Baby Food Maker Reviews

Beaba baby-food maker tops reviews

Making your own baby food at home doesn't require any special equipment, of course. But lately, a number of models promise to make the process more convenient. The best of these, according to reviews, is also one of the most expensive.

The Beaba Babycook Baby Food Maker ((*Est. $150)) earns the most feedback and the highest ratings based on hundreds of owner-written reviews across sites like Williams-Sonoma.com, Amazon.com and ToysRUs.com, where it maintains average ratings of 4 stars or better (out of a possible 5). Parents say the Beaba Babycook baby-food processor is convenient, with the ability to steam, puree, defrost and reheat all in one unit. It has a small footprint, so owners say it doesn't take up much counter space and is more functional than using a separate steamer and a blender or food processor to make batches of baby food. Some criticize the Beaba Babycook for its price, noting that it's an expensive machine that will provide only a few months of use. On the other hand, a number of parents say they continue to use the Beaba Babycook long after their children have moved on to solid foods by using it to steam finger foods.

The Beaba Babycook has a 2.5-cup (20-ounce) capacity, which some reviewers say is on the small side. However, most parents say the baby-food maker is easy to clean and they simply set aside a few hours each month to make multiple batches, storing the prepared foods in the freezer until needed. There are some complaints about durability, such as lids cracking or warping and no longer fitting on the unit, and mold buildup in the water reservoir. That said, many of these issues are eliminated through proper care: Enthusiasts note that even though the Beaba baby food processor is top-rack dishwasher safe, hand-washing is recommended. Further, the Beaba baby food maker should be left disassembled after use to allow all the parts to properly air-dry, preventing mold formation.

The Baby Brezza One Step Baby Food Maker (*Est. $100) earns an average rating of 3 stars out of 5 based on the opinions of nearly 115 owners posting to ToysRUs.com. The Baby Brezza offers the same four functions as the Beaba Babycook, with the added ability to operate on a timer. It also has a 2.5-cup (20-ounce) capacity. While it's less expensive than the Beaba version, there are a number of owners who say they've had to return two or three defective machines, and others say the Baby Brezza baby food maker is cumbersome to clean. Like the Beaba Babycook, the majority of users praise the Baby Brezza for ease of use and functionality.

Parents who don't plan to make their own baby food exclusively may consider the more affordable KidCo BabySteps Basic Natural Feeding System ((*Est. $45)), which maintains an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 in nearly 30 owner-written reviews on Amazon.com. The BabySteps Basic Natural Feeding System includes the BabySteps Electric Food Mill (*Est. $30), which earns an average rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 in about 15 reviews on Target.com, a sample baby food guide with recipes, and two freezer trays for storing prepared foods. It has a 2-cup (16-ounce) capacity and weighs two pounds when assembled. Parents say it's easy to use and clean; detractors say it's nothing more than a simple blender because it doesn't have a steaming feature. The turbo speed is designed to create smooth purees, but opinions are split on whether this baby food maker can create purees suitable for babies first transitioning to solid foods. A manual version is also available: The KidCo BabySteps Food Mill (*Est. $15) earns mostly positive feedback, although some parents say it's time-consuming to use.