Best Easy to Hold: Smily Mia Penguin Buddy Never Drop Silicone Baby Teething Toy

Let’s talk the best teething toys for baby!

As the authors of a best-selling book on baby gear, we get a lot of feedback from readers. And when you have two million readers, they communicate their likes and dislikes frequently!

Teething toys are a good example. We hear from our readers all the time about their favorites in this category. We took these suggestions and then did some testing with actual babies. We wanted to see which teething toys worked best in the real world.

One of the problems with teethers is they can be hard to hold, especially for younger babies. After asking our parent readers for their real world experience, we pick the Smily Mia teether as the best bet here—yes, it is wearable (it goes over your baby’s hand). And it works!

What We Liked

• Easy for baby to hold.

• Dishwasher safe.

• Babies love to bite and suck on it.

• Affordable.

• Freezer safe.

What Needs Work

• Too big for smaller infants, say some readers.

Best Tried & True Brand: Itzy Ritzy Watr-Filled Teethers

Itzy Rizy is probably best known for its diaper bags, but we think their water-filled teethers are among the better bets in this category too.

Yes, you read that right—they are filled with water and can be kept in a refrigerator (but not a freezer) to provide cooling relief. They work well in the real world, say our readers, who love their durability.

What We Liked

• Easy to clean.

• Three different textures.

• Durable.

• Easy to hold, thanks to center cut-out.

What Needs Work

• Not freezer safe. Yes, you can put these teething toys in a refrigerator, but not a freezer. As a result, some folks are disappointed the teether doesn’t stay cold long enough.

• Not dishwasher safe. Also can’t be boiled, steamed or sterilized.

• Watch for leaks. 

Best Budget-Friendly: Baby Teething Toys – BPA Free Silicone Toy

No, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a good silicone teething toy. Case in point: this teether from Elefun. Our readers tell us babies love the five different textures—and the clever handle-through-the-middle design makes it easy to hold.

What We Liked

• Easy to clean.

• Easy to hold.

• Food grade silicone.

• Can be sterilized by boiling, microwave or UV/steam sterilizer.

• Dishwasher safe.

• Affordable.

• Freezer safe.

What Needs Work

• Slight odor when first removed from box.  

Best Set: HAILI XMGO Baby Teething Toys

If you’ve been invited to a baby shower and want to get a set of teething toys for your friend, this set by Haili Xmgo is a reader favorite. Yes, the cute designs are the draw here . . . but the teething toys are good quality and easy to hold.

What We Liked

• Nice bang for buck: 4 teething toys plus two finger toothbrushes.

• Soft.

• Easy to hold.

• Easy to clean.

• Freezer safe.

• Dishwasher safe.

What Needs Work

• Small size of the fruit teething toys may be too easy for babies to gag on—always supervise baby when using a teether.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability. When we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!