Customer Reviews

The First Years All Purpose Steam Sterilizer

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I had purchased this sterilizer based on a recommendation from a friend. After just a few uses, the steamer stopped working. When the lever to turn the steamer on was pushed, it just wouldn't turn on any more. I contacted the First Years manufacturer, and to say the least, they did have excellent customer service. They had no problem replacing the unit. Upon receiving the second unit, I used the steamer once. And because the steamer couldn't hold every thing on the first run I had to run it twice in a row. To my disappointment, I pressed the lever and again it did not work. Frustratingly, I pushed the lever several times and then the light finally came on. Unless you cool it for about a half hour or more, this is how my unit operated. I'm sure that not every one's experience is the same but this was how mine was. I definitely would caution buyers on the product - only because this problem occured twice with the units that I have used.

We too had problems with turning the sterilizer on. The unit would not turn on when the lever was pressed, but several presses got it to work a couple of times. After about 6 uses it died completely. Not sure what the hard part about making a hotplate that is switched on by depressing a lever (like an electric kettle) is exactly, but these guys found it.

This unit also left a LOT of condensation in the stuff we sterilized.

I bought this right before my daughter was born and have used it every day since she was born 4 months ago. A week ago it just stopped working. I really liked this steamer and it had served me well but now was just not turning on anymore. So I went out and bought the exact same steamer. I used it for 2 days and then on the third day, yesterday, it wouldn't turn on anymore. I'm taking it back today and getting something else.

I am seeing a lot of negative reviews for this item. You have to wait for the hot plate to cool before running again. This takes no longer than 20 minutes to cool. You can't just hit the button again while the plate is still very hot. That doesn't mean it doesn't work. I'm sure that's actually a safety feature. I have 2 children, 2 years apart, and I sterilized everything for months and months. I pumped so I had bottles and pump parts constantly going through this unit. Now that my kids are older, I still use it on a regular basis for sterilizing jars prior to canning. I even sterilize our toothbrushes regularly. I have used this unit on a constant basis for years. It's an excellent unit.

We received this product off of our baby registry a couple of months before our due date and never used it until a week before the delivery. It worked the first time, but never again! I repeat we used it one time and then it stopped working, it just would not turn on!!!!! I asked the retailer for store credit but it was after their return period. I then sent a email to The First Years explaining the situation and never received a reply. Lousy product!

I have this and have used it for about 5 months. I have never had problems with it starting, but it drives me crazy with the dripping all over the counter and the amount of condensation. I am looking for a new sterilizer because of this. I do not recommend.

This steamer works great, and holds more accessories than the Avent
sterilizer. It is very easy to use. Plus, it's about twenty bucks less than the Avent. More money to use on diapers.

I had this sterilizer through 2 kids, and it worked great. I always used filtered water with it, so I don't know if that helped. I love it for it's large internal size. As a mom who pumped a lot, I used it frequently for all my odd shaped pumping parts as well as the bottles, and it worked great.

I used this sterilizer f0r 7 straight months 1-2 times everyday. Overall it was great..better than doing the boiling water method. However, there are two major faults I see to this product: 1) the metal plate accumulates scum or dirt so you have to wash the metal plate(which is attached to the entire product) or else the scum will keep accumulating where you dont want our bottle to be cleaned in anymore AND 2) after 7 months of using it, it finally SHUT DOWN on me and it would not turn on anymore. Im reading ALOT of reviews where this product just stops functioning.

All I can say is that most of the people with the bad reviews must have had very bad luck with this product... the sterilizer was handed down to me by my sister; she lend it to a sister-in-law after she finished using it with her third child, and then I got it for my first son and now my second one is using it. I even think the sister-in-law used it with her first son too, that would make this the 7th baby used with, anyway, it's still working!