Why Are All Of The Sippy Cups Dirty

Seriously. Why. And HOW. HOW ARE THEY ALL DIRTY. ALWAYS. THERE ARE NEVER ANY CLEAN SIPPY CUPS I SWEAR TO MAUDE I JUST WASHED THEM ALL.

*sigh*

You know, and it's really only in the past... month? Six weeks? That The Velociraptor has even really  understood what in the hell to do with a sippy cup. We've been offering them since... seven months? And zie totally got that there was MILK in there (well, formula), and got that you had to pick up the cup and put the spout in your mouth, but didn't understand the tilting part of the equation. Then all of a sudden it made sense, and any time zie even sees a sippy cup they want it. OKAY.

This post is mostly to talk about sippy cups though, and which ones I like, which ones I don't, etc. and so on, because this is the kind of thing I love to read, and judging by my blog stats, so do some of y'all.

Links in this are NOT affiliate links. All products listed are ones I bought my own damn self. I have received no compensation in any form for this post.

Okay so here's the sippy cups we have.

Munchkin Click-Lock Bite-Proof Trainer Cups

These come in a "bite-proof" and "regular" model, and we have both. I think they're trying to just have the bite-proof ones. Whatever, they're the same cup. These were some of the first we bought. These are probably my second-favorite, at home.

Pros

• The click-lock feature is awesome. There is an audible click when the handle/spout assembly is on correctly.
• Easy to put the handle/spout assembly on.
• Does not leak.
• Soft spout.
• 100% dishwasher safe.
• Silicone spout.

Cons

• You have to use the handles to use the cup, so as The Velociraptor gets older, zie will outgrow these.
• Large capacity. These will easily take 6-8 ounces of fluid, which on the one hand, great... but if you have a small baby and you know they won't drink that much, and you only put four ounces of fluid in there, they REALLY have to tip up the cup to get at it. We think this made it a little tougher for The Velociraptor to figure out sippy cups.
• The spout can sometimes be a pain to get in and out of the handles. On the other hand, you know it's really fucking durable because god knows it's gone through a lot.
• No cap, so I don't really take these out of the house.
• No ounce markings on the cup, so you aren't sure how much the kid had, and if you want to make formula, you need to either get out a measuring cup or make it in a bottle and pour. 

The First Years Take-and-Toss Spill Proof Cups with removable handles

These were the other first sippy cups we got. Now that I have more choices, they are not my favorites.

Pros

• Wicked inexpesive.
• Small size, so these are really what helped The Velociraptor "get" sippy cups.
• Completely dishwasher safe.
• Removable handles, so they become handle-less sippy cups, then regular child cups as The Velciraptor grows (which is part of why I'm not getting rid of them).

Cons

• A four-pack of cups and lids only comes with two handles. Handles, seeing as how the child's HANDS are on them, often get SUPER GROSS and need to be washed. And then here I am with these extra cups on my hands...
• Jeezy muffin creezy, the handles are tough to get on. It is not as simple as "just squeeze and slide them up!" like it says on the package. No no no. You have to squeeze, the pry one side up over the lip, then squeeze just right and pry the other side up. I mean, they're secure once they're on! Getting them on is a pain.
• Hard plastic spout. Which, the kid isn't going to chew through, and since they have teeth I'm less worried, but on gums,  meh, not ideal I am told.
• Not leak-proof. There are always drips with these. 
• No ounce measurements on the cups.
• No caps.

 Nuk Learner Cup 

THIS IS MY FAVORITE RIGHT NOW. I wish we had it earlier. This was a "well, let's try this" cup I bought in the grocery store while I was waiting for my car to be fixed, and oh my gods, I wish I'd bought it sooner. My local BabiesRUs does not have these, so you might have to search. But seriously, try the grocery store, I'm not kidding.

Pros

• This is probably the easiest to learn from, I'd say. The Velociraptor took one look at this and was like OH. YES PLEASE.
• Soft, textured, grippy handles.
• Handles are easy to take on and put off.
• OUNCE MARKINGS ON THE SIDE OF THE CUP.
• Soft silicone spout. This is probably the most bottle-like of the sippy cups and spouts. 
• Super cute designs (I linked to Winnie the Pooh, but there's plenty of others).
• Easy assembly and disassembly all around.
• Completely dishwasher safe.
• COMES WITH A CAP.
• Leak-proof.

Cons

• Kind of expensive. Part of that I think is because I was in the grocery store, but they're like, eight bucks a piece. (There is a link for a coupon on the page I linked though.)
• I ONLY HAVE ONE. 
• Can only be a sippy cup - can't use this as a regular cup.

Playtex TrainingTime Soft Spout Cup

I just bought these this past weekend, because huh, turns out only six sippy cups - only four of which are usable at a time WHY ARE THERE ONLY TWO HANDLES IN A PACKAGE OF FOUR, FIRST YEARS is actually not enough, if you offer a cup at every meal and with snack,  unless you do two loads of dishes per day and HAHAHAHAHAH no. Ours had its break-in voyage at a Red Sox game on Wednesday. Like you do.

Pros

• Vented spout is pretty easy to get in the lid.
• Comes with a cap.
• Removable handles!
• Cups are interchangeable with other lids in the Playtex TrainingTime line.
• Fully dishwasher safe.
• Comes in two-handled or one-handled styles.

Cons

• They SAY that it's a super-easy twist-and-click system. Uh, no. I have never heard a click, and it's not like I haven't tried. The arrow goes way past the lock on the cup when I finally get it as leak-proof as I can, and did I mention...
• Be careful, these will leak, unless maybe you're luckier than me.
• Can't use as a lidless, regular cup - you have to have some kind of lid on it. 
• Handle placement is a little fiddly. They fit in to a groove on the lid, which is super cool, but I have never gotten them to fit exactly perfectly and seamlessly.
• No ounce markings. 

Nuby No-Spill FlipN'Sip Cup

This is another one I picked up this weekend, and got broken in at the Red Sox game. This is actually a straw cup, although now that zie gets sippy cups, The Kid had no problem with it. Except for the part where you actually don't need to tip a straw cup, so maybe these are a better earlier choice. Ah well.

Pros

• Soft, grippy handles.
• Built-in cap - you just slide the cap over the straw and you're set.
• Soft straw that doesn't drip or leak.
• Fully dishwasher safe.
• Fine to use with juice, not just milk or water.

Cons

• This is another one where it's like, okay, I swear I know how to put on goddamn lids, WHY ARE YOU DRIPPING.
• Also WHY DOES THE STRAW ALWAYS WIND UP OVER THE HANDLE NO MATTER WHERE I START SCREWING THE LID ON. I mean The Kid can still drink from it just fine, but it bothers me. A LOT.
• Definitely close the cap when you have it in your bag. The Man didn't before we packed up at the game, and I opened up the bag to all kinds of wet burp cloths and blankets, so that was fun.
• The straw assembly is kind of a pain in the ass. There's two parts, and it takes a lot of fiddling, squeezing, and pulling to get it in place. And it's not completely obvious when it's in there correctly, too. Definitely take a very good look at it - maybe take pictures! - before you take it apart and wash it the first time.
• No ounce markings.
• Have to have the cap on to use it.
• You cannot remove the handles.

Playtex TrainingTime Straw Cup

We actually bought this in a set with the Playtex Soft Spout Cup - which, good on you Playtex, for selling a variety pack. That is actually pretty awesome, because then people can try both.

Pros

• Fully dishwasher safe.
• Soft silicone spout.
• Removable handles.
• Single or double handles, YOUR CHOICE woooooooooooo
• Integrated cap.
• Interchangeable lids with other Playtex TrainingTime cups.

Cons

• Mostly the same as for the spout cup - like the lid being fiddly to get on.
• Another pain in the ass straw assembly, that looks ALMOST like the Nuby, but NOT QUITE, so definitely be careful, take pictures, and HAVE FUN KIDS.
• Can't use as just a plan cup; you have to have a lid on it.
• No ounce markings. 

Playtex AnyTime Spoutless Cup

This was another grocery store buy. Because fuckin' why not, right? I usually fill this with water and keep it in the living room, for sips during play.

Pros

• Larger size.
• Leakproof. This one I have actually heard the lid click in to place!
• Easy assembly and disassembly.
• Cannot mistake this valve for anything else.
• Will take the handles from the sippy cups, which is good because right now it's just a wee bit too big for The Velociraptor to hold by hirself.
• Integrated cap, which The Kid is FASCINATED by.
• Completely dishwasher safe.
• Even though there's no spout or straw, The Velociraptor drinks just fine from it.

Cons

• It is a little bit bigger and harder to hold, and it does not come with handles.
• Our valve... apparently didn't have any slits in it when we got it, so here I am, trying out this cup with the kid, and hahaha it doesn't work. The Man cut tiny slits in each side of the valve and now it's fine.
• No ounce markings.
• Have to have the lid on to use it.

BET YOU DIDN'T REALIZE THERE WERE THIS MANY KINDS OF GODDAMN SIPPY CUPS, DID YOU. And really, this is just scratching the surface. There are SO MANY. So what's your favorite?