Toddler holding sippy cup.
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It can be hard to remember that your baby is growing when you transition off the breast or bottle.

It is a sad milestone, and you might be seeing flashes of them going off to college. There are lots of happy memories to make before that day.

Your child is ready to take on a new skill. That is cause for celebration, one that deserves the best sippy cup to help them achieve it. We have rounded up some of the best sippy cups for different ages and features.

All sippy cups have the same goal: to sip without spilling. It is a cup that allows your baby to drink out of a real cup without the risk of spilling.

Depending on the type of sippy cup you buy, it will usually have a spout, a straw, and a lid to help your little one learn how to take a drink without dumping it down the front of their cute

You can choose from a few different types of sippy cups:

  • Soft spout. These are the closest to a bottle, containing a nipple spout that still allows for sucking. They can be used to transition your baby to latched tops or open tops by allowing them to first get used to holding and gripping the cup and its handles.
  • Hard spout. Hard-spout sippy cups encourage your child to transition from sucking to tilting and sipping. It’s often best to introduce it after they’ve mastered the soft spout.
  • Straw. Straw sippy cups, as you may have guessed, employ a straw rather than a spout. Some feel that a straw is preferable for speech development over a spout. They can also help your child get used to drinking from a straw and using a cup.
  • No spout or flat lid. These sippy cups are spoutless with a flat top (sometimes referred to as 360 cups). They allow for water to flow from all edges of the cup opening to resemble the action of a real cup while still using a lid. They typically lack any no-spill valves, and that’s a good thing.

The transition from breast to cup is a big deal for your baby.

As previously mentioned, the AAP suggests fully transitioning from bottles to open cups by the time a child is 2 years old. Doing so can help prevent tooth decay.

Sippy cups can be used to bridge the gap between a bottle and an open cup. They keep your child from spilling.

Your child may not accept the first option you give them, but you can keep trying. The cups that your child will use is the key to success.

The type of sippy cup that is best for your baby depends on their age, their ability to hold a sippy cup on their own, and how easy the cups are to use. We considered what we wanted the best sippy cups to look like.

  • Company reputation and transparency. Our integrity team vets products for impending lawsuits, harmful materials, and more. You can learn all about Healthline’s detailed vetting process here.
  • Materials. All of the sippy cups included are made from BPA-free plastic and other safe materials.
  • Price. We included options in various price ranges.
  • Customer reviews. We combed through customer reviews to choose sippy cups that come highly rated by other parents.

Pricing guide

  • $ = under $5 per 5-ounce cup
  • $$ = $5–$8 per 5-ounce cup
  • $$$ = over $8 per 5-ounce cup

The best sippy cup for kids is listed here.

The key features to look for in a sippy cup for babies are easy-grip handles and soft spouts, as they are still learning to coordinate.

Cup use is not mandatory at this age. It is more about practice and less about drinking. Babies should be supervised while using a cup or bottle.

Best leak-free sippy cup

Nuby No-Spill Super Spout Grip N’ Sip

  • Price: $
  • Pros: Cup holds a full 8 ounces; budget-friendly option
  • Cons: Children with teeth can bite through the silicone spout, causing leaks and choking hazards

The plastic construction is BPA-free and comes in a variety of bright colors. The cup can hold a full 8 ounces of liquid. It’s also an affordable option.

The cup is leak-free, easy to clean, and has a good reputation among customers because it is screwed on correctly.

“Some say it isn’t the best choice for children with teeth because they can bite through the spout.”

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Best versatile sippy cup

Munchkin Latch Transition Cup

  • Price: $$$
  • Pros: Handles can be removed when no longer needed; can use the Munchkin bottle nipples with this cup during the transition period
  • Cons: smaller cup that’s only designed to hold 4 ounces; little ones can snap off the handles when in use

The materials in this cup are easy to clean.

“Customers like the cup’s flexibility. As your child gets more skilled at holding a cup, the handles can be removed. You can use bottle nipples when necessary.”

The cup is critiqued for its flow and handles snap off too easily.

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Best transitional sippy cup

Tommee Tippee First Sips Soft Transition Cup

  • Price: $$
  • Pros: Offers both a bottle nipple and a sippy top option for those still switching back and forth; removable handles can also be used on other Tommee Tippee products
  • Cons: Only designed to hold 5 ounces; some users felt the top was hard to screw on and off

The Tommee Tippee First sips soft transition cup is made for babies up to 4 months old. The plastic construction is free of the harmful chemicals known as BPA and it has a soft silicone spout that encourages a natural cup drinking action.

“You can use bottle nipples or the included sippy top, which comes with the cup, to lend it’sVersatility.”

“Some people like it because of its ease of use. The top is hard to remove and it can be difficult to use without it leaking, which is why people don’t like it.”

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Best eco-friendly sippy cup

DOIDY Cup

  • Price: $$$
  • Pros: An open-topped cup, so you don’t have to worry about spout issues; easy to clean and only one piece
  • Other options can get messy fast, and budget-friendly options are not as leakproof.

The DOIDY Cup is an open top cup that can be used by children as young as 4 months old. The slanted shape was designed 40 years ago and is made from high density polyethylene.

The cup helps teach the youngest children to drink from a rim, not a spout. It is all one piece and easy to clean.

This cup is not a good choice for on-the-go drinking because it is messy for babies. It is more expensive than many other options.

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As your baby continues to use cups, the options get more varied.

  • spout cups
  • spoutless cups
  • There are cups with straws.

You and your baby have the final say on the variety.

“Since the cup may be too heavy for your little one to hold with one hand, cups with handles are helpful. If a cup has a larger capacity, don’t fill it to the top so your baby can maneuver it.”

Continue to watch your baby using a cup until they are at least a year old.

Best soft-spout cup

NUK Learner Cup

  • Price: $$
  • Pros: Options for both 5- and 10-ounce cup sizes; removable handles for when your little one is ready to transition to more of a cup; includes a plastic lid to help prevent spills when traveling
  • Cons: Spout can be slow and require hard sucking

The NUK Learner Cup is in 5 or 10 ounce sizes and has handles for your baby.

It is appropriate for babies 6 months old or over and it is made from plastic. The cup has a vent that is designed to prevent baby from swallowing too much air.

Parents say that the cup is easy to handwash and that the travel piece that comes with the cup prevents leaks when it is thrown in a diaper bag. Some people say their babies had trouble getting milk out of the cup.

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Best straw sippy cup

ZoLi BOT Straw Sippy Cup

  • Price: $$$
  • Pros: Weighted straw makes it easier to get the last of the liquid out; dishwasher safe
  • Cons: One of the more expensive cup options; not the thickest of straws and can be bitten through

The ZoLi BOT Straw Sippy Cup is suitable for babies 9 months old or over. It has a weighted straw so your child can get liquid even if the cup is not oriented in a certain way.

The plastic can be washed or run through your dishwasher. You can buy replacement straws.

The handles are easy for babies to hold and the cup is simple to assemble, according to parents who like this cup.

It can be difficult to screw the top on correctly, making it prone to leaks. The straw can become damaged from normal wear and tear and the cup can leak.

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Best spoutless sippy cup

Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup

  • Price: $
  • Pros: Budget-friendly option; dishwasher safe; comes in a variety of sizes and colors
  • Cons: The top’s design can allow for big spills; the design can be hard for some children to figure out how to drink from

The trainer cup from the Munchkin is an affordable option. Babies 6 months old and over can drink from an open cup without spills thanks to the unique spoutless construction.

It has only three main pieces and a dishwasher safe.

Some parents complain that their babies can pour liquid by pressing on the center of the top, even though the cup is spill-proof.

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Many toddlers may graduate from handles at this age because they have mastered more dexterity with their hands. Little hands can use cups with curved or hourglass shapes.

Best for toddlers

First Essentials by NUK Fun Grips Hard Spout Sippy Cup

  • Price: $
  • Pros: Made in the United States; dishwasher safe; hourglass shape is easier to hold without needing handles
  • Cons: The cup’s wide base won’t fit in standard cup holders

The First Essentials by NUK Fun Grips Sippy Cup is made in the United States from plastic that is free of the harmful effects of the harmful chemicals in the water.

The design is easy to grasp for toddlers 12 months and older.

This cup is 100 percent spill-proof, leak-proof, and break-proof. You can wash this sippy cup in the dishwasher or hand.

“Some reviewers say the cup is too wide and doesn’t fit in diaper bag pockets, and that it’s too wide for cup holders.”

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Best straw sippy cup

Nuby No-Spill Cup with Flex Straw

  • Price: $
  • Pros: Budget-friendly option; contoured design offers secure grip without handles; thicker straw
  • Cons:10-ounce size might be larger than some children can easily handle; valve in the straw requires a “squeeze and suck” action

“Nuby’s No-Spill Flex Straw Cup is a popular choice for toddlers who prefer straws to spouts. The silicone straw is sturdy enough to stand up to biting and has a built-in valve to prevent spills and leaks.”

The cup is made from plastic and has a design for little hands.

The tots find it difficult to squeeze and suck the straw to get liquid through the valve. Many parents think the protection the valve provides is worth the extra effort.

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Best affordable sippy cup

The First Years Take and Toss Spill-Proof Sippy Cups

  • Price: $
  • Pros: Simple to put together and wash thanks to the few number of parts; cups have a valve-free design; can be used as a disposable cup if needed
  • Cons: Lid is easy to remove spilling everything in the cup; breaks more easily than some other sippy cup options

The First Years Take and toss sippy cups are a great option for on-the-go drinking.

The cups are valve-free and spill-proof, and they are suitable for kids 9 months old or over. If you have other little ones around the house, the Take and Toss products are interchangeable with the lids.

The cups have some advantages, but they are not the most durable.

Some people who use them treat them like disposable cups, which may diminish the savings over time. Several parents claim their tots outsmarted them by spilling the contents of the cup by removing the lid.

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Best spout-lid sippy cup

OXO Tot Transitions Soft Spout Sippy Cup with Removable Handles

  • Price: $$$
  • Pros: Handles can be removed when a child is ready to drink without them; hinged cap makes it easy to take the cup on the road, pack it in a diaper bag, etc.; side of the cup is marked so you can easily track and measure liquid amounts
  • Cons: There are cheaper spout-lid sippy cup options; lots of parts to clean

The extra touches on the cup made it stand out. It has handles that can be removed when your child is ready for a cup-like feel, and a cap that is easy to keep clean, making it a great option for travel.

The clear cup with markings makes it easy to see how much is left and to pour it into the cup.

“If you want something easier to clean, keep in mind that this cup has a lot of parts. This isn’t the cup for you if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option.”

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Best insulated sippy cup

First Essentials by NUK Seal Zone Insulated Cup

  • Price: $
  • Pros: Keeps liquids cold for up to 6 hours; dishwasher safe
  • Cons: Some users found that the lid cracked after a few months; cup can be difficult to open

The cup from NUK has a layer of insulation that is supposed to keep liquids cold for up to 6 hours.

The plastic can be washed or run through the dishwasher. People who recommend this cup say it has exceptional protection.

Some users say the spill-proof feature makes it difficult to open the cup, and that the lid cracks after a couple months of use.

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If they have already, toddlers older than 18 months are ready to drink from a bottle, just like they would if they were still in cups.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children should stop using the bottle between 12 and 24 months. Meanwhile, the AAPD recommends eliminating the bottle and no-spill sippy cups by the 12-month mark to reduce the risk of childhood caries. That’s because no-spill sippy cups (sometimes called no-valve sippy cups) essentially work like bottles with a different shape and design.

When you are not out and about, be sure to give your toddler time with a plain, open-topped cup. This will help them learn how to drink. It is best to put sippy cups away for good once your child has mastered the open cup.

Best open-top sippy cup

Reflo Smart Cup

  • Price: $
  • Pros: Budget-friendly price point; looks and feels like an adult cup, which is great for both practice and making your little one feel grown-up
  • Cons: The cups are fairly easy to break; can still leave a big mess if knocked over

Reflo Smart cups are often the right size for small hands. The cups are more suitable for toddlers than young children, but you can start using them with kids as young as 6 months old.

The secret? If the cup is tipped over, a clearlid is placed inside to help slow the flow of liquid.

Parents say this cup is great for children who may not be able to use a sippy due to a cleft palate or other medical issues.

“The cup is made in the USA and it is also slow in the flow of liquid so kids don’t choke. Some parents think the cups break easily.”

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It is easy to become overwhelmed by the many types and designs of sippy cups. To keep it simple, here are the most important features to look for when choosing what to spend and what not to spend.

  • Materials. If designed with plastic (which many are), ensure it’s BPA-free. A scientific review by the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology concluded that BPA exposure is associated with increased likeliness of anxiety, depression, and hyperactivity. Other commonly used safe materials include silicone (though you might have to replace these more often if your baby is teething) and stainless steel.
  • “The design is leak-free. There is no secret that children are messy. It’s ideal that leak-free and leak-resistant features are present. The ADA recommends that you transition your child to no-valve sippy cups to help them learn how to sip.”
  • “It is easy to clean. Some sippy cups are dishwasher safe, others aren’t. It is still a good idea to pre-wash sippy cups with a bottle brush and scrub out the little crevices. Some parents prefer sippy cups with straws, but they can be more difficult to clean. If you prefer a cup that is easier to clean, you may skip the straw design.”

It is not necessary to switch to a sippy cup at 4 months old.

The AAP suggests to start offering your baby a cup around 6 months of age, around the time when they begin solid foods. Some babies may be more ready to try a cup when they are around 9 or 10 months old.

Aim to use cups full time by the time your child turns 2 years old, according to the AAP.

Here are some tips to help you with the cup.

  • For younger babies, offer a cup with some plain water between regular mealtimes.
  • “If you’re a child 1 year or older, replace their midday bottle with a cup of your choice.”
  • If your baby gets used to it, you may replace the morning or evening bottle with a cup.
  • Resist letting your child walk around with a sippy cup all day. If the sippy cup is filled with milk or juice, it can affect their appetite and cause dental issues.
  • “Breast milk, dairy or plant milk, and water are good first beverages. Don’t drink fruit juice. Water is the best drink to drink during snack times.”
  • “If your child doesn’t like one cup, try another. Some cups won’t work for all babies.”
  • Transition away from cups that require sucking as soon as possible. In fact, the American Dental Association (ADA) explains that while it may not be as convenient, the “best” training cup for your child is one with no valve.

“It will take time to make this switch. It is learning a new skill. If it takes several weeks for them to figure out a new cup, don’t be discouraged, they will get there in time.”

Sippy cups can cut down on mess, but they can also create other problems.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) notes that bottle-feeding, breastfeeding, and repeated use of no-spill sippy cups (because of the way they mimic bottle-feeding) after 12 months are associated with early childhood caries, or tooth decay.

Children filling up on liquids instead of solid food can be a result of long-term use of a sippy cup.

sippy cup use can delay the development of mature sucking patterns that are necessary for oral development.

A toddler can carry a sippy cup more easily than an open-top cup, which may make them more prone to injury if they fall with the cup in their mouth.

Because of these concerns, many experts are now recommending sippy cup use be limited under parental guidance for water and mealtime liquids. Many experts are also encouraging parents to think about a quick transition to open-top cups or There are cups with straws..

It will be a thing of the past before your child is ready for a sippy cup.

A sippy cup is not likely to cause gas or discomfort. If you have any concerns about your child, talk to their doctor.