The best baby bottle sterilisers
Steam in the microwave, steam on the worktop, or cold water and a tablet: five sterilisers compared on how many bottles they take, how long they need and whether they dry.
There are three ways to sterilise feeding bottles at home. A cold water steriliser is a tub of water with a sterilising tablet or fluid: no power needed, though the tablets are a running cost. A microwave steriliser steams everything with a little water in its base, and is quick and compact; check its size against the microwave and its timings against the wattage. Electric sterilisers live on the worktop and switch themselves off, and the Momcozy dries the bottles as well.
All five keep their contents sterile for up to 24 hours with the lid closed (the Milton in its solution), by the makers’ own figures, so one batch can cover a day of feeds. Wash and rinse bottles and teats before they go in, as Milton’s instructions put it: a steriliser finishes the cleaning, it doesn’t replace it.
What matters
- Type: cold water with tablets, microwave steam or electric steam.
- How many bottles fit, and whether wide-neck ones do.
- Cycle time, and for microwave models the wattage it’s timed for.
- Drying: only the Momcozy dries; the rest drain or air-dry.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Milton Cold Water Steriliser
£20–£30 Price range
No plug and no microwave: a tub of cold water and one Milton tablet sterilises up to six bottles, teats and pump parts in 15 minutes, which also makes it the easy one to take on holiday.
What owners say: Owners find the cold water method simpler than steaming, like the handle for carrying it about, and say six bottles fit in, if snugly.
Heads up: Milton’s tablets or fluid aren’t in the box: pick up a pack with the tub (one tablet or 30ml of fluid per 5 litres of water).
A closer look: The submerger holds bottles and teats under the surface, where they can wait for up to 24 hours, so the tub doubles as storage between feeds. Wash and rinse everything first, then fill with 5 litres of cold water, and tip the old solution away through the spout when it’s time for a fresh batch.
- Holds 6 bottles and 5 litres of water
- Sterilises in 15 minutes
- No electricity or heat needed
- Lid and submerger included
- Pouring spout and side handles
Best for: No power needed, and travel
- Type
- Cold water
- Holds
- 6 bottles (5 wide-neck)
- Sterilises in
- 15 min
- Dries
- No
- Stays sterile
- 24 hours in the solution
- Runs on
- Tablet or fluid, no power
#2 of 5
Best microwave
Tommee Tippee Microwave Steam Steriliser
£35.99 RRP
Four bottles in four minutes in an 1100W microwave, from nothing more than 200ml of water in the base: a quick, compact way to have bottles ready for the next feed. Lower-powered microwaves simply take longer, up to eight minutes.
What owners say: Owners like the flip-top lid, report that it fits standard 17 and 20 litre microwaves, and call it quick to use and simple to rinse out.
A closer look: Let it stand for at least five minutes after the cycle before lifting the lid, as Tommee Tippee advises, because the steam inside is very hot. It works with steam alone, so never add sterilising tablets or fluid, and top up the water every time so it can’t boil dry.
- 4 bottles in 4 minutes at 1100W
- Just 200ml of water
- Sterile for up to 24 hours, lid closed
- Takes other brands’ bottles and pump parts
- Steam only, no chemicals
Best for: Quick batches in the microwave
- Type
- Microwave steam
- Holds
- 4 bottles
- Sterilises in
- 4–8 min, by wattage
- Dries
- No
- Stays sterile
- 24 hours, lid closed
- Runs on
- Microwave, up to 1100W
#3 of 5
Best starter set
MAM Microwave Steam Steriliser with 2 Bottles and a Soother
£45.00 RRP
A two-level microwave steriliser that takes up to six small bottles, sold as a set with two Easy Start anti-colic bottles, a MAM Start soother and teat tongs. MAM started out in Vienna in 1976, and its first product was a soother.
What owners say: A big batch of bottles fits in at once, owners say, and it’s simple to use every day.
Heads up: Measure the microwave first: the steriliser is 28cm across and 16.5cm tall, too big for some smaller models.
A closer look: Fill the base to the water line, give it five minutes in a microwave of 1050W or more (eleven at 650 to 1000W), then three minutes to cool. The lid turns over to drain everything, and with a sterilising tablet the same unit works as a cold water steriliser when there’s no microwave around.
- Up to 6 bottles on two levels
- 5 minutes at 1050–1800W
- Lid doubles as a drainer
- Also works as a cold water steriliser
- 2 bottles, a soother and tongs included
Best for: Starting out, bottles included
- Type
- Microwave steam
- Holds
- 6 small or 4 large bottles
- Sterilises in
- 5–11 min, by wattage
- Dries
- No
- Stays sterile
- 24 hours, lid closed
- Runs on
- Microwave, 500–1850W
#4 of 5
Best electric
Philips Avent Advanced Electric Steam Steriliser
£67.99 RRP
Room for six bottles in a slim worktop unit, with baskets that lift out so it shrinks down for teats, soothers and pump parts. The 10-minute cycle ends with it switching itself off.
What owners say: Owners find it roomy enough for bottles of different makes and sizes, and simple to set going.
A closer look: Leave the lid on after the cycle and everything inside stays sterile for 24 hours, so one morning batch can cover the day. There’s no dryer, so shake the bottles out before putting them together, and rinse the drip tray now and then, since it’s there to protect the heating plate.
- 6 bottles in 10 minutes
- Switches itself off
- Use one layer or two
- Drip tray protects the heating plate
- Tongs included
Best for: Six bottles on the worktop
- Type
- Electric steam
- Holds
- 6 bottles
- Sterilises in
- 10 min
- Dries
- No
- Stays sterile
- 24 hours, lid closed
- Runs on
- Mains, 650W
#5 of 5
Best with a dryer
Momcozy 8-in-1 Electric Steriliser and Dryer
£79.99 RRP
Sterilises and then dries up to eight bottles in one go, with an LED countdown on the front, so there’s no drying rack taking up the worktop. It has settings to thaw and to warm baby food too.
What owners say: Owners say bottles and pump parts come out clean and completely dry, and like the extra jobs it takes on during busy days.
A closer look: Choose sterilise and dry together and it steams for 8 to 15 minutes, then dries for 20 to 60. In a cold kitchen Momcozy suggests allowing 10 to 15 minutes more drying, and the storage mode keeps the contents sterile for up to 24 hours with the lid shut.
- Up to 8 bottles
- Sterilise 8–15 min, dry 20–60 min
- LED countdown display
- Thaws and warms baby food
- 24-hour storage mode
Best for: Sterile and dry in one go
- Type
- Electric steam and dryer
- Holds
- 8 bottles
- Sterilises in
- 8–15 min
- Dries
- Yes, 20–60 min
- Stays sterile
- 24 hours, lid closed
- Runs on
- Mains
How they compare
| Feature | #1Milton cold water | #2Tommee Tippee microwave | #3MAM microwave set | #4Philips Avent Advanced | #5Momcozy 8-in-1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best microwave | Best starter set | Best electric | Best with a dryer | |
| Picked Rating | 9.6 | 9.4 | 9.1 | 8.4 | 8.2 |
| Price | £20–£30 Price range | £35.99 RRP | £45.00 RRP | £67.99 RRP | £79.99 RRP |
| Type | Cold water | Microwave steam | Microwave steam | Electric steam | Electric steam and dryer |
| Holds | 6 bottles (5 wide-neck) | 4 bottles | 6 small or 4 large bottles | 6 bottles | 8 bottles |
| Sterilises in | 15 min | 4–8 min, by wattage | 5–11 min, by wattage | 10 min | 8–15 min |
| Dries | No | No | No | No | Yes, 20–60 min |
| Stays sterile | 24 hours in the solution | 24 hours, lid closed | 24 hours, lid closed | 24 hours, lid closed | 24 hours, lid closed |
| Runs on | Tablet or fluid, no power | Microwave, up to 1100W | Microwave, 500–1850W | Mains, 650W | Mains |
| Best for | No power needed, and travel | Quick batches in the microwave | Starting out, bottles included | Six bottles on the worktop | Sterile and dry in one go |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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