A very good value steriliser (Tommee Tippee Microwave and Cold Water Steriliser)

Member Name: joannan

Product:	Tommee Tippee Microwave and Cold Water Steriliser
Date:	09/11/09 (97 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, can be easily stored in the microwave

Disadvantages: A bit weak, and bottles fit a little awkwardly!

I honestly thought I would breast feed. So I only bought a cheap microwave sterilier for the times that I would of course express easily and simply and be able to go out for the odd occation.

I was delighted to see the Tommee Tippee Microwave and cold water steriliser hald price at Mothercare. RRP is £19.99 and I paid £10 for mine. It came complete with 2 wide necked tommee tippee closer to nature bottles, tongs for lifting the teats out and pulling them through without touching it. A double ended bottle brush and detailed yet simple instructions advising how long to sterilise for according to your microwave wattage. I thought this was a wonderful buy for the occational use I had planning.

Oh how a pregnant woman has her ideas about how perfect and easy things will be, and oh the reality. I didn't get on with Breast feeding at all, it wasn't for me, hated every second of it....even stayed in hospital an extra night in order to try to establish breast feeding!!! I have up after a very distressing 28 hours of a screaming little lady....and an unhappy baby too lol.

The hospital provided ready mixed bottles with ready sterilised teats.

Once we got home, I had to speed read everything on formula feeding and sterilising! We realised that the bottles that had come with the steriliser were only suitable for babies older than 1 months and were not the right ones. Also discovered that 2 bottles are about a quarter of the very minimum required for a day with a new born as they have soo little so often.

Out we went. We ended up with some Tommee tippee bottles and some Avent ones as well.

The first time we used the unit, we had not a clue how to use it. We followed the instructions on loading the bottles,but found the Tommee tippee ones simple didn;t fit easily or well, the neck was very very wide and they jarred with each other, so a absolute maximum of 4 would fit. Avent went in a treat, and 6 fitted easily.

The base of the steriser as you can see from the picture is a large clear plastic flat bottomed bowl, much like tupperware. The tip is a solid with plastic with is attached half way down the side of the bowl creating a flat tray that sits opens onto the kitchen counter or another flat surface providing a nice clean sterile area to assemble your bottles.

I have a 900watt microwave and it instruted me to load my bottles and teats which have been washed in water and washing-up liquid in the bast unit with 180ml of cold water and microwave on full power for 6 minutes and leave for a further 2. It is very very hot when it come out so I would say leave for a few more minutes prioer to opening as the steam can scold.

The unit is large, its 12" wide and over 8 inches high. My microwave is fairly large as its over 10 years old. I would suggest a quick meaure prior to buying as the more compact modern microwaves are powerful but fairly small. A girl friend of mine returned hers for the Avent much smaller counterpart.

I used this for both my children every day for 2 years. It lasted for about 19 months perfectly, then the tiny little plastic bits that hold the lid in place with the base clicked off after this point. It still worked OK ish....but given my 2nd child was nearly 10 months, I decided not to replace it, but microwave it for a few minutes more instead.

A good value and very effective sterilier. Great as it can be stored out of sight in the microwave when not in use unlike the electric counter top ones that are large and would need to stay out or go in and out of a cupboard on a daily basis.

4 stars simply becvse it came with level 2 bottles rather than new born and it broke after 2nd child (Picky!!!)

Summary: Have a read!