Please note: We have just released a second edition of our Z Report on BPA, and have incorporated detailed lists of BPA-free and non-BPA-free sippy cups into the report. The directory includes profiles of more than 25 companies, identification of BPA content in both bottles and sippy cups, and a continuously updated log of additional feeding products produced by these companies. The reviews here can still help you make an informed decision regarding product design, durability, and appeal, but for a more complete reference guide to non-BPA sippy cups, we encourage you to access the updated information here.
Bisphenol-A, a substance used in the production of polycarbonate plastics that has estrogenic properties and has been shown in animal tests to cause a host of health problems, has brought the issue of potentially toxic plastics into the news over the last few years, and both parents and manufacturers are starting to catch onto the idea (plastics industry efforts notwithstanding) that safer plastics and even non-plastic materials can be used to make durable and attractive baby bottles and toddler cups. (Update: You can delve into the research we've discovered by checking out our del.icio.us list here - just be aware that some of the links are astroturf or industry organizations.)
We field-tested seven toddler cups made of either metal (aluminum or stainless steel) or non-polycarbonate plastic, all known to be free of bisphenol-A or other potentially toxic monomers or plasticizers. We used and abused the cups for a period of about two weeks. We got to know their strengths and weaknesses, watched our 2.5-year-old daughter Z use each of them repeatedly, and put each one through a series of leak and drop tests to assess their durability and reliability. In the end, we decided to assign them ratings in ease of use (Z) and care (us), durability, and eye appeal, with each category having a maximum award of ten points, for a total of 30 points. The final scores don't quite reflect our personal preferences, so we made sure to throw in a word about each of our favorites we reviewed.
First up, metal alternatives to plastic sippy cups.
Metal Cups for Toddlers
Thermos Foogo Leak-Proof Sippy Cup
Materials: Stainless steel, polypropylene, and thermoplastic elastomerDesign: This 7 oz. sippy cup has a soft plastic spout and is sold with or without non-removable handles attached to the screw lid. Sold in pink/purple and blue/yellow color combinations.
Price: $15
Dishwasher safe? Top rack only, and not recommended.
Observations: This sippy is a great size for little hands, and the vacuum-insulated design makes it comfortable to hold with cold liquids. But the plastic screw lid is difficult to open and close tightly without considerable effort. The Foogo sippy performed well in our drop tests, receiving only minor scuffs due to its tough plastic base (we dropped each cup from 45- and 90-degree angles from a height of about three feet onto a brick patio). But the "Leak Proof" cup performed poorly in our leak tests, leaking water when shaken upside down and also slowly leaking drops of water from its spout when left on its side for a few minutes. Spout components are moderately easy to take apart and clean.
Z's Take: Z latched onto this sippy quickly, probably because it was very much like sippy cups she already has.
Ratings: Ease of Use and Care: 7. Durability: 9. Eye Appeal: 5. Total points: 21/30.
Thermos Foogo Leak-Proof Bottle With Straw
Materials: Stainless steel, polypropylene, and thermoplastic elastomerDesign: The 12-oz. Foogo straw cup has a Thermos-like cylindrical look and features a smoothly-operating flip-top lid and innovative straw construction. Vacuum double-walled, with a thin plastic housing on the bottom edge. Sold in pink/purple and blue/yellow color combinations. Thermos also makes a Foogo Food Jar in the same style and colors.
Price: $15
Dishwasher safe? Top rack only, and not recommended.
Z's Take: Z quickly mastered the lid's release button and enjoys using the cup.
Observations: Larger than the Foogo sippy, Thermos' Foogo straw cup is ideal for older toddlers due to its size and flip-top lid. The straw and lid components are a far superior design to other straw cups we've had (we learned to curse a Munchkin model) and the parts come apart easily for cleaning. (Baby Toolkit has a great post examining the lid design, in both words and pictures, and comparing it with Thermos' last generation of toddler straw cups, the Funtainer.) We believe this cup will transition fairly well as our daughter grows out of the "sippy" stage. The cup lived up to its "Leak Proof" title with its lid closed but fared poorly in our drop test; dropped from both 45- and a 90-degree angles, it suffered dents in its bottom edge through the weak plastic frame and showed discolored denting in the plastic as well, making us wonder whether a bit more abuse would break off the bottom shell completely. Recommended for older toddlers. Jeremiah's runner-up favorite.
Ratings: Ease of Use and Care: 8. Durability: 6. Eye Appeal: 8. Total points: 22/30.
SIGG Kids' Cup
Materials: Extruded aluminum with baked enamel interior (a water-based resin which does not contain BPA - read about it on Eco Child's Play) and powder paint exterior, polypropylene cap.Design: The SIGG is a stylish standout in this bunch, with 0.3 liter and 0.6 liter bottles recommended for toddler use, and 1-liter models available for adults. All SIGG bottles can share interchangeable lids - screw-top, "active" (flip-top) and "bottle top" (a twist-style sports bottle lid), plus additional accessories which further expand on the lid varieties. Toddler SIGGs are sold with the bottle-top lid and a "mud cap," a hemispheric snap-locking cap held onto the neck via a plastic ring slipped on between the lid and the bottle body.
Price: $15-22
Dishwasher safe? Not recommended
Z's Take: Z immediately loved her SIGG sippy for its colorful, playful graphics. She has had some difficulty mastering the twist-to-open sports cap, but she loves the round cap that snaps on top of it.
Observations: The SIGG's single-walled design means the cup gets very cold with cold liquids. The bottles also dent and scratch easily if (when) dropped. And while minor dents and scratches may just make a bottle look well-loved, larger ones could cause paint to chip off. SIGG does sell some models with a more durable exterior coating but somewhat less vibrant designs. The SIGG leaked a slight amount of water into its cap when left on its side for an hour, but the water did not escape. Based on Z's current difficulty in twisting the lid, we'd recommend the larger 0.6 liter bottle for older toddlers, for whom manual dexterity, a decreased inclination to drop things at random, and increased water needs should dovetail nicely. Interchangeable caps mean that Z may be able to use her SIGG for a while as she grows - if she doesn't outgrow the design. Jeremiah's hands-down favorite, and Jenni's runner-up; the variety of bright and clever graphics must be seen to be believed.
Ratings: Ease of Use and Care: 9. Durability: 7. Eye Appeal: 10. Total points: 26/30.
Klean Kanteen
Materials: Stainless steel, polypropyleneDesign: The extruded stainless steel Klean Kanteen's design, shape, and industrial sensibilities inspired love and scorn, depending on where you looked in our family. The toddler size is 12 oz. (sizes go up from there for adults) and lids come in three parts, which are too difficult to describe late in the evening but fit together solidly, if somewhat squeakily. Klean Kanteens outfitted for sippin' use Avent sippy inserts, and a sippy cup purchase includes two of them.
Price: $18
Dishwasher safe? Shell, but not lids
Z's Take: Z seems comfortable with the sippy lid, and the bottle's neck makes for a comfortable grip with no need for handles.
Observations: As with the aluminum SIGG, the Klean Kanteen's single-walled construction means the bottle can get quite chilly if you put cold water in it. The bottle also dents very easily, leaving pea-sized dents in the bottom edge when dropped at both 45- and 90-degree angles. The bottle's logo also faded significantly from gentle hand-washing alone, but then again, the logo is also ugly. The bottle leaked a bit when shaken upside down, but passed our side-rest leak test with no problems. Also like the SIGG, the Klean Kanteen can accept a variety of caps, and the shell's mouth is large enough to make drinking with no lid comfortable. Lids sometimes squeak when they're being screwed on, and the non-toddler sports lid we were sent squeaked a bit when we used it. Jenni's favorite. For more Klean Kanteen reviews, check out Thingamababy and Eco Child's Play.
Ratings: Ease of Use and Care: 10. Durability: 7. Eye Appeal: 7. (Note: This is an average of Jenni's 9 and Jeremiah's 5. Different strokes.) Total points: 24/30.
BPA-Free Plastic Cups
We began examining the many plastic bottles we already had, discarding those made of dangerous or unknown plastics and giving a fresh look to those we suddenly had a new way of looking at. Based on our experience and that information, and on a sample Born Free toddler cup which arrived in the mail yesterday, we feel confident recommending any of the following for parents looking for a cheap, durable alternative to polycarbonate drinkware.
BornFree Toddler Cups
Materials: Polyamide (PA) or polypropylene and thermoplastic elastomer or silicone (depending on model)Design: Simple plastic sippy with soft, nipple-like sippy spout or hard plastic spout and removable handle ring.
Price: $10-$11
Dishwasher safe? Yes, top rack
Observations: We aren't sure what it is, but BornFree's sippy cup just looks nicer than other non-polycarbonate plastic sippy cups. Perhaps it's the unusual polyamide plastic, which is translucent rather than foggy, its soft but pleasant colors, or its ergonomic design. The cup leaked very slightly and the leak was contained in its removable cap, and it didn't dent or scratch noticeably when dropped. The spout is very soft and the vacuum design makes liquids come out slowly, which is ideal for toddlers just starting to use sippy cups. Born Free's other model has a hard spout. Our favorite plastic sippy cup.
Z's Take: Z handles the cup well but finds the flow to be a bit slow. She enjoys chewing on the nipple, which would soon destroy it; for older toddlers, make sure to get the "Drinking Cup" model.
Ratings: Ease of Use and Care: 10. Durability: 10. Eye Appeal: 7. Total points: 27/30.
Munchkin Cupsicle
Materials: Polypropylene, polyethylene, and siliconeDesign: This 10 oz. insulated cup keeps liquids cold after it has been chilled in the freezer. Loud colors and patterns, bordering on neon.
Price: $8 for two
Dishwasher safe? Yes, top rack
Z's Take: This cup is from our private collection, and has served its owner well, but the flow rate is too slow at this point to satisfy her thirst.
Observations: On the large side of the sippy spectrum, this cup is basically indestructible, not only failing to dent or scratch when dropped, but actually bouncing about 50% of the distance back up off the ground. It does not leak when left on its side, but does when shaken upside down. Spout components come apart easily for cleaning.
Ratings: Ease of Use and Care: 10. Durability: 10. Eye Appeal: 2. Total points: 22/30.
Avent Magic Cup
Materials: Polypropylene, thermoplastic elastomer, siliconeDesign: A no-frills plastic sippy cup with a removable handle ring.
Price: $9 for two
Dishwasher safe? Yes
Observations: What can we say? It's ugly, it's cheap, and it gets the job done. The Magic Cup first failed our side-rest leak test with flying colors, but then we realized we had screwed on the lid incorrectly and managed to seal it tight but off its threading. It passed a retest but we are newly aware of its persnickitiness.
Z's Take: Old faithful.
Ratings: Ease of Use and Care: 7. Durability: 9. Eye Appeal: 2. Total points: 18/30.
What to do?
Update: Since this post was written, Z Recommends has published a report on BPA in bottles made by all major U.S. brands. If you are looking for additional information about safe baby bottles, read our research, and recommendations, here.
If you are uncertain of the types of plastic in your toddler's drinkware, check the bottom of the cup, which may classify the plastic according to a recycling code. 1, 2, 4, and 5 are OK, but 3 and 6 are not, and 7 usually is not, either. If the number is not specified, you can call the company to learn the type of plastic used or simply replace unaccounted-for plastics with known safe alternatives.
If you do and must use plastics numbered 3, 6 and 7, know that the following habits increase the likelihood of toxins migrating to the surface of your plastic and posing a risk to your child:
- Using scratched or worn plastic containers
- Heating food in plastic containers
- Placing hot food in plastic containers to cool
- Heating foods covered in plastic wrap
- Washing plastic containers in the dishwasher
111 comments:
Excellent! Thanks for the great (and thorough) information.
Thanks so much for the comparison. With such a high $ on some of these, it's nice to know what you're getting.
We have a couple of the born-free cups (hard and soft spouts)--I'm surprised you didn't experience more leaking. I really want to like the b-f, but we've ended up with a soaked diaper bag too many times (cap on too).
Also, any idea what type of plastic the Nuby "no spill" is made from? Haven't been able to pin that one down.
@Carrie: Thanks for the tip!
@geobrarian: Some of Nuby's toddler cups are made of polycarbonate, and some are made of polypropylene. They seem to use the two interchangably based on the design, and (sometimes) use labels PP and PC to designate the plastic type on their insanely difficult-to-search website. (Try it. Do a search.)
Luv 'n' Care (Nuby's parent company?) didn't return our email inquiries for this review, and that's their only published customer service contact, so we didn't include them. In general, we'd tend to steer consumers towards doing business with companies which seem interested in consumer concerns and feedback and which clearly state plastic types on their product packaging. There's nothing like turning a cup over and actually seeing a "5" on the bottom there. Of course, no one would want to put "7". There oughta be a law.
You might want to remove my comment. I'm getting conflicting info as I'm surfing. The Soothie bottles say they are
"PVC-free. This bottle does not contain polyvinyl chloride or phthalates. Actual product styling and colors may vary"
I may have been mistaken when I thought it was BPA free! Darn! My sone is 10.5 mo old and we've been using these bottles almost that long.
Hi! I've been eagerly looking forward to this entry. As soon as I saw the original article I threw out all my plastic bottles & changed to glass (finding the contents tasted much better was an added bonus). I still haven't been able to separate my 13 month old son from his sippy cup though. I was really hoping you would include Tommy Tippee in your review, as that's what he uses. I can't find a number on his cups, so I guess I shall have to do more research & cross my fingers.
You didn't mention the leak proof-ness of the Klean Kanteen. That's what my kids use, but I find that they leak considerably when on their sides and when shaken upside down. What did you find?
You're right, we forgot to list that information! The Klean Kanteen did well in our leak test; very few of the sippys did not leak when shaken upside down, but our KK rested full and on its side for an hour without leaking at all. I have added that to the post, so thanks for pointing out the oversight!
We did notice early on that it was easy to plug in the Avent insert without fully locking the rim in place all the way around; the seal is very tight, and it will rest with part of the seal broken if you allow it to (at least ours did). That could be the source of your problem, or perhaps our sippys behave differently. Also, though, our test was at a true 90-degree angle; add a few more degrees so it's pointing slightly downward, and/or give it a little jiggle, and you might get different results.
Nice job Jennifer and Jeremiah! This is an amazing resource for parents. Our Klean Kanteens all have dents, but I don't care. My Klean Kanteen loop lid broke when I dropped it on a concrete sidewalk, but luckily we had extra lids at home from converting my daughters to the sippy cup lid. I also notice that soap can get trapped under the valve of the lid, so I always check this when cleaning. We pretty much stick to water in our Klean Kanteens, but I know I have always struggled with cleaning soymilk from the lids of plastic sippy cups.
Are you ready to tackle car seats next?
Very nice review!! My son is 6.5 months old and while he is breast fed he gets a bottle every now and again. We were Dr. Brown lovers until we learned about BPA... now I am freaked about plastics.
So we switched to Born Free Bottles and LOVE them! We also got him BF sippy cups (like you reviews) that we love too! So far he is just drinking H2O out of the sippy but it works like a champ. Something to note here is that their bottles and their sippy's are interchangeable - meaning all you need to do is take out your nipple and put in the sippy spout - done! No need for a million and a half bottles and sippys! We love that!
I also have a Klean Kanteen (after throwing out all of my Nalgene bottles) and I love it! It's 27oz and works like a champ! I will be getting my son one of their sippys too!
So great review - keep up the good work!
-Alison
Our favorite plastic sippy cups are Munchkin, Playtex, and Gerber. You're right about the flow though. I think I'm going to have to change out our Munchkin ones because of the flow issue.
Thanks for the info on BPA. Are the Playtex ones BPA free?
This is what The First Years said about BPA in their Soothie bottles:
Our Take 'n Toss products are polypropylene and do not contain BPA Bisphenol A.
We do manufacture baby bottles that are polycarbonate and Bispehnol A. Here is our standing on making our bottles with these materials.
"The First Years is committed to providing parents with safe, reliable feeding products for their children. Based on the United States Food & Drug Administration's support of the use of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins in food and beverage containers, The First Years is confident that its bottles containing such materials are safe.
Consumers can contact The American Plastics Council at 703-741-5588 with additional questions regarding the use of polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins or Bisphenol A (BPA), the chemical building block that is used to make such substances.
We hope this information is helpful to you.
Parent Service Center
RC2/The First Years
----- Original Message -----
To: CustomerService@LearningCurve.com ; CustomerService@LearningCurve.com
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 2:12 PM
Subject: Care and Safety Question or Feedback for LearningCurve.com Customer Care
Hello, Are your Soothie bottles BPA free? Also, are the storage bottles that fit the soothie nipples BPA free? Thanks! Carrie
@Carrie:
Thanks for posting The First Years' reply. It's pretty safe to say that any company unwilling to make the switch from polycarbonates will defend their products as safe. It's nice to have The First Years on the record on the issue!
This is certainly a hot topic of contention, primarily between industry groups and environmental groups, and with parents caught in the middle. We will see over the next several years whether the FDA changes their position as new studies emerge or are reviewed. In the meantime, why risk it when there are BPA-free products available?
Now that you're all rested up from this review, please join the name meme!
http://babytoolkit.blogspot.com/2007/05/naming-babies-early-introduction-to.html
Love this review! I've been looking for something like this; thanks so much!
Just want to add my 2 cents, because your review didn't include any plastic straw cups. We've been using the munchkin "cupsicle" no-leak straw cups since my 2.25 year old was under a year old and have loved them. When I learned about BPA and the whole plastics debate, I was relieved that our munchkin cups were safe. I just want to add a positive review for the straw version (sold in small starter 2 handled, med. 2 handled, and large no handle varieties). We've traveled around the world with them, dropped and banged them everywhere, and they do not leak!! My daughter actually sleeps with hers filled with water.
And, if your toddler will tolerate a straw cup vs. a sippy (our daughter actually refused to drink from sippies for a long time), straw cups are actually better than sippies for both dental health and speech development. Since liquid doesn't pool in the front of the mouth (as it does with sippies), straw cups are better at preventing tooth decay and cavities. Also, the way children use their mouths to drink from straws is similar to ways they use them to make sounds used in speech, as opposed to sippies, which cause a different (non-speech productive) mouth formation.
Sorry to add another factor, but I thought it might be helpful. Now I just can't wait to try some of these non-plastic straw cups!
We're big fans of The First Years Take N Toss line. Good to know that they are in fact BPA free.
We found a cool Avent spout cup in a much cuter style. It's called the Avent Magic Super Sport Cup. So far, so good, especially with the leaking.
Playtex makes a small cup that is BPA free... no frills, hard plastic spout.
I'm frustrated because I'm having a ridiculous time trying to find a Munchkin straw cup that doesn't have Dora or some other character emblazoned all over it. Any suggestions where I can find plain ones?
Thanks so much for posting this review. It makes it so much easier to start the search for the right sippy.
Happy Memorial Day!
@Sara: We had a Munchkin Cupsicle straw cup too, but were unhappy with the design. We liked the flip-top straw when it came to using the cup, but found the straw difficult to thread through the spout, and it ultimately got fairly beat up (split) due to being jammed through it each time we cleaned the cup. This is why were were so excited to see Thermos' solution to the design challenge - it is a completely different way of doing it, and works very, very well. Rather than the straw flipping up out of the lid, as it does in the Munchkin cup, it is flattened shut by the outer lid, which is easy for a toddler to open and close; the straw and spout parts come out of the bottom of the lid, just as they do with most sippy cups, with the straw a part of a molded plastic plate that snaps into the lid from underneath, with the straw coming through a small hole. It's really a nice solution, and much easier to put together and take apart.
Thanks so much for the pointer about language development! Z almost exclusively drinks water from her sippys and straw cups (she is still breastfeeding, and we give her very little juice) but the language tip is right up our alley.
@Jen: Thanks for the cup ideas! I'm sure readers will be checking them out. Hope we can return the favor with this - a character-free Munchkin straw cup, available from Amazon.com for about $7!
Note our above complaint about the straw design - if you've used it and know you like it, great! If not, you might consider Thermos' Foogo - a bit pricier, but much less work!
Thanks for the reply to my comment! I'm excited to try the Thermos cup as a cooler and nicer sounding alternative to the plastic munchkin cupsicle, but I'm surprised at the trouble you had with your straw version. What a pain! We have about 10 of these cups, and have never had a problem with the straws at all. I wonder if they changed the design or something, because I've never had to jam the straw in at all...I just stick in in through the bottom of the lid and pull up from the top. In fact, after tons of use (i.e. abuse from our toddler), the only damage we have had is the top of the lid itself starting to crack in our original, after a year of daily use.
As for the hideous characters...yeah, at one point I actually caved and bought a pack with Dora on them when I couldn't find the plain ones, but I have found the plain ones at Target (I think 4.99 for the med size with handles) and I recently bought a 4 pack of the larger size at Costco for 12.49.
Thanks for the responses!
I totally want to check out the Thermos one, too.
Oh, and I just saw the non-character munchkin cups at BJ's. Yay!
Why on earth will companies not make safe products? Sheesh!
One of the earlier comments mentioned a PVC-free claim on a product. When my oldest child (now 9) was a baby or toddler, the big uproar was over PVC and phthalates (including their use in rubber duckies). Am I to interpret the uproar over Bisphenol-A as implying that we don’t have to worry about phthalates after all, or that we have something NEW to worry about in addition to PVC?
@TJ: Phthalates are still a concern, but as far as cups go, I would be quite surprised to find a sippy cup or bottle that was made of PVC. The plastic is widely used for toys, and thus is of great concern with infant toys, both items that are intended to be placed in the mouth (teethers) and others that will be, simply based on the age of the child. On a personal note, we are not as concerned as some about the possible effects of PVC plastics when used in toys for older children; this is just our personal call as parents, and everyone must come to their own decision about what they will consider to be an acceptable levels of risk.
@Schelle: We inquired at Tommy Tippee after reading your comment, and they got back to us this morning. Here is what we found out:
Nuby Health Check Anti-Colic bottles are polycarbonate (#7), which is the type of plastic that contains Bisphenol-A. So you did good switching to glass when you did!
Their Easiflow line of bottles, First Cup, and Tip It Up cups are all made of polypropylene (#5), which means as far as BPA and other known plastic hazards, they are perfectly safe!
Hope that helps. Readers, take a look at Schelle's own sippy cup impressions on her blog if you're looking for more sippy wisdom!
Jen- I got Munchkin cups at Costco with no characters on them. A 4 pack for less than $10 (Normally about $12 but I had a Costco coupon) so they were a deal too....
Thanks for the info (and the link!) That's good to know. I contacted Tommy Tippee in Australia, and their reply was that "all our products contain nothing harmful and are voluntarily submitted to and pass the Australian standards every year" - but since I couldn't find out whether PBA was covered by the Australian standards I still wasn't sure whether to believe them, since they didn't tell me what plastic was used.
The new Gerber NUK trainer is made of a plastic that is grade 5. I love this cup. It has a soft latex spout and clear body. The lid snaps on over the spoout firmly and the handles pop off of the bottom of the cup for cleaning, good for swivelling the handels around so that the spout is aligned properly. The cup comes with a sealing disk so that you can keep those liquids away from the latex spout until drinking commences.
It doesn't readily leak, pressure must be applied to the spout inorder for it to slightly drip. My daughter has dropped this cup from the high chair hundreds of times and it is fine. The spout has three slits in it that open when the child sucks, similiar to the NUby, but the latex is quite thick and sturdy, whereas the soft spoouted Nuby generally wears out in a few days.
I have had trouble trying to find a link to view the cup, but I found this image from a UK website:
http://www.baby-supplies.co.uk/catalog/images/nuk_learner.jpg
I bought my cup at Super Walmart for about <5 bucks.
Sheesh! We have been using Gerber Organics baby foods when we go on road trips. I turned over the plastic container to find a 7 on the bottom. You would think that companies would at least be interested in covering their behinds! I'm so surprised to see they don't care!
We also use the Munchkin Straw cups and found them last year at Costco with Diego and Dora designs. This year they have them in the Cupsicle version with the same loud colors as shown on your sippy above.
We have LOVED these straw cups. Drinks stay cold, they rarely leak and they are actually super easy to put back together. All you need to do is remove the flip top, as indicated in the directions, stick the straw back in the hole and then place the flip top back over the straw. There is no complicated threading required, as Jeremiah suggested in an earlier post.
Another alternative to BPA free bottles are Playtex Nursers. The liners are BPA free, and the nipples are silicone. We switched to these from Dr. Brown's because of the BPA concerns.
Called Playtex and they say their first sipsters (what we use) are bpa free... as well as 'some' of their insulated sipsters and tumblers. They said look for a # stamp, and then went on to say many of the cups don't have one. Also- the thing to watch out for is 'hard & shiny'. We tossed the Gerber clear sippies as they fall into this category and haven't been able to obtain any further info.
Thanks much for this article- It has really spread awareness like wildfire.
Thanks for the additional info, K. We've found Playtex and Gerber to be two of the companies least interested in doing anything decisive about BPA in infant bottles and toddler cups. Inconsistent labeling (why isn't this mandated by law?), inconsistency between and within individual product lines, and frequent changes, not always in the direction of greater safety, make Playtex and Gerber both difficult to do business with if you have any concern about Bisphenol-A and its potential toxicity to humans.
After doing all of our research and sifting through the additional findings of others, our basic feeling is that a company which expresses a commitment to eliminating harmful plastics should be rewarded and supported for that behavior. Picking out a safe product from a company that places a low priority on product safety is asking for trouble, now or later.
We're glad the article has been of such great interest to readers. Our greatest hope is that the biggest companies in the marketplace will change their priorities, commit to safer plastics and to additional research into the relative safety of polypropylene, polyethylene and polyamide, and make our post less relevant. It hasn't happened yet.
Just purchased the Born Free sippy cup and used a few times. It leaks when my 17 m.o. daughter turns it upside down. Now it is a fun game to soak her shorts with the cup, we are glad it is summertime. I followed assembly instructions so I am reasonably certain I put it together correctly...could anyone offer any tips?
I'd contact the company. Ours didn't have that problem. One thing I can think of is if you bought the sippy rather than the drinking cup, and your toddler is really ready for the older version. The spout of the younger one is quite soft and perhaps an older child would distort it so the spout didn't hold up.
Just some ideas. But I'd contact the company. They're a small startup so tend to be very responsive to customer concerns. Word of mouth is very important to their business.
thanks for your prompt reply...I just emailed Born Free about it (it is definitely the drinking cup we got). I will let you know the upshot of BF's reply when it comes, fingers crossed. I would really like to keep using it. Thanks a ton for your awesome site.
A followup: Colleen at Born Free emailed me right back & offered to send us a trainer cup spout to try. She said: "The drinking cup is a “free flow” system cup which means just that. It has been designed for a free flow of liquid from the cup. I agree that it is a little more difficult with a younger child." I am so amazed at their level of customer service. Their product is worth the extra money.
I emailed the Luv n care/Nuby folks about their sippy cups, and here's what they told me:
"Our products are made out of polypropylene (pp) Recycle #7 and
Polycarbonate (Recycle #4) witch has a minute amount of bisphenol A. The
cups with the handles coming up from the bottom are the polycarbonate. "
So according to that, the regular nuby sippy cups without handles should be fine, and so should that brand of bottles. The lady who emailed me also sent me a phone number I could call with additional questions.
@Arial,
I am not sure if you have more information than what you quote in your comment, but what it sounds to me like they told you is that their sippy cups are made of polycarbonate (the PPE would be the lid). Polycarbonate does contain Bisphenol-A (the word "minute" is quite meaningless in terms of describing toxicity). Our concern over polycarbonate use in sippy cups was the whole basis for the post!
We have commented on this before (4th comment to the post). As we mentioned there, we would suggest that parents do business with companies committed to using safe plastics rather than preserving their right to use ones with "minute" amounts of potentially hazardous chemicals.
If you have an email from Lov 'n' Care you could forward to us at zrecommends [at] gmail [dot] com, we'd love to see it. They never responded to any of our inquiries!
Hmm.. I think we are reading this differently. I think she is saying that *only* the cups with the handles contain polycarbonate. I have some of the regular nuby sippy cups (without handles), and the don't look like polycarbonate to me. I'd be happy to forward this email to you... they actually respoded to me within 12 hours.
Any resolution to the Nuby sippy cup?
Thanks for this great review. I just wanted to chime in to say that we also had a huge problem with the Born Free and leaking. (Thanks to previous posters, I decided to contact customer service and see if the can advise me on how to fix it.) To replace the leaky Born Free we bought the Thermos Foogo and LOVE it. We have not had any trouble with leaking (even in diaper bags). We also didn't mind the way the cap screws on. We like the fact that it is designed to automatically center the spout between the handles.
We are also very interested in the safety of the Nuby cup with a straw. Anyone?
Ariel (a few comments up) passed on the corporate telephone extension of a specific employee at Luv 'n' Care, and we have left them a message. If we get a call back, we will ask for specifics on a list of several Nuby toddler cups, including the basic straw model. We will get specific materials information as well as a more general statement about their plans with respect to polycarbonate plastics if they have one prepared.
Assuming we are able to speak with someone at that company, it will be time for a new post, with updated information. The Nuby cups do appear quite popular, and a lot of parents are asking about them, so we will definitely post about it. We are hoping to have that information sometime next week.
At that time we will also take the opportunity to summarize some of the commenters' expressed experiences with the various brands, some further observations based on longer-term use of the brands we own (Klean Kanteen and SIGG) and may even set up a survey instrument to invite readers to share their own ratings of the products.
Subscribe or check back in to catch our update!
Born Free Follow Up: we received the trainer cup spouts to try free of charge from BF very promptly. I replaced the drinking spout with a trainer spout and the leak problem was solved!! My daughter can't turn the cup over now & soak herself. A tiny bit of liquid still comes out, but it is acceptable. We'll use the trainer spouts til she is a bit older (she's 17 months) and hopefully less interested in shaking out her water/soymilk.
thank you for this post!!!!
Thank you so much for this post. I have been looking all over for a safe cup with a straw so the follow up straw comments are especially useful. I have had trouble getting anyone at Luvncare to respond but the woman I spoke to at Gerber was very helpful and kind. She also told me that they would soon provide the plastics information on their website. Unfortunately, the Gerber fun grips starter sippy cup we have is polycarbonate (and does not have a stamp on the bottom). Thank you again, I was thrilled to come across your research.
You're welcome! We are hard at work on a post summing up BPA presence in baby bottles, which we hope to publish tomorrow. We're so glad this helped you.
Your tip about the Gerber statement is also very timely. We will report on that as well if we can verify it with a spokesperson.
This forum is full of great information. One of the sippy cups I used and liked was the Dr. Brown's B Free. It has a soft spout, valve to regulate flow and prevent leaking, and removable handles. It is a great transition cup, but if your toddler is like mine, she'll chew through the spout. I purchased mine in Asia, so I don't know if you can find them here. Has anybody else used them, and if so, would the Born Free spout be compatible with the Dr. Brown's cup? BTW, at the store where I purchased this cup, they also sold an entire line of Dr. Brown's B Free baby bottles too...I wonder why they are not commonly available here.
Thanks for the detailed info on the cups. I am new to this info about #7 and just opted to purge all of our sippy cups. I just bought Playtex sippy cups after calling the company and confirming that all of the sippy cups including the insulated staw cups do not use #7 platic. We tried Born Free but my son (13 months) struggled to get anything out of the cup. H
Thanks for the helpful information. My kids drink from Playtex Coolster Tumblers. Since Playtex cups are so variable, does anyone know if these are BPA-free? Thanks in advance.
I have older children, and own both Sigg bottles and the Thermos Funtainer, which is very similar to the Foogo. These may be longer-lasting as they do not seem like "baby" cups.
There are a couple of differences between the Sigg and Thermos that I have not seen addressed here. First, weight. The stainless containers are heavier, especially the double-walled Thermos. This might be important if you are carrying filled bottles in a diaper bag. The Siggs are very lightweight.
While weight is a negative for the Thermos, it does have two other really great positives: It keeps the drink COLD. I've had ice still frozen after hours in a hot car.
The other plus is that because of the straw, you can easily drink from this bottle while lying down. Great for sick kids who can have a cool drink without help.
@Kerry: Great points! Thanks for sharing them. Yes, the Foogo's insulation is nice, but we found the chilling effect of the Sigg to be comparable when we use an inside-out beer/soft drink "coozy" as a sheath for cold drinks, which is sometimes necessary anyway because the Sigg's surface can get very cold when you pour chilled water from a water cooler into it. But that definitely is an advantage of the Thermos, Sigg, and Munchkin Chiller cups, and the Thermos has the best insulation.
The weight had never seemed like too much of an issue for us, even with the Thermos, but thanks for pointing it out - overloaded parents might appreciate the insight, especially those serving as pack horse for multiple kids!
I wanted to clarify that bisphenol-a is not a plasticizer, but a monomer used in the polymerization of polycarbonate. Phthalates, which aren't used in polycarbonate, are a plasticizer, most frequently in PVC.
Also, the number 7 code isn't an indicator of material content, but a recycling code used to denote materials that are not recycled in most communities- This can cover a wide range of materials, from something like PC that does not have many post-consumer recycling purposes to types of food packaging that have multilayer structures that cannot be easily seperated out from eachother, even if each component is recyclable.
@erin m.: We love corrections! We did learn about the true plastic type/recycling code connection when we did research for our BPA bottle report, but did not sufficiently clarify this in this previous post. We have also now changed our statement at the beginning of the post; although it is not as technical as your explanation, I think it is now more accurate. Thank you for setting us straight!
Does anyone know about the Playtex Insulator? It by far is the best about not leaking. When you look on the bottom in the middle of the recycle sign, it has a 5. I'm assuming this is what you are talking about and that this product is safe?
Yes, a 5 indicates that the cup is made of polypropylene (PPE). It does not contain bisphenol-A.
What about Tupperware? I have a lot of Tupperware to store food in and for my kids cups. There are not numbers on the bottom. Any help would be appreciated.
Soothie bottles are of polycarbonate - not safe. I called The First Years 800 number to confirm the type of plastic they use.
Also: VentAire and Avent bottles are bisphenol A "unsafe"...
We have used Soothie, Avent and VentAire with our children, aged 4 and 1 y.o.
This honestly makes me want to cry ... I have tried very hard to keep my girls healthy in every way possible ... only to find out that I have poisoned them with their baby bottles and sippy cups.
Terrific article. I take your point about doing business with companies that are making an effort to reduce Bisphenol-A or at least communicating clearly about how their products are made, and I see Gerber is not on your good list. That said, I have a lot of the Gerber Color Change sippy cups, and I'd like to know if you have a definitive answer on those. I kept them around because they were on the "safe" list in this excellent "smart plastics guide." http://www.healthobservatory.org/library.cfm?refid=77083 Looking at them now, however, I see no recycling code on the bottom. Anyone know anything more specific about these?
To Anonymous at 10:42 --
It worries me how upset you are getting. Believe me, I am no an industry sympathizer, and I too find it despicable that companies would try to hide information that parents desire to make choices about their families.
However, I am a scientist (developmental psychologist) who has worked with science/advocacy groups that take on issues like this one. They have good intentions, but in their attempt to raise awareness , they often wind up overstating the research and scaring parents more than is necessary.
The evidence on BPA is far from definitive at this point (a point the web hosts note as well). Hence, panels in Europe and Japan both decided against regulating this compound AT THIS POINT. These studies are animal studies -- and findings of toxicity in animals often do not translate to the same degree to humans. And the question of "minute" or "trace" amounts IS important. We are exposed to a whole host of toxins (including some that are naturally occurring -- many dangers are natural!) everyday. But we are exposed in such low amounts that it is not a concern. In fact, some things -- like salt, to choose a fairly benign one -- are actually NECESSARY for our well-being in small amounts but dangerous in larger amounts.
Am I going to look at my daughers' sippy cups when I get home? Yes. Will I despair that she will be permanently damaged and/or developmentally delayed because she used Avent bottles when she was an infant? No.
Frankly, there is very little our children are exposed to that can have that large an impact on their development -- cognitive, social emotional, physical, or otherwise.
I'll end with this: Consistently in developmental and pediatric research, one of the strongest predictors of children's development is parental mental health. To the extent that parents are being overwhelmed with anxiety over every little threat to their child's optimal development, the threat to children's development will be far more significant than this.
So take action to provide an optimal environment, but do not obsess over every threat your child is exposed to. It's not healthy for anyone involved.
Got some more information . . . I decided to contact NIH directly . . .
I looked into what a current National Institute of Health Expert panel investigating BPA had to say. As you can see below, the expert panel has some concerns -- in the moderate to low category. So the evidence is far from clear whether this chemical is indeed harmful or safe -- so families must make their own decisions about whether they want to incur the risk. I think this website is really helpful for those who decide it's simply not worth the risk.
Anyway, here's what I learned.
An NIH expert panel met a few weeks ago and is finalizing their report. However, their conclusions regarding level of risk are on the website here:
http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov/chemicals/bisphenol/draftBPA_MtgSumm080807.pdf
I'll take a shot at summarizing the conclusions . . . the panel expressed "some" concern that exposure to BPA in tero and in infants and children can
cause neural and behavioral effects. They expressed "minimal" or "negligible" concern about a whole host of other effects -- including prostate, birth defects and malformations, early puberty. They had "negligible" concerns about reproducitve risks for adults -- with the exception of subpopulations.
I emailed the director of the Center for Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (the center that oversaw the study) to get a sense of what this level of risk implies (i.e., what does "some vs. negligible vs, minimal
mean). Here's what he said about the categories -- as well as their overall take on the data:
Hi Jennifer,
The levels of concern used by our panels are as follows.
Negligible concern
Minimal concern
Some concern
Concern
Serious concern
The concerns expressed by the CERHR expert panel, as you can see, are in the moderate to low categories. While the panel did not (and was not asked to) make recommendations about the use or avoidance of bottles or cups made of polycarbonate plastic, we
here at CERHR have received numerous questions in this regard.
My interpretation of the expert panel's conclusions is that the scientific evidence is not sufficient to permit a firm, clear conclusion regarding the
safety or hazard of using such products. More data are needed to permit such a conclusion. For people who are concerned about the potential hazards of using polycarbonate bottles and cups, alternative products made of other
materials are available.
I hope this is helpful.
Mike
Thanks so much for this information, and for all of the other concerned bloggers who are chiming in with additional suggestions. I may have missed this in trying to read through all of the entries, but is it true that the Munchkin Insulated Straw Cups are considered ok to use? I saw entries that seemed to be referencing this product, but was unable to trace the thread back to the original information. My son is a huge fan of the straw cups, and I've been able to tell by the recycling number on the bottom, that all but a few are BPA-free, but the Munchkin Straw Cups have no number on the bottom. Could someone please verify this, and possibly point me to the original information/post regarding this product? Thanks so much!
I am just becoming aware of the concerns around BPA. Thank you for the excellent information you've provided.
I did see that there have been lots of questions about the Nuby cups. Any resolution yet? My sons have been using them for some time so I very anxious to hear a definitive answer. I did email the company but have not gotten a responsive as of yet.
Thank you for all the information on sippy cups and bottles covered by you. Its great for concerned parents who are not satisfied with answers provided by conglomerates out there to sell their products.
One comment about the avent sippy cups. It states that it is not for use for warm liquids. Since my toddler is on milk part-time and absolutely loves the avent sippy spout, I found Kleen Kanteen to be a much safer choice.
I'm writing with regard to the comments about Playtex and the Playtex First Sipster. Although Karen (a previous commenter) was told by Playtex that the First Sipster was BPA free, an artcile entitled "Smart Plastics Guide Healthier Food Uses of Plastics For Parents and Children" by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (www.iatp.org) lists the Playtex First Sipsters as an "avoid" item. The same article says that the regular Sipster is a safer alternative. So I don't know what to think. My only conclusion is that Jeremiah is right to say that consumers should be wary of companies that aren't committed to eliminating harmful plastics.
I am sorry if I have somehow missed this info... What is the latest on the Nuby cups? I seem to have a "4E" on the cups we use...
AMAZING, AMAZING DISCOVERY, PASS IT ON PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!! I really love the second nature concept, the nipple is so like the real thing in how the milk flows(21 little holes, 100% SPILL AND LEAK PROOF, liquid only comes out when baby sucks.) to how it compresses, it was even recommended by our breastfeeding instructors, but sadly a representative of the company confirmed that their bottles are made out of #7 bisphenol- A leaching plastic. I was devastated because my son really took to this, I am trying to wean him. Anyway I happened to try the nipple out in my klean kanteen(stainless steel) sippy and it was A PERFECT FIT!!!! I am ecstatic. Please pass this on to anyone not wanting to use a plastic bottle, but want the closest thing to the real thing for a nipple. I wish I would have known this from when he was a newborn, I was actually frezzing my milk in toxic advent bottles and had no idea chemicals were leaching into my milk. A thin cozy around the klean kanteen makes it more comfortable to hold onto with cold liquids. So much lighter than glass bottles. Yaay!
p.s only use the second nature nipple not the ring that comes with it, it fits right into the components of the klean kanteen, so, so exciting, is there anywhere else I can post this where more people could utilize the info?
sorry to be a pest but another bit of info about the klean kanteen, the white soft advent spouts (you have to buy them from a babys r us) dont leak hardly at all, and they are much more comfortable for little ones to drink from, not sure why klean kanteen doesn't include these spouts, so if your klean kanteens are leaking, definitly try these, they are not very expensive and my son wont even use the green spouts anymore if given a choice.
The Sigg cups are SO cute, but is anyone worried about the aluminum? I seem to remember aluminum being suspect in some health conditions also (?).
@tan: I don't believe we ever confirmed the Munchkin straw cup to be PP. I'll check our notes.
@anonymous #1: We continue to get conflicting reports from Luv 'n' Care customers who attempt to get information from the company's customer service channels regarding the safety of their products. We recommend doing business with other companies.
@traci: We did have contact with the IATP folks during the initial phase of our research into safe and unsafe sippys and bottles. One of the study's authors confirmed for us that much of the information regarding safe and unsafe brands could be out of date and needed to be updated. All of our information is based on calls made to customer service reps to gather or verify information in May 2007.
@anonymous #2: See response to anonymous #1 in this comment. Luv 'n' Care's coding system is entirely of their own devising.
@misamckay: Thanks for all the info!
@anonymous #3: SIGG bottles use a water-based resin inside the bottle which has been extensively tested. Past problems with aluminum have been with uncoated, BPA-coated, or lead-soldered aluminum products, and the hazards of aluminum itself are widely disputed by disinterested scientists. See here for more information on this, specifically geared towards SIGG bottle performance.
I received an email response from Luv n care today. If I understand it correctly, the Nuby straw cups I've been using (they do not have any type of handle) are safe. My kids love them so I will continue to use them. However, I am irritated that the company is not more forthcoming with information about their products.
Here is the email:
August 20, 2007
Dear Christina:
Our products are made with polypropylene (PP) Recycle #5 and Polycarbonate (PC) Recycle #7. The (PC) products do have a minute (tiny) amount of Bisphenol A.
The majority of our No-spill cups are made with PP but the cups with the handles coming up from the bottom are made with PC. The insulated cups are both PP & PC, inside layer is PP and the outside layer is PC.
The spouts are 100% medical grade silicone. If you have any farther questions you have and please contact us at 1-800-LUVNCARE (318-588-6227) ext. 3106.
Best regards,
Kera Roberts
Luv n care
Customer Service
Gerber baby food in plastic containers--type 7
Here via google...Just noticed that my son's Gerber baby food comes in plastic containers...marked '7' on the bottom. Anyone know if this is a problem in terms of BPA getting into the food? I haven't called Gerber yet. (sigh) I do sometimes heat the food in the containers....
I was wondering about the gerber babyfood containers, too.
Does anyone know of a good safe cup for an older child--like 5 or 6 years old, that is break resistant, but not toxic plastic? My oldest is past the sippy cup stage, and I now have no idea what kind of cups to get for him. Thanks!
@jenni: Either the Klean Kanteen or the Sigg bottle should work for an older child. Both of them come with a screw top lid or a sports bottle lid option and come in a variety of sizes. I have a Sigg that I use to carry my water in when I'm out and Jennifer has a Klean Kanteen that she uses - both of them work great and in the right size would be easy for a child as well - just don't get them the biggest size. If you're looking for a "home" alternative, we'd suggest looking into ceramic cups or mason jars, which are thicker than regular glassware and are less likely to break if dropped. Z uses small ceramic cups and has broken one.
Just another comment on the Playtex First Sipster. I called Playtex and was also told the cup is BPA free. It makes sense since it has a milky color and doesn't have that same hard feel as the Advent bottles and other #7 stuff. The look and feel of the plastic is identical to the Advent Magic Cups. The article that Traci refers to from the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy is copyrighted 2005 so maybe Playtex has changed this item since then.
@kris: The IATP report is out of date in many of its recommendations. Thanks for checking on the Playtex First Sipster.
I have had a hard time finding a small straw cup that is made of safe plastic. We use a sigg bottle and a kleen kanteen, but I would love a straw cup for a one year old. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Wonderful article and fantastic info. I'm new to posting (and my info may be late), however, I purchased 4 different Nuby cups last night to see which my son would take. After reading about the different plastics, and then looking at the bottoms of the cups, I was confused as to which plastics they were made of. I looked at the Nuby/ Luv n care website and assumed that PP= polypropelene was PC= polycarbonate. (PP is ok, PC is bad). Unfortunately, I was concerned and frustrated that these cups were not labeled on the bottom. I called Luv n care this morning and was informed that I was correct in associating PP with polypropelene and PC with polycarbonate. The customer service rep said that the website is a bit confusing and is currently under construction. She claims that all Luv n care/Nuby bottles and cups are supposed to be labeled on the bottom, however, there were batches that got out without being labeled. I am wondering, however, how 4 different sippy cups/bottles made at different times all managed to not get labeled? Oh well, this is what I was told when I called.
Ok, sorry it's me again. Was looking for more products online at Babies R' US and found the following statement attached to one of Nuby/ Luv n care's products:
Product Description
These Nuby bottles feature our Non-Drip nipples, giving your baby the comfort of an anti-colic air system, as well as teething nubs that massage and stimulate your child's gums. The bottles are made of a softer plastic that is Bisphenol A-free. Recent studies have shown Bisphenol A, a chemical used in many break-resistant plastics, may be harmful to children under the age of three. That is why Nuby is taking the initiative to make Bisphenol A-free feeding products for your child.
If anyone is interested in the Playtex Coolster Tumblers, Playtex told me over the phone that both the cup and the lid are made of polypropylene.
OK - going against the grain here - I started out with the SIGG bottles - bought a whole slew for my family (including adults). I even bought their own SIGG bottle brush as I didn't want to muck them up with something else and waste the investment. Well, I hate to say it, but the brown coating on the inside came off around the thread at the neck of the bottle, and I could then see the silver underneath, which I assume is the aluminum. As for the dispute about aluminum being probably safe - well, shouldn't we care and avoid it if there is any "IF" about it? That's what we're doing with this BPA issue. Anyhow, when I saw one bottle with exposed silver, I looked and found that over 1/2 of ours had this. Now, not wanting to drink anything flowing across aluminum, I got rid of them and switched to the Klean Kanteen. I love the KK product, however, I *WISH* they would a) create handles to use so you didn't have to touch the cold metal when holding it to drink, and b) put on some colour/design that's fun for kids. I emailed the company and suggested that they make colourful "sleeves" - like those mini-t-shirt-designed sleeves given out to cover beer cans, but without the t-shirt sleeve ends? People could buy different designed foamy sleeves. The kids would love them for the colour and their hands wouldn't be so cold! That's my wish. A colourful foamy sleeve and/or a handle.
As for the born-free, mine leaked like a devil, so much so we stopped using it. It was the soft tip, so I'll now look into the other spout mentioned.
Anyone else have the problem or worry with SIGG, though?
TTYL,
Valerie
PS - I bought my SIGG bottles this year (2007), so they were after SIGG changed their lining and not before.
Valerie
What about the Rubbermaid Litterless Juice Boxes - are they uber-bad plastic?
And while on the subject of BPA - are we concerned about them all the time - or only when heated? Or?
I'm, like many, looking for the best option. Our youngest is on Advent sippy cups with Dr.Brown nipples (he will NOT use a sippy cup 'nipple' yet - argh) and our oldest is on the Rubbermaid Litterless - but wondering if we should switching him to the Advent ones?!
I just got off the phone with Playtex. This is what I was told:
- The First Sipster cup with the HARD SPOUT is made with POLYCARBONATE.
- The First Sipster with the SOFT SPOUT is NOT made with polycarbonate.
- The Sipster Spill-Proof 9oz cup is made with polyethylene
- The Insulator Spill-Proof 9oz cup is made with polypropelene
The customer service rep was very nice and helpful. I was going to buy one today and decided to see for myself what they were made from.
Luanne
I have a bunch of little hard colored gerber cups that my son likes. They are small, with no handles and hard spouts and they change color when you pour cold liquid into them. Anyone know if these are safe? Also what about the playtex little einstein trainer cups? I love these cups and just bought three. Anyone know if these are ok? Isn't is hard clear plastic that is dangerous. If it's foggy and colored plastic does that make it safe?
I just got an email from Gerber regarding my sons favorite sippy cup. Here is what it said.
The Gerber Fun Grips Color Change Spill-proof Cup is made out of polypropylene (#5). The lid is made of polyethylene (#2) and the valve is made of polypropylene (#5) w/silicone membrane.
Good to know since I have a lot of these cups. I am still trying to find out about the Playtex Einstein Training Cups. Anyone know? Thanks
Does anyone know if the Gerber soft straw cup is made of polycarbonate or not? Thanks.
Hi Zrecs:
Thanks for this incredibly helpful overview of BPA-free sippy cups. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is on your site the first time thanks to this report.
I cannot bring myself to buy the Sigg aluminum cups - much as I want to trust Scandinavian engineering and standards. Something about substituting unsafe plastic for unsafe aluminum just doesn't sit right. I know, Sigg has its proprietary resin lining, and tests on its brand-new bottles have shown no aluminum leaching.
Much as I love the designs, I just haven't been able to make this leap. I have this scary feeling that 10 years from now this is going to be one of the products we're all rushing to avoid. How do you and others feel about using Sigg, knowing it is aluminum and knowing that linings last only so long?
Stainless steel seems to me the safest way to go - perhaps the Kleen Kanteen as you suggest. (Does anyone know when their redesigned sippy will be out?)
I'm also switching all my toddlers dishes and spoons/forks to stainless steel - just like back home in India!
Thanks again for your work.
Just to follow-up on my own question, for the benefit of others: I asked about the Gerber Easy Grip 2-Handled Soft Straw Cup. I got an answer from Gerber and it is not made of polycarbonate but of polypropylene and the straw is made of silicone. So it would fall under the "safe" category.
Just a note for all those leaving comments and questions... We are working on an updated edition of this and our bottle information. It's a lot of work! We are incorporating the answers we find to reader questions as well as new companies we didn't cover the first time around. Sorry to chime in so infrequently, but we are focused on getting the best information available to share with everyone.
I was wondering what the situation was about the Munchkin Insulated Straw Cups?? Are they safe to use??
This is such a great source of information. Thank You!
I have a SIGG bottle for myself that just has the screw-cap so I drink directly out of the bottle. After this recent recall of a similar aluminum bottle:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08011.html
I am freaked out about the possibility of lead in the paint on my SIGG bottle that I put my mouth on. Any word from SIGG about their paint?
I think I am going to get one of the sippy lids for myself. I assume they are BPA-free too?
Thank you so much for these postings! I am so glad you did the research for us moms to concerned with toxic chemicals and the recent recalls!
After reading the reviews on these cups I have done some searching online. I am very interested in the foogo for my 21 month old but have read lots of complaints on leaks? Any feedback on that? Also, any other recommendations for that age? I need something leak/spill proof and something that can take hot or cold. TIA!
p.s. I had, several months ago, spoken with someone from Luv N Care (Nuby) I was told that all their items are made from #5 and #7 plastics. They told me they only use #5 on the inside where hot liquids come into contact with the plastic. They only use #7 on outer parts i.e., handles, outer layer of insulation etc. The nipples and soft spouts are silicone.
@Anonymous: As we stated in our review, our Foogo straw cup did not leak in our tests with the lid closed. The sippy did leak, however, and the straw cup did too when the lid was not closed (a likely condition when dropped by a toddler).
As for Nuby, we have had numerous conflicting reports and information from and regarding that company and their products. Inconsistencies prevented us from covering Nuby/Luv 'n' Care in our Z Report on Bisphenol-A in bottles, and we have since been collecting information on their products, which we will publish shortly. Long story short, what you were told is incomplete and inaccurate information. Stay tuned.
There is another sippy coming out pretty soon that I think people will love.
http://tinyurl.com/39qcvg
Developed by parents based on their frustrations with the other sippys available.
Enjoy!
@Molly: We're waiting on a sample Safe Sippy as soon as KidCo has their first shipment in hand! Stay tuned for a review as soon as we've checked it out.
We use the Avent and the Klean Kanteen which have the same spout and is terrible about leaking. When our daughter drinks some of the liquid gets caught up under the plastic ring inside and then if she tips it that liquid goes all over the place.
Still, I prefer leaks to dangerous chemicals.
I would avoid aluminum. There is some research going on in South America on aluminum and its connection to autism. Just speculative, but I wanted to share this with all of you. Also avoid heating the food or water in the microwave. (Just to be safe.) There are also studies being conducted on harmful effects on children from microwavable food.
Hello,
Thanks so much for making all this information available! It is much appreciated.
I am wondering two things:
1. Have you had a chance to review/check out the Safe Sippy cup offered by Tree City Diapers? It is a stainless steel sippy cup. If so, could you share your opinions?
2. Do you know if the Gerber NUK Leaner Cup is safe? It is a hard plastic cup, so I'm inclined to think it isn't. However, I can't seem to find out for sure. It came highly recommended, which is why I'm wondering about the plastic.
Thanks for any help you can offer, and keep up the good work with your site!
if the avent sippy cup is safe, can i just use my avent nipples on a sippy cup for a bottle, or are the nipples unsafe too?
Just a note they sell the munchkin cups at Costco.
for those who wondered about the rubbermaid litterless juic box, i think those are o.k. my daughter has used these forever and i noticed a #5 on the bottom. i have e-mailed rubbermaid to confirm, and will followup if i hear different.
Does anyone know if the Dr. Brown's sippy cups also contain BPA? Thanks!
@Liz: We are updating our info for a new post and will be covering NUK products. We are waiting for a sample Safe Sippy to review.
@anonymous: Yes, the nipples are safe. All nipples from any maker should be, except the rare ones which use latex, which may trigger latex allergies.
@anonymous (costco): Thanks!
@Regina: Thanks!
@anonymous: Yes, Dr. Brown's sippys do contain BPA. They are made of polycarbonate plastic.
Okay. I was also curious about the Tupperware...someone posted about earlier. Here is what I found out. I IM'd the company. They told me that they DO use PC. She also said these are "safe". Well, what company is going to tell you otherwise and chance not selling their product? Trouble is that I have loads of tupperware that I use ALL the time. I hate to throw it away, so is it safe to just use it for storage? Not for heating? I am going to be switching to Gerber Gentle Flow bottles. Apparently these are PP and safe. I used Nursers for my daughter, so safe there. I also called Gerber to find out the bottle info for my son, and asked about sippy cups. The only ones made of PC are the ones with handles as well. But, I have been using tupperware plates for my daughter for 2 years! YIKES! But I wonder if just using them to eat off from without heating up in the micro is safe? Anyone know this? Thanks!
Thanks so much for all the information. This site has been a great help. I talked to Gerber and their sip and smile line is BPA free, so that might be another option.
I loved this review, thanks so much for posting it! I just wanted to add that you can find the Munchkin Cupsicle line at Costco without characters for about $8 for 4 cups. We're on a budget and it has been our go-to. My almost 3 yr old hasn't complained about the flow, but hes never had anything fast flow, so maybe thats why.
Thank you so much for going through all the trouble of researching this for us!! Have you considered making a memo alluding to the fact that it is not COMPLETE in that it does not test EVERY sippy?? The playtex insulator is made of PP, and is perfectly safe! I've been using them for 4 years, and almost had a heart attack, then my brain told me to keep on digging! I'm glad I found this, as Playtex offers one of the only big kid options in sippys that is not only insulated, but spill proof and a big kid cup called the coolster tumbler. It is BPA/phthalate free!!! I was so happy to discover this!
The disney princess/pixar cars insulator cups are BPA/Phthalate free too!
Just wanted you to know what I found out!!!
I just talked to the Playtex people and they say that The First Sipster cups with the soft spot are not polycarbonate, so they are okay. The hard spout ones (and a few others that have been discontinued) are not okay.
I recently bought a package of 6 sippy cups/tumbler by "Especially for Baby" from ToysRUs. They come in about 3 colors and feels very hard plastic but since my son has started growing teeth, the spout seems to have been scraped and his nails scratch the cup leaving scratch marks. Anyone has experience with this type of cup and whether its made of "Safe material"?
Another thing I'd like to mention after reading a post from another user about flipping over the baby food stored in Plastic containers by Gerber is that I went to flip over the juice and to my horror also had a number 7 encircled by the recyle symbol. Then my paranoia got the best of me, so I went to look underneath the water bottle container (the hard blue plastic water bottles that come in 2/3/5 gallon - the ones that sparklets/culligan/arrowhead uses to deliver to door) lo and behold #7! I also remember reading that my Vita-Mix blender is made of Polycarbonate also.
Shutting off comments here. Thanks for all your feedback and questions - we tried to answer them ALL in our new edition of our Z Report, which you can access here.
Post a Comment