The Best (& Worst) Sippy cups for toddlers
Since transitioning my baby to sippy cups, we have gone through A LOT of cups. I hate to think how much money and time we’ve wasted on cups that didn’t work out and even a few that were dangerous. (It might sound dramatic right now, but seriously, mold!)
I personally had a hard time finding a review of cups that worked, so I made my own after plenty of trial and error.
Here’s a quick review of the ones that we’ve personally tried
This post contains affiliate links, I only recommend products I use and love.
Table of Contents
The Good:
My personal Favorite:
Tommee Tippee Insulated Sipper Tumbler
Pros:
- The price is decent, about 4 bucks each.
- They don’t leak
- Hold a good amount liquid (9oz)
- Easy to hold
- Cute colors
- Easy to clean. (I really like these because the valve inside them comes apart so you can scrub and get to all the nooks and crannies. This is so important for preventing mold!) After having my first set of these we lost one while trick or treating. I immediately ordered 4 more off amazon when we got home that night. These are now the only sippy cups for us.
*Side note: The seriously don’t leak, but you do have to make sure the valve pieces are firmly pressed together, and the lid is screwed on well.
Cons:
- They have a hard spout (if your baby hasn’t transitioned from bottles yet, this may be a problem.)
- They claim they are insulated. I honestly don’t notice drinks staying colder any longer in these. This isn’t an important detail for us though.
Runner Up:
NUK Silicone Spout Active Cup
Pros:
- Soft spout (great for transitioning from bottle)
- Easy to clean
- Easy for little hands to hold
- Cute design
- BPA free
Cons:
- Probably the most expensive cup I’ve bought ($10 for one cup is a bit steep for my taste, especially because we lost this one within 2 weeks, Ha!)
The Bad:
The First Years Simply Soft Spout Sippy Cup
I really liked these cups at first. They were easy to clean, soft tip for transitioning, easy for little man to hold. However, within a week I had to through both out, due to major leaking. My little one loved to stick his finger in the tiny valve hole in the top of the cup, causing it to leak all over everything.
The First Years Take & Toss Spill-Proof Sippy Cups
These were the first cups I had ever bought. I was so excited to get them at the store. Uh…6 cups for 3 bucks. Yes please! How naive I was. The main attraction to these of course was the price. But we all know, you get what you pay for. They say spill proof, but oh they are not! Once I handed this cup to him and within seconds milk was everywhere. And I mean everywhere, all over him, the high chair, the floor, his food. Just a big waterfall of milk. I wanted these to work so bad that I held on to them for a few months. I even tried to use a rubber band to hold the lid on. (Ha, as if he was going to let the rubber band just stay there.) Not worth it.
The Ugly:
Tommee Tippee Trainer Sippee Cup
These cups were just so cute, never leaked and had a nice little handle to grab on to. However, these cups have a terrible design. The valve inside doesn’t come apart. I wish I still had mine to show you pictures, but there’s a little piece inside that old milk can get stuck in. It’s a health hazard, pure and simple. I tried boiling the valves and everything, but there was still residue visible inside the valves. A quick google search will show pictures of mold in these same valves when forced open.
**Update: It seems they recently changed the design of the valves to match those similar to my beloved sippy tumblers. Smart move on their part. I haven’t tried them but they may be worth a look.
In general I now stay away from any cup with a built-in straw, or valve that doesn’t come apart. There’s too much chance for mold.
What are your favorite sippy cups?
