It can be daunting to think about transitioning your baby from breast- or bottle-feeding to drinking from a cup. After all, your baby may feel attached to their current way of feeding. Luckily, the best sippy cups help to make the switch a little easier, since they’re designed to teach your baby how to drink from a cup while minimizing messes (as long as your baby doesn’t figure out how to take the lid off, that is).
Advice varies about when to switch your baby to sippy cups, but experts usually say that somewhere between the ages of 6 and 12 months is typical. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises that when you do make the switch, you should be sure to use the sippy cup for all liquids, milk included. Remember, though, that sippy cups are meant to be a transition tool; once your baby can handle the sippy cup, the AAP recommends switching to an open cup. The AAP also notes that bottles should be phased out completely between 12 and 24 months of age.
Sippy cups come in four main styles: soft spout, hard spout, flat lid (also known as 360s), and straw. Some sippy cups have handles for easier holding.
- A soft spout sippy cup features a flexible spout made from materials like silicone. It resembles a bottle nipple, so it’s an especially good pick for babies who are used to drinking from a bottle.
- A hard spout sippy cup has a much more rigid spout, as the name would suggest, so it’s usually a better pick for toddler-aged kids or babies who are already used to a sippy cup. One major benefit of a hard spout is that it’s durable; it won’t easily spring a hole if your little one chews on it.
- A flat lid sippy cup ditches a traditional sippy cup spout in favor of a flat lid that allows your baby to drink from any point around the rim. This can potentially make drinking from an open cup easier down the line.
- A straw sippy cup ditches the spout in favor of a straw. While this usually isn’t the best introductory cup, it can be a good alternative option if your child dislikes the other types of sippy cups.
Most sippy cups are made from plastic because it is a lightweight, durable, and budget-friendly material. However, there are other options. Stainless steel is a durable choice that can keep liquids cool, but it tends to be heavier than plastic. Some people prefer glass sippy cups because of concerns about chemicals in plastic. The downsides of glass is that it’s heavy and can break, so it might be a better choice for older sippy cup users.
With all of this in mind, I scoured Amazon to find the seven best sippy cups that reviewers say their little ones love.
1A Soft Spout Sippy Cup With Removable Handles
With more than 1,500 reviews on Amazon and a 4.4-star rating overall, parents are loving this Nuk sippy cup. The soft silicone spout is designed to be gentle on gums, and it flows easily when sipped. The built-in air vent stops your little one from swallowing too much air, preventing dreaded gassiness. The anti-slip handles are easy to hold, so your baby can quickly grow accustomed to using the sippy cup. As your child gets older, though, the handles can be removed so your tot can work toward being able to manipulate a regular cup.
The Nuk sippy cup is made of BPA-free plastic and is totally dishwasher-safe. Choose from a couple of cute designs, like balloons, dinosaurs, or stars.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "I've been using these cups for the last ten years with four kids! They're SO easy to clean, easy to hold, cute design, portable. They don't spill, but if you have a kid that throws stuff off the high chair, they do kind of splash a little when they land. They're the best cups to transition from breastfeeding to sippy. The spout is soft and easy to figure out for a little baby to suck!"
2A Hard Spout Sippy Cup That’s Bite-Resistant
If your child easily bites through soft silicone spouts, or if you have a toddler who's already comfortable drinking from a sippy cup, then it’s time to make the upgrade to this First Essentials sippy cup. The hard spout is easy for your child to drink from and should be able to withstand even the most aggressive of biters. The hourglass shape helps to prevent tipping, and the textured bottle is easy to grip. The BPA-free plastic cup features a unique flow control valve that ensures it's 100% leak- and spill-proof. Plus, it’s dishwasher-safe, so that you don't have to spend all your time hand-washing cups.
With more than 2,800 reviews on Amazon and a 4.5-star rating overall, it’s safe to say that parents think this sippy cup is the real deal.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "10 stars! I have been searching and searching and searching for a toddler cup that can be tipped upside down, shaken, bit, and still not leak! FOUND it! These bottles have a hard plastic so the child can not bite it and create holes that make it leak when turned upside down. This is a little bit bigger of a cup than most of the other ones we tried but I seriously love it! It has been a great cup and my toddler seems to like it too because he seems to drink a lot more with this than the other cups we have had."
3 3. A Flat Lid Sippy Cup That Automatically Seals To Avoid Spills
This super unique flat lid sippy cup from Munchkin has parents raving. More than 8,000 reviews on Amazon and a 4.6-star rating overall point to the fact that parents love the way this sippy cup automatically seals once their baby or toddler is done drinking. And this is a big deal for one main reason: no more spills or leaks, even when tossed across the room.
While the flat, 360-degree drinking rim may come with a bit of a learning curve, countless babies and toddlers have mastered it before and never looked back. This pick features handles that are easy for little hands to hold and is made of BPA-free plastic. Plus, it’s super easy to clean: It has no extra valves or parts, and is top rack dishwasher-safe. It comes in a two-pack, with two different color combinations to choose from.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "My little girl is 6 months old and just started solids and water. After tons of research I chose to give these cups a try. What drew me to these is the fact that they're spill-proof and that these encourage normal "sipping" development instead of getting babies to be more familiar with straws/sucking. So far it's working great! I love the mechanism of this product, I think its really well thought-through. It's not too heavy, and the handles are easy for little ones to grab. We've been using this for a week now and my daughter absolutely loves drinking water from this cup. I'd highly recommend!"
4A Sippy Cup With A Straw That Can Be Used At Any Angle
Whether your little one is standing up or throwing a tantrum on the floor, this cup can accommodate. The straw on the Munchkin weighted straw sippy cup moves with your baby no matter which way they tilt their head, ensuring they can always access the liquid they need. Plus, the lid clicks into place in order to prevent spills while you’re out and about. The cup features easy-to-hold handles and is made of BPA-free plastic. Choose from blue, green, orange, or pink.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "First off, the weighted straw is ingenious. It honestly doesn't matter which way she has the cup...the weight at the end of the straw goes literally with the flow. She could drink out of it sideways and she would still get something because the straw moves with the liquid. The straw itself is flexible so I don't have to worry about it breaking and easy to clean. [...] It comes apart easily for cleaning and I highly recommend it."
5A Set Of Budget-Friendly Hard Spout Sippy Cups
$3 for one sippy cup is a really good price. But $3 for four sippy cups? That’s freaking amazing, and that’s exactly what you’ll get with these sippy cups from The First Years. The ultra-low price tag means that you can’t be too upset if you lose one (or multiple) because, real talk, that’s bound to happen. The sippy cups feature hard spout lids that are interchangeable and easily snap on. One lid even has a travel cap, so you can take it with you on the go without spilling. The plastic sippy cups are BPA-free, stackable (hello, cabinet space), and dishwasher-safe. And with more than 2,500 reviews on Amazon and an impressive 4.5-star rating overall, it’s safe to say that other parents approve of this pick.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "Okay, who doesn't love these? I can't even count the amount of (sippy) cups we have lost in this house, in the car, etc. I suspect they go to the same place that socks missing their twins and pens go. And one day, I'm going to find them when he's 30.For an incredibly cheap price tag and meant for 'no worries' if you lose them, they are surprisingly sturdy. My son does chew the sip part and while they leave little scratches, it is no worse than more expensive sippy cups. Also, I was VERY shocked at their level of spill proof. [...] I'm going to stick with these from now on."
6A Stainless Steel Sippy Cup That Keeps Liquids Cold
While this pick won’t make it any easier for you to drink your coffee when it’s actually hot, your little one will at least be able to enjoy their favorite drinks at the ideal temp with this pick; the Pura Kiki stainless steel sippy cup features double-wall vacuum insulation that keeps liquids warm or cold for up to 24 hours. And it's that feature alone that makes the higher price tag worth it. The silicone sleeve makes for easy gripping, and the bottle features internal volume marks for simple measuring. Choose from a nipple, sippy, or straw drinking lid, based on your child’s needs.
While Amazon reviewers say this pick is pretty great, there is one downside. Some say that it's slightly heavy, so it may not be the best pick for young drinkers.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "If I could give 10 stars I would! My 13 month old started off with the smallest Kiki and has moved up to this. I search far and wide for the safest products for my son and between the stainless steel and silicone nipples, it doesn't get much better. Was a little worried that he may not be strong enough to hold it up himself, but he has no problems. Love that I can take the sleeve off and wash in between. I have purchased many of these! Even have the adult sport bottle for myself."
7A Glass Sippy Cup With A Plastic Exterior To Prevent Breakage
If you like the idea of your baby drinking from a glass cup, but are worried about it shattering on its first toss across the room, then this green sprouts sippy cup may be the solution. The sippy cup features the perfect combination of materials: The drinking liquid only touches the glass and silicone inside, while the plastic shell and shock-absorbing base combine to protect the outside.
The cup features easy-to-grip handles, and comes in green, pink, or blue. This pick includes two different silicone spouts (a sippy and a straw), that are meant for extended use and to grow with your baby. If your child requires a larger cup, an 8-ounce version is also available.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "I really like this cup. [...] Although it does have several pieces, and seemed a but intimidating the first time I put it together, it really is easy to disassemble and clean. [...] Due to the glass, this cup is fairly heavy. My 8mo drops it pretty regularly, but I'm confident he'll be able to hold it up himself soon enough - and the outer shell/rubber has prevented any damage from occurring despite ll the drops :-) We also have not experienced any leakage whatsoever with this cup, and have been using it for about a month now. I'll be buying more of these."
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