--- title: "Baby bottles UK: if you use them | BabyNido" description: "Baby bottles and sterilisers in the UK: buy only if you will bottle-feed or express, NHS sterilising methods, and listings to compare — not a ward panic kit." url: "https://babynido.co.uk/guides/baby-bottles-steriliser-uk" --- - [Home](/) - / [Guides](/guides) - / [Guides](/guides) - / Baby bottles UK: if you use them planning # Baby bottles UK: if you use them Baby bottles and sterilisers in the UK: buy only if you will bottle-feed or express, NHS sterilising methods, and listings to compare — not a ward panic kit. - UK first kit - Desk-researched - Skip-list By [Hannah Cole](/author/hannah-cole) · Published 13 August 2026 · Last updated 13 August 2026 Also browse [Guides](/guides)[Skip-list](/skip) Desk-researched 2026-08-13. Links marked with * are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Verdicts stay independent: we name the free or official option when it wins. We have not lab-tested products. Verdict Buy bottles and a steriliser only if you already plan to bottle-feed or express. The NHS lists steam, cold-water solution or boiling — a dishwasher is not a steriliser. Start small; teats are not interchangeable. Skip this if your feeding plan is still open, or if you need clinical feeding support. Not for: Skip this if you need breastfeeding support, formula amounts, or a tongue-tie pathway. We compare kit for people who already bottle-feed or express. We are not a clinician. On this page - 1. [Do you need baby bottles before the baby arrives?](#do-you-need-baby-bottles-before-the-baby-arrives) - 2. [What sterilising methods does the NHS actually list?](#what-sterilising-methods-does-the-nhs-actually-list) - 3. [How many bottles is a starter set, not a cupboard?](#how-many-bottles-is-a-starter-set-not-a-cupboard) - 4. [Which baby bottles and sterilisers are worth comparing?](#which-baby-bottles-and-sterilisers-are-worth-comparing) - 5. [When should you skip feeding gadgets?](#when-should-you-skip-feeding-gadgets) - 6. [Is a bottle set a good newborn gift?](#is-a-bottle-set-a-good-newborn-gift) - 7. [Frequently asked questions](#faq) ## Do you need baby bottles before the baby arrives? Only if you already plan to use them. Many UK units supply formula if it is needed on the ward. A cupboard of mixed brands is a panic buy, not a plan. If you are breastfeeding and not expressing, you can skip this aisle. If you will bottle-feed from the start, a small starter plus a sterilising method is enough. This is a kit page, not a feeding method lecture. NHS pages on breastfeeding and bottle-feeding remain the free clinical layer. We will not rank formula brands. We will not tell you to “just in case” a steriliser into the hospital bag — see [hospital bag UK](/guides/hospital-bag-uk). [Newborn essentials](/guides/newborn-essentials-uk) still puts sleep and the car seat first. ## What sterilising methods does the NHS actually list? Steam (electric or microwave), cold-water sterilising solution, or boiling for at least ten minutes. Wash in hot soapy water and rinse first. A dishwasher cleans; it does not sterilise. NHS advice is to sterilise until at least twelve months. Follow the maker on steam kits. Skip UV claims we cannot source to that NHS page. Source: [ NHS — Sterilising baby bottles ](https://www.nhs.uk/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/bottle-feeding/sterilising-baby-bottles/) (checked 13 Aug 2026). Best Start in Life also walks through steam, cold water and boiling (checked 13 Aug 2026). That page is the method. A “smart” steriliser with an app is not a better method. Boiling still works if the items can take it; teats wear faster. Source: [ NHS Best Start in Life — How to sterilise equipment ](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/baby/feeding-your-baby/bottle-feeding/how-to-make-up-a-feed/how-to-sterilise-equipment/) (checked 13 Aug 2026). ## How many bottles is a starter set, not a cupboard? Four to six bottles in one system is a start, not a collection. Teats wear and are brand-specific. Buy the anti-colic story only if you will return what they refuse. A bottle warmer is optional; a mug of hot water is the old method. Formula machines are a later want, not a first-month essential. Kit Choose if Skip if Small starter in one brand You will bottle-feed or express You have not decided the feeding plan Steam steriliser or microwave bags You want speed over a pan You are happy to boil and you have a hob Cold-water solution You want a cheap tub method You will not change the solution every 24 hours Bottle warmer / formula maker Later, if you actually use bottles daily Day one, or as a hospital-bag “just in case” ## Which baby bottles and sterilisers are worth comparing? Compare a Tommee Tippee-style starter, a MAM-style system, and a steam or microwave steriliser — not a ranked “best bottle 2026”. We have not timed feeds. Skip mixed teats across brands. Skip this whole compare if you do not plan to use bottles. Awin hops can sit beside Amazon when live. [ Compare bottles and sterilisers at John Lewis* ](/go/johnlewis?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.johnlewis.com%2Fsearch%3FsearchTerm%3Dbaby%2Bbottle%2Bsteriliser&p=inline) Desk-researched 13 Aug 2026. Example UK listings to compare, not a ranked best-of. We have not lab-tested them. Prices move. Affiliate links (*). Awin tracking URLs can replace a hop when you send them. - Bottles · Amazon UK ### Tommee Tippee starter bottle set A common UK bottle-and-teat listing if you already plan to bottle-feed. Sterilising method still needed. Not a “just in case” panic buy for the ward. Skip if: You are breastfeeding and your unit supplies formula if needed, or you have not decided the feeding plan. [ Compare Tommee Tippee bottles on Amazon UK* ](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Tommee+Tippee+baby+bottles+starter+set&tag=clevermum0c-21) [Read the buying guide](/guides/baby-bottles-steriliser-uk) - Bottles · Amazon UK ### MAM / anti-colic bottles Another frequently listed UK bottle system. Teats are not interchangeable across brands. Buy a small starter, not a cupboard. Skip if: You do not know which teat the baby will accept — wait until they are home. [ Compare MAM baby bottles on Amazon UK* ](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=MAM+baby+bottles&tag=clevermum0c-21) [Read the buying guide](/guides/baby-bottles-steriliser-uk) - Bottles · John Lewis ### Steam or microwave steriliser Needed if you use bottles. NHS lists sterilising equipment for formula feeding. A microwave steam bag can be the small start. Skip if: You are exclusively breastfeeding and not expressing into bottles. [ Compare sterilisers at John Lewis* ](/go/johnlewis?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.johnlewis.com%2Fsearch%3FsearchTerm%3Dbaby%2Bbottle%2Bsteriliser&p=product) [Read the buying guide](/guides/baby-bottles-steriliser-uk) ## When should you skip feeding gadgets? Skip warmers, makers and “perfect temperature” apps until a simple bottle has failed you. Skip packing formula “just in case” unless the unit asked. Skip a high chair as feeding kit for a newborn — [high chairs](/guides/high-chair-uk) waits for sitting. Changing-bag bottle pockets only matter if you bottle-feed away from home. If feeding is going badly, a midwife, health visitor or feeding supporter beats an affiliate round-up. This page will not compete with them. ## Is a bottle set a good newborn gift? Only if the parents asked. A starter set is a bad surprise for someone who planned to breastfeed. A voucher, muslins or sleepsuits are safer gifts. Nappies and newborn essentials still outrank gadgets. Include a receipt so they can swap the system. A steriliser without bottles is an incomplete gift. A mixed-brand hamper of teats is how cupboards fill with parts that do not fit. ## Frequently asked questions Do I need a steriliser if I use bottles? You need a sterilising method until at least 12 months, per NHS advice: steam, cold-water solution or boiling. A dishwasher is not enough. A branded electric unit is optional if boiling works for you. How many baby bottles do I need? A small starter in one system — often four to six — is enough to begin. Teats are not interchangeable across brands. Wait to see what they accept before you fill a cupboard. Should I pack bottles in the hospital bag? Only if you have already decided to bottle-feed and your unit has told you to bring your brand. Many units supply formula if needed. Do not pack a “just in case” machine. ## Read next - [ planning Newborn essentials UK: what to skip What a UK newborn actually needs — sleep, car seat, nappies, a few babygrows — and the gadgets you can skip. Desk-researched, sourced. ](/guides/newborn-essentials-uk) - [ planning Hospital bag UK: what to pack What to pack in a UK hospital bag — and what to leave at home. NHS-based, desk-researched, with a checklist tool. ](/guides/hospital-bag-uk) - [ gear High chairs UK: when to buy one High chairs in the UK: wait until they can sit, cheap wipe-clean vs grow-with-child, harnesses, and listings to compare. Skip a newborn insert as an essential. ](/guides/high-chair-uk) - [ planning Nappies and wipes UK: first packs Newborn nappies and wipes in the UK: first pack sizes, disposable vs cloth, fragrance-free wipes, and listings to compare — not a jumbo mixed gift box. ](/guides/nappies-and-wipes-uk) - [ gear Baby changing bags UK: what to skip Baby changing bags, nappy bags and changing backpacks in the UK: when to buy one, what to pack, and Amazon listings worth comparing — not a ranked best-of. ](/guides/changing-bags-uk) - [ care Breastfeeding kit UK: pads first Breast pads, lanolin and pumps in the UK: what to buy if you breastfeed or express, Amazon bestsellers to compare, and what to skip — not a latch clinic. ](/guides/breastfeeding-kit-uk) - [ care Sippy cups UK: free flow first Sippy cups and trainer beakers in the UK: NHS free-flow advice, when to start, Amazon listings to compare, and why non-spill valves can be the wrong win. ](/guides/sippy-cups-uk) - [ care Weaning kit UK: bibs and spoons Weaning bibs, spoons and bowls in the UK: when to buy, what to skip, and listings to compare — wait until sitting and solids, not the baby shower. ](/guides/weaning-kit-uk) [ See compare listings Then hop to the retailer ](#compare-listings)