Best Suction Bowl: Munchkin Stay Put Suction Bowl

Munchkin has won several of our test challenges in baby feeding utensils—and they topped the competition here as well. We liked Munchkin’s Stay Put bowls for babies and toddlers best among the different suction bowls we tried. Yes, we gathered actual toddlers in high chairs and put these bowls to the test!

Here’s why this pick outflanked the competition:

What We Liked

• 3 bowls in different sizes. We liked the bright colors, which made for nice pictures for those oh-so-cute baby feeding moments. We also liked the little heart at the bottom of the bowl—nice touch.

• Suction base with release tab—and they actually stuck! Surprisingly, many suction bowls fail at the suction thing.

• Microwave safe. 

• Stackable.

• Dishwasher safe (top rack).

What Needs Work

• Can’t be sterilized.

• Doesn’t suction to all surfaces. When it came to different surfaces, Munchkin’s Stay Put bowls sometimes stayed put . . .  and sometimes not. To be fair, this is a problem with all suction bowls. One tip: use a bit of moisture on the seal before you adhere the bowl to a surface.

Best Suction Bowl Silicone: Bumkins Suction Silicone Baby Feeding Set

Now for something different—a baby feeding set (suction bowl plus spoon) made of silicone. We thought this worked well in our tests with actual babies! Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Freezer to microwave. That’s an advantage of silicone: it can go from refrigerator to microwave or oven (up to 375 degrees).

• BPA-free, PVC-free, phthalate-free and lead-free.

• Works well with soft foods.

• Dishwasher safe.

• Durable and affordable.

• Dual use spoon: one end works for purees and the other for solid food.

What’s Needs Work

• Suction could be better. 

• Odors. Silicone is a great material, but it does have one drawback: it can retain odors of food. Even after washing, there may be residual odors.

Best Gyro Bowl: Magic Bowl 360 Degree Rotation Gyro Bowl

And now for something different.  What if you combined a baby bowl and a gyroscope—the inner bowl with snacks spins and rotates 360 degrees, keeping the contents inside. We tried out a few different gyro bowls and thought Magic Bowl’s version was best. Here’s why:

What We Liked

• Fun! Who says toddler feeding utensils should be boring?

• Bright colors = great for pictures.

• BPA free.

• Dishwasher safe.

What Needs Work

• Not microwave safe.

• Not completely spill proof. Yes, these bowls prevent accidental spills—but that doesn’t mean a toddler can’t figure out how to empty it!

• Food can get stuck between inner bowl and outer shell.

• If dropped, parts can separate. 

• Pricey.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing baby gear, including feeding essentials, since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward safety, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Baby Bargains is your independent and unbiased source for expert baby gear reviews.