The best baby sterilisers to buy

When it comes to buying the best baby sterilisers, the options really can seem endless — do you go for a steam steriliser, a microwave one or electric one? And even then, which brand should you buy? To make things easier, we've found the best sterilisers on the market to help you make the best decision.

Breast milk is the perfect first food for your baby, as it's easy to digest and full of all the nutrients they need. But it also contains bacteria that can upset your baby's tummy if traces are left on feeding equipment and given time to multiply. That's why we sterilise our babies' bottles, as this is the best way to kill bacteria. It's important to know how to sterilise baby bottles and equipment correctly, as it'll make it impossible for germs to survive and be passed on to your baby. You can't sterilise baby bottles without some kind of baby steriliser, as it's the best way to kill bacteria, so it's important to find one that works for you and your routine.

The NHS say babies don't start producing germ-fighting antibodies until they're six months old, but by the time baby reaches their first birthday, their body will be able to kill off bacteria all by themselves. Therefore, it is important to sterilise your baby's feeding equipment until they are at least 12 months old. That means sterilising breast pumps, bottles and teats.

Editor's Choice:

• Best overall baby sterilisers: Milton Sterilising Tablets
• Best premium baby sterilisers: NURTURE Advanced Pro UV Steriliser & Dryer
• Best baby sterilisers for quick sterilisation: Nuby UK UV Steriliser
• Best UV baby sterilisers: Tommee Tippee Ultra UV 3-in-1 Steriliser Dryer and Storage

Take a look at our full list of the best baby sterilisers for your little ones bottles and teats, plus breast pumps. We have carefully considered features, prices, and design for all of our choices in this list, as well as used recommendations from our mum testers in the Mother and Baby awards.

The best sterilisers for 2023

Choosing the right steriliser for you

Space: How much room do you have for a steriliser? Can you stretch to a larger one that will sterilise several bottles at once? Or do you need a more compact product?

Time: How long will it take to sterilise each item? Will that then fit into your routine and schedule easily? Do certain features take longer than others?

Accessibility: Is everyone that needs to use it able to use it? Will it work for a family with multiple children?

Ease of use: Do you find all the features useful? Are you able to fit it into your daily routine with baby easily?

Convenience: Does it make the task of sterilising easier and more efficient? Does it take up minimal time?

Easy to clean: Will cleaning it be quick and simple to do? Will it need regular descaling?

Sterilisation method: What kind of sterilisation method will work for your bottles, pumps, and teats? Will it give you the peace of mind you need when it comes to cleanliness.

Where: Do you want something you can use while travelling? Or will you be using it at home with mains electricity?

Portability: Will you be able to take it with you if you're going anywhere with your little one?

When: Do you plan to ditch the steriliser once your baby is 12 months? Or would you like to use it again?

Additional accessories: What else comes with the steriliser that might make it easier to use and worth the money?

What are the different types of sterilisers?

There are six different types of bottle sterilisers.

Electric steam sterilisers: These clean your baby's bottles, dummies and breast pump by using steam to kill germs. This is plugged into the mains which turns into steam and sterilises the items inside.

Steam sterilisers are now being developed with fast cycles, which is always a winner, and they're a great option if you don't have a microwave in your kitchen.

The only downfall is you will need to clean or descale the elements every few weeks, which can be time-consuming. Electric steam sterilisers can also be quite bulky, so if you're pushed for space in your kitchen, this might not be the best option for you.

Microwave steam steriliser:  These also use steam to sterilise your baby's bottles/your breast pump, yet unlike electric sterilisers, they do not need to be plugged in and work in the microwave. Once you've added water, the bottles and the cover, you can simply pop these sterilisers in the microwave.

These take up a lot less space than electric sterilisers and do not need to be left out all the time. They do the job quickly and are much easier to clean. But you'll need to make sure the steriliser will fit in your microwave, as some of them can be quite bulky.

Cold water steriliser: A cold-water steriliser uses a sterilising tablet or liquid and cold water to sterilise bottles or feeding equipment submerged in it. It's a silent sterilising option if you're up in the middle of the night, and a huge plus of using a cold-water option is that your equipment will stay sterilised as long as they are submerged in water.

When using steam sterilisers, once the lid has been opened, the bottles are no longer sterile. However, unlike steam sterilisers, when using cold water methods, you'll need to wait up to 15 minutes.

Travel sterilisers: These are usually microwave steam sterilisers but on a smaller scale which is perfect if you're on the move. Whether it's that first family holiday or just a weekend with the grandparents, these usually only fit one or two bottles.

They can usually be used both in the microwave and with cold water tablets (which is a good backup when staying in hotels). However, you won't be able to fit too much in, so you might find you're constantly using it depending on how young your baby is.

Self-sterilising bottles: These work in a similar way to microwave steam sterilisers. Simply fill the base of the bottle with cool water and pop it in the microwave. They're super easy to use and a great option for when you are on the go. The only downfall is you are only sterilising one bottle at a time.

UV bottle sterilisers: These gadgets are new on the market and innovative. They use special LED lights to emit UV, killing off bacteria safely and quickly. They're easy to use, with no mess or water required, but are the most expensive option of all bottle sterilisers.

Do I need a steriliser?

Whether you are planning to breastfeed or bottle feed your baby, a steriliser is always handy to have. If you are not using baby bottles, you might still need a steriliser for dummies or teething toys for your baby.

You can also sterilise some breast pumps with a steriliser which can be incredibly useful.

Sterilising safety

Is it necessary to sterilise baby bottles?

It is important that you sterilise anything that goes into your baby's mouth, to ensure that they remain safe. Sterilised bottles and teats especially will help protect them from infections that could make them unwell. This should be a part of your routine with your child for at least the first year.

How do I clean bottles before I sterilise them?

It's important to clean bottles, teats and other feeding equipment in hot, soapy water and rinse all your equipment before sterilising.

You can use a clean bottle brush to clean bottles(only use this brush for cleaning bottles). A small teat brush to clean the inside of teats. You can also turn teats inside out and then wash them in hot soapy water. Don't use salt to clean teats, as this can be dangerous for your baby.

Your baby's feeding equipment can also be put through the dishwasher to clean. Be aware that the dishwasher will clean but not sterilise. Ensure bottles, lids, and teats are facing downwards.

What is the difference between sanitising and sterilising?

Sterilising - This will remove the microorganisms that cause infections, preventing issues like diarrhoea and vomiting.

Sanitising - This will kill bacteria, removing them from surfaces that your baby may be touching like the table.

Do I need to sterilise bottles after every wash?

Before your little one hits the 6 months milestone, it is best to sterilise their bottles after every use and wash. After 6 months, their immune system will be stronger, so you can sterilise them once a day (still washing after every use). If they're poorly, we'd recommend going back to sterilising more frequently.

How do you store bottles after sterilising?

To keep everything sterile, we would recommend keeping the bottles and their teats/lids in the steriliser until you need to use them. If that's not possible, make sure the teats/lids and bottles are stored away somewhere clean, with teats/lids put on the bottles as soon as they're removed from the steriliser.

How long do bottles stay sterile for once out of steriliser?

As you can see by our list above, different sterilisers promise to keep your bottles etc sterilised for different amounts of time. On average, they're likely to stay sterile between 3-24 hours, so it's best to double-check when buying your choice of steriliser.

Sophie Knight is a journalist and mum of two, and previously edited motherandbaby.com before moving on to write about family cars for Parkers.co.uk - now Sophie is Commercial Content Editor for Mother & Baby, Closer, Heat, Empire, Yours, Garden News, and WhatsTheBest.co.uk