More expensive than some other electric models, like the Tommee Tippee Super-Steam Advanced Electric Steriliser or the Nuby Natural Touch We appreciate the clear instructions that are easy to follow, like putting water into the base at the “MAX” line and putting the steam plate on top. There’s even a light beeping sound to alert you when the bottle is done warming, but it’s not loud enough to disturb a sleeping baby. Key methods include cold water sterilising (which requires a chemical to disinfect the water), steam sterilisers (electric appliances that generate hot vapour to clean items), microwave sterilisers (containers that also use steam, which you put in the microwave) and, more recently to the market, UV sterilisers (which use ultraviolet light; the only water-free method).” I find the nuby natural touch steam steriliser really good - it dries the bottles too. It is tall and fits lots of different shaped bottles and other bits!" Tried and tested by Mumsnet user Sjh84 Our verdict

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? Can easily be scaled up and down for different quantities of equipment and equipment in awkward shapes When: Do you plan to ditch the steriliser once your baby is 12 months? Or would you like to use it again?If you’re using bottles and breast pumps regularly but not intensively, you might find that a travel steriliser is sufficient for your needs – it’s certainly cheaper to buy and easier to throw into a drawer. If you’re bottle-feeding full-time, though, sterilising one or two bottles at a time will be too inefficient and labour-intensive to manage. 5. UV steriliser

Like many first-time mothers, I had no idea when I was pregnant whether breastfeeding would prove successful or how often I’d want to express or formula feed. As with every baby product, I was utterly baffled by the choice in sterilisers. Nine months on, I almost exclusively breastfeed but regularly pump and often travel, so I’ve needed different cleaning methods for varying scenarios.When using steam sterilisers, once the lid has been opened, the bottles are no longer sterile. However, unlike steam sterilisers, when using cold water methods, you'll need to wait up to 15 minutes. 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. Most sterilization cycles are short, but some have built-in dryers that can take longer. If you use a single-bottle sterilizer, sterilization time is longer if you’re cleaning multiple pieces and switching them out between cycles. Typically, sterilization takes anywhere from a few minutes to 12 minutes, while drying cycles can take an additional 30 to 60 minutes. To save on cleaning time, we recommend a bottle sterilizer and dryer, like the Baby Brezza Baby Bottle Sterilizer and Dryer Machine, so you don’t have to wait for air drying.