Best Teethers for Molars UK 2026: Reach Matters More Than Cold

COMPARISON · TEETHERS

Most teethers are designed for the first teeth, the bottom front pair that usually arrive somewhere around six months. They are flat, wide and easy to grip, and they do a decent job on the front of the gums. Then the molars turn up, often between 12 and 16 months for the first set and again somewhere around two years for the second, and a lot of those teethers stop being much use. The sore spot is now right at the back of the jaw, and a fat ring or a wide set of keys simply cannot get there.

That is the real trade-off this roundup is about. When parents shop for molar relief, the instinct is to buy something cold. Cold genuinely helps, but a chilled teether that only touches the front of the mouth is soothing the wrong gums. Reach, meaning a long, slim, bendy section a toddler can push to the back of their own mouth, turns out to matter more than temperature.

We compared five teethers from five different brands, from a £3.79 cooling ring to a beech wood and silicone combination, and weighed up what parents we hear from actually report once molars are coming through. Here is how they stack up.

Lil' Bubba's verdicts

• Best Overall: Matchstick Monkey Teddy Tiger Teether · 8.5/10 - the long, bendy limbs reach the back of the jaw and the bumps double as a gel applicator
• Best Cooling for Back Teeth: MAM Mini Cooler & Clip · 8.0/10 - the only cooling teether here shaped to curve towards the molars, with a clip included
• Best for Hard Gnawing: Jellystone Moon Teether · 7.5/10 - a firm beech wood ring for toddlers who want to bite down hard
• Best for Smaller Hands: Cheeky Chompers Chewy the Hippo · 7.0/10 - light, flat and fridge friendly, easy for younger babies to manage
• Best Budget Pick: Nuby IcyBite Keys · 7.0/10 - under £4, stays cold well, but better for front teeth than molars

Quick comparison

Teether	Price	Reaches molars?	Cooling	Material	Rating
Matchstick Monkey Teddy Tiger Teether	£9.34	Yes, long flexible limbs	Fridge friendly	Antimicrobial silicone
MAM Mini Cooler & Clip	£7.70	Yes, curved end	Water-filled, fridge	Silicone, water core
Jellystone Moon Teether	£9.99	Partly, toddler can angle the ring	No	Beech wood + silicone
Cheeky Chompers Chewy the Hippo	£9.99	Partly, slim edges	Fridge friendly	Silicone
Nuby IcyBite Keys	£3.79	Not really, keys are wide	Gel core, fridge	Plastic + gel

Prices are the lowest in-stock UK price in our catalogue at the time of writing and move often.

How we picked the 5

We started with every teether in our catalogue that is in stock with a UK retailer, then filtered out generic unbranded multipacks and anything without clear materials information. From what remained we looked for teethers that make a specific claim about back teeth, either through their shape, a cooling element or a firm biting surface, and made sure each came from a different brand.

We then read through a large amount of parent feedback, retailer reviews and product specifications to see which claims stood up, and scored each teether on reach, comfort, cleaning, durability and value. Nobody paid to be included, and the ratings are ours.

What to look for in a teether for molars

Molar teething tends to look different from the first round. Toddlers often chew on the sides of their fingers, pull at their ears or cheeks, and want to bite down with real force. A good molar teether needs to cope with all of that.

• Reach. Look for a slim, long section, a limb, a handle or a curved end, that can travel past the front teeth to the back gums without your toddler gagging.
• Flexibility. Soft, bendy silicone is safer when a toddler pushes it deep into their mouth and lets them angle it to the sore spot themselves.
• Firmness. Some toddlers want pressure rather than cold. A firm surface such as beech wood or dense silicone gives them something to clamp down on.
• Cooling done safely. Chill teethers in the fridge, never the freezer. A frozen teether can be hard enough to bruise gums and very cold surfaces can hurt delicate skin.
• Cleaning. Toddlers drop everything. Teethers that go in the dishwasher or steriliser are far easier to live with than ones that need hand washing.

It is also worth having two different types on the go. Many parents find a cold teether helps first thing in the morning and a firm one works better during the day. If your toddler seems very unwell, has a high temperature or is off their food for long, speak to your GP or health visitor, as teething is often blamed for things it does not cause.

1. Matchstick Monkey Teddy Tiger Teether / 10 · Best Overall

Matchstick Monkey has become something of a household name for one reason: it is one of the few teethers designed from the start to get to the back of the mouth. The Teddy Tiger keeps the same idea as the original monkey, with two long, flexible arms that a baby can hold and steer, and a bumpy head that goes in first.

The trick is that those bumps work as an applicator. If you use a teething gel recommended by your pharmacist, you can put it on the bumps and let your toddler rub it onto the sore molar themselves, rather than trying to reach in with a finger that has a fresh set of teeth waiting for it. The silicone is antimicrobial and the whole thing is just 11 cm long, from three months.

What parents love

• Genuinely reaches the back. The slim, bendy limbs let toddlers push the textured end right back to the molars, which is exactly where most flat teethers fail.
• Saves your fingers. The bumps hold gel well, so you are not putting a finger into a mouth full of new teeth.
• Babies actually take to it. One parent told us: "We finally have one she likes after trying many teethers."
• Easy to clean. Dishwasher and steriliser safe, and it can be chilled in the fridge for extra comfort.

What to know before you buy

• Not every baby engages with it. A minority of parents say their baby simply was not interested. It is cheap enough to try, but it is not a guaranteed win.
• Picks up fluff. Like most soft silicone, it attracts lint and pet hair if it is dropped, so keep a clip or pouch handy.

Best for

• Toddlers cutting first or second molars
• Parents who use teething gel and want a cleaner way to apply it
• Babies who like to steer a teether themselves
• Anyone who wants one teether that works from three months to two years and beyond

2. MAM Mini Cooler & Clip / 10 · Best Cooling for Back Teeth

If your toddler responds best to cold, the MAM Mini Cooler is the one we would point you to. Most water-filled teethers are rings, which are great for front teeth but too chunky to get anywhere near a molar. MAM has curved the end of the Mini Cooler so that it angles towards the back of the jaw, and the handle is small enough for little hands to grip.

It comes with a clip and a cover, which matters more than it sounds. A cooling teether that ends up on a café floor is no use to anyone, and the cover keeps it clean in a changing bag after it comes out of the fridge.

What parents love

• Cold where it is needed. The curved cooling end reaches further back than a standard teething ring.
• Self-soothing. Parents describe it as a good self-soother that babies can hold and manage on their own.
• Clip and cover included. Useful for buggies and car seats, and keeps it clean between fridge and mouth.
• Very affordable. Under £8 for a branded cooling teether with accessories.

What to know before you buy

• Fridge only. Like every water-filled teether, it must not go in the freezer, and the cold wears off within a few minutes of chewing.
• Age guidance varies by listing. Some packaging says from birth, some from two months and some from four. Check the box for your version.
• Not one for heavy biters. Determined toddlers with sharp new teeth should be checked regularly for any wear to the water-filled section.

Best for

• Toddlers who are calmed by cold
• Night-time and early-morning flare-ups
• Days out, thanks to the clip and cover
• A second teether alongside a firm or textured one

3. Jellystone Moon Teether / 10 · Best for Hard Gnawing

Some toddlers do not want soft or cold. They want to clamp down as hard as they can. The Jellystone Moon Teether pairs a smooth beech wood ring with a textured silicone ring, giving two very different surfaces in one toy, and the wooden ring is noticeably firmer than anything else in this roundup.

It will not travel as far back as the Matchstick Monkey, but older babies and toddlers can angle the edge of the wooden ring towards their side teeth, and the firm resistance is what many molar chewers seem to want. It also looks lovely, which is why it is a popular gift.

What parents love

• Firm biting surface. Beech wood is hard wearing and gives real resistance for gnawing.
• Two textures in one. The silicone ring offers bumps for rubbing, the wood offers smooth pressure.
• Natural materials. Silicone is BPA, phthalate, PVC, cadmium and lead free, and beech is naturally hard wearing.
• Gift friendly. Calm colours and a design parents are happy to leave out.

What to know before you buy

• Hand wash only. The wood should be washed in warm soapy water or wiped clean. No dishwasher, no steriliser, no soaking.
• Rings are fairly wide. At around 7 to 8 cm across, it suits side teeth better than the very back molars.
• No cooling. Wood should not be chilled or left damp, so this is a pressure teether only.

Best for

• Toddlers who bite down hard
• Parents who prefer wood and silicone over plastic
• Gift buyers
• Daytime use alongside a cooling teether

4. Cheeky Chompers Chewy the Hippo / 10 · Best for Smaller Hands

Chewy the Hippo is the gentlest teether here. It is a flat, lightweight silicone hippo with several textures, designed for small hands, and it can be popped in the fridge for a cooler chew. It is food grade silicone and happy in the dishwasher or steriliser.

It is in this roundup because the slimmer edges of the hippo can reach a little further back than a ring, and younger babies who get early molars, or who simply struggle to hold heavier teethers, often manage it best. For older toddlers who want proper reach or firm pressure, the first three picks are stronger.

What parents love

• Light and easy to hold. Younger babies can grip and steer it without dropping it every few seconds.
• Lots of textures. Dimpled and ridged areas give different sensations for rubbing sore gums.
• Fridge friendly. Can be cooled for a refreshing chew without any water or gel core to worry about.
• Simple cleaning. Dishwasher and steriliser safe.

What to know before you buy

• Limited reach. The flat shape gets further back than a ring, but not as far as a limb or curved end.
• Pricier than it looks. At around £10 it costs the same as the Matchstick Monkey, which does more for molars.

Best for

• Younger babies with early molars
• Little hands that drop heavier teethers
• Parents who want an all-silicone, no-fuss option
• A gentle first teether that grows into the molar months

5. Nuby IcyBite Keys / 10 · Best Budget Pick

Nuby IcyBite Keys are a classic for a reason. For under £4 you get a ring of colourful keys with a gel core that Nuby says stays colder for longer than water-filled teethers, plus textured surfaces on the other side. Babies love the rattle and the bright colours as much as the cold.

Our honest view is that they are a brilliant front-teeth teether and a weaker molar one. The keys are wide and flat, so they rarely get past the front of the mouth. If your budget is tight, they are still worth having in the fridge, especially as a cheap second teether.

What parents love

• Excellent value. The cheapest teether here by a distance.
• Cold without ice crystals. One parent shared: "These don't get too cold or develop sharp ice crystals when refrigerated."
• Doubles as a toy. A parent told us their daughter "used them as much to bang around and make noise as she did to actually chew."
• Easy to grip. Babies drop it less than many single-piece teethers.

What to know before you buy

• Wide keys. They do not reach the back teeth, which is the whole point of molar relief.
• Warms up quickly. Several parents say the cold fades after a few minutes, so having two on rotation helps.
• Careful cleaning. Not for the freezer or steam steriliser. Check the packaging on your version.

Best for

• Front teeth in the first year
• Tight budgets
• A spare teether for the fridge
• Babies who like noisy, colourful toys

What about teething necklaces and amber beads?

We are often asked about amber teething necklaces and chewable bead necklaces worn by babies. We do not recommend them. Necklaces and beads around a baby's neck carry a strangulation and choking risk, and there is no good evidence that amber helps with teething pain.

If you like the idea of something wearable, a parent-worn silicone necklace that your baby chews while you hold them is a different thing, but it should always be supervised. For molars specifically, a teether your toddler can hold and steer will do far more good.

How to choose

Matchstick Monkey Teddy Tiger Teether: Start here if you only buy one. It is the best at actually reaching molars and it makes applying gel much easier.

MAM Mini Cooler & Clip: Pick this if your toddler is calmed by cold, especially at night, and you want a cooling teether that can get further back than a ring.

Jellystone Moon Teether: Choose this for toddlers who want firm pressure rather than cold, or as a thoughtful gift.

Cheeky Chompers Chewy the Hippo: Good for younger babies and small hands, or if you want a simple silicone teether that can go in the fridge and the dishwasher.

Nuby IcyBite Keys: Buy this for front teeth or as a cheap spare in the fridge, but pair it with one of the first two picks once molars arrive.

Add it to your Nest

Teethers make perfect small gifts for friends and family who want to help. Add your favourites to your free BubsNest registry and keep everything you need for the molar months in one place.