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We tested these appliances at home to find the deepest clean and peace of mind. Breast Milk
Baby bottle sterilizers are a popular purchase for many parents and caregivers of newborns. The convenience of running a regular steam cycle for bottles, pump parts, and associated accessories gives bottle-feeding families one less thing to think about during those early weeks and months. From single bottle options to countertop colossuses, electric, microwave, and UV models—the options are extensive. So we got our team to test 23 models, to find the best bottle sterilizers for every budget.
The thing many parents love about sterilizers—and we’re speaking from experience here—is the deep clean they deliver. Run a cycle every night, once a week, or just when your bottles, pump parts and accessories seem to need freshening up. Sterilizers are easy to use, and you get that added assurance that you’re dealing with pathogens that may build up in the hardest-to-reach curves and crevices.
A great rule of thumb for choosing a bottle sterilizer is to start with capacity: How many bottles do you a) have; and b) use on a regular basis? If you only, say, use a couple of bottles a day, you don’t need a 12-bottle capacity machine. To help you narrow down your options even further, our editors tested a bunch of popular models at home on their own pump parts and baby bottles, rating their design, ease of use, effectiveness, ease of cleaning, and value.
You need to sterilize bottles and nipples when you first take them out of the package, but after that, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) state that you do not need to sterilize bottles after every use. And all of the experts we spoke to agree.
“Babies and their environment aren't sterile, so their bottles need to be clean, but not sterile,” AAP spokesperson Elizabeth Murray, DO, notes. “Routine washing with hot, soapy water and ensuring that prepared formula is not left in bottles for long periods of time is far more important than routine bottle sterilization.”
Of course, there are exceptions, particularly for premature, ill, and immunocompromised children. Dr. Murray also says that it is important to sterilize the nipples and bottles if a baby has a thrush or another mouth-related infection. Rather than a must-have, we think the bottle sterilizers below offer convenience and peace of mind at a reasonable price.
This super quick and functional sterilizer quickly became part of our nightly routines. From first glance, the Baby Brezza Superfast Sterilizer Dryer looks like a professional setup. And after several months of testing and post-testing use, this machine’s no-fuss performance has kept us stacking it night after night.
The sterilizer comes fully assembled—just add water and pick from three settings. Its large capacity can manage up to six bottles of various sizes, along with nipples, pump parts, or anything else you need sterilized, so you can set and forget for a once-a-day cycle. Yes, at 1 cubic square foot in size, it’s definitely a device to stash until you need it. But its 10-minute runtime means you’re able to get tomorrow’s bottle requirements sterilized with minimum hassle. Pull it out for that end-of-day reset, so you can move straight into bedtime stories.
This sterilizer is too bulky to keep out in small kitchen spaces. It also has no bottle washing function and requires a deep clean (we used vinegar) every two weeks.
If no-frills simplicity is your thing, the Philips Avent Microwave Steam Sterilizer is an efficient option—sterilizing up to four bottles plus parts in just two minutes. Essentially a plastic tub with a lid and basket for your bottles, this sterilizer is easy to load, easy to operate, easy to clean and, at $32 (as of this writing), it’s reasonably priced. Just add water, load it up, close the lid, and hit start on your microwave. It even comes with a handy guide to determine sterilization times depending on the output of your microwave. And, thankfully, it also comes with handy tongs for safe removal of steaming hot, freshly sterilized items.
“It could not be simpler to use this sterilizer,” our testing mom said.
“Compact” is in the eye of the beholder, and we definitely found this a bulky item to store between uses. Also, during testing we found that sterilized items come out of the microwave very hot, so it pays to use the tongs provided.
With no assembly required, the Wabi Baby Electric Steam Sterilizer and Dryer was so intuitive to use, we didn’t even need instructions. Our testing parent loved its large capacity—it holds up to eight (slim) bottles at once—plus the handy top rack for nipples and accessories. The easy to separate components made for fuss-free cleaning.
The triple-beep alert at the end of a cycle is a nice touch, too. And because the storage function activates drying every four hours, even if you forget to unpack your items, they stay sterile for up to 12 hours. One less thing to think about when your attention’s elsewhere!
While the capacity is generous, this sterilizer’s bottle rack is not compatible with all bottles, so if larger/wider bottles are your preference, check the customer reviews before you buy.
We loved how easy this sterilizer is to set up and disassemble for cleaning, and that it has dishwasher-safe components. The tall, slim, and sturdy design is perfect for small spaces, and the super handy lid has space for accessories and extra bits. Though we found the settings a little tricky to figure out at first, once we had them down it’s super easy to adjust to your thawing, warming, or sterilizing preferences. This device also performed quite well during our baby bottle warmer lab test.
We found that if it’s not emptied completely, this sterilizer leaks when you move it. We also wish there was a timer display, for those moments where every second counts. And while one sterilized bottle in six minutes isn’t quite up there with some of the quicker and larger devices we tried, we recommend this product for its multi-use versatility and compact design.
From the get-go we were impressed with the Munchkin Steam Microwave Bottle Sterilizer’s solid construction and compact, portable design. And the simple assembly and setup instructions were clear and easy to follow. With space for up to eight 4 ounce bottles or four 8 ounce bottles, the size was generous enough to let us pile up rinsed bottles and accessories throughout the day to place in a once-a-day cycle. We loved that it sanitizes in two to six minutes (depending on your microwave wattage), and it’s a bonus that the parts are dishwasher safe. Sure, there’s no drying function and zero bells or whistles, but for an effective, low-price option, we found this sterilizer hard to beat.
This sterilizer does not have a drying function, though we found that if we left the pieces inside drying overnight they were ready to go in the morning.
Compact, sturdy and super easy to use, Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags are a handy, space-saving sterilization option when you’re on the road (and still have access to a microwave) or just like to keep things minimal at home. For around $30 you get a four-pack of boxes, with each box containing five bags that can be used 20 times each—allowing for 400 sterilization cycles in total. Sterilizing your bottles and accessories is as simple as sealing in the bag with some water and microwaving for a set time, depending on wattage (we found under two minutes was sufficient). With the directions and a chart for tracking usage printed on every bag, this sterilization system deserves extra points for convenience. Exactly what you need when you’re stepping outside your usual routine.
These bags have space for two or three bottles or a pumping setup, so if you’re pumping and bottle feeding regularly, you’ll need to run several cycles per day. Also, though the bags are reusable for up to 20 times, those trying to reduce their reliance on disposable plastic won’t love this option.
The simple setup and easy-to-understand instructions had us operating the Babymoov Turbo Pure Sterilizer Dryer in no time. Although this is a hefty unit (at 8 x 13 x 14 inches), we love that you can use it to sterilize, dry, and store baby bottles for up to 36 hours. Complete sterilization takes as little as eight minutes, and the large internal chamber allows for multiple bottles plus accessories in the same cycle.
The added HEPA filter, which purifies the hot air that’s forced into the bottles, gives parents and caregivers extra peace of mind. And even though you still need to wash your bottles and bits first, we found this sterilizer does a great job of cleaning the small crevices that can be hard to reach. We also loved the ease of maintenance—just run it while empty.
This sterilizer takes up a lot of counter space. We were also confused about whether to use distilled or tap water (we opted for tap, which seemed to do the trick).
The large modular design combines the functions of a microwave steam sterilizer, a bottle drying rack, and a bottle/accessories storage unit all in one appliance. Throughout testing the parent using this was impressed with the results: clear, dry bottles, nipples and accessories every time. And the dishwasher-safe baskets and components proved easy to maintain, even via a quick hand wash in soapy water.
The single dial control to toggle between sterilizing, drying, and extra dying is convenient and clear, and you can see the cycle’s status at a glance. Given the unit’s size, it’s super handy that it also stores sanitized bottles and accessories in a sterilized environment for over 12 hours. Overall, in terms of versatility and ease of use, this sterilizer was hard to fault.
This is a large appliance, which won’t suit people with limited counter space. We also found it couldn’t accommodate taller bottles on the prongs. Though sterilizing alone is done in eight minutes, a full sterilize and dry cycle takes 45 minutes to complete.
If you’re pumping or bottle-feeding a lot, this sterilizer allows for multiple fuss-free and convenient cycles per day. Out of the box, the brain-like look of this unit is a little bit different, though the instructions were clear, and the setup was simple. The branch-like pegs within the chamber allowed our tester to load bottles, pump parts, and accessories in configurations that allowed steam to access every crevice for a highly effective clean. The double peg heights accommodated different bottle and accessory sizes nicely. The construction is sturdy, and the dishwasher-safe components are easy to wash in soapy water.
Being a microwave sterilizer, each cycle is complete within four to six minutes, and with a closed lid, the contents remain sterile for up to 24 hours. This meant we were able to sterilize before bed and wake up to sanitized bottles ready for use.
This is not a large sterilizer, so any more than four bottles per day requires multiple cycles.
The simple digital display on the Chicco Advanced Electric Steam Sterilizer let us keep track of every cycle, and the multiple wash/dry functions with dual size options allowed us to customize every load. (To switch from full to compact mode, you just remove a piece from the middle.) The minimalist design also makes for easy assembly and cleaning, loading, and unloading.
This machine’s quick runtime of as little as five minutes means you can sanitize on the fly. With space for six bottles plus nipples, cap rings, lids and more, it’s also a super-convenient option if you tend to pile up your feeding gear for an end-of-day cycle. Our tester said his baby’s bottles came out clean and odor-free every time. He also loved that the drying functions removed condensation effectively, offering 24-hour storage with protection from germs.
This is a large sterilizer that takes up a lot of counter space. We also found the lid a little flimsy, and it didn’t quite fit perfectly on top of the small basket, which may affect its performance over time.
Although none of these bottle sterilizers topped our categories in testing, they may still be of interest to you:
For this list, 13 staffers with babies tested 23 sterilizers in their homes and rated them in terms of design, effectiveness, ease of use, ease of cleaning, and value. We used each product at least three times per week for approximately six weeks.
We interviewed several pediatric professionals before and after our testing, including:
In terms of which method is better, dietitian Cindy Scott notes, “Currently, there is no data that shows one method is superior to the other. Boiling and steaming are considered the two most popular ways of sterilizing, which are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).”
“Don't get creative!” Dr. Murray warns. “Just follow the instructions, as the amount of water added and the time the unit is on or heated is important for effectiveness.” She adds that it’s important not to leave breast milk or formula in bottles for long periods of time. The CDC recommends discarding unused milk or formula after two hours.
Burns: All of our top picks use steam sterilization, so items can be very hot immediately after use. Pay close attention to manufacturer safety instructions to avoid burns, and always allow bottles and accessories to cool to room temperature before using. Some sterilizers come with tongs, which can save your fingers, too.
Hygiene: Our experts agree, the number-one consideration for hygiene is that you thoroughly wash all items before sterilizing them. And as Dr. Hayashi mentions above, it’s crucial to dry feeding items completely post-sterilization, otherwise your bottles and accessories can harbor bacteria. If your sterilizer does not have a bottle drying function, simply air dry on a clean paper towel on your countertop. It’s also important to check your sterilizer for traces of mold or residue, and to wash the sterilizer components thoroughly and regularly in hot, soapy water.
Our experts agree, thorough washing in hot soapy water is far more important than sterilization. That said, as a matter of convenience and for a deeper clean, Dr. Hayashi recommends sterilization once daily for babies up to 6 months old, adding that a unit with a drying function can be helpful for preparing your bottles for the next day’s use. While the CDC states, “For extra germ removal, sanitize feeding items at least once daily. Sanitizing is particularly important when your baby is younger than 2 months, was born prematurely, or has a weakened immune system.1
Every unit is different, so it pays to follow the manufacturer's instructions. It’s also important to check your sterilizer regularly for traces of mold or residue, and to wash the sterilizer components in hot, soapy water.
Samson McDougall is a journalist, copywriter, editor and biology graduate. His work encompasses everything from web copy for science museums to writing sexual health articles for universities, info sheets for first-in-category pharmaceuticals to brand messaging for wearable touch therapy by neuroscientists. He is a father of two, and a bonafide bottle-feeding maestro.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How to clean, sanitize, and store infant feeding items.
Nursing Breastfeeding Bra American Academy of Pediatrics. How to sterilize and warm baby bottles safely.