Your little bundle of joy is here and you have probably already made the decision to bottle feed them using formula milk.
Once you have decided to bottle feed, get ready to spend tons of time each day to prepare formula milk and ensuring that the measurements are correct.
The process has been made easier by baby formula mixers which we will look to touch on in this article. This article will also discuss why use baby formula, benefits of using a mixer and reviews of various popular products on the market.
Baby Formula Mixers Compared
Why use Baby Formula?
Although breastfeeding offers the best nutritional value for infants, more and more parents are choosing to bottle feed. This is due to reasons like the health of the mother, busy schedule, stress, post-partum depression among others. Formula milk is a nutritious alternative to breast milk and it attempts to duplicate a mother’s milk in the best way possible. Some of the reasons why parents may choose to use formula milk include:
- Convenience: You or another caregiver can conveniently and easily bottle feed the baby at any time. This means that you can share the feeding duties with others and help your partner get more involved in the very important feeding process which encourages bonding. The mother is also free to attend to other duties without having to schedule work and other activities around the baby’s feeding schedule.
- Mother’s diet: Using formula milk frees the mother from worrying about what she eats or drinks, since the baby’s feeding is not dependent on her. The mother does not have to alter her diet whatsoever.
- Comfortable to feed in public: Breastfeeding in public can feel quite uncomfortable for some women. Others feel embarrassed and insecure for having to expose their breasts in public. Bottle feeding the baby on formula milk would be the best thing to do in such situations.
- It contains important nutrients: Formula milk is known to contain some nutrients and vitamins that are not present in breast milk and which breastfed babies need to get from supplements. It is made with a complex combination of sugars, vitamins, proteins, and fats, in sterile conditions.
Challenges of Formula Feeding
When deciding if to formula feed or not, there are challenges which you should put into consideration including:
- Expense: Formula milk is quite costly and the cost varies with the type of formula, whether powdered, concentrated or ready to feed. Ready to feed formula is the most expensive while the powdered formula is the least expensive. Specialty formulas like hypoallergenic are even more expensive, therefore, evaluate the cost before making the final decision.
- Lack of Antibodies: Manufactured formula does not contain antibodies which are found in breast milk. This means that the baby will not be getting any added protection against infections the way breast milk does.
What does a Formula Mixer do?
A formula mixer is used to conveniently make a baby’s bottle. They basically mix the formula to make the ready to drink formula milk for a baby.
They work more like instant coffee machines, only that this is baby milk!
Most of the mixers are automatic and do not require a lot of work like measuring, mixing and shaking. They also ensure that the ready formula milk is in the right temperature for feeding the baby. They make work easier for parents and save on time and energy.
Benefits of Using a Formula Mixer
Mixing baby’s formula milk can be difficult and you may experience lots of spillages, incorrect consistency, and contamination, among others.
Basic healthy procedures have been recommended when preparing formula milk which includes cleaning counters and utensils, washing hands before handling baby’s food, sterilizing all babies’ bottles, nipples, lids, and spoons. We are all prone to errors and if you can spare some bucks for formula mixer, then it is a good idea to go for one.
A formula mixer is a very useful tool which is recommended by paediatricians and health professionals across the globe. Its benefits include:
- Ensures the right consistency: Mixers come with measuring cups and calibrations to ensure that they mix the right amount of water with the correct amount of formula milk to offer the right consistency. This means that there is no risk of underfeeding or overfeeding the baby.
- Time-saving: Formula mixers are easy to operate and they work fast to produce a baby’s bottle quite fast. It is hassle-free and at the push of a button, you have your formula ready.
- It is Clean: There is no much handling of the powder milk which makes the process clean and safe for the baby. This averts the risk for infections which can be very notorious in little children due to their developing immune systems.
- Temperature control: Most formula mixers come with temperature control settings. This ensures that you can set the water to the right temperatures and have the ready milk at the right temperatures.
- Limits air bubbles: Parents face a common problem of air bubbles when mixing formula milk by hand. A formula mixer limits the air bubbles and foam in the formula. It can also be adjusted to prepare different amounts to avoid wastage.
Do I Need a Formula Mixer?
Although mixing baby formula by hand is less expensive, it can be time-consuming and tedious. Some of the reasons why we think using a formula mixer is a great idea include:
- Faster and makes work easier and you get your baby’s bottle ready within seconds.
- Help you in ensuring the right consistency of the milk and the correct temperatures at all times.
- They work automatically to save you time and hassle with formula being available on demand
- They can prepare and store different amounts of milk at a time.
- They are easy to clean and can be cleaned in a dishwasher.
While formula mixers are definitely a luxury and something you will get by without owning, they are useful to own and come available for all budgets.
Burabi Wi-Fi Smart Formula Mixer
The is super quick and able to heat up your baby milk in just 8 seconds! Perfect for those late nights when you have a crying baby and looking to get some milk in quick!
The Burabi uses a thermoblock to keep the system primed and ready which means you’ll never have to wait for the water to heat up. The mixer will always be ready to mix formula to the correct temperature in only 8 seconds.
The Burabi comes with Wi-Fi connectivity which allows you to connect to the mixer from the convenience of your smart phone. The Burabi smart phone has some neat features including:
- Intelligence about different baby formula brands to know what concentrate levels work best for your baby powder
- Remotely start making mixing baby formula from another room so the formula is ready to go once you get to the machine
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Currently available on for .
MaxKare Formula Milk Mixer
The is a formula milk mixer that is capable of mixing and heating formula in just 8 seconds meaning you won’t be left waiting long for those midnight feeds.
Coming in at , the MaxKare is one of the more affordable Formula Mixers on the market.
Reviews highlight that the MaxKare requires cleaning every 2-3 days to stop formula from building up in the machine and becoming clogged. Failing to clean the machine on a frequent basis will impact the consistency of the milk due to not enough formula being mixed in.
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Currently available on for .
Gourmia Jr. JFM200 Electronic Baby Formula Maker
Coming in at Price not available,the Gourmia Jr JFM 200 is an affordable baby mixer capable of mixing and heating baby formula in 10 seconds.
One limitation of th Gourmia Jr compared to other units reviewed is the temperature control on the unit. Unfortunately you can’t change the temperature of your milk as you can with other units. However the temperature of the milk on the Gourmia Jr JFM200 is perfectly set based on medical best practice.
One thing we liked about the Gourmia Jr baby formula mixer was the self cleaning mode. This is a really great idea as baby formula is known for building up and getting clumpy. By running this mode every few days you’re able to flush the unit and avoid developing any consistency issues.
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BEABA Quick Baby Bottle Warmer
The BEABA Quick Baby Bottle Warmer is a compact unit that’s capable of heating your baby formula in 2 minutes. Not quite the 8 seconds that we saw with some of the other units reviewed but still super quick!
One thing we loved about the Beaba Quick Baby Bottle Warmer being a 3-in-1 unit. The Beaba is capable of warming an empty bottle, sterilising a bottle and also heating the formula in the bottle.
The Beaba design is compact which means it won’t take up much space on your kitchen bench and also makes it ideal for travel.
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iNG Smart Baby Formula Mixer
The was one of the better baby formula mixers that we reviewed. While it’s not cheap, it definitely comes with some great features that put it above others reviewed.
As baby formula can build up and become quite gluggy over time, the iNG includes a self-cleaning mode to help keep your machine running fresh at all times.
The iNG Smart Baby Formula Mixer includes a smart phone app to control the unit from the phone. One thing that impressed us with the app was that the app can scan the barcode of your formula and get the manufacturers recommended formula and water parameters.
One thing we didn’t like about the iNG Smart Baby Formula Mixer was the baby formula is really… Warm? The lowest temperature point you can configure the formula mix is 40 degrees Celsius or 104 degrees Fahrenheit. We’d recommend making the formula and letting it to cool down a bit before using. When you’re ready to give it to your baby, quickly spray a little on the back of your wrist to check the temperature isn’t too hot.
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Currently available on for .
Brezza Safe + Smart Bottle Warmer
The Brezza Safe + Smart Bottle Warmer is a stylish design that will fit right at home on your kitchen bench top. Capable of safely warming breast milk, formula and baby food, you will get plenty of use out of the Brezza Safe + Smart Bottle Warmer.
The Brezza uses two different methods to heating your baby bottles safely to the right temperature. This includes:
- Steady Warming - Uses warm water to gently heat and defrost to the correct temperature. This takes 4.5 minutes to heat.
- Quick Warming - Uses steam heat to quickly heat the baby bottle to the correct temperature. This takes 3 minutes to heat.
Like some of the other baby formula mixes/warmers we've reviewed in this article, the Brezza also includes a smart phone app so you can control from the comfort of your phone. We particularly like this functionality for those late night feeds when you have a hungry baby in one room and can quickly remotely trigger the warmer to start and be ready by the time you enter the room.
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Wrap Up
There are different baby formula mixers in the market and each with its own pros and cons. Whether you decide to buy a formula mixer or not, is highly a personal choice and ultimately comes down to what works best for you and your lifestyle.
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Affiliate Disclosure – This post may contain affiliate links where we may receive compensation if you purchase products linked below. As an Amazon Associate, I can earn from qualifying purchases. This doesn’t cost you anything and helps keep our little blog running. Read our privacy policy for further information.
My name’s Alex and I’m a husband, dad to beautiful identical twin boys, cyclist, photographer and connoisseur of great coffee!
Help I’m Having Twins has been created for me to share what I found useful as a new parent and dad to twins.