Avent, Gerber, Nuby, Playtex, or Munchkin? the Quest for the Perfect Sippy Cup

As a first time mom, I was clueless the first time I went shopping for sippy cups. When I looked at the endless rows of cups with bright colors and popular characters, my head started spinning. I wasn't even sure what I was looking for and reading through all of the advertising about special valves and insulation only made it worse. After trying out a few cups, I quickly decided that the perfect sippy cup would be one that really was spill proof and didn't leak. All of them seemed to claim that they did, but from my experience this was rarely true. Eventually, through trial and error and a great deal of money wasted, I found a few that passed the test.

Avent Magic Cup with Handles (7 oz.)

The Avent Magic Cup was the first sippy cup that we invested in. We had used the Avent bottles, and so I figured it would be a good transition cup. Some of the features that the cups include are: soft spouts, markings to track fluids, and a special valve that opens when your child is drinking and closes when your child is not drinking. In addition, the cup is interchangeable with other Avent products (including the bottles and the breast pump). They also claim that it is "spill proof."

This cup did not live up to my expectations at all. It is very wide and does not include any grips, so it is difficult for tiny hands to hold on to. You can use the handles or attach the spout to a regular Avent bottle, but for me, this kind of defeats the purpose of helping your child to transition from a bottle to a cup. Although the spout itself does not leak, the cup frequently leaks from the area where you screw the spout on. The valves in the cup make it difficult for a young child who is just transitioning from a bottle to drink out of. You can remove the valves so that the liquid flows easier, but then the cup also leaks badly. It is also very difficult to clean as there are four different pieces that you have to take apart to clean it thoroughly. Since we used this cup at least daily, this became a tedious task. A set of two cups retails for about $8 and in my opinion is not worth it.

Luv 'N Care Nuby No-Spill Sippy Gripper (10 oz.)

I discovered the Nuby No-Spill Sippy Gripper cups in a bin at my local Walmart store. They retail for less than $2 each, which is significantly less than other cups that are on the market, so I figured it was worth trying. This cup makes a good transition cup because it has easy grip sides that make it easy for children to hold on to. It does not have any valves and it has a soft silicone spout which is similar to a bottle nipple. This was easier for my daughter to drink out of because it was something that she was familiar with. This cup is very easy to clean and is dishwasher safe.

Initially, I thought this cup was a pretty good investment. What I learned is that these cups do not hold up well over time. The spout wears down easily, especially if your child chews on it. Once it begins to wear down, it will leak. It also leaks where you screw the lid on and it leaks when placed upside down. I found that we had to replace these cups after a month or two, so it real is not much of a bargain in the long run. There are no markings to track the amount of fluids that you put in or how much your child drinks. The cup also does not come with a lid, so it is not the best cup to use if you are on the go because it could leak in your car or in the diaper bag.

Gerber 7 oz. spill-proof transition cup

The Gerber cups were recommended by a friend and I wish that we would have found them sooner. They are excellent for a child who is making the transition from a cup to a bottle. The cup includes a soft, flexible spout; clear volume markings, a one-piece valve, and adjustable handles. The base is more like a bottle and has indentations with grips that are easy for younger children to hold on to. The cups are also interchangeable with ComfortHold bottles and will attach to the Gerber breast pump. Although the spout is soft, it is also distinctly different from a bottle nipple, and really does help your child distinguish between the bottle and a cup. These cups were one of the few that we invested in that never leaked. They come in bright colors such as hot pink, purple, and blue, which is appealing to kids. They come in a 2-pack that retails for about $7 in most stores. My only complaint was that they only come with one set of "grip" handles so if you need to wash the handles or you lose them, you have to buy a new set. This cup is great for young toddlers (9-18 months), but older children do not like it as much.

Munchkin Insulated Big Kid Cup

Once my daughter successfully transitioned to using a sippy cup, we started looking for "big kid" cups. The Munchkin cup was the first one that we tried. The spout is bigger and angled so that your child can get used to the idea of drinking from a regular cup. This is one feature that I really liked. The cups are supposedly insulated, but I have not been overly impressed with the insulation thus far. They are appealing to older children because they have popular Nickolodeon characters such as Dora the Explorer and Sponge Bob Square Pants. They also have a section on them where you can write your child's name. The cup has one small valve that is very easy to clean. My biggest disappointment with this cup is that it does leak, even though they claim it is "leak proof." The main leaks have come from the area where you screw the lid on, but it has also leaked from the spout as well when turned upside down. The cup is sold in a 2-pack and retails for about $7.

Playtex Sipster Spill-Proof Cup and Insulator (9 oz.)

The Playtex Sipster cups are the best cup we have come across. The cups are advertised as being both "break proof" and insulated. We have had these cups for almost a year now, and thus far, even though they have been dropped several times in a number of places, the "break proof" promise has held true. They insulation has also worked well, even in the summer heat. We have taken it in the car with us several times and even if we leave it in the car and then come out, it still feels pretty cool. One of my favorite features is that it has never once leaked, even when turned upside down. The spout is hard and plastic, so it works well with older children who have already made a solid transition to using a sippy cup. It has a valve that fits across the top of the lid which pops off easily for cleaning. The cups are dishwasher safe and are very easy to clean.

The Playtex Sipsters come in a package with two cups that retails for about $7. They have a variety of colors and characters including Disney favorites such as the princesses, Nemo, and the Cars characters. They also have a 7 oz. transition cup with handles that I wish we would have discovered when my daughter first began using sippy cups.