Philips Avent Microwave Steam Sterilizer for Baby Bottles, Pacifiers, Cups and More (model SCF281/02)

Product Information

Don’t rinse equipment off again afterwards as the water won’t be sterile. You don’t need to dry them as the cloth likely isn’t sterile either – just shake off the excess moisture and make sure it’s cooled down completely. When can you stop sterilising baby bottles? While it is a personal choice for your family, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends sterilizing bottles and parts once a day, especially for babies younger than three months, born prematurely, or have a weakened immune system. Although not mandatory, it is recommended to always sterilize new bottles before using them and if your doctor has recommended sterilizing bottles between feedings, you might like the convenience of being able to load and run a sterilizer without needing to boil water every time, especially if you have multiple babies.

It’s best to use sterile tongs to handle teats afterwards to prevent contamination, and the majority of sterilisers come with a pair – put the tongs in with the cycle and you know they’re OK to use. Karen adds that the Hauture fits comfortably on her counter, and likes that the machine can be used to sterilize, dry, and store bottles. I use the Dr. Browns bottle warmer. It works great with other bottles other than dr.browns. I also use it to thaw out breastmilk."They are essentially a large, round, plastic box with a screw-on lid, usually with an internal basket to hold the bottles. Water is poured into the bottom (under the basket) and in the microwave it boils to create steam.

The inner tray is formed with notches to position the four bottles it can hold, which means they’ll stay in place throughout the cycle and sterilise properly. When choosing your sterilizer, consider how many bottles you'll want to clean at once, the cost, how much counter space you have, and if it would be easier to have an all-in-one device that dries and stores or a simple unit that fits in the microwave when you need things cleaned. Some also include dryers, for an added bonus. The vast Philips Avent ecosystem is a real advantage here – the Microwave Steam Steriliser is widely available, including in several larger supermarkets, and is supported by Philips’ responsive and detailed customer care system.For Mumsnetters who want to avoid buying a steriliser altogether, these MAM self-sterilising bottles are a great option. The bottle comes apart and can be assembled in such a way that they work as their own steam steriliser in the microwave, making keeping them hygienic a doddle. During the first year of a baby's life, parents have a lot to worry about, not the least of which is that a baby's immune system is the most fragile at this time. Camille Sabella, M.D., Director of the Center for Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Cleveland Clinic Children’s, states that “an infant’s immune system doesn’t mature until around 2 to 3 months.” While there's not much one can do to avoid exposure to household germs altogether, there certainly are steps to take to help ensure they are bacteria-free. Enter the bottle sterilizer – these nifty gadgets make it easy to sanitize (99.9%) bottles, nipples, toys, pump parts, and anything the baby may put into their mouth (which is, like, everything.)

But if you’re bottle-feeding full time or expressing breastmilk regularly, you should find each of the different modes very helpful – and the fact that the warming unit handles food as well as milk means it should continue to be useful, even once you’re done with sterilising completely.

There’s an on-off switch on the base of the steriliser that isn’t mentioned in the instructions, which is confusing The instructions included are quite text heavy, but do include some illustrations and are relatively easy to understand. Teat tongs are included for lifting out objects after each cycle. Versatility: If you want to use your sterilizer to clean pump parts, children's toys, or pacifiers, you'll need to make sure it can do so.