Capacity: Approximately six bottles | Materials: BPA-free plastics and metal electrical components | Included: Steriliser and teat tongs – larger sets are also available to buy Good for parents who It’s also the most stylish option, housed in its own wipe-clean zip-up handbag with an adjustable shoulder strap. This is a UV steriliser, so no need for water, steam or chemicals. It works in just three minutes, which is very impressive – just throw in your items, zip the bag and press ‘start’. The Philips UV bulb inside lasts up to 6,000 hours, and - a bonus if you’re watching your electricity bills – it’s more energy efficient than using steam, microwave or boiling.

Items inside stay sterile for 24 hours and the lid is designed with a flat lip so it can be laid horizontally in a smaller microwave – a useful feature we didn’t find in any other travel steriliser. This programme runs for 7 minutes and automatically stops afterwards with 3 long beeps. The lights will stop flashing. Microwave sterilisers are smaller, but not exactly portable. They could sit on top of the fridge or stay in the microwave itself if you’d rather not keep them out. 3. Cycle time This steriliser is certainly well built, and although it takes up a fair amount of kitchen counter space, it actually looks like a sleek piece of equipment. It’s sturdy, and since it’s been designed to hold six Dr Brown’s bottles, it’s generously sized; these bottles are some of the tallest and widest out there. That means that even if you use alternative bottle brands, you’re likely to be able to fit in a good number of items. The NHS recommends sterilisation for the first 12 months of a baby’s life. It’s important to note that whatever method you choose to use, everything needs to be washed in hot soapy water as soon as possible following feeds, and rinsed in cold running water, prior to sterilisation. What can I use a steriliser for?But if you’re bottle-feeding full time or expressing breastmilk regularly, you should find each of the different modes very helpful – and the fact that the warming unit handles food as well as milk means it should continue to be useful, even once you’re done with sterilising completely. Lara Basini, a midwife and One Born Every Minute star, who runs a popular TikTok channel on all-things pregnancy and birth, explains: “The NHS recommends sterilising bottles and other feeding equipment for the first 12 months of a baby’s life, when their immune systems are still fragile. The items are sterile after a manufacturer-recommended 15-minute cycle – the NHS recommends 30 minutes – and remain so for as long as they’re in the solution. Plus, they don’t need rinsing off when they’re needed. Items can continue to be added and removed as necessary over 24 hours when the solution will need to be remade.

For the first year, your baby's digestive system is super sensitive, and to avoid any tummy upsets you'll need to sterilise your baby feeding equipment using a microwave or electric steam steriliser. Time: How long will it take to sterilise each item? Will that then fit into your routine and schedule easily? Do certain features take longer than others? If you’re pregnant and unsure how you’ll be feeding, or you’re only an occasional bottle-user and don’t want to find space for a bulky appliance, Medela’s microwave steriliser pouches could be a great option. These would also be handy for days spent at a friend or relative’s home, since they’re so small and straightforward to use (add water, seal, start the microwave). If you have a recent addition to your family, by the way, you may want to read my guides to the best prams, baby carriers and baby bouncers, Cat Hufton’s guides to the best high chairs, travel cots and running buggies and Nicola Cutcher’s guide to the best reusable nappies. I find the nuby natural touch steam steriliser really good - it dries the bottles too. It is tall and fits lots of different shaped bottles and other bits!" Tried and tested by Mumsnet user Sjh84 Our verdict

5. Best travel steriliser: Milton Solo Travel Steriliser

This isn’t cheap, so for infrequent trips you’re better off with the aforementioned Milton’s Solo Travel Steriliser. But if you’re regularly away or just out and about, Nuby’s portable UV unit is a worthy splurge (plus it comes with a Nuby bottle and pacifier, among other extras.) If you’re using bottles and breast pumps regularly but not intensively, you might find that a travel steriliser is sufficient for your needs – it’s certainly cheaper to buy and easier to throw into a drawer. If you’re bottle-feeding full-time, though, sterilising one or two bottles at a time will be too inefficient and labour-intensive to manage. 5. UV steriliser