Quick answer: start your baby on a cup from around 6 months. The NHS suggests offering sips of water with meals, ideally from an open cup or a free-flow cup without a valve, because that helps your baby learn to sip and is better for their teeth. A leak-proof sipper is handy for outings. On any sipper, check three things: the age it is listed for, what it is made of, and how easy it is to clean.
Sippers come in many shapes: steel or Tritan, straw or spout, 270 ml or a full litre. This guide covers when to start, which type of cup the health guidance prefers, and what our own product pages say about each sipper.
When can my baby start drinking from a cup?
From around 6 months, when your baby starts solid food. The NHS says: "Introduce your baby to drinking from a cup or beaker from around 6 months and offer sips of water with meals."
Before that, milk is all your baby needs. The World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend that babies are fed only breast milk for the first 6 months, and the NHS notes that "Fully breastfed babies do not need any water until they've started eating solid foods."
Ask your paediatrician what drinking water is safe for your baby where you live.
Open cup, free-flow cup or sipper: what is the difference?
The difference is how the drink comes out, and the NHS has a clear preference:
- Open cup: an ordinary small cup with no lid.
- Free-flow cup: a lidded cup or beaker whose spout has no valve, so the drink flows when tipped.
- Non-spill or leak-proof sipper: a closed bottle with a straw or spout that holds the drink in.
The NHS says: "Using an open cup or a free-flow cup without a valve will help your baby learn to sip and is better for your baby's teeth." It adds that "A cup or beaker with a free-flow lid (without a non-spill valve) is better than a bottle or beaker with a teat as it will help your baby learn how to sip rather than suck", and that you should encourage your child to move from a lidded beaker to an open cup as soon as they are ready.
You can use both: an open cup at home for learning, and a leak-proof sipper in the bag for outings. All six of our sippers are described on their pages as leak proof.
What should go in a sipper?
Mostly water. The NHS advice for babies and toddlers:
- Offer sips of water from a cup with meals, from around 6 months.
- "Babies under 12 months do not need fruit juice or smoothies." If you give them, dilute one part juice to 10 parts water and keep them to mealtimes.
- Cows' milk "should not be given as a main drink to babies until they're 12 months old."
- Squashes, flavoured milk and fizzy drinks are not suitable for young babies, because they contain sugar and can cause tooth decay.
Which material: steel, Tritan or silicone?
Each of our sipper pages states its material. Here is what they say:
- 304 stainless steel, double walled: the Steebo Fusion and Steebo Duo pages say the double wall helps keep drinks warm or cold for longer. The Steebo Safari page describes its 304 double wall as corrosion-resistant and durable.
- Tritan: the Tritan Astro, Tritan Baloo and Tritan Bumble pages describe Tritan as shatter-proof and BPA-free.
- Silicone spouts and straws: the pages describe them as food-grade and BPA-free.
Two of them, the Steebo Duo and the Steebo Fusion, are stated on their pages as "BIS safety certified".
Which sipper suits which age?
Every sipper page lists a starting age. Choose one your baby has already reached.
| Sipper | Age on page | Capacity on page | Material on page | Drinking style on page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steebo Fusion Spout Cup | 6 months+ | 270 ml | Stainless steel, silicone spout | Spout, with a gravity ball |
| Steebo Duo 2 in 1 | 9 months+ | 500 ml | 304 stainless steel, silicone straw | Two lids: straw and spout |
| Steebo Safari | 12 months+ | 500 ml | Stainless steel, silicone straw | Straw |
| Tritan Bumble | 12 months+ | 330 ml | Tritan with PP plastic | Straw, with a gravity ball |
| Tritan Baloo | 12 months+ | 1000 ml | Tritan, silicone straw | Straw |
| Tritan Astro | 12 months+ | 1000 ml | Tritan, silicone straw | Straw |
The Steebo Fusion is the only one listed from 6 months. The Steebo Duo, from 9 months, lets you switch between a straw lid and a spout lid. From 12 months, all six are listed for your child. You will find them all in our feeding collection.
How do I keep a sipper clean?
Clean it soon after every use, including the straw and spout. NHS guidance from NHS 111 Wales says to clean "bottles, teats and other feeding equipment in hot, soapy water as soon as possible after feeds", and that it is important to sterilise all your baby's feeding equipment "until they are at least 12 months old". It also notes that a dishwasher "will clean it but it does not sterilise it".
A wide neck makes this easier. The Steebo Safari, Tritan Astro, Tritan Baloo and Tritan Bumble pages each mention a wide neck for cleaning. For sterilising at home, the Hygo Smart 5 in 1 Sterilizer page lists a bottle sterilizer function and an automatic shut-off.
What about milk feeds?
This guide is about cups and sippers for water and drinks. For milk feeds, the World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend breast milk only for the first 6 months, with breastfeeding continuing up to 2 years or beyond. If you have questions about how your baby feeds, talk to your paediatrician.
Questions parents ask
At what age can a baby use a sipper?
Check the age on the product page. Our Steebo Fusion is listed from 6 months, the Steebo Duo from 9 months, and the other sippers from 12 months. The NHS suggests introducing a cup from around 6 months.
Is an open cup better than a sipper?
For learning to drink, yes. The NHS says an open cup or a free-flow cup without a valve helps your baby learn to sip and is better for their teeth. A leak-proof sipper is useful when you are out.
Do I need to sterilise a sipper?
NHS guidance is to sterilise all your baby's feeding equipment until they are at least 12 months old, and to clean it in hot, soapy water first.
Can I put juice in a sipper?
The NHS says babies under 12 months do not need fruit juice. If you give it, dilute it one part juice to 10 parts water and give it only at mealtimes.
More guides: when is a baby ready for a high chair, baby clothes sizes by age, and all our parent guides.
Sources
- NHS, "Drinks and cups for babies and young children" (cups from around 6 months, open and free-flow cups, juice, cows' milk, water; page last reviewed 5 Oct 2022): nhs.uk/conditions/baby/weaning-and-feeding/drinks-and-cups-for-babies-and-young-children/
- NHS, "Your baby's first solid foods" (first cup from around 6 months; page last reviewed 19 Feb 2026): nhs.uk/conditions/baby/weaning-and-feeding/babys-first-solid-foods/
- NHS 111 Wales, "Sterilising bottles" (cleaning and sterilising feeding equipment; last updated 7 Jun 2023): 111.wales.nhs.uk/livewell/pregnancy/bottlefsterilising/
- World Health Organization, "Infant and young child feeding" fact sheet: who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/infant-and-young-child-feeding
- R for Rabbit product pages for each sipper named above (age group, capacity, material and features as stated there).