Best Baby Bottles 2023

Nov 23, 2023

Keeping your baby fed and happy is an important part of being a parent, but you need the right equipment to help you out. There are comfortable nursing bras to stock up on, swaddles to soothe them to sleep—and, of course, the best baby bottles to keep baby fed. Whether you’re breastfeeding, pumping, formula feeding or trying one of these combos, finding the right bottle for your picky little babe opens up new options for parents, too, including the freedom to get back to work, have the odd dinner out and gain the general ability to get out alone when the need (or desire) strikes.

Fed is best, but it can take some working finding the best baby bottles for your little one.

If you’ve taken a look out there, you’ve probably noticed that there are a lot of options when it comes to selecting the best baby bottles. And that's in part because there's really no one-size-fits-all bottle, says Mary Lussier, R.N., I.B.C.L.C., coordinator of lactation services at Connecticut Children's Medical Center. "You probably will need to try different bottles of different sizes and shapes," she says. "See if one appeals to your baby over another."

Lussier stresses that every baby is different, but there are certain bottles that tend to work better than others—even for choosy babies. (Once you find the right baby bottle for your little, check out our list of the best bottle warmers.) With that in mind, these are the best baby bottles out there... because fed is best.

Amazon

Materials: BPA-free plastic, silicone | Size options: 4, 9, 11 ounces| Nipple type: Vented

This baby bottle four-pack is consistently a favorite, and it's easy to see why. Your baby controls the pace of the flow thanks to Avent's Natural Response nipple, mimicking the stream of milk she gets during breastfeeding. The bottle's opening and tip only releases milk when baby suckles, so no liquid gold will be lost during feedings. An anti-colic valve helps keep gas-causing air away from baby's delicate stomach, while a wide, breast-shaped nipple feels like the real thing. Choose from a range of sizes and colors. Reviewers also appreciate the variety of sizes and that these baby bottles rarely leak.

What the Reviews Say: This bottle set has thousands of five-star reviews at Amazon. "What a life saver these have been...OMG we love these bottles. You can shake the crap out of it with the top off and nothing comes out. Ugh it's so nice not having to worry about if the bottle tips over that you will get covered. We bought eight and are very happy."

Amazon

Materials: Silicone | Size options: 4, 8 ounces| Nipple type: Vented

Olababy's bottle has a nipple design that mimics the feel of breasts, making it easy for newborns to be enticed and to latch on. The bottle offers a dual-venting anti-colic system to help prevent baby from sucking down too much air. There's even an off-centered nipple to promote continuous milk flow. The whole thing has a smooth texture and wide neck, so you can clean it easily.

What the Reviews Say: Plenty of parents say this is the bottle that worked after their baby rejected others. "It was difficult to find a bottle that my baby loved. As soon as we found the Gentle bottle there was no going back. Super easy to wash, less pieces than most bottles and the top makes it a seamless transition from nursing to bottlefeeding. Love!"

Amazon

Materials: Glass, silicone | Size options: 4, 8 ounces| Nipple type: Vented

Not everyone is interested in using plastic bottles and fair: Glass bottles require less energy to be produced and break down faster in landfills than plastic. Evenflo's bottles are a popular choice. They have a unique shape with special grooves that make them easy for you to grip, and for older babies to hold. Venting technology helps keep air bubbles away from your baby's stomach, reducing the potential for gas and colic. This bottle also has just three pieces for easy cleaning. These are a great glass bottle choice. If you plan to send your baby to a daycare, though, you may want to stock up on the Evenflo plastic version too as many providers don't allow any type of glass container.

What the Reviews Say: Shoppers give these bottles the thumbs up for durability and affordability. "These are the most affordable glass bottles I could find. I got two sets so we weren't constantly doing dishes. The nipples are vented, so there aren't a lot of small parts. They are extremely easy to clean. The glass is thick and seems very durable."

Amazon

Materials: Silicone | Size options: 5, 8 ounces| Nipple type: Vented

Comotomo's baby bottles were specially designed with breastfed babies in mind. They feel and even look like real breasts to help reduce rejection. These bottles features a wide neck for easy filling and cleaning, and you can pop these in the microwave, dishwasher or sterilizer without issues. Dual anti-colic vents help keep gas bubbles away from your baby. Choose from pink and green accent colors.

What the Reviews Say: Plenty of parents swear the Comotomo bottle was the top choice for picky breastfed babies who had refused all other bottles. "After months of trying to get my baby to take a bottle and being met with complete resistance, she took to the Comotomo IMMEDIATELY. We were all shocked. This bottle has been a game changer for our family."

Target

Materials: BPA-free plastic, silicone | Size options: 8 ounces| Nipple type: Vented

Parents of colicky babies swear by these slender bottles. The Options+ bottle has a convertible design that lets you use it with or without the venting system. That venting system grows with your baby, helping you to lessen the risk of colic and gas, regardless of age. Baby can also enjoy vacuum-free feeding, which gives a constant flow so your little one can eat at her own pace.

What the Reviews Say: Parents repeatedly stress in the reviews that these bottles helped their gassy babies get relief. "My son came home from the hospital so colicky. I tried everything!! I went to the store desperately looking for anything and grabbed these. They helped him so much. Burping became so easy and he stopped having as much gas pain. They aren't terrible to clean and they don't leak! I am one happy mama."

Babylist

Materials: BPA-free plastic, silicone | Size options: 4, 9, 11 ounces| Nipple type: Vented

Here's the thing: Babies can be incredibly picky. And, even if plenty of other parents swear by a particular bottle, your baby may handily reject it. If you’re unsure of which way to go and don't feel like ordering and reordering different bottle types to try to find a good fit, Babylist's Bottle Box is a good option to check out. It features five different bottles—from nanobébé, Comotomo, Nuk, Dr. Brown's and Olababy—so you can cycle through the various options until baby finds one she likes. Bonus: They’re all BPA-free and dishwasher safe.

What the Reviews Say: Plenty of parents applaud this box for giving them options. "I love this bottle box. It is great value! If you are like me and have no idea about which bottle to use, this is the perfect combo to find out which bottle is the best for precious. I am a believer of paced bottle feeding and as soon as my baby is able, I am letting him decide on his favorite bottles. Through trial and error, our best choice is Olababy, the next best is Como."

To pick our list of the best baby bottles, we analyzed the top baby bottles on the market for features like quality of materials, value and design. We also scoured reviews, spoke with experts and relied on our own experiences feeding babies over the years. (I’m a mother to four and my editor has three who have all used bottles at some point.)

Lussier says it's hard to give an exact time for this. For example, if you’re breastfeeding, Lussier says it's important for you to feel comfortable with establishing nursing before you introduce a bottle. "If breastfeeding is going well, you may want to introduce a bottle around the 4- to 6-weeks-old mark," she says. "But we have moms who need to go back to work at two weeks and waiting is not an option."

If you’re breastfeeding, Lussier recommends giving your baby pumped breast milk "if possible." She explains, "That's what your baby is used to and, if you’re introducing formula for the first time, it's a big change." Ideally, you’ll want someone other than you to give your baby the bottle. "Babies can smell the milk on you and they know it's there," she says. "Most babies will bat away the bottle and try the breast if mom is giving it to them."

You also want your baby in what Lussier calls "that middle ground of hunger." Meaning, your baby shouldn't be full and shouldn't be starving. (If baby is too hungry, she’ll just become really upset by the bottle, Lussier says.)

"Generally, feeding via bottle comes very easily to infants," says Gary Reschak, M.D., a pediatrician at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital. "The vast majority of babies will take bottles without much difficulty." If you plan to formula feed or give baby pumped breast milk from the start, Reschak says it should be relatively easy. But, "if you were to switch to bottle feeding after having previously been breastfeeding, babies will sometimes be more hesitant to take the bottle but will usually come around without significant difficulty," he says.

If your baby is pushing back on bottle feeding, Lussier recommends that you "keep trying." She adds, "Many breastfeed babies don't take it the first time." She also advises against doing back-to-back bottle feedings, but to continue to try again in a day or two if you’re not successful at first. "Some babies try, and then they’ll acquiesce," she says.