While they tend to take longer to sterilise things than a steam steriliser, the advantage of a UV steriliser is that you don't have to contend with equipment that's hot to the touch after sterilisation, making them a safer option for most households. You also won't need to do any descaling after use. What makes a steriliser safe? As well as baby bottles, teats and breast pump parts, you'll also want to steriliser dummies and teething rings, ideally once a day unless they are dropped on the floor outside.

Guidance from the NHS recommends sterilising for at least the first 12 months. After your baby's first birthday, you can start phasing our sterilising as their immune system will be strong enough. However, it's important to continue cleaning all bottles, dummies and other feeding equipment thoroughly even after you've said goodbye to the sterilising tablets. What are the different types of steriliser?She investigated best practice safety recommendations from the NHS and sourced expert advice from Kate Bennett, a midwife of nine years and course teacher with antenatal education provider, New Life Classes. However, the Tommee Tippee steriliser unit, by comparison, took much longer to cycle. It was also hotter to handle, for longer, after finishing. This meant when we needed a bottle in a hurry a safe grip on the unit was essential. The Philips unit had a safe handle grip which keeps cooler for handling, a big plus compared to the Tommee Tippee steriliser ‘s bare heated plastic. 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

Electric, microwave and travel sterilisers using steam will all get very hot, so the usual cautions apply: wait the recommended amount of time before opening the lid after a cycle has completed, open the lid away from you to redirect any steam, use oven gloves to retrieve from the microwave if necessary, and of course keep any hot items away from children. It has several functions, including a sterilise-only, dry-only, or combo sterilise and dry cycle and can be used as storage, keeping contents sterile for 24 hours. If you’re using Dr Brown’s anti-colic bottles, widely considered to be excellent for reflux, then six of them will fit perfectly, though you can use other brands too. Capacity: Four bottles | Materials: BPA-free plastic | Included: Steriliser and heat-safe tongs Good for parents whoBabies still need feeding on holiday (who knew?) so travel sterilisers are designed to provide a portable solution that works on the go. 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. Usually, they’re of a size that isn’t truly portable, however, and you still might find it inconvenient to find the cupboard space or take it with you to a grandparent’s house. Some of the larger models might not fit inside more compact modern microwaves either. The Philips AVENT 3-in-1 Steriliser is Philips’ main wall powered baby and infant bottle steriliser. It boasts 3 sizes in its setup. This is a big contrast to the Tommee Tippee steriliser and its one size fits all approach. It has a small compact option suitable for accessories, soothers and teats. A medium, for pumps and infant cutlery or bowls. Finally a third large-sized setup for six bottles.