Feeding time is crucial to keeping babies happy, and happy babies make happy mommies and daddies. Thank goodness that when it comes to baby bottles, parents can now choose from many innovative products. The best bottles simulate the breastfeeding process, fit an infant’s mouth, mimic the feel of a human breast and minimize swallowed air. Of course, they should also be made of baby-safe materials and be easy to clean. And just like those cute onesies, one kind does not fit all.
Here’s an in-depth look at 12 of the most popular baby bottles.
Our Top Picks
- Accordion Nipple for Natural Nursing Action. The Latch's claim to fame is its accordion nipple, which moves with baby, so that the “latch” won't be lost and so that the nipple will seat properly against the baby's soft palate.
- Response to Pressure. The nipple also responds to gentle pushing by the baby by releasing more milk.
- Flow Levels. Nipples are available in three flow levels.
- Soft Silicone Material. The nipple boasts a soft, natural feel.
- Anti-Colic Valve. Another distinctive feature is the valve in the bottom, which allows air to enter the bottle as milk is sucked out. This reduces the amount of air swallowed by the baby.
- Wide mouth. The bottle is made with a wide mouth that is easy to hit when filling and which also makes the bottles a snap to clean.
- Dishwasher Safe. The bottles can be cleaned by placing on the top shelf of the dishwasher, but the valves will need to be cleaned with a small, soft brush.
- Breast Pump Friendly. The bottles fit many of the popular breast pumps.
- Nipple Caps. Clear hoods are included to protect the nipples.
- NUK Anti-Colic Air System. The bottles have vents built right into the nipple itself, doing away with the need for a separate piece. This design keeps baby from pulling a vacuum on the bottle and reduces swallowed air.
- Soft Zone. The silicone nipples have an extra-cushy area at the tip, called the Soft Zone, which is designed to reduce irritation in baby's mouth and conform better to the soft palate.
- Nipples in Two Sizes. Unlike most other feeding systems, NUK offers a choice of nipple sizes. The larger size may better fit the mouths of babies over 6 months old.
- Nipples With Three Rates of Flow. NUK makes three nipples: slow flow with three holes, medium flow with six holes and fast flow with nine holes.
- Cute Designs. The bottles are available in a variety of colorful designs, such as hearts, elephants, penguins and Disney characters.
- Sealing Hoods. NUK bottles come with sealing hoods to prevent leaks.
- Internal Venting. The anti-colic venting system really works, according to most users. Many report that their babies are less gassy and fussy.
- Ease of Positioning. Because the vents are inside the bottle rather than in the nipple, the bottle does not have to be turned a specific way.
- Reduced Oxidation. The manufacturer states that because air is routed away from the milk, oxidation does not occur, and essential vitamins are preserved.
- Traditional Nipple Design. Nipples are made of silicone and are shaped much like traditional baby bottle nipples, a design which some babies seem to prefer.
- Accurate Flow Levels. The nipples are available in five different flow levels, including one especially for preemies. The research study from Pediatric Feeding News found that Dr. Brown's is one of the few companies that produces nipples with consistent flow levels.
- Dishwasher Safe. The bottles are dishwasher safe. The company sells special dishwasher baskets to keep the parts corralled.
- Breast Pump Compatible. The standard bottles (not the wide-mouth versions) are compatible with most breast pumps. You may be able to use the wide-mouth versions if you buy an adapter.
- Travel Caps. Bottles come with caps to protect the nipples.
- Accordion Nipple for Natural Nursing Action. The Latch's claim to fame is its accordion nipple, which moves with baby, so that the “latch” won't be lost and so that the nipple will seat properly against the baby's soft palate.
- Response to Pressure. The nipple also responds to gentle pushing by the baby by releasing more milk.
- Flow Levels. Nipples are available in three flow levels.
- Soft Silicone Material. The nipple boasts a soft, natural feel.
- Anti-Colic Valve. Another distinctive feature is the valve in the bottom, which allows air to enter the bottle as milk is sucked out. This reduces the amount of air swallowed by the baby.
- Wide mouth. The bottle is made with a wide mouth that is easy to hit when filling and which also makes the bottles a snap to clean.
- Dishwasher Safe. The bottles can be cleaned by placing on the top shelf of the dishwasher, but the valves will need to be cleaned with a small, soft brush.
- Breast Pump Friendly. The bottles fit many of the popular breast pumps.
- Nipple Caps. Clear hoods are included to protect the nipples.
- NUK Anti-Colic Air System. The bottles have vents built right into the nipple itself, doing away with the need for a separate piece. This design keeps baby from pulling a vacuum on the bottle and reduces swallowed air.
- Soft Zone. The silicone nipples have an extra-cushy area at the tip, called the Soft Zone, which is designed to reduce irritation in baby's mouth and conform better to the soft palate.
- Nipples in Two Sizes. Unlike most other feeding systems, NUK offers a choice of nipple sizes. The larger size may better fit the mouths of babies over 6 months old.
- Nipples With Three Rates of Flow. NUK makes three nipples: slow flow with three holes, medium flow with six holes and fast flow with nine holes.
- Cute Designs. The bottles are available in a variety of colorful designs, such as hearts, elephants, penguins and Disney characters.
- Sealing Hoods. NUK bottles come with sealing hoods to prevent leaks.
- Internal Venting. The anti-colic venting system really works, according to most users. Many report that their babies are less gassy and fussy.
- Ease of Positioning. Because the vents are inside the bottle rather than in the nipple, the bottle does not have to be turned a specific way.
- Reduced Oxidation. The manufacturer states that because air is routed away from the milk, oxidation does not occur, and essential vitamins are preserved.
- Traditional Nipple Design. Nipples are made of silicone and are shaped much like traditional baby bottle nipples, a design which some babies seem to prefer.
- Accurate Flow Levels. The nipples are available in five different flow levels, including one especially for preemies. The research study from Pediatric Feeding News found that Dr. Brown's is one of the few companies that produces nipples with consistent flow levels.
- Dishwasher Safe. The bottles are dishwasher safe. The company sells special dishwasher baskets to keep the parts corralled.
- Breast Pump Compatible. The standard bottles (not the wide-mouth versions) are compatible with most breast pumps. You may be able to use the wide-mouth versions if you buy an adapter.
- Travel Caps. Bottles come with caps to protect the nipples.
*All product links and pictures in this article will take you to the latest prices on Amazon.com, scroll down for our in-depth reviews below.
What To Look For In A Baby Bottle
Less Air, Less Crying
The science of developing baby bottles is focused on one primary object: Get the milk into baby’s tummy with as little air as possible. Less air means babies won’t need so many burp breaks during feeding and will be less likely to suffer with a gassy stomach or from painful colic.
The process of digestion does create some gas, so no baby bottle can completely do away with the possibility of an occasional tummy ache. But the kind of stomachache that is really painful should occur less often with better feeding methods.
Old-fashioned bottles, the kind your grandmothers and maybe your mothers used, dispensed a lot of air along with the milk. Since that time, a lot of research has been done on how to reduce the air taken in.
Nipples are designed to fit an infant’s mouth so that the air around the nipple isn’t sucked in. Also, some bottles are designed to allow air to enter the bottle to replace the milk that is being sucked out. These are often known as anti-colic bottles.
Anti-colic feeding systems usually involve some type of vented bottle, and the vents make some bottles prone to leakage and spills. Parents will have to decide whether it’s worthwhile to put up with the extra fuss and muss that anti-colic systems often create.
If you have a baby with a tendency to be gassy, you may well decide that the fancier bottles are worth it. If your baby doesn’t have these tendencies, you may be able to get by with a simpler system.
Nipple News
Modern-day nipples also come in a wide variety of shapes. The traditional shape is still available, but many bottles now feature nipples that are wider and shaped more like mom’s breast.
Every manufacturer has a reason for saying that their nipple shape is the best, but the truth is that babies often prefer one nipple shape to another for no discernible reason. You may go through bottles with several nipple styles before discovering one that suits your baby.
Nipples also come in more than one material. Most are either silicone or latex. Silicone is usually preferred because it is hypoallergenic, easy to clean and temperature resistant.
Some babies prefer latex nipples because they have a softer feel. Latex is also safe for babies, but some fear that using latex may cause a baby to develop a latex sensitivity at some point.
Go With the Flow
Old-fashioned baby bottles came with only one kind of nipple and one flow rate. Brand-new nipples tended to feed slowly. As the nipples got older, the holes enlarged, and the flow became faster.
Today almost all bottle manufacturers make nipples intended to produce different rates of flow. Newborns use a 1 and are moved to a 2 or 3 as they grow and can handle a higher rate of flow. A few manufacturers have more than three gradations.
An inordinate number of complaints about baby bottles have to do with nipple flow. Many moms grumble that the slow-feed nipples they ordered are in fact fast feed and choke their babies, or that their stronger baby is struggling to get milk through what is supposed to be a fast-feed device.
The mothers may have a point. One research study reported in Pediatric Feeding News found great variability among nipples of the same flow rating, even those made by the same manufacturer. Some nipples had holes that were not completely open!
An appropriate flow is important. Too fast, and baby may choke and swallow air. Too slow, and baby may quit feeding from fatigue. The bottom line is that if your baby is struggling with a flow that is too fast or too slow, switch out the nipple. If it doesn’t help, try another brand or a different flow level. Repeat until the goal is achieved.
Safety First
Parents also have to choose between glass or plastic bottles. Of course, they want to be sure that the bottles they use are safe and don’t leach out any harmful chemicals. The FDA has banned bisphenol A (BPA) in bottle manufacture, so plastic bottles are generally considered safe for use. For that reason, the reviews that follow won’t say that the bottles are BPA-free, because they all are.
Parents who are extra protective sometimes feel that glass is a more desirable option. To guard against breakage, silicone sleeves can be purchased for some glass bottles, but the sleeves do significantly increase the cost of the bottles.
Ease of Use and Cleaning
When babies get hungry, they want instant food. That’s one reason for keeping baby bottles simple. Your assembling skills are likely to be less than stellar when you are doing it to the tune of a crying baby.
If you have a baby who tends to be colicky, though, you may have to invest in one of the fancier feeding systems, which reduce air but tend to have more parts. These bottles may be especially baffling for grandparents or others who don’t do it daily, so consider that factor, too.
Everyone knows that bottles should be rinsed out promptly after feeding so that the milk doesn’t start to solidify. In the real world, though, that doesn’t always happen.
Maybe you’re enjoying the post-feeding baby sweetness too much, or maybe you are outdoors and not close to a sink. Sooner or later, every parent will be faced with a yukky bottle to clean. Therefore, ease of cleaning can be a real factor in bottle choice. Bottles with a wide mouth tend to be easier to clean. Those with more pieces and those with complex mechanisms to prevent colic are generally harder to clean.
Most bottles are dishwasher safe on the top rack, but pre-washing is almost always necessary. The ever-faithful bottle brush is the best tool for the job. Many manufacturers offer their own brushes sized to fit their bottles. Some sell nipple brushes, too.
The Price Factor
How expensive can a baby bottle be? The cost pales in comparison with the cost of other baby equipment. Still, considering that you’ll need from 6 to 12 in most cases, the price tag can be considerable. Also, most parents start with 4 oz. bottles and later purchase the larger size. Bottles are also apt to be misplaced or left behind, and those that are missing in action must be replaced.
With bottles that can cost over $10, the outlay is larger than you might think. In addition, some parents will have to go through more than one model to find one that baby likes. And a bottle that is perfect for newborns may not work for babies who are starting to hold their own bottles. Bottom line? The bottom line for bottles can be surprisingly steep.
For Breastfeeding Moms
Even moms who choose to feed only breast milk will probably need bottles for those times when breast and baby must go their separate ways.
Many manufacturers claim that their nipples mimic momma’s breast very closely. Generally speaking, wider nipples with shorter tips are closest to the average female breast. All breasts are not created equal, however, and no one style of nipple will please all breastfeeding babies.
Some breastfed babies actually develop a preference for the bottle, and that can create a problem for mother. Sometimes babies exhibit signs of nipple confusion. Aware that they are being offered nutrition from two different kinds of nipples, they develop a preference for one or the other. Sometimes it’s the baby bottle nipple that gets the nod.
At other times, a preference for the bottle develops if the bottle has a faster flow. Babies can become accustomed to a more rapid rate of feeding.
To avoid this scenario, moms should stick to nipples with the smaller sized openings. Ideally, a nipple should drip only a few drops when the bottle is turned upside down.
Also, a lower rate of flow will ensure that a baby gets a lot of sucking satisfaction, although non-nutritive sucking (on hands, pacifiers or other objects) is safe and pleasurable for babies, too.
Another factor that breastfeeding moms may want to consider is whether a certain kind of bottle will connect directly to their breast pump. If not, milk must be pumped into one bottle and transferred to another.
This may seem like a small inconvenience, but it can loom large when the pumping process is performed frequently, as in the case of breastfeeding moms who must be away from their babies because they work full-time.
Read On!
With all of these considerations in mind, read about some of the top baby bottles and what they offer to parents and babies, especially how they can help you create those contented, full-tummy coos that everyone loves to hear.
Links are to small packs (2 or 3) of larger sized bottles, 8 to 10 ounces. The smaller sized bottles usually are the same in design. Although it’s tempting to buy the larger packs, it’s seldom wise until you have seen how your baby accepts the bottle design.
List Of Best Baby Bottles:
Munchkin Latch
As evidenced by the name, the Munchkin Latch is designed to mimic the female breast so that baby can “latch on” easily. It was especially developed for easy transitions from breast to bottle, but can of course be used for babies that are exclusively bottle-fed.
The Munchkin Latch is a moderately priced product, not the cheapest on the market, but not one that will cut into your child’s college fund. The look is plain-Jane but pleasing in its simplicity.
The 3-pack of the Munchkin Latch comes with Stage 1 and 2 nipples. Stage 3 nipples can be ordered separately. The bottles also come with a cover that seals around the nipple.
- Accordion Nipple for Natural Nursing Action. The Latch’s claim to fame is its accordion nipple, which moves with baby, so that the “latch” won’t be lost and so that the nipple will seat properly against the baby’s soft palate.
- Response to Pressure. The nipple also responds to gentle pushing by the baby by releasing more milk.
- Flow Levels. Nipples are available in three flow levels.
- Soft Silicone Material. The nipple boasts a soft, natural feel.
- Anti-Colic Valve. Another distinctive feature is the valve in the bottom, which allows air to enter the bottle as milk is sucked out. This reduces the amount of air swallowed by the baby.
- Wide mouth. The bottle is made with a wide mouth that is easy to hit when filling and which also makes the bottles a snap to clean.
- Dishwasher Safe. The bottles can be cleaned by placing on the top shelf of the dishwasher, but the valves will need to be cleaned with a small, soft brush.
- Breast Pump Friendly. The bottles fit many of the popular breast pumps.
- Nipple Caps. Clear hoods are included to protect the nipples.
What You May Not Like:
- Valve Cleaning. There is an extra step of cleaning the valve, and it may be worrisome whether it is getting clean enough. You can boil the valves occasionally, as is recommended before first use.
- Nipple collapse. If the valve becomes blocked or doesn’t work as it should, the nipple will collapse, which can result in a frustrated baby.
- The bottle may leak if the valve isn’t inserted properly or if the valve fails.
NUK Baby Bottles With Perfect Fit Nipple
NUK has been researching and manufacturing naturalistic nipples since the 1940s, so it’s no surprise that the latest models are a little different from those found on standard bottles.
The current version of the NUK nipple is called the Perfect Fit. According to the company’s literature, it reproduces the shape of a woman’s breast during nursing.
Research shows that the female nipple becomes longer and has a rounder tip during nursing, and that is the shape that the NUK nipple mimics. Of course, as with all nipple designs, some babies just don’t take to it.
NUK bottles are among the most affordable of all infant nursers. NUK also makes pacifiers and sippy cups and thoughtfully makes some of the bottle parts interchangeable with the sippy cups.
What You May Not Like: The designers at Comotomo set out to rethink the baby bottle. Of course, other baby product manufacturers were making innovations, but Comotomo designers thought a little more out of the box. They made the nipple a little wider, added an extra anti-colic vent and gave the bottle an extra-extra wide opening. Then they made the whole bottle out of soft, squeezable silicone, ending up with a bottle that looks more like a sippy cup. The result is a bottle that most babies love and many moms swear by. The price of these bottles is a little steep, but many think they are worth it. What You May Not Like: Dr. Brown’s may be the original anti-colic bottle. Designed by a pediatrician, the bottles feature an internal venting system consisting of tubes that carry air from the nipple collar to the back of the bottle. As a result, nipples don’t collapse, and babies don’t take in a lot of air. Dr. Brown’s bottles are affordable and basic in appearance. Originally made of glass, the company now mostly uses polypropylene, but you may be able to find some in glass. The company also offers an Options line of bottles that can be used with or without the venting system. The Options line has not achieved the popularity of the original bottles, however. Evidently many Dr. Brown’s fans would rather fight than switch! What You May Not Like: Although BPA has been banned from baby bottles, some moms still worry that plastic bottles may leach chemicals. These moms often opt for glass bottles. With glass, however, breakage is always a possibility. Besides the loss of the bottle, a broken bottle can be tricky to clean up while caring for an infant. Lifefactory has a solution for that problem: glass bottles with protective silicone sleeves. The sleeves will safeguard the bottles in most falls. Of course, in certain circumstances it is possible to break a bottle even when using the sleeve. Also, the addition of the sleeves makes the bottles quite expensive and increases the weight of the bottle. Lifefactory makes a full line of water bottles and storage products for those who prefer glass. You can buy sippy lids for these bottles when baby outgrows the bottle.
Comotomo Baby Bottles
Dr. Brown’s Original Baby Bottles
Lifefactory Glass Bottles With Silicone Sleeves
