Beste eerste bekers UK 2026: 5 topkeuzes van tuit tot rietje

Roundup / First Cups / September 2026

Moving from bottle to cup is one of those milestones that sounds simple until you actually try it. Your baby has spent months happily drinking from a teat, and now you are asking them to learn an entirely new skill with an entirely new piece of equipment. The sheer number of cups on the market does not help: spouts, straws, 360-degree rims, open cups, silicone cups, cups that glow in the dark. It is easy to end up with a kitchen drawer full of cups your baby refuses to touch.

We looked at five of the best first cups available in the UK right now, each taking a different approach to that bottle-to-cup transition. Whether your baby is four months old and just starting to explore water alongside weaning, or a confident toddler ready for an open cup, there is something here that fits.

Quick Verdict

Doidy Cup

Price: £5.99 | Age range: 3 months+ | Capacity: 200 ml

The Doidy Cup has been a fixture in UK kitchens since the 1950s, and for good reason. Its unique slanted design lets your baby see the liquid as they tip the cup, which encourages natural sipping rather than the suckling action used with bottles and spouts. Dentists, speech therapists, and health visitors recommend it precisely because free-flow drinking supports healthy mouth and jaw development and helps prevent the tooth decay associated with prolonged bottle use. At under six pounds, it is comfortably the most affordable cup in this roundup, and the sturdy BPA-free HDPE construction means it survives being dropped, thrown, and chewed without complaint. It is dishwasher safe, steriliser safe, and available in over 17 colours.

The trade-off is mess. This is an open cup by design, so spills are part of the learning process. Some parents find that younger babies drink from the "wrong" side at first, and the 200 ml capacity feels small once your toddler is thirstier. But as a first step towards independent drinking, it is hard to beat for the price.

MAM Starter Cup

Price: £6.99 | Age range: 4 months+ | Capacity: 150 ml

If you want a more traditional sippy cup with a soft spout, the MAM Starter Cup is a strong first choice. The SkinSoft silicone spout feels gentle and familiar to babies who are used to a teat, making the transition from bottle less daunting. The standout feature is the glow-in-the-dark handles: they genuinely light up in a dark room, which parents consistently praise for night feeds and early morning drinks. The lightweight design and ergonomic handles are well sized for small hands, and the included hygienic travel cap makes it easy to toss into a changing bag.

Where the MAM system really shines is compatibility. The spout, handles, and lid are fully interchangeable with other MAM cups, so as your baby grows you can swap in a harder spout or a straw without buying an entirely new cup. The removable non-spill valve keeps leaks in check, though some parents report a learning curve: with the valve in, younger babies can struggle to get enough flow, but without it the water comes too freely. At 150 ml the capacity is modest, but for a four-month-old starting with small sips of water it is plenty.

Mushie Training Cup + Straw

Price: £16.95 | Age range: 6 months+ | Capacity: 175 ml

The Mushie Training Cup is made entirely from food-grade silicone, which means it is soft on baby gums, virtually unbreakable, and a genuine pleasure to clean. Parents rave about how easy it is to take apart and wash, with no hidden crevices where mould can build up. The straw design means your baby does not need to tilt the cup to drink, which develops different oral muscles compared to a spout and can be easier for some babies to master. The easy-grip handles are sized well for small hands, and the muted Scandinavian colour palette (whales, dinosaurs, flowers) makes this one of the better-looking cups on the market.

The main drawback is price. At just under 17 pounds, it costs nearly three times as much as the MAM or Doidy. It is also not fully spill-proof: if your baby throws it or tips it upside down, water will come out through the straw. The 175 ml capacity sits between the MAM and the Litecup, which is fine for early weaning but may feel limiting as your baby starts drinking more. Parents of younger babies note that some six-month-olds need a few weeks to figure out the straw, but once they do, most take to it quickly.

Hippychick Litecup

Price: £9.99 | Age range: 12 months+ | Capacity: 330 ml

The Litecup solves a very specific problem that most other cups ignore: what happens when your toddler wants a drink in the middle of the night? The built-in LED nightlight is light-sensitive, so it glows automatically in the dark and switches off in daylight. No buttons to press, no fumbling around, just a soft glow that helps your child find their cup without anyone having to get out of bed. It was designed by an industrial designer who also happened to be a parent, and the thoughtfulness shows.

Beyond the nightlight, the Litecup works as a solid 360-degree drinking cup. Your child can sip from any point around the rim through a soft valve that seals automatically when their lips leave the cup. This is the approach dentists tend to favour because it encourages the same drinking action as a regular open cup. At 330 ml it holds more than any other cup in this roundup, making it practical for longer outings and overnight use. The valve is not completely leak-proof if the cup is shaken hard or left upside down, which some parents find frustrating. The battery-powered LED is enclosed in the base and lasts well, though older models had non-replaceable batteries. At just under 10 pounds, it offers good value for a cup that does double duty.

Done by Deer Learning 360 Cup

Price: £12.95 | Age range: 9 months+ | Capacity: 260 ml

The Done by Deer Learning 360 Cup takes the popular 360-degree concept and adds a genuinely useful twist: an adjustable flow lid. By turning the lid, you can control how freely the liquid flows, starting with a more restricted flow for beginners and opening it up as your child gets more confident. This means the same cup grows with your baby through different drinking stages, which is clever design that justifies the higher price. The silicone valve opens only when your child presses their lips against the rim, sealing automatically when they stop.

The body is made from Tritan, a shatterproof material that is also transparent, so you and your child can see exactly how much is left. The handleless design is deliberate: it encourages your child to develop the grip they will need for a regular cup. The Celebration print (with its playful character designs) is typically Scandinavian in its understated charm. At 260 ml it sits comfortably between the smaller starter cups and the larger Litecup. The main limitation is that this is a relatively new product in the UK market, so long-term parent feedback is still building. At nearly 13 pounds it is not cheap, but the adjustable flow mechanism adds real value for parents who want one cup that adapts rather than buying several.

How We Chose These Cups

We focused on cups that are widely available from UK retailers, represent genuine variety in drinking style, and have earned real feedback from parents who use them daily. Every product here has been through our editorial review process, looking at build quality, ease of cleaning, suitability for the stated age range, and how well the design actually helps babies learn to drink independently.

We deliberately included one of each major cup type: an open cup, a soft-spout cup, a straw cup, a 360-degree cup, and a 360-degree cup with a nightlight. This way, whatever approach suits your baby (and your tolerance for spills), there is an option here that fits.

What to Look for in a First Cup

Cup type matters more than brand. Spout cups feel most like a bottle and are the easiest transition. Straw cups build different oral muscles and work well for babies who resist spouts. 360-degree cups mimic open-cup drinking without the mess. Open cups like the Doidy are what dentists recommend for long-term oral health, but they require more patience (and more kitchen roll) in the early days.

Age and readiness. Most babies can start with small sips of water from around six months, alongside the introduction of solid food. Some cups, like the MAM Starter Cup, are designed from four months. Others, like the Litecup, are best from 12 months. Check the manufacturer's guidance and be honest about where your baby is developmentally.

Cleaning. Cups with fewer parts are easier to clean, and that matters when you are washing them several times a day. Silicone cups like the Mushie are particularly forgiving because there are no seams or crevices for mould to hide in. Valve-based cups need the valve removed and washed separately each time.

Spill tolerance. No first cup is truly spill-proof once a determined toddler gets involved. Valved and 360-degree cups limit the damage, but open cups and straw cups will leak if thrown. Decide how much mess you can live with and choose accordingly.

Longevity. Some parents prefer to start with a simple, cheap cup and upgrade as their baby's skills develop. Others want one cup that adapts. The MAM system and the Done by Deer's adjustable flow both offer progression within a single product range, which can work out more economical in the long run.

The Bottom Line

For most families, the Doidy Cup is the best place to start. It costs less than a coffee, it is recommended by every health professional going, and it teaches your baby to drink properly from day one. Yes, it is messy, but that mess is your baby learning. If you want something less chaotic, the MAM Starter Cup offers a gentle introduction with its soft spout and clever glow handles, and the interchangeable parts mean it grows with your child. The Mushie Training Cup is the pick for parents who value design and easy cleaning and do not mind paying a premium for it. For bedtime specifically, the Litecup is in a category of its own: that nightlight is a genuinely brilliant idea. And if you want a single 360-degree cup that adjusts as your child's confidence grows, the Done by Deer Learning 360 Cup delivers on that promise with typical Scandinavian thoughtfulness.

There is no single perfect first cup, because every baby is different. Some take to a straw immediately; others want the comfort of a soft spout; some will only drink from something they can see through. The good news is that at these price points, trying two or three different styles is not a major investment, and most babies will tell you very clearly which one they prefer.