Best Baby Bottles: Glass vs. Plastic

Baby Bottles

Decades ago, the only baby bottles you could buy were made of glass. But glass was heavy and breakable. So, when plastic bottles came along that were lighter and shatter-proof, the glass bottle became almost obsolete.

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But reports that a type of plastic found in baby bottles might cause potentially harmful changes in developing babies left parents wondering if perhaps old-fashioned glass wasn't such a bad thing after all. These days, there are several types of bottles available, including hybrids that are a bit of both.

Here is some background on baby bottles, along with tips on how to choose – and use – bottles safely and effectively.

How many baby bottles do I need?

Once you pick a specific bottle, buy at least a dozen of them. Even if you’ll be breastfeeding, you may want some extra baby bottles for pumped breast milk storage.

Even as a breastfeeding mom, I wanted to find the best non toxic baby bottles to have on hand. (The hope was that my babies would accept nighttime bottles of pumped milk from my husband, although this didn’t exaaaactly turn out to be the case.)

1. Pura Stainless / 2. Como Tomo / 3. Natursutten / 4. Evenflo / 5. Klean Kanteen / 6. haakaa / 7. Life Factory

If you’re pregnant and and plan to bottle-feed full time or even only on occasion, you’re probably also on the hunt for the best non toxic baby bottles.

Here is how to find them!

1. Avoid Plastic Baby Bottles, Including “BPA-free” Ones

Plastic bottles are tempting—they are inexpensive, readily available, lightweight, and hard to break. But plastic leeches chemicals, some of which are known endocrine disruptors.

Don’t be fooled by “BPA-free” labels. BPA-free plastics that contain BPA substitutes like BPS are possibly just as bad, if not worse. This recent study revealed that infants could potentially consume up to 4.5 million plastic particles every single DAY when they are being fed by plastic bottles.

Bottom line: If you want the best non toxic baby bottles, you’ll have to avoid all plastic.

2. Be Choosy with Glass Baby Bottles

Glass has long been considered the safest material for baby bottles. In theory, glass bottles won’t leech anything into milk or formula.

Unfortunately, recent investigations by Mamavation and others have revealed that some glass bottles are contaminated with lead. In all cases, the lead was not on the bottle itself but rather the painted logo or other print on the outside of the bottle. Even though lead was not found inside any of the bottles on these tests, it could of course get onto your hands or your baby’s hands from the outside. For this reason, we recommend choosing bottles made of completely clear and unmarked glass (more on the brands we like below).

Glass baby bottle brands to avoid include:

• Comi
• Lansinoh
• Nouri
• Pigeon
• Simba

Best Non Toxic Baby Bottle Made of Glass

Our top pick for a glass baby bottle is LifeFactory. The ergonomic design makes them easy to hold and clean, while the silicone sleeve provides a secure grip and added protection against breakage. You can also put these bottles in the freezer (with breast milk in them) because they are made of thermal shock-resistant glass. Finally, we love that these bottles come a range of sizes and vibrant colors.

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Bottom line: Watch out for painted logos on the outside of glass baby bottles, and avoid the five brands above.

3. Consider Stainless Steel Baby Bottles

Food-grade stainless steel is great option for safer baby bottles. Another plus: stainless steel bottles are lighter and less breakable than glass.

You’ve probably heard that some stainless steel water bottles–like Stanley–can contain lead. This mostly isn’t something to worry about, since there is really no way for the lead that’s used inside the insulated part to touch liquid in the cup OR the hands of the person holding the cup. If the “button” on the bottom of stainless steel baby bottle is compromised or falls off, then you should throw the bottle away.

Better yet, choose a stainless steel baby bottle that doesn’t use lead at all, such as Klean Kanteen or Pura.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website HEORSHE.

We love Pura’s infant bottles because they are totally plastic-free, come in two sizes, are available insulated and non-insulated, and can be converted into bottles for toddlers, kids, and adults.

Bottom line: Some of the best non toxic baby bottles are made of stainless steel, which is lighter than glass.

4. Silicone Baby Bottles Are Okay

My bottle-feeding friends love silicone baby bottles because they are lightweight, durable, and flexible. In terms of safety, silicone bottles are better than plastic, but probably not as safe as glass or stainless steel.

Research on silicone’s safety is relatively limited, but do know that silicone may leech at very low and very high temperatures. You might consider skipping silicone bottles for hot liquids and avoid putting them in the freezer.

Best Non Toxic Baby Bottle Made of Silicone

I would feel comfortable using the Comotomo silicone bottle. It’s lightweight and free of plastic. Plus, my friends who use these bottles say their babies LOVE them.

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Bottom line: Silicone baby bottles are a safer alternative to plastic bottles, but may leech at extreme temperatures.

5. Don’t Forget the Nipples

When possible, we prefer natural rubber nipples from a credible company like Natursutten. Food-grade silicone is also a durable and hygienic material for baby bottle nipples. Definitely skip synthetic latex nipples (like these by Gerber), which can contain a number of concerning additives.

Best Non Toxic Baby Bottle Nipples

We love Natursutten’s 100% natural rubber nipples, which are compatible with most baby bottles.

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Bottom line: Use bottle nipples made of natural rubber or medical-grade silicone.

6. Gimme-Approved Best Non Toxic Baby Bottles

It’s easy to become overwhelmed when researching the best non toxic baby bottles. Even the most inert material in the world–glass!–can be contaminated with lead when it is painted upon. And as more tests emerge, brands that you would think make super safe bottles are turning out to be the very ones you should avoid.

We hope this post has helped make baby bottle shopping easier. But if you still feel confused, don’t worry. We’ve done the research for you!

When we considered all factors and testing available, we came up with the following seven brands that we feel are the best non toxic baby bottles out there. (These are listed in alphabetical order, not order of preference!)

Bottom Line: The Best Non Toxic Baby Bottles

If I were buying baby bottles now, I would try LifeFactory (glass), Pura (stainless steel), and/or Comotomo (silicone).

Because my babies rarely drank from bottles, I can’t recommend a favorite in terms of performance. So I need you guys to comment below on your favorites glass, stainless steel, and silicone baby bottles and nipples.

Stay sane,

Maia, Founder & CEO

Want more information on silicone feeding bottles? Feel free to contact us.