If you want to avoid plastic baby bottles, the cleanest alternatives are glass and stainless steel. Stainless steel baby bottles are a safe and convenient alternative to plastic bottles, which are made with harmful plasticizers and chemicals such as BPA (not to mention all the microplastics). These chemicals can leach into formula or breastmilk, so it’s best to avoid plastic baby bottles as much as possible.
With glass, you may be worried that they’ll break (though it’s rare) or your daycare facility may not allow you to send in glass baby bottles. For this reason, stainless steel baby bottles are a wonderful alternative.
Not only will they not release any harmful chemicals but they are also durable and lightweight and just wonderful all around. Here are my recommendations for the best stainless steel baby bottles!
The Best Stainless Steel Baby Bottles
1. Pura Kiki Baby Bottle
Can I just express my love for Pura Kiki? I love this company and their bottles are amazing.
Made of food-grade stainless steel, Pura Kiki is one of the best-known brands of stainless steel baby bottles. What I love about this brand is that any bottle goes with any lid. You can choose other extensions to convert your bottle to a sippy cup or even a snack container. So, it’s definitely a good choice as a bottle that can grow with your child. They are also not too expensive and come in various designs and sizes. This is definitively the best option if you ask me!
2. Thinkbaby
Thinkbaby offers a slightly more budget-friendly option of stainless steel baby bottles. Their no-spill nipple is made of medical-grade silicone and designed to mimic breastfeeding, reduce colic, and avoid nipple confusion. It also comes with a nipple cover to keep the bottle sealed and hygienic. This particular bottle is great for ages 0 to 6 months old.
3. Pacific Baby Hot Tot Bottle
The Pacific Baby Hot Tot Bottle has a great design and a really helpful non-slip feature. As with all the other bottles I’ve mentioned, this one is fully recyclable and made out of high-quality stainless steel. It also has extra insulation layers that allow beverages to stay warm or cool for up to 10 hours.
Please note that sometimes this product goes out of stock and Amazon links the other, painted version of this product. We don’t recommend these; we only recommend the version of the bottle that has a silicone grip on the outside.
While these are certainly not the only stainless steel baby bottles on the market, they are the best quality bottles I have found. I hope this guide helps you find the right bottles for your baby! And if you have more questions, read on!
Related: The Best Glass Baby Bottles
Choosing Stainless Steel Baby Bottles
I love that stainless steel baby bottles are super easy to handle. They won’t break, leach chemicals, and are super easy to clean and maintain. You also don’t have to worry about them being harsh on the environment; they can actually be recycled!
Most parents find stainless steel baby bottles to be practical as almost every kind of stainless steel bottle can be used for multiple purposes – many come with a variety of lid options designed to grow with your baby. And although they are a bit more pricey than other types of bottles, (and most times you will need more than one), they are a great investment!
FAQs
Is Stainless Steel Safe?
Stainless steel baby bottles that use food-grade stainless steel are completely non-toxic and safe for babies. You won’t find BPA, phthalates, or dangerous heavy metals like lead. When exposed to sun or heat, stainless steel doesn’t leach. The only downside is the fact that they are a bit more expensive.
How To Use and Clean Stainless Steel Baby Bottles
Stainless steel baby bottles are made so that they can be used just as you would any other baby bottle: most of them are dishwasher safe and can be sterilized and boiled in water. Because stainless steel baby bottles are polished inside, milk doesn’t stick and spoil as easily compared to other types of baby bottles. You’ll also likely find a big perk of stainless steel is its ability to keep bottles warm or cold for longer periods of time. That said, I still recommend serving your baby the bottle as soon as it’s made and cleaning it as soon as possible.
Related: The Best Baby Bottle Warmers: An Underrated Time-Saver for Tired Mamas
Want to Save This Post?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
How many baby bottles do I need?
You definitely need multiple bottles. You’ll also want to be prepared to try a few brands. My suggestion is to start with two different bottles and see if your baby prefers one over the other. Once you find the right fit, you can count on needing 3-4 bottles if you’re also breastfeeding, and if you’re exclusively pumping or offering formula, you will need 8-10 bottles.
When is the right time to give a bottle?
It really depends. If you’re breastfeeding along with bottle feeding, most pediatricians suggest waiting to introduce the bottle until your baby is 4+ weeks old. This gives your baby time to work out any breastfeeding kinks before switching to a bottle nipple. It will also give you time to pump and store a milk stash for bottles. If offered earlier, some babies can have nipple confusion and have issues with feeding. If you are exclusively using bottles, you’ll start day 1! Note that, if you’re returning to work, you will want to offer a bottle at least two weeks before you go to work to give you baby time for the transition.
What size bottle do I need?
Newborns and young infants do really well with small amounts of milk in each sitting, so you don’t need a bottle that is larger than 4oz. When your baby gets a little older and has a bigger appetite (typically around 4-5 months old), you can switch to larger, 8oz bottles.
Can I put stainless steel bottle in the refrigerator?
Yes, all stainless steel baby bottles can be stored in the refrigerator! It does not absorb bacteria or leach yucky chemicals, so you’re safe storing milk in them!
What’s the best way to introduce a bottle to my baby?
There are a few ways to introduce your baby to a bottle. First, remember to go slowly with this! You can offer a bottle right after nursing with a small amount of milk. Sometimes, parents find it easy to do this in the evening when he/she is relaxed and getting ready for bed. Simply nurse as you normally do and towards the end of your nursing session, offer the bottle. You can try to do this daily until he/she becomes familiar and more interested in the bottle. You may also find it useful to have dad or a caretaker give the baby a bottle. This way your baby won’t smell you and be confused.
What if my baby won’t take a bottle?
If your baby won’t take a bottle, you can try a few different things.
Dab breastmilk on the bottle’s nipple. This may entice your baby to try the bottle if he/she smells your milk.
Use an appropriate nipple size and flow. Make sure you use a nipple size and flow that works for your baby’s age. Newborns always use a slow-flow nipple, for example.
Warm the nipple. Run the bottle nipple under warm water before offering it to your baby. This can be comforting and feel more like breastfeeding.
Try different holding positions. Your baby may need to be more upright or more laid back to feel comfortable feeding from a bottle. Try adjusting your baby’s positioning to see if one way works better than the other.
If your baby refuses the bottle after trying a few of these tactics, talk to your pediatrician.
Which stainless steel baby bottle did you choose? I’d love to know!
I tried Pura kiki bottles and this was a bad experience. They metal smell is so strong. It stays with me all day. I decided to return it.
Hi Karolina,
Thanks for your feedback! We’ve never heard this or had this experience. We’ll keep an eye out for similar feedback.