Best Baby Bottle Sterilizer Of 2020

Nobody likes to see their child ill. Whenever a child gets sick, a parent is thinking what could be done to prevent it from happening again.

And while you’ll never be able to protect your child from everything, there are things you can prevent.

You can make sure that your baby doesn’t drink germs with milk by simply sterilizing bottles. That’s why you need the very best bottle sterilizer.

Being a new parent isn’t easy. There are so many things to worry about. You need to purchase a ton of diapers, some formula, a baby bathtub, and a million other items.

Next, to that, you have to pay attention to the products you’re using for them – if their shampoo is gentle enough if they got a rash. The fact that any little thing can make them sick is unnerving. 

So, when you have a chance to take one of the risks out of the equation, you will grab it. In my opinion, that is exactly what a sterilizer does – it eliminates some of the germs that a baby’s immune system still can’t handle.

Do you need to sterilize your baby’s bottles?

It isn’t something that’s necessary, but many mothers like to take this precautionary step. 

Hand washing bottles with water and dishwashing liquid will make them clean enough. Sterilizing is just an extra step that parents of sensitive children swear by. They will eradicate 99.9% of harmful bacteria within mere minutes.

You see, a baby’s immune system is very fragile during the first 12 months. Everything and everyone is a germ carrier.

Sure, you can’t wrap your little one in bubble wrap, but you can take some of the dangers away. You can make sure that your baby’s bottles are safe. So, if the bottle sterilizing will stop your baby from getting at least one illness, it’s worth it.

In how many ways can you do it?

You can sterilize a bottle in more than one way. Our mothers were boiling them, and if you don’t want to get a sterilizer, you can do it too.

Just pour water into a pan, put a bottle in that pan, put in on the stove, and boil. This is the cheapest way to sterilize a bottle.

Unfortunately, it isn’t perfectly suitable for plastic bottles as harmful chemicals might leak out because of the boiling water. Luckily, we live in a time that is a lot different than that of our mothers.

There are faster and simpler ways to sterilize bottles.

There are four main types of bottle sterilizers. Microwaveable and electric ones will heat a small amount of water to clean bottles and kill bacteria.

Cold water ones use cold water and antibacterial fluid to clean the bottles thoroughly. UV bottle sterilizers use ultraviolet light to kill bacteria and germs.

Each one of these has its advantages and disadvantages; you just need to determine what you’re looking for.

Microwaveable sterilizers – use hot steam, cheap, take up little space, simple to use, and they are fast. On the other hand, they don’t dry the bottles, and they have no additional features.

Electric sterilizers – use hot steam, simple to use, fast, able to dry bottles, and can handle more than one bottle at a time. But, they are pricier and take up more space.

Cold water sterilizers – use an antibacterial fluid, fast, easy to wash, simple to use, handy for traveling. On the other hand, many parents don’t want chemicals anywhere near their children, so people tend to avoid taking these models.

UV sterilizers – use ultraviolet light to sterilize, super light, portable, small, great for travel. Unfortunately, this means that you will have to dismantle the bottle and sterilize it piece by piece, which takes more time.

When is it safe to stop sterilizing bottles?

Once your little one starts grabbing things, sterilizing bottles won’t help much. As soon as your child becomes mobile, and starts putting things into her/his mouth, there’s no point in sterilizing. They can put more germs in their mouths by doing that than they ever could with a bottle.

Even then, when your child gets sick, you should start sterilizing bottles again and keep doing It until he/she is healthy again. Why? Well, because you don’t want to reintroduce germs to an already weakened immune system that is in recovery.

How to choose a bottle sterilizer?

There are certain things that you need to pay attention to when you’re choosing a bottle sterilizer:

Simplicity – make sure to take a simple sterilizer that anyone can use. If you need to be a rocket scientist to figure out how it works – skip it. You don’t want to struggle with it every time you want to sterilize a bottle.

Size – it has to be big enough to suit your needs. If you’re breastfeeding, you can take a small one. On the other hand, if your baby is on formula, you will need a bigger sterilizer.

Price – every sterilizer on the market is designed to kill 99.9% of bacteria, so you don’t have to take the priciest one. There are so many on the market that you can take time to find something that suits your budget, and your needs.

Drying – if you need something to speed things up, and take a bit of your workload, look for this option. While microwave sterilizers are fast, they won’t dry the bottles, but there are electric ones that will.

Additional features – just think about what you need the sterilizer to do. Some models can dry bottles, sterilize nipples and toys, or they have alarms that let you know when they’re done. If you don’t want your sterilizer to have just one function, pay attention to its features.

Space – if you live in a small apartment, or you have a tiny kitchen, you need something small. You don’t want something that will take up the entire counter – so big electric sterilizers won’t be the best choice for you.

Top 5 Baby Bottle Sterilizers On The Market

Philips AVENT 3-in-1 Electric Steam Sterilizer 

This electric bottle sanitizer is one of the largest ones available, but, you can set it for your needs. Unlike similar products, you don’t have to use its full capacity all the time.

It has three size settings – small, for teethers and pacifiers, medium – for plastic utensils and plates, and large – for up to 6 bottles. It’s really simple to use, you just need to fill the base with the proper amount of water, and turn it on.

It has an auto shut off option, so you can program it and leave. It needs five minutes to sterilize bottles, so it’s rather fast. We like its adaptability and thin design that doesn’t take up too much space.

What we didn’t like though, is the fact that you have to pay close attention to its maintenance, or it will develop an unpleasant odor.

PROS

• checkAdjustable design
• checkAutomatic shut off for safety and power efficiency
• checkfast
• checkSuitable for both wide neck and narrow neck bottles, as well as small toys and other baby necessities

CONS

• exclamation-trianglePrice is a bit higher when you compare it to other similar products
• exclamation-triangleNot great for small spaces
• exclamation-triangleNecessary cool down after a cycle
• exclamation-triangleSometimes gives off unpleasant scent after cycle

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Munchkin Steam Guard Microwave Sterilizer 

Spacious and simple, this Munchkin product only needs water and a microwave to sterilize your baby’s things. You can place up to four bottles into it, both wide neck and standard, and two breast pump shields – all at once.

It will work in any standard microwave, but not in the small hotel ones. Handles and latches are heat-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about burns with it. You can use it for bottles, pacifiers, teething rings, breast shields, and small toys.

You just need to pour about 7 oz of water and let it steam in the microwave. In the manual, it’s specified just how much time your microwave will need. Depending on how many watts it has, your microwave can do it in 2 minutes.

We like it because it works almost like an electric sanitizer, but it’s simpler, and more space friendly. You can clean it easily, and you can even put it in a dishwasher. Another plus is the fact that it is easy to store.

PROS

• check2 minutes for the entire process
• checkCompact and light
• checkTravel-friendly
• checkWorks in every standard microwave

CONS

• exclamation-triangleTakes too long to dry
• exclamation-triangleNo additional features
• exclamation-triangleNot premium quality
• exclamation-triangleDoesn’t fit in small, or hotel microwaves

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Dr. Brown’s Deluxe Bottle Sterilizer 

One press of a button, and that’s it. This electric sterilizer has room for six big bottles and a number of other accessories. It’s not the fastest one around, as it takes 12 minutes to sterilize what you put in it. 

The design is perfect for Dr. Brown’s bottles, but you can place other sorts without a hitch. If you have a big kitchen, the size of this model won’t be a problem. You can sterilize bottles, breast pumps, spoons, pacifiers, and small toys in it.

We like the size of this sterilizer, and the easy-touch controls, as well as the auto, shut off. What we don’t love, is the fact that you have to clean it regularly to prevent mineral deposit buildup.

PROS

• checkYou can fit everything you need into it
• checkSimple controls
• checkAuto shut off

CONS

• exclamation-triangleIf you don’t use distilled water, you can expect mineral deposit buildup that can damage the heating element
• exclamation-triangleTakes up a lot of space
• exclamation-triangleDoesn’t have a drying option

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Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags 

This isn’t a traditional sterilizer, but to us, it seems like it can compare. Each of these Medela steam bags can be reused 20 times, and you get 5 bags per pack.

 How do you use them? Place baby feeding utensils inside a bag, pour water into it, and put in the microwave. These bags don’t take any of your valuable kitchen space. You can fit 3 bottles in one bag without a problem.

You can use them to sterilize bottles, breast pump parts, pacifiers, small toys, and plastic feeding utensils.

PROS

• checkYou can put them in any drawer
• checkFantastic for travel
• checkNo maintenance needed

CONS

• exclamation-triangleSmaller than traditional sterilizers
• exclamation-triangleYou can get steam burns when you open them

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Milton Cold Water Steriliser 

As with every cold-water sterilizer, you can expect to spend a bit more time with this one. Sterilization takes about 15 minutes, but we believe that the size of this product makes up for it. 

You can put in bottles, teething rings, weaning bowls, breast pump parts, and soothers. In one cycle, you can place as much as six bottles in it. It’s rather simple to use.

Pour five liters of water into the sterilizer, add a Milton’s sterilizing tablet, put the things you want to sterilize in, close the lid, and leave for 15 minutes. Since it needs no electricity to work, it’s great for parents on the go. You can wash it in the dishwasher, and it dries quickly.

PROS

• checkHas a lockable lid
• checkUseful when traveling
• checkOnce you make it, you can use the solution as many times as you want within 24 hours

CONS

• exclamation-triangleChemicals
• exclamation-triangleTakes longer than most sterilizers
• exclamation-triangleHave to rinse items in recently boiled water before use

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Conclusion

Finally, we come to the finish line. It’s hard to say which one of these is the best among the best. If you love traveling with your baby, you should consider the Milton sterilizer.

On the other hand, if you want something super useful, that offers many options, Dr. Brown’s Deluxe Bottle Sterilizer might be the product for you. 

And, if you prefer simplicity, Philips AVENT 3-in-1 Electric Steam Sterilizer and Munchkin Steam Guard Microwave Sterilizer are models that deserve a closer look.

In the end, if you want something that will take up no space at all – Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags are a pretty good choice. 

Weigh your own pros and cons, and you will quickly find a model that suits your needs perfectly.