In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician

Tommee Tippee 3-in-1 Advanced Review

Bottle warmer with average heating time, but safe and effective for breastmilk
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tommee tippee 3-in-1 advanced bottle warmer review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $58 List
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Manufacturer:   Tommee Tippee
By Abriah Wofford ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Aug 22, 2020
77
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#1 of 8
  • Warming Efficiency - 25% 6.0
  • Ease Of Use - 30% 9.0
  • Health/Safety - 40% 8.0
  • Ease of Cleaning - 5% 6.0

The Skinny

The Tommee Tippee 3-in-1 Advanced won a place in our hearts as one of our favorite bottle warmers, thanks to its abundance of great features. It has a simple-to-use interface, heats bottles safely, and runs almost no risk of overheating. The use of a water bath to warm milk can be a bit slower than other methods, but it offers reliable and consistent results. We like that it can fit almost any size bottle, and the auto-shutoff feature combined with an end-of-cycle beep ensures that you can feed your baby the moment the milk is ready. Overall, we think most families will find this warmer an excellent choice. To see how it stacks up versus the competition, check out our review of the best bottle warmers.
REASONS TO BUY
Simple to operate
Versatile
Consistent temperatures
REASONS TO AVOID
Average heat time
Frequent maintenece

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Editors' Choice Award Editors' Choice Award    
Price $58 List
$59.99 at Amazon
$75 List$30 List
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$20.75 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
77
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52
51
42
Star Rating
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Bottom Line A reliable and effective warmer that will accommodate almost any bottleSimple interface with consistent warming and works with most bottlesOnly works with plastic bottles and has a tendency to overheatSimply designed bottle warmer with sub par efficiency and confusing instructionsCheaper and quick, but it can overheat bottles and kill nutrients in breastmilk
Rating Categories Tommee Tippee 3-in-... Kiinde Kozii Boon Orb Grownsy Fast 5-in-1 Munchkin Speed
Warming Efficiency (25%)
6.0
4.0
8.0
5.0
9.0
Ease Of Use (30%)
9.0
8.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
Health/Safety (40%)
8.0
9.0
4.0
6.0
1
Ease of Cleaning (5%)
6.0
6.0
7.0
5.0
6.0
Specs Tommee Tippee 3-in-... Kiinde Kozii Boon Orb Grownsy Fast 5-in-1 Munchkin Speed
Heat Technology Water Bath Water Bath Steam Steam/Water Bath Steam
Temp or Timer Based Timer Timer Temperature Have to manually turn off Timer
Auto Shut Off Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Audible Beep Yes No No No No
Water Resevoir No Yes No No No
Wide Bottle Capacity Yes Yes No yes Yes
Compatible w/ Glass Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Compatible w/ Breast Pump Bags Yes Yes No No No
Time to Warm to 99F 7:40 min:sec 12:00 min:sec 3:30 min:sec 12:00 min:sec 3:05 min:sec
Wait Time Between Warmings Not listed If Kozii feels warm around the base (from recent use), decrease warming time by 30 seconds. 10 minutes Not Listed 5 Minutes
Dimensions 7.5"H x 6"L x 5"W 6"H x 6.4"L x 4.7"W 6.25"H (with lift out basket), 5"H (without) x 6.1"L x 6.1W 6"H x 4.75"L x 4.75"W 5.5"H x 5"L x 5.5"W
Temp. & Time at Auto Shut-Off w/ Warmer Chart Recommended Setting (4oz Refrig. Milk in Glass w/ Silicone Sleeve) 5:00 min:sec 86F 5:30 min:sec 79F 3:00 min:sec 89F NA 2:35 min:sec 93F
Max Temp if Left in Warmer 12 minutes 109F 94F 112F 90F 130F

Our Analysis and Test Results

In 1960s California, three brothers in the plastic business designed a spill-resistant cup for toddlers, and it was less likely to tip over thanks to a weighted base. They named the cup after their dog, Tommee, and the first Tommee Tippee product was born. A British businessman became interested in the idea and decided to grow the product into a full-on business in the UK. Today, Tommee Tippee is part of the Mayborn group and sells toddler and baby feeding accessories worldwide.

Performance Comparison



tommee tippee 3-in-1 advanced bottle warmer review - the tommee tippee is one of our favorite bottle warmers and it...
The Tommee Tippee is one of our favorite bottle warmers and it performed above average in every metric.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Health and Safety


The Tommee Tippee 3-in-1 Advanced earned one of the highest health and safety scores thanks to its slow-heat water bath system and auto-shutoff. Three simple adjustments allow you to tailor the warmer to your needs every time, and the audible beep at the end of each cycle ensures that you won't accidentally leave the bottle in for too long. When following the manufacturer's guidelines, milk never reached a dangerously high temperature during our tests. Even when left in the warmer for up to 12 minutes, we found that the bottle only just reached 104 degrees. This safety measure leaves us with a feeling of confidence that there is little risk of overheating breast milk in this warmer.


However, if you disregard instructions and use the maximum settings on this warmer, it can take up to 20 minutes for the auto-shutoff to kick in. After this long in hot water, the milk in our tests reached temperatures upwards of 120 degrees, nearly scalding. However, a scenario such as this is purely user error, and we do not fault Tommee Tippee for the result.

The Tommee Tippee 3-in-1 Advanced has a total of 4 buttons. It keeps...
The Tommee Tippee 3-in-1 Advanced has a total of 4 buttons. It keeps operation simple and intuitive.
We used a narrow Lifefactory glass bottle in our test, but the...
We used a narrow Lifefactory glass bottle in our test, but the Tommee Tippee 3-in-1 will accommodate a variety of sizes.

Ease of Use


Using the Tommee Tippee is very intuitive with straightforward program operation, and it earned one of the best ease of use scores. You have three variables to adjust, including bottle type, temperature, and amount of liquid; then the warmer takes it from there. The symbols for each setting are clear and easy to interpret, and the four-button interface is fast and easy to set up, even with a crying baby in one arm.


The auto-shutoff and audible beep make it nearly impossible to misuse this machine, saving your milk from overheating even if you become distracted. There is very little to dislike about the Tommee Tippee, as any further simplifications would make it less efficient. We like that the warmer's chamber is large enough to fit almost any size bottle or pouch, adding to its versatility. However, this also makes the machine's exterior larger than average, and it will take up more counter space than some other options.

tommee tippee 3-in-1 advanced bottle warmer review - for our tests, we used 4oz of refrigerated milk in a glass bottle...
For our tests, we used 4oz of refrigerated milk in a glass bottle with a silicone sleeve.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Warming Efficiency


When it comes to warming efficiency, the Tommee Tippee 3-in-1 Advanced takes a step up from its predecessor. However, even with an improved warm time, it is still just average for the group. We used a glass bottle with a silicone sleeve filled with 4 oz of refrigerated whole milk in our testing. When using manufacturer recommended settings for this bottle and milk type, the warmer brought the contents to 89 in about 5 minutes, at which point it turned off. Depending on the bottle you use and the milk's temperature, you may have different results.


However, even though the warming time is not the shortest, we appreciate the consistency and safety of the Tommee Tippee. The water bath technology offers a more reliable heating method, and the auto-shutoff keeps the milk within the desired temperature range even when momentarily forgotten.

The Tommee Tippee 3-in-1 has only two parts that need cleaning, but...
The Tommee Tippee 3-in-1 has only two parts that need cleaning, but descaling may get confusing with less than adequate instructions from the manufacturer.
The opening of the Tommee Tippee is wide enough to easily fit your...
The opening of the Tommee Tippee is wide enough to easily fit your hand in for a good wipe down.

Ease of Cleaning


To clean the Tommee Tippee Advanced, all you need to do is rinse the basket and wipe the warmer's body with a damp cloth. Be sure to let the machine cool completely before touching the inside. Before the first use and after each descaling process, Tommee Tippee recommends running the warmer through a full cycle as the final step to the cleaning process.


The manual includes a specific schedule for descaling your machine and explains why it is crucial to do so. We like the mention of these specifics, and we think it will encourage parents to follow the routine more closely. Unfortunately, the directions on exactly how to descale the Tommee Tippee are a bit vague. They do not give any specific instructions other than to follow the directions found on the descaler of your choice.

Abriah Wofford