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.

What to Look for in a Bottle Warmer

As with all baby gear, not all bottle warmers are created equal—and what each family needs will vary along with their priorities and budget. To help determine which option is the best baby bottle warmer for you and your little one, here are a few factors to consider while shopping:

Warming time. Consider how you feed your baby before investigating a bottle warmer’s warming time. Are you simply looking to warm up room temperature formula? Then one of the faster-speed models will most likely suit your needs best. However, if you plan on thawing frozen breast milk or heating refrigerated breast milk, you might want to seek out a bottle warmer that takes a slower, more gentle approach (so as not to burn off any important nutrients).

Power source. Most bottle warmers will require an electric outlet to function; however, there are portable bottle warmers that are powered by batteries or rechargeable USBs—which are great if you need an on-the-go option or one to keep by your bedside.

Ease of use. When you’re dealing with a hungry baby, no one wants to be struggling with a complicated bottle warmer. Many models come with programmable settings that are easy to select, and some even have a memory function (which is ideal when you’re serving several bottles a day). Also, pay attention to how simple it is to clean. Bottle warmers can be notorious for growing mold (thanks to the water and steam used to create heat), so a dishwasher-friendly or easily cleaned design is critical.

Functions. Bottle warmers range from the straightforward to the complex, with some models offering multiple uses and functions. Consider whether you plan on using the bottle warmer simply to warm bottles—or if you’re looking for more of a double (or triple) duty device that can sterilize bottles and heat baby food as well. Also, many bottle warmers come with an auto shut-off function, which helps to prevent dangerous overheating.

Size. Bottle warmers can vary in size and design, with many of the multi-functional options being on the larger side. If you’re tight on space, there are several compact options that will take up limited real estate on your countertops (or are easily stored away when not in use).

The Best Bottle Warmers

Now that you’ve got the basics, here are seven of the best bottle warmers on the market. From warmers that work at top speed to multifunctional bottle warmers and more, these devices were all designed to make feeding time run like clockwork.

How We Chose the Best Bottle Warmers

To help you find the best bottle warmers on the market today, The Bump editors did extensive research to identify the best-selling, most innovative and all-around top-notch products out there, combing through user reviews (and typically not considering any product with less than a four-star rating), leveraging our familiarity with leading baby brands and relying on our own experiences as parents. Then, we considered a variety of factors—including ease of use, effectiveness, quality and value for money—to determine the overall best baby bottle warmer, as well as other standout options that are particularly good for your specific needs. All this, to ensure that you find a quality product with plenty of bang for your buck that’ll prove a good fit for you and your lifestyle.
Interested in learning more about our editorial process? Read about how our team develops and reviews all articles here.

Do I Need a Bottle Warmer?

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. So while 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.

Not only does a bottle warmer help achieve a not-too-hot, not-too-cold bottle with the push of a button—but it also allows for the safe handling of frozen or refrigerated breast milk. Though frozen breast milk can be thawed by placing it in the refrigerator for 24 hours and refrigerated breast milk can be warmed by running the bottle or milk storage bag under warm water, bottle warmers can do both much more quickly and efficiently. Plus, most modern bottle warmers can ensure that breast milk is safely heated to the perfect temperature—without sacrificing nutrients along the way.

Whether you decide to use a bottle warmer or heat milk the old-fashioned way, it’s important to never use the microwave or stove to heat your bottles. Doing so can not only kill off the nutritional properties of breast milk, but it can also unevenly heat bottles and create dangerous hot spots that can scald baby. Also, when handling breast milk, be sure to pay attention to the CDC guidelines for human milk storage—which dictate how long breast milk can be stored safely at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or in the freezer. One important rule to keep in mind: The CDC recommends using breast milk within two hours of coming to room temperature. So if you use a bottle warmer to warm milk, it’s important that you feed it to baby right away. It’s also never safe to refreeze milk that has been thawed or warmed in a bottle warmer.

How to Use a Bottle Warmer

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 a few 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.

Lastly, always test the temperature of the bottle’s milk before feeding it to baby. The easiest way is to pour a drop of milk from the bottle onto the inside of your forearm—it should feel warm, not hot.

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.