All About the Best Baby Food Makers

Factors to Consider When Buying a Baby Food Maker

We asked Pampers Parents what their top factors were when choosing the best baby food maker:

• Safety. Of course, safety is the top concern. When looking for a baby food maker, make sure that all the parts are free of lead, BPA, and phthalates—all of which may be harmful to your baby. Most of the machines on this list are BPA-free. It's also worth checking that the product hasn't been recalled.

• Ease of use. A baby food maker should make your life easier, not more difficult, so the simpler the machine is to operate the better. The BEABA Babycook Plus claims it can be operated with one hand and one touch. That is definitely a good selling point.

• Easy to clean. Some Pampers Parents noted that they preferred hand-washing to sticking the parts in a dishwasher. So that's something you might consider. Most of the products on our list can safely go in the dishwasher if that's what you’d rather do.

• Durability. You'll want something that can stand up to all the work you'll need it to do. A powerful motor and a sharp blender blade are crucial. If you're not a fan of a plastic work bowl, you might like a model that has a glass work bowl, like the Baby Brezza Glass Baby Food Maker.

• Size. The baby food maker's size and footprint is important for many Pampers Parents, especially for those with not much room to spare in the kitchen. Although the Duo Meal Station Food Maker takes up a fair amount of counter space, models such as the Sage Spoonfuls Baby Food Immersion Blender can work in tight spaces, too, and can even be transported if you're traveling with your baby.

• Included accessories. Consider what extra add-ons come with the baby food maker you’re thinking about and decide if you’d need to purchase additional equipment. Most of the products on this list include nothing more than a spatula and/or an integrated measuring cup. However, the Nuby Garden Fresh Mighty Blender includes an array of accessories like storage cups and a freezer tray.

• Price. Affordability is always something to consider. Lower-priced products may not have all the bells and whistles compared to the more expensive ones, but they still get the job done. You don’t need to break your budget to get a great baby food maker with basic functionality. Prices for the products on our list range from under $40 (the Sage Spoonfuls Baby Food Immersion Blender) to almost $200 for the BEABA Babycook Plus. You might also consider adding your preferred baby food maker to your baby shower registry.

• Additional features. A few baby food makers can also warm your baby's bottle or sterilize pacifiers and small toys. This may be the selling point that convinces you to go for one product over the other. On our list, the Duo Meal Station Food Maker can warm a bottle and sterilize, and the Cuisinart Baby Food Maker can warm a bottle.

6 Best Baby Food Makers

Thousands of Pampers Parents voted on the best baby food makers. Discover the pros and cons of each so you can pick the best one for you and your baby. Here are the reviews:

Why pick this one? The Nuby came in as Pampers Parents' top choice in baby food makers for its simple design and practical features that make it easy to start your baby on solid foods.

Most of the baby food makers on this list allow you to steam-cook inside the machine's blender bowl, which Pampers Parents loved. Unfortunately, this isn't an option with the Nuby, which at its heart is simply a blender. Nonetheless, the Nuby does include a steamer basket insert, which you can place in the batch bowl with food and microwave it. That does somewhat address the issue. Although the Nuby lacks the steaming/cooking option, it does make up for it with quite a few add-ons, including a flexible freezer tray that has nine compartments, six food storage containers, two feeding spoons, a spatula, and a cookbook. It includes two different work bowl sizes: a short cup for small batches and a big bowl for large batches, which you can freeze for later.

Highlights: In addition to a regular blade, there's also a milling blade for finely grinding cereals and oatmeal for your baby's breakfasts. All parts are BPA-free. Price*: about $59.99 on Amazon.com Pampers Parents pros and cons:

Why pick this one? The Babycook Plus from BEABA is designed so that you can steam two foods at once with easy one-handed operation. This may be just the time-saving feature you're looking for—and the kind of thing you expect from the most-expensive baby food maker on the list. The steam-heating system is powerful enough to cook a variety of foods in under 15 minutes, which the manufacturer claims helps the foods retain their vitamins and nutrients. Simply place the food in the work bowl's steaming basket for cooking, and empty it back into the work bowl for pureeing once it's cooked. It's possible that this two-step process may not be to your liking. Some of the baby food makers on this list allow you to steam and puree in the work bowl without having to transfer the food. Each of the two work bowls has a 4.7-cup capacity, allowing you to prepare quite a few servings of baby food at a time. It includes a spatula, mixing lid/smoothie filter, and a booklet with recipes for homemade baby food. Another neat feature that’s great for busy parents: The machine automatically shuts off when the food is cooked and an audible beep lets you know when it's done.

Highlights: It's available in three colors: gold (pink), white, or cloud (gray). The parts are free of BPA, lead, and phthalates. Price*: about $199.95 on Amazon.com Pampers Parents pros and cons:

Why pick this one? The Duo Meals Station baby food maker is a beast of a machine. It can steam, blend, warm bottles, sterilize, reheat, and defrost. It can make up to 11 cups) of food at once so you can make large batches of baby food and freeze individual portions for later. Pampers Parents loved that this baby food maker includes two steaming trays so you can cook two different foods on top of one another. Any liquid that remains in the container under the food trays can be used to thin the food you're pureeing, capturing some of the nutrients that escaped during the steaming process. To steam the food, add water to the steamer base on the left side and the LCD screen will let you know with an audio alert when you’ve added enough—no measuring or guesswork needed! When the food is steamed and ready to puree, simply transfer the food to the three-speed blender on the right side for quick work. This sleekly designed machine only comes in gray and doesn't include any additional accessories. So, that's something you may need to take into account.

Highlights: All the attachments can easily be cleaned in the dishwasher. Price*: about $159.99 on Amazon.com Pampers Parents pros and cons:

Why pick this one? This baby food maker from Baby Brezza steams and purees your little one's foods in one compartment so you don’t have to transfer the food from the steamer to the food processor. The four-cup work bowl is made of glass, which appealed to many Pampers Parents who didn't like plastics coming into contact with their babies' food. Pampers Parents also pointed out that unlike plastic, the glass bowl doesn't absorb smells or become discolored from use. The control panel is very easy to use, and features three settings: steam only, blend only, and automatically blend after steaming. The steam tank is easy to fill and remove for cleaning.

Highlights: The baby food maker includes a spatula and recipe booklet. The work bowl and blade are both dishwasher safe. Price*: about $98.99 on Amazon.com Pampers Parents pros and cons:

Why pick this one? This baby food maker gives you two options for blending your baby's food: You can use the immersion blender attachment or use the mini food processor. This means you can make a small batch in the food processor or blend an entire pot of food using the immersion blender attachment. The whole set is lightweight and easy to transport if you want to take it with you when you travel. It's also easy to clean, as all the attachments can be put in the dishwasher. This baby food maker can puree fruits, vegetables, meats, and even nuts. You can even use it to puree soups, smoothies, and sauces that the whole family can enjoy. The manufacturer cautions that the power buttons shouldn't be held down for more than 30 seconds when you're using the blender as it may cause the motor to overheat, so you’ll need to be extra careful.

Highlights: All parts are free of BPA, phthalates, lead, and PVC. Price*: about $38.99 on Amazon.com Pampers Parents pros and cons:

Why pick this one? This baby food maker from Cuisinart is a steamer and food processor in one that also includes a bottle warmer. And the best part is you don’t have to transfer the food between vessels, unlike some other baby food makers on this list. The work bowl hold four cups of food, which means you can make big batches of baby food to freeze for later. The blade inside the bowl stays locked even when you tip the bowl upside-down to get out the last bits of pureed food. Other features include automatic shut-off, which kicks in when all the water has evaporated. There's an easy-to-use dial with an LED light indicator to let you know when the bottle has been fully warmed. The motor is powerful enough to chop and puree a variety of foods.

Highlights: The baby food maker comes with a spatula, an integrated measuring cup to help you determine how much water is needed for the bottle warmer or food steamer, a baby bottle adapter ring for skinny bottles, and a recipe booklet. All materials that come into contact with food are BPA-free. Price*: about $73.99 on Amazon.com Pampers Parents pros and cons:

The Bottom Line

All the baby food makers on our list have a lot going for them. Comparing the things that are most important to you like price, size, safety, features, and accessories will help you pick one that’s right for you and your baby. We hope the insights from Pamper Parents help make your decision easier.