Rachel Jeffcoat has worked for 15 years as an editor and writer, after starting her career managing science and technology journals. However, Kate says, “It is always recommended to sterilise your baby’s bottles and teats for as long as you continue using them. This is because milk and milk curds can remain in small amounts in the teat and bottle, and the bugs that feed on them can cause stomach upsets.” How do I sterilise baby equipment? It's been Mumsnet's mission to make parents' lives easier for over 20 years, so we know how much difference choosing the right product can make. That's why we obsessively research, review and vet everything we recommend - from the best breast pumps to the best changing bags.

Philips’s ubiquitous Avent brand includes a microwave steam steriliser that is robust, roomy, safe and straightforward to use – though, like our tester, you’ll need to measure your microwave first as it won’t fit in especially compact appliances (it’s 16.6 × 28 × 28cm, for reference). But if you’re bottle-feeding full time or expressing breastmilk regularly, you should find each of the different modes very helpful – and the fact that the warming unit handles food as well as milk means it should continue to be useful, even once you’re done with sterilising completely. In the hazy days with a new baby, keeping them safe is the number one priority – and also likely to be the biggest source of anxiety for parents. A steriliser can be used to kill bacteria found on lots of different baby feeding equipment like baby bottles, teats and breast pump parts. But which is the best steriliser to make your feeding schedules easier to juggle? After our latest intensive round of testing, we’ve got all the information you’ll need about our favourites. After cleaning, rinse off each item in cold, clean water and then you’re ready to sterilise. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly, especially when positioning items in the steriliser and adding the correct amount of water or sterilisation solution. Does it need to be versatile? Some bottle warmers double as sterilisers, while others have an in-built timer or maintain the ideal milk temperature for a certain amount of time, for example.MAM combines technological innovation, medical function and contemporary design to develop superior baby care products that support a baby’s development from day one. Since MAM developed its first soother in Vienna in 1976, it has evolved to become a global authority on baby care product design and quality. Today MAM is used by families in over 50 countries and five continents. To find out more and view MAM’s baby care range visit: www.mambaby.com

Capacity: Six bottles, plus breast pump parts | Materials: Plastic | Included: Container and weighted grid Good for parents who Don’t rinse equipment off again afterwards as the water won’t be sterile. You don’t need to dry them as the cloth likely isn’t sterile either – just shake off the excess moisture and make sure it’s cooled down completely. When can you stop sterilising baby bottles? Microwave sterilisers are smaller, but not exactly portable. They could sit on top of the fridge or stay in the microwave itself if you’d rather not keep them out. 3. Cycle time Getting the water level right can initially involve a bit of trial and error, but this isn’t an issue once you’ve worked out the right amount for the item you’re warming with the help of the chart provided. 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.I’m exclusively breastfeeding Violet and at 10-weeks-old we’re still not in a routine on the feeding front so I always leave a bottle of expressed milk when I go out for a run or pop to the shops just in case she needs a top up while I’m gone, making sterilising bottles and warming milk essential. MAM 6-in-1 electric steriliser & bottle warmer review The disadvantages are the smell, the need to continually buy new tablets and the inconvenience of keeping a large container full of water in a corner of your kitchen – especially relevant if you have other small children. 2. Electric steriliser I have the Nuby UV one and I love it. I wash the bottles and let them air dry and then put them in there dry for three minutes and it's done! If you're formula feeding Nuby had a sale on their UV steriliser and Rapidcool (can make milk to NHS recommendations and they be cool in 3/4 minutes) bundle." Loved by Mumsnetter Grace185 Our verdict

Capacity: Five bottles | Materials: BPA-free plastics and metal electrical components | Included: Sterilisation unit, one Nuby Combat Colic 180ml bottle and a dummy Good for parents who 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 verdictLike 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. 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? We used a Nûby bottle warmer for our bottles (Mam)."(Recommended by Mumsnetter InpatientGardener) Our verdict

This innovation from MAM Baby features six valuable functions all in one product. Forget having to invest and store a steriliser and a bottle warmer separately, simply choose MAM for all your needs. Safe for heating breast milk, formula and baby food, this multifunctional bottle warmer also acts as a steriliser for bottles, teats and accessories – killing 99.9% of harmful bacteria with a high-temperature steam clean and keeping them sterile for up to 24 hours.It takes one touch of a button to start a cycle and, if you have any accompanying Tommee Tippee bottles, each bottle is clearly marked to show how much water to add to the steriliser – a thoughtful touch that our tester really appreciated.