Recent reports suggest that the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in the plastics used to make many types of sippy cups could cause behavioral changes in babies or contribute to early onset of puberty in girls. Further study is needed on the exact effects of BPA in humans, but many parents are switching to BPA-free sippy cups just to be on the safe side. If you'd like to switch, too, the sippy cups listed below do not contain BPA. If you know of another great, commonly available BPA-free sippy cup, please email me so I can add it to the list.
Safe Sippy BPA-Free Sippy Cup
Kid Basix LLC. Copyright 2008. Used with permission.
Made from medical-grade stainless steel, the Safe Sippy BPA-free sippy cup has a sleek, grown-up look that toddlers will love. A thermoplastic rubber sleeve around the lower steel portion will help keep the cup from getting dented, and also helps keep drinks warm or cold. Handles and texturing on the cup make it easy for little hands to grip. Though the lid is made of plastic, it is a #5 plastic that is free of BPA and phthalates. The spout is shaped like a straw and has a silicone valve in it that only releases liquid when the child sucks on it.
Tilty Cup BPA-Free Sippy Cup
Kiley Madison Inc. Copyright 2008. Used with permission.
The Tilty Cup sippy cup is BPA-free, and is also a pretty cool new design that makes it easier for toddlers to drink without tipping the cup way back over their heads. There is an angled wall of plastic inside the cup that tips the liquid toward the toddler's mouth as he or she tilts the cup up to drink. When it's time to graduate to a regular child's cup, kids who are used to the Tilty Cup are less likely to dump their drink all over themselves when they tip it too far back out of habit.
Foogoo by Thermos Leak-Proof BPA-Free Sippy Cup
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This stainless steel sippy cup from Foogoo by Thermos is getting rave reviews from parents. It has a leak-proof valve that works very well. I tested one out and had trouble getting any liquid to come out while shaking the cup. The Foogoo sippy cup has a soft but durable spout, and is available with and without handles. This cup is also made to keep drinks cold, which is pretty important if you're taking milk along with you. A few parents expressed concern that this cup looked heavy - it's barely heavier than a traditional plastic sippy, and the design, especially with the handles, makes it easy to hold on to.
ThinkBaby BPA-Free Trainer Cup
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ThinkBaby's trainer cup has the same unique venting system as the company's baby bottles. The venting system might reduce the chance of your toddler getting an ear infection, and will likely reduce the amount of air that is swallowed. The plastics in this sippy cup are BPA-free, but also free of phthalates, lead and PVC. The ThinkBaby Trainer Cup has wide handles that are easy for little hands to hold, and a soft silicone spout that might make it easier to switch from bottle to sippy cup. This cup comes with a travel cap to minimize mess in a diaper bag or vehicle.
Born Free BPA-Free Trainer Cup and Drinking Cup
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Born Free offers two types of BPA-free sippy cups. The Trainer Cup is designed for younger toddlers and has a soft spout with a low-vacuum valve. The Drinking Cup has a hard plastic spout for older toddlers, but still has the low-vacuum valve that makes it easier to get liquid flowing. These sippy cups have handles for easy gripping and also come with caps for neater transport.
Klean Kanteen BPA-Free Sippy Cup
The stainless steel water bottles from Klean Kanteen are sold with a special sippy cup cap to make a handy toddler bottle. The spouts that are sold with this setup are actually Avent polypropylene sippy spouts. The 12-ounce bottles are a good size, but still easy to hold for little hands. I think that I would add a padded sleeve to this sippy, though, to keep it from being dented.Boon Fluid BPA-Free Sippy Cup
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If you're a fan of modern design, the Fluid sippy cup from Boon might appeal to your sense of style. This wide, rounded cup has a hole in the middle so that the sides of the cup form handles that are sized just right for small hands. The cap has a valve and spout built in. I would recommend this cup for older toddlers who can tolerate a faster flow from a cup, though. This is not a beginner valve!
Gerber Fun Grips BPA-Free Sippy Cups
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These colorful sippy cups from Gerber are very commonly available, so if you're looking for an easy-to-find BPA-free sippy cup you shouldn't have trouble locating these in any discount or baby gear store. They come in two sizes, loads of colors, and even a variety that changes colors with heat or cold. These cups are inexpensive, but I found that the valves tended to leak a bit when they had been used and washed multiple times.
Avent Magic Cups BPA-Free Sippy Cups
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Though Avent has been mentioned in the news for BPA in their polycarbonate bottles, the company does make this BPA-free sippy cup, so if you're one of the many parents who feels brand loyal to Avent, this is a great choice. Handles are available to help little hands hold on to these cups. They are reasonably leak-resistant. You will want to get a small brush to clean inside the spout, though. The narrow spout is easy to drink from but not so easy to clean.
