We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Why trust us?
Save valuable time (and sleep!) with a foolproof warmer.
When the time comes to start putting together your baby registry or list of must-have baby products, it can get a bit overwhelming. Being prepared with a few essential items will help make your first year with your little one a bit easier. When you need warm milk at 3 a.m. for your crying baby that refuses to take cold formula or expressed breast milk, having a warmer will save you precious time.
Bottle warmers heat formula and breast milk to 98ºF without hot spots and take the guesswork out of preparing a baby's bottle so milk is at the perfect temp within minutes, every time. Some bottle warmers offer different features like a digital timer, automatic shut-off, and on-the-go travel options, perfect for the diaper bag. And best of all, most of these bad boys are relatively inexpensive, ranging from $15-$50.
The experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles Lab review parenting products of all kinds, from maternity clothes to diapers to potty training seats and more. To find the best bottle warmers, we considered five essential criteria: Warming efficiency, safety features, cleaning ease, bottle type size, and cost. Here are the best baby bottle warmers to make your life a little easier.
Yes, having a fast and reliable baby bottle warmer at hand is a must for new parents. While it is definitely appropriate to prepare formula or milk in a bottle and run it directly under hot water from the tap or by boiling water in a pan, bottle warmers offer a quick and safe method of feeding your baby that will leave you both happy. Bottle warmers are also great for heating up stored or frozen breast milk and they are designed specifically to quickly warm liquids to that ideal body temperature of 98ºF. Although there is no proven research that says warm milk is better for babies' digestion than cold, babies tend to feel happier and sleep better when they take warm milk because their bodies use a lot of energy to warm cold milk.
In as little as three quick minutes, the Philips Avent Fast Baby Bottle Warmer will have your baby milk warm and toasty. It features smart temperature control that detects the milk's initial temperature to prevent milk and food from overheating. When it reaches the optimal temperature, the indicator light tells you when the bottle is ready and keeps it warm for up to 60 minutes before automatically shutting off. It also has a setting for frozen milk or purees and heats by continuously circulating water to ensure there are no hot spots. Avent also offers a less expensive option warmer, but it does not come with auto shut-off.
As one of the most affordable options out there, this steam bottle warmer comes jam-packed with many added features. It can heat breast milk, formula or baby food jars quickly, and it comes with automatic shut-off to prevent overheating. The First Years warmer works with almost any kind of bottle – wide mouth, narrow mouth, disposable or angled bottles. This warmer is also user-friendly; just add a small vial of water, place the bottle in the unit, and press a button. A light indicator will go off when the bottle is ready. It's that simple.
Innovative, easy to use, and accommodates all bottle shapes and materials, the Kiinde Kozii is convenient and versatile. You'll love the auto shut-off feature, retractable water reservoir, and the SAFEHeat technology that uses a warm, circulating water bath to heat bottle contents and reduce the risk of nutrient damage. You can fill up the tank and warm a few bottles before refilling again, making this warmer ideal for multiple babies. You can also easily defrost and heat frozen milk and food, although it may take two cycles.
Reliable, fast, and affordable, Dr. Brown's Deluxe Baby Bottle Warmer offers impressive features that come quite handy. It has an easy-to-use LCD panel with programmable buttons and a one-key start function. Audio and visual signals let you know the warming is complete, and it even has a digital timer with a countdown. You'll love the automatic shut-off after 10 minutes and cycle memory that defaults to your previous settings for each use.
This warmer uses electric steam that quickly warms baby bottles and food jars. Best of all, it has a refillable water chamber that holds enough water for several feedings. It also doesn't require a cool-down and allows you to warm several bottles back-to-back, ideal for families with multiples. Dr. Brown's Deluxe Warmer is adjustable for most bottle sizes, but it won't fit wide-mouth bottle designs like Tommee Tippee or Comotomo.
If you're always at the forefront of high-tech gadgets, this bottle warmer is for you. Unlike any other on the market, you can use the free Baby Brezza app on any smartphone to operate the warmer and receive notifications when your bottle is ready using Bluetooth. Smart and safe, this warmer offers two settings to ensure bottles are safely heated to the right temperature. The "Steady Warm" feature – which uses a warm water bath to safely heat or defrost breastmilk to preserve its nutrients, and the Quick Warm ,which uses safe, steam heat to warm formula and baby food fast.
There is a basket that fits almost all bottle sizes, pouches, and food jars, and there is an auto shut-off feature to prevent overheating. Surprisingly, this smart bottle warmer is easy to use and ideal for breastfeeding moms. For those looking for an even easier method, the Baby Brezza Instant Warmer dispenses warm water on demand, making formula bottles in seconds.
Perfect for busy parents on-the-go, this portable travel bottle warmer can fit right in your diaper bag, making feedings a breeze while out of the house. Using a two-part system, the insulated stainless-steel thermos holds about 12 ounces of water and keeps the liquid hot for 10 hours. The extra-large plastic beaker acts as a warming chamber that is big enough to fit most bottles, pouches, or baby food containers of any size.
To prep the warmer, all you need to do is boil water beforehand, and then all parts fit together in a self-contained unit that can fit anywhere. A hot water bath brings milk to a temperature suitable for a baby without using an external warming source. Bonus tip, if you put boiled water in the thermos before leaving the house, it will stay hot for hours, making formula in seconds.
With so many options to choose from, it's important to know some of the differences between them.