This steriliser offers great value for money and does exactly what you need to sterilise up to four bottles in four minutes. If you keep the lid closed they'll remain sterile for 24 hours, too.

Microwave sterilisers are smaller, but not exactly portable. They could sit on top of the fridge or stay in the microwave itself if you’d rather not keep them out. 3. Cycle time

I find the nuby natural touch steam steriliser really good - it dries the bottles too. It is tall and fits lots of different shaped bottles and other bits!" Tried and tested by Mumsnet user Sjh84 Our verdict

Fans say that the Baby Brezza One Step is ridiculously easy to use, an important quality for tired new parents. "I did the boiling pot sterilizing for the first two weeks, but I was doing combo-feeding (pumping and formula) and it just became too much," says Melissa Bykofsky, Everyday Health's Executive Editor, Editorial Strategy & Growth. "I ran this sterilizer two to three times a day at the beginning and it just made everything so much easier. It gave me peace of mind knowing everything was sterilized and I didn't have a hot pot boiling in my sleep-deprived state." 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. Capacity: Six bottles, plus breast pump parts | Materials: Plastic | Included: Container and weighted grid Good for parents who Parents can also sanitize bottles by boiling in a pot, or using bleach; use the CDC's instructions if that's your plan. And if you have any questions about when or whether to sanitize your baby's bottles, ask your pediatrician for guidance. Instructions are clear and easy to follow, but the Dr Brown’s Deluxe Electric Steam Steriliser is really intuitive to use – three lights on the front let you know instantly whether the eight-minute cycle is heating up, cooling down or completed.Guidance from the NHS recommends sterilising for at least the first 12 months. After your baby's first birthday, you can start phasing our sterilising as their immune system will be strong enough. However, it's important to continue cleaning all bottles, dummies and other feeding equipment thoroughly even after you've said goodbye to the sterilising tablets. What are the different types of steriliser? Multiplicity of functions means a great deal of flexibility – whatever kind of sterilisation you need (except cold water), this product can cover it It's been Mumsnet's mission to make parents' lives easier for over 20 years, so we know how much difference choosing the right product can make. That's why we obsessively research, review and vet everything we recommend - from the best breast pumps to the best changing bags. She noted how many bottles or breast pump parts could fit comfortably into the steriliser, how long the cycle was, how loud the unit was in use (if appropriate), and how big the product’s footprint was on the kitchen counter.

By the time they’re a year old, your baby’s immune system is much better developed so you can ease off sterilising toys and dummies then. The MAM self-sterilising bottles were great as we don't have to have a separate steriliser and can sterilise them at family's houses if needed. The downside is that you do need a microwave." It's not too bulky and claims to fit in most microwaves. Parents really like the ease of use and the cheap price of this, making it a good option when there are so many other items to buy for your baby. I got the Dr. Brown bottle warmer and sterilizer. I sterilized all the bottles, parts, and nipples once a day until I was done with it at 11 months. The warmer was handy for those late night feeds so you don't have to wait longer for the milk to warm from the fridge." 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?

Electric steamer sterilizer: Simply plug it in and let the machine do all the work. In an electric sterilizer, the bottles and parts are cleaned at a high temperature to produce steam. Electric sterilizers come in many shapes and sizes, depending on your needs and countertop real-estate. Capacity: Two bottles | Materials: BPA-free plastics and metal electrical components | Included: Sterilisation unit, measuring jug and tongs Good for parents who Watch out if you have a small microwave though. Our tester struggled to fit the steriliser into hers, which, of course, impacted ease of use. For reference, the Philips is 16.6 × 28 × 28cm.

Cycle lengths depend on the wattage of your microwave: two minutes for 1200W to 1850W, four minutes for 850W to 1100W or six minutes for 500W to 800W. Even the longest option is quite a bit shorter than many of the sterilisers we tested, such as the Milton Cold Water or the Dr Brown’s Deluxe Bottle Steriliser. Place items in a microwave or plug-in steam sterilizer and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for sanitizing, cooling, and drying. Ensure that all parts fit entirely within the sterilizer while the machine is operating. 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.Relatively new to the steriliser market are UV sterilisers, which use UV light to kill bacteria. Their versatility means that you can use them to pretty much sterilise anything, including mobile phones and keys, however some UV sterilisers may not be suitable for sterilising natural rubber and latex (think certain dummies and the ever-popular Sophie La Girafe). The advantage of microwave sterilisers is that they’re more capacious than travel models but smaller than electric ones, so they can be stored out of sight. The length of the cycle is almost always shorter than using an electric steriliser, too, which might come in handy with a very hungry baby. I was also boiling bottles and parts to sterilize initially but now using avent microwave sterilizer (me also using avent bottles) and I would say its time saving and in love with that." Electric sterilisers are units set over a heating plate that heats up water and sterilises the contents with steam. They’re usually generously sized, so can handle up to a day’s worth of bottles all at once, and require almost no preparation and no further outlay to use them regularly. 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.