We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.
Medical News Today only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.
Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:- Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
- Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
- Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?
Sippy cups may help infants learn to drink as they develop their motor skills. Some people may use them to help children transition to drinking independently. The best sippy cups can help prevent damage to growing teeth and are spill-proof.
- Best sippy cup for breastfed babies: Playtex Sipsters Stage 1 Training Cup
- Best sippy cup for teething babies: Munchkin Gentle Transition Cup
- Best transitional sippy cup: Tommee Tippee Sippee Trainer Cup
- Best sippy cup with straw: Grosmimi Straw Cup
- Best 360° sippy cup: Munchkin 360° Sippy Cup
- Best insulated sippy cup: Tommee Tippee Insulated Sportee Cup
- Best bite-resistant sippy cup: Dr. Brown’s Milestones Insulated Hard Spout Sippy Cup
- Best stainless steel sippy cup: Thinkbaby Sippy of Steel
A sippy cup, otherwise known as a beaker or a training cup, may help infants transition from nursing or drinking from a bottle to learning how to drink from a cup correctly.
They come in various designs and are usually covered with a top or lid to prevent spills. The child drinks either through a straw or a spout.
There are different stages of sippy cups to use as the infant develops.
Medical News Today chooses products that meet the following criteria:
- Price: Products suit a wide range of budgets.
- Materials: Products list all materials clearly, with manufacturing processes outlined.
- Safety: Products contain ingredients deemed safe for skin contact.
- Reputation: Products are from businesses that adhere to industry best practices.
Caregivers should ideally
However, they can provide infants with a sippy cup to help them learn how to drink from a cup.
For this age group, a caregiver should aim to look for:
- cups with two handles for gripping
- a flow-restricting valve so that the child does not get too much to drink at once
- a weighted base to help keep the cup upright
- a nipple-shaped spout if weaning the child off of breastfeeding
The cup’s lid should fit tightly and be able to withstand plenty of cleaning.
According to
Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these products. All information presented is purely research-based and correct at the time of publication.
Medical News Today follows a strict product selection and vetting process. Learn more here.
Best sippy cup for breastfed babies: Playtex Sipsters Stage 1 Training Cup
- Price: around $12.99
- Capacity: 6 ounces (oz)
- Material: silicone and plastic
- Color/s: blue, green, and pink
The Playtex Sippy Cup is designed for infants 4 months and older.
Features include a soft, BPA-free silicone spout, which may ease the transition from nursing or bottle use to the sippy cup.
The manufacturers claim it will not leak, spill, or break. The removable handles may help promote independent drinking skills.
It is dishwasher-safe.
Best sippy cup for teething babies: Munchkin Gentle Transition Cup
- Price: $7.39
- Capacity: 4 oz
- Material: silicone and plastic
- Color/s: pink, green, blue, purple
The spout is ultra-flexible and soft, making it gentle on gums and suitable for teething babies.
This cup is spill-proof. It comes with a lid to cover the spout when not in use to help prevent spills.
It is also compatible with stage 1, 2, and 3 latch nipples to progress with the child as they grow.
It is BPA-free and dishwasher-safe.
Cups for this age group can include traditional spout cups, cups with straws, and cups without spouts.
Sometimes, finding the right sippy cup at this age is a matter of trial and error as children may have individual preferences or needs.
Best transitional sippy cup: Tommee Tippee Trainer Cup
- Price: around $14.49 for 3
- Capacity: 9 oz
- Material: plastic
- Color/s: blue, pink, peach, violet
Tommee Tippee Trainer Cups come in an array of colors and designs to create visual stimulation for an infant.
The cup may promote tipping the cup to drink while keeping mess to a minimum with a non-spill feature.
Other features include a soft spout and removable handles, which may help an infant transition to a handle-free design.
It is dishwasher-safe and suitable for infants 6 months and up.
Best sippy cup with straw: Grosmimi Magic Straw Cup
- Price: around $22.99
- Capacity: 10 oz
- Material: polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) bottle, silicone straw
- Color/s: clear, white, black, green, blue, or pink
Made of PPSU, this cup does not absorb odor or color. It is also safe to sterilize, and the material can withstand the heat of a dishwasher, microwave, or boiling water.
The silicone straw is soft enough that it is gentle on a baby’s gums. It also has a crisscross design at the end to ensure minimum spillage when in use.
The handle rotates to protect the baby’s wrist.
At this age, sippy cups tend to have no handles and a curved shape to reinforce dexterity and motor control.
Best 360° sippy cup: Munchkin Miracle 360° Sippy Cup
- Price: around $13.64 for 2
- Capacity: 10 oz
- Material: BPA-free plastic
- Color/s: pink, green, blue, purple
This toddler cup has a spoutless design, to help support regular muscle development in a child’s mouth.
It also helps teach a child how to drink from a regular cup. The 360˚ edge allows a child to drink from any side of the cup.
A child tilts the cup and sucks on the valve’s edge. The cup automatically seals when not tilted, preventing spilling from occurring.
A person can purchase a sustainable stainless steel alternative here.
Best insulated sippy cup: Tommee Tippee Insulated Sportee Cup
- Price: around $16.88 for 2
- Capacity: 9 oz
- Materials: TPE, plastic, and silicone
- Color/s: orange, blue, pink, green, red, and purple
The Insulated Sportee bottle comes in various colors.
The double-walled insulated core keeps liquid cool and minimizes condensation.
It also contains a 2-piece spill-proof valve and a durable, bite-resistant spout that is gentle on gums and can withstand baby teeth.
It is free of BPA, BPS, PVC, phthalate, and nitrosamine.
The ergonomic carry handle makes it easy for toddlers to hold and travel with the bottle.
Best bite-resistant sippy cup: Dr. Brown’s Milestones Hard Spout Sippy Cup
- Price: around $8.99 for 2
- Capacity: 10 oz
- Material: silicone
- Color/s: blue or pink
This sippy cup has a hard spout, making it beneficial for babies whose teeth are coming through and need something stronger than softer spouts or straws.
The 1-piece, bite-resistant silicone valve is also spill-proof. It’s lightweight, with removable handles.
It is also double insulated, keeping liquid cool for longer.
It is BPA-free, and dishwasher- and sterilizer-safe.
Best stainless steel sippy cup: Thinkbaby Sippy of Steel
- Price: $13.49
- Capacity: 9 oz
- Material: stainless steel body, recyclable polypropylene collar
- Color/s: all bodies are silver with an orange, blue, pink, or green top choice
The Sippy of Steel cups are sustainable and eco-friendly, consisting of recyclable materials.
The stainless steel body is durable while the travel top that covers the spout keeps it free from foreign substances.
All materials are free of BPA, phthalates, nitrosamines, lead, PVC, PET, and other biologically harmful chemicals.
The slow-flow spout features a crisscross design which helps prevent leaking while the child uses it.
This sippy cup is suitable for older children ages 16 to 48 months. It is dishwasher-safe.
The table below compares the sippy cups in this article on key features:
| Price | Capacity (oz) | Material | Age range | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playtex Sipsters | $12.99 | 6 oz | silicone, plastic | 4 months & up |
| Munchkin Gentle Transition | $7.39 | 4 oz | silicone, plastic | 4 months & up |
| Tommee Tippee Sippee | $14.49 for 3 | 8 oz | silicone, plastic | 6 months & up |
| Grosmimi | $22.99 | 10 oz | polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), silicone | 6 months & up |
| Munchkin Miracle 360 | $13.64 for 2 | 10 oz | plastic | 12 months & up |
| Tommee Tippee Insulated Sportee | $16.88 for 2 | 9 oz | TPE, plastic, silicone | 12 months & up |
| Dr. Brown’s Milestones | $8.99 for 2 | 10 oz | silicone | 12 months & up |
| Thinkbaby | $13.49 | 9 oz | stainless steel, recyclable polypropylene | 16–48 months |
When choosing a sippy cup, a person can consider the following factors:
- Different ages: Some sippy cup styles are better for children in the earlier stages of transitioning from breastfeeding or bottles. Others suit older infants with greater independent motor skills, such as sippy cups without straws or spouts.
- Materials: Different materials provide different benefits. For example, silicone is soft and preferable for a baby to drink from when transitioning to sippy cups. Stainless steel may insulate liquids better and is a more sustainable choice.
- Additional benefits: Preferences may be important when choosing the right sippy cups. These include insulated bottles, eco-friendly bottles, and bottles with colorful designs.
If a person is unsure whether their infant is ready for sippy cups or how to introduce them, they should speak with a pediatrician for advice and recommendations.
The following are common questions and answers about sippy cups:
When is best to introduce a sippy cup?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a baby should be using a sippy cup and bottles should be phased out between 12–24 months of age.
A baby typically should begin drinking from a sippy cup by the time they reach their first birthday.
What is an easy way to transition from a bottle to a sippy cup?
Weaning is a common process when transitioning a baby from bottles to sippy cups.
Weaning from nursing or bottle feeding to sippy cups involves slowly replacing the use of the bottle with the cup. For example, a caregiver could use a sippy cup for one feeding a day and gradually increase frequency.
If a caregiver finds it difficult to wean the child, creating a new routine may help. For example, using a sippy cup as part of a bedtime ritual instead of nursing or bottle feeding may help the child associate bedtime with the sippy cup.
The American Dental Association (ADA) encourages caregivers to teach infants to drink from a sippy cup by the time they reach their first birthday.
Sippy cups come in various designs, including models with handles and straws, each created for different infant training stages.
Learning how to use a regular cup will take some time and practice. The ADA also recommends using a training cup between meals.