How to Choose Baby Bottle Sterilizers

Avent, Philips, Dr. Brown's Microwave and Electric Steam Sterilizers

Aug 2, 2009

Baby bottles can be disinfected using dedicated microwave containers and electrical steamers. This article looks at their advantages and disadvantages.

Electric and microwave steam sterilizers are used to disinfect baby milk bottles. They are faster, use less water and energy, and are more convenient than using a pot of boiling water.

Prices range from $25 to $100. Popular brands include Philips (Avent) and Dr. Brown's.

How Steam Bottle Sterilizers Work

Instead of immersing baby bottles in a pot of boiling water, steam sterilizers boil off a few ounces of water and sterilize the bottles with the generated steam. This uses less water and energy. The sterilizers are also usually automated, allowing hands-off operation. There is no need to watch over heavy pots of water on the stove, worrying about forgetting to turn the stove off.

The bottles can be left in the sterilizer until needed, or taken out and dried. Most sterilizers can hold 4 to 6 bottles. However some types of bottles might not fit properly. Many bottle manufacturers sell sterilizers. Using one from the same bottle manufacturer will reduce such problems.

Sterilizers aren't bottle washers. The bottles need to be thoroughly washed before sterilization. They can also be used for spoons, cups, pacifiers and chew toys, as long as they are heat resistant.

Distilled water can be used to reduce hard water scale build-up, and prevent unsightly water spots from developing on the bottles.

Practically all sterilizers will use plastic in one way or another. Parents who are worried about the safety of plastic, any kind of plastic especially hot plastic, should stick with stainless steel pots of boiling water.

Microwave Baby Bottle Sterilizers

These are just plastic containers that are made out of microwave-safe plastic and designed to hold baby bottles. Some include convenient lift-out drying racks for holding bottles and accessories.

Water is added before microwaving. A few minutes in the oven is all that is needed. As long as the container isn't opened, the bottles will stay sterile for hours: some manufacturers claim 3 hours, others claim 24 hours.

The container should have latches to lock the container and have handles so that the hot container need not be touched.

Electric or Electronic Baby Bottle Steam Sterilizers

Electric sterilizers have their own heating element to boil the steam (electronic sterilizers are basically the same thing). With a supply of electricity, smart electronics can be added:

Microwave Bag Sterilizers

These are like microwave sterilizers, only a sealable plastic bag is used instead of a rigid container. They cost about $1 to $2 per bag. Each bag can be reused about 20 times.

Because they are flexible they can fit into any microwave oven, no matter how small.

The Best Baby Bottle Sterilizer

Microwave sterilizers are simple and reliable, having no electrical parts that can fail. Some parents may object to paying so much for what is basically a plastic container, but others will look at how much it simplifies their life and not worry about how much one should or shouldn't cost.

Electrical steam sterilizers are self-contained, and don't need a large microwave oven. This makes them more flexible, and suitable for travel. They can be placed anywhere in the house including the bedroom.

Microwave bags are useful for occasional use, including travel, as long as a microwave oven is available.

Before buying any sterilizer, parents should check that the bottles that they are using will fit. This includes larger 9 and 11 ounce bottles that will be used as their baby grows up. Buying bottles and the sterilizer from the same manufacturer will reduce compatibility problems.

The copyright of the article How to Choose Baby Bottle Sterilizers in Baby Products is owned by Yuen Kit Mun. Permission to republish How to Choose Baby Bottle Sterilizers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.