mybest
Nursing & feeding

Helping You Find the Best

Close
  1. TOP
  2. Baby Products
  3. Nursing & feeding
  4. 10 Best Toddler Cups UK 2024 | Nuby, Tommee Tippee and More
  • 10 Best Toddler Cups UK 2024 | Nuby, Tommee Tippee and More 1
  • 10 Best Toddler Cups UK 2024 | Nuby, Tommee Tippee and More 2
  • 10 Best Toddler Cups UK 2024 | Nuby, Tommee Tippee and More 3
  • 10 Best Toddler Cups UK 2024 | Nuby, Tommee Tippee and More 4
  • 10 Best Toddler Cups UK 2024 | Nuby, Tommee Tippee and More 5

10 Best Toddler Cups UK 2024 | Nuby, Tommee Tippee and More

Toddler cups, or sippy cups, are a really useful tool in making the move from drinking exclusively from baby bottles to being able to drink from regular cups and tumblers. They’re designed to be ergonomic and easy for your toddler to hold, and to instil confidence and the ability to drink without spilling.


But which are the best to buy in the UK? That’s where we step in – we’ve checked out Amazon, Boots and eBay to bring you every option from the best cups with straws, handles, and lids to the best bottle-style cups for older toddlers. Whether you have a 2 or 3 year old or a little one of 6 or 24 months, read on to help you both find the perfect product! 

Last updated 21/03/2024
mybest Editing Team
Guide
mybest UK
mybest Editing Team

A recommendation service that carefully researches each product and consults with experts across many disciplines. We are constantly creating new content to provide the best shopping experience from choosing ‘cosmetics’ to ‘food and drink’, ‘home appliances’ to ‘kids and baby’ products, reaching users all across the United Kingdom.

mybest Editing Team's Profile
…Continue reading

Table of Contents

How to Choose a Toddler Cup in the UK - Buying Guide

There are quite a few different areas to consider when delving in to the world of cups, so let’s crack on and see what they are so you can decide what would work best for your baby.

1

Transition, Sippy Cup or Bottle? Choose a Cup Style Suitable for Your Child's Age

Transition, Sippy Cup or Bottle? Choose a Cup Style Suitable for Your Child's Age

There are three main types of toddler cup, the choice of which is mostly dependent on age. Transition cups are designed to encourage your baby away from breast or bottle feeding, and will often have two handles to be easy to hold and a soft spout that’s easy on your baby’s mouth. This cup is best for ages 4-12 months.


Second are toddler cups. In order to encourage your child to hold the cup without any additional assistance, these generally won’t have handles and will have a variety of different spouts and straws to choose between. This style is designed for children from 12 months to 3 years of age.


Once your toddler reaches the age of 3, they’ll likely have all their teeth and will be much more active – in fact, getting them to sit still will be a challenge! Kid bottles are designed for older toddlers who are constantly on the move and hold much more liquid than the cups from the earlier stages. These are designed for children over 3.

2

Consider the Different Materials in Your Toddler's Cup

Consider the Different Materials in Your Toddler's Cup

Modern toddler cups are generally made from either plastic or silicone. Plastic is lightweight, inexpensive, and versatile, hence why it is often used in leakproof cups. You should check that the plastic you choose is BPA- (Bisphenol-A) free to ensure that it is totally non-toxic and safe for your child to drink from.


Silicone is considered to be a safe material to use in toddler cups, and it is soft and flexible making it more suitable for softer toddler mouths. There’s evidence that silicone may degrade when washed at higher temperatures in the dishwasher, so unless your cup states it is dishwasher-friendly you will need to wash it by hand.
3

Leakproof Cups Have Their Advantages, but May Not Be Best for Cup Training

Leakproof Cups Have Their Advantages, but May Not Be Best for Cup Training

As appealing as it may be for you as a parent, it may be best to exercise caution with any cups marketed as “leakproof” if your child is just starting out with cup training. This is because they generally have a seal of some sort meaning that your baby has to suck, which is what you’re trying to get them out of the habit of doing when drinking.


Ideally with young toddlers you want to encourage a sipping action which doesn’t come naturally, as this will make them much happier to drink from a normal cup when the time comes. 


So, if your child is at this early stage and a cup is promoted as "leakproof" you should check that it is also free-flowing, as this means they don't have to suck and it should avoid any associated issues. 

4

Which Drinking Mechanism Is Better – Free-Flow, Straws or Valves?

The jury is very much out on which type of drinking mechanism is best for your child to drink out of, but ultimately it's up to you. Here is some information on how the different features work so you can weigh up the pros and cons.

360° Lids Mimic Cup Drinking and Won't Leak a Drop

360° Lids Mimic Cup Drinking and Won't Leak a Drop
Source:amazon.co.uk
The first choice to consider is a tumbler with a 360° pressure-sensitive lid, which may also be referred to as flat lid toddler cup. These are a fantastic choice because they mimic drinking out of a regular cup, and are spill-proof even though they don't have a valve

There is a 360° silicone insert just inside the rim that allows for free flow drinking but automatically seals itself to keep the liquid inside. Genius! 

Free-Flow Cups Are Ideal for Transitioning to Real Cups

Free-Flow Cups Are Ideal for Transitioning to Real Cups

Free-flow cups are generally believed to be the best way of training your toddler to transition to drinking from a cup, as they encourage a sipping action rather than a sucking one.


Seeing as they don't use any valves or other mechanisms, they're very easy to clean and are generally leakproof. 

Cups With Spouts or Straws Keep Liquid off the Teeth

Cups With Spouts or Straws Keep Liquid off the Teeth

Straw or spouted cups are handy in the respect that they keep liquids off the front teeth so are less likely to cause tooth decay.


However, they encourage a sucking action so are best for older toddlers who have already established a sipping action when drinking. They also need very careful cleaning to ensure no bacteria is present. 

Valves Stop Spills But Aren't Recommended for Drinks Other Than Water or Milk

Valves Stop Spills But Aren't Recommended for Drinks Other Than Water or Milk
Valves offer great peace of mind for you as the liquid cannot spill out of them, and they tend to be made of softer materials so that they’re gentle on your baby’s mouth. 

However, dentists aren’t a fan of these as it’s reported they’re more likely to cause tooth decay because of the high exposure your baby’s teeth get to the liquid in the cup – especially when filled with a sugary juice. 

5

Dishwasher-Safe Cups Are Convenient, But Some May Still Be Best Washed by Hand

Dishwasher-Safe Cups Are Convenient, But Some May Still Be Best Washed by Hand

Most toddler cups that are available are suitable for washing in the dishwasher, which washes at a much higher temperature and effectively sanitises the cup.


However, if you choose a cup with a straw or spout it may be wise to wash at least these parts by hand as it is near impossible for a dishwasher to clean effectively inside the tubes


Invest in a narrow brush specifically designed for washing straws and tubes and use very hot water and soap to ensure you clean all areas that could harbour germs and bacteria. 

Was the Buying Guide helpful?

Top 10 Best Toddler Cups in the UK

Now we've considered all the different variations, here is our selection of the top ten toddler cups to buy online! 
Popularity
Products
Image
Click to purchase
Price
Key features
1

Munchkin

Miracle 360 Degree Trainer Cup

Munchkin Miracle 360 Degree Trainer Cup 1

£4.97

Low Mid

A Firm Favourite With Mums Everywhere

2

Doidy Cup

Training Sippy Cups for Toddlers & Babies

Doidy Cup Training Sippy Cups for Toddlers & Babies 1

£3.80

Low

An Award-Winning Open Cup Recommended by the NHS and NCT

3

Tommee Tippee

Insulated Sippee Cup

Tommee Tippee Insulated Sippee Cup 1

£4.75

Low Mid

A Fun Handle-Free Bottle to Help Your Toddler's Drinking Ability Lift Off!

4

Nuby

Sipeez 360 Degree Wonder Maxi Cups Pack of 2

Nuby Sipeez 360 Degree Wonder Maxi Cups  1

£8.50

Mid

A Clever Design That Makes Drinking From a Cup Come Naturally

5

Munchkin

Gentle Transition Trainer CupPack of 2

Munchkin Gentle Transition Trainer Cup 1

£12.99

High Mid

Features a Super-Soft and Gum-Friendly Silicone Spout

6

TUM TUM

Tippy Up Sippy Cup

TUM TUM Tippy Up Sippy Cup 1

£8.99

Mid

A UK-Made Handled Cup With a Cute Koala Design

7

MAM

Fun to Drink Cup & Glow Handles

MAM Fun to Drink Cup & Glow Handles 1

£8.97

Mid

An Adaptable Cup Perfect for Bedtime Milk

8

Philips Avent

Easy Sip Spout Cup

Philips Avent Easy Sip Spout Cup 1

£5.99

Low Mid

A Great Value Free-Flowing Bottle With a Soft Silicone Spout

9

Thinkbaby

Sippy Cup for Toddlers

Thinkbaby Sippy Cup for Toddlers 1

£14.95

High Mid

An Ergonomic Design Made From Recyclable Plastic

10

Munchkin

Click Lock Chew-Proof Sippy CupPack of 2

Munchkin Click Lock Chew-Proof Sippy Cup 1

£14.35

High Mid

A Leakproof Bottle That May Not Really Suit Chewers!

If you don't see the product you're looking for, you can request that it be listed.
No.1

MunchkinMiracle 360 Degree Trainer Cup

Miracle 360 Degree Trainer Cup 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£4.97
Low Mid
Reference price
£4.97
Low Mid

A Firm Favourite With Mums Everywhere

This hugely popular cup from Munchkin has a spoutless and valve-free design, handles for easy gripping, and a 360° drinking edge that totally eliminates spills. The pressure-sensitive lid is easy to wash with no extra valves and parts to clean, and it automatically seals when your child stops drinking. 


Babies and toddlers seem to take to it almost immediately, with the lid letting out only a light stream of liquid. It also comes with a very comprehensive instruction booklet on how best to care for it, and more importantly, keep it clean. This cup is virtually faultless and is available for a very reasonable price, which is why it's our number one pick! 

Was this Ranking helpful?
No.2

Doidy CupTraining Sippy Cups for Toddlers & Babies

Training Sippy Cups for Toddlers & Babies 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£3.80
Low
Reference price
£3.80
Low

An Award-Winning Open Cup Recommended by the NHS and NCT

The Doidy Cup has been around since the 1950s, and is an essential weaning aid to teach babies and toddlers natural free-flow drinking without the need for a teat/spout. It has been specifically fashioned to make the transition to open cups as easy as possible, and the two-handled design features a unique slant enabling infants to see the liquid and avoid spills.


Once your baby gets the hang of holding the handles and supporting the weight of the cup, they'll be more than happy to drink from it, totally negating the need for a transition cup. The only thing keeping this cup from top spot is that it isn't leakproof, but this is a great value and highly-recommended product nonetheless. 

No.3

Tommee TippeeInsulated Sippee Cup

Insulated Sippee Cup 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£4.75
Low Mid
Reference price
£4.75
Low Mid

A Fun Handle-Free Bottle to Help Your Toddler's Drinking Ability Lift Off!

Despite being called a cup, this product from Tommee Tippee is more like a bottle, as it has no handles and a spout to drink from. It has a removable easy-to-clean valve to allow your little one to develop grown-up drinking skills straight away, and the spout is soft and gentle on young teeth and gums.


This bottle also features an insulated base which will keep water and other drinks cool, with the aim to encourage your little one to enjoy drinking and stay hydrated. The only area we can find fault with is that a few mums have noted that the rocket design has a tendency to fade after a few washes, so perhaps hand washing is best. 
No.4

NubySipeez 360 Degree Wonder Maxi Cups Pack of 2

Sipeez 360 Degree Wonder Maxi Cups  1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£8.50
Mid
Reference price
£8.50
Mid

A Clever Design That Makes Drinking From a Cup Come Naturally

These cups are really simple for your toddler to drink from, making the transition to open-cup drinking so much simpler using the 360° pressure sensitive lid. The clever spill-proof seal is really hygienic and doesn't involve a valve, making it ideal for toddlers at all stages. The cover lid provided also makes the cup fully watertight, so you can store it in a bag without it leaking everywhere. 


We've marked these cups down slightly in our listing owing to the fact that they can be tricky to clean, especially in between the grooves of the screw lid. This isn't ideal as this is the perfect place for germs and bacteria to grow so extra time will be needed to ensure it is totally clean between uses.

No.5

MunchkinGentle Transition Trainer CupPack of 2

Gentle Transition Trainer Cup 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£12.99
High Mid
Reference price
£12.99
High Mid

Features a Super-Soft and Gum-Friendly Silicone Spout

This cup boasts an ultra-flexible silicone spout that promises to be gentle on baby's teeth and gums. The handles are also soft and easy to hold, which is great for preparing your toddler for drinking from a regular cup when the time comes. 


The cup is compatible with latch teats, so if your little one finds using this cup tricky at first, the spout can be switched out for a teat to help them get used to it. The main drawback with this cup is that it can't be sterilised so under NHS guidelines isn't suitable for babies under 6 months.

No.6

TUM TUMTippy Up Sippy Cup

Tippy Up Sippy Cup 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£8.99
Mid
Reference price
£8.99
Mid

A UK-Made Handled Cup With a Cute Koala Design

TUM TUM are based in Buxton, Derbyshire and all their products are designed and made in the UK. This koala design is particularly adorable with its little head and ears! The cup has a weighted straw that follows the liquid as the cup is tipped up, and it doesn't contain any sort of valve so there's no need for your toddler to suck hard to drink.


The brand recommend only cleaning this cup by hand and have very detailed instructions on how to do so, so this is to be taken into account if you don't have the time to hand wash it after use. In addition, if you don't follow the cleaning instructions properly it can cause a pressure bubble in the straw which can lead to leakages. 

No.7

MAMFun to Drink Cup & Glow Handles

Reference price
£8.97
Mid

An Adaptable Cup Perfect for Bedtime Milk

The fact that you're able to remove the valve from the spout of this cup is really great, so that you can add the spill-proof valve back in when your baby's sipping action is established. Another very useful feature is that the pictured version has glow-in-the-dark handles, so you can easily spot it if you're moving it from your toddler's room in low light. 


The design of this cup has a lot of different smaller pieces to fit together which if not done totally correctly leads to leakages. Potentially quite annoying if you're trying to put it together quickly! Again the inclusion of a soft spout could work against it, ending up not faring so well against chewing toddler teeth.

No.8

Philips AventEasy Sip Spout Cup

Easy Sip Spout Cup 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£5.99
Low Mid
Reference price
£5.99
Low Mid

A Great Value Free-Flowing Bottle With a Soft Silicone Spout

The spout on this cup has the same feel as a baby bottle teat, which makes transitioning away from a baby bottle really simple and stress free. Its spout is also made of soft silicone and the body of the cup has a rippled shape to make it easy for your baby to hold on to it.


One area to bear in mind with this cup is that the soft spouts do have a tendency to degrade over time, and Avent don't currently make replacements – so if this occurred the whole cup would need to be replaced. One other minor flaw is that there aren't any measurements on the side which can make it trickier to track how much your toddler is drinking.

No.9

ThinkbabySippy Cup for Toddlers

Sippy Cup for Toddlers 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£14.95
High Mid
Reference price
£14.95
High Mid

An Ergonomic Design Made From Recyclable Plastic

The two-handled design of this cup makes it really easy for your baby to get to grips with holding a cup rather than a baby bottle, and the fact that the cup can be recycled once your child grows out of it is a really great selling point. 


Mums say how this cup has really helped them transition their baby away from a baby bottle, and how even the fussiest of babies took to it with no issues. However, there are a few instances of the nipple collapsing in on itself, and also the shape of the handles makes them prone to breaking if dropped frequently.

No.10

MunchkinClick Lock Chew-Proof Sippy CupPack of 2

Click Lock Chew-Proof Sippy Cup 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£14.35
High Mid
Reference price
£14.35
High Mid

A Leakproof Bottle That May Not Really Suit Chewers!

This bottle from Munchkin is promoted as being leakproof and also suitable for chewers. The lid has a "click-and-lock" feature meaning that you can hear the click when the lid is locked in place. Lots of mums say how their normally-fussy toddler is happy to drink from this bottle, and how on the whole it is indeed fairly leakproof.


The main flaw with this bottle is that the soft spout – meant to discourage chewing – is seemingly irresistible to known bottle chompers, and mums of such toddlers report that they were able to chew through the spout causing the bottle to leak. Something to bear in mind if your child likes to chew!

When Should Your Baby Start Using a Toddler Cup?

When Should Your Baby Start Using a Toddler Cup?

Generally speaking, once your baby is able to sit up in a highchair (usually around 6 months old) they are ready to make the transition to a toddler cup. 


Babies are born with a natural suck reflex so starting their education on drinking from something other than the breast or a baby bottle can be tricky, but it's definitely worth starting early so that you’re not trying to cup-train them when they’re a stubborn toddler! 

More Products to Help You and Your Toddler

More Products to Help You and Your Toddler

If you're struggling with other aspects of your toddler's development, we have more tips and recommendations to help both of you achieve key progress milestones. Have a look at what other products we suggest! 

Summary

So there we have our top ten best toddler cups to help you and your child make the first steps to moving away from using baby bottles. We hope you found it helpful, and that you've found your perfect toddler cup in our listing! 


Author: Catherine Torrance

Top 5 Toddler Cups

No. 1: MunchkinMiracle 360 Degree Trainer Cup

No. 2: Doidy CupTraining Sippy Cups for Toddlers & Babies

No. 3: Tommee TippeeInsulated Sippee Cup

No. 4: NubySipeez 360 Degree Wonder Maxi Cups Pack of 2

No. 5: MunchkinGentle Transition Trainer CupPack of 2

View Full Ranking
The descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
  1. TOP
  2. Baby Products
  3. Nursing & feeding
  4. 10 Best Toddler Cups UK 2024 | Nuby, Tommee Tippee and More

Search by category

mybest

We connect users with the best tried and true products,
tested by our in-house guides and backed by expert insight.

Copyright mybest All Rights Reserved.