Best Cups for Toddlers on the Move - Cup Comparison
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Hi, my name is Emily and I am a cup hoarder. I’m not kidding. I have an entire cabinet dedicated to water bottles, cups, and tumblers and that still doesn’t stop me from buying more (if you ask my husband I have a “problem” lol.) I even have a collection of coffee mugs, and I don’t even drink coffee! I do drink A LOT of water. I like to start my day with hot water with lemon (that’s where my coffee mugs come in,) then I have my every day cup, the cup that fits in the cup holder of my stroller, the water bottle that fits into the cup holder of my treadmill… I could go on.
My son has inherited my love of cups, more specifically he loves any cup that is MY cup. Since he has been able to talk he has requested “Mama water” even if he had his own. I think most Moms can relate to this struggle! So began my hunt to find him his own cup that he would love. During this hunt, I feel like we have tried every cup on the market. The good news is that we have tried so many different styles and brands so you don’t have to! Here was my criteria:
BPA Free - safer for my little ones
Easy to clean - saves Mama extra work
Soft material - protect developing teeth
Affordable - my son is tough on his cups, so something that isn’t too costly to replace
Leakproof - no spills
After trying many cups, I’ve definitely found I have a few favorites based on this criteria. Here are my top four cups for toddlers on the move:
Munchkin Weighted Straw Cup
The Munchkin Weighted Straw Cup checked a lot of boxes when I was looking for cups. The straw is soft and gentle on teeth and gums, and the sliding lid is easy for little ones to open and close on their own. The weighted portion of the straw makes it so that children can drink out of the cup no matter what position they are in, this is a huge help to decrease frustration as little ones are learning that they don’t need to tip up the cup like a bottle and it allows them to drink while they roll around on the floor. And it works! This was the cup that helped E learned how to drink from a straw.
If you are working on the transition from a sippy cup to a straw cup this is a great option. The cup does disassemble easily, but the straw is very narrow and difficult to clean, so I would not recommend drinking anything besides water from this cup. If you’re looking for a go-to cup for on-the-go, not so much. The minute your little one flips this cup over, WHICH THEY WILL, the straw will leak and you will end up with a wet floor/bed/car seat.
PRO TIP: When you purchase this cup make sure that you take the straw out and REMOVE THE PLASTIC CAP ON THE BOTTOM OF THE WEIGHT. I have seen many posts from parents who think the straw is broken or that they “can’t drink from the straw” because there is a clear plastic cap on the bottom of the weight that prevents any liquid from entering the straw. Once this is removed it should work perfectly.
Cost - $6.58
Camelbak Eddy Kids Water Bottle
I have a fond spot in my heart for Camelbak brand. I have always loved their products for hiking and my husband and I both have the larger version of these bottles for ourselves. The Camelbak Eddy Bottle offers a soft plastic straw for developing teeth, is made from BPA free plastic, and is a great size for little hands to hold. My son loves the little handle on the lid and likes carrying it around with him while he plays. This handle also allows me to use a carabiner clip to attach it to my diaper bag or his backpack so it doesn’t get lost.
This bottle is easy to take apart and the straw, nipple, and lid all separate so that they can be cleaned thoroughly. It’s also dishwasher safe which is always a plus! The functionality of this bottle requires your little one to bite the nipple and then suck to get water out, which may be a tricky for little ones who are just learning to drink through a straw but are great for more advanced drinkers. The mechanism for opening the lid of this bottle is slightly more difficult than other cups - my son is two and still struggles with opening it. We are currently taking a break from using this cup because it has become a game, he closes the lid and then asks me to open it, over and over and over again.
When the cup is assembled correctly it shouldn’t leak, but it is easy for little ones to squeeze the nipple and let the water leak out, or like R prefers to do, push the nipple down into the cup so the entire cup is open to spill.
PRO TIP: If your little one likes ice water or other cold drinks I would suggest investing in the insulated Camelbak bottle which is slightly more expensive, but when cold drinks are in this standard bottle they “sweat” and you will end up with water all over the place.
Cost - $15.00
Munchkin 360 Cup
The Munchkin 360 Cup is the most unique cup on this list, and I love it because of this! If you’re not familiar with this cup, it is not a straw cup, but a closed-lid cup with a plastic barrier that covers the entire lid so that your little one can drink from anywhere on the cup. When they are finished drinking, it immediately seals so there are no spills! My son has flipped it upside down, tossed it across the room, and tried to stick his finger under the lip and seriously…there are no spills! Because there is no straw this cup is much easier than any of the other cups to clean. I use this cup for milk for this reason. I don’t have to worry about milk getting stuck inside of the straw or any other cracks and crevices causing mold to form. This cup is BPA-free and dishwasher safe which makes this Mama very happy.
The only downside in our household for this cup is that “Mama’s cup” has a straw so E wants his cup to have a straw. He agrees to drink his milk out of it, but otherwise prefers having a cup that looks more like mine to drink his water out of throughout the day.
Cost - $7.77
Zak Straw Cup
Moms know best! I am so lucky to be surrounded by so many experienced Mamas who share their knowledge and advice with me. This cup came to me as a suggestion from my friend Andi who swears by it for her toddlers. The Zak Straw Cup is made of BPA-free stainless steel so it is insulated (yay! sweat-free) and keeps cold drinks cold for quite awhile. Unlike some of the plastic cups, the stainless steel holds up well to being dropped or thrown. It may dent but it won’t break. The straw for this cup is soft plastic so it is tooth-friendly and it has a unique star tip that prevents it from leaking when flipped upside down. Seriously, this bad boy is leak proof. See for yourself here.
The downside to the stainless steel of this cup is that they recommend hand washing vs. dishwashing. While this isn’t a deal breaker, most Moms know that anything that needs to be hand washed is a chore. The mouth of this cup is wide enough to easily clean all the way to the bottom, unlike other narrow-mouth water bottles.
Cost - $10.99
What’s my #1 pick?
I have taken the time to consider the cost, pros, and cons of these cups to choose a favorite and my decision ultimately came down to which cup DIDN’T LEAK. My son has recently tried to take more control of his own bedtime and is insisting on taking his cup to bed. Trust me, having to change your toddler’s pjs and bedding at three in the morning is not fun, so the winner quickly became the Zak Straw Cup. My son can take it to bed with him and wake up dry. The straw cup also looks close enough to my cup that E loves having his own.
From a parent’s perspective, it is affordable, made of safe stainless steel, easy to clean, and it is gentle on his teeth. It’s a win-win!
I still think the other cups are great and serve a purpose:
Munchkin weighted straw cup - perfect for teaching little ones how to drink from a straw
Camelbak toddler bottle - great for on-the-go, easier for older kiddos with better fine motor strength
Munchkin 360 cup - the perfect milk cup, easy to clean and no spills
Did we miss any?! Does your kiddo have a cup you both love? Let us know!
