Sippy Cup Personal Ad: The Quest for The Perfect Sippy
My Pseudo-Submission to E-Harmony:
Happily Married Loving Mama of Four ISO (In Search Of) Non-Leaking, Easy to Hold, Cheap, BPA-Free, SIPPY CUP! Perfection is a PLUS! Looking for lifetime friendship!!!
Trying to find “The Perfect Sippy” is like trying to find Richard Simmons a date for the prom. (I can say this because I’ve met him personally, but that story I’ll save for another blog.)Seriously, it’s nuts! Soooooo many sippy cups out there, and now we have the whole BPA junk to mess with (If BPA is new terminology for you or you are looking for BPA-Free Products, this link is a great resource), plus purchasing sippy cups x4 turns into quite an investment! I decided my quest for “The Perfect Sippy” needed to be documented – Laugh, Cry, Comment! =)
Exhibit A: Our Sippy Cup Cabinet (Recently organized by Kathy C. while she was over watching the boys – HUGE Kudos!)
You’ll see we’ve got options in the cabinet for thirst quenchin’ action:
Option 1: Playtex First Sipster (Henry’s Preference)
Pros: Very Little Leakage, Easy to Sip, Fairly Easy to Clean, Stackable, BPA-Free
Cons: Doesn’t Fit in Cup Holders Due to Handles, Losable Parts to Clean
Option #2: Nuby Gripper Cup (Clark’s Preference)
Pros: CHEAP (.99 @ Wal-mart), No parts to wash and loose, BPA Free
Cons: Leaks When Upside down, Hard to Screw on Top, Mouthpiece Has to Be Aligned Just So to Keep From Leaking, Unstackable, Leaks When Shook….Did I Mention It Leaks?????
Option #3: Take & Toss Sippy Cup (Van’s Preference)
Pros: Cheap, Stackable, Convenient, Portable, BPA Free
Cons: Leaks When Squeezed, Shook, etc., Chewable Mouthpiece
So in continuing my search for “The Perfect Sippy “, I’ve turned to the Playtex Sipster, recommended by a triplet/twin mom. It was reasonably priced, somewhat stackable, so far leak free, BPA free, comes in 4 different lid colors, and the boys didn’t get angry with them on the first try….so have I found my prince charming? Only Time Will Tell! Wish me Luck!
Jen, I am on the same surch! My cabnit is as full as yours with the Avent in the mix, which leaks. Babies R Us has a link about bpa free products and I have been tossing around spending yet more money on more cups the Playtex sipsters. I have to purchase 2 packs to get three. I would love it if you would update in a day or so to let me know how this cup is working out.
We use the Playtex Sipsters with our boys and LOVE then! We also have some Diego and Spider-Man cups (not sure of the brand) that don’t leak either, but they work better for older kids (2 or 3) than for younger…they’re a little bit harder to “suck” on.
that is so funny that you posted this today! i am actually researching sippy cups right now trying to figure out which one we are going to try next. i have about 4-5 different kinds and they like NONE of them. ugh, this is so frustrating! bottles were a piece of cake compared to this and they were picky with those as well!
OOO I hear the sippy cup drama over here as well and I only have 1 kid. He refused every sippy ever created.. then one day I found a new one to try.. tried it and he loved it, but didnt understand the whole tilting the cup up thing.. (this was at 11 mos or so).. Then BPA got banned in Canada.. his beloved sippy cup had BPA 🙁 So I tried the straw sippy cups (again) and we have a new love. Any sippy cup w/ a starw is fine now.. but the only one that doesnt leak is the Nuby one. They are a pain to wash and have lots of parts.. but he cold hold his own sippy cup and I am a happy mama again.
Those playtex ones have been a favorite of mine too!
Thankfully my two will use any kind of sippy cup – they’ve never had issues with any one and don’t seem to favor one either. MY favorite is the Playtex Sipsters too – which I would probably not have tried until my pediatrician gave us two as ‘samples’ a while back…I also use the Take n Toss for traveling and we have both the Nuby cups and Avent cups too – thankfully they’ll use whatever I grab out of the cupboard or is clean at the time!
Playtex Sipsters were the only ones that worked for us but now we are onto the Playtex ones with the straws.
Another vote for the Playtex Sipsters. We have all the ones you mentioned (plus some Avent ones)and definitely like the Sipsters the best. My 21 month old has figured out that if you bang them upside down on a hard surface they will leak though. Not a ton, but a bit. I still like them better than the rest though!
Aghhhh sippy cups. Our three are 21 months old and I can’t wait to be done with sippy cups. We use the straw kind too because that’s what their speech therapists recommended. They are such a pain to clean.
I am also in the process of finding a sippy cup. Plus trying to break my baby from her bottle. It hasn’t been much fun. I have tried everything.
Does anyone have any advice as how to wean a 1 year old from a bottle? Is it too soon? Should I go cold turkey like some ppl recommend. Its been awful.
She is also cutting her two top teeth right now so I’m thinking maybe I sould wait until thats over to break her. Atleast so she doesn’t get too stressed out.
My cabinet looks worse and I just have one!
We love the sipsters here! They fit in cup holders and they don’t leak!
The Playtex ones are nice, plus they have cute pictures on them. We are at the tossing sippy cup phase now, you’ll be there before you know it!
We used the sipsters with my first 2 kids (the 1st generation sipster- not sure if it was called the same thing, but looked like those). We had leakage issues (why I’m thinking they’re reworked them), so with the third we used a “sport” cup. I’m just almost for sure it was by Playtex, and it’s not on their website, so guess they’ve gotten rid of those sometime in the last 3 years. Those things were awesome! I’ll look around and make sure I’m not dreaming on the company. There were no parts to take out, no spills. The only time there was an issue with those things were when one was hidden and we’d find it a week later. They’d build up pressure and “pop” out some (yucky) liquid.
If those do not work for you the Gerber Sip and Smile Line also do not have BPA. They seem similar but are also not very stackable.
(http://safemama.com/2007/11/22/bpa-free-bottle-and-sippy-cup-cheat-sheet/)
Here is a link to the line:
http://www.gerber.com/toddlersite?tmsdir=feeding&tmspage;=sipsmile.html&tmspromo;=2
I like that you can interchange the tops so if one boy likes handles and another doesn’t, you can interchange them. Or, if one little fella likes a hard spout and other likes a softer more chewy kind the lid with handles is soft. They are all very easy to clean too.
We prefer the tall ones without handles or “tipped cup” and I’m interested in the insulated ones but haven’t tried them. I have not have leakage problems with these but if you are using the “tilty” cup and the “handle lid” you have to alight properly.
For what it’s worth, I’ve found my son likes his sippies without the little plastic piece in the inside of the lid that slows down the flow.
The Avent Magic cups do NOT work for us.
Hint for all: If you are looking for BPA free, as a general rule, just avoid HARD “see-through” plastic (of any color). Those are the items with BPA in them. If it is flexable plastic (you can squeeze a little like the medela bottles) not so big of a deal.
Links again:
http://safemama.com/2007/11/22/bpa-free-bottle-and-sippy-
cup-cheat-sheet/
http://www.gerber.com/toddlersite?tmsdir=feeding&tmspage;=
sipsmile.html&tmspromo;=2
(have to copy both lines to your browser window.)
I love the playtex ones too! It’s a bonus when they have Little Mermaid or other very desired princess’es too.
I have found them to be easy to clean, stack, and the non spilling issue is the most important. They do not leak!
I cannot believe your cuties are in that sippy stage already!
We love us some Playtex Sipsters! They seem to be the best so far.
The Take and toss cups were a disaster in our house. It only took a couple of times of them being dropped and having the lid fly off before they were making their way into the trashcan.
Good luck!
We also use the Playtex and they save the floor. On-the-ther-hand I just wish Lucas would drink from a cup without throwing it when he’s done! Somehow the little rubber thingy for the lid is always misplaced.
We LOVED the playtex sipsters too – and the best thing I found with them was you could get replacement lids if your kids happened to gnaw on them (which drove me crazy) at http://www.playtexstore.com and you could even pick different lids for the same cup (like flat top or rounded for the sipster).
love your comment rachel-i had no idea about that site to order extra lids! thanks!!!
so…can you toss the sipsters in the dishwasher or in order to be completely safe from bpa issues, do you have to hand wash them?
your cabinet looks awesome…i only have two kids and only my oldest is using cups right now and my cabinet stays a mess!!!! :0)
Jen, I have tried LOTS of different kinds. My favorite is the Playtex straw cups. Here are the reasons I like them:
-Bigger cup holds more, less refills
-Flip-top keeps straw clean
-Insulated and non-insulated choices
-Straw design is better for oral and speech development.
-NO LEAKS
-fits in cup holders
-stoppers don’t fall out when shaken or dropped.
-easier to drink in the car because they don’t have to tilt their head back.
My kids start using these at 12 mos even though they say they are for ages 2+ (no need to buy more cups.)
Hope this helps!
I’ve been a lurker for some time now and never commented but this got my attention! Being a mom of four (in a birth order spanning more than a minute apart!) as soon as I saw the title of this post the Playtex Sippers came to mind. All I have used since buying them. Gave or threw the rest out. I did daycare also so I’ve seen my fare share and that is my vote! 🙂
Happy searching!
I loved the playtex sipster and then it was recommended to me that my boys use a straw sippy cup because of speech delays. The playtex straw cups are pretty good too, but am not positive on the bpa free thing.
I tried changing my sons passy to a bpa free one, he was not having that!
Twin almost-3-yr-old boys here — the insulated Playtex sipster has been our favorite sippy cup!
My cabinets look so very familar!
So far my 4 like the nuby sport top. It doesn’t leak & fits in the cup holders.
I hear ya! My cupboard is overflowing; I can never find the right lid or flow adjuster/attachment to go with them, and the ones with straws are germ catching gross and then a pain to put back together!
Phew, thanks for letting me vent! LOL. Let us know on the “perfect find”!
We’ve been through several kind as well and ended up with the Playtex sipster/insulator cups. Owen originally had a hard time figuring out how to get his milk out, but I was able to put the valve halfway in until he figured it out. It’s tough finding a cup for one, I can’t image for 4!
All of the other cups we tried are now in his play drawer in the kitchen. He knows what to do with them, he’ll hold them up and pretend to drink.
We use option 3 at work… I definitely think there’s something better out there for a long-term relationship 😉
I am so glad I am not the only one that has sippy cup problems! We finally found the Playtex Sipsters a couple of months ago and they are the ones I LOVE! I never had problems with my older two singletons, but triplets can wreak havok on sippy cups! Thanks for letting me know I’m not the only one!
Sippy cups seem to be a common problem with all mothers. Both my boys perfer different cups. And I have tried them all.The Nuby Sports sippy for my 15 month old. It fits in the cup holder and doesn’t leak. My oldest liked the playtex ones also. Good Luck….
We have a cabinet full of the Playtex Sipsters… all others have pretty much been leakers!
Amen to all of that…we LOVE the Sipsters!!
You know what is funny? Back when sippy cups were fist hitting the market, THESE were the cups! The Playtex Sipsters and I swear, no other brand can get it right!
I used these cups with my first 7 kids (and all of the foster children i had in between).
Sadly, Will can not drink from these AT ALL. 🙁 He just doesn’t have the tone in his mouth, so he only drinks from those horrid leaking cups!!!! UGH!
🙂 debi
I have used the Platex sipster with my 4 year old and have found it to be the best there is. We have some we haven’t lost along the way that we started with 3 years ago. We’ve had very little leakage and they last so well!!!!
The Playtex sipsters are my favorite too! We searched for a while before we found these, but now our cupboard is full of about 15 of them!? (I have two girls who still use them) My only complaint is, I wish they would sell replacement lids! My girls chew on the spout & there’s teeth marks half an inch thick (okay, I’m exaggerating), so I end up having to replace the entire cup/lid combo!?
Did you see the post on babycheapskate about getting these free or almost free?
My 15 month old loves the Playtex Sipster. We also went through the other cups you showed, but I hate cleaning up a mess everytime he drops/throws the cup.
My 18 month old loves the Playtex First sipper and the Nuby. But I hate the Nuby because it always seems to leak. I recently bought some Gerber Color change fun grips sippy cups. I have been really happy with them.
Is Kathy C., Kathy Corbin?
Thank you for the great reviews! I have a little man just starting to need a sippy so our search for the perfect sippy begins!
My daughter will only drink from a Nuby straw cup. They don’t leak but sure have a lot of pieces to keep up with.
These are really cool cups too.
Coolster™ Tumbler, 10oz. By Playtex
I guess they are an upgrade of the Sipster. We used the Sipster first and then upgraded to these. They are really cool and don’t leak. We love them. They are supposed to be good for your kid’s teeth too.
http://www.playtexproductsinc.com/infant/CupsByStage.asp
Also, you should try the labels by Inchbug. You can get different colors for each kid and personalize them. They are great for church, etc.
http://www.inchbug.com
Hope that helps!
wow, that is a lot of comments, i couldn’t read them all
we have the playtex sipsters for the twins and they are good, except you really have to clean where the valve goes and NO LIDS!
Our second favorite are the Nubys, but when the kids are bored, they push in the nipple and water is everywhere!
The first sippy cups my twins used were the Nubys. We liked those at the time because it made the transition from bottle to sippy cup easy. However, they learned that if they held the cups upside down and pressed the spouts on their high chair trays, they could make their milk/juice come out of them. The next one they used was the Playtex Sipster. The only problem with those is that if they hit the floor hard enough, whatever is inside will splatter across the floor, and if they hit the floor REALLY hard, the valve will pop out. This is not a fault of the cup, but just something we had to deal with. They were great cups. The twins are almost three now, and they now use the Playtex Coolsters. The only problem I have with these cups is that they can be very hard to open. The lids are hard to grip. Here’s hoping to them graduating to open cups before too long!
Good luck with your search! Keep us posted!
I can’t give you sippy cup advice, but I CAN tell you that e-harmony doesn’t work! 🙂
Long time lurker–first time poster. I am pretty sure I originally discovered your family from a message board that was connected to Preemie magazine. My son is just about a week “older” than your boys–though he was a 29-weeker.
Now, on to the sippy situation: My daughter refused to use regular sippy cups at first but loved to drink from straws, so we got the ones from Nuby/Luv n Care called No-spill Flip-It Straws. Yes, we had to take them apart to wash them, but they were ALL she would use. They didn’t leak as long as you got the silicone part of the straw put back into the lid right–found that out the hard way with fruit punch. Ugh.
Once her brother was born, she didn’t like them anymore and my husband found some Grip-n-Gulp cups from Nalgene that she LOVES. The original ones she had did have the BPA in them, but they have them now made from Tritan which is BPA free and still Nalgene tough. They don’t retain the smell of juice (or nasty milk if they get forgotten in a hot car–been there done that) and you can buy replacement stoppers if you need them. My son uses them now too. She gets them without the sipper/stopper at the table but I put it back in for juice/milk in any other part of the house.
Good luck!!
I am a biiiiiig fan of the Sippy. I wrote about how I was going to let my kids use ONLY sippy cups for the next…well…forever. You can see it here.
I think the Playtex ones are the best. My only pause is that if a sippy cups gets lost in a hot, obsecure place and the milk becomes, er, less than liquid, the best thing to do is cut your losses and just throw it away. Trust me.
I completely understand what you are going through, minus having four children! My son was very difficult to find a sippy cup that he liked. At first he had no concept of tipping it so I bought the Gerber Sip & Smile, soft spout with the handles (mind you this was after about 3 different kinds). He liked these but still didn’t use them until I cut out his daytime bottles at about 10 months. Naturally when he was ready for hard spout I bought the Gerber again, same cup just hard spout, no handles, no tilt. Well this worked for about a month, then he wanted nothing to do with them. I tried about 5 different kinds and finally settled in the Playtex sipster which he liked, as did I. That is the one we ended up staying with. Hopefully the Playtex will work for you too.
I love the take and toss.. only down fall is they have popped open before resulting in wet babies 🙂 or an angry toddler who hates being wet.
The Playtex are by far my favorite.
They hold up!
The nuby get holes in them fast.. especially with a teething baby
We have a few playtex as well as the tumbler playtex for our almost 4 year old. It looks like a coffee travel mug 🙂
Hey Jen! I just wanted to let you know that I chose your blog for an award!
Please see this post:
http://bouffard11.blogspot.com/2008/06/my-kids-gave-my-blog-award.html
🙂 Debi
We have also tried all of those, and so far the latter playtex one is preferred. We also like the Gerber Graduates sippy cup…but not sure about the BPA free thing.
We’ve been using the Sipsters for almost three years – love ’em.
I was on the same search when my son turned one. I tried a whole lot of them and ended the search on Playtex. My son is now 3 and we’re still using it. We have tons now.
My 1 year old twins will inherit them all. 🙂
this discussion is so cute! i love everyone here!
We have been using the Gerber Fun Grips cups and the Playtex Sipsters… My kids LOVE the color change feature on the Gerber cups… Both cups work well for us however the Gerber ones do not stack and the stopper falls out if you bang the cup too hard… I perfer the Platex cups because they stack, fit into the cup holders and have a place to put the valve in the lid when you wash them so I don’t loose the valves or need to use a basket any longer…
When we needed to transition from bottle to sippie cup I found that the Nuby soft spout cups worked the best and when we got used to those we transitioned to the harder spout sippies…
Good Luck
P.S. I recommend the Platex Insulator Cups because they don’t sweat even when you put ice in them! This saved me having to wipe up wet rings on my tables and meant that I could put them into an ice chest without everything getting wet…
Jen…the search for a perfect sippy is crazy! I have only one kid and it drove me insane. LOL I have come to love the Playtex Sipster too…and Luke loves it too..it fits in his wagon cup holders when we go on walks and doesnt leak! yes! good choice good choice 🙂
just wanted to add that take and toss are disasters at our house too. Our 21 month old loves to dump them upside down and see how big of a puddle he can make…
I used your recommendations when baby shopping for a friend’s new baby gift. I also got one of your neat looking rubber catch things bibs. Since I don’t have kids it was really nice to have some ideas!
If you have a Walgreens (our pharmacy/drug store) get their sippy cups. I know it sounds strange but they are some off brand that are just like the Nuby(s) but they don’t leak and last forever. Comes in a package of 2 for $3. Best cup ever!!!
We also use the playtex sipsters and LOVE them! I pretty much refuse to use any other one when it comes to toddlers. We too have tried them all. Just don’t forget to take the valve out of them when you clean them like my friend, Jessica did. She washed the cup and lid, leaving the valve inside and it got all moldy and started growing. She didn’t even know how long it was like that. No wonder her son was sick all of the time! She had to replace her cups after that! lol The take and toss ones are good for older children who don’t always need to take a cup with them. Our son (age 5) will occassionally use one of those or just a sports bottle. Oh, a side note…Walmart just started carrying these cute sports bottles that are in 2 sizes (kids size and adult size). They are less than a dollar and in green and blue but they are spill proof. I love those. They are in the summer/beach section.
Oh, yeah…I want to echo what THANY said…
Sippy cups that roll under the seat in a hot car and then are forgotten about…. UGH! YUCK! Not fun in the summer…lol Although I have found that Febris Anti-Microbial works REALLY WELL to get the smell out of the car! lol