Bottle Comparison: Glass, Plastic, or Silicone?

There are a gazillion different baby bottles out there--different brands, different sizes, different styles, and different materials. Bottle materials can easily be categorized into three groups: plastic, silicone, and glass. To help you figure out which type is right for your baby, we've come up with a quick rundown of what these different types are good for, who might use them, and pros and cons to using each material.

First, let's start with glass bottles:

Avent Natural 9 oz Bottle

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Years and years ago, glass was about the only option when it came to bottles. Once plastic came along, glass bottles became less and less popular, until a few years ago when a BPA issue (that has since been resolved) reduced plastic bottle’s popularity.

Cons:

Glass bottles are commonly the most expensive choice. They are heavier than plastic or silicone, they tend to be harder for babies to hold on their own, and the obvious downside--when dropped, they’ll break!

Pros:

But on a more positive note, glass bottles are all-natural and free of chemicals, they're hard to scratch, easy to clean, and certainly have a long lifespan. You can buy silicone sleeves that slide over glass bottles to make them easier to grip and to lessen the chance of them shattering if dropped. Since glass is the most natural choice, they tend to be the favorite of our environmentally-conscious mothers!

Next up are silicone bottles:

Cons:

There aren’t many downsides to silicone bottles except that they’re often hard to come across; luckily we sell some ComoTomo bottles at The Baby Cubby! If you’d like to find out more about ComoTomo, read here! 

Pros:

Silicone bottles are rare but adored. I would classify these as medium-priced. They are soft, easy for babes to hold, dishwasher safe, BPA free, and very lightweight. Silicone bottles are like a happy medium between glass and plastic. They're not as sterile or heavy as glass, but they are not as porous and prone to stains as plastic. They are perfect for the mom looking for something at a lower price point than glass but with the safety features involved. 

Last, and most popular, are plastic bottles:

Cons:

Plastic bottles have the shortest lifespan, mostly from wear and scratches, but they can still last a fairly long time. Plastic bottles can also get stains or cloudy after a lot of use since they are more porous.

Pros:

Plastic bottles are certainly the cheapest and the most common option. They have the largest variety, they travel well, and they should all be BPA free – a safe choice for your babe! Due to their versatility, they offer a lot of different options for parents, from nipples to venting to bottles that make formula feeding incredibly easy for parents who need to go that route! Because of all these things they will most likely continue to be the most popular bottles in the market.

In the end, it’s all up to how and where you want to spend your money. They each serve the same purpose and are safe options for baby. Bottles are simply one choice among many that we must make as parents, and if you ask me, you can’t go wrong no matter which one you choose!

 

When it's time for parents to choose a bottle for their baby, there are so many questions! What type of bottle is best? Should I use glass, plastic or silicone bottles? What shape nipple is best? And even after you do all the hard work of choosing a bottle, your baby may not even take it! Some “mom” advise; pick out a few different bottles to try and just get one or 2 of each until you know which your baby prefers. 

Have you noticed recently how many of the newer bottles on the market are made from silicone? We are going to look specifically at silicone bottles and some of the benefits of choosing a silicone bottle for your baby. 

It’s squishy!

Have you noticed recently how many of the newer bottles on the market are made from silicone? We are going to look specifically at silicone bottles and some of the benefits of choosing a silicone bottle for your baby.

Silicone bottles are soft and are easy for parents and babies to hold. The flexible silicone is comfortable and unbreakable. Silicone also is resistant to scratches so it will look nice for a long time. The softer material is great for breastfed babies also! Babies are able to squeeze the bottle and mimic the feeling of being at the breast. The warmth from the bottle can also help to mimic mom and the baby can be comforted when nursing is not an option. 

They are non-porous.

Silicone can resist staining and are not as prone to staining and odor as plastic bottles are. You’ll want to be sure that the silicone is 100% food grade. Silicone bottles can be washed in the dishwasher. 

They are BPA free.

Technically all baby products sold in the USA are supposed to be BPA free, but silicone is naturally BPA free. It can be safely heated and is dishwasher safe. Studies have shown that if silicone is heated above 300º F that it could release silitoxins. For comparison, boiling water is 220º F so it would have to be very heated before releasing any possible toxins. 

They are lightweight.

Compared to glass and some plastic bottles, silicone is very lightweight. They are easy to pack in your diaper bag without weighing you down. While glass bottles do have the benefit of being the safest when it comes to leaching, they are very heavy for parents when they are feeding the baby and too heavy for the baby to hold for a long time. 

They are durable.

Silicone is very durable. Silicone bottles are practically unbreakable. They can withstand heat and can be dropped without any worries! They won't chip or crack. 

Which brand of silicone bottle is best?

There are quite a few brands of silicone bottles available! Let’s take a look at some of the most popular ones available to parents. 

Comotomo Baby Bottle 

Comotomo is one of the original brands of silicone bottles. They have been around since 2008 and are available in most major retail stores. Their bottle is designed to be closest to the feel of breastfeeding and their wide neck design makes it easy to clean. From personal experience, the only con to their design is that it's rounded at the bottom so it can be easy to knock over. Otherwise it's a really nice high quality silicone bottle.

Nanobebe Flexy Baby Bottle

Nanobebe Flexy is a newly designed bottle. Just released for sale in 2021, it is quickly gaining popularity. Cost per bottle is around $9. Their nipple has a triple vented design that is non-collapsible to get a "the perfect latch" and help prevent colic. The wide base provides a stable base and the measurements are easy to read. 

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Boon Nursh Silicone Baby Bottle 

Boon Nursh has a collapsible silicone pouch inside of the bottle frame to help prevent the baby from ingesting air as they drink. At around $8 a bottle, this is the most affordable on our list. The pouch can be boiled, microwaved and frozen so its a very durable and versatile design. The only main complaint is that the measurements can be hard to read. 

Haakaa Silicone Baby Bottle 

Known for their silicone hand breast pump, Haakaa is no stranger to silicone products. Their baby bottle is a little shorter and thicker so it's more stable than the rounded bottles. Their nipple is designed with anti-colic vents to help prevent the baby from swallowing air while drinking. The con is that they are one of the more expensive on the market. 

Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Silicone Baby Bottle

Recently Tommee Tippee released a silicone version of their plastic bottle. Their bottle averages around $12 a bottle so it is a little cheaper than some of the options available. Tommee Tippee is known for their award winning breast-like nipple. This "Closer to Nature" nipple reduces excessive air flow, so little ones ingest more milk and less air, preventing the symptoms of colic.

 

How do I warm milk in a silicone bottle?

Best way to warm your bottle without overheating the silicone is to use a bottle warmer like The Baby’s Brew portable bottle warmer. By heating only the milk inside and not the whole outside of the bottle itself, The Baby’s Brew is a very safe way to warm your baby’s milk. The Baby’s Brew has adapters available to fit all of the bottles in this article. 

FAQs

 

Q: What are the benefits of silicone bottles?

A: Silicone bottles are soft, non porous, BPA free, easy to clean and lightweight. 

 

Q: How long do babies drink out of bottles?

A: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends fully weaning from the bottle by 15 months. Most dentists recommend starting weaning from a bottle to a sippy cup at 12 months. 

 

Q: How do you warm a silicone bottle?

A: The Baby's Brew is a safe way to warm a silicone bottle. When heating only the contents and not the entire bottle, there is little to no chance of leaching any toxins. 

 

Q: How do you clean silicone bottles?

A: Silicone bottles can be washed in the sink with soap and water or they can be washed in the dishwasher. Silicone is highly heat resistant. 

Q: Can I sterilize silicone baby bottles?

A: Absolutely! Comotomo recommends boiling the silicone bottle and nipple in water for 5 minutes to sterilize your baby bottle. Just make sure that the bottles aren't touching the sides of the boiling pot. 

 

Written by: Kristen Bickel

Kristen is a mom of 4 and an employee at The Baby’s Brew.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of silicone feeding bottles. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.