Despite unhelpful instructions, we found the Béaba baby food maker easy to use during testing. It features two buttons on the front of the water reservoir: a steam cloud for steaming and a blade symbol for blending. Unfortunately, we found the blending button difficult to press during our test, so we resorted to using a fork to push it in.

Ease of use: You want something that makes your life easier. If the instructions are gobbledegook, it comes with a box of unrecognisable parts and you need to be a NASA scientist to get it to work, perhaps it’s not the one for you.

6. Best baby food pouch maker

We're impressed with the smooth texture of the foods after pureeing. The Nuby Mighty Blender did a great job blending ingredients, but we had to tinker with how much water was necessary for pureeing. For example, the carrots called for one-quarter cup of water, though we actually needed half a cup. Still, you can make up to 3.5 cups of food in the large blender bowl and enough food for one to two feedings in the smaller "bullet" cup.

Saves time – many baby food makers have multiple functions (steam, cook, blend, reheat, defrost) all in one, which means less pots, pans, and bowls to wash! We love the digital control panel that's like the machine's motherboard. The intuitive control panel is where you choose which function you want to use, and it also sends you alerts, like a water shortage reminder for the tank and if the cover did not properly close. Moreover, it counts down how much time is left for steaming, which we thought was convenient so you can do another task (or relax) while you wait.

Little Foodie

Get those airplane spoons ready, baby weaning is an adventure for all involved - especially the family pet, who can gobble up any food that ends up on the floor. The First Years First Fresh Foods Blender and Steamer may not come with accessories, but it offers three functional options to make baby food. Plus, you don’t have to worry about steaming food beforehand—steam and blend everything in just one machine. Some mothers like to make a full batch of baby food and fill the pouches directly, tossing them in the freezer and having them available at a moment’s notice. Others make and store their baby food separately, filling the pouches as needed. Dr. Naccari and Dr. Agarwal agree that babies usually move from purees to finger foods with a texture between 8 to 10 months. Both pediatricians recommend cutting foods into small pieces to prevent choking and avoiding honey until babies turn one due to the risk of botulism.

An important note: If you remove food immediately after steaming, we suggest parents and caregivers wear a cooking mitt to protect skin from burns. After you select your blending choice and puree the food, five beeps let you know when the food is ready. The carrots we blended came out just right, but the peas felt cold. We recommend room temp or warm food before steaming or blending. You can introduce new flavors. Making your own food is a great way to introduce baby to the foods that you traditionally eat as a family, which may be difficult to do with store-bought baby food.

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They’re less messy: If your baby is self-feeding, they can pop the spout of the pouch in their mouth and feed themselves with minimal mess. If you’re feeding them with a baby spoon, it’s also less messy to squeeze the puree onto the spoon instead of dipping it in a jar where the handle may get food on it and make a mess. Buying store-bought baby food pouches might be convenient, but a lot of parents would rather give their baby homemade food so they know exactly what they're putting in their little bodies. That's why baby food makers are a great addition to your baby registry: They steam food and then puree, right in the same appliance. This allows parents to have full control over what their child eats and ensures that they're getting all the nutrients they need from fresh, whole foods. Steam fruit, vegetable, meat and fish then blend for nutritious homemade baby food at the push of a button. Use the automatic timer to set steam and blend times for ‘Michelin starred’ mush meets five-star convenience. We love the BabyMoov Duo Baby Food Maker for its multifunctional design and its 3 different blender settings, so we can get perfectly consistent purees in minutes. It’s a space saving machine that is sure to have plenty of longevity in your kitchen. Pros + Cons First of all, modern baby food makers have come a long way from the very first models. Most brands come with multiple functions all in one machine, which saves you time in the kitchen. Second, baby food makers can definitely save you money. While store-bought baby food can be great at times, the cost adds up. Making your little one’s meals with a baby food maker allows you to make larger quantities and a variety of foods easily.

You know exactly what your baby is eating. Unless you read the ingredients list on absolutely everything, you don’t know the full story when it comes to what you’re feeding baby. Also, consider how, what, and where you will feed your baby. If you want to feed your baby on the go or store items for the long term, look for a baby food maker that includes reusable food pouches or freezer trays. Think about what you will be cooking, as some baby food makers work well for fruits and vegetables but aren't as compatible with meats or grains. We love the BEABA Babycook Duo for its ability to prepare double the food at once and save time in the kitchen. It steams and blends foods perfectly. Pros + Cons While the Chefhandy Baby Food Processor is ideal for single servings, it's essentially five appliances in one machine. Additionally, it comes in several color options to match your kitchen decor. To test the food makers' effectiveness, editors prepared one cup of carrots following the manufacturer’s recommendations, and added them to the steamer portion of the baby food maker, if applicable. We added water to the reservoirs and tanks to the proper levels and steamed the veggies. For baby food makers without a steaming function, we steamed one cup of carrots with two tablespoons of water in a microwavable steamer in the lab’s microwave for 2.5 minutes or until soft enough to pierce with a fork.

2. Best 3-in-1 baby food maker

Serve foods you’d usually serve warm (like soups) just warm, not hot. Test on your wrist to be sure the temperature is not hot. Dr. Naccari recommends determining your family's budget and which functions you want in a baby food maker. Both she and Dr. Agarwal agree that a baby food maker is not necessary to make baby food. You can opt for a regular blender, food processor, or handheld mixer and accomplish the same goal. Reusable baby food pouches are food storage containers that resemble the popular, squishy, single-use baby food pouches with twist-off caps available at most grocery stores. This pouch-style design is a newer innovation compared to the more traditional glass baby food jars. Size. If you’re limited on counter and pantry space, a bulkier appliance probably isn’t for you. Consider your space availability before you buy. In addition to steaming and blending, the Baby Brezza food maker defrosts and reheats food. Because this is a complex machine, the instructions are lengthy but easy to understand. The company details how to use each function: steam and blend, steam only, blend only, reheat, and defrost. An additional booklet doubles as cooking guidelines for basic foods and includes the recommended quantity and how long to steam. Once you set the recommended steam time, the machine automatically transitions from steam to blend without interruption. We followed the suggested steaming time for carrots (25 minutes) and found that time to be just right. However, the texture was slightly chunkier than expected after the automatic blending.