Usually, they’re of a size that isn’t truly portable, however, and you still might find it inconvenient to find the cupboard space or take it with you to a grandparent’s house. Some of the larger models might not fit inside more compact modern microwaves either.

Don’t rinse equipment off again afterwards as the water won’t be sterile. You don’t need to dry them as the cloth likely isn’t sterile either – just shake off the excess moisture and make sure it’s cooled down completely. When can you stop sterilising baby bottles? Microwave steriliser bags have also become more popular in the last few years. These are reusable pouches made from a tough plastic and work by sealing baby equipment in the pouch with some water and microwaving for a set time. These tend to be more roomy than the cup model, with the best fitting two bottles in at a time, and able to be reused around 20 times per bag. Not the most budget-friendly electric steriliser we tested, and a more expensive initial outlay than microwave or travel versionsThere are four main sterilisation units on the market: cold water sterilisers, microwave sterilisers, electric sterilisers and travel sterilisers. They all have their own pros and cons. 1. Cold water steriliser We’ve teamed up with Emma’s Diary to put the award-winning MAM 6-in-1 electric steriliser and bottle warmer through its paces – and it turns out it’s way more than just an electric steriliser!

More expensive than some other electric models, like the Tommee Tippee Super-Steam Advanced Electric Steriliser or the Nuby Natural Touch MAM’s contribution to the steriliser market is this all-singing, all-dancing multi-part steriliser with six functions: microwave sterilising, electric sterilising, express bottle warming, gentle bottle warming, a defrost and warming option for milk and food, and, finally, a keep-warm function. We have a Tommee Tippee microwave one and it's so simple, no faff. Wash the bottles and pop them in the microwave."Tried and tested by Mumsnetter hereforfun.Electric steam sterilisers are usually powered by a metal plate which heats to produce steam and is a highly effective way to kill bacteria without additional chemicals required. A cold water steriliser uses cold water and a sterilising solution to kill 99.9% bacteria.