I started my toddler on straw bottles just after he turned 12 months old and we transitioned away from using the Dr. Brown's Original Bottle Newborn Feeding Set. For hours, I read reviews on the different types of sippy cups even watched videos. I couldn't believe how expensive some of the bottles were especially since I like having more than one on hand.
The two bottles that came highly recommended were ZoLi BOT Straw Sippy Cup – Orange 6 oz, which seemed to troublesome for words, and the Playtex Sipsters Stage 3 Super Friends Infant Cups , Assorted (Color/Theme May Vary), which seemed pretty straight forward.
I bought and returned the Zoli. Too complicated. Too many leaks. I kept the much cheaper Playtex Sipsters and though my friend who recommended them had never had any trouble with them, ALL of mine began leaking after 3 months. On top of that, many of them had valve and straw issues. From August to December, I was down to one bottle that still functioned correctly out of SIX.
I ended up buying the Thermos Funtainer 12 Ounce Bottle, Transformers at Target without reading the reviews. I was desperate because my son wouldn't drink out of anything other than the one Playtex Sipster sippy we had at home. My son is only 20 months old so he didn't understand closing the top and this particular model is only leakproof if your kid knows how to do that. I have stored these for down the line.
After the varied smells of the Playtex when not washed properly, I decided that it wasn't only hippies that liked Stainless Steel bottles. My son expressed an interested in my Klean Kanteen Tidal Pool Classic Water Bottle with 3.0 Sport Cap, 27-Ounce while we were on a trip and we tried and failed to use those first. I had a small one that he could use but as he couldn't depress the sport cap on his own, they leaked just as much as the Thermos Funtainers.
And that's how I ended up with the truly ridiculously priced Pura. I got a couple of dollars off each one I bought purchasing most of them at Jet.com. The Thermos Funtainers are ALSO insulated but they Thermos Funtainer 12 Ounce Bottle, Batman and promise to keep the drink cool for up to 12 hours. That's usually enough time for us (maybe!) to find the bottle my son threw underneath the couch. I bought them for $14.99 at Target and they weren't even on sale plus I believe their straw parts are also silicone. The Pura Kiki 11oz toddler bottle is about that price but it's not insulated because only the 9oz is (why?!!!!).
Now, I like the Pura straw for the most part. It's nice and wide and long on the inside and out. This makes it easier for my son to suck on the outer straw and get all his milk out through the inner one without any complaints. It's BASICALLY leakproof unless your son has sucked up milk into the outer straw and left it there when he throws it across the room.
For $25.99, I should also have expected that the silicone cover which looks like a little rubber hat would somehow attach to the bottle so I wouldn't lose it on the go. Thus far, I'm so far a fan but we'll see how the bottles hold up. Unlike some other reviewers, I can't complain about any dents despite how many times my son has flung them at the floor.
Another thing that I liked that I forgot to mention is that the inside has little measurement notations. This way, you will know just how much liquid you're filling the bottle with and adjust as needed. This is super helpful as we ration the amount of milk we give my son before bed so there aren't any exploding pee diapers at night.
Would I recommend them to anyone else? Who else would take me seriously at $25.99 a bottle?!
At least (if they survive), I can upgrade my bottles to the silicone Pura Big Mouth Sport Top, Red. And that would still make them CRAZILY more expensive than the Klean Kid Kanteen Stainless Steel Sippy, Silver, 12-Ounce and Klean Kid Kanteen Stainless Steel Bottle with Sport Cap, Silver, 12-Ounce even when buying the Klean Kanteen Kids 3.0 Sport Cap (Green) or Klean Kid Kanteen Sippy Bottle Cap, Green.
The minute that these bottles even LOOK like they might malfunction, I am demanding a returning them as defective, demanding a refund or expecting replacements ASAP.
Please note: They are up to $2-3 cheaper directly from Pura or Jet.com.
Updated:
I contacted Pura Stainless after the bottom of one of the bottles I had purchased fell off. This was their response:
Hi Aliza,
The issue you contacted us about is considered regular wear and tear, and is therefore not covered under our warranty. Our standard non-insulated bottles are made from a single wall of food-grade stainless steel to provide a strong, lightweight design. However, if a bottle is dropped when full, it can cause a dent or ding that may push the bottom of the bottle out. This is not a design flaw or defect – a glass or plastic bottle when dropped from the same height would crack or shatter rendering it completely useless.
That said, we understand that dents that cause the bottle to wobble or not sit flat can make it difficult to use. Often the bottom of the bottle can be flattened so that it sits flat again by tapping the bottom of the bottle against a hard surface or tapping in dents with a blunt tool. The stainless steel is strong so don’t worry about hurting it!
If you would like more assistance, please let us know. Although dents are not officially covered, as a show of good faith, our warranty department may authorize a one-time only exchange if you have having a hard time rectifying the problem yourself.
Best Regards,
The Pura Stainless Team
CS: PS
After that formulaic response, I wrote back reading them the riot act given that the response was not even in response to the issue I was having. I finally received the following email and I am updating my review from 3 to 5 stars. While dents are not covered, the bottom of the bottle falling off surely is. If this happens, be sure to keep the bottle so you can exchange it for a replacement.
Hi Aliza,
My name is Rebecca and I am the customer service manager here at Pura Stainless. It looks like your original email was accidentally answered by someone who thought that your bottle had been dented. I would like to apologize for the misunderstanding. We are truly committed to our customers and aim to provide the highest quality customer service possible.
This damage is covered by our warranty. Please send your address and we will e-mail you a prepaid shipping label to send the bottle back to us. If possible, please also send a photo of the damage and the laser engraved tracking number on the neck of the bottle.
If you have already thrown the bottle out and cannot retrieve it we can still accommodate you. We typically require a return to send a replacement in order to inspect damaged products, however since our original response was incorrect we can make an exception in your case if necessary.
We would like to send you a replacement bottle and assure you that this issue is very rare – fewer than five instances have been reported thus far in our entire history as a company.
Once again, I apologize for the miscommunication and for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
Best regards,
Rebecca
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