Which Travel Sippy Cups are BEST for Toddlers?

Author: Celine Brewer

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A travel sippy cup and snack cup for my toddler were two of my most important toddler travel items! As a fellow mom, I’m certain you can relate to how important these items are! Toddlers and older babies run on snacks! Having a leakproof sippy cup in your bag makes it so easy to pull out whenever your toddler needs it!

I know firsthand that having travel sippy cups that don’t leak is essential when it comes to travel with babies and toddlers. The sippy cup for travel I pack is going to be used everywhere, including in the stroller, in the car seat and on the airplane. It’s also very likely going to be tossed in my diaper bag or toddler’s carry-on. So it’s worth it to get a well made travel sippy cup that’s easy to clean and not going to leak!

Moving to a sippy cup is actually a good step! With less bottle parts to clean and sterilize, packing a travel sippy cup for your toddler is a step in the direction of needing less toddler travel essentials! The American Academy Of Pediatrics recommends introducing the sippy cup when they are around 6 months old to ensure they are ready to give up the bottle entirely at the recommended age of 12-24 months. 

toddler walking drinking from sippy cup for travel
Our toddler carrying her sippy cup in Mexico.

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Best Sippy Cups for Travel

With so many sippy cups available on the market, it’s often a tough decision for parents to make when it comes to picking the right sippy cup for their child.

I tried several different sippy cups for toddlers before I came across our favorite (spoiler: it’s the Playtex Sipsters).

So if you are in the market for a good sippy cup for travel, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve compiled a list of the best travel sippy cups to help you find the perfect one!

toddler in travel tent holding travel sippy cup
Our toddler using his leak-proof sippy cup in his travel tent.

My Top Picks for Travel Sippy Cups

I know that as a busy new parent you don’t always have time to read! So here are my top picks for the best sippy cups for travel:

Best Travel Sippy Cup Overall:

Playtex Sipsters Stage 3 – This sippy cup delivers on no-leak plus it’s easy to clean, making it excellent to travel with. My toddler has been using this cup for years without any issues!

Best Training Sippy Cup:

Miracle 360 Trainer Cup – This cup is ideal for training babies and toddlers to use a regular cup! With handles and ease of use, it’s perfect for your little one to drink out of on-the-go.

Best Sippy Cup Alternatives:

Snug Spout Sippy Lids – These ingenious cup lids make any cup a sippy cup! Easy to pack and clean, they are perfect for travel.

First Years Take & Toss Sippy Cup – I love these for there ease to pack and clean, plus they are like a regular sippy cup. I’d choose these over the sippy lids, especially if you risk having only glass cups to use the lids on.

toddler in car seat with playtex sipsters sippy cup
Our toddler using his travel sippy cup in the car seat.

Types of Sippy Cups

There are a variety of sippy cups for toddlers and babies on the market. Most have handles, a spout or straw, and a lid to help your little one master the skill of holding and sipping without spilling. Here are the main types:

Spout Sippy Cup

The spout sippy cup is a good choice for younger babies as its shape resembles the breast and the bottle the most. Available in firm and flexible variants, these no-spill sippy cups come with 2-3 holes to allow the adequate flow of liquids.

Soft spouts on sippy cups are made from silicone and are gentle on babies’ sensitive gums, but also invariably encourage chewing.

Hard spouts, on the other hand, are rugged and encourage the transition from sucking to tilting and sipping. They can withstand chomping and chewing and are better for travel as well. 

baby in airport drinking from sippy cup
Our daughter using one of the many sippy cups we had before finding the Playtex Sipsters.

Straw Sippy Cup

This type of cup comes with a detachable straw instead of a spout which makes it convenient for some kids who would rather not spend time tilting and sipping. However, even the best straw sippy cups bring with them the issue of being leaky which can result in a mess when traveling.

Straws are also difficult to clean and require extra tools like brushes which are usually pretty easy to lose. 

Especially for flying, I recommend avoiding travel sippy cups and toddler water bottles with straws, as the air pressure changes in the cabin of the airplane can cause the liquid to rise and spill. You’ll notice I haven’t actually included any straw sippy cup options on this list, since I don’t love this type of sippy cup for travel (from my first-hand experience).

360 Degree Sippy Cup

The spoutless cup is perfect for older toddlers who are almost ready to switch to a standard cup but just need a little bit more practice.

Spoutless or 360-degree cups feature proprietary technology that allows liquids to flow freely when the cup is tipped upwards but seals tightly when it is right side up to prevent spills. This is the best transition sippy cup for little ones to move towards open-top cups easily and safely. 

Sippy Cup Lid 

The revolutionary spill proof design of the silicone sippy lid converts any cup into a sippy cup.  Lightweight and flexible, these lids are travel-friendly, easy to store and make the perfect addition to your backpack diaper bag

toddler walking in airport holding travel sippy cup
Our son at the airport walking with his sippy cup.

What to Look For in a Travel Sippy Cup

No Leak Sippy Cup

One of the biggest advantages of a sippy cup is that it helps prevent spills and messes as your tot learns to drink from a cup, so a leaking cup defeats the purpose, doesn’t it? Most of the sippy cups for toddlers on the market claim to be either leak-proof or leak-resistant.

The best travel sippy cup is one that follows through on these claims! I recommend testing it before you toss it into your toddler’s travel backpack

A travel sippy cup can also be your best friend by helping you to minimize messes, whether you’re out hiking or camping with your toddler. In fact, you’ll find sippy cups on both our lists of best camping gear for babies and also essential toddler camping gear.

Ease of cleaning and Dishwasher Safe

Straws, spouts, and other contraptions and crevices in a cup are notorious for accumulating sediment, gunk, and mold deposits. These can end up becoming breeding grounds for germs.

To prevent this, cups need to be detachable for easier cleaning with a bottle brush. Some models can even be cleaned using microwave bottle sterilizer bags, so don’t get rid of yours if you still have some.

toddlers eating at table using travel sippy cups
Our toddlers using cheap sippy cups that are easy to clean for milk at dinners.

Ease of Use and Durability

Whether it means quick assembly for parents or convenience for toddlers, the best travel sippy cup should be easy to use. Go for cups made of grippy materials and firm handles that are ideal for tiny hands to pick up and hold. It might take a few tries to find the right one for your baby, but it’ll be worth it.

From plastics to metals to silicones, there are a variety of materials used to make the best sippy cups. While stainless steel cups may be expensive, they are eco-friendly as well as long-lasting. 

Plastic sippy cups are economical and widely available, but care must be taken to ensure that they are BPA-free. Prone to damage from chewing, soft plastic and silicone sippy cups tend to have a shorter life span. 

eating out with baby in Paris - Baby in travel high chair with travel sippy cup on table
Our daughter’s easy to clean milk sippy cup.

More Toddler Travel Gear

Best Travel Sippy Cups

This post was written & edited by:

Celine Brewer - Baby Can Travel
[email protected] | Website | + posts

Celine Brewer is the owner of Baby Can Travel. Not only does she have years of experience traveling with babies & toddlers, but she's helped millions of new parents travel with their babies and toddlers for over a decade. In addition to writing on her baby travel blog, she has shared her expertise on traveling with a baby or toddler by contributing to articles about traveling with a baby with the Washington Post, USA Today, the Lonely Planet magazine and Pregnancy & Newborn magazine.

Celine also writes about family travel on the site FamilyCanTravel.com, which she co-owns with her husband. Being from the Canadian Rockies, she shares her passion about her home and travel to Banff National Park and area on their site TravelBanffCanada.com.

Read more about Celine Brewer.

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