When my first son, Felix was an infant, he refused a bottle due to what I called his “reverse nipple confusion.” But once he was old enough to drink water, he happily accepted a non-toxic sippy cup. With Wolfie, we never even tried to give him a bottle, as I didn’t use a pump the second time around. I started him on a sippy cup even sooner.
When I was researching non-toxic sippy cups for Felix, I was at first I was psyched that every single sippy I found was BPA-free. For once, a decision would be easy! Or not. Even back then (in 2011), major news outlets were reporting the dangers of BPA substitutes. Since then, more research has emerged, and it has become clear that pretty much all plastic food and drink containers should be avoided whenever possible.
The good news is that there are lots of non-toxic sippy cups to choose from–namely, those made of glass and stainless steel with minimal (or no) plastic mouth parts. (See below, under “The Good Stuff.”)
In the updated version of this Guide, I also included a bunch of non-toxic kid-sized water bottles—since kids really use sippy cups for such a short period of time. (Tears…it goes so fast!).
What Sippy Cups/Water Bottles Are Made Of
- Plastic. Every plastic sippy cup I researched proclaims itself “BPA free!” Sadly, this is basically meaningless, as we now know that estrogen-mimickers are found in BPA-free plastics, too. And what about phthalates? I’ve had almost no luck getting any manufacturer to provide me with a list of all the materials they use (that includes the makers of The Good Stuff!), but the potential for phthalates to be lurking in plastic sippy cups is just another reason to stick to stainless steel or glass. That said, phthalates tend to be found in soft plastic (think bath toys), so most sippy cups are probably in the clear. Bottom line: For non-toxic sippy cups or water bottles, screw-top styles made entirely of stainless steel or glass are your best bet. While cold water poses less of an immediate concern, long-term exposure to plastic components can lead to degradation and the release of unwanted additives.
- Silicone. This plastic substitute seems to be non-leaching and non-toxic, although I would like to see more studies conducted on silicone. Increasingly, sippy cup manufacturers are using silicone spouts or straws in place of the old plastic ones, and this is definitely an improvement. Bottom line: Bottles where the body itself is made of silicone (and liquid sits in it) will only make our Okay Stuff list.
- Aluminum. The inside of aluminum water bottles or sippy cups are always coated, since aluminum is not considered “food safe.” This epoxy lining is usually plastic, and you should make sure that it is guaranteed to be free of BPA or its analogs (see below, under “The Sneaky Stuff,” for more on this). In addition to concerns about the coating itself, I also worry that if it were to be scratched or compromised in some way, the liquid inside the cup could theoretically contain traces of aluminum, particularly if your child was drinking an acidic juice. Bottom line: Avoid aluminum water bottles and sippy cups.
- Glass. This is probably the best material in terms of safety for a non-toxic sippy cup or water bottle. But glass is heavy and breakable, so most people prefer stainless steel. Bottom line: Glass is to a top choice material for non-toxic sippy cups and water bottles, if you’re willing to deal with the weight and potential for breaking.
- Stainless steel. Long considered the safest material for cookware, even good old stainless steel has come under fire for potentially being dangerous: when heated, it may leach aluminum and other heavy metals into food. Since sippy cups generally contain only cold liquids, this doesn’t concern me, and if you wanted to be really careful you could avoid using stainless steel sippy cups for acidic drinks. Bottom line: Stainless steel is a great material for non-toxic sippy cups and water bottles. See a few caveats here:
Is There Lead in Your “Non-Toxic” Sippy Cup?
You’ve probably heard about stainless steel water bottles and sippy cups containing lead, specifically inside of insulated bottles (and possibly exposed if the seal “button” on the bottom comes off). Here’s the bottom line:
- Don’t worry about any non-insulated stainless steel bottles.
- These brands have never used lead in their manufacturing process or phased it out more than a decade ago, so you don’t need to think about it at all:
- If you have an insulated stainless steel bottle made by someone other than the brands above, make sure the dot on the bottom is covered with a seal. And if there is a seam instead of a dot, don’t worry–your cup doesn’t have lead.
- If you have a stainless steel bottle AND it has a dot on the bottom AND the seal is missing, toss it and call the company, but still rest assured that the chances of your child having been exposed to unsafe lead levels is low.
One other unfortunate reality about stainless steel is that it’s all manufactured in China, and the coking process, which is part of steel production, generates hazardous wastewater containing carcinogens, including cyanide. On top of that, airborne pollutants like carcinogenic naphthalene are released from coke ovens. While these environmental and safety risks primarily affect workers and local populations in China rather than American consumers, they highlight the hidden costs of low-cost steel manufacturing abroad!
Now without further ado, here are the brands we recommend (or don’t) for non-toxic sippy cups and water bottles.
Good Stuff
Bkr
- Glass.
- I love Bkr for myself; I have this one.
- Bkr does not make a sippy cup, but their smallest bottles (the Teeny or the Little) are perfect for slightly older kids, if not toddlers.
- From $32.
Contigo
- Stainless steel only.
- Does not make a sippy cup, but rather a flip up straw cup.
- The spout is made of silicone.
- Comes with a convenient handle, and is leak-proof when closed.
- Contigo makes a bunch of other kids tumblers and bottles, but most are plastic, so these should be avoided.
- From $25.
Hydroflask
- Stainless steel.
- There is no sippy cup option.
- The kids water bottle with straw cap comes in 12-, 18-, or 20-oz size.
- There’s also a kids tumbler with straw, which comes in just a 12-ounce size.
- Double-wall vacuum insulation means drinks stay cold for hours.
- Both of these fit in most cupholders and are dishwasher safe.
- Hydroflask never used lead in their insulated bottles.
- From $25.
Klean Kanteen
- Stainless steel.
- Klean Kanteen makes traditional spout sippy cups, plus a range of kids water bottles–with sports caps, straws, and flip-seal spouts.
- The sippy cup is good in the leak department (but not leak-proof!) because of the valve-style of the spout, plus the added dust cover.
- The bottles for bigger kids can be thrown in a bag and won’t leak.
- The sippy cup bottle is NOT insulated, and the other bottles come in either insulated or non-insulated.
- Interchangeable caps make easy transition as kids grow up, from baby bottle to sippy bottle to sports bottle.
- While Klean Kanteen bottles are dishwasher-safe, the paint may chip in the dishwasher.
- Klean Kanteen never used lead in their insulated bottles.
- From $16.
Pura Kiki
- Stainless steel.
- This entirely plastic-free non-toxic sippy cup is a customer (and personal) favorite.
- Pura offers the only sippy/straw cup that is Nontoxic Certified (by Madesafe.org).
- An older version of the INSULATED bottle was found to contain lead ONLY in a small dot on the bottom of the cup, which was covered by a (lead-free) metal seal. And there is no lead anywhere in the current line of Pura bottles and cups–insulated or otherwise.
- A stainless steel body and silicone spout means zero contact with plastic for your child.
- Also great is the way this cup transitions as your child grows–just replace the spout with the silicone straw top (sold separately) and then the sport top for even older kids.
- You can also buy a straw or sport version of this cup to begin with, if you want to skip the spout style entirely.
- Available in either insulated or non-insulated models.
- The Pura Kiki cup is not completely spill proof–if your child is intent on tipping it and shaking it, water will leak.
- The My-My line is Okay, not Good, since the water actually sits in silicone in this one.
- From $35. Use GOODSTUFF for 10% off on Pura’s website.
Thermos
- Stainless steel only.
- Thermos doesn’t make a traditional sippy cup, but they make several kid-sized water bottles in spout and straw versions.
- All stainless steel versions are insulated to keep water cold for at least 12 hours.
- The pop-up straws are made of silicone.
- Leak-proof.
- Thermos does still make plastic water bottles, and those should be avoided.
- From $17.
Okay Stuff
Camelbak
- Stainless steel only.
- Does not make a sippy cup, but rather a flip up straw cup.
- We’re only calling it Okay Stuff because the spout is made of low-density polyethylene in addition to silicone.
- Avoid the Camelbak bottles that are made of Tritan plastic instead of stainless steel.
- These bottles are spill resistant even when the straw is up, and leak-proof when closed.
- From $25.
Ello
- Stainless steel only.
- Ello does not make a sippy cup, but rather a straw cup.
- We’re only calling the Ello stainless steel Okay Stuff because while the spout is made of silicone, the interior straw is made of plastic.
- Lockable to be leak-proof.
- Avoid the Ello bottles that are made of plastic instead of stainless steel.
- From $20.
Green Sprouts
- Green Sprouts makes a range of sippy and straw cups that are made of “plant-based” plastic.
- Straws are made of silicone.
- Free of petroleum and comes with claims of testing for hormone-disrupting chemicals, but there is a lack of transparency.
- May break down with repeated dishwasher or high-heat use.
- I considered calling this Sneaky Stuff because of a lack of long-term safety data, but ultimately decided it’s safe enough if used with cold liquid–and more environmentally friendly than polypropylene cups.
- A stainless steel cup with a 100% silicone spout or straw is safer than either plant-based plastic or polypropylene.
- From $20.
Kid Basix
- Stainless steel.
- This brand makes both sippy cups and water bottles for kids.
- This is especially robust insulated–beverages will stay cold for 24 hours.
- Kid Basix’s bottles are Okay rather than Good Stuff because the mouth pieces are made of plastic.
- From $17.50.
Owala
- Stainless steel.
- Owala does not make a sippy cup, but they make a kids stainless steel tumbler with straw as well as insulated stainless steel flip-top water bottle that comes in a couple sizes.
- The water bottle is leak-proof.
- Owala never used lead in their insulated bottles.
- Owala makes plastic kids cups as well as stainless steel ones–the “Tritan” are plastic and should be avoided.
- Owala is Okay rather than best stuff because the mouth pieces and straws are made of plastic rather than silicone like other brands, and because they don’t disclose the type of plastic. Some people replace the plastic straws with metals ones, so that’s an option.
- From $20.
Mushie
- Silicone.
- Mushie makes a variety of beautiful sippy and straw cups for babies and toddlers–all made of 100% silicone.
- Dishwasher safe.
- Owala is Okay rather than best stuff because it’s made of silicone instead of glass or stainless steel, but it is likely perfectly safe for drinking cold liquids.
- From $15.
S’well
- Stainless steel.
- This brand does not make a sippy cup, but rather a flip-straw cup.
- This is especially robust insulated–beverages will stay cold for 24 hours.
- S’well’s kid water bottles are Okay rather than Good Stuff because the straw is made of plastic, and because they don’t disclose the type of plastic.
- From $40.
Sigg
- Stainless steel.
- Sigg does not make a sippy cup, but rather a stainless steel spout water bottle for older kids.
- These bottles are Okay rather than Good Stuff because the spout is made of some kind of undisclosed plastic.
- Avoid the Sigg kids water bottles that are made of aluminum or plastic.
- There is another scandal in Sigg’s past that makes them not Good Stuff: After promising their aluminum water bottles would not leach BPA, it was discovered that they contained the very chemical in their lining. Sigg has since corrected the situation.
- From $25.
Skip Hop
- Stainless steel.
- Skip Hop does not make a a cup with a sippy spout, but rather a straw-style bottle.
- These bottles are Okay rather than Good Stuff because the straw is made of a combo of silicone and plastic.
- Avoid the Skip Hop straw bottles where the body is made of plastic.
- From $18.
Bad Stuff
Evenflo and Playtex make the Bad Stuff, despite being BPA-free plastic. Again, all plastic sippy cups and water bottles should be avoided.
Brita Premium Filtering Water Bottle is neither a very good filter nor a good option if you’re avoiding plastic.
How about this for an offensive premise: First Years Take & Toss sippies are disposable plastic cups (BPA free!) with “recycle!” printed on the front of the package. As of 2025, these cups now also recommend that you “reuse them.”
Munchkin makes tons of sippy cups, but they are all plastic (although BPA-free). The one exception is the Miracle Stainless Steel 360 Sippy Cup, which is Okay Stuff (because it still has a plastic mouth piece).
NUK also makes a ton of different sippy cups, all of which are made of plastic (some with a silicone spout).
Re-Play Spill-Proof Cups are made of the best kind of plastic, polypropylene, and I love that they are made of recycled milk jugs. That said, plastic is plastic, and there are too many good options to give any plastic cup a nod.
The Zoli straw sippy cup is made of low-risk polypropylene, but with so many good non-plastic options now available, there is no need to use a plastic cup at all.
Sneaky Stuff
Evori sippies brag about being BPA- and phthalate-free, but they are made of plastic, which cannot be assumed safe.
Nalgene water bottles were the original Sneaky Stuff, embraced by environmentalists while all the while containing BPA! These days, Nalgene uses BPA-free plastic for their sippy cups, but plastic should be avoided, if I haven’t mentioned that yet.
Note: This article contains affiliate links or sponsored content, which means that if you make a purchase, we may earn a commission. We only recommend products that meet our strict standards for non-toxicity and that we use (or want to use!) ourselves. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that make Good Stuff!
Tags:Kid Stuff,
Pregnancy & Parenting
135 comments
Violet
Polypropylene plastic is actually quite safe and does not leach much, and it is also historically known to be heavy metal free. The new craze is silicone, and I wish I didn’t fall for it! I’m trying to toss some of my old silicone kitchen utensils and kid’s stuff. Silicone frequently contains cadmium, and although often trace levels, can also contain high levels of it. It is definitely NOT a clean material in my opinion, and I don’t feel safe using it around my kiddo. I feel much safer using PP (polypropylene) plastic. It has a better track record!
On another note, has anyone found anything online about the Munchkin 360 stainless steel cup? I know it also contains silicone in the drinking apparatus. I wonder if it has ever been tested by anyone with an XRF meter to determine if it contains any cadmium, and if the steel is also heavy metal free?E S
I’m wondering the same thing! This looks like it has all the right things to get…. any guidance really appreciated!
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JZTL6GF/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A2N72WQPPDG7MR&psc=1Lauren
Any ideas on the green sprouts plant plastic sippy cup!
Lauren Gomez
I contacted Klean Kanteen and they said they’re sippy spout is polypropylene? Is that still considered good stuff?
Kathleen
Or just use 4oz and 8 oz glass mason jars that you probably already have on hand to store breastmilk, use as a baby bottle and as toddler sippy/straw tumbler. Can get needed accessories from: masonbottle.com and masonjarlifestyle.com. All non-toxic made of: silicone, glass and stainless steel. (Mason bottle has the only nipple that’s made in USA). Both companies MADE IN USA! :) Have worked great for us.
Kathleen W.Amy Voss
Has anyone used LA Baby transition cups?? Trying to decide Pura or LA Baby.
Charlene S Ruan
The funtainers by thermos use plastic caps AND have a plastic straw???
They say it’s not for hot liquids?
Amy Shumway
Hi Amy here from Re-Play Products! While we do Recycle Plastic – our No Spills are made from HDPE – only our white is Polypropylene!
Monica
I had the same question and see it was never answered..
Kim
Hi, I recently purchased a Green Spouts sippy cup and there was no paint anywhere on the glass bottle insert. It was just a plain glass bottle. Am I missing something or has the lead issue been resolved and this is now a safe cup to buy?
Samantha
Petite Collage makes a cup as well that goes with the lunchbox I bought off your site are those recommended?
Ryan
We bought a green sprouts (before reading about people freaking out about the paint on the glass), and it has clear glass. No paint. I’m assuming they listened to the concerns and changed the glass. I’d assume it’s totally lead-free now. (I haven’t read all the comments – maybe someone already mentioned this. I came to this post because I got concerned about the silicone top on the green sprouts, but I guess I shouldn’t worry.)
mona
what about Goki?
Yulia Muzychenko
Thank you so much for your input.
Katy Leute
It’s actually silicone according to Maia. See above comments :)
clara pelaez
I have an insulated stainless steel Hydro flask for kids, Have you looked into this brand? I don’t see it on your lists.
thank you
Suzanne Weaver-Goss
Did you mean eating utensils? If not, not sure what you mean by learning utensils. Please clarify? Pens and pencils? Crayons?
Mell
Hi,
I can’t find on your website and wondering if you can recommend a “healthy” option for kids learning utensils? I have some small metal ones but I’m preferring something a little softer for my little one and am worried about using plastic. Thanks!John Goss
Thanks Amy,
Thanks for the heads-up. There are a few of us that post and grammatical errors periodically show up. Can you let us know where?
Thanks,
Amy
Very informative although there were a few grammatical errors that took away from the importance of this post. I will be doing my own research based off this.
Jen
Thanks so much for this guide! Is this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079KZKB5Q/ref=twister_B07B4HWMWR?encoding=UTF8&th=1
the good stuff? Should I be concerned if a sippy cup is made in china if it otherwise seems to be the good stuff? Thanks!coupled with this https://www.amazon.com/thinkbaby-Converts-Sippy-Bottle-Pink/dp/B01NC07TOO/ref=pd_bxgy_75_img_2?encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01NC07TOO&pd_rd_r=6a6d3999-a7cc-11e8-ad5d-f9d1f1abea37&pd_rd_w=A4VBB&pd_rd_wg=IqQwv&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=7ca3846a-7fcf-4568-9727-1bc2d7b4d5e0&pf_rd_r=SBDPCXM9EJZ404X76YF6&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pfrdt=40701&psc=1&refRID=SBDPCXM9EJZ404X76YF6
Heather
Hi, Thank you so much for all this awesome information on cups! I have some Thermos Funtainers and saw that you say these are good. I was worried about the inner hard straw and emailed the company. They responded saying that while the soft flexible straw is silicone, the rigid inner straw is LDPE. Is that plastic a concern? I really don’t know anything about it. Thanks again!
Ainslie
Hi Maia! I love your site and it’s been such a wonderful resource for our family! Have you looked into Go Glass sippy cups? My pediatrician wants us to get one with two handles and I prefer glass to stainless steel. The Go Glass looks ok to me— it’s a glass bottle with a silicone sippy lid and a silicone sleeve— but wanted to see if you had an opinion on it.
If you dislike it (or haven’t looked into it), can you think of something that would work for us to satisfy those factors? Thanks so much!Jaclyn
Cambelbak has a stainless cup with straw for kids- thoughts?
https://www.camelbak.com/en/bottles/R02035—eddy_Kids_Vacuum_12oz?color=f6c60373b7484c0e86f1daa3c99ac7c8Gerry
May I add to the confusion? Just because stainless steel is referred to as “stainless” and is known to resist corrosion doesn’t mean that it cannot corrode or leach the constituents of its alloy. Under certain conditions it corrodes more rapidly than mild steel, and those conditions could quite easily be met in a drink container like a sippy cup.
Many years ago, when I was a Physics department technician at a London University college, I was tasked with setting up an exam experiment to measure the electrical capacitance between two circular metal plates a fixed distance apart in distilled, deionised water — but the attempt failed because the plates released ions into the water causing any charge to leak rapidly away before any meaningful measurements could be taken. I contend that the same thing would happen in a “stainless steel” container with a child’s drink in it — and stainless steel has a high percentage of nickel in it, a poor addition to anyone’s diet! Admittedly the degree of leaching is likely to be low, but the persistent amount over time? Who knows? My own vote would go to glass or ceramic whether as the main container or as a coating. I don’t know enough about silicones to offer an opinion on them.amy
Do you know anything about the brand Zak! (https://www.zak.com/why_BPA_free) ? Thank you and thank you so much for this post, it is very informative and helpful!
Maia James
This one looks like Good Stuff!
Maia James
Yes, don’t worry about touching silicone that has been heated.
Maia James
Not enough to worry about;).
Maia James
That one looks like Good Stuff;).
Maia James
They are Okay Stuff—plastic straws but otherwise not great.
Maia James
I can’t find any mention of what type of plastic they use for the straw etc.
Renee
Hi! Just wanted to share that I recently ordered a green sprouts cup and the inner glass part no longer has any paint or markings on it. I’m assuming they’re trying to avoid the toxic paint. So it’s safer now, as long as you don’t need to know how much liquid is in the cup.
Jackie
Hi what about the bran Zak stainless steel bottles for kids. They claim to be 18/8 stainless steel. Not sure about the inside of the bottle containing plastic though, it is not shiny and has a lot of welding lines?
Kali
I went through 2 pura kiki straw cups and both became deformed on the bottom so the bottom surface became rounded to a point where the cup would rock and fall over easily. Another friend also had the same problem. I emailed the company to complain and was told this was normal, not covered by warranty, and they wouldn’t do anything about it. A toddler cup that starts falling over after a month of use is useless and definitely defective so even though it’s made out of the right materials, I don’t think you should recommend it.
Mamaof3
We’ve had tons of issues with our Pura kids cups. They are definitely not one cup for life. They are super thin stainless and even minor drops dent them terribly (which show me a child or adult who won’t accidentally drop them sometimes). Especially where the lid screws on, causing MAJOR leakage. My toddler bites through the silicone on the straws and he’s not even a big “chewerâ€. And lastly and more importantly they grow black mold like crazy on all the silicone pieces. We have a cup for each of my 3 kids and the mold is literally imbedded into the silicone parts where it cannot be scrubbed off. And I clean the parts regularly. I personally emailed the company and they were less than helpful. We will no longer waste any more money on parts to extend the life of these cups. They are completely impractical.
Jackie
I would like to know this as well!
Lauren
In terms of the Thermos Foogo, do you know what type of plastic the hard straw inside the cup is made of? If so, what are your thoughts on this type of plastic? Thanks!
REbekah
Why don’t you just not heat it?
Breastmilk doesnt need to be heated if you’re concerned …
Karla
I didn’t see a reply about this product
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00Q73GQJS/ref=aw_pd_cart_vw_2_2?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00Q73GQJS&pd_rd_r=8YFVQT36YY0CHWPK8TA7&pd_rd_w=NWCE3&pd_rd_wg=YJVPJ&psc=1&refRID=8YFVQT36YY0CHWPK8TA7
Would it be on the good list?
madhuri
Hi,
Are Avent sippy cups safe? Thanks, MadhuriStefania
Hi Maia,
We’ve been using Lollacups but are now having second thoughts.. are they safe? Thanks, StefaniaMeg
Thank you so much for all of your helpful articles! My baby is starting daycare and they are saying no to all stainless steel/aluminum (“too heavy, could hurt someone if it’s droppedâ€) and glass (“too heavy, could breakâ€) sippy cups. I am using the Comotomo silicone bottles for breastmilk (which I don’t love, but feel OK about), but looking for a water bottle/sippy cup option that has as little plastic as possible. What would you do???
Jason N
Another really good option is Organic Kidz (www.organickidz.ca)
Brittney457345
I bought the Pura sippy after reading this article. They are very nice but my 1 year old already dented it a few times and now it’s all wobbly when setting it dow . As nice as it is that it’s certified toxic free it should be cheaper for how fast they need to be replaced. I picked up a think baby stainless steal sippy cup with a straw at Mothers Market. It feels like it’s made of a thicker then the pura.
Leigh
Have you looked into the pottery barn kids thermos they sell.. they claim to be bpa free?!?
Anonymous
Hi Maia – thanks for your work. Thoughts on this silicone bottle with silicone straw? Interesting concept…not sure if LSR is different than regular silicone?
http://innobaby.com/nursin-smart-9-oz-silicone-training-straw-cup-orange#Tablist31Maia James
I assume you mean baby bottles? We haven’t done an official guide on this yet, but basically anything glass or stainless steel is Good Stuff:).
Maia James
There are so many good glass and stainless steel options that I would recommend avoiding all plastic.
Maia James
Good Stuff:).