Best UV sterilisers for your baby’s bottles and equipment

Sterilising your baby's bottles and accessories is super important, and UV sterilisers can make life a lot easier. It can be a long and tedious task sterilising and one you'll need to do until your baby is one year old. There are lots of innovative sterilisers out there to help make this process easier.

Using the power of UV, the best UV sterilisers can sterilise your baby's bottles in as little as three minutes with no need for cooling or drying. It's one of the more advanced sterilising options.

Sound too good to be true? We've shared everything you need to know about this nifty device and included the best you can buy in the UK. You'll also find advice from the experts; Malcolm Jackson, EMEA Product Marketing Manager at Tommee Tippee.

Best UV sterilisers at a glance:

• Best overall UV steriliser: Nuby UV Steriliser - Buy here on Nuby.
• Best fast UV steriliser: Vital Baby Nuture Advance Pro UV Steriliser - Buy here on Amazon.
• Best UV sterilisers for dummies: Munchkin Portable Soother + Dummy UV Steriliser - Buy here on Amazon.
• Best portable UV steriliser: Nuby UV Steriliser Bag - Buy here on Boots.

Keep reading to find out our selection of the best UV sterilisers for your little one's bottles and equipment.

The best UV sterilisers 2023

Are UV sterilisers safe for babies?

"Yes," says Malcolm. "UV sterilisers are safe for sterilising baby's equipment providing the instructions for correct use are followed, and the items to be sterilised are suitable."

In fact, medical professionals have relied on UV sterilising to sterilise rooms and equipment for years now. Also, unlike UVA rays, which cause skin ageing, and UVB rays, which cause sunburn, UV sterilisers use artificial UVC rays. These kill germs and bacteria safely and quickly.

However, as Munchkin advises, not all UV sterilisers are built the same. You should do your research to make sure you are buying from a reputable brand. It'll have high standards for product safety and can back up its sterilisation claims. It's also recommended to choose UV sterilisers that are "UL Safety certified, have premium child safety features, and meet regulatory standards." They should prevent UV light from emitting out of the steriliser with auto shut-off should the lid be opened.

Do UV sterilisers work?

Yes, and pretty amazingly too. They require no water, tablets, or drying, so are brilliant for sterilising your baby bits, fuss-free. And, if they are portable, they're great for sterilising dummies and bottles if you're out on the go. Once it's sterilised, your baby's bottles and equipment can be used immediately after too, with no cooling time necessary.

How do UV sterilisers work?

Malcolm says, "A UV steriliser uses a special type of light UV-C to sterilise baby feeding equipment in place of other methods of conventional sterilisation, i.e. Hot steam or cold-water sterilisation using chemicals.

"UV-C is a proven disinfectant against a variety of viruses, bacteria, moulds, and spores and has been a trusted technology for some considerable time having the power to break down the DNA/RNA of bacteria and viruses so they can no longer reproduce or cause illness."

You'll find most UV sterilisers are used the same. All you do is pop your baby's item into the steriliser, close it and push a button. Within a few minutes, your baby's item will be sterilise.

How we chose the best UV sterilisers

For the essential products, our annual Mother&Baby Awards shortlist the top products tested, and you can find full reviews from our mum testers provided on the product pages. Thousands of our mum and dad testers have been putting these UV sterilisers through their paces all year round and reporting back to help us coordinate this list of the best ones out there.

Others on the list have been handpicked by our M&B shopping experts. They made sure to choose only the best for parents and babies, ones that are from reputable brands, safe, and with excellent reviews from customers.

UV steriliser FAQs

How long do bottles stay sterile once removed from the UV steriliser?

Once the sterilising cycle is finished, your bottles and other baby accessories will stay sterile for up to 24 hours - whether you leave them in the steriliser or remove straight away. While some people might stop sterilising at six months old, it is advised by the NHS to sterilise for the first year.

Can you put wet items in a UV steriliser?

Before you use a steriliser, you should wash, rinse, and drain the items you want to put in. Some UV sterilisers, like the Tommee Tippee Ultra UV 3-in-1 Steriliser, Dryer and Storage, have a dryer function. However, you still should not put dripping wet items into the steriliser as water can gather at the base. Tommee Tippee advises, "If there is water at the base or leaking from the steriliser, please turn off the machine and wipe away water."

What can you sterilise in a UV steriliser?

Malcolm says, "Typically, a variety of baby equipment can be safely sterilised in a UV steriliser, including feeding bottles, teats, and soothers (non-latex), tableware, cutlery (non-metallic), breast pumps (not the air tube or electric components), teat tongs, storage lids, storage pots, and nipple shields."

You may find that the size of the UV steriliser will dictate what you can fit in it. Also, some UV sterilisers, such as the Vital Baby Nurture Advanced Pro UV Steriliser & Dryer, are able to clean toys, mobile phones, and keys too. Make sure to check what the manufacturer recommends before throwing any old thing in!

How to clean a baby UV steriliser?

The beauty of a UV steriliser is that you don't need to worry about descaling or maintenance. However, you should clean it regularly. So, here's how to sterilise baby bottles and feeding equipment.

To clean your UV steriliser, follow these simple steps:

1) Turn off the power supply and wait for your steriliser to cool down before cleaning

2) Remove all items from the steriliser, including any trays

3) Use a clean, damp cloth to wipe clean the inner and outer walls of the steriliser. Don't forget the screen where dust may have accumulated

4) Wash and dry any trays before returning them to the steriliser

5) Run a 'sterilise' cycle to kill off any remaining germs

It's recommended to give your steriliser a clean every few days.

Eleanor Weaver is the Deputy Homes & Garden Product Editor and has been a writer for titles such as Mother&Baby and Yours. In her role, she has researched and recommended the best products for parents, from breast pumps to toys, nursery décor to car seats. She's also kept a keen eye on celeb mums and influencers to share what they've been using to help make parenting that little bit easier.