "Have fun!"
Most similar to drinking from an open cup
“Leak-free,” but not mess-free—at all
Takes up more dishwasher space than Re-Play cups
Dishwasher convenience matters. All the sippy cups are dishwasher safe, but both the 360 Trainer and Re-Play cups stained from grape juice (lesson learned). The 360 Trainer cups take up more space, while the Re-Play ones stack better.
Also, fun fact: A wealthy family I know that are all about "optimal developmental products" swears by the 360 Trainer cups. They don’t give their daughter juice (so no stain concerns), and she also doesn’t seem to have my son’s talent for throwing things like a major league pitcher, so I guess that works out for them.
Moral of the story? Different cups work better at different times and places. The straw cups were lifesavers on vacations—less projectile liquid, easier to remove sand, and my son got to match mommy and daddy’s cups. But let me be clear—taking a baby on vacation is not the relaxing getaway influencers pretend it is. If you want the raw truth, read Why Not Take My Baby On Vacation? Because It Sucks, That’s Why before you book that ‘fun family trip.
If I could do it again, I’d hold off on the 360 cups until he was older, because they make the biggest mess when thrown—and, of course, he threw the most in the beginning.
Best Baby Bottle Sterilizer: HAUTURE Bottle Sterilizer and Dryer
Baby bottle sterilizers and dryers provide peace of mind if you have a preemie or just hate germs.
At first, I bought a BornBright sterilizer with extra bells and whistles because I thought I needed the extra features. Spoiler: I did not. It just hogged counter space, and I barely used the extra features, like a separate water kettle and egg boiler. Why did I think I needed that?
The HAUTURE Bottle Sterilizer and Dryer, though? That thing actually earned its spot. It held more bottles without taking up extra space, and it got the job done efficiently. Simple, effective, and practical—exactly what I needed.
Buy Smart, Not Hype
Babies don’t need a ton of fancy gear, but parents do need stuff that actually works. After throwing money at way too many bottles and sippy cups, these were the real MVPs. If I had to do it all over again, I’d tweak a few choices, but overall, these were the essentials that didn’t let me down.
With all the money I wasted trying to find the ‘perfect’ sippy cup, I probably could have stocked my pantry instead. If grocery costs have you sweating, check out Struggling with Grocery Costs? Here’s How to Keep Your Family Fed Without Going Broke for ways to stretch your food budget without sacrificing your sanity.
