NUK First Choice Learner Bottle review

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Price RRP: £10

What we like

Spill-proof
Soft, silicone spout
Wide lip rest
Trainer handles made with no-slip grips
Spout with anti-colic air system
Temperature control indicator

What we don't like

Encourages sucking more than sipping
Liquid flow is quite slow

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Key specs

Capacity: 150ml | Recommended age: 6-18 months | Material: Polypropylene, silicone

Our verdict

Safety: 5/5
Design: 4/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Ease of cleaning: 5/5
Value for money: 5/5

If your little one isn’t quite ready to transition from the bottle to an open cup like the Doidy Cup, the NUK First Choice Learner Bottle is a less intimidating option. After using it for a week with my 11-month-old daughter, I found that it had no leakage whatsoever compared to other sippy cups I’ve tried including the MAM Trainer+ cup. Plus, my daughter found it easy to hold and drink from, thanks to the no-slip grips on the trainer handles.

The NUK First Choice Learner Bottle also stands out in its appearance, resembling more of a baby bottle than a traditional sippy cup. With its slim design and handy lid, the spout stays clean whilst we’re on the go and the learner bottle fits well in almost any changing bag.

Whilst the spout's small holes are great for preventing spillages, they do restrict the flow of liquid, resulting in a slower pour, which my daughter finds a little frustrating. The spout isn’t positioned centrally within the bottle either, making it harder for younger children to grasp the correct drinking position.

When assembling this learner bottle, you need to align the handles correctly the first time as they can't be adjusted once secured on the cup. Nonetheless the no-slip grips are a great feature because they give my daughter the independence to hold the bottle and drink herself.

In a nutshell, the NUK First Choice Learner Bottle is durable, easy to use and does the job of encouraging independent drinking. I love that it's fully spill proof too, an invaluable feature for parents in my opinion. The temperature control feature which indicates when liquid is too hot is also very useful, especially if I’m warming up her milk before bed.

How we tested the NUK First Choice Learner Bottle

I’ve been using this learner bottle alongside other sippy cups like the MAM Trainer+ with my 11-month-old daughter for about a week.

We’ve used it daily as a readily accessible water bottle, and occasionally packed it in the changing bag for on-the-go use.

During testing, I scored this learner bottle on a number of different criteria including: safety, design, ease of use, ease of cleaning and value for money.

How does the NUK First Choice Learner Bottle look and what age is it suitable for?

The NUK First Choice Learner Bottle is suitable for children from six to 18 months, making my 11-month-old just the right age to get full use from it.

We have the white gender-neutral design with the balloon and cloud print on the side which my daughter loves. Plus, the lighter colour easily shows the dirt which is handy for knowing if it needs a clean.

However, it seems the handles have a permanent orange stain due to food on my daughter’s hands, despite multiple washes.

When it comes to the spout on this learner bottle, the soft silicone material is great for a transitional cup as it’s soft on the mouth, heat-resistant, odourless and easy to clean.

Another great thing about the NUK First Choice Learner Bottle (unlike other sippy cups) for babies, is the built-in Integrated Air System that keeps air pressure balanced inside. This helps reduce the amount of air they swallow, lowering the chance of colic.

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NUK First Choice Learner Bottle: is it BPA-free?

Yes! All the materials used (including the silicone spout) are BPA-free and don’t contain any potentially harmful substances, thus giving parents peace of mind knowing that this is a safe drinking aid for little ones.

How easy is the NUK First Choice Learner Bottle to use?

This learner bottle is very easy to use, and my daughter enjoys the independence it gives her, being able to drink without constant adult supervision.

Sometimes, she needs a hand to make sure the bottle is held correctly because the spout isn't in the middle, so it can only be used one way. The spill-proof design does make it a bit harder to suck, which means she drinks more slowly.

Unfortunately, the NUK First Choice Learner Bottle doesn’t offer interchangeable spout sizes to adjust liquid flow, nor does it transition into a regular cup from its bottle design. While it's excellent for moving from breastfeeding to bottle feeding – allowing for a little more independence, it falls short in aiding the transition from bottle to free-flow sippy cup, in my opinion.

Is the NUK First Choice Learner Bottle spill-proof?

It is indeed spill proof and, impressively, I’m yet to see a drip seep out of the spout since my daughter started using it!

NUK First Choice Learner Bottle: how easy is it to clean?

This learner bottle has five parts that can be washed separately: the handle piece, bottle, spout, spout holder and lid.

However, it does specify that the dishwasher may cause material damage, so it’s best to wash by hand with a cloth or brush and soapy water.

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Is the NUK First Choice Learner Bottle good value for money?

Yes! I think the NUK First Choice Learner Bottle is fantastic value for money as it’s become our go-to sippy cup and is packed with plenty of useful features including the no-slip grip handles, anti-colic air system and temperature indicator, not to mention it’s fully spill-proof which is a game changer for parents.

If you're looking for a daily-use, spill-proof bottle, then this is for you. However, if you're looking for a multi-stage free-flow sippy cup then there are other, more suitable, ones on the market.

About the author

Rachel Best is a Senior Developer at Mumsnet and mum of one. She has worked at Mumsnet for almost 12 years and has developed an exceptional amount of knowledge on what parents are looking for when it comes to baby products, most recently becoming part of our trusted team of parent testers.