Tommee Tippee Advanced Anti-Colic vs Dr Brown's Options+ Glas: Welche Anti-Kolik-Flasche lohnt sich?

VERGLEICH · FUETTERUNG

Choosing an anti-colic bottle feels like it should be straightforward, until you realise how differently each brand tackles the problem. The Tommee Tippee Advanced Anti-Colic and the Dr Brown's Options+ Glass sit at opposite ends of the design spectrum: one is a lightweight polypropylene all-rounder built for everyday convenience, the other a borosilicate glass bottle with a clinically studied internal vent system. Both promise to reduce wind, fussiness and colic symptoms, but they do it in fundamentally different ways.

We compared real parent feedback, stripped out the marketing, and put the specs side by side so you can decide which bottle actually suits your baby and your routine.

Lil' Bubba's verdicts

• Best Overall: Dr Brown's Options+ Glass · 8.5/10 – clinically proven vent system, premium borosilicate glass, removable vent for easy cleaning
• Best Value: Tommee Tippee Advanced Anti-Colic · 7.5/10 – heat-sensing strip, self-sterilising design, widely available on the UK high street

Feature	Tommee Tippee Advanced Anti-Colic	Dr Brown's Options+ Glass
UK Price (at time of writing)	~£12.74 (3-pack, 150 ml)	~£17.41 (twin pack, 150 ml)
Price per Bottle	~£4.25	~£8.71
Material	BPA-free polypropylene	Borosilicate glass
Weight (empty)	~65 g	~110 g
Capacity	150 ml (also 260 ml)	150 ml (also 270 ml)
Anti-Colic System	Triple-vented wand (star valve)	Internal vent system (two-piece insert)
Vent Removable?	No	Yes (Options+ feature)
Heat Indicator	Yes (thermosensitive strip)	No
Self-Sterilising	Yes (microwave, 3 min)	No
Parts to Clean	4	5–7 (with vent)
Teat Shape	Breast-like, medium dome	Narrow, elongated
Dishwasher Safe	Yes (top rack)	Yes
Rating	7.5 / 10	8.5 / 10

How we picked these two

We looked at the anti-colic bottles UK parents add to their BubsNest registries most often and cross-referenced them with the pairings that generate the most comparison searches. Tommee Tippee and Dr Brown's consistently top both lists, and the Advanced Anti-Colic vs Options+ Glass matchup represents the core trade-off in the category: affordable plastic convenience versus premium glass performance. Specs were verified against official brand pages. Prices reflect current UK retail at the time of writing.

What to look for in an anti-colic bottle

Before choosing between these two, it helps to know what actually separates a good anti-colic bottle from a mediocre one.

How does the venting system work? Every anti-colic bottle channels air away from the milk so your baby swallows less of it. The mechanism matters: some use an internal vent that creates a vacuum-free flow, others use a wand or valve at the base. More parts generally means better air separation but also more cleaning.

Material preference. Plastic bottles are lighter and virtually unbreakable, which matters at 3 a.m. Glass bottles avoid any concerns about microplastics and last longer, but they are heavier and can shatter if dropped. Neither choice is wrong; it depends on what you prioritise.

Cleaning and assembly. An anti-colic bottle with seven parts is brilliant at reducing wind but tedious to clean four times a day. Consider whether the improvement in colic symptoms is worth the extra washing. Some systems let you remove the vent once your baby outgrows colic, which simplifies everything.

Teat compatibility. Babies can be particular about teat shape and flow rate. Switching between brands mid-feeding is rarely seamless, so choosing a system you can commit to matters more than it sounds.

1. Tommee Tippee Advanced Anti-Colic / 10 · Best Value

The Tommee Tippee Advanced Anti-Colic is the anti-colic bottle most UK parents encounter first. It is stocked in every Boots, Sainsbury's and supermarket baby aisle, and the price per bottle is less than half the Dr Brown's glass equivalent. That accessibility is not accidental: Tommee Tippee designed this as a straightforward, everyday bottle that happens to tackle colic rather than a specialist device.

The anti-colic system uses a patented triple-vented wand with a star-shaped valve at the base. As your baby feeds, air is drawn down through the wand and vented into the base of the bottle, away from the milk. It is a simpler mechanism than Dr Brown's internal vent, with fewer parts. What genuinely sets it apart is the built-in thermosensitive strip on the side of the bottle: it changes colour when the milk is too hot, giving you a visual safety check that no other mainstream anti-colic bottle offers. The bottle also doubles as a microwave steriliser, simply remove the teat, add water, and sterilise in three minutes.

What parents love

• The heat-sensing strip is genuinely useful. Parents consistently praise it as the feature they did not know they needed. One parent told us: "The temperature indicator on the side is brilliant, especially for the grandparents."
• Self-sterilising saves time and space. No separate steriliser needed for a quick clean. Particularly valued by parents with small kitchens or those travelling.
• Widely available and affordable. At roughly £4.25 per bottle, building a full rotation is significantly cheaper than glass alternatives. Replacements are easy to find on any high street.
• The breast-like teat shape eases combination feeding. Parents moving between breast and bottle report fewer refusals with the medium dome shape compared to narrow teats.

What to know before you buy

• The wand can be fiddly to clean thoroughly. The star valve at the base of the wand collects milk residue. A bottle brush alone is not always enough; a dedicated valve brush helps. One parent put it best: "Cleaning the little star valve properly takes patience, but it is worth it."
• Some parents report leaking over time. As the star valve wears, a small number of parents notice drips from the base. Replacing the wand periodically resolves this.
• Teat range is limited to Tommee Tippee's own system. Unlike Dr Brown's, which uses a widely compatible narrow-neck fitting, the breast-like teat is proprietary. You are committed to the Tommee Tippee ecosystem once your baby accepts it.

Best for

• Budget-conscious parents who need multiple bottles without a large outlay
• Families who value the convenience of self-sterilising and a built-in heat indicator
• Combination-feeding parents looking for a breast-like teat shape
• Parents who want bottles available on every UK high street

2. Dr Brown's Options+ Glass / 10 · Best Overall

If the Tommee Tippee is the practical all-rounder, the Dr Brown's Options+ Glass is the specialist. Originally designed by a paediatrician, it uses an internal vent system that creates a completely vacuum-free feeding experience. Milk flows smoothly without the collapsing, gulping and spluttering that causes so much wind in conventional bottles. The system has been used in clinical studies and is the anti-colic mechanism most frequently referenced by healthcare professionals.

The "Options+" part of the name refers to a genuinely useful feature: the vent system is removable. While your baby has colic symptoms, you use the full internal vent. Once they outgrow that stage (typically around 4 to 6 months), you can remove the vent entirely and use it as a standard bottle with fewer parts to wash. The borosilicate glass body is naturally BPA-free, resistant to thermal shock, and will not absorb odours or stains the way plastic can over time.

What parents love

• The internal vent system genuinely works. This is the most consistent piece of feedback across parent communities. One parent shared: "We tried three other brands before Dr Brown's and the difference was immediate. Less wind, less crying, more sleep for everyone."
• Glass feels premium and lasts. Parents who have used the same set across multiple children praise the durability. No scratching, no clouding, no concerns about plastic degradation over time.
• The removable vent grows with your baby. Being able to drop the vent once colic passes transforms it into a simple, easy-to-clean bottle. Parents love not having to buy a second bottle system for the post-colic stage.
• Preserves vitamins in breast milk. The vacuum-free flow means less oxidation during feeding, which studies suggest helps retain vitamins C, A and E in expressed breast milk.

What to know before you buy

• More parts means more washing up. With the vent in, you are cleaning five to seven separate pieces per bottle, per feed. One parent put it best: "The cleaning is the trade-off. It works brilliantly, but be prepared to spend time at the sink."
• Glass is heavier and breakable. At roughly 110 g empty, these bottles are noticeably heavier than plastic alternatives. They can and do break if dropped onto a hard floor. A silicone sleeve (sold separately) helps but adds more bulk.
• Higher cost per bottle. At around £8.71 per bottle, building a full daily rotation is a meaningful investment. The glass versions cost more than Dr Brown's own plastic Options+ range.

Best for

• Parents whose baby has persistent colic symptoms that simpler venting systems have not resolved
• Families who prefer glass over plastic for durability and peace of mind
• Exclusively pumping parents who want to preserve nutrients in expressed breast milk
• Parents happy to invest more upfront for a bottle system that adapts as baby grows

How to choose

If budget, convenience and high-street availability matter most, the Tommee Tippee Advanced Anti-Colic is the sensible pick. The heat-sensing strip and self-sterilising design save time in a phase of parenting where every minute counts, and building a full bottle rotation will not break the bank. It handles mild to moderate colic symptoms well, and the breast-like teat makes combination feeding smoother.

If your baby has stubborn colic that simpler systems have not solved, or if you prefer glass for its longevity and material safety, the Dr Brown's Options+ Glass is worth the extra investment. The internal vent system is the most effective anti-colic mechanism we have seen, and the ability to remove it once colic passes means you are not stuck with unnecessary parts forever. The cleaning commitment is real, but parents who make the switch overwhelmingly say the reduction in their baby's discomfort justifies it.

Neither bottle is a bad choice. One prioritises everyday practicality, the other prioritises clinical effectiveness. Your baby's colic severity and your tolerance for washing up are the honest deciding factors.

Add it to your Nest

Whichever bottle you choose, you can add it to your free BubsNest registry alongside the rest of your feeding essentials. Compare prices across retailers, share your list with family and friends, and keep everything in one place.