For a fast-sterilising system without the need for water, this UV steriliser plugs in and has everything sterile and ready for instant use after seven minutes. In addition to sterilising bottles, dummies and teats, it also cleans keys, cosmetic brushes, toys and mobile phones, for added versatility. We love that this is a modern, compact unit that doesn’t look out of place on a countertop. It’s very quiet when in use, too. Microwave steam steriliser: These also use steam to sterilise your baby's bottles/your breast pump, yet unlike electric sterilisers, they do not need to be plugged in and work in the microwave. Once you've added water, the bottles and the cover, you can simply pop these sterilisers in the microwave. This programme runs for 7 minutes and automatically stops afterwards with 3 long beeps. The lights will stop flashing. Tommee Tippee was one of the first brands to introduce a UV steriliser. As we’ve mentioned, using UV light technology to sterilise your baby’s feeding equipment means there are no chemicals, tablets or water involved in the process, as well as no need to constantly wipe condensation off the countertops. It’s one of the most hygienic, mess-free ways to sterilise – albeit a bit costlier. Convenience: Does it make the task of sterilising easier and more efficient? Does it take up minimal time?

Like any electric steriliser, it attracts limescale on its heating plate so will need regular descaling. Our tester also didn’t like its short cable, which limits where it can be placed in the kitchen, and that it arrived wrapped in a lot of unnecessary plastic. For cold water sterilisers, a full container will be very heavy and should be kept away from children so they can’t pull it over onto their head. Sterilisation fluid is made from sodium hypochlorite, a mild, non-toxic bleach that decomposes into water and a small amount of salt. Can easily be scaled up and down for different quantities of equipment and equipment in awkward shapesThe box contains five capacious, well-designed bags that can fit two bottles apiece and each bag can be reused 20 times, so they’re much more economical than they might first appear. To remind you that old electrical equipment can be recycled, it is now marked with a crossed-out wheeled bin symbol. Please do not throw any electrical equipment (including those marked with the crossed out wheeled bin symbol) in your bin. Price tends to be the first deciding factor, particularly if you aren’t yet sure how often you’ll be using your steriliser. After that, it’s worth considering what your priority is: speed, ease, capacity, portability?

READ NEXT: The best baby formula to buy The best sterilisers you can buy in 2023 1. MAM Electric Steriliser & Express Bottle Warmer: Best versatile sterilising set for new parents As a steam steriliser, it’s a spacious model that does its job in just over 10 minutes (seven minutes to sterilise, four minutes cooling time) and in microwave mode – useful if you’re travelling – it takes about the same time, depending on your wattage. It also keeps items bacteria-free for up to 48 hours, twice the usual duration, and stores all your kit out of sight. Can only sterilise two bottles per cycle – so if you’re getting through more than four bottles a day it’s fairly labour-intensive As such, there are a lot of parts to contend with and it’s not the easiest to get to grips with at first. But once you’ve put down the lengthy instructions, it’s perfectly user-friendly.

Even if you’re planning to exclusively breastfeed, like I was, it’s important to be armed with the best steriliser. You’re going to require some sort of disinfecting method, especially in the early days. For formula feeders or pump-users, it’s even more essential to find the best bottle steriliser to suit your needs. Without a good system in place, cleaning and sorting bottles and accessories will feel like the bane of your existence. Field study, Austria 2011, tested with 73 mothers of babies with colic / Market research, USA 2010, tested with 35 mothers of babies with colic.

The Philips UV bulb inside lasts up to 6,000 hours, and - a bonus if you’re watching your electricity bills – it’s more energy efficient than using steam, microwave or boiling. Where: Do you want something you can use while travelling? Or will you be using it at home with mains electricity?

The caveat is that you’ll need a microwave to use them, which might not always be available – and, more importantly, sterilising just two bottles at a time won’t be feasible if you’re bottle-feeding full-time. Capacity: Approximately six bottles | Materials: BPA-free plastics and metal electrical components | Included: Steriliser and teat tongs – larger sets are also available to buy Good for parents who If you buy the mam bottles they can just go in the microwave by themselves, would highly recommend!"Loved by Mumsnet user Roboticcarrot Our verdict

If you have a recent addition to your family, by the way, you may want to read my guides to the best prams, baby carriers and baby bouncers, Cat Hufton’s guides to the best high chairs, travel cots and running buggies and Nicola Cutcher’s guide to the best reusable nappies. For the first year, your baby's digestive system is super sensitive, and to avoid any tummy upsets you'll need to sterilise your baby feeding equipment using a microwave or electric steam steriliser. Place the items to steriliser in the upper and lower baskets of the steriliser. Bottles need to be horizontal. We tried electric and microwave and ended up using cold water Milton - it’s so easy just keep adding bottles after washing them and they’re sterile in 15 min."Tried and tested by Mumsnetter CharlieB93 Our verdict For pure versatility, and if you’ll be using it daily, this model takes the cake. It works as an electric steriliser, microwave steriliser, cold water steriliser, food and bottle warmer, breast milk defroster, and has a ‘keep warm’ setting. It may be all you’ll need from day one until after your baby is weaned.

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. So as not to cheat, I banned my fiancé from helping me figure out the appliances; relying on the instruction manuals alone. I took into account how long each one actually took to do its job (including cooldown and drying time, often not mentioned by brands in their flashy ads), the capacity, the number of functions, how easy they were to clean and how economical to buy and run. If you’re bottle-feeding or expressing full-time, you’re likely to get through a large pile of equipment in a 24-hour period and you don’t want to spend all of it refilling the steriliser.