Sunday, September 6, 2015

Product: Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Electric Steam Sterilizer (SOLD)

Today I'll be reviewing Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Electric Steam Steriliser set. These are what's in the box:

Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Electric Steam Sterilizer

I'm currently selling this set because I'm no longer using it. I haven't used it for months since I stopped pumping breastmilk. And I've just recently sold my breast pump (Spectra M1 Double Electric Breast Pump, which I will also review one of these days) so this means that I won't be using any feeding bottles anymore. Feeding bottles and breast pump parts are the things that I usually sterilize. Without them, I don't think the sterilizer will be useful for me now.

For Yani's feeding utensils and other things that she puts in her mouth like teethers and pacifiers, I just soak them in hot water for 5-10 minutes. I really don't intend to make sure all her stuff are sterile at this point. She's almost 8 months now and has been biting and licking and putting in her mouth anything within her grasp - and I'm cool with that (mostly, but not all the time). I'm not germophobic as I believe she needs to be exposed to some germs and bacteria in order for her to build up her immune system.

So anyway, going back to Tommee Tippee Electric Steam Steriliser. At first, I wasn't planning on buying a sterilizer because we have the good old steamer, which my nephew used when he was a baby. But I was glad that we got this.



Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Electric Steam Steriliser has a one-touch button system and it's so easy to use. Just place everything you want to sterilize inside the unit, pour water, and push the power button. Set it and forget it, the sterilizer will automatically go off after 5 minutes and the stuff inside will remain sterile for 24 hours as long as the lid remains unopened.

So you don't have to remember to turn the unit off and you don't have to worry if the feeding bottles and anything that are sensitive to heat are left in the steamer for too long. For a new and inexperienced mom like me, who was sleep-deprived and almost at the point of insanity the first few weeks of motherhood, not having to remember things was such a big help.

I also like the shape and design of the sterilizer - it's oval and not round, like most sterilizers, which I thought looks better, doesn't take up as much space and can easily accommodate other baby stuff that are wider like food containers, plates, etc.



It has a 2-layer rack so you can put in more small items. The lid is also taller, which adds to the height of the main unit and consequently adds more space to the sterilizer as a whole.





The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Electric Steam Steriliser set that I got comes with 2 5oz Tommee Tippee feeding bottles with cap, 2 newborn teats, 1 plastic nipple tong and 1 cleaning brush. (Note: newer sets come with different add-ons). You can use it right out of the box, no need to assemble anything. The only thing you need to know is how much water to put in it.


According to the manual, just put 80 ml of water. The feeding bottle has an 80 ml mark so I just use that to measure. Putting more than or less than 80 ml will affect the sterilizing time. If you put less, it will go off quicker and if you put more, it will stay on for much longer.



A word of caution though, the steam coming off from the sterilizer is hot. Make sure that the sterilizer has cooled for a few minutes before you take the lid off. I almost burned my face one time when I opened it as soon as it went off. The lid and everything inside is also hot so don't take them out immediately.

It's also better is you use filtered water as limescale deposits at the bottom of the sterilizer over time, especially if you have hard water running in your tap. Or you can clean it regularly to prevent unsightly build-ups. It's pretty easy to clean  anyway. You can use a wet towel to wipe the outside and inside of the sterilizer or you can wash it in the sink, just make sure not to wet the bottom part because that's where the electric components are.

I really like this product - the ease of use, the convenience, the sleek design and the fact that you can sterilize a lot more items with it. If you're in the market for a good and all-around sterilizer, I recommend Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Electric Steam Steriliser. And if you're looking for one that is used but still in great condition, please leave a message in the comments below. Like what I said above, I'm selling this sterilizer set (with everything that's shown above) for P2,000.