Munchkin Cool Touch Microwave Steriliser Bags, Baby Bottle Teat & Dummy Steriliser, 6 Reusable Cold Water Sterilising Unit Alternative, Mini Travel

Product Information

There are four main sterilisation units on the market: cold water sterilisers, microwave sterilisers, electric sterilisers and travel sterilisers. They all have their own pros and cons. 1. Cold water steriliser There will be residual water in the base of the bag. To remove the water, hold the bag in the cool area as indicated and pour the water away from you into the sink. Do not fully unzip the bag before removing the residual water.

Electric sterilisers attract limescale on their heating plate over time so will need regularly descaling (manufacturers will specify a frequency, but it’s usually once or twice a month). To reduce limescale build-up, pour out the water after every use and wipe down with a soft damp cloth. The bag will be hot after sterilising. Protect your hands with an oven glove, then remove from the microwave by holding the cool area of the bag. The microwave boils the water and creates a build-up of steam which eliminates 99.9 per cent of bacteria by blasting them with 100°C water vapour. As they’re eventually disposable, the bags don’t need cleaning – you won’t need to do anything between uses either, except put in fresh water. Nice and easy.

Plus, they’re usually more expensive to run than electric sterilisers as they have a smaller capacity (so you’ll be running more cycles) and microwaves ultimately use more energy. 4. Travel steriliser With steam sterilising, water is added to the sterilising unit which then boils to create steam that kills the bacteria. Some steam sterilisers are standalone and will plug into the wall, whilst others are super simple and can just be popped in the microwave.

Once the residual water is removed, your items will be ready for use. Or you can slide the zip seal closed to transport your items. They will remain sterile for up to 24 hours. The items are sterile after a manufacturer-recommended 15-minute cycle – the NHS recommends 30 minutes – and remain so for as long as they’re in the solution. Plus, they don’t need rinsing off when they’re needed. Items can continue to be added and removed as necessary over 24 hours when the solution will need to be remade.

Final verdict

If you’re fed up with cluttered countertops (and cluttered everything else), these Max Strength microwave steriliser bags could be just what you need to save your sanity. With no need to have yet another appliance clogging up the kitchen counter, sterilising takes only three minutes with these handy and affordable bags that can be taken almost anywhere where there’s a microwave present. It’s not as roomy as the microwave steriliser bags like the ones made by Philips or Medela, which can usually fit two bottles or a bottle and a breast pump – this fits one or the other To descale, you’ll need descaling solution which you can easily buy in supermarkets – though most brands now give instructions for an eco-friendly version using vinegar. Pour in the solution over the heating plate and leave to soak for between 30 minutes and 24 hours, depending on the extent of the limescale. Pour out, rinse with cool water, wipe with a damp cloth, then run an empty cycle before using the steriliser as normal. The disadvantages are the smell, the need to continually buy new tablets and the inconvenience of keeping a large container full of water in a corner of your kitchen – especially relevant if you have other small children. 2. Electric steriliser With so much on their plates, all parents really want is simple-to-use, good-value products that just work – and the Tommee Tippee microwave steriliser couldn’t get any easier. The unit steams feeding equipment in the microwave in around four minutes, keeping items sterile for 24 hours. The kit includes a dummy and teat tongs, and the steriliser can fit around four bottles inside, alongside a few smaller items such as dummies and feeding spoons.