11 best toddler cups and beakers for learning to drink independently

If you’re looking for a reliable toddler bottle that’s durable, affordable, and seriously watertight, Tommee Tippee has the answer with its sportee insulated water bottle. Recommended for children aged 12 months and above, the ergonomic design comes with a hard, bite-resistant sippy cap that gently encourages tipping and sipping without the mess, and a dust cover/lid, so it’s great for family outings and trips to the park.

We let our three-year-old have fun testing this one – by which we mean we let them shake it around as much as they liked and not a drop of liquid was spilled, all thanks to the unique valve design that both seals and regulates the flow of liquid. The bottle design is double wall insulted, too, so it means cold drinks are kept cool, while our tester’s parents found it easy to clean, whether that was popping it into the dishwasher every night or into their younger sibling’s steriliser. We also loved that it held a decent amount of liquid – the perfect amount for older tots. A great product at a great price point, and it comes in a range of colours and prints.

Suitable from six months, this cleverly designed, two-handle cup is the perfect starting point for parents who want to encourage sipping from an open cup. The slanted design means toddlers don’t have to tip the cup up quite as much, giving them more control and reducing accidental spills in the process. It’s made from food-safe plastic, is light and easy to hold, plus it’s dishwasher and microwave-safe.

Our eighteen-month-old tester managed to drink successfully from it within a week of using, despite having struggled with other open cups previously. Though there is a risk of mess, the doidy is, in our opinion, the easiest, quickest, and most independent way to learn. It’s also affordable and available in a range of different colours.

When younger babies and toddlers first start drinking from a cup, many will likely prefer a soft spout to begin with. This starter cup from Mam is suitable for little ones as young as four months, with a spill-free extra-soft spout that controls the flow of liquid and helps babies to transition from a bottle to a cup.

The double handles and lightweight, ergonomic shape ensure the cup is perfect for little paws to grasp and best of all, the novel glow-in-the-dark handles make it easy to find when you’re scrabbling around on the floor at 3am in the pitch black. The handles and spout are also compatible with other Mam products, so you can switch back to a standard bottle teat or graduate to a hard spout whenever you need to.

Sometimes the simplest designs are the best and though these cups may have been one of the smallest we tested, they fared well in terms of durability, versatility, and how easy they are to clean and store (they’re dishwasher safe and stack well). They also proved popular with our 20-month-old testers who found them simple to hold and sip from – though not without some mess, of course – thanks to the non-slip, food-grade material and slightly curved rim that allows for more sipping control. They come with complementary lids, too, which means you could fill them with snacks and use them on the go. Choose from a selection of gorgeous, minimalistic Nordic-inspired colourways, including sage green and blush.

Lots of modern toddler cups now have straws, and there’s no denying they’re a useful option to have at home alongside open cup designs. This model from Beaba is suitable for use from eight months, with a health professional-recommended short, firm straw and an easy-to-use flippy lid. The lid also makes it spill-proof – so long as it’s closed properly!

Perhaps the only drawback for some is the valve, which requires the child to bite down, rather than encouraging a free-flowing sucking motion. However, we love the capacity this cup offers and despite being transparent, it regularly washed up well with no staining. Straw cups are also notoriously difficult to clean, which is why many parents reserve them for water as opposed to milk, but this one comes with a small narrow brush to make getting in those nooks and crannies much easier.

Bamboo Bamboo’s fun tableware is so iconic that it’s inspired a ton of imitations over the years. The cute designs are made from bamboo – an antibacterial, non-toxic material that’s not only a fast-growing resource but it’s also sustainable without pesticides, making it one of the safest possible choices for little mouths.

This eye-catching open cup has a drip-detail rim made of food-grade silicone which provides a super-soft cushion for baby’s mouth and proved to be a hit with our teething tester. Despite not having any handles, it’s easy for small hands to grip. Plus, we love this cup’s versatility: hand them a spoon and use it for yoghurts, purées, and more.

The silicone insert can be removed and placed in the dishwasher, but the bamboo does require a little more care. If you handwash your cup in warm soapy water, avoiding any prolonged soaking, and oil it with a little coconut oil about once a month to keep the material supple, you’ll have a product that’ll stand the test of time.

Made from food-grade melamine with a hard PE plastic spout, every part of this simple-to-use cup is dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. We loved the beautiful illustrations of a dragon and a knight on horseback – the perfect antidote to the sea of brightly coloured toddler plastic that fills the rest of the kitchen cupboards! It’s a free-flow design, which means the liquid flows freely out of the spout without needing to be sucked, and the lid can be removed as your child grows and they graduate to open cups.

Since it doesn’t come with a cover, there is the risk of spillage, so while the cup is recommended from the age of four months, it’s probably a better choice for slightly older (and more cautious) toddlers. For that reason, we also wish it came in a bigger design with more capacity.

Kidly is fast becoming the go-to for stylish yet well-thought-out designs, and these open cups proved to be a hit with our two-year-old tester. Made from soft food-grade silicone, the chunky handles allow for just the right amount of grip, while the cups themselves are slightly weighted at the base, so they aren’t easily knocked over but still have a lovely, velvety soft feel. We also noted the slightly curved rim, which helps little ones learn to sip with fewer spills – it’s details like this that’s putting Kidly ahead of the curve.

These cups are also dishwasher and microwave safe and fared well even after numerous washes. We love the muted colourways, and you can choose from a few other stylish shades that match the brand’s other bowls, plates, and weaning items.

Designed to teach children a sipping action without the mess, this 360-degree cup from Dr Brown’s is a welcome option for tots aged nine months and over who still need to get used to drinking from an open cup. All little ones need to do is tilt the cup and sip from the silicone valve at any side.

Though 360 training cups are popular with parents because they’re convenient and often leak-free, they aren’t recommended for too long by dentists because they don’t quite teach the same sipping action that you would get from a standard open-style cup. That said, what’s great about this version is you can remove the valve as your child’s confidence grows and use it as a true big-kid cup. It also comes with a travel-friendly lid to avoid serious spillage on the go.

Our mini tester loved the fun animal designs on the side – and they enjoyed being able to see into the cup since the valve is clear. The colours and the prints weathered well, even after countless cycles in the dishwasher.

This set from drinks bottles brand One Green may be the most expensive option on our list, but it’s an investment buy that’ll serve multiple uses – and for that, we love it. The cup itself is made from single-wall stainless steel to keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks (or food, if you want to use it for that) hot – so it’s perfect for picnics and days out. It also comes with an assortment of accessories, including a silicone rubber teat for young babies and a fun elephant-shaped sippy cap for toddlers who are transitioning to a cup. There’s also two measuring cups and a screw cap which allows you to easily convert your cup into a food jar or formula caddy.

Since the capacity is relatively small, we’d love the bottle to be just a little bit bigger. But still, our one-year-old tester loved getting to grips with the soft sippy cap (which proved to be leak-resistant if not chew resistant!). Plus, it gets huge bonus points for its eco-credentials.

Not only do these cups look great but they really deliver on practicality, sustainability and more. Cleverly combining functionality with gorgeous style, the cups – as the name might suggest – are inspired by marshmallows and are made from super-soft, bash-proof matte silicone. The twisted handles make them easy for small hands to grip, while the soft silicone is gentle on the mouth and great for teeth.

This set of two makes a wonderful gift, particularly for an older toddler who loves the idea of having their own “special” cup. We trialled the cherry red/vanilla set, but it also comes in a charming chocolate-coloured choko and pale mint hues.