The Best Bottle Warmers for Heating Milk in Minutes
Planning to bottle- or combi-feed baby? Bottle warmers offer a safe and convenient way to heat up breast milk or formula in a flash. These gadgets not only get the job done quickly, they also ensure that the milk is free from dangerous hot spots that can occur when a bottle is heated up in the microwave. Aside from the safety factor, many models have special breast milk settings to make sure your liquid gold is warmed up without zapping its nutrients. Plus, some bottle warmers can defrost frozen milk and gently warm baby food jars and pouches.
Ready to start your search? Here find must-have information on how to use these time-saving devices—plus discover our picks of the best bottle warmers to buy.
Ask the experts and they’ll say you don’t need a baby bottle warmer. But when it’s 3 a.m. and your little bundle-of-screaming joy refuses to take that too-cold formula or expressed breast milk, you might beg to differ. Pop the bottle in one of these warmers and within minutes, you’ve got a ready-to-go meal at the perfect temperature. Alternatively, you can warm milk or formula by placing the bottle (or milk storage bag) in a cup of warm water for a few minutes. Although a bottle warmer isn’t strictly necessary, these gadgets certainly make life with a newborn that much easier, especially if you choose to bottle-feed exclusively.
Baby bottle warmers may come in a variety of shapes and sizes these days, but they all perform basically the same function—warming a refrigerated bottle of milk to body temperature. Most bottle warmers use a chamber or a reservoir to house hot water. The bottle is then placed into the chamber, where it’s heated slowly to avoid hot spots or scorching of the milk.
When using a bottle warmer, there are two things you should keep in mind: First, a bottle warmer isn’t meant to be left on for long periods of time. It may be tempting to keep it on all night to ensure baby’s milk warms super quickly, but this can present a fire hazard. So, it’s always best to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for use.
Next, when it comes to warming milk, remember to never re-use milk that’s been previously warmed. This can encourage growth of potentially harmful bacteria. So even if baby didn’t finish a full bottle, it’s best to discard the milk rather than re-heat it after it’s cooled.
Now that you’ve got the basics, here are eight of the best bottle warmers on the market. From portable bottle warmers to countertop models, these devices were all designed to make feeding time run like clockwork.
Overall best bottle warmer
First up on our list of the best bottle warmers is the Baby Brezza. A Best of Baby award-winner, this smart device is equipped with Bluetooth technology, so you can operate the warmer from an app on your phone and receive an alert when the bottle is ready to go. It has two warming modes: A steam setting that heats bottles and baby food in a matter of minutes and a water bath, which defrosts breast milk while preserving those all-important nutrients. Plus, it shuts off automatically for safety and fits most baby bottle brands.
- Power source: Electric
- Weight: 3.25 lbs
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Bluetooth enabled
- Defrosts breast milk
- Fits virtually any bottle
- Some parents report that it takes several minutes to heat a bottle
- High price point
Best bottle warmer for speed
Got three minutes? You can get that bottle warmed to perfection. Philips Avent Fast Baby Bottle Warmer is a fast, functional and affordable choice for new parents. It has a simple dial control panel that lights up once the bottle is warmed and ready. The milk moves continuously during warming, which means no hot spots. Sensors detect the volume and starting temperature and automatically adjust the heat settings for a perfect bottle every time. And the compact design means it's small enough to keep on your nightstand for those 3 a.m. feeds. Bonus: This baby bottle warmer also defrosts frozen breast milk and warms up purees.
- Power source: Electric
- Weight: 1.7 lbs
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Warms 5 ounces of milk in 3 minutes
- Defrosts breast milk
- Easy to use
- No sound alert
Best breastmilk bottle warmer
If you swear by Dr. Brown’s bottles—as many new parents do—you’ll want to consider getting this gadget to match. Designed for breastmilk bottles, this Best of Baby award-winning device uses electric steam heat to quickly and evenly warm milk. It holds enough water so you don’t have to refill it every single time and can be programmed to your preferred settings. Plus, an alarm will alert you when the bottle is ready to go.
- Power source: Electric
- Weight: 1.61 lbs
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Affordable price point
- Doubles as a baby food warmer
- Some parents report that it’s difficult to clean
Best digital bottle warmer
The best bottle warmers make life easier. And with super-fast heat settings—it heats to body temperature within just two minutes—Munchkin’s 98 degree digital warmer certainly fits the bill. To use, simply insert the bottle, flip the device over and press a button to warm baby’s bottle—there’s no water tank or tricky measurement scales to decipher. A clear digital display shows the temperature of the milk as it warms and the pared down design makes cleanup a total snap.
- Power source: Electric
- Weight: 0.4 lbs
- Auto shut-off: No
- Fast heat settings
- Simple digital design
- Comes with four adaptors to accommodate different baby bottle brands
- No auto shut-off feature
- No defrost setting
Best bottle and baby food warmer
If you already have Boon’s iconic green grass drying rack, your bottles will feel right at home in the Orb. The globe-like design is cool, but functional; it’s wide enough to fit any bottle you’ve got but is super-compact, meaning it won’t take up much room on your countertop or nightstand. Oh, and did we mention that it comes with a basket insert for baby food jars too?
- Power source: Electric
- Weight: 1.54 lbs
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Compact orb design
- Heats baby food jars
- Affordable price point
- No defrost setting
Best portable bottle warmer
When baby’s hungry, they need to be fed—even if you happen to be on the go. Luckily, this first-of-its-kind battery-powered bottle warmer makes it easy to prep baby’s bottle anywhere, anytime. The battery holds its charge for up to 12 hours, and a digital display lets you easily gauge how warm baby’s milk is. Thanks to slow-heat technology all nutrients are preserved and there are no hot spots. And since you don’t have to plug it in, this is great if you’re looking for a reliable car bottle warmer. It’s no wonder this is another Best of Baby winner.
- Power source: Battery-operated
- Weight: 1.54 lbs
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Cordless design
- Includes a formula dispenser
- Battery lasts up to 12 hours
- Power adapter sold separately
- High price point
Best bottle warmer and sterilizer
Looking for the best bottle warmer? This option by BEABA has it all. It’s fast—like two-minutes-flat fast. (Every second counts!) The ultra-quick steam system evenly heats bottles to an exact temperature and sterilizes bottles, spare parts and even pacifiers. Plus, it fits all bottles, even if they have a wide neck. It also features an air-tight lid that keeps the bottle warm for longer, in case you can’t get to it right away.
- Power source: Electric
- Weight: 1.87 lbs
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Steam sterilization system
- Heats bottles and baby food
- Highly accurate timer
- High price point
- Air tight lid is difficult to remove one-handed
Best affordable bottle warmer
Last up on our list of the best bottle warmers is this multi-use option by Tommee Tippee. It warms breast milk, formula, food jars or pouches to body temperature in as little as 4 minutes flat. Three heat settings let you gradually warm milk to the desired temperature with no risk of pesky hot spots. Granted there are cheaper options on the market, but with so many possible applications the Easi-Warm offers serious value for money.
- Power source: Electric
- Weight: 1.31 lbs
- Auto shut-off: No
- Gently warms milk and preserves nutrients
- Heats baby food jars and pouches
- Affordable price point
- No auto-shut off function
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
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