Customer Reviews

Philips Avent Express Baby Food and Bottle Warmer

5 star:		(72)
4 star:		(64)
3 star:		(30)
2 star:		(41)
1 star:		(56)

 

 

Not knowing what to look for in a bottle warmer, I was attracted to this model because it was small in size and didn't take up a lot of counterspace. I have no complaints about its warming capabilities, but after using the warmer several times, I found I really needed a few more features than it offered:

The unit does not have an automatic timer, which means YOU have to keep up with how long the bottle has been in the warmer. And when you are trying to deal with a fussy infant, it's easy to lose track of time and overheat the bottle.

The unit has no Off/On switch and must be unplugged after each use.

Another small annoyance is the bottle does not sit flat, but floats unevenly in the water while heating.

I finally purchased another model which included these features.

First off, reading the other "not-so-warm" reviews was amusing to read!!! I say this because, out of all the warmers out there, the AVENT one is far the best! NEW MOMS, READ the directions FIRST... There is a fill line inside the warmer that shows you how much water to put... ALSO, in the DIRECTION BOOKLET, it SAYS DO NOT PLACE WATER FIRST, PLACE BOTTLE FIRST then FILL with WATER to DESIRED LEVEL of formula in bottle... If you are using the 9oz bottles then fill to the top of the warmer! To SOLVE the problem of the ON/OFF switch dilemna, I plugged my unit on one of those multiple outlet strips with a switch... Instead of unplugging the unit, I just turn the switch... SIMPLE!!! LADIES be inventive when it comes to children, this is my first, AND I am finding new ways to streamline! It holds the AVENT, MAWS, and JOHNSONS Healthflow ANGLED very nicely! The BEST thing about this warmer is it REALLY HEATS EVENLY and HAS a nice WARM consistency. ENJOY!

I bought the avent baby warmer and whilst not totally disappointed in it I also can not say that it is one of avents best products.
To list a few negative points
1- The product has no on/off button and personally I prefer not to take out plugs and leave them on the side when the surface is potentially wet also I have found that sometimes when removing plugs this can cause a spark which would be an unpleasant surprise for anyone however an adapter with an on off button does resolve this problem but adds cost to the product if you don't already have one.
2- The timings are not accurate which means I have to keep checking bottles so they don't overheat and when the bottle gets put back into the warmer the pressure of the bottle going into the water causes the water to overflow no matter how carefully done.

However on the positive side the warmer does heat the milk evenly and to a good temperature when kept an eye on and saves some time.

The best thing about any product is that it is designed so well that anyone can use it safely and effectively, the purpose of a great product is not to find ways of overcoming the products design faults. Having spoken to a many number of friends many of them agree that this product is a nice to have but by no means necessary.

However as with all avent products this is the best on the market so if you want a bottle warmer this is the one to buy.

This is one of my favorite baby products as far as convenience goes. I've read several of the reviews here. I do agree that the absence of an on/off switch is somewhat of a nuisance, however this is my only complaint. With regard to a lot of the other consumer gripes and methods of use, I disagree and feel I must address them. Obviously, as with any new product acquired, it is usually most beneficial to a consumer to carefully read the instructions and follow them. The front of the warmer has a convenient diagram to remind the user of heating and timing settings per size and type of bottle. To warm regular Avent 4 oz. or 9 oz. bottles that have previously been refrigerated (~40 degrees), and for bottles prepared at around room temp (~70 degrees), the thermostat needs to be at 3. The water levels and heating times differ. I feel that I need to reiterate some of the instructions for any of you prospective consumers who would like to be well and accurately informed:

Hazard Warning:

-Always unplug when not in use.
-Always place bottle into warmer BEFORE adding water.
-Ensure water has been added before switching the unit on.
-When the feed has reached the required temperature, remove immediately. If left in the warmer, the temperature of the feed will continue to increase.

Instructions for use for regular Avent feeding bottles:

-Ensure basket is in place inside the warmer.
-Place the assembled, filled bottle in the warmer.
-For 4 oz. bottles, (slowly- to avoid air bubbles) fill the warmer with water to just above the level of milk in the bottle.
-For larger bottles, fill the warmer to 1/2 inch below the rim of the warmer.
-Never let the water level rise above the neck of the bottle, or spill over the edge of the warmer.
-Plug in the unit . Turn the dial setting to 3.
-The light will illuminate to indicate the warmer is working.
-When the water has reached the correct temperature, the light will come on and off to indicate that the water surrounding the bottle is kept at a constant temperature.
-Always shake the bottle gently and check the temperature of the milk by sprinkling a few drops on to your wrist before you feed your baby.

If you follow these instructions and set a timer you should have a perfectly warmed 4 oz bottle in 5 minutes for previously refrigerated bottles; a 9 oz (previously refrigerated) bottle will be warmed in 6 minutes. Times for heating bottles from room temp are 4 minutes for either size.

I personally own the regular Avent bottles. This warmer will also accommodate the Avent Disposable System bottles, Avent Magic cup, baby food jars, and other makes of bottles. Instructions for these vary slightly for heat settings and times.
The basket can also be removed to allow the varying types to fit inside.

Overall, I am very happy with this product. It has saved me a lot of time and headaches.

Here's what I don't like about this warmer: 1. You can't leave it plugged in, because plugging it in turns on the heater, and there is no on-off switch...I find this inconvenient. 2. Settings 1, 2, and 3 all go up to 160 degrees F...1 just takes a longer time to get there. The warmer doesn't shut off after reaching this temperature, so if you forget about it, the milk will get really hot.

This warmer probably makes sense if you don't want to take a trip to the kitchen to heat milk on stove and need to do so in the baby's room.

Of all the great products made by AVENT this one is the only one I dislike. I gave it a "2" because the unspecified water measuring for bottle warming lead to bottles floating and possible chamber overflowing (a messy cleanup for early a.m. feedings). It lacks an on/off switch and must be unplugged every time (which at 3 a.m. is not always easy to remember ),thus the placement of the unit must be near an easy to reach outlet. The warming time, according to manual, is not always correct and overheating is usually the result if you walk away.

It does have a few good points : a) it accomendates AVENT bottles and not all bottle warmers do. b) cleaning the unit is EASY. c) allows warming of both reusable and disposable bottles. d) warm food, frozen breastmilk, or formula quickly. e) IT BETTER AND QUICKER THAN WARMING UNDER TAP WATER !!

We've always used the microwave (most of the time) or a jug of hot water (when a mircowave wasn't available) to warm our first two children's bottles of formula - this worked fine for us as we knew the exact time to make the bottle just right.

Unfortunately my third child had to spend some time in hospital when he was two weeks old. What we learned from his nurses is that microwaves can 'zap' a lot of goodness out of your formula (the hosptial used a microwave as well until they were told this). We also learned that the prescription only formula he now has to have tastes digusting when not kept very warm.

Hence our decision to purchase the Avent bottle warmer. What we like about it is that it is easy to re-warm our bottles during a feed when the need arises and keeps all the goodness in the formula. The lack of an on/off switch is a bit annoying but we just turn it off at the plug. The fact that the light goes on and off as it's keeping the water at a constant temperature is also a bit of a pain as at 2am in a dimly lit kitchen you can just assume you already turned off the plug when you haven't if the light is out.

Despite these negatives things, they far outweigh the advantages for us of keeping our son's formula nice and warm. It's easy to use, easy to keep clean and has worked pefectly from the day we bought it.

We love it.

AVENT has great products however this one is not one of them. Here are a few reasons I feel this way: This warmer lacks an "on/off" switch and must be unplugged with each use (which with early a.m. feedings is not always easy to remember). The absence of this feature also requires unit to be placed near an easy to reach outlet at all times. Due to the absence of any premeasured units for filling water into chamber, overfilling causes bottle floating and messy clean-ups. Lastly the specified times for proper warming in manual is not always correct , thus overheating is usually the result if you walk away.

This product does have a few good points: It fit almost all bottle types (both reqular, disposable and wide mouth). It's easy to clean. It allow fast warming of breastmilk (frozen),formula and baby food(that has been refrigerator). and finally IT'S BETTER THAN WARMING UNDER TAP WATER!!!

I have bought several bottle food warmers trying to get the right chemical composition of convenience and adequate warming without scalding. It is largely a mixed bag with all the warmers. I have yet to find one that does it all.

The perfect warmer would have a temperature probe, an on/off switch, shut off automatically, chime when finished, have clear directions, fit all size bottles and work correctly 99% of the time. Sadly except for the tempurature probe, the above features are not found in any one warmer but several. The temperature probe was my idea, but a good one I think.

This warmer is about twenty dollars more than any other on the market, but I don't believe you get twenty dollars of bang for your bucks. The newer models and the one I have does have an on/off switch, so if you were to buy it today you will have one. The problem with all warmers, this one included, is the amount of water needed. It is fairly difficult to get a consistent bottle temp. You will get it perfect one time, and then the next you have to run it under the cold tap for two minutes to get it back to the right temp. The instructions across all of them are poor at best.

This warmer does a decent job if you make sure to pull out that bottle in five minutes, for refridgerated milk. If you don't you will be trying to cool it down. It would be nice if it had auto shut off, or a chime. This warmer soaks the bottle in water that doesn't boil but warms it slowly.

The long and short of it comes down to features that are important to you, because no one warmer (at least at this writing) seems to do it all. Here is a list of features of the popular models:

Avent - Uses warm water, largest opening, fits all bottles, has switch, no auto shut off, no chime, approx. five min. heat time. $40.00

Dex - Similar to the Avent, but it does have a chime when finished heating, fairly consistent heating, approx. five min. heat time, bottle opening is smaller than Avent so disposables Avent bottles do not fit well, all others are fine. $18.00

First Years - Uses steam, heats faster than other models - approx. 3 min., difficult to get appropriate water level, inconsistent heating, has an auto shut off when finished heating, fits all bottle sizes. $25.00

Phillips makes one as well but I refuse to buy yet another one. I find myself using the Dex version the most because it is similar to the Avent, I rarely use disposable bottles, I like the chime feature, it is very consistent, and costs less than all the others. Hope this helps, happy warming.

I've been using this warmer since my 4mo old was born and I think it's pretty good. I have it down to a science (using Dr Brown's bottles)... 6 minutes for short 8 oz bottles and 7 min for tall 9oz bottles (using refrigerated formula or breastmilk). Shake the bottle before feeding to avoid hot spots. The one thing I really do find annoying is the lack of on/off switch. What I have done is left it plugged in with the knob down to the lowest setting. Not an ideal solution but it beats trying to find the outlet at 3am! Also the cord is way too short. Overall it does the job