Tommee Tippee Prep Machines

Ovie1207 · 2025-07-13T07:33:00+00:00

Has anyone bought one of the perfect prep machines recently? I'm currently pregnant and was planning on buying one, but all of the recent reviews are absolutely shocking. I don't know if there's an issue that needs to be resolved, as I see plenty of older threads saying how fantastic they are.

SomethingAboutNothing · 13/07/2025 08:40

They aren't recommended by the NHS due to concerns the hot shot of water is not hot enough, and mould can be found in the tubes if they are not cleaned properly and very regularly. So I wouldn't risk it personally. I don't really understand how they can still be sold.

Original poster

Ovie1207 · 13/07/2025 08:48

SomethingAboutNothing · 13/07/2025 08:40

They aren't recommended by the NHS due to concerns the hot shot of water is not hot enough, and mould can be found in the tubes if they are not cleaned properly and very regularly. So I wouldn't risk it personally. I don't really understand how they can still be sold.

I already know they aren't recommended by the NHS. It just seems that recent reviews are negative and I was wondering why.

OP posts:

BunnyRuddington · 13/07/2025 10:27

Don’t know what the change in the reviews would be caused by but I have seen quite a few threads in here where they’ve stopped using the perfect prep and the baby’s reflux and screaming have stopped. I think that the machine can cause the formula look a to have tiny bubbles in which can in turn cause gas and pain for the baby.

WondererWanderer · 13/07/2025 10:29

Ovie1207 · 13/07/2025 08:48

I already know they aren't recommended by the NHS. It just seems that recent reviews are negative and I was wondering why.

Show quote history

The recent reviews are negative due to what the first poster said. If mould in your babies feed isn't enough to put you off then 🤷🏽‍♀️

WondererWanderer · 13/07/2025 10:30

Ready mixed formula is a quick alternative if you buy the small cartons. Open up and immediately room temperature as not been in the fridge.

Original poster

Ovie1207 · 13/07/2025 10:38

WondererWanderer · 13/07/2025 10:29

The recent reviews are negative due to what the first poster said. If mould in your babies feed isn't enough to put you off then 🤷🏽‍♀️

Show quote history

Thanks for reminding me why I don't use forums like this 😂 judgement already. It says if not washed correctly. Advice changes every year and if we tried to follow it all we'd drive ourselves insane. I have done my research into this, I'm well aware. I didn't ask for advice, I asked if anyone had bought one recently.

OP posts:

Bitzee · 13/07/2025 10:54

I have had 2 machines over the years. Love them. All my friends had them too. I think the mould issue comes from not using their filters and trying to save a few quid by using knock offs meant for brita jugs, and failing to clean it as recommended- it should be done every 4 weeks, whenever you change the filter and after any period of not using it e.g. you go on holiday for a week. IRL I’ve never heard of an issue with them. I could see how they might not be great for gassy/reflux babies because you shake it twice during the bottle making process but hopefully that won’t apply to you. If it does ready made might be your best bet but that’s so much more expensive it would never be my first choice to use only ready made. Also where are you seeing the negative reviews? I just looked on Boots and the new one has 86 reviews and an average of 4.8 stars which is about as good as it gets…

Yes I know the NHS doesn’t recommend it but I think their advice is somewhat contradictory and hard to follow anyway because you can’t make every bottle fresh using hot water and also feed on demand because it takes 45 minutes to cool to drinking temp. Their advice is also very ‘belt and braces’ compared to other western countries e.g. USA, Australia, France etc, which don’t mention any need to use hot water to kill potential bacteria in the powder for healthy FT babies and their formula instructions would typically be to used pre cooled water or baby safe bottled water. So if the hot shot wasn’t quite sufficient meh, I could live with that. But you could always mitigate that with a cheap thermometer, testing the temp of the hot shot yourself periodically and sending it back to TT if it isn’t what it’s supposed to be.

Original poster

Ovie1207 · 13/07/2025 12:01

Thanks for your reply. The negative reviews are on the actual Tommee Tippee site, every recent review is one star. I was about to order one until I saw that, they all mention either being too hot or the hotshot not being hot enough. That's why I wondered if it was a recent fault and thought I might wait a while if that is the case. They've just released the Perfect Prep Pro as well, but wasn't sure on that as it looks very new.

OP posts:

Original poster

Ovie1207 · 13/07/2025 12:02

Bitzee · 13/07/2025 10:54

I have had 2 machines over the years. Love them. All my friends had them too. I think the mould issue comes from not using their filters and trying to save a few quid by using knock offs meant for brita jugs, and failing to clean it as recommended- it should be done every 4 weeks, whenever you change the filter and after any period of not using it e.g. you go on holiday for a week. IRL I’ve never heard of an issue with them. I could see how they might not be great for gassy/reflux babies because you shake it twice during the bottle making process but hopefully that won’t apply to you. If it does ready made might be your best bet but that’s so much more expensive it would never be my first choice to use only ready made. Also where are you seeing the negative reviews? I just looked on Boots and the new one has 86 reviews and an average of 4.8 stars which is about as good as it gets…

Yes I know the NHS doesn’t recommend it but I think their advice is somewhat contradictory and hard to follow anyway because you can’t make every bottle fresh using hot water and also feed on demand because it takes 45 minutes to cool to drinking temp. Their advice is also very ‘belt and braces’ compared to other western countries e.g. USA, Australia, France etc, which don’t mention any need to use hot water to kill potential bacteria in the powder for healthy FT babies and their formula instructions would typically be to used pre cooled water or baby safe bottled water. So if the hot shot wasn’t quite sufficient meh, I could live with that. But you could always mitigate that with a cheap thermometer, testing the temp of the hot shot yourself periodically and sending it back to TT if it isn’t what it’s supposed to be.

Thanks for your reply. The negative reviews are on the actual Tommee Tippee site, every recent review is one star. I was about to order one until I saw that, they all mention either being too hot or the hotshot not being hot enough. That's why I wondered if it was a recent fault and thought I might wait a while if that is the case. They've just released the Perfect Prep Pro as well, but wasn't sure on that as it looks very new.

OP posts:

Slowfeedingbaby · 13/07/2025 12:07

The NHS no longer recommends against them. Instead they provide advice on how to use safely. See the bottom of this link below.

https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/feeding-your-baby/bottle-feeding/how-to-make-up-a-feed/

Can't advise on current reviews - we bought the night and day one in 2021 and it has served two DC very well. Its a shame if they are not longer working properly - we bought a food grade thermometer and checked ours after the weekly clean. It was always at 73c. But felt like it was worth linking to the actual NHS advice in case others come across this thread.

How to make up a feed - Start for Life

Have a look at our step-by-step guide on how to make up a formula feed.

https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/feeding-your-baby/bottle-feeding/how-to-make-up-a-feed

Gc1992 · 13/07/2025 12:12

I had one with my son a few years ago. I read the negative stuff about them at the time too but I paid for the proper filters, replaced them when prompted and very regularly cleaned it. I also visually inspected it for mould as best as you can and there never was any visible. I never had any issues with it and it was a godsend!

PerfectPennyKilledMyHusband · 13/07/2025 12:16

It was genuinely the best thing we bought, saved so much time. I checked the temperature of the hot shot regularly with a thermometer and it was always fine.

If you're concerned about the most recent model, you can pick up a second hand one on Facebook marketplace for a tenner! Just make sure you clean it properly, do a full cleaning cycle and put some brand new filters in.

Iloveeverycat · 13/07/2025 12:18

you can’t make every bottle fresh using hot water and also feed on demand because it takes 45 minutes to cool to drinking temp.
You can get a kettle now that goes to 70° so is the perfect temperature to use straight away. It doesn't take 45 minutes to cool a bottle running under cold water or use a rapid cool.

Bitzee · 13/07/2025 18:07

Iloveeverycat · 13/07/2025 12:18

you can’t make every bottle fresh using hot water and also feed on demand because it takes 45 minutes to cool to drinking temp.
You can get a kettle now that goes to 70° so is the perfect temperature to use straight away. It doesn't take 45 minutes to cool a bottle running under cold water or use a rapid cool.

Edited

Those kettles have existed for years but you still can’t drink a 70 degree bottle, that would take approx 30 minutes to get to drinking temp as opposed to 45 for boiling water. And the nuby rapid cool has to be washed up and sterilised after each use which is far too much of a faff to be practical. I don’t consistently either a practical solution tbh.

Anyoneforcheese · 13/07/2025 18:24

Wondering about this too! We had a perfect prep with DD a few years ago and currently trying to decide whether to get one for baby 2 or whether to use the fridge method. As pps have said, the nhs advice to make bottles fresh just isn't practical and I have the same worries about how much of a faff the nuby might be. Other option (suggested by our midwife last time) is to do a hot shot from the kettle and then top up with cooled boiled water, which means it’s drinking temperature immediately. We did this out and about quite a bit using a thermos of boiled water with DD1 and it worked well but you do need to check the temp carefully!

Iloveeverycat · 13/07/2025 18:34

do a hot shot from the kettle and then top up with cooled boiled water,
Guidelines say you must add the formula to the water not the other way round.

Anyoneforcheese · 13/07/2025 18:38

Iloveeverycat · 13/07/2025 18:34

do a hot shot from the kettle and then top up with cooled boiled water,
Guidelines say you must add the formula to the water not the other way round.

Yes, so hot shot from kettle, add the formula so that the hot shot sterilises the powder and then top up with cooled boiled water.

Magenta82 · 13/07/2025 18:52

Use the proper filters and clean as recommended and you will be fine. The NHS and mumsnet can be funny about formula and judgy towards mums who use it. The prep machines are safe and better than our parents generation who made it all up in the morning, kept it in the fridge the reheated it.