Is this the Best Baby Cup of 2021?

Is this the Best Baby Cup of 2021?

If you're a Mom or a Dad looking to find the best Baby Cup of 2021, you're in the right place! I've spent the last year trying to figure out which is the best option for every possible circumstance. And I've reached a conclusion that I wish I had known a couple of years back.

In this post I'm going to be reviewing and comparing 4 differeny cups: a regular cup, a hard teat baby cup, a soft teat baby cup (the Nuk Sippy Cup with Handles), and a no spill cup (the Munchkin Miracle baby cup). The regular cups are the least expensive, and the other 3 are fairly the same price. But we'll talk more about pricing in a minute.

I've tried to make this review quick and straight to the point. But if you really, really, really want to know my final recommendation, this is it:

(Although I would highly encourage you to read all the post because I have some pretty cool tips from using this cups for over a year).

TL;DR

- The Best Overall:

If you're looking for a cup that your baby/kid will love, that will help her/him learn how to use a regular cup, and that won't make a terrible mess, get a spill free cup like the Munchkin Miracle Cup. It has become the most famous spil fre cup for a reason! If you'd like to read my full review, click here.

Pro-tip!

Get the one with handles!

I've noticed that it's way easier for babies and toddlers to drink if the cup has handles. I didn't buy my Munchkin with handles and I strongly regret my decision.

- The Best for when you're out

If you're going for a walk, a trip, or anywhere outside of your house, get a soft teat baby cup. They're much better than the spill free cups for tossing them in a bag or in the car and making sure they're not spilling water. I've used the Nuk Sippy Cup with Handles and it's been great. This is my favorite cup for when the babies are just starting to drink by themselves. Read my full review here.

Caution!

Check the replacement prices!

You'll very likely need replacement teats, and they're sometimes very expensive. I would encourage you to buy a pack with multiple teats. If you decide to buy the nuk cup (like I did), go for this 6 teat pack.

Cup Analysis & Experience

1. Regular Cup

I'll keep this short because I know that most of you know that babies and toddlers can't drink from regular cups. But if you're wondering when they can start drinking from regular cups, this is the answer:

Toddlers start drinking from regular by the time they turn 2, although some babies can drink without spilling by the time they have 18 months.

If you think your toddler is ready, then go ahead and get a regular cup! But keep in mind these 2 tips that I've learnt the hard way:

TIP #1: Do not buy regular "adult" cups!

I tried buying regular adult cups (like the ones you can buy at Wallmart or any other store) and they're unsafe for children. The edges may start to chip a little bit, and they can cause little wounds at the corner of the lips. I think it's because they use their sharp little teeth in a way that adults wouldn't do.

If you want to buy a regular cup, make sure you're buying a cup designed for kids. Like this Munchkin Cups. They're better built and won't cause your kids any harm.

TIP #2: Themed cups might not be a good idea!

My son loves Paw Patrol, so I bought him a Paw Patrol Cup (like this one). It's now his favorite cup! But when he was learning to use a regular cup, he would often turn the cup to see Chase, Marshall or Ruble on the side of the cup. Thus... spilling everything and making a mess every time! Even though he totally knew how to use a cup. Until he learned not to spill, I would give him a regular plain cup when he was eating.

For a while I only let him use the cup in while he was in the bath. It turned out to be his favorite bath toy!

And this is the summary for regular cups:

2. Hard Teat Baby Cup

I haven't had a good experience with hard teat baby cups. Not because they have a big problem I can't deal with, but because I find other options better.

That being said, I think that there's an exception to this rule. If your baby's teeth come out very soon (5-6 months), and you want to save money, then the hard teat baby cup may be the way to go.

I would normally recommend soft teat baby cups for any 6 month's old baby while being away from home. But if your baby has a lot of teeth, then you're going to have to buy a lot of teat replacements. If that's not a problem, great! More power to! But if you want to save money, the hard teat baby cups are a lot more durable. They will scratch the cup, but they won't break it (like they will with the soft teat cups).

If you want to buy a hard teat cup, don't buy the one I did. The one I bought was too expensive and it's not worth it. But this one instead. This is the summary for these cups:

EDIT: Now that I think about it... it's a good option as an "out-of-home" cup for when your toddler grows up a little bit. They like it more than the soft teat cups. Plus, they're only 2 pieces, which makes them easier to clean than the other cups.

3. Soft Teat Baby Cup (Nuk Sippy Cup)

I love Soft Teat Baby Cups! I've owned the Nuk Sippy Cups for a long time and my 2 babies have used them daily. They're easy to clean, it's easy for babies and toddlers to use them right away, and when the lid is on, there's no way they spill any water or juice... That's why I recommend them so much!

I specifically like them for ages 6-12 months because most of them (like the Nuk that you're seeing tin the pictures) have a valve that won't let air come in. These are also my go-to cups when I have to go somewhere. With the lid on, they simply don't spill. Not a single bit.

But they do have a couple of things you have to know about before you buy them.

1. They break easily and replacements are quite expensive.

If your baby has teeth (especially if it's early on), then you're going to have to buy a lot of replacements. It's not a big deal if you plan ahead and buy one of the 6-teat packs (like this one). If you buy one by one, they can be very expensive.

2. It's not helping your kid learn how to use a regular cup.

This cup is extremely easy for babies and toddlers to use becuase it's very similar to a regular feeding bottle. But (unlike the Munchkin Miracle) it's not going to help your toddler learn how correctly drink from a cup.

3. They do spill.

Sooner or later, every toodler learns that if you turn outside down liquid comes out of the cup. Specially if the teat isn't brand new. They can make a mess pretty quickly if you're not paying attention...

But when the lid is on, then it doesn't spill at all.

4. They could cause hiccups.

Some of these soft teat baby cups don't have an anti-hiccup valve. Stay away from those! They will cause hiccups and in worst case scenarios, will cause a little bit of vomiting. The one I bought (the Nuk Sippy Cup) has that valve in the teat, and I haven't looked back since I bought it.

Pro Tip

The base can rotate

At the beginning I thought that screwing in the lid was tricky, because the teat had to end up being exactly in the middle so that my kid could easily drink from it. It turns out (I found out later) that the base of the cup can rotate. And thus, it makes so much easier. But it was a little stiff when I first bought it, which is why it took me so long to realise that this was possible.

This is the final summary for the Nuk Sippy Cup:

4. Spill Free Baby Cup (Munchkin Miracle Baby Cup)

This is the most premium, and probably best baby cup of all. It's great because toddlers can drink from it like they would from a regular cup (thus, learning how to use a regular cup), but it doesn't spill it's contents.

This cup works because when you take a sip, the silicone lid bends and it lets a little bit of liquid out. Enough to take a sip, but not enough to spill if you drop the cup accidentally.

Is is completely spill free?

Not really. If you really really want to spill the contents, a couple of drops will come out of the cup. Not enough to make a huge mess, but it's not 100% spill free. However, I found that my kid has never done that. Even though he's tried several times to make it spill, he hasn't been able to do so.

However! It's not safe enough to put into your bag. The silicone lid can touch something and it will spill. And if you're unlucky, it can spill a lot.

So... long story, short. I think it's the best cup when you're at home, but I wouldn't take anywhere with me.

Caution

Fill it up to 2/3rds or 3/4ths max.

If you fill it up all the way to the top, the chances of the cup spilling increase exponentially. I wouldn't advice to fill it all the way to the top. It's better to re-fill when necessary!

Does it take long for kids to learn how to use this cup?

Surprisingly, no! When I first bought the cup and I drank myself, I was puzzled by how it worked. It juts didn't make sense that liquid could come out of what (apparently) is a regular lid. But toddlers don't care about that... they simply drink from it, and liquid comes out. End of story. It's super easy for them!

Word of advice

Get the ones with handles

Don't make the same mistake I did! But the Munchkin Miracle with Handles (like this one. I bought the one that doesn't have handles (like this one and I regret it. Why? Because with handles they'll be able to learn how to use this cup by themselves a lot faster. Without handles they're dealing with 2 problems at the same time: holding on to the cup, and learning how to use it. Handles are simply a lot better.

Is it easy to clean?

Yes! You can clean it like any other baby cup. It's made out of 3 pieces, and you can just clean it yourself or put it in the dishwasher.

And this would be the summary for the Munchkin Miracle cup:

To Sum up!

Now that you know what I think of all these cups, I'll answer the most important question. What would you recommend buying?

I would first buy the Nuk Sippy Cup for when a baby starts to drink water (6 months give or take). Be sure to buy the big packs of replacements too! (buying one at a time is super expensive)

But as soon as possible (maybe at 8 or 9 months old), I would buy a couple of Munchkin Miracles for at home daily use. That way they start learning how to use a regular cup. And I'm saying a couple because that way you can still use them while others are in the dishwasher.

That way you end up having the Munchkin Miracles for when you're home (and they learn how to use a regular cup) and the Nuk Sippy Cup for when you're out. It's a lot easier (and safer) to transport than the Muchkin.

Ohhh... And if they love Paw Patrol like Rafa does, then check out the Paw Patrol Cups for when they're a little bit older. They love those cups!

EDIT: When your toddler grows up a little bit, he'll probably start liking the hard teat cups more when you're out. And there are a lot of themed hard teat cups, which they usually like more than plain cups.

Posted in: Gift Water Cup Nuk Munchkin