Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

First-time mom. My LO is 16 mo and we started sippy cups at 6 mo. If you're new to them, you need this cup. You ONLY need this cup. This is the review I wish I'd found a year ago... the one I was destined to write. I review 4 cups here, but I only recommend this one, at only $2.50 a pop. Features: + Leak-Proof. Drop, punt, on your carpet, on a train, with a bear... the insides ain't goin' nowhere. The only truly leakproof cup we've tried. + Mold-Free, Easy-Clean Valve. The 3 pieces (cup, lid, and valve) are easy to clean with a standard bottle brush, but especially the valve. It's mostly hard plastic. The silicon part, the actual valve, is large and nasty crud can't hide (seems this is true for very few cups, maybe only this one.) Note: packaging says not to use any cleaning tools on the valve, but I have, gently, and it's still leak-proof. + D/W Safe. Unlike others, this cup does not crack in my D/W (a low-end, 2015 Whirlpool). Note: I don't wash silicon valves in the D/W. In my experience, the heat changes its shape and it's no longer leak-proof. - Doesn't Fit Cupholders. Its bottom is too big for your stroller, carseat, high chair tray, etc. But if you & your kid can deal with that, especially at age 6-18 mo when they're still learning what arms are for and don't possess the ability to stash their own cup, this is hardly a drawback. Bottom line. Let's get real. There will be times you don't clean a dirty cup as quickly as you should. Maybe it's a crazy day, or you load it in the D/W but don't run it for a day or two. This cup will pull through nice & clean: no disgusting smell or lingering haze. Others will not. For some fun, light reading, here are the 3 cups I don't recommend. #1: Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup, Green/Blue, 7 Ounce, 2 Count ($5-6 per cup). Tried this one when LO was 6, 7 months. - Cup is leak-proof for tips, not drops. When dropped, it WILL leak and you WILL cry because you spent five bucks on it and it sounded SO GOOD and why won't it just work. +- Not Super Easy to Clean. If you let this cup go, mold you can't get out will grow in the valvet. Even when cleaned promptly, it's hard to get the suction-driven silicon lid clean enough without running it through the D/W. But then... - Not D/W Safe. After a few stints in the D/W, the silicon lid stopped guarding against leaks. Bernt. (That sound a Mac makes when you move smtg to Trash.) If it were only the drop-proof issue, I'd go back to using this cup when LO is old enough not to drop his cup so much. However, the hard-to-clean valve is a dealbreaker. #2: Munchkin Click Lock Weighted Flexi Straw Trainer Cup, Blue, 7 Ounce ($7). Purchased around LO's 1st bday: arrived at grandma's, realized we forgot his cup, and grabbed this one at Stop & Shop. - Not as Leak-Proof as You're Hoping. This cup handed out mystery drips and drops: might be liquid getting sucked up into the straw but not removed. SEVEN BUCKS?? Noooo. - Impossible To Clean. You will glare at the hazy, nasty crap clinging to the insides of the Weighted Flexi Straw and throw it out because you are afraid of giving your child diseases (true story.) I could not find a way to clean this cup to my satisfaction. This cup did help my LO learn to drink from a straw, but not any more than us at Chick-fil-A or out to dinner, holding his kid-size water cup for him. Save yourself the frustration and the $7. #3: Nuby 2-Pack Flip-It Easy Grip Cups with Easy-Flo Straw, 10 Ounce, Colors May Vary (I recently got a 2-pack for $5 at Burlington, so was feeling rather full of myself. That did not last.) - Infuriating Mystery Leaks. I haven't gotten around to buying more Gerber cups, so we're still using these at the moment, but both of them started leaving Mystery Rings of milk on whatever surface they rest (upright). Truly infuriating. Again, the liquid seems to come up the straw and out. +- Cleaning: this cup only has 3 pieces and the silicon straw is easy to clean with tools. The lid is a pain to clean (lots of surfaces and openings), but when I'm done, I feel satisfied it's truly clean. - After a few runs in the D/W, the lid and cup no longer form a tight enough screw seal to prevent leaks. Bernt. Hope this was helpful!