Tommee Tippee Explora Truly Spill Proof Trainer

Bottom Line

According to experts and parents, Tommee Tippee Explora Truly Spill Proof Trainers live up to their name. The trainers, with spout-type sippy lids, are part of a system that grows with your child from sippy stage to sports-bottle stage. However, even fans of the system say the cups are difficult to assemble correctly and won't function when the cup valves aren't properly placed.

Ease Of Use

Watch the instructional video if you want the cup to work. The Tommee Tippee Explora Truly Spill Proof Trainer's active-sensor valve was designed by a physicist to allow on-demand liquid flow without undue sucking and no spills or leaks. All lids in the line include a two-piece valve with a soft, silicone sipping and ventilating piece, and a hard plate. The silicone valve must be lined up correctly and attached to the hard plate, then the vent opening and sip opening must be mounted into the lid correctly. Many report that watching the instructional YouTube video is necessary to master this cup because the written instructions aren't clear. Those who assemble the cup correctly report a totally leak and spill-proof cup. Those who don't are invariably unhappy with the cup, saying it's overly complex and leaks.

Parents say that all components of the Explora are easy to clean and are dishwasher-safe. Components include the two-piece valve, 9-ounce bottle and lid (lid with straw in the case of the straw cup). Parents say the cups are easy for toddlers to hold and draw water from. But, parents who report issues with leaks also report difficult sipping. This appears to be an assembly issue.

Durability

You can throw this cup from a second story window. The Tommee Tippee Explora Truly Spill Proof Trainer cups are made out of BPA-free plastics with silicone in the valve and soft, rubberized drinking components. Parents say that the sippy lid is soft and comfortable, but not so soft that their child chews through it. The straw is also described as chew-resistant. The drinking cup lid is spout-free, so children can't chew it at all.

Parents say that the cup stands up to throwing and other toddler abuse. One reviewer tested the leakproof claims of the sport cup and sippy cup by throwing them out of a second floor window. She said the cups came through unscathed and without leaking. Some parents do say that repeat, vigorous throwing can loosen the valve inside the cup and reduce the efficacy of the seal.

Lifestyle Features

Built for ages, stages and styles. One benefit of the Tommee Tippee Explora line is the versatility of their lid and bottle offerings. All cups are sold as complete units, but once you own the cups, you can use the lids interchangeably and with the same valve and all of the bottles. All components are BPA-free.

The line for toddlers includes a sippy spout cup, a straw cup, a "sporty" water bottle cup and a "drinking" cup that works like the sippy lid minus the spout. All cups in the line hold 9 ounces with the exception of the "sporty" water bottle, which holds 12 ounces. The bottle sold with the drinking cup and straw cup lid is insulated to keep drinks cool longer. The bottle sold with the sippy cup spout is not insulated, but reviewers say that the soft, rubberized grips are very comfortable and secure for little hands. The "sporty" bottle may build up more condensation from iced beverages and doesn't have the easy grip ridges, making it a better choice for older toddlers.

Bottle designs include boy- and girl-focused pictures in palates that include blue and green combinations for boys and pinks and purples for girls. The sippy cup lid includes a spout flap that children love operating on their own and parents love for eliminating the lid-lint issue. According to parents, the wider bottle base may not fit into some cup holders.