Buying Guide: Best Baby Food Makers 2023

by Michele Olivier on January 11, 2022 (updated Feb 3, 2023)

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Making your own baby food is a cost-effective and easy way to give your baby delicious homemade food from the start! In our buying guide, you will find our recommendations for the best baby food makers, nutritional tips when using a baby food maker, frequently asked questions, and how to store baby food.

In this guide, you’ll find: show

Medically reviewed and co-written by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

Baby Food Makers

Feeding your baby can sometimes feel like a daunting task. Just when it seems like you’ve got the bottle or breastfeeding figured out, you realize it’s time to start offering your little one their first bites of real food. Which might get you thinking…should I invest in a baby food maker?

First of all, modern baby food makers have come a long way from the very first models. Most brands come with multiple functions all in one machine, which saves you time in the kitchen. Second, baby food makers can definitely save you money. While store-bought baby food can be great at times, the cost adds up. Making your little one’s meals with a baby food maker allows you to make larger quantities and a variety of foods easily.

Third, using a baby food maker gives you peace of mind, because you know exactly what ingredients are going into your baby’s food. You can even introduce your baby to the same flavors and foods that the whole family is eating. And finally, baby food makers can make more than just baby food. Use it to chop and prep vegetables, make dips, or reheat chilled foods.

Reasons To Love Baby Food Makers

Saves money – the cost of store bought baby food jars and pouches adds up quickly, but a baby food maker gives you large quantities of homemade baby food at a fraction of the price!
Saves time – many baby food makers have multiple functions (steam, cook, blend, reheat, defrost) all in one, which means less pots, pans, and bowls to wash!
Provides quality and healthy food for baby – you get to control the ingredients for baby’s very first foods
Ability to customize – you can get creative and make delicious combinations of purees or pureed table food that family eats. No more bland baby food!
Can be used to make a variety of foods for the whole family – steam veggies, rice, pasta or make applesauce, mashed potatoes or soup. Baby food makers are actually very versatile!

Best Baby Food Makers

Nutritional Tips Using a Baby Food Maker

Using frozen foods is totally fine- some (like blueberries) can be even more nutritious than the fresh.
Try to combine iron rich foods with vitamin C rich foods for maximum iron absorption.
No need to add salt or sugar but don’t be afraid to add other spices for a variety of flavors.
Honey and cow’s milk should be avoided until one year.
You can use fresh breast milk or formula to puree foods for added nutrients.
Wash and peel produce and remove seeds/pits before cooking.
Make sure the texture and temperature are appropriate for baby before serving to avoid choking risk or burning baby’s mouth.
Make sure to clean all parts of the baby food maker that come in contact with food thoroughly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth it to buy a baby food maker?

Depending on your needs and goals, a baby food maker can definitely be worth the cost. Modern baby food makers are very efficient at whipping up a variety of tasty and nutritious purees. Many baby food makers are created with busy parents in mind, so built-in timers, one-handed prep options, and a variety of functions all in one machine make preparing meals for your baby easy.
In addition, baby food makers can be used for making more than just baby food purees. Use it to steam veggies, rice or pasta, make mashed potatoes or applesauce, or reheat chilled foods.

Are plastic baby food makers safe?

The main concern with plastic baby food makers is that they can contain bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical produced to manufacture epoxy resins and harden plastics. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves very low levels of BPA as safe, there are many articles and studies available that discuss BPA’s possible connection to negative health effects. If you have concerns about plastic baby food makers, it’s best to discuss them with your pediatrician.

Which baby food maker brand is best?

There are many high-quality baby food makers on the market, so no matter what you’re looking for (from built-in timers to manual controls, from glass to plastic bowls, or from small to large capacities and beyond), you can find a brand of baby food maker to fit your needs. For a solid overall brand, we love BEABA (we chose two of their products for our list!). BEABA’s products consistently receive high marks from consumer ratings and reports.

A blue freezer tray with pea puree inside.

How to Store Baby Food

After making baby food, you’ll need to freeze it, as baby food does not last in the fridge for more than 2-3 days. Frozen purees should last in the freezer for 2-3 months.

After making your puree, let it cool until just warm.
Spoon the puree into your choice of baby food storage container.
Cover your container with a lid or plastic wrap, and place in the freezer.
Let the puree freeze completely before you crack the purees out of the tray and place the cubes into plastic freezer zip-lock or stasher bag. If using jars, the frozen purees would stay in the jars.
Label each bag or jar with the name of the puree and date you made it.

Addiontional Tools Needed

WEESPROUT Silicone Baby Food Freezer Tray – great 10 sectioned baby food tray that holds 1.5oz each, but has a 1 oz fill line for smaller portions. Is made out of premium food-grade silicone and has a plastic lid for easy stacking. These trays or worth their price and I would advise that you get a couple of their fun color trays so you can easily stock up on your homemade baby food.
WEESPROUT Glass Baby Food Storage Containers – I absolutely love these jars! You get 12 colorful glass jars that hold 4oz each. Great for storing baby food purees as well as yogurts, overnight oats, chia seed pudding for toddlers and kids. While the price is a little high, you will get many years worth out of these jars. Well worth the investment for me.
OXO Tot Baby Blocks Freezer Storage Containers – a great smaller set that contains 4 – 4oz PVC, BPA, and phthalate-free jars and a storage tray. A great space-saver system that helps keep your jars of baby purees organized and tidy. Plus, you can easily stack more trays on top of each other if you need a bigger freezer stash.
Stasher Bags – these silicone reusable bags can hold your frozen cubes of baby food purees.
ZipLock Bags – another option for storing your frozen purees in.
Highchair
GOOtensils
Bowl or sectioned plate
Bib with catch pocket
Reusable pouches

Want to learn more about how to store and thaw baby food? Then read my guide on Best Baby Food Storage Containers (plus, 6 Tips on Thawing and Freezing).

Beaba babycook on a white counter with a plant and white jar with wooden spoons sitting next to it.

Baby Food Maker Tips

Make sure to wash all parts of the baby food maker that come into contact with food after each use.
Cutting ingredients into smaller, similar-sized pieces will ensure that food cooks evenly.
While blending, if the puree is too think, you can add in the reserved water or fresh breast milk or formula until you get your desired texture.
Make sure to let the machine run long enough while blending (usually 1-2 mintues) so you get a smooth and creamy puree.
Because the baby food maker is steaming the food, there might be some hot condensation on the lid when you open it. Handle with care. And be sure the baby food maker is sitting on a surface that can get wet.

BEABA Babycook Neo

Key Features

This unique baby food maker is the only one with a glass bowl, if you are looking to avoid plastic products. Four settings allow you to steam, cook, blend, reheat or defrost all in one appliance.

Environmentally friendly glass bowl & a stainless steel steam basket
Easily accessible reservoir
Unique blend feature controls the consistency
Patented steam cooking system
5.2 cup dishwasher safe bowl
BPA, Lead & Phthalate free

Why our Experts Love It

The patented steam cooking system turns off automatically, so you don’t have to worry about overcooking your baby’s food. In addition, the steam system uses 50% less energy and water while making 33% more food.

Pros + Cons

Pros

Four cooking settings in one appliance
The reservoir has large opening for easy cleaning
Larger cooking capacity
Dishwasher safe
The blade is safely designed to be removed with a single touchpoint

Cons

More expensive compared to other brands
Plastic lid and handle can get very hot to the touch after cooking
The white color option may stain easier

Parents Review

Overall this blender is well worth is cost and the money saved on buying baby food is certainly regained! The glass option was also a great upgrade as we try to avoid using plastic, especially at high temperatures!
Jennell

BEABA Babycook Neo

A beautifully designed and unique baby food maker that allows you to steam, cook, blend, reheat and defrost all in one appliance. Comes in four choices of color options.

Amazon

Walmart