Fantastic (Avent Steam Steriliser)

Member Name: Moatymoo

Product:	Avent Steam Steriliser
Date:	21/10/02 (405 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Quick, Kills germs effectively, Stores bottles for 24 hours sterile

Disadvantages: none

This steriliser was bought when I had my first child and has lasted right through to now and I am using it for my third child. It was fairly inexpensive at £29.99 when I bought it.

It is designed for the Avent bottles although you can put other bottles, dummy's and beakers in it. If you do though the amount of bottles etc you can put in at a time will vary.

It has space for 6 Avent bottles (unless you have the trainer handles still on them then you will fit in 5, although I just take them off) Then after putting the bottles in you put the teats and lids on an extra rack that sits on top of the bottles. You then put on the lid. However, I should add that right at the bottom of all these items is the space for the water so you should really add that first. The reason for this is so that you can make sure that you fill it to no less than the minimum line and no more than the maximum line.

Once all has been set you are ready to sterilise, you push the button down (of course remember to plug the unit into the electricity supply) and away you go. You can walk away and leave it if you want to. It takes just a few minutes. You know when it is done as the light above the switch will go out.

It is wise as this is a steam steriliser to wait for it to cool down before removing a bottle for use. And of course you should keep the unit away from little hands as they could be badly burned if the hot steam came into contact with their fingers.

The fact that this unit has lasted me so long is a good advert for it in itself but that it is so easy to use is also what is so good about it.

You should sterilise your babie's bottles until they are at least 8 months (according to my gp)However, if you want to help avoid those bugs that cause so many problems you can continue if you wish. Although I might add once the child is on the move there are alot of bugs they can pick up just from crawling around the floor. There is also

a theory that if you sterilise everything too much that your child will not have a chance to build up their immune system before hitting the bug ridden schools (and I mean by that the general coughs and colds they catch at school). Please do not take that as you shouldn't ever sterilise because young babies just need that help for a slow build up to immunity. If they were to catch bugs when very young it is alot harder to treat them as they are so small.

The unit does have to be descaled with citric acid, you are given about six months supply when you buy the unit. I telephoned avent (number on leaflet in box) and ordered more as I carried on using the product for my other children.

Another good point about this unit is that you can leave the bottles in the unit for 24 hours before having to sterilise them again. Very handy for those with breastfed babies that just need the odd bottle during a day.

My sister whom is a bit older than me used the sterilising tablets for her older children and for the younger this steriliser. She said there is no comparison, she would use this unit every time. She did have a bad experience where someone gave her daughter a bottle with the milton tablet still inside and she had to be taken to hospital. The person was not aware that the bottle was being sterilised and it wasn't until after her daughter had drank the bottle they realised. Luckily she was fine but it is something extra to worry about when using other units.

I would still recommend this unit to anyone asking. I prefer the Avent bottles too, so what better to sterilise them with but the steriliser made by the same company!

Summary: