A dedicated baby food maker can be useful if you often prepare small portions of purée and want to steam and blend them with fewer steps. If you already have appliances that can cook and blend these quantities, Que Choisir advises considering whether a new one would be redundant. Compare the transfers between appliances, the space it will take up and how easy it is to clean before you buy. Then choose a capacity based on the number of portions you make in each session, rather than simply counting the advertised functions.
You have an appliance for cooking and a mixer or blender. The question is whether a dedicated baby food maker would make preparing small portions enough easier to justify the space it takes up in your kitchen. Que Choisir highlights the risk of buying a duplicate appliance.
You want to steam and blend a small quantity without moving it between several containers, while keeping post-use cleaning manageable. Philips and Béaba, for example, offer ranges that include models combining cooking and blending.
You batch-cook larger quantities, so cooking capacity and the option to keep ingredients separate become important. Babymoov offers Nutribaby models with multiple baskets for this purpose.
First, check what your current appliances can already do, then compare the steps involved, usable capacity and cleaning requirements of a combined appliance.
Worth considering if: you regularly prepare small portions and want to steam and blend them in one appliance.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to make room for another appliance and clean its parts and steam system, depending on the model.
Worth considering if: your current equipment can already cook the ingredients and blend the small quantities you need.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to transfer food between the cooking and blending stages and clean the containers you use. A blender or mixer on its own cannot steam food.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Avoiding duplication | Check whether your current appliances can already cook and blend the small quantities you need, then compare the steps involved and the space required. | When my kitchen is already well equipped, I want to know whether a new appliance will genuinely make my routine easier. Around 29% of consumers put avoiding duplication first. |
| Combining cooking and blending | Check whether the model can handle both steps in the same bowl and how it switches from one to the other. | When I often make a small portion of purée, I’d rather avoid transferring food between containers. Around 29% of consumers would prioritise this convenience. |
| Choosing the right capacity | Compare the usable cooking and blending capacities, as well as the number of baskets, with the portions you make in each session. | If I prepare several portions in advance, I want to cook the amount I need without having to run several batches. Around 24% of consumers would put capacity first. |
| Managing cleaning and care | Check which parts are dishwasher-safe, which areas need drying and what descaling procedure is given in the instructions. | After each use, I want to be able to clean and dry the appliance without spending too much time on it. Around 18% of consumers would make cleaning and care their main concern. |
A steamer or pressure cooker paired with a mixer may already cover both functions you need. Que Choisir advises taking these appliances into account before adding a dedicated baby food maker.
Try your current routine with a small batch and see which steps genuinely cause problems: cooking, transferring, blending or cleaning.
Babymoov lists a cooking capacity of 1 900 ml for the Nutribaby (+) and 2 250 ml for the Nutribaby (+) XL. These capacities may suit sessions involving several portions, but a larger appliance takes up more space and has more parts to handle.
Start with the number of portions you usually prepare at a time, then compare the cooking and blending capacities of the model you’re considering separately.
Cleaning the food-contact parts may not be enough to clean the reservoir and areas where moisture or limescale can build up. Béaba says the appliance needs descaling when limescale deposits appear.
Check the instructions for your model to find out which parts are dishwasher-safe and how to descale it. Philips states that the motor unit of its steamer-blender must never be immersed in water.
A large capacity lets you make more purée in one session, but it doesn’t extend how long the food can be stored. Anses advises against keeping infant meals for more than 48 hours at 4 °C.
Plan your portions and how you’ll store them before choosing a capacity for batch-cooking.
These ranges give you a useful starting point for comparing sizes. Always check the specifications of the version you’re considering.
The Babycook range includes the Babycook Néo, which may be worth considering if the materials used for the bowl and basket matter to you.
The Nutribaby range lets you compare models with multiple baskets if you prepare more than one portion at a time.
The range of baby food makers includes models that combine cooking and blending in the same bowl.
Not necessarily: those appliances may already cover cooking and blending. Que Choisir points out that a baby food maker could then be a duplicate. Check whether your blender can handle the small quantities you need and whether transferring food between appliances is practical for everyday use.
Choose a capacity that suits the number of portions you prepare in each session, distinguishing between cooking and blending capacity. Philips lists 800 ml for solid food and 450 ml for liquids on the SCF870/20; Babymoov lists a cooking capacity of 2 250 ml and three baskets for the Nutribaby (+) XL. These figures relate to different parts and models, rather than measuring how well they perform in use.
Follow the instructions for your model, including for each part and for descaling. Philips states that the motor unit of its steamer-blender must not be immersed in water; Béaba recommends descaling its Babycook when limescale deposits appear.
Anses advises against keeping infant meals for more than 48 hours at 4 °C. If you choose a large-capacity appliance for batch-cooking, plan your portions with this limit in mind: the size of the appliance doesn’t change the storage guidance.
No. The DGCCRF distinguishes statutory warranties from a commercial warranty offered by a seller or manufacturer. Before comparing two offers, check what the commercial warranty covers, what it excludes and how to make a claim. Don’t confuse it with your statutory rights.