Our Top Glass Baby Bottle Picks
Baby need to be burped? We’ve been there. Check out this quick overview of our favorite glass baby bottles.
- Evenflo Classic Glass Twist Bottles (Top Pick)
- Dr. Brown’s Options Wide Neck Glass Bottles
- HEVEA Baby Glass Bottles
- Philips Avent Natural Glass Baby Bottles
- Chicco NaturalFit Glass Bottles
For more information on all our top recommended baby bottles, check out our ongoing baby bottle guide.
What are the benefits to glass baby bottles?
It may seem odd to use glass bottles to feed your little one. After all, they’re glass! But using glass bottles to feed a baby has been happening since the 18th century.
The modern bottle looks a lot different than the baby bottles of yesteryear, but the concept is the same: to feed your baby and help them grow.
- Cleaning: Glass bottles are easy to clean and disinfect by hand or in a dishwasher.
- Safety: Tempered glass is crack and chip resistant while resisting bacteria.
- Reuse: Plastic bottles can get dingy and stained, but glass stays clear with simple care.
Glass Bottle Safety Tips
- Supervise Those Sips: Though it may seem like a simple thing, baby should not be put to sleep with a bottle in hand. Falling asleep with a bottle may be soothing, but it can lead to tooth decay.
- Keep It Clean: Make sure everything is clean and sterilized every time you make a bottle. Bacteria can thrive on the proteins found in formula and breast milk, and if the bottle and nipple aren’t clean, these bacteria can end up in baby’s stomach.
- That Warm Feeling: Your baby’s bottles should never be warmed in the microwave! This can create hot spots in the contents which can burn their mouth. In addition, you should not reheat breast milk or formula – bacteria from your baby’s mouth can thrive in bottles that have been sitting out.
Glass bottles vs Plastic bottles for Babies
The battle of the bottle: Glass v Plastic
While both glass baby bottles and their plastic counterparts will get your baby the nutrition they need, they are not created equal!
Though plastic bottles weigh less, glass bottles are easier to clean and sterilize. In addition, some parents are worried about chemicals leeching from plastic bottles. With glass, this isn’t a worry.
Let’s face it, having a baby can be expensive, and glass is obviously more expensive than plastic. But glass baby bottles are worth the extra expense!
Material Differences
The biggest difference between glass baby bottles and their plastic counterparts is obvious. While it seems counterproductive to give a baby something breakable, glass bottles are made of tempered glass, which is four times stronger than regular glass. The bottles can be found in a variety of sizes, from four ounce to nine, and use nipples of silicone or latex.
Design Differences
Glass baby bottles can be found clear or tinted, plain or painted, and ready to be used after the first sterilization. Some are better for feeding, some for colicy babies, and some excel at time in the freezer for storage.
While the traditional bottle is sturdy and sleek, modern designs take ergonomics into account. Textured patterns and curved sides make these glass baby bottles easier for your little one to hold.
Where and how your little one feeds can also determine the design of the bottle. For example, if you want to mimic breastfeeding, or if your child goes from breast to bottle, wide-necked bottles tend to work best.
Cover Differences
Glass can be slick and also is a great conductor of heat. If you’re handing a bottle to your baby, you may want something extra to protect their tiny fingers. Fortunately, glass baby bottles have a variety of different sleeves and covers to protect the bottle, the baby, and your sanity!
You can find covers in everything from silicone to wool, and DIY patterns for knitting and crochet sleeves can be found across the internet.
In our opinion, glass bottles are a great option for feeding time.
While plastic is more prevalent, glass baby bottles are a great choice. The tempered glass is easier to clean, and the smooth, non-porous surface of the bottle give bacteria no place to hide. There is no risk of the chemicals found in plastic bottles leeching into your baby’s milk with glass.
Should I use breast milk or formula for glass bottles?
Pumped v formula
No matter what you choose to feed your baby, you want to be sure to have the most efficient way to get it into their tiny tummy. Glass baby bottles work wonderfully for breast milk or formula, and can be used with silicone or latex nipples for feeding time.
But remember…
No matter what you use, reheating is never a good idea.
The bacteria that live in your baby’s mouth like what’s in a bottle just as much as your baby does! If a bottle is lost under the couch (it happens!), glass bottles don’t provide a place for that bacteria to thrive.
How do I clean glass bottles?
It seems obvious, but it is so important to keep your glass baby bottles clean, and also to make sure they’re sterilized between each cleaning. Because its surface is non-porous, glass is much easier to clean than plastic, and you won’t have to worry about it accidentally melting against something warm in the kitchen (Hey, accidents happen!)
One very important safety tip: If a glass baby bottle is ever chipped or scratched, replace it immediately. This can create a flaw that can lead to the bottle breaking.
All modern glass bottles can be washed in the dishwasher, or by hand. Like any baby bottle, they need to be pulled into their separate parts to make sure every nook and cranny gets clean.
To sterilize glass baby bottles, simply soak them in boiling water for five minutes. After this is done, you can just wash them like normal!
