Heating breastmilk...who knew it would be such a science! The microwave will cause loss of nutrients and hot spots, and a pan of hot water will take an agonizingly long time when accompanied by a hungry, crying baby. Enter the Quick Serve Bottle Warmer, what I thought would be the most convenient method. It is...and well, it isn't.
Yes, this warmer is convenient, as it can heat bottles in under the five minutes it advertises, especially if you are using disposable bags or drop-in liners. However, it can get these bags extremely hot, so you need to stand by the warmer and test the bottle periodically. Regular plastic bottles tend to take longer and don't heat up as well. The performance of the warmer is not consistent. It works well sometimes, but usually only if you pay close attention to it, testing the bottle as it warms. Goldilocks would lose her patience with this one, as it is hardly ever "just right".
Here's how it works: You fill the included blue vial to the first line for smaller bottles (4 oz.), the top line for bigger bottles (8 oz.). You dump the water (which is a tiny amount) directly into the chamber where the bottle will sit. Place the bottle in and press the button on the front. In about 30 seconds steam begins to form and in about two minutes (when the nearly all the water has been turned to steam) the unit automatically shuts off. This does not mean, however, that the bottle is done. It may need to sit there longer if you have more liquid or a larger bottle. And, with drop-ins, it may need to be removed from the warmer sooner.
Some problems with the warmer include:
The blue filling vial. It is difficult to see the fill lines on it, especially at night. A clear fill cup with printed lines would be visually better. Moreover, the amount they suggest for smaller vs. bigger bottles doesn't necessarily fit your own bottles. You need to test it out and see what amount of water works best for you. And there's such a small amount of water that you're using that it is difficult to use the same exact amount each time.
Smaller bottles. Steam quickly rises around smaller/thinner bottles, making them too hot to pick up and swirl to mix or to test the heat of the bottle.
Wait 10 minutes to try again. The instructions state that the unit needs 10 minutes to cool down if you need to use it again. Well, I have gotten it to work again more quickly than that (sometimes immediately), although, I don't know if this is damaging the product in the long run. This is why it's better to put MORE water than you need into the unit and test the bottle as it warms. This way you're not stuck waiting for the unit to work again to heat up a cool bottle.
These caveats aside, this is a nice accessory for your nursery, especially for late-night feedings. No drowsy trips to the kitchen. Keep a cooler next to it with your bottle and you never need to stumble to a downstairs kitchen.
The bottom line: if you realize that heating bottles is not an exact science and that every bottle needs to be tested and adjusted, then you will do well with this warmer. If you think there is a magic alarm that will go off when the bottle hits the exact perfect temperature, well, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn for ya...
I love this product so much that I bought another one for my mom's house. I use it to heat up my 4oz medela and healthflow bottles and tried the Avents bottles. Yes the milk does get hot if you leave it til the warmer shuts off. But I usually check the bottle 1/2 way through the time (est. 3-4min), shake the bottle and the milk is PERFECT!!!!! Therefore it takes a total of 3-4 minutes for you to have a warm bottle, much quicker than putting it in boiling water. 2 other good things about this warmer are: 1)it has the auto shut-off capability unlike other warmers, where you have to unplug the unit and 2)it is small and doesn't take up too much space on your countertop.
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It's a convenient product for those finicky babies who likes their food warm. On the plus side, it's smaller than most warmers so it doesn't take up much space. It has a measured water cup on the side to indicate how much water is necessary for steaming. It fits all bottles including the Avent (4 and 9oz.) with a detachable ring on top for even heating. A convenient lighted button turns off when all the water has evaporated from the steamer indicating the bottle is ready.
The only problem I have with it is it initially requires a few attempts,by adding or removing water, to get the temperature just right for the amount of formula used as it tends to overheat or underheat.
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I wasn't originally planning on using a bottle warmer...didn't think it was needed. I was wrong! We were heating up tap water in a cup and placing the bottle in the cup to warm up...that took WAY TOO LONG! I purchased this warmer because of it's size and the other online reviews I had read. All you do is plug it in, fill the measuring cup to the desired level(you might have to do some trial and error here to get the right water amount) pour the water in and press the start button. The great thing is it will automatically shut off when the heating process is finished. I use Gerber bottles and it works well! It works with ANY bottles though. It's soooo easy to use!
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This is a great warmer. I use the Playtex Disposable Bottles and it works wonders. There are not that many warmers that you can use for Disposable Bottles and this is so perfect. You can use any kind of bottle or baby food jar. The only difficult thing at first is that you have to try and find out the perfect amount of water to add for the amount that you are heating. I guess it's just one setback for being so versatile and accomodating any type of bottle. We love it. It's so small that you can leave it on the countertop and can even take it on outings, it has a convenient measuring cup, it automatically shuts off when it is done, and it is so quick in heating. This is a great product. Don't wait to buy it like I did.
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I had issues when processing peas for my 6 month old and this food mill separated the pea shells perfectly! The device comes apart completely for an easy clean, can even feed right out of the cup once done running through the mill. I saw some electronic mills as well and to be honest this is not fancy but not fussy, efficient, and a good product. Just make sure the middle knob is screwed on tight if not the top will not open.
