UV vs Steam: Which Bottle Sterilizer Is Your Pick in 2023?

Disclaimer: Nuevamae is not sponsored by any of the mentioned brands or platforms. This article expresses our honest opinion based on our experience and research. Read more about our mission.

45 mommies tested and reviewed a total of 10 bottle sterilizers. We handpicked and narrowed down to the 4 best UV and steam sterilizers. Here are our main findings:

  • 53.33% of mommies are users of the Haenim UV sterilizer, making it the most popular bottle sterilizer.
  • The top 3 considerations when buying bottle sterilizers are: 99.9% sterilization, multi-purpose sterilization and drying function.
TLDR:

If you have the budget to splurge, go for the Haenim 4G+ UV Sterilizer. 
If you need a large storage space, go for the Wabi UVC Sterilizer. 
If you prioritize functionality, go for the Baby Brezza Steam Sterilizer.
If you prioritize value for money, go for the Philips Avent Advanced Bottle Sterilizer.

1

Why Should You Trust Me

Who Am I

Hello! I’m En Jia, a mom of one. As the mother of my daughter, I want to always provide the best for her. I have personally used the Haenim 4G+ UV sterilizer. 

Sterilizer or No?

Just like many first time moms, I was clueless about the baby essentials my newborn would need after she is born. After going through the baby checklist, one of the products I was skeptical about purchasing was the baby bottle sterilizer as it could easily cost up to a few hundred dollars. In the past, our parents only used boiling water to sterilize our milk bottles and sterilizers were little-known. 

Through my research, I’ve learnt that using an UV or steam sterilizer is a safer and more convenient way of sterilizing baby bottles. I decided to give the Haenim 4G+ UV Sterilizer a go and have never looked back since! The accessibility and fuss-free experience is worth every penny. 

In order to gain insights on the factors to look out for when purchasing a bottle sterilizer, we have surveyed 45 mommies who shared their experience on 10 types of bottle sterilizers they used. 

Based on your needs, you can decide what’s most suitable for you. 

2

Why Do You Need a Bottle Sterilizer?

Purpose of a Bottle Sterilizer

There are several methods of sterilizing baby bottles, which include boiling and microwaving. The easiest method is using a bottle sterilizer. As most bottle sterilizers are multi-functional, you can select the mode of your choice and it will automatically start sterilizing.

Milk is the main source of food for babies in the first 6 months of their life. Unlike adults, a newborn’s immune system and digestive tracts are not fully developed. Unless you are exclusively latching, your baby may come in contact with milk bottles as often as every feed. It is important that anything going into your baby’s mouth is clean and sterilized. 

Without proper sterilization, your baby is at risk of getting diarrhea or vomiting. The best bottle sterilizers can kill up to 99.9% of bacteria, reducing the possibility of germs being transmitted during bottle feeding. 

3

Considerations When Buying a Bottle Sterilizer

What Should You Look Out For?
Pie chart showing the top 3 considerations when buying a bottle sterilizer

Before all else, you need to decide on the sterilizing method. Both UV and Steam sterilizers can eliminate bacteria quickly and efficiently, therefore they are go-to options for many parents.

31 out of 45 mommies state that the ability to sterilize 99.9% of germs and bacteria was the top factor they considered before buying a bottle sterilizer.

Top consideration: 99.9% sterilization

As a baby’s immune system is not fully developed before the age of 1, they are vulnerable and prone to getting illnesses. As such, sterilizing should be done for at least the first 12 months of a baby’s life. 99.9% sterilization effectively kills germs, bacteria and other microorganisms that might be on the baby bottle. This is essential in keeping your baby healthy. 

Multi-purpose sterilization 

A multi-purpose sterilizer can sterilize baby bottles and other items such as pacifiers, breast pump parts and toys. This will allow you to maximize the full potential of the sterilizer and can continue using it after your baby transitions out of milk bottles.  

Large capacity

The sterilizer should be big enough to contain the number of bottles your baby uses per day. Depending on the type of baby bottles you use, some may be wide-necked and require more space than narrow-necked bottles. Do keep in mind that you may have to allocate space for your pump parts and pacifiers as well. 

Value for money

Bottle sterilizers are often big ticket baby items and you should get your money’s worth. Consider the cost of the sterilizer with its features and quality to determine if it is worth the investment. While it is good to invest in a high-quality product, it is also important that you choose a sterilizer that fits in the budget set aside for it.

Easy to use

As a busy mom with a baby, an efficient and easy to use sterilizer can give you convenience especially when your hands are full. With smart technology, sterilizing baby bottles can be simple and quick with just a touch of a button.  

4

Advice From Other Mommies

Mommies’ Advice

Here are some advice from mommies that own bottle sterilizers: 

  • Mileage: Investing in a good quality sterilizer as you would need to use it long-term
  • Drying Function: Get a sterilizer with the drying function for more convenience 
  • Multipurpose: Look for sterilizers that can sterilize items other than baby bottles 
  • Multifunctional: Consider buying sterilizers that have various settings for more versatility 
  • Deals: Look out for good deals during baby fairs and year end sales for more savings
  • Large Capacity: Choose a sterilizer that is compact with large capacity to be space efficient. 
5

Comparison Tables for UV & Steam Sterilizers

UV vs Steam Sterilizer
Pie chart showing which sterilization method is preferred by mommies

33 out of 45 mommies we surveyed prefer UV sterilizers over steam sterilizers. Most mommies prefer UV sterilizers as it saves a lot of time and they do not have to go through the hassle of refilling water after every use. 

Functions
Capacity
Average Cost
Usage
Maintenance
Safety of Equipment
Length of Cycle
UV Sterilizers
Auto, Dry, UV Led Storage,Clean
Stores up to 16 bottles
USD 323
Can be used for baby bottles, pacifiers, pump parts, toys, feeding sets
Needs a wipe down occasionally
UV rays will automatically shut off when door is open
30 mins – 1 hour
Steam Sterilizers
Basic Sterilization
Stores up to 6 bottles
USD 89
Can be used for baby bottles, pacifiers
Need to refill water every use
Risk of scalding due to involvement of hot water
2 –  5 mins
6

What Are The Best UV Sterilizers?

Best UV Sterilizers

Overall best bottle sterilizer

Haenim bottle sterilizer
Image credit: Haenim

Lazada Haenim 4G+ Smart Classic UVC-LED UV Sterilizer

Best selling UV Sterilizer in South East Asia. Most efficient drying time and easy storage function.
Description, price and image taken from Lazada directly. We are not sponsored nor advertising for the above said company.

Shopee Haenim 4G+ Smart Classic UVC-LED UV Sterilizer

Best selling UV Sterilizer in South East Asia. Most efficient drying time and easy storage function.
Description, price and image taken from Shopee directly. We are not sponsored nor advertising for the above said company.
Pros
  • Large capacity: can fit up to 16 bottles
  • Multipurpose sterilization 
  • Do not need to replace UV lamps
  • Automatically shuts off after sterilization
  • Ability to select different settings
  • Has drying function
  • Easy-to-use
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Too bulky
  • Long sterilization cycles
Pie chart showing most used bottle sterilizer brands

53.33% of mommies we surveyed own a Haenim UV Sterilizer, making it the most popular bottle sterilizer.

Bar graph showing the top 3 factors mommies love about their bottle sterilizers

27.78% of Haenim sterilizer users shared that the most loved aspect is its ease of usage – select Auto and the sterilizer will automatically transfer between drying and sterilizing. 

Bar graph showing the top 1-2 factors mommies dislike about their bottle sterilizer

The hefty price tag and bulkiness of Haenim sterilizers are the top reasons why mommies dislike the sterilizer.  

Large storage bottle sterilizer

Wabi baby by the kitchen sink product image

Amazon Wabi UV-C Sterilizer and Dryer

Designed with a simple touchscreen that lets you sterilize, dry and store items with a single touch, sanitize bottles or devices in just 30 minutes while eliminating germs and bacteria.
USD 279.99 Buy from Amazon
Description, price and image taken from Amazon directly. We are not sponsored nor advertising for the above said company.
Pros
  • Large capacity
  • Multipurpose sterilization
  • Ability to select different settings
  • Has drying function
  • Automatically shuts off after sterilization
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Too bulky
  • Long sterilization cycles

The Wabi UV-C Sterilizer has a huge storage space that can fit at least eight to ten baby bottles depending on the size of the bottles. Both the top and bottom racks of the sterilizer can be removed but are not adjustable. This gives mommies the flexibility of sterilizing items that require a bigger space.  

7

What Are The Best Steam Sterilizers?

Best Steam Sterilizers

Multifunctional bottle sterilizer

Baby Breeza product image
Image credit: babybreeza

Amazon Baby Brezza Baby Bottle Sterilizer and Dryer

Automatically sterilizes & dries bottles, breast pump parts, pacifiers, teethers, sippy cups, toys & other accessories in 1 easy step – saving you time.
USD109.99 Buy from Amazon
Description, price and image taken from Amazon directly. We are not sponsored nor advertising for the above said company.
Pros
  • Fits bottles of all sizes and shapes
  • Bottles stay sterile for up to 24 hours in the sterilizer
  • Can sterilize bottles, pump parts and pacifiers
  • Has drying function
Cons
  • Need to refill water every time you use the sterilizer
  • Additional cost: Require filtered or distilled water
  • Slight leaking can occur if lid is not closed properly

The Baby Brezza Sterilizer is a steam sterilizer with drying functions. This feature is good for moms that do not want to spend extra time drying their bottles. 

Due to the design of the sterilizer, it can fit bottles of different shapes and sizes but they have to be positioned carefully in order to make sure that there is enough room for all the items you need to sterilize.

Value for money bottle sterilizer

Philips Avent bottle sterilizer product image
Image credit: Philips Avent

Amazon Philips Avent Advanced Bottle Steam Sterilizer

This sterilizer is quick and easy to clean, designed to reduce the chance of unpleasant odors.
USD 69.99 Buy from Amazon
Description, price and image taken from Amazon directly. We are not sponsored nor advertising for the above said company.

Lazada Philips Avent Advanced Bottle Steam Sterilizer

Sterilize in 10 mins – Experience speed and safety with the sterilization cycle lasting just 10 minutes, after which the sterilizer automatically turns itself off.
SGD 76.90 Buy from Lazada
Description, price and image taken from Lazada directly. We are not sponsored nor advertising for the above said company.

Shopee Philips Avent Advanced Bottle Steam Sterilizer

Sterilize up to six feeding bottles with accessories in just 10 minutes. The slim but roomy Bottle Sterilizer Advanced is fast and efficient, killing 99.9% of germs* for peace of mind at every feed.
Description, price and image taken from Shopee directly. We are not sponsored nor advertising for the above said company.
Pros
  • Has a large capacity, can fit many bottles
  • Affordable
  • Fast sterilization cycle
  • Automatically shuts off after sterilization
  • Easy-to-use
Cons
  • No drying function
  • Need to be cleaned constantly due to scaling
  • Can only sterilize baby bottles
  • Too bulky

11 mommies we surveyed own a Philips Avent Advanced Steam Sterilizer making it the second most popular bottle sterilizer. The mommies who used this sterilizer loved it for its affordability and ease of usage.

The sterilization process only requires six minutes and is shorter than most steam sterilizers. After pressing the button to activate the sterilizer, sterilization will begin and automatically shut off when it is completed. 

One of the downsides of the sterilizer is that there is no drying function and you will have to manually dry the bottles. If you have more budget to spare, you can consider getting the Philips Avent Premium Bottle Steam Sterilizer & Dryer which can sterilize and dry baby bottles.

8

Other Sterilizers Mommies Used

Other Contenders 

Combi

Mommy bought the Combi Sterilizer and Dryer and recommended purchasing sterilizers with the dryer function. 

Buy from Lazada or Shopee.

Dr. Brown

Mommy used the Dr. Brown Deluxe Bottle Sterilizer but mentioned that it has limited capacity.

Buy from Shopee.

Loveamme

Mommy loved the Loveamme Love Clean Pro sterilizer for its large capacity and the ability to sterilize other baby items, but mentioned that it is too bulky and has slow sterilization.

Buy from Lazada or Shopee.

Xiaomi

Two mommies received the Xiaomi UV sterilizer as a hand-me-down. 

Buy from Shopee.

Lollababy 

Mommy loved the Lollababy UV sterilizer for its ability to select different settings although it is expensive.

Buy from Lazada or Shopee.

Isauchi

Mommy bought the Isauchi steam sterilizer for its affordability but mentioned that it can only sterilize baby bottles. 

9

Thoughts on UV and Steam Sterilizers

Concluding thoughts

Regardless of the sterilization method, sterilizers are essential in the early days of your newborn. With so many brands in the market, you will be able to find a suitable sterilizer that meets your needs and fits in your budget. 

Out of the many UV and steam sterilizers mommies used, we narrowed down to 5 of the best bottle sterilizers and their respective pros and cons for you to consider before making your purchase. 

We hope that through this article, we were able to give you the information you need to buy a bottle sterilizer. 

To end off this post, I would like to give thanks to the sweetest mommies, who replied me amidst their busy schedules to make this review possible:

We will be happy to hear your thoughts

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