Are you looking at the various Tommee Tippee vs Avent bottles, trying to decide which is better? Based on my research, I picked the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Baby Bottle as the best bottle for its versatility.
For bottle warmers, the Tommee Tippee 3 in 1 Advanced Bottle & Pouch Warmer was the winner because it works well for warming both breast milk pouches and bottles. The popular Philips Avent Microwave Steam Sterilizer for Baby Bottles came out tops for its ultra-fast sanitizing time.
Tommee Tippee vs Avent Bottles – Differences and Similarities
Anti-Colic / Gas
- Tommee Tippee: The brand has two types of anti-colic bottles to prevent the build-up of gas in babies. The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature has an anti-colic valve inserted in the nipple while the Advanced Anti-Colic Baby Bottle venting system uses a tube and valve to minimize air intake.
- Avent: All bottles include Airflex valve technology in the nipple to prevent colic and acid reflux symptoms. The Philips Avent Anti-Colic Baby Bottles also come with an AirFree vent to keep the nipple full of milk and not air.
Leakage
- Tommee Tippee: The trick to preventing these Tommee Tippee bottles from leaking is to ensure the lids are screwed on by matching a line indicated on the inside of the bottle. This creates a strong seal.
- Avent: With Avent bottles leaking the reason is often by the lid being screwed on too tight, damaging the threads. However, if the lid is not screwed on tight enough, you’ll also experience leakage! Using the correct nipple for a flow rate that suits your baby’s feeding style also helps prevent leakage.
Ease of Cleaning
- Tommee Tippee: If you’re using the Advanced Anti-Colic bottles there are more parts to clean. The other bottles are easy to clean with fewer parts and a wide-neck opening.
- Avent: The wide-neck design makes cleaning a breeze. There are fewer parts to clean as well unless you’re using the anti-colic bottles with the tube and valve venting system.
Nipples
- Tommee Tippee: Nipples are designed to resemble the mom’s breast allowing for easy latching. The silicone material allows for flexing during feeding. However, the nipples aren’t interchangeable with other Tommee Tippee bottles so make sure you use the right nipple for the bottle type.
- Avent: The natural nipple shape allows for easy latching and transitioning from the breast to bottle feeding. The ultra-soft silicone nipple mimics the feel of the breast. The unique spiral design on the nipple minimizes collapse while encouraging natural flow of the milk.
Dishwasher Safe?
- Tommee Tippee: All baby bottles and their parts are dishwasher-safe and should only be placed in the top rack. When deciding on the dishwasher for your baby bottles consider getting a portable or countertop size.
- Avent: All Avent bottles and parts are dishwasher-safe. Disassembled completely before placing the items on the top rack of the dishwasher.
Microwave Safe?
- Tommee Tippee: While all the bottles and parts are microwave-safe it’s recommended not to warm up milk using this method. However, you can use the microwave to safely clean the bottles.
- Avent: Similar to Tommee Tippee bottles, the microwave is not safe for warming bottles if you want to avoid hotspots. If you do use the microwave, only put the container in for heating and none of the parts including the nipple.
Material (BPA-Free?)
- Tommee Tippee: All plastic bottles are made with polypropylene (PP) material and are BPA-free. The glass bottles are constructed with 100% medical-grade glass. The nipples are made with silicone. All bottles and parts are BPA-free.
- Avent: The plastic bottles are made of polypropylene or polyethersulfone materials while the glass bottle is constructed with borosilicate glass. The nipples are constructed from silicone. All bottles are BPA-free.
Recyclable?
- Tommee Tippee: All polypropylene products are recyclable which means you can toss your old bottles in the recycling bin.
- Avent: All Avent bottles can be safely recycled except for the silicone nipples.
Watch this video for some quick tips when picking an eco-friendly baby bottle.
Expiry Date
- Tommee Tippee: There are no expiry dates on the bottles so look out for signs of deterioration such as cracks or discoloration before discarding the bottles. The manufacturers do recommend replacing the nipples every two months.
- Avent: With no expiry date to guide you, look out for any signs of damage or deterioration in the bottle’s material before replacing with new ones. It’s advisable to change the nipples every three months.
Tommee Tippee Bottles
Types
Tommee Tippee produces a range of different baby bottles which include the following types:
- Closer to Nature Baby Bottle: Shaped to resemble the mother’s breast with an anti-colic valve in the nipple. Flexible nipple and easy 3-way hold design.
- Advanced Anti-Colic Baby Bottle: Unique venting system to prevent colic and reflux by 80%.
- Pump and Go: A breast milk pouch holder designed for moms pumping milk. This bottle comes with a nipple.
- Glass bottles: The Closer to Nature range can also be available in glass bottles.
- Silicone bottles: Also from the Closer to Nature range, these bottles are constructed with silicone giving a soft, squeezable feel when holding the bottle.
The Closer to Nature range includes bottles in different sizes and nipples for specific feeding conditions such as adding cereal (11-ounce bottle with a Y-cut nipple.) Nipples with different flow rates can be used to change from slow to medium or fast flows depending on your baby’s feeding stage. This range is most similar to Avent Natural, as you can see in my separate article.
Features
- Shaped and textured to resemble mom’s breast for both breastfed and bottlefed babies
- Easy to hold design for both parents and babies
- Anti-colic valve in all nipples
- Innovative internal venting system in Advanced Anti-Colic bottles
- Comes in various sizes
- Available in plastic, glass, and silicone
- Available in clear and a variety of colors
Pros
- Easy to disassemble and clean
- Ergonomic design for comfortable holding
- Minimal nipple confusion
Cons
- Bottles do start to discolor after some washes
- Numbers come off the bottle after a few washes
Do Tommee Tippee Nipples Fit Avent Bottles?
Tommee Tippee nipples are designed specifically for their range of bottles which means they’re not interchangeable within their own brand. So, Tommee Tippee nipples won’t fit any of the Avent bottles either.
Avent Bottles
Types
The Philips Avent bottles come in two ranges as follows:
- Natural Baby Bottle: Wide breast-shaped nipple with a spiral petal-like design. Designed to encourage easy latching and switching between breastfeeding and bottle feeding. Airflex vent technology is used in the nipple to help minimize colic and reflux symptoms. This range comes in three sizes from 4 to 11-ounces with different flow rate nipples.
- Anti-Colic bottles with AirFree Vent: This bottle is designed to reduce colic, reflux, and gas with its AirFree vent keeping the nipple full of milk while preventing ingestion of air. Nipples with different flow rates are designed specifically for this bottle.
When comparing Tommee Tippee to Avent glass bottles it must be noted that this type of material is only available in the Avent Natural Baby Bottle and Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature ranges.
Here’s an article I wrote about if Avent can be one alternative to Tommee Tippee bottles.
Features
- Wide-shaped natural-like nipples for easy latching and transitioning from breast to bottle
- Spiral design on nipple allows for natural flow of milk with less collapse
- Airflex valve and AirFree vent technology helps to minimize colic, gas, and reflux
- Sizes range from 4-ounces to 11-ounces
- Fewer parts and wide-neck allows for easy cleaning
- Available in a range of colors or clear
- Available in plastic and glass
Pros
- Can use different nipples on the same bottle
- Easy to fill with wide-neck design
- Ergonomic design for horizontal and upright feeding
Cons
- Bottles can leak if lids not screwed on properly
- Measurement numbers fade after time
Do Avent Teats Fit Tommee Tippee Bottles?
Avent teats are designed exclusively to fit the brand’s bottles only. This means they’ll not fit Tommee Tippee bottles.
Are Avent or Tommee Tippee Bottles Better?
Both brands of baby bottles share similar features, making it difficult to say which one is better. However, Tommee Tippee bottles do offer more variety, giving parents a wider selection to pick from. In my personal opinion, this versatility makes Tommee Tippee the better bottle.
Tommee Tippee vs Avent Bottle Warmer – Differences and Similarities
When deciding how to warm baby bottles and comparing Tommee Tippee vs Avent bottle warmer, I selected the new Tommee Tippee 3 in 1 Advanced Bottle & Pouch Warmer and the popular Philips Avent Fast Baby Bottle Warmer.
Size and Fit
- Tommee Tippee: This bottle warmer is slightly bulky. It fits most leading brands’ bottles and can be used for warming pouches as well.
- Avent: Smaller than the Tommee Tippee design, this bottle warmer fits all Avent bottles as well as most other brands. Breast milk pounces can’t be used in this bottle warmer.
Ease of Use
- Tommee Tippee: Push buttons allow you to select your preferred settings based on the bottle size or pouch used. An automatic timer tells you when the milk is ready.
- Avent: Using dial button action, you can set the temperature based on the bottle size. A light comes on indicating when the milk is ready. By pressing the button, operation begins.
Heating Efficiency
- Tommee Tippee: Milk and food can be warmed up in about four minutes depending on the quantity and starting temperature of the food being heated. Milk and other food can be defrosted in this bottle warmer.
- Avent: This bottle warmer can heat up 5-ounces of milk within three minutes. The length of time varies on the volume of milk being warmed up. Milk can be kept warm for up to an hour and a defrosting setting is also available.
Safety
- Tommee Tippee: An easy-lift basket lets you remove the heated bottle safely. Essential nutrients are preserved when using this appliance for warming milk or formula, making it a safer alternative to other heating methods. Auto shut-off prevents the milk from overheating.
- Avent: With a circular motion, the milk is warmed up and hotspots are avoided. A sensor also ensures the milk is heated to the right temperature for safe consumption. The appliance switches off automatically after one hour.
Tommee Tippee Bottle Warmer
Features
- Fast heating in around four minutes
- Compatible with all Tommee Tippee bottles and pouches as well as leading brands
- Easy to operate by selecting various settings
- Includes an automatic timer
- Preserves essential nutrients
- Constructed with BPA-free materials
Pros
- Only uses 9 ozs of water
- Can defrost breast milk and baby food
- Reliable and even heating
Cons
- No timer display
Avent Bottle Warmer
Features
- Temperatures set using a dial button
- Has a sensor for heating milk to the right temperature
- Switches off automatically after one hour when keeping milk warm
- A light comes on when the milk is ready
- Includes a defrosting setting
- Fast heating in three minutes
- Compatible with most leading brands
Pros
- Fast heating time to the right temperature
- No hotspots in warmed milk
- Can be used to defrost breast milk and baby food
Cons
- Difficult to operate with one hand
- Can’t be used for warming pouches
Tommee Tippee vs. Avent Sterilizer – Differences and Similarities
When picking a Tommee Tippee vs. Avent sterilizer, I reviewed the Tommee Tippee Essentials Microwave and Water Sterilizer and the Philips Avent Microwave Steam Sterilizer for Baby Bottles.
Size and Fit
- Tommee Tippee: Compact to fit most microwaves, this sterilizer can take four Tommee Tippee bottles and various parts at the same time or more if the tray is removed.
- Avent: Also compact to fit into most microwaves, this sterilizer also takes four Avent bottles plus components and even fits breast pump parts. It can also fit both normal and wide-neck bottles from other brands.
Convenience
- Tommee Tippee: Portable, making it ideal for parents on the go or when traveling. If left unopened, the bottles remain sterilized for up to 24 hours. One cycle takes four minutes for quick and easy sanitization of baby products.
- Avent: Lightweight and portable for use wherever there’s a microwave available. It sterilizes in under two minutes making it ultra-fast when sanitizing bottles and other baby products. When left unopened, the bottles stay sterilized for up to 24 hours.
Ease of Use
- Tommee Tippee: All you need to do is add cold water to the sterilizer before placing it into the microwave. The lid is closed with a safety latch, preventing the lid from opening during operation. The bottles are stacked neatly into holes in the upper tray designed to hold them upright while parts are placed around the bottles.
- Avent: After pouring water into the bottom of the sterilizer, all you have to do is place it in the microwave and switch it on. The bottles and parts are placed loosely into the sterilizer.
Tommee Tippee Sterilizer
Features
- Uses microwave power to sterilize baby bottles and other products
- Lockable lid to keep it close during use
- Compact and lightweight
- Hold four bottles and different components
- Takes four minutes to complete sterilization cycle
Pros
- Tray can be removed to fit more bottles
- Can be used to store bottles
- Handle on tray makes for easy lifting of bottles
Cons
- Quite large so won’t fit smaller microwaves
Does Tommee Tippee Sterilizer Fit Avent Bottles?
If you remove the upper tray designed to hold the bottles upright, you’ll be able to fit Avent bottles and in fact, most bottles from other brands.
Avent Sterilizer
Features
- Easy to use with microwave power
- Lid is kept securely closed with safety clips
- Side handles allow for safe removal from the microwave
- Fits most microwaves
- Ultra fast with a two minute cycle
Pros
- Portable for traveling
- Can be used to sterilize breast pump parts
- Cost-effective
Cons
- Doesn’t dry the bottles
- Cycle time depends on microwave wattage
Conclusion
Both Tommee Tippee and Avent bottles and accessories are impressive. Their differences are minimal so here are my recommendations again to make your decision easier.
To recap, my top recommendations are Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Baby Bottle as the most versatile bottle. Use Tommee Tippee 3 in 1 Advanced Bottle & Pouch Warmer to warm up bottles and Philips Avent Microwave Steam Sterilizer for Baby Bottles to keep your bottles germ-free. Which one will you pick?
And what about comparing Avent vs Dr. Brown’s, their bottles and accessories? Surely you’ve come across Dr. Brown, too. 🙂
Last update on 2024-03-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
