While glass bottles may sound new to you (with the many plastic bottles as well as silicone that are getting more popular nowadays), they are in fact, a classic that has long existed since our grandmother's era and are making a comeback in recent years, studies have found.
Today's glass bottles are quite different from the older era's as they have been upgraded to hold their own. Many parents are leaning towards using glass bottles nowadays because they are concerned that harmful additives (besides BPA) are present in plastic bottles.
1. Glass vs. Plastic
Lets talk about the pros of Glass first. It is:
- Chemical-free. Glass does not contain any chemical, so you do not have to worry about it containing any harmful additives.
- Easier to clean. Notice how there's always a film-like sheet that's left behind in plastic bottles that you can never seem to clean off? Yes, those are fats from milk (more so if it's breastmilk) and they tend to stick to the sides of bottles. It is easier to clean it off glass bottles because you can soak them in boiling hot water, which brings us to our next point.
- High thermal shock resistant. Glass can withstand high heat and therefore can be put into boiling hot water (to sterilise) or to heat up cold milk.
- Scratch-free. You will be surprised to see the many scratches your plastic bottles will come up with after multiple uses. Stop using and discard immediately if you notice this because there's no guarantee you will be able to clean the scratched area thoroughly. With glass, there is no such worry.
These benefits will have to be weighted against the cons and the first thing that comes to mind is - glass is fragile. While this is true back in the days, the glass used nowadays is tempered glass which is sturdier and is less heavy. Of course, you cannot expect it to be as light as plastic bottles, but you will certainly be surprised to see the durability these glass bottles hold nowadays.
Another thing that people are concerned of is that glass bottles are hard for babies to gripe. This can be solved easily by buying these silicone outer sleeves to give babies better friction, and also to protect your glass from shattering.
On the other hand, plastic bottles have the following benefits:
- Non-breakable. You do not have to worry about shattering your bottles. Period.
- Light. Even at their heaviest, they will still be lighter than glass bottles which is definitely a pro especially if your baby will be holding it himself.
- Cheaper. Plastic bottles are cheaper than glass. We understand this is one of its biggest appeal to many parents.
The biggest "con", or concern as we'd like to put it, is that plastic contains a type of chemical called BPA that experts have found to produce harmful effects on the brain and behaviour development of children. Most manufacturers have therefore eliminated this element from their bottle making but still, some parents have the nagging feeling - what if there are other harmful chemicals that experts haven't detected yet?
Another down side is that you cannot immerse plastic bottles into hot water (don't even think about boiling water!) because it will either melt the plastics or render the release of some chemicals from the plastic into your milk.
2. So, Which One is Better?
We lean towards glass bottles to be honest, mainly because of peace of mind that absolutely NOTHING chemical is going into baby's tummy. We also love how they can be cleaned thoroughly and be soaked in boiling hot water. Even though they are slightly pricier than plastic bottles, it works out long term wise because we don't need to dispose them as often (compare to scratchy plastic ones), well, that is if we are careful enough not to break them.
As you can see, both Glass and Plastic bottles have their own pros and cons. When it comes to choosing one, it really is a trade-off between what you want and at the end of the day, is a personal preference.
If you choose to give glass bottles a go, why not check out our glass baby bottles reviews below to find out the best glass bottles available in the market nowadays.
3. Top 5 Best Glass Bottles
The Philips Avent Natural Glass Bottles are hands down the best glass baby bottles in the market.
This Natural bottle is made of premium quality borosilicate glass, a type of BPA-free material. The glass is easy to wash and sterilise (you can even boil it in water, or use any of these) without having to worry that the temperature may be too high that it will melt/damage some components that plastic bottles may have.
The Philips Avent Natural Glass Bottles incorporate an advanced anti-colic system with innovative twin-valve that is directly integrated into the nipple with no extra hard-to-clean parts. The wide, breast-shape and unique comfort petals promote natural latch-on and offer flexibility without nipple collapse which is why these are one of the best bottles for breastfed babies.
It comes with a 1-month + slow flow nipple to start on your newborn which makes it one of the best glass bottles for breastfed babies. You can always buy other Philips nipples to suit your baby's age as these bottles are compatible with all Philips Avent Natural nipples.
The wide neck of these Natural Glass Bottles made them easy to wash and we love how it has a high thermal shock resistance so they can handle sudden changes in temperature. This means you can heat it up directly when you take it out from the fridge without having to wait and thaw it first. However, do note that Philips does not recommend putting them in the freezer though!
If you are still sitting on the fence and would like to try out glass bottles for trial purpose without having to spend too much, then Evenflo Feeding Classic Glass Twist Bottles is your answer.
For glass bottles, you cannot find any other cheaper than these, in fact, they are comparable to the price point of plastic bottles even! These bottles come in pack of 6 and are available in 4 or 8 ounces, complete with nipples and lids.
With their patented Proflo Venting technology, the silicone nipples will adjust to baby's pressure automatically to release the right amount of milk to prevent excessive gas and colic. The micro air vents directs air into the bottle to avoid the nipple from collapsing so that less air enters baby's stomach.
The glass of this bottle is thicker and sturdier than other glass bottles, and the twist design makes it easier to hold with more friction. If you are more of a clumsy person, you will appreciate the durability of these glass bottles. Even if you drop them, these have a higher chance of surviving.
Like all glass bottles, the Evenflo Feeding Classic Glass Twist Bottles can sustain high heat but we notice that it does not do as well in terms of extreme temperature change. This means you should not put it into the freezer, then heat it up immediately without thawing. In any case, it does well in warmers and sterilisers. At this price point, you have nothing to worry about!
If you are looking for the best glass bottles for newborns, you will delight in Lifefactory 4-ounce BPA-free Glass Baby Bottles. All components of this bottle are made in the U.S or Europe.
Do you know that newborns do not need a lot of milk? Yes, because they are still so young, they have not developed the ability of gulping down milk quickly. This is why you should only use slow-flow nipples for your newborn - they ensure milk flows slowly into your baby's mouth according to their drinking pace so that they will not ingest too much air.
Given that, you do not need 8 or 9-ounce bottles - 4 or 5 ounces is just right for newborns and these ones from Lifefactory is perfect.
These are perhaps more unheard of but let us assure you, Simba Ultra Light Glass Bottles are truly one of the best glass bottles in the market!
First of all, they are so light you wouldn't suspect it if we told you they are plastic bottles! This is because they are made from super light medical-grade glass which has also been proven to reduce milk stain compare to conventional glass bottles. These are perfect if you go travelling because (1) who needs extra weight to carry? and (2) you don't need to bring brushes to scrub those milk stain off!
Like Lifefactory Glass Baby Bottles, Simba bottles can withstand sudden change of temperature due to its high heat resistance of up to 1112 degree Fahrenheit. Dishwasher safe, you can also boil it in hot water or steam it in this portable steriliser in your hotel room if you are travelling (check out other sterilisers for your home here).
The nipple that comes with this bottle is specially designed to reduce gas and colic. You don't want a reflux or colicky baby when you are travelling, do you?
The downside is that the glass of this bottle is on the thin side (hence it being so lightweight!) so you have to really handle it with care. You can always buy these to protect your bottles, unfortunately, you will have to buy them separately as they don't come with it.
The Simba Ultra Light Glass Bottles are definitely one of the best glass bottles we have come across. They are the ones we would recommend getting if you plan to travel with your little one.
We love their Original Bottles for their anti-colic and gas fighting ability, naturally, Dr Brown's Option Wide Neck Glass Bottles do not disappoint!
The same innovative vent system that reduces air bubble is present in Dr Brown's glass version as well, which not only is it great to prevent colic, spit-up, burping and gas but is also important in preserving the nutrients of bottle milk.
Vitamins like C, A and E are critical for health in infancy but they, like lipids, are also fragile. If you store them for too long in bottles, they are susceptible to nutrients loss which is why the reduction of air bubble oxidation is so important. The lesser air there is to oxidise the milk, the longer nutrients are stored within them.
Dr Brown's Glass Bottles are also one of the best glass bottles for breastfed babies because of their nipple venting system. Babies can control the pace of milk flow (just like breastfeeding) thanks to the vent system directing air to the back of the bottle instead of the breast milk or formula.
If your baby is prone to gas and spit-ups, and you would like to use glass bottles over plastic ones, then Dr Brown's Option Wide Neck Glass Bottles will help because they really do work in terms of alleviating feeding issues for babies.
4. How to Clean Glass Baby Bottles
Just like how you will clean your plastic bottles, you do the same thing with your glass baby bottles.
Getting a brush cleaner kit like this will definitely help (to get into every nook and cranny!), otherwise, just a simple bottle brush will do the trick (this is a favourite, while this is perfect for travelling and it doesn't get any cheaper than this).
After cleaning, you should always sterilise the bottles to make sure they are 100% germ-free. This is when the perks of glass bottles become apparent - you can boil them in hot water if you do not want to spend extra money buying a bottle steriliser. This is something plastic bottles cannot achieve (if you are boiling them, you should stop now!) because the high heat will melt them, or worse, plastic chemicals that are harmful to your baby will be released.
If you do not want to be boiling water every time you need to sterilise your bottles, we highly recommend getting a bottle steriliser to make your life easier. They are very affordable and come in different varieties to suit different needs (microwave, electric steam etc.). Click here to read our extensive review on the best baby bottle sterilisers.
Other articles you might be interested in:
