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Making the transition from bottle or breast to a proper cup can be a challenge for a lot of little ones. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends giving up a bottle somewhere between 12 and 24 months, but there is understandably a learning curve that’s sure to result in ample spills in the meantime. That’s where sippy cups becomes useful.
While not a required milestone — in fact, some experts recommend children go directly from the bottle or breast to an open cup — sippy cups can be a helpful product to bridge this gap, and many parents prefer to use them.
I’m a mom of two, and while both of my sons eventually made their way to straws and then open cups, sippy cups were an incredibly useful stepping stone as they got to the open cup stage. Not only are sippy cups easier for most babies and toddlers to drink from and hold themselves, but they’re less messy (most models are nearly or completely spill-proof), as well as portable, so you can easily bring milk or water for your child on the go.
And if your child does use a sippy cup, don’t worry that you’ve missed a big milestone: You can still make the transition to an open cup, which some toddlers may be ready to do by 16 or 17 months.How we chose the best sippy cups
To narrow down the best sippy cups, we relied heavily on the experience of parents As a mom and former parenting editor, I have tested many sippy cups to find the ones that work for my two sons. I also spoke to two What to Expect staff members with four kids between them:Kate Monahan, Senior Manager with Data Operations, mom of a 3-year-old and 14-month-oldShelley Gingrich, Director of Brand Solutions, mom of a 4-year-old and 1-year-old
Additionally, we canvassed the What to Expect community boards to learn which sippy cups parents felt were easiest to use and clean, and for babies to hold and drink from.
Finally, we referenced information from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and spoke to pediatrician and a pediatric dentist for more on using sippy cups safely:Lauren Crosby, M.D., a pediatrician at La Peer Pediatrics in Los Angeles and member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board.Michelle Kelman, D.D.S., a pediatric dentist in Los Angeles, California and member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board.
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Although Dr. Kelman says she generally prefers that parents transition from a bottle directly to an open cup, if you do go the sippy cup route, she suggests a spoutless model. “Although there have been some concerns regarding positioning of the tongue with [spoutless] cups, they aren’t as damaging to the teeth as traditional sippy cups,” she explains.
One of the most popular sippy cups in the What to Expect community, the Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup is frequently recommended by parents looking to help their babies make the transition from bottle to cup. It boasts a flat, 360-degree lid that makes the transition easier because little ones can drink from any angle. The “spout” on the rim seals automatically after your child is done drinking to prevent spills.
"The Munchkin 360 is great because it's a spill-free way to teach drinking out of an open cup," says Shelley Gingrich, Director of Brand Solutions, mom of a 4-year-old and 1-year-old. "Also, not too many parts and they can all be easily cleaned in the dishwasher."
Made of supersoft BPA-free plastic, it’s comfortable for little hands to grip. It holds 7 ounces and is aimed at children 6 months and older.
While it takes some babies a little time to get the hang of it, most pick it up fairly quickly, parents say, especially after you demonstrate how it should be used. I’ve offered this cup to both of my sons when they were around 6 months, and they were able to figure out how to drink from it without too much trouble. I loved the soft, easy-to-grip exterior and how easy it was to clean, too, since there aren’t any straws.
It's self-sealing and virtually spill-proof, but keep in mind you do need to make sure the top is secure.
Recommended age: 6 months and older
“We introduced this cup to LO at 6 months. At first she just sorta played around with it but after showing her multiple times how to drink from it she can do it all by herself (7.5 months now). Love these cups!”
“I gave my son the 360 at about 8 months. It took him a couple weeks to get it, but one day it just clicked and he loves it now. Initially I’d take the top off the cup and give him a little sip just so he knew what was in there. Then when he’d have it up to his mouth, I’d press on the rubbery top a little which helps the water come out. Pretty soon he got the hang of it.”
“I bought one for my daughter and she LOVES it! I just bought her two more today. It's super easy and they figure it out very quickly.”
Many babies initially struggle to learn how to use a straw, especially if they’re exclusively breastfed and haven’t yet been introduced to bottles or cups of any kind. If that’s the case with your little one, you might consider offering her the TalkTools Honey Bear Drinking Cup, often simply called “the honey bear cup” by devoted customers.
Developed as a feeding therapy tool for occupational therapists, this cup disperses liquid very easily — the BPA-free plastic is thin and lightweight, and liquid squeezes up at the slightest bit of pressure. That, combined with the thinness of the straw and soft texture, seems to make the cup very manageable for babies to hold and use. There are countless stories within the What to Expect community from parents whose little ones finally learned how to drink from a straw after using this cup.
Heavily influenced by the many What to Expect parents who recommended it in my Birth Month Group, I purchased this cup for my youngest son when he was around 8 months. It had taken my older son a long time to figure out how to use a straw, and I was determined to help my younger son get the hang of it sooner this time around. To my surprise, he understood almost immediately how to drink from this cup. And while he’s now capable of using “regular”-sized straws, we still have the Honey Bear around for water use.
Just note that this is not the best sippy cup for milk. While it’s dishwasher-safe, the straw is incredibly thin, which makes it difficult to clean. For this reason, many parents prefer to use the Honey Bear cup solely as a tool to introduce straws and as a water cup thereafter.
Recommended age: 6 months and up
“After so long of failing trying other methods I finally purchased the honey bear straw cup and after a few short attempts LO is successfully sucking water through the straw. The other straw methods would just lead to him biting on the straw and using an open cup would lead to him dunking his hands and splashing away. I thought it would never happen!”
“I’m a pediatric OT who often works with babies on feeding skills. The honey bear straw cup is tried and true. I got some for my son and he learned to drink from a straw in about three days.”
“That’s what we’ve been using for the past two weeks (baby is 6 months, 3 weeks old) and it’s been amazing! She drinks so much water from it. And you can gently press the belly for the water to come up if your baby isn’t sucking from it. It’s been great.”
Transitioning to a sippy cup can be difficult for children who’ve grown attached to their bottle as a comfort object. The no-spill Philips Avent My Natural Trainer Cup comes complete with both a nipple and a spout, making it an excellent choice for transitioning reluctant little ones. You can offer the cup with the nipple top initially, then gradually switch to the silicone spout.
Because the nippple is identical to the one that fits on most Philips Avent bottles, this sippy cup will be especially comforting for babies who are already drinking from those bottles. But many parents whose little ones had been using other bottle brands say that the familiarity of the nipple also helped transition their babies over to a cup.
This cup is also on the smaller side (it holds 5 ounces of liquid), so potentially easier for 6-month-olds to handle. (The company says it can be used for babies as young as 4 months, but your mileage may vary depending on readiness.) Parents say these cups are easy for little hands to hold, and that they’re sturdy and hold up well over time. A removable cover helps keep the spout clean between drinks.
This cup comes with a stage five Philips Avent nipple, which might be too fast of a flow for some 6-month-olds. If you have Philips Avent bottles at home, you may be able to swap in a lower stage nipple.
Recommended age: 4 months and up
“These are the sippy cups we switched to. He had no problem drinking out of them. With the shape of the cup it makes it easy for him to hold with one hand while drinking.”
“Avent sippy cups have a good flow and liquid comes out only if baby sucks.”
“I switched my toddler to an Avent sippy before he was 1. These are not much different from a bottle. They are flat but soft silicone, and not very expensive.”
Most babies with colic have improved by the 3-month-mark, but if your little one continues to struggle with gas as she enters the sippy cup stage, Nuk Simply Natural Learner Cup is a good option to start with.
This (small!) 5-ounce sippy cup has big, wide removable handles, making it easy for a young baby to hold. And it also has an “anti-colic” vent, which is supposed to reduce the likelihood that your little one swallows air when sipping, and thus, help minimize gas. Plus, the spout is notably wide, which is designed to have a more natural feel and encourage sipping and the transition from the breast or bottle.
Many What to Expect parents whose babies struggled to transition to sippy cups say this Nuk cup was one of a few options their babies would accept. One reason for this is likely the cup’s design, which is more bottle-like than many of the other sippy cups on this list. It’s dishwasher-safe and BPA-free, too. As your child grows, a 9-ounce version is also available.
Recommended age: 6 months and up
“Our son loves this cup (and this cup only!).”
“I have tried every single sippy/straw/spout cup I could get my hands on! The only thing that worked for us as well is this Nuk cup another mom posted above.”
“We tried [these] Nuk cups and she loves them.”
If your baby or toddler tends to throw her cups, you’ll need a sippy cup that can withstand heavy use without spilling milk or water all over your home, stroller or car. True to its name, the Nuby 2-Handle Cup With No-Spill Super Spout is about as leak-proof as a sippy cup can get. The soft silicone spout is easy for little ones to drink from but won’t leak when shaken or thrown (a big bonus).
The parts of this sippy cup, which holds 8 ounces, are interchangeable with most other Nuby cups and bottles, and tend to be sturdier than other products on the market. They're available in a number of different color options. These are sold two to a pack and are just $5 per cup, making them one of the most affordable sippy cups on this list, too.
Recommended age: 4 months and older
“With [this Nuby cup, [my baby] could bite the end and get juice to come out that didn’t leak otherwise. I think this one was more like the bottle ends with being all rubbery, and didn’t require tons of sucking to get some out.”
Stainless steel may not be the first material you think of when shopping for sippy cups, but it has some undeniable benefits. Stainless steel is sustainable, does not come with any of the concerns about chemicals that can be found in plastic and is highly durable.
Pura’s stainless steel bottles, which have a hugely loyal following, are virtually indestructible, parents say. This brand specializes in stainless steel feeding products that will last for years. Each of their drinking vessels can be used from the newborn stage and beyond: First, as a bottle with a nipple top; as a sippy cup when you swap in the silicone sipper spout; as a straw cup with the straw top; and finally as a regular water bottle with the sport top. All of these tops are compatible with the same stainless steel base. In other words, while it’s undeniably an initial investment (the cups are $21 each), you won’t have to continuously replace them as your child gets older.
Although this sippy cup will last years, the one downside is that it may not be the most comfortable for a younger baby who is learning how to use a sippy cup. With its bigger, clunkier size and heavier weight (while relatively lightweight, it’s still stainless steel and weighs more than a plastic cup), the Pura Kiki Stainless Steel Sippy Cup might be a little tricky for 6-month-olds to hold and manage themselves, in which case you might want to try introducing a sippy cup with one of the other models on this list first.
Material: Stainless steel and medical-grade silicone
Recommended age: 6 months and up
“Obsessed with the Pura stainless steel straw cups. Zero leaking, clean product!”
“Ok, hear me out. Pura stainless steel. They're expensive. Like, really expensive, but indestructible and easy to clean so you don't need as many (also helps with clutter). Also, several top options to graduate beyond sippy or even back to a nipple for another child.”
“Pura! They are stainless steel bottles and the tops are silicone. The best thing is that you can upgrade tops only when you kiddo is ready to.”
Re-Play No-Spill Sippy Cups are super green: The brand’s products are made from recycled milk jugs! BPA-, phthalate- and PVC-free, these sippy cups are also 100 percent recyclable when your little one has grown out of them. They come in a pack of three, and you can opt for either a hard spout sippy cup or a straw cup .
We have been using Re-Play cups for years. I first introduced my older son to them when he was about 1 year old. We started with the hard spout cup and eventually switched to the straws. Because he was already familiar with the look and feel of these cups, the transition to the straw top was a breeze.
I love how versatile and functional Re-Play cups are — the same base is compatible with both the sippy and straw tops, so you can easily mix and match, and you don’t have to replace your entire cup collection when you switch over to straws. The silicone valve on the sippy cup top is easy to clean, hard to leak through and the cups are super sturdy.
The only complaint I have about these cups is the straw, if you opt for that style. Although easier to clean than most, they have ridges and are bendy, so they do develop a bit of milk buildup over time. If your child tends to bite straws, as my sons do, know that they also get a little misshapen.
Finally, the sippy cup top on Re-Play cups is a hard spout; though many kids like drinking from this type of cup, Dr. Kelman points out that soft spouts have a lower chance of injury to the gums or teeth in case of trauma.
Material: Recycled HDPE plastic (milk jugs) and silicone
Recommended age: 6 months and up (straw cups good for older kids)
“We use the Re-Play sippy cups and our eldest loves his!”
Any of the soft spout sippy cups on this list would be a good choice for a 6-month-old, as would the Honey Bear or Munchkin 360 cups. But many parents in the What to Expect community say the Olababy Silicone Training Cup with Straw Lid as another solid option for babies first learning how to use a cup of any kind.
This straw lid sippy cup is made of grippy silicone that’s manageable for even the littlest hands to hold. The straw is silicone, too, and soft enough to prevent injury, while the wide base is slightly weighted to prevent spills. Another nice feature: There are transparent indicators on the cup, which many parents find helpful to quickly see how much liquid is inside. (This is especially useful during the 6- to 12-month stage, when you’re likely still closely tracking your baby’s milk intake.)
Even though the entire thing is soft, parents say it’s highly durable and holds up well over time, even if your baby tends to bite the straw. And in addition to being dishwasher-safe, parents appreciate that you can use it in the microwave or freezer.
Recommended age: 6 months and up
“We have an Olababy straw cup. We got it when baby was much smaller to get him to learn how to use a straw but he still uses it at 21 months and it's great as a regular cup with no lid or straw as well. It's small though, 5 oz. I think, but he doesn't drink much at a time anyhow so it works perfectly for us. He's also chewed through his other cup's straw but this one has held up, super thick and sturdy.”
“My son loves this cup too! It seems pretty indestructible (knock on wood) — it’s going one year strong! The straw isn’t punctured at all.”
Created by a pediatric feeding specialist, Ez Pz cups are designed to help teach older babies and toddlers how to drink from an open cup and eventually, a straw. The brand has both a regular open cup and a straw version of their popular Tiny Cup, but the straw is a great choice for 1-year-olds (you can simply remove the top when your child is ready to just use a proper cup).
Many What to Expect parents rave about this brand, saying Ez Pz’s cups effectively taught their tots how to drink from a straw and manage a cup. It has a clever design; the cup itself is small and easy to hold, sensory bumps on the straw help activate lip rounding and the base is weighted to prevent it from easily tipping over. Parents also like the non-slip silicone, which is BPA-, BPS-, PVC-, latex- and phthalate-free, as well as dishwasher-safe.
While excellent for teaching kids how to use a straw and open cup, the Ez Pz straw cup isn’t as leak-proof as some of the other options on this list. If you’re looking for a portable cup that won’t spill when thrown, for example, this may not be the best sippy cup for you.
Recommended age: 9 months and up
“I love the Ez Pz cup. It was perfect for introducing an open cup. It sounds silly but the size and shape really helped my son be successful on his own without me having to hold it with him.”
“Ez Pz sells one with a lid and straw, too. Our little one just started with those this weekend and got the hang of it pretty quickly!”
Leading experts, as well as What to Expect community members, say you should consider the following features when buying a sippy cup:
Type: There are four main types of sippy cups: Hard spout, soft spout, straw and flat lid. We’ve featured each of the four types below, but it can be difficult to decide which is best for your child. Soft spouts and straws are popular choices, as they more closely resemble nipples and are easier for tots to learn how to drink from. “Straws are better for oral motor development, but most babies can't figure out how to use them before they are 9 to 12 months old,” says Lauren Crosby, M.D., a pediatrician at La Peer Pediatrics in Los Angeles and member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board.
Besides straw and spout, many experts also recommend flat lid or spoutless cups. “I always suggest a spoutless one as the first option,” says Michelle Kelman, D.D.S., a pediatric dentist in Los Angeles, California and member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board.
Leak prevention: One of the biggest benefits of a sippy cup is that they help prevent spills as your child learns to drink from a cup. Some models are truly leak-proof, while others are more what we'd call leak-resistant. We've noted which models fit into which category in the product descriptions below.
Ease of cleaning: Straws and spouts are a perfect place for gunk to build up and germs to grow, which means ease of cleaning is incredibly important. We prioritized cups that come completely apart and can be washed in the dishwasher to avoid the possibility of mold.
Ease of use: It might take a few tries to find the cup that works best for your little one. Some children do better with straws, while others benefit from a spout. We’ve featured cups that have positive reviews for being easy to manage, as well as models with handles or grippy material that’s easy for little hands to pick up.
Although you don’t have to give baby a sippy cup, many parents do choose to offer one to babies in their first year, especially because an open cup can be difficult and messy for young children.
“We recommend introducing a sippy cup around 6 months old so the child becomes familiar with it and proficient so that by their first birthday they can use them and start weaning off bottles,” says Dr. Crosby
Your child can begin using a sippy cup as soon as she can sit in a high chair to eat solid foods. “A cue that your child is ready for a cup is that they are sitting upright on their own,” says Dr. Kelman.
Try to think of the sippy cup as a bridge to the real thing, and switch to a real cup once she gets the hang of holding it upright, rather than letting it become a comfort object. “Toddlers don't need to carry around a cup all day like a security blanket,” says Dr. Crosby. “That tends to encourage over-drinking which can fill them up so they don't eat their meals.”
As your toddler approaches her second birthday, give her more opportunities to sip from an open cup or straw cup (such as when she’s sitting in her high chair eating). The AAP recommends that children be weaned from sippy cups by age 2.
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