I’ve Tried Almost Every Brand of Baby, Toddler Cups. These Are My 3 Favorites

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I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: The perfect toddler cup does not exist. There have been a handful of times where I thought I found one I finally liked. However, a few months later, they would break, wear down, or leave a big bruise on my foot when it got dropped.

However, there are cups that are better than some others out there. We know which ones to avoid: The ones made with too many moving parts, cheap plastic, or worse – they aren’t dishwasher safe.

So even though I think the perfect baby and toddler cups are hard to find, here are a few that I like better than others with pros and cons:

Cups for babies:

1. Infantino My 1st Tumbler (Silicone)

This is my favorite cup for the youngest water drinkers.

It stays together relatively well when dropped. If the lid stays on, it will only spill a few drops. If the lid pops off (which may happen with a hard throw), it will obviously spill more. The small straw has a little valve that makes it easier for the younger sippers to drink.

More importantly, the straw can’t be pulled out. (If you know you know.) The cup also has a handle that’s easy to hold for small hands. Plus, it’s as cute as it can be.

It’s dishwasher safe. The only plastic bit is in the straw, which is small but not so small that it’s incredibly hard to clean. It holds 9 ounces of fluid and retails for about $10.76.

• Pros: Made of mostly silicone, easy to hold for small hands and easy to wash and holds up well
• Cons: May spill a little when dropped

2. Olababy Silicone Training Cup

I like this one because it only has three parts that are entirely made of silicone. There’s also two options, so you can order in a 5 ounce cup or a 9 ounce cup. It’s touted to be designed by experts and comes with a straw brush as well. It’s, of course, dishwasher safe. There are also indicators on the side of the cup if you are measuring fluid intake.

The downside? This cup leaks. A lot. And we all know how much babies love to throw their cups. On the plus side, it holds up well against many falls. Just be prepared to clean up some spills.

It retails for $15.95 for the smaller size of $19.99 for the larger size.

• Pros: Made entirely of silicone and easy to wash
• Cons: Spills a lot when dropped

3. First Years Squeeze and Sip Cups

This small cup is a great choice for small hands. Like the name suggest, babies can squeeze this cup and the water comes up through the straw. This may help them learn how to drink from a straw. It’s mostly leak proof and easy to clean.

The cup itself is made of polypropylene plastic while the straw is made of silicone. It holds 7 ounces, and for $12.99 for a three pack, it’s the most affordable cup on the baby list.

• Pros: Easy to use for babies, relatively spill proof
• Cons: Made of plastic

Cups for toddlers:

1. GoSili Silicone Straw Cup

As you can tell from the list, I’m not a huge fan of plastic. These cups are made entirely of silicone. But it’s a really thick silicone that makes the cup feel quite sturdy. The cup breaks down into only three pieces that is dishwasher safe and very easy to wash.

To my surprise, it does leak a little when dropped but not as much as you might expect.

The downside? If your little one likes to pull a straw out of the cup, this one is really easy to do that with.

• Pros: High quality, made of silicone
• Cons: Easy to pull out straw

2. Yaya My First Tumbler

This is another adorable tumbler cup for toddlers. It is easy to clean and holds 12 ounces. It does a pretty good job of limiting spills.

Actually, this was my favorite cup for a few months running until my toddler dropped it so hard one day that the lid cracked.

Overall, though, it’s still one of our favorites that stays in frequent rotation.

• Pros: High quality, made of silicone
• Cons: Easy to pull out straw

3. Zak! Designs Kelso Tumbler Cups

These cups come in a large assortment of fun designs. They’re relatively easy to clean with three main parts to clean – although, for a deeper cleaning, you have to sometimes break them down into at least five parts.

These cups come in a plastic version and stainless steel version. In my experience, the plastic ones break down after a few months of washes. The cup looks scratched and the designs are almost gone on ours.

The stainless version is better. However, the designs still do start to fade.

Overall, it’s a great cup for preventing spills and is easy to drink out of for little ones.

• Pros: Does not spill, easy to drink from
• Cons: Don’t hold up well after multiple washes

4. Owala Kids Tumbler

This cup is a well-made toddler cup. It has a silicone straw that kids cannot pull out. It comes in fun colors and holds a whopping 12 ounces. It’s spill resistant, but not spill proof. I find that it does spill more than the Zak! cups mentioned above.

I will say it is more insulated than the other cups, if that is a feature that matters to you.

The downside? This cup bent after only a few drops. Also, it’s heavy. And if your kid is a cup thrower, it may leave some bruises on your feet. (Speaking from experience here).

• Pros: High quality, well-insulated
• Cons: Not made for throwing

All in all, choosing the right cups feels like a tiny decision, but these little tools make a real difference in your daily life and your child’s development. You are not just preventing spills. You are teaching independence and building skills that carry over into speech and coordination.

Every time your toddler successfully drinks without help, that is progress you created by picking tools that work. Trust yourself to know what your kid needs, and remember that even small wins like a leak-free diaper bag count when you are in the thick of parenting little ones!

Did your favorite cup make the list? Let me know in the comments below.

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