Best Sippy Cups for Toddlers and Babies

Find the best sippy cups for toddlers and babies 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.

(You may also like best kids lunchboxes, bento lunch boxes, kids water bottles, and reusable pouches.)

How to Choose a Sippy Cup for 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 details 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).

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 up front, 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 nine years now, and they still work just as well as they did when I first bought them.

Best Overall: Lalo Little Cup

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

Best Glass Sippy Cup: Lifefactory Glass Bottle and Sippy Caps

We used these sippy cups for toddlers 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 Spout or Hard Cap, starting at about $15

Best Transition/Trainer Cup for Baby: Avent Trainer Sippy Cup

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 milk for toddlers.

BUY IT: Avent Trainer, about $7

Best Open Cup: EZPZ Mini Cup

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.

Since it’s only 2 ounces, you don’t have to worry about too much being spilled plus it’s super durable and lightweight. Add only a small amount of liquid to this sippy cup for toddlers to reduce the amount that can potentially spill. (There is 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 Tumblers, 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 cup so much that we regularly use it around the house, too.

This is an investment as it’s 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

Best No-Spill: Munchkin Miracle Stainless-Steel 360

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 out this cup while others sail right through getting the hang of it.) It also has a newer Straw Cap option.

The spoutless cup is 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

Best Plastic Straw Cup: Lollacup or Munchkin

Other than the straw cap that goes with the Munchkin 360 Miracle Cup and the Lalo cup that I mention above, 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 they position 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.

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

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

Best Stainless-Steel Cup: Elk and Friends Tumbler

These stainless steel cups are a great sippy cup for toddlers as they 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! They are great for toddler smoothies, milk, and water.

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

Best Tips for Sippy Cups

• Think through which material you prefer and how long you’d like to use the cup.
• Think about where you’ll mostly be using the cup—at home, on the go, or packed for day care or preschool.
• Whichever cup you use, be sure to take it apart fully to wash and dry it to avoid mildew.
• Use the thin brushes that come with straw cups to clean them thoroughly. Replace straws as needed.
• Add small amounts of liquids with open cups, as kids learn to use them to limit spillage.
• Check out my kids water bottles and baby spoons.

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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.