Photo: Teona Swift

What type of cups are good for toddlers?

Best Overall: Lalo Little Cup This silicone cup is so well designed. It's an open cup, a sippy cup, and a straw cup all in one. It's incredibly easy to clean and the kids cannot pull off the top. It is on the smaller side at 4 ounces, but it's a great cup for milk or water—and comes in really lovely colors.

yummytoddlerfood.com - Best Sippy Cups for Toddlers and Babies (Updated 2022)

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Find the best sippy cups for babies and toddlers to ensure you buy one that works, lasts, and is easy to clean. Here you’ll find reviews and recommendations on the best transition cups, sippy cups, stainless cups, straw cups, no-spill cups, and more.

Sippy Cups for Toddlers

Navigating the aisles of toddler and baby gear can feel super daunting, and it often seems impossible to know which sippy cup is best to buy for our kids. There are just SO many options and they all claim to be the “best”! To help, this list will go through the popular styles and materials, my best picks (including spill-proof and spill-resistant options), and the reasons behind each choice. My goal is to help you waste less money with picks for cups that are durable, easy to clean, and easy for the kids to use. I’ll also keep in mind concerns about tooth decay, speech development, and recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics. I spent over a decade working in lifestyle magazines researching products, so I love narrowing down the options to help you make easier choices.

How to Choose a Sippy Cup for Babies and Toddlers Step-by-Step

There are a few factors to consider when choosing a sippy cup for a baby or toddler, so I’m going to start with a quick look at factors involved in making this decision.

1. Decide on a material.

The top options include stainless steel, glass, silicone, and BPA-free plastic, as they hold up and don’t have concerns about releasing potentially harmful particles into the liquids within the cups (like some other plastics may do).

2. Decide if you want a straw, spout, or regular open cup.

Many feeding and speech therapists recommend open cups and straw cups, but open cups can be messier and harder to use on the go. Some straw cups are hard to clean. There are many options that take these challenges into consideration now, though. (Do not stress too much about this—there is no one right or perfect cup for kids!) I personally like to use open cups and straw cups at home and insulated bottles for on the go. The latter helps to reduce spills and are easy to pack for transport.

3. Consider the longevity of the cup.

Some of the stainless-steel and glass cups are more expensive upfront, but they also tend to last for years. Chances are that unless you lose it, you’ll have a stainless-steel or glass cup for the duration of your toddler’s childhood—and beyond. We’ve had some of our cups for 9 years now and they still work just as well as they did when I first bought them. This silicone cup is so well-designed. It’s an open cup, a sippy cup with a soft spout, and a straw cup all in one. It’s incredibly easy to clean, it has easy-grip handles, and the kids cannot pull off the top. It is on the smaller side at 4 ounces, but it’s a great cup for milk or water—and comes in really lovely colors.

BUY IT: Lalo Little Cup, about $10

We used these cups for five straight years through two kids. They hold up incredibly well, are great for storing leftover liquids in the fridge, and are made from glass, which eliminates any concerns about plastic. You can also use the bottles as storage containers once the kids outgrow bottles. This sippy cap comes with a plastic insert, but we’ve always removed it for greater drinking success. There’s no learning curve here. (The company also makes a stainless-steel bottle with a straw top that’s a good option, as well.) All the components are dishwasher-safe (top rack is best). BUY IT: Lifefactory Glass Bottle and Soft Sippy Cap or Hard Cap, starting at about $15

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Have a kiddo just learning to drink from a sippy cup? Try this one! It’s easy to hold and to drink from and is the one I used with all three of my kids in their first years. It’s a great way to serve water to a baby just learning to use a cup. It’s also an appropriate size at 5 ounces, so it won’t be too heavy for a baby to drink from. There is also a great Nuk sippy cup option for a trainer and transition cup with a similar design that I like, too. TIP: You can start serving water with meals at 6 months of age, or whenever baby starts solids in consultation with your pediatrician. You can also use this cup to serve breast milk or formula as you transition to whole milk.

BUY IT: Avent Trainer, about $7

For many meals at home, we use open cups to let the kids practice their motor skills and because we want them to eventually drink from a regular cup. Practice makes perfect! Ezpz has a new tiny cup designed to be easy for babies and toddlers to hold and drink from. And at only 2 ounces, you don’t have to worry about too much being spilled and it’s super durable and lightweight. Add only a small amount of liquid to a baby or toddler’s cup to reduce the amount that can potentially spill. (They do have a straw cap and lid, but it is not remotely toddler-proof so I don’t recommend it.)

BUY IT: EZPZ Mini Cup, about $12

We also like these Duralex glasses, which are incredibly durable and are juice glasses that the rest of the family can use, too. And we like this stainless-steel one that comes as part of a set from Kiddobloom.

Best Insulated Cup for Kids: Hydroflask

Last summer, I invested in these cups for my two youngest kids to use when we’re outside in the summer, and they are totally awesome. They are easy to drink from, keep liquids cool, and are easy to clean. Do make sure to clean the straw often (as in take the straw off the base and clean it with the little brush it came with!). We love this so much that we regularly use it around the house, too. This is an investment at one of the higher-priced bottles, but as long as you can keep track of it, it should last for years. (I once drove across town to retrieve it when we left it at a playground …)

BUY IT: Kids Hydroflask 12-ounce bottle, about $40

This spoutless sippy cup for toddlers is beloved by so (SO!) many parents. Kids can drink from anywhere around the rim, so it’s incredibly easy to use … once they figure out how it works. (Note: It can take some kids a loooong time to figure this cup out, and others sail right through getting the hang of it.) It also has a newer Straw Cap option. They pretty leak-proof when they fall over, too, which is always a plus. Be sure to take the two pieces of the lid apart when washing and drying to prevent mildew.

BUY IT: Munchkin 360, less than $15

(You may also like the Klean Kanteen 12-ounce Stainless-Steel Bottle.)

Best Plastic Straw Cup: Lollacup or Munchkin

Other than the straw cap that goes with the 360 Miracle Cup that I mention above and the Lalo cup, I also like these two weighted straw cups for tots. They are easy for little ones—babies and younger toddlers included—to figure out how to use, and as long as you’re diligent about cleaning the underside of the tops and replacing the straws regularly, they should last a while. Straw cups are recommended by many speech and feeding therapists due to how it positions the child’s tongue, which is partly why these are so popular. These cups will not last nearly as long as stainless-steel, glass, or silicone, and you will likely need to replace the straw at some point.

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They do have a sturdy bottom base to help prevent spills.

BUY IT: Lollacup, around $15 or Munchkin Weighted Straw Cup, under $6

These stainless cups are fitted with a silicone sleeve so they’re easy to hold (even when cold), and they’re bright and fun. They are easy to clean, come in 8-ounce and 10-ounce sizes, and are very durable. They come in a set of four cups with both airtight lids for storage and straw lids. The straws even have a stopper (a little raised edge) on them to prevent the kids from being able to pull them out. Smart! TIP: You could also use these without the lid as an open cup.

BUY IT: Elk and Friends Stainless Tumbler (10 ounces), under $30

Frequently Asked Questions

What about the Pura Kikki Bottle? In my experience, the sippy tops and the straws on the Pura Kikki Stainless kid’s water bottle are hard to clean and they need to be replaced fairly often. It’s farther down on my list for those reasons, though the stainless steel base of it is fantastic—and that you can get a flat top and use it as a storage container after the kids are done with it. And people love it! What about a no-leak sippy cup? Many parents love this no-leak cup from Replay Recycled, which is made from recycled plastic milk containers. Honestly, almost every cup we’ve tried leaks at least a little bit when turned upside down, so it’s a tough thing to promise. The Munchkin 360 cup is a good option too. If you were going to buy just one cup, which one would be it? It depends on the age of the child and where you’ll mainly be using it. For a baby and one year old for milk or water, the Lalo cup is great especially since you can use it as an open cup for years to come. I really love the Hydroflask as an all purpose water bottle that will last for years. Do kids have to use an open cup? I keep seeing that and worry my kid is behind! It can be helpful for kids to learn how to use open cups, but it does not need to be the only kind of cup you use. Nor do you have to stress about this happening immediately. This will happen eventually and I think there is far too much pressure on social media about this particular milestone.

Best Tips for Sippy Cups

Think through which material you prefer and how long you’d like to use the cup. Think through where you’ll mostly be using the cup—at home, on the go, or packed for day care or preschool. Whichever cup you have, be sure to take it fully apart to wash and dry it to avoid mildew. Use the thin brushes that come with straw cups to clean thoroughly. Replace straws as needed.

Check out my kids water bottle picks.

I’d love to know what your favorite sippy cup is so please chime in below in the comments!

This post was first published January 2017.

yummytoddlerfood.com - Best Sippy Cups for Toddlers and Babies (Updated 2022)

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