Baby Food Makers Are an Unexpected Baby Shower Gift Winner - Shop Our Faves Now

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Baby food makers are one of those things that new parents don't always buy for themselves because, in the grand scheme of buying everything for the first time, it can feel like an unnecessary expense. That's what makes it such a great gift for a baby shower or a sprinkle. Pair it with the bottles or plates they registered for, and you've got yourself a dynamic present for new parents.

Baby food makers have come a long way since parents were forced to throw steamed veggies in a blender and hope for the best. Now, there are baby food makers that do almost all the work, including steaming, blending, and pureeing. All you really need to do is wash the veggies and chop them. It's that simple. In addition to these specially made appliances, there are also fantastic options that may not specifically be made for baby food but happen to make it beautifully, like the Nutribullet and the Cuisinart hand blender. You'll be able to use these well beyond your baby's first foods.

That being said, people who want to introduce solids in more of a baby-led weaning approach or those who want their babies to get to know textures earlier may want something different. Pediatric registered dietitian Cinthia Scott (aka The Baby Dietitian) tells Best Products that she "encourages giving foods in their natural form as much as possible" and that purchasing a small food processor or Nutribullet is a good choice. That way, you can make all the nut butter and hummuses that you want, but you don't feel chained to pureés. It's a matter of personal preference, and having weaned two babies, one on pureés and one on solids, I can see the benefits of both. So, I think it's important that you're given all the options.

Do You Need a Baby Food Maker?

This is the question of the day, really. While there are many potential benefits for baby food makers, not everyone is sold on their utility. They can be pricey and bulky, and parents worry that they're just going to sit in the closet with the other appliances no one uses. (Looking at you, iron and ironing board.) But I am here to tell you that these little wonders can end up saving you a heaping helping of cash since you can make some terrific food for the whole family — I made sure to include machines that double as baby food makers but aren't as monocular in their use.

• Cost: Right now, the average price of a 4-ounce jar of squash is about $1.50 to $1.75 or about $6 or $7 per pound. Squash at Costco is $2.49 per pound, and discounting the peel, seeds, and top, it goes up to about $3 per pound. Yes, there's an entry fee for the machine and baby food storage, but within a month or two, that cost is made up.

• Waste: The amount of water, plastic, and energy used to make individual portions of baby food is not insignificant. If you're steaming veggies and fruits or cooking pricier items like beef and chicken in the baby food maker, there is far less waste than if you buy them pre-made. No jars, no pouches, no frozen plastic storage.

• Quality Control: There are some spectacular baby food brands out there, but oftentimes, the combinations of food might not be to your child's liking, or you want organic, locally grown produce, and there's just no way to tell where everything is sourced. You also get to choose the level of fineness of the puree, giving babies something to chew on.

• Variety: Want your baby to get introduced to more uncommon flavors? You can do that with baby food makers. You have the ability to add spice and introduce allergens in small amounts so your baby can expand their palates safely.

What to Consider

• Features: These vary pretty wildly. Some steam and puree, some just puree, and some have the option to cook multiple courses at a time, including meat and fish. There really are “set it and forget it” baby food makers out there nowadays. There are even portable baby food makers.

• Cleaning: The worst part of any kitchen appliance is cleaning it. Some of these, especially those loaded with features, can have several parts that need cleaning. Having dishwasher-safe pieces can be a real help.

• Materials: You basically have two choices: plastic and glass. It's a personal choice, and there are pros and cons to each. One is lighter and less likely to break. One is considered safer by many and easier to recycle.

• Price: As I mentioned earlier, these can get very expensive. The amount of features, type of material it's made from, and brand name all affect the cost more in the end.

How We Chose

I spoke with manufacturers and parents and then went on to test many baby food makers myself. I cooked the same things in all of the baby food makers: broccoli, squash, sweet potato, and London broil. I then fed that food to tiny tots between the ages of 6 months and 18 months to get their opinions. After that, I cleaned them all by hand.

I chose these as the best baby food makers because they not only perform well, but they're also designed to make your life that much easier while allowing you to choose how and what you feed your baby. They are all in compliance with federal regulations and are not subject to recall, and all of the models are also BPA-, phthalate-, and lead-free.

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Babycook Plus 4-in-1 Steam Cooker and Blender

This one is great for families who are looking to cook their proteins as well as their veggies. It cooks meat, fish, chicken, veggies, and fruit.

The Beaba model allows you to cook two types of food simultaneously, meaning you can make an entire meal with all the fixings in one go. You can have one side cooking meat and potatoes and the other a blend of sweet potato, apple, and carrots. Each side holds a combined 9 cups of food, so you're really getting a ton of baby food made at once. It steams, blends, defrosts, and reheats your baby's food and does it all quickly.

I have made several batches of baby food with this maker, and the whole process is streamlined. I love that you can choose the texture and that it's so easy to learn. An unexpected delight of this machine is the ability to make soups and stews for grown-ups on one side and pureed veggies or fruits for babies on the other — all at the same time. And if you don't want to cook? That's fine, too. It's a strong blender all on its own.

Is pureed beef a weird-looking food? Of course, it is, but babies really do love it once you season it, and this machine makes all of that easy.

It cleans like a dream, with nothing sticking in any weird places, thanks to smooth sides and a straightforward design.

Mini-Prep 3 Cup Food Processor

Having a small food processor is a kitchen workhorse. This model has a beastly 250-watt motor that powers a stainless steel blade capable of grinding everything from peanuts to steamed broccoli. All of the pieces come apart easily for cleaning, and the basin, lid, and blade are dishwasher-safe. It takes up very little space in your kitchen but packs a huge punch out of your workload.

I have had this and the KitchenAid version (below) in my kitchen for some time. I've had this model for 16 years and used it with my own son to puree our dinners into foods that he would eat. He is autistic, and texture was critical for him. (It still is. As a fellow autistic person, I get it. Though he still hates raw carrots, and I don't get that.)

Now, we use it to make a ginger-garlic puree that we keep in the fridge to make my husband's family's Hainanese dishes, as well as to puree foods for my myriad niblings. It's a tiny powerhouse, and I can't recommend it enough.

Baby Food Maker

You can blend, steam, heat milk, and reheat food — and you can do it easily with the Chef Handy. Our favorite function is that it has a “low water” sensor that prevents overheating, as well as temperature controls. You can have it auto-blend the food or manually blend yourself to your preferred consistency.

It's a beginning baby food maker because everything is clear and simple, and the amount you cook equals about one or two meals, depending on your baby's age. The digital readout on the top is similar in style to an Instant Pot, giving you the ability to increase the grind size and the cook time using the plus and minus keys. If you've never made baby food before and you want an all-in-one, this is a great choice.

I was really concerned about testing a brand I’d never heard of. But, after a few parents told me that I really needed to, I went ahead with it. It turns out that the Chef Handy is a real competitor in the market.

Personal Blender

For years, I used this very machine every day not only to puree food for my family but also for my own protein shakes and hummus. It's powerful, easy to use, and easy to clean. It's also really affordable.

For under $60, you have a tiny powerhouse in your kitchen that you can get years of use. It will puree most foods — raw or cooked — into the smoothest of textures. You can also buy multiple containers for it, keeping the food contained in the fridge or freezer.

This is great for parents who don't make "baby food" but instead prefer to blend up whatever they are eating for their child. (A favorite of my son was Mongolian beef nights!) It's a quick make-and-go machine that washes easily and quickly.

Glass Baby Food Maker

This is the gold-standard baby food maker on the market, with more than 1,500 five-star reviews. The Baby Brezza steams and purees vegetables in as little as 10 minutes. (Pro tip: Buy frozen veggies, let thaw, and use those. They're already chopped.)

It has a small footprint, which is a real bonus for smaller kitchens, and the unit holds 4 cups of food, or about six to eight servings of food, which is actually pretty generous. At just under $100, it's a valuable device when you consider the cost of baby food.

Duo Meal Station Food Maker

This one is arguably just really neat — and popular for good reason. It’s attractive and useful, and it gets the job done. Set up like a steamer basket for adults, this model by Babymoov allows parents to steam multiple types of food at once before pureeing them in the generously sized blender.

And that's not all it does. If you need a bottle warmer? It does that. Defroster? Why not? It does that, too. Need a sterilizer? If you have this, you have one. It's that useful. Plus, it makes 12 cups of food at a time, so you could steam potatoes for your whole family in this bad boy.

Baby Food Maker

Possibly the highest-rated baby food maker on Amazon with 2,200 perfect reviews, Evla's appliance does one thing — makes baby food from start to finish — and does it well. You choose what you're cooking (meat, veggies, starches) and it will cook them to the perfect doneness before you set it to puree.

One of the best features of this baby food maker is that it is so easy to clean. You just rinse it out, add water back in, and rerun it. Bing bang boom. Clean machine.

Mighty Blender with Cook Book

Holy bargain, Batman! This 22-piece set comes with a complete set of multiple blades, spoons, spatulas, and storage. Although it does blend, it does not cook the food, but if you're making huge batches and storing? This might be your thriftiest bet.

It comes with a steamer basket designed to be used in the microwave, which is a super quick way to cook your baby's food.

Food Chopper

This will grind your spices, puree your baby food, and chop your garlic. It's compact but powerful, and at $60, it's affordable, too. I have owned three of these and frequently gifts them to new parents and new couples (and two of them mysteriously never returned from siblings' houses).

I love that it's so small and the cord has its own space. As a New Yorker, space is at a premium for me, and this little chopper fits the bill.

5200 Blender

I get it — it’s not technically a baby food maker. But you could blitz six chicken breasts in this luxe blender with some stock, and there would be no lumps. With this model, the blades are so fast that the friction cooks food.

The reason I chose this is because it's useful for more than the short time you're feeding your babies. If you like smoothies, soups, milkshakes, or if you're a fan of making infused oils or even your own paper, this machine will do it with aplomb.

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