MAM vs Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature: Which Baby Bottle Do Parents Prefer?

COMPARISON · FEEDING

Two bottles dominate the UK baby aisle: the MAM Easy Start Anti-Colic and the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature. Both promise to make the transition from breast to bottle smoother, and both have devoted followings among parents. But they take different approaches to solving the same problems. MAM's vented base and self-sterilising design target colic head-on. Tommee Tippee's breast-like teat and wide-neck simplicity prioritise everyday convenience and a natural feeding feel.

We stripped out the marketing and compared real parent experiences, specs and pricing so you can decide which one actually suits your baby and your routine.

Lil' Bubba's verdicts

• Best Overall: MAM Easy Start Anti-Colic · 8.0/10 – self-sterilising design, SkinSoft teat accepted by 94% of babies, vented base for effective anti-colic performance
• Best Value: Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature · 7.5/10 – award-winning breast-like teat, wide neck for easy cleaning, excellent value per bottle

Feature	MAM Easy Start Anti-Colic	Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature
UK Price (at time of writing)	~£17.99 (3-pack, 260 ml)	~£25.00 (6-pack, 260 ml)
Price per Bottle	~£6.00	~£4.17
Material	BPA/BPS-free polypropylene	BPA-free, phthalate-free polypropylene
Capacity	260 ml (also 130 ml, 160 ml, 320 ml)	260 ml (also 150 ml, 340 ml)
Anti-Colic System	Vented base (bottom-up air channel)	Integrated valve in teat collar
Self-Sterilising	Yes (microwave, 3 min)	No
Teat Shape	Flat, symmetrical SkinSoft silicone	Rounded, breast-like silicone
Teat Acceptance	Accepted by 94% of babies (brand claim)	Award-winning breast-like shape
Parts to Clean	4 (body, teat, ring, vented base)	3 (body, teat, ring)
Neck Width	Standard	Wide (easier to fill and clean)
Teat Flow Options	Size 1 (slow), 2 (medium), 3 (fast), X (cross-cut)	Slow, medium, fast, variable, thick feed
Dishwasher Safe	Yes (top rack)	Yes (top rack)
Rating	8.0 / 10	7.5 / 10

How we picked these two

We looked at the baby bottles UK parents add to their BubsNest registries most often and cross-referenced them with the pairings that generate the most comparison searches. MAM and Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature consistently appear side by side on parent wishlists, and the matchup represents the core trade-off in the category: dedicated anti-colic engineering versus everyday feeding simplicity. Specs were verified against official brand pages. Prices reflect current UK retail at the time of writing.

What to look for in a baby bottle

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

Teat shape and acceptance. Babies can be surprisingly opinionated about teat shape. A flat, symmetrical teat (like MAM's) mimics the feel of a compressed nipple during breastfeeding. A rounded, dome-shaped teat (like Tommee Tippee's) mimics the shape of the breast itself. Neither is universally better; your baby's preference is the deciding factor, and it is nearly impossible to predict in advance.

Anti-colic performance. Every bottle on the market claims some anti-colic feature. The mechanism matters: a vented base channels air away from the milk through a dedicated pathway, while an integrated valve in the teat collar lets air in without mixing it into the feed. A dedicated vented system typically performs better for persistent colic, but adds more parts to clean.

Cleaning and sterilising. More parts means more washing. A bottle with a separate vented base has four pieces to disassemble and clean after every feed. A simpler three-part design saves time at the sink. Self-sterilising bottles (pop them in the microwave with a splash of water) can eliminate the need for a separate steriliser entirely.

Teat compatibility and flow range. As your baby grows, you will need to increase the teat flow rate. Check that your chosen bottle system offers a full range of flow rates and that replacement teats are easy to source.

1. MAM Easy Start Anti-Colic / 10 · Best Overall

The MAM Easy Start Anti-Colic is the bottle parents reach for when colic is the primary concern. Developed with paediatricians and midwives, it is built around a patented vented base that channels air to the bottom of the bottle and away from the milk entirely. The result is fewer air bubbles in the feed, which means less swallowed air, less wind, and less crying.

What makes it genuinely clever is the self-sterilising design. Unscrew the base, add 20 ml of water, pop the bottle in the microwave for three minutes, and it is sterile. No separate steriliser, no boiling pans, no waiting. For parents who travel, stay with grandparents, or simply have small kitchens, this feature alone can justify the slightly higher price. The SkinSoft silicone teat is MAM's other headline feature: a flat, symmetrical shape designed to feel like skin. MAM claims it is accepted by 94% of babies, making the breast-to-bottle transition smoother.

What parents love

• Self-sterilising saves serious time. No separate steriliser needed. Three minutes in the microwave and you are done. Parents travelling or visiting family particularly value this feature.
• The vented base genuinely reduces colic symptoms. Parents consistently report less wind and fussiness compared to bottles without a dedicated venting system. The bottom-up air channel keeps bubbles away from the milk throughout the feed.
• SkinSoft teat eases the breast-to-bottle switch. The flat, symmetrical shape feels familiar to breastfed babies. The high acceptance rate means fewer rejected feeds and less stress during combination feeding.
• Grows with your baby. Four teat sizes (slow through cross-cut) cover newborn to toddler. The 260 ml bottle works for most of the first year, and the range extends to 320 ml for bigger appetites.

What to know before you buy

• Four parts per bottle means more washing up. The separate vented base adds an extra piece to disassemble, clean, and reassemble after every feed. It is not difficult, but it adds up across a full day of feeds.
• The vented base can leak if not assembled correctly. A small number of parents report drips from the base. Ensuring the vented disc sits flat and the ring is tightened properly resolves this, but it is an extra step to get right.
• Higher cost per bottle than Tommee Tippee. At roughly £6 per bottle, building a full daily rotation of six to eight bottles is a meaningful investment.
• Not every baby likes the flat teat. While 94% acceptance sounds high, the remaining 6% of babies who refuse it tend to prefer a more rounded shape. There is no way to test this without buying.

Best for

• Parents whose baby has colic symptoms or excessive wind during feeds
• Families who want to skip buying a separate steriliser
• Combination-feeding parents looking for a teat that mimics the feel of breastfeeding
• Parents who travel or feed at grandparents' houses and need portable sterilisation

2. Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature / 10 · Best Value

The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature is the bottle most UK parents encounter first. It sits in every Boots, Sainsbury's and supermarket baby aisle, and the name has become almost synonymous with baby bottles in this country. The design philosophy is straightforward: make a bottle that feels as close to breastfeeding as possible, keep it simple, and keep it affordable.

The award-winning breast-like teat is the centrepiece. Rounded and dome-shaped, it is designed to mirror the shape and flex of the breast during feeding. The wide neck makes filling and cleaning easier than narrow-neck competitors, and the integrated anti-colic valve in the teat collar lets air into the bottle without mixing it into the milk. It is a simpler anti-colic system than MAM's vented base, with fewer parts and less assembly. The trade-off is that it may not handle severe colic as effectively.

What parents love

• The breast-like teat shape works for most babies. The rounded, dome-shaped teat is one of the most natural-feeling on the market. Parents combining breast and bottle feeding report fewer refusals compared to flatter or narrower teats.
• Wide neck makes life easier. Filling the bottle, adding formula powder, and cleaning inside are all noticeably easier with the wide opening. No dedicated bottle brush required for everyday cleaning.
• Outstanding value per bottle. At roughly £4.17 per bottle in the 6-pack, building a full daily rotation costs significantly less than MAM. Replacement teats are equally affordable and available everywhere.
• The widest teat range in the UK market. Slow, medium, fast, variable, and thick-feed teats cover every stage and feeding style. You will never outgrow the system.

What to know before you buy

• The anti-colic valve is less effective for severe colic. The integrated valve reduces air ingestion but does not eliminate it as thoroughly as a dedicated vented base. If your baby has persistent colic, you may find this bottle alone is not enough.
• No self-sterilising option. You will need a separate electric or microwave steriliser, cold-water sterilising tablets, or a pan of boiling water. This adds cost and kitchen space.
• Some babies find the teat too bulky. The rounded dome shape can be too wide for smaller mouths, particularly in premature or very young newborns. The slow-flow teat helps, but the shape itself is non-negotiable.
• Proprietary teat system. Once your baby accepts the Closer to Nature teat, switching to another brand is difficult. You are committed to the Tommee Tippee ecosystem.

Best for

• Budget-conscious parents who need a full rotation of bottles without a large outlay
• Combination-feeding families who want the most breast-like bottle shape
• Parents who value simplicity: fewer parts, wide neck, easy cleaning
• First-time parents looking for a widely available, well-supported bottle system

How to choose

If colic is your baby's main challenge, or you want the convenience of self-sterilising without buying extra equipment, the MAM Easy Start Anti-Colic is the stronger pick. The vented base does a measurably better job of separating air from milk, and the microwave sterilisation is a genuine time-saver. The higher per-bottle cost is the trade-off, along with an extra part to clean after every feed.

If your baby feeds happily without severe colic symptoms, and you want an affordable, widely available bottle with the most natural teat shape on the market, the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature is the practical choice. Fewer parts, a wider neck, and the broadest teat range in the UK make it the easier bottle to live with day to day. The integrated anti-colic valve handles mild wind well enough for most babies.

Neither bottle is a bad choice. One leads with anti-colic performance and self-sterilising convenience. The other leads with everyday simplicity and value. Your baby's feeding temperament and your tolerance for extra 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.