Best Bottle Warmer and Sterilizer

Feeding your baby a bottle of breast milk or formula can be convenient and necessary at times, but the practical concerns of warming cold milk and cleaning the dirty bottles can create some headaches of their own.

The right tools can make a significant difference in your bottle-feeding routine, however. Several smart countertop machines combine multiple warming and sterilizing functions that can quickly do most of the hard work for you.

If saving space, time and effort sounds like a good idea to you, check out our shopping tips and detailed reviews to help you pick out the best bottle warmer and sterilizer for your family.

Our Top Picks at a Glance

• Grownsy 6 in 1 Baby Bottle Warmer
• Babebay 4-in-1 Bottle Warmer
• Bopen 6-in-1 Multifunction
• WOHOME 5-in-1 Baby Bottle Warmer with Rapid Heating
• Eccomum 6-in-1 Double Bottle Warmer for Breast Milk
• Sankoo 6 in 1 Baby Bottle Warmer, Steam Sterilizer and Food Heater
• J&C Life 5 in 1 Function with Temperature IMD Touch Screen Display

Note: There’s a lot more information below but clicking the above links will take you to current prices, further information and customer reviews on Amazon.

What Is a Bottle Warmer and Sterilizer in One?

These machines combine the jobs of heating cold milk and sterilizing dirty items, so you can quickly perform the warming and cleaning tasks with the push of a button.

Electric warmers and sterilizers have a heating element that can reach a variety of temperatures depending on the mode you choose to use. In bottle-warming mode, the heater reaches a temperature of about 40 degree Celsius, which is roughly 100 degrees Fahrenheit. When you select the sterilizing mode, the heater reaches a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius, or 212 degrees Fahrenheit, to boil water and create steam.

Do You Need a Bottle Warmer and Bottle Sterilizer?

Since parents have been bottle-feeding their babies without warming or sterilizing machines for many decades, you may wonder if having one more piece of baby equipment is actually necessary.

While it’s true that you could use traditional methods to clean and warm your baby’s bottles, today’s pace of life is generally faster than it was in years past. Taking advantage of equipment that can effectively and easily accomplish daily tasks for you can end up saving you a surprising amount of time and aggravation over the long run.

If you’re still undecided, here are a few of the benefits of using an electric bottle warmer and sterilizer:

Easily heat up a midnight bottle

It’s already difficult to wake up to your hungry baby crying in the night, and simply placing a prepared bottle into the warmer and pushing a button is far easier than fumbling around with heating up water and repeated temperature testing.

Warm a bottle faster

Even if you use the microwave, heating a bowl of water and then placing your baby’s bottle in it is a two-step process that will probably take several minutes at best.

Bottle warmers typically work much faster, and some will bring your bottle to the correct temperature in as little as four minutes.

Reach your desired milk temperature the first time

Even if you follow the same routine for heating water in the microwave or on the stovetop, your bottle’s temperature could still vary from feeding to feeding.

A bottle-warming machine lets you set your desired temperature, so you can count on getting a consistently warm milk every feeding.

Heat your bottle to a safe temperature

Despite your best efforts, you may accidentally overheat your bottle with the water you warm up manually. Most bottle warmers have a temperature cap that prevents the danger of hot spots or destroying breast milk nutrients from overheating.

However, even though electric warmers let you choose your milk temperature, always test a few drops of the warm milk on your own skin to make sure it’s not too hot.

Avoid the danger of boiling water on your stove

Especially since you probably have a baby in your arms most of the day, it makes sense to minimize the chances of steam burns or scalding whenever possible.

Electric bottle sterilizers still use boiling water to clean your bottles and accessories, but they also have a lid that prevents any hot water from splashing out or steam from escaping.

No need for your active supervision

After loading your dirty items and adding the appropriate amount of water, just start the sterilizing cycle and go about the rest of your daily business. After sterilizing, you can leave the clean parts in the machine for the next feeding, or you can lay them out on a towel to dry.

Types of Warmers

Steam

Steam warmers heat a small amount of water to boiling, and the resulting steam warms the bottle of milk.

These models usually produce warm milk in a short time, but keep in mind that overheating breast milk or warming it too rapidly may cause some of the vital nutrients to degrade.

Water bath

Submerging a bottle in a bowl of warm water is the method that has stood the test of time.

Electric water bath models typically hold enough water to cover a bottle up the neck, and the machine’s heating element heats the milk indirectly by heating the water around it. Most bottle warmers use the water bath method since gentle heating usually helps preserve the nutritional content of breast milk.

Features to Look For in a Warmer

Time required to reach the set temperature

The time it takes to heat a bottle will always depend on the amount of milk and the type of bottle you use. However, some machines are more efficient than others, so look for a model that has a rapid heating feature if time is an important consideration for you.

Accepts a variety of bottles

Most warmers and sterilizers can accommodate most bottle brands and materials. You don’t want to get an unpleasant surprise the first time you go to use your machine, though, so make sure the model you choose specifically states that it accepts a variety of bottle brands, sizes and types.

Size

If your house is like most, counter space is often in short supply, so look for a machine that has the smallest footprint possible. Models with oval shapes tend to be the most compact.

Additional options

If you plan to stockpile breast milk in the freezer, a warmer that also offers a defrost option can be helpful. If you like the idea of serving your baby warm purees once they start solids, look for a model that also warms portions of baby food.

Temperature hold

The temperature hold feature lets you maintain a warm water bath for up to 24 hours. Most warmers also have an automatic safety shut-off if the machine senses that the water level is too low, so you don’t have to worry about damaging your machine if you forget to add more water.

This feature can be especially helpful for overnight feedings. When the water bath is already at a warm temperature, it will take less time for your refrigerated milk to reach a comfortable temperature. The ability to keep your bottle warm can also be very useful if your baby has a diaper explosion that requires an emergency bath after you’ve already placed the bottle into the warmer.

Caution: Never leave a prepared bottle in the warmer for longer than two hours since bacteria could start to grow in a warm environment. If you forget about a bottle or can’t use it before the two-hour limit, throw the formula or breast milk out right away, and use a clean bottle to prepare a fresh meal.

Types of Sterilizer

Electric

An electric sterilizer has a water reservoir and uses electricity to power a heating element that boils the water and creates steam. The hot steam kills pathogens, and most machines turn off automatically when the cleaning cycle is over.

Microwave

Most microwave sterilizers take the form of plastic bags that use steam to sterilize bottles and related parts. Add a small amount of water and your dirty items to the bag, place the bag into the microwave and set the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer.

Since many microwave sterilizers are very similar and don’t warm a prepared bottle, we won’t cover them in any more detail. Every product reviewed here is an electric model that both warms bottles and sterilizes them.

Features to Look For in a Sterilizer

Accepts different brands of bottles. Just as with a bottle warmer, you don’t want to invest in a sterilizer that won’t accommodate the type of bottles you use. Many electric sterilizers accept most bottles, but it’s always a wise idea to make sure that your preferred brand is on the list before you buy.

Can accommodate bottle accessories. Your baby needs clean nipples and rings just as much as they need a clean bottle. Make sure the sterilizer you choose has space for you to clean dirty accessories along with your bottles.

Our Choices for the Best Bottle Warmer and Sterilizer

Grownsy 6 in 1 Baby Bottle Warmer

With its sleek rectangular shape and metallic pink finish, this warmer and sterilizer from Grownsy has a grown-up look, but the simple controls and multiple settings make it easy to prepare a baby-friendly meal.

Six different functions give you plenty of options to choose from. In addition to the expected warming and sterilizing features, you can also use the temperature hold for up to 24 hours, warm pureed baby food and safely thaw frozen breast milk.

This warmer ‘s function is about the middle of the road when it comes to speed. A glass bottle that contains about four ounces of milk should be ready in about six to eight minutes, while a plastic or silicone bottle that contains more milk will take a few extra minutes.

Turning the machine on, choosing your heating or cleaning mode and adjusting the time are all controlled by buttons on the front panel, so you can easily select your setting even when you’re holding your child.

This warmer’s square shape looks nice, but it is a bit bulkier than other models that have a more compact, rounded shape. The metallic pink shade is soft and should blend in fairly well with most kitchen decor, but you do not have any other color options to choose from.

Manufacturer’s Specs

• Product Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Product Dimensions: 6 inches tall and 6 inches wide
• Power Source: Standard wall outlet
• Accommodates Multiple Bottle Brands: Yes

Summary

This warmer and sterilizer from Grownsy offers six different settings that make it easy to serve your baby warm formula, breast milk or pureed food. As long as you’re a fan of pink, the angular shape and metallic case lend a sophisticated look.

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Babebay 4-in-1 Bottle Warmer

This warmer and sterilizer from Babebay combines several convenient features and a stylish, compact design that helps conserve some precious counter space.

One of this warmer’s best features is the bright LCD display. Thanks to a real-time temperature displayed in large numbers on the front panel, all it takes is a quick glance to see exactly how warm your baby’s milk is at any given moment. One thing to be aware of is that the display uses the Celsius temperature scale with no option for Fahrenheit.

Selecting your mode is as easy as turning a dial, so you can quickly load the warmer with a bottle and start the warming process with just one hand.

To use the sterilizing mode, add a small amount of water the lower reservoir, load your dirty pieces and select the sterilizing mode. In addition to cleaning bottles, Babebay also included a tray that you can place other feeding or baby items for steam cleaning, including breast pump parts, pacifiers and other small items.

The soft gold base gives this warmer and sterilizer an upscale look, and the oval shape takes up less space while still offering several options.

You’ll have to wait about 10 or 15 minutes for a chilled bottle of milk to reach a warm temperature. However, you can take advantage of the temperature hold feature that should shave a few minutes off the warming time.

Manufacturer’s Specs

• Product Weight: 2 pounds
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 inches long, 5.1 inches wide and 9.8 inches tall
• Power Source: Standard wall outlet
• Accommodates Multiple Bottle Brands: Yes

Summary

This warmer and sterilizer from Babebay is very user-friendly thanks to a real-time temperature reading and an easy-to-use dial, and gold-tone base and clean design look sharp.

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Bopen 6-in-1 Multifunction

If you prefer a black and white color scheme and geometric shapes, this warmer and sterilizer from Bopen could be a great fit for your style.

In addition to its cool and modern look, you also have six functions to choose from. There are separate warming targets for formula and breast milk, so the delicate nutrients in breast milk are less likely to suffer from overeating. You can also safely thaw a bag or bottle of frozen breast milk, heat baby food, hold a warm water temperature and steam sterilize.

The front panel houses a Celsius temperature display that shows both your set temperature and the current milk temperature, so you can quickly tell how close your bottle is to reaching your desired warmth. Even if you only have one hand free, the front-panel buttons let you easily select your mode and target temperature.

Warming a cold bottle of milk should take somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes, so you may want to make sure to start a bottle a little while before you actually plan to use it or keep your water bath warm with temperature hold.

The square display panel provides an interesting contrast with the rounded case. Even though two bottles from most brands should fit comfortably in this machine, it still has a smaller size that takes up a minimum of counter space.

It only takes a few minutes and a little water in the lower reservoir to sterilize your dirty bottles, but one gripe is that the lack of an accessory tray makes it a little bit harder to clean small pieces.

Manufacturer’s Specs

• Product Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Product Dimensions: 7.95 inches long, 5.71 inches wide and 10.87 inches tall
• Power Source: Standard wall outlet
• Accommodates Multiple Bottle Brands: Yes

Summary

This warmer and sterilizer is easy to use, takes up a minimum of space and has a sleek, modern look, but make sure you allow plenty of time for your bottle to get warm.

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WOHOME 5-in-1 Baby Bottle Warmer with Rapid Heating

Even though it has a compact size and simplistic design, this warmer and sterilizer has a surprisingly versatile set of helpful features.

One of the nicest aspects of this warmer is how fast it can bring chilled milk up to a palatable temperature. On average, a four-ounce bottle of refrigerated milk should get warm in about three to four minutes. Larger bottles take longer, but a temperature hold feature lets you warm your water bath and have it ready for use when your baby gets hungry. A real-time Celsius temperature display lets you know exactly how warm your bottle is at any given moment.

In addition to rapid warming, you can also choose from a few other functions: defrost, baby food warming and sterilizing.

To run a steam sterilization cycle, load your dirty components, add a small amount of water and start the machine. The included accessory tray makes sterilizing small parts easy.

Some of these modes even do double duty. Use the defrost mode to safely thaw a bag of frozen breast milk, and you can also use this gentle heating mode to make your own homemade yogurt. The sterilizing mode works by boiling a small amount of water to create steam, and you can also use this mode to hard cook four eggs in the accessory tray.

The bright while upper and mint green base give this warmer a cheery look. All the controls are within easy reach on the front panel, so you can set and start your warmer and sterilizer with just one hand.

If you should run into any problems with this machine, WOHOME offers an impressive warranty. You can return the machine or request a replacement for any reason within three months of purchase, and you also get a 12-month warranty.

Manufacturer’s Specs

• Product Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 inches long, 6.9 inches wide and 8.5 inches tall
• Power Source: Standard wall outlet
• Accommodates Multiple Bottle Brands: Yes

Summary

This cheerful warmer and sterilizer can help brighten up your kitchen counter, and this machine offers many options for use whether your baby exclusively drinks bottles of milk or they are ready for some solid foods.

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Eccomum 6-in-1 Double Bottle Warmer for Breast Milk

If warming a bottle quickly is the top priority for you, this warmer and sterilizer from Eccomum may be a perfect solution.

This machine combines a warm water bath with a powerful heating element to rapidly warm formula or breast milk, and most bottles should be ready to drink in about three to six minutes. Particularly if your baby wakes up frequently in the night for a bottle, this rapid warming could save you a considerable amount of crying time. You can also choose to use the defrost mode to thaw a bag of frozen milk or warm up baby food.

Since this warmer has a powerful heating element, it’s important that you always use the included tray in whatever mode you choose. Placing a bottle directly on the heating element could damage the bottle or destroy delicate breast milk nutrients by overheating them.

This sterilizer requires just a small amount of water to run a cleaning cycle, but don’t worry that you’ll accidentally run the machine dry and damage it. When the water level gets too low, the machine beeps and automatically turn off. The tray also comes in handy when you want to easily and quickly sterilize small items.

Even though it doesn’t take long for a bottle to warm up, you can still monitor exactly how close your bottle is to reaching temperature with a digital real-time display. An LED indicator light also glows blue when the machine is on standby and shows a red color when it’s in use.

Manufacturer’s Specs

• Product Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 inches long, 7.3 inches wide and 10.2 inches tall
• Power Source: Standard wall outlet
• Accommodates Multiple Bottle Brands: Yes

Summary

This warmer heats milk safely and rapidly, and the dual real-time temperature display and LED indicator light combination lets you monitor the warming process with a glance.

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Sankoo 6 in 1 Baby Bottle Warmer, Steam Sterilizer and Food Heater

Bottle sterilizers can be time-saving and convenient products when you feed multiple bottles daily, but they often leave you with the choice of either using clean parts that are still wet or taking the chance of introducing pathogens by towel-drying. Thanks to a post-cleaning drying cycle, you can just take your clean bottles and accessories out of this Sankoo sterilizer and use them immediately.

The warmer function works quickly, and you should be able to have a warm bottle ready in four to six minutes. However, actual milk temperature can vary from one use to another, so always make sure you take the time to check the milk temperature on your own skin with each feeding.

You can check on your milk’s warming progress by glancing at the temperature display screen, and one-handed operation lets you quickly select your function or adjust the target temperature.

In addition to warming formula or breast milk, you can also steam eggs and warm up baby purees when your child is ready for solids. You can choose a low temperature setting to thaw frozen milk or food, but there is not an actual defrost mode available.

Manufacturer’s Specs

• Product Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Product Dimensions: 9 inches long, 7.1 inches wide and 9.5 inches tall
• Power Source: Standard wall outlet
• Accommodates Multiple Bottle Brands: Yes

Summary

For parents that use and sterilize their feeding supplies multiple times a day, the fast-drying feature can save time and effort. This warmer works quickly, but be sure to test the actual milk temperature every time.

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J&C Life 5 in 1 Function with Temperature IMD Touch Screen Display

Thanks to a backlit front panel, this warmer and sterilizer lets you get a clear look at each available mode and accurately choose the settings you need. Each function has its own lighted space, so you can clearly see which one you have currently selected. To set a specific target temperature of your choosing, press the up or down buttons to reach the exact setting you want. After five seconds of inactivity, the machine will automatically start running the selected settings.

Two pre-set heating modes give you the option to warm rapidly or slowly. In rapid warming, your bottle should be ready in about four minutes, and slower warming will take several additional minutes. One thing to be aware of is that rapid heating could cause some of the delicate nutrients in breast milk to degrade, so use that mode as sparingly as possible. A temperature hold feature lets you get your water bath ready in advance, so you should be able to primarily use the normal warming mode and preserve nutrients.

Running a steam sterilization cycle takes a small amount of water and a few minutes, and the machine will automatically turn off ten minutes after the cleaning cycle ends.

Additional modes include egg steaming, baby food warming, defrost and dechlorination.

This product has an all-white color and a square shape that closely resembles an actual kitchen appliance, so it should fit in well with most kitchen decor. This machine is a bit larger than some other models, so you will need a bit of extra counter space to house it.

Manufacturer’s Specs

• Product Weight: 2.15 pounds
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 inches long, 7.1 inches wide and 9.5 inches tall
• Power Source: Standard wall outlet
• Accommodates Multiple Bottle Brands: Yes

Summary

This warmer and sterilizer combo lets you easily choose from multiple settings. With a sleek and functional design, this machine looks just like a standard kitchen appliance.

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Conclusion

The WOHOME 5-in-1 Baby Bottle Warmer comes in as our top pick.

The rapid warming function lets you give your baby a warm bottle in as little as four minutes, and the sterilization tray makes it easy and fast to clean other small items in addition to bottles.

Whether your child is still drinking milk exclusively or they are ready to start solids, this machine gives you several options for warming or cooking foods. Selecting your settings is easy even if you only have one hand free, and the digital display lets you know exactly how close your milk is to reaching the set temperature.

The white and mint colors are vibrant and happy, and the compact design keeps as much of your countertop free as possible. Finally, the WOHOME warranty can provide you with some peace of mind in case you run into a problem.

Feeding is one of the most important tasks in caring for your child. Taking advantage of any helpful tools that are available can help reduce or even eliminate some of the small daily annoyances, and automating the small things can help you free up some time to enjoy a few more fun moments with your little one.

Did you find a bottle warmer and sterilizer to be a big help? What feature did you like the most? Would you suggest any other models? Let us know in the comments!