 This Product
Chicco NaturalFit | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | |||
| Price | $35 List $34.99 at Amazon | $26 List $18.97 at Amazon | $30 List $26.30 at Amazon | $29 List $21.99 at Amazon | $21 List $20.75 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Simple, safe, keep bottle warm for up to an hour | Inexpensive, travel friendly, easy to use | Compact, dishwasher safe parts | Inexpensive, easy to clean, simple to use | Inexpensive, fast, quick second bottle heating |
| Cons | Slower | No auto-shutoff, only works for one bottle | Difficult to use, tendency to overheat after shut-off, no glass bottles | Inefficient, difficult to understand instructions, no auto-shutoff | Too hot, hard to fill vial, gross build up |
| Bottom Line | Excellent value with a simple design that is easy to use | An innovative way for on-the-go families to heat baby's milk | Not the best choice based on overheating and no glass bottle choices | Affordable warmer with simple controls but below average performance | Inexpensive, fast heating warmer with serious health and safety issues |
| Rating Categories | Chicco NaturalFit | Tommee Tippee Trave... | Boon Orb | Grownsy Fast 5-in-1 | Munchkin Speed |
| Warming Efficiency (25%) | |||||
| Ease Of Use (30%) | |||||
| Health/Safety (40%) | |||||
| Ease of Cleaning (5%) | |||||
| Specs | Chicco NaturalFit | Tommee Tippee Trave... | Boon Orb | Grownsy Fast 5-in-1 | Munchkin Speed |
| Heat Technology | Water Bath | Water Bath | Steam | Steam/Water Bath | Steam |
| Temp or Timer Based | Temperature | N/A | Temperature | Have to manually turn off | Timer |
| Auto Shut Off | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Audible Beep | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Water Resevoir | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Wide Bottle Capacity | Yes | Yes | No | yes | Yes |
| Compatible w/ Glass | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Compatible w/ Breast Pump Bags | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Time to Warm to 99F | 9:15 min:sec | 5:38 min:sec | 3:30 min:sec | 12:00 min:sec | 3:05 min:sec |
| Wait Time Between Warmings | Allow bottle warmer to cool completely (approx 30 min) | None | 10 minutes | Not Listed | 5 Minutes |
| Dimensions | 6"H x 5.5"L x 5.25"W | 7.75"H x 3.5"L x 3.5"W | 6.25"H (with lift out basket), 5"H (without) x 6.1"L x 6.1W | 6"H x 4.75"L x 4.75"W | 5.5"H x 5"L x 5.5"W |
| Temp. & Time at Auto Shut-Off w/ Warmer Chart Recommended Setting (4oz Refrig. Milk in Glass w/ Silicone Sleeve) | 9:00 min:sec 94F | NA | 3:00 min:sec 89F | NA | 2:35 min:sec 93F |
| Max Temp if Left in Warmer 12 minutes | 104F | 111F | 112F | 90F | 130F |
Pietro Catelli started the Chicco (kee-ko) company, which is now part of the larger Artsana Group that produces medical and baby supplies. Chicco is one of the most popular brand names in baby gear in the US and Europe, designing gear for newborns up to preschool-age children. Chicco makes a variety of gear types from warmers to strollers and lots of stuff in between. You can find Chicco in over 120 countries.
The Chicco NaturalFit has some features for health and safety, earning an above-average score for this metric.
This warmer uses water bath technology with temperature control instead of steam, which can potentially cause scalding injuries. In testing, milk temperatures did not exceed 112F even when the bottle was left in the warmer for up to 12 minutes. With only two settings, there is no "max-out," and the unit shuts off automatically at 5:30 minutes with an audible beep and green light. However, if the bottle is left inside the warmer after the beep, it will stay warm (for up to an hour in our testing). However, use caution as bottle contents can reach temperatures in excess of 112F (in our tests), which is too warm for little ones and above 104F where breastmilk starts to lose nutrients.
The NaturalFit is one of the easiest options to use, earning a high-reaching score in our testing for ease of use. Setup is straightforward, and it comes with a simple manual.
The NaturalFit is a single reservoir unit that requires 1/2 cup water for each use with bottle contents over 6 ounces. It is easy to fill and somewhat forgiving if you are slightly off. The dial has two settings for bottles or food containers, and a red light indicates it is set and warming. When the cycle is over, it will beep, and the light will turn green. The warmer will stay on for up to an hour if you don't turn it off. This will keep the bottle warm if you get distracted, but you should always check the temperature of the bottle contents as it will increase as it sits in the bath.
The warming chamber is compatible with a variety of bottle shapes and materials, including popular options from our Best Baby Bottle Review and breastmilk storage bags.
The slower heating time of a water bath warmer limited the NaturalFit in this metric, earning it an above-average score. A similar rating as half of the competition.
In our testing, the timer shuts-off around 9:15 minutes with a content temperature of 97F. However, because the warmer stays "on" for up to an hour, the contents can reach temperatures in excess of 112F (in our tests, this took 12 minutes). The temperature when the timer went off is close to body temperature, which is ideal and below 104F when breastmilk begins to lose nutrients.
A potential negative is the waiting in between bottle warmings for this unit. Chicco advises that the unit should be cooled completely before warming a second bottle. This cooling can take up to 30 minutes, making it a poor choice if you have more than one baby or want to use it in a nursery setting.
The Chicco is easy to clean, but the overnight descaling process caused a nosedive in its score for cleaning with a medium-low rating for this metric. However, it was not the lowest in the competition.
BabyGearLab was founded by a Pediatrician Mom with a mission to provide a reliable, independent, source of information to new parents. Our experts have tested thousands of baby and kids products to share key performance, health, and safety findings. We spend tens of thousands of dollars crash testing car seats to inform our ratings. And, we combine our review work with gobs of expert parenting advice. To assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing by people who care.
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