Items inside stay sterile for 24 hours and the lid is designed with a flat lip so it can be laid horizontally in a smaller microwave – a useful feature we didn’t find in any other travel steriliser. Another great feature is the easy-to-navigate digital screen that allows you to customize times and temperatures. There’s also a built-in light to help you see in the dark for middle-of-the-night feeds. This only applies to electric sterilisers but is worth bearing in mind nonetheless. Several make loud beeps at the beginning and end of their cycle and some even during, making a dishwasher-like hum. Capacity: Six bottles, plus breast pump parts | Materials: Plastic | Included: Container and weighted grid Good for parents who Consider how many bottles or other pieces you want (or need) to sterilize simultaneously. Because bottle sterilizers come in varying sizes, they don’t always hold the same amount of items. For example, if you’re the parent or caregiver of twins, opt for a large bottle sterilizer, like the Papablic Electric Steam Sterilizer and Dryer, which fits up to 11 bottles and accessories, such as pacifiers, plastic toys, and teethers. Even if you don’t have twins, a bigger bottle sterilizer accommodates enough bottles for a day of feeding, breast pump parts, and more. On the other hand, some units only hold one bottle, such as the BÉABA BabyMilk 3-in-1 Bottle Warmer, so you can sterilize as you go (and save counter space).

Not the most budget-friendly electric steriliser we tested, and a more expensive initial outlay than microwave or travel versions

How much do sterilisers cost?

Electric sterilisers sold in the EU should have the CE marking somewhere on the box or instructions. This indicates that the steriliser complies with relevant EU legislation on health, safety and environment standards. According to the NHS, sterilising feeding equipment is necessary for the first 12 months to keep your baby free from bacteria that could harm their brand-new immune systems. If you’re planning on expressing breast milk, combination feeding or using a dummy during your baby’s first year, you’ll need to sterilise all the relevant baby equipment after every use. Can easily be scaled up and down for different quantities of equipment and equipment in awkward shapes

Guidance from the NHS recommends sterilising for at least the first 12 months. After your baby's first birthday, you can start phasing our sterilising as their immune system will be strong enough. However, it's important to continue cleaning all bottles, dummies and other feeding equipment thoroughly even after you've said goodbye to the sterilising tablets. What are the different types of steriliser?

One of the most essential features of a bottle sterilizer is bottle compatibility, Dr. Hayashi recommends. Consider what types of bottles the sterilizer allows, whether shape, size, or material, and if you have to accommodate a lid for sterilization. Some bottle sterilizers don’t allow glass, Dr. Hayashi explains, such as the GROWNSY 9-in-1 Bottle Warmer, while others struggle to close properly with tall baby bottles.

There are four main sterilisation units on the market: cold water sterilisers, microwave sterilisers, electric sterilisers and travel sterilisers. They all have their own pros and cons. 1. Cold water steriliser Philips’s ubiquitous Avent brand includes a microwave steam steriliser that is robust, roomy, safe and straightforward to use – though, like our tester, you’ll need to measure your microwave first as it won’t fit in especially compact appliances (it’s 16.6 × 28 × 28cm, for reference). We have a Tommee Tippee microwave one and it's so simple, no faff. Wash the bottles and pop them in the microwave."Tried and tested by Mumsnetter hereforfun. To find the best bottle sterilizers, we spoke with Tomomi Hayashi, MD, and Arunima Agarwal, MD, about what to look for in bottle sterilizers, warmers, and dryers. Moreover, reviewed guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Texas Children’s Hospital, and the CDC on the importance of sterilizing bottles. With this guidance in mind, we researched dozens of top-rated bottle sterilizers on the market and considered their design, safety features, and value. We then narrowed our list to 20 bottle warmers, including some bottle warmer and sterilizer combos, and put them through multiple tests at the Verywell Testing Lab in New York City with the help of Ebony Barrett, PNP. Nuby’s electric steam steriliser comes with a drying function so equipment can immediately be reused without having to wait for it to cool down or dry off. Our tester loved this feature and found it very useful.If you’re bottle-feeding or expressing full-time, you’re likely to get through a large pile of equipment in a 24-hour period and you don’t want to spend all of it refilling the steriliser. The advantage of microwave sterilisers is that they’re more capacious than travel models but smaller than electric ones, so they can be stored out of sight. The length of the cycle is almost always shorter than using an electric steriliser, too, which might come in handy with a very hungry baby. Cold water sterilisers involve filling a container with water and adding sterilisation tablets or fluid to make a sterilisation solution. The active ingredient is sodium hypochlorite, which is a mild bleach that has been through a purification process to make it stable and non-toxic. It’s perfectly safe to use, but does smell vaguely of swimming pool.

It’s best to use sterile tongs to handle teats afterwards to prevent contamination, and the majority of sterilisers come with a pair – put the tongs in with the cycle and you know they’re OK to use.Because travel sterilisers need to be compact enough to carry around, they’re usually short on bells and whistles. What we loved about the Milton Solo was that, travel steriliser or not, it’s more adaptable and comes with more useful design features than any other travel model we tested. While they tend to take longer to sterilise things than a steam steriliser, the advantage of a UV steriliser is that you don't have to contend with equipment that's hot to the touch after sterilisation, making them a safer option for most households. You also won't need to do any descaling after use. What makes a steriliser safe? All bottle sterilizers on our list are compatible with most bottle brands, shapes, and sizes. For example, you don’t have to only use Dr. Brown’s bottles with the Dr. Brown’s Deluxe Bottle Warmer and Sterilizer—this unit is compatible with all of the company’s bottles and most other brands. I’ve always opted for a microwave one. Very easy, no faff. We use avent bottles do have the avent microwave steriliser." Tried and tested by Mumsnetter Moominmiss Our verdict