Best Baby Food Makers 2017
Baby food makers are an excellent addition to the new parent "must have" list. Available since the early 1990's in Europe, and in the U.S. for just over a decade, baby food makers have saved millions of parents time and energy when making fresh, wholesome purees. And the systems have gotten much better over the years, with higher reliability, more powerful motors, and phthalate-free plastics.
Carrots? Peas? Sweet potato? Got it. Fun and healthy dessert blends like banana blueberry puree? No problem. Once you get your hands on a good baby food maker you'll be inventing recipes like a professional chef! And your baby will love you for it. By the way, our favorite baby puree recipe book is on Amazon: 201 Organic Baby Purees! There are tons of great, healthy recipes in there to keep your baby happy and exploring new food textures and flavors.
So what should you consider when buying a baby food maker? Below are the top considerations. All of our top baby food makers balance these considerations with cost:
Steaming and Processing in one: The original baby food makers were glorified food processors that changed their name and marketing, and were manufactured with some cute colors to entice new parents. With these old systems you had to cook fruits and vegetables separately in a steamer and then puree them in the processor. This method got the job done, but was a time consuming process. More dirty dishes, more hands-on kitchen work, and more time away from your baby. All the new systems we recommend are all-in-one steamers and processors. Put in the fruits and/or veggies, add some fresh water, and the system will steam it for you with the push of a button. Aren't around when the steamer finishes? No worries, just come back later to puree, which by the way is simply another push of the button. Two button presses later and you have a freshly steamed and pureed masterpiece for your little munchkin. Some of the newer models even have a one-button feature, like the Baby Brezza: you press the Steam + Blend button and 10 minutes later your food is ready! Maybe a healthy veggie puree for dinner, maybe a fruity blend for dessert? You're the chef now, no more worrying about which Gerber options are on the shelf, or worrying about harmful additives! Four of the five products on our list include both steaming and food processing in one.
Ease of Use: This is the factor that sets apart the good and bad baby food makers. The fewer steps the better, and the more logical the better. Some systems do this well and others get it wrong. If it takes a rocket scientist to help you figure it out and understand the owner's manual, it's a poorly designed product. All of our recommended systems are highly rated for ease of use.
Reliability: Just like with ordinary food processors and steamer systems, there are reports of smoking motors, melting plastics, quickly dulled blades, beaking clips, and other various defects. Some of the systems have more issues with this, whereas other systems are consistently reliable and carry great warranties that are reliably honored. All of our recommended systems have histories of high reliability and customer satisfaction.
Efficiency: If you're going to spend over $100 on a good baby food maker, you want one that will puree quickly and effectively. You don't want to run it, check whether your food is well blended, and keep trying. Weak and slow motors, dull blades, and poor blade design can all contribute to lower efficiency and more headaches. You want a fast steamer, powerful motor, and sharp blades. You also want a bowl large enough to fit enough food to make several servings. Avoid units with capacities under 3 cups because you'll find yourself spending a bit too much time washing, peeling, steaming, and pureeing for single servings! All of our top recommended systems show high efficiency with both the steaming and processing stages.
Safety: The original baby food makers used plastic steaming baskets and bowls containing BPA and phthalates, which many scientists and doctors believe leached into foods. These chemicals have been linked with a variety of health and developmental issues. Newer systems from major baby food makers have removed these harmful chemicals, resulting in safer food for your little baby. Even better, some use heavy duty glass bowls, like the Baby Brezza baby food maker.
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