Plastic sippy cup swap to Steel open cup

Why make the swap

• Why switch to steel open cup

  A plain stainless steel cup has no spout, valve or lid, so milk and water touch only steel. AAP suggests offering a cup around 6 months and says it’s healthiest to drink from an open cup by about age 2.

• What's the concern with plastic sippy cup

  Many sippy cups are polypropylene, and lab tests found PP bottles leaching clarifying agents and BPA-related compounds into stored water. Dishwashing increased what plastic bottles released.

• General information, not medical advice. Ask your pediatrician before changing what your baby or child uses.

• Good to know before you buy

  Start with a little water at mealtimes and expect spills while they learn. The cups won’t break. They come with removable silicone grip sleeves, which you can leave off.

• Sources (4)

  1. AAP HealthyChildren: offer a cup around 6 months; open cup by about age 2; sippy cups only while learning (opens in a new tab)
  2. AAP 2018 policy: use glass or steel over plastic; keep plastics out of the dishwasher (opens in a new tab)
  3. Tisler & Christensen 2022, J Hazard Mater: 400+ plastic compounds; dishwashing raised leaching (opens in a new tab)
  4. Tisler et al. 2024, J Hazard Mater: chemicals migrating from reusable plastic bottles; polypropylene among the highest hazard potential (opens in a new tab)

  Health and safety facts on this page come from these sources. What a pick is made of comes from its maker's listing or website, as stated on the date we checked.