Best sippy cups (including the case for skipping them)

Skip ahead to our straw cup guide if you're ready to skip sippies entirely. Or use our free registry builder for the full transition kit.

The pediatric dentist case against hard-spout sippy cups

Traditional hard-spout sippy cups (the kind with a plastic spout you bite down on) were designed for one purpose: spill-proof. They are not designed to develop healthy oral motor skills. Pediatric dentists have been recommending against them for years.

The problems:

• Tongue posture. The hard spout sits on top of the tongue, encouraging the tongue to push forward and rest low. Healthy tongue posture is up at the roof of the mouth. Years of sippy-cup use can reinforce a tongue-thrust pattern.
• Speech development. Hard spouts limit the tongue motion that supports speech sounds.
• Tooth alignment. Prolonged use is linked to misaligned teeth and palate shape changes.
• Dental decay. Sippy cups are often carried around all day with milk or juice. Constant sipping bathes teeth in sugar.

The recommendation from most pediatric dentists: skip the hard-spout sippy. Use open cups and straw cups instead.

What to use instead — the better tools

1. Open cup (from 6 months, with help). A small open cup taught early. This is the gold standard for oral and speech development.
2. Straw cup (from 9 months). Straws encourage the right tongue posture and the same muscles used in mature swallowing.
3. 360-degree cup (transition tool). The Munchkin Miracle 360 has no spout. The whole rim seals and releases when sucked. Better than a hard spout, not as good as a straw or open cup.
4. Soft silicone-spout cup (transition tool). Closer to a bottle nipple than a sippy. Often used for the first 2 to 4 weeks of cup learning, then phased out.

The 5 cups worth buying

1. Munchkin Miracle 360 — best transition cup

No spout. The rim has a valve that releases liquid when sucked, then re-seals. Mimics drinking from an open cup closely enough that it doesn't cause the tongue issues of hard-spout sippies. Spill-proof.

What we liked: spill-proof without the dental concerns. Dishwasher safe. Cheap. Wide range of sizes from infant to toddler.

What we didn't: the valve can get sticky and stop sealing. If yours leaks, it's time to replace.

2. ezpz Tiny Cup — best open cup

A 2-ounce silicone open cup, dishwasher safe, sized perfectly for an infant's first attempts at drinking. The narrow base helps a baby hold it without tipping.

What we liked: the cup that gets first-cup drinking off the ground for most babies. Soft silicone is forgiving when dropped.

What we didn't: it's an open cup, so it spills. Expect water everywhere for the first month.

3. Nuk Learner Cup — best very-first cup

Has a soft silicone spout designed to feel similar to a bottle nipple. Used as a 2 to 4 week bridge between bottle and 360-cup or straw cup. Should be temporary.

What we liked: easy adoption. Babies who refuse the Miracle 360 often take the Nuk.

What we didn't: soft silicone spout is still a spout. Use as a bridge, not a destination.

4. Olababy Silicone Training Cup — best dual-use

An open cup with a silicone "wing" handle on one side and an angled rim. Easier than a tumbler for first sippers. Pediatric speech therapists love it.

What we liked: encourages the right drinking motion (slight tilt, controlled flow). Less spilly than a tumbler.

What we didn't: more expensive than the ezpz Tiny Cup. Larger than ideal for the smallest babies — better from 9 months.

5. ThinkBaby Soft Spout Cup — best with a straw lid

Comes with a soft silicone spout lid and a straw lid. Use the spout lid for the first weeks if needed, then swap to the straw lid permanently.

What we liked: two lids in one purchase. Stainless steel construction is durable.

What we didn't: the heaviest cup of the bunch. Toddlers throw it like a weapon.

Hard-spout cups we don't recommend

• Take & Toss hard-spout cups — cheap, but the worst case of the hard-spout oral pattern problem.
• Any cup with a hard plastic spout where the baby has to bite to release liquid. Same issue.
• "No-spill" trainer cups with valves so stiff babies suck for ages — frustrating and counter-productive.

The straw cup graduation path

Most babies can use a straw by 9 to 12 months. To teach: use a soft silicone straw cup. Squeeze the cup gently to send liquid up the straw. Baby tastes liquid, learns the mechanics. Within a week, most babies suck without your help.

Best beginner straw cups: ZoLi Bot, Olababy Training Straw Cup, Munchkin Click Lock Flip Straw. Hard-walled straw cups (Camelbak Kids, Hydro Flask Kids) work for toddlers but are too big and hard for first learners.

When to drop the bottle and switch to cups

Recommended timing: full transition off the bottle by 12 to 15 months. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends no bottle past 18 months. Bottles past 18 months are linked to dental decay (especially night bottles).

Start introducing cups at 6 months. By 9 to 10 months, baby should be using a cup at one meal per day. By 12 months, cups should be the primary drinking method.

What to put in the cup

• Water from 6 months onward (1 to 2 ounces with meals at first; more from 12 months).
• Breast milk or formula if you're using cups for milk feeds.
• Whole cow's milk from 12 months in a cup (not a bottle).
• Skip juice. The AAP recommends no juice for babies under 12 months and limiting older toddlers to a small splash with water if at all.

How many cups to buy

Two to three of your primary cup. One backup with a different design (in case your kid stops liking the first one). Total: 4 to 5 cups in rotation.

The "weighted base" gimmick

Some cups have weighted bases that say they won't tip. The weight just adds bulk. They still tip if a toddler hits them at the right angle. Skip the gimmick.

Pairing cups with the rest of the kit

• A drying rack with small slots for cup parts (lids, straws, valves).
• A bottle brush small enough to clean a cup straw (most cup makers sell a matching brush).
• A silicone straw replacement pack — straws get bitten and need replacing.

When to call a feeding therapist

• Baby is still bottle-dependent past 18 months despite consistent attempts to transition.
• Baby cannot use an open cup or straw at 18 months.
• Frequent gagging, coughing, or spluttering at the cup.
• Speech delay paired with drinking concerns.