Chicco NaturalFit Digital Review
The Skinny
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Chicco NaturalFit Digital | |||||
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Awards | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |
Price | Check Price at Amazon | $58 List $32.39 at Amazon | $35 List | $75 List $59.98 at Amazon | $26 List $18.97 at Amazon |
Overall Score ![]() |
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Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Auto shut off, audible beep, fits most bottles | Simple to operate, versatile, consistent temperatures | Simple, safe, keep bottle warm for up to an hour | Water bath, user-friendly, versatile, timer in minutes | Inexpensive, travel friendly, easy to use |
Cons | No storage pouch use, cooling between bottles | Average heat time, frequent maintenece | Slower | Expensive, no end of cycle beep, multiple cleaning steps | No auto-shutoff, only works for one bottle |
Bottom Line | Works with most bottles and heats fast but heating multiple bottles is a no go | Bottle warmer with average heating time, but safe and effective for breastmilk | Excellent value with a simple design that is easy to use | Consistent, simple, and works with any bottle | An innovative way for on-the-go families to heat baby's milk |
Rating Categories | Chicco NaturalFit D... | Tommee Tippee 3-in-... | Chicco NaturalFit | Kiinde Kozii | Tommee Tippee Trave... |
Warming Efficiency (25%) | |||||
Ease Of Use (30%) | |||||
Health/Safety (40%) | |||||
Ease of Cleaning (5%) | |||||
Specs | Chicco NaturalFit D... | Tommee Tippee 3-in-... | Chicco NaturalFit | Kiinde Kozii | Tommee Tippee Trave... |
Heat Technology | Steam | Water Bath | Water Bath | Water Bath | Water Bath |
Temp or Timer Based | Timer | Timer | Temperature | Timer | N/A |
Auto Shut Off | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Audible Beep | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Water Resevoir | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Wide Bottle Capacity | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Compatible w/ Glass | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Compatible w/ Breast Pump Bags | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Time to Warm to 99F | 12:00 min:sec | 7:40 min:sec | 9:15 min:sec | 12:00 min:sec | 5:38 min:sec |
Wait Time Between Warmings | Allow bottle warmer to cool completely - took 15-20 min | Not listed | Allow bottle warmer to cool completely (approx 30 min) | If Kozii feels warm around the base (from recent use), decrease warming time by 30 seconds. | None |
Dimensions | 6"H x 5.25"L x 5"W | 7.5"H x 6"L x 5"W | 6"H x 5.5"L x 5.25"W | 6"H x 6.4"L x 4.7"W | 7.75"H x 3.5"L x 3.5"W |
Temp. & Time at Auto Shut-Off w/ Warmer Chart Recommended Setting (4oz Refrig. Milk in Glass w/ Silicone Sleeve) | 5:30 min:sec 78F | 5:00 min:sec 86F | 9:00 min:sec 94F | 5:30 min:sec 79F | NA |
Max Temp if Left in Warmer 12 minutes | 90F | 109F | 104F | 94F | 111F |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Chicco (kee-ko) company was started by Pietro Catelli in 1958 and is now part of the Artsana Group. As one of the most popular baby gear brands in the US and Europe, Chicco designs products for children from newborns to preschool. Chicco creates a variety of gear that can be found in over 120 countries.
Performance Comparison
Health and Safety
The Digital loses some ground for safety with steam heating, earning an average score, and it does not beat Chicco NaturalFit in this metric. This warmer varies from its brother that uses water bath technology, which is inherently safer because it doesn't have the potential for steam related injuries.
When following the instructions, the Digital heats the contents to 82F at 5:30 minutes. If left in the chamber when the heat cycle turns-off, the bottle can reach temperatures up to 93F after 12 minutes, and, if set to the warmer's maximum setting, the bottle contents can reach 105F at 7 minutes, and 139F after 12 minutes. These temperatures are far too high for both baby and breastmilk since breastmilk starts to lose nutrients after 104F.
Ease of Use
The NatrualFit Digital is harder to use than the Chicco NatrualFit, earning it a mediocre score, whereas the non-Digital version received a higher score. Also, the non-Digital version has two modes for heating and a single water amount to heat. The Digital has more buttons and requires a chart to determine the water level to use. We also like the countdown timer, which gives you more information if you are waiting for the cycle to end. The user interface is not as user-friendly as it could be with multiple button pushing and holding a button for 3 seconds to power it up. It does have an automatic shut-off or an audible beep to indicate the end of the heat cycle. The user manual is easy to understand, but the three languages in a row mean you need to jump around.
Warming Efficiency
The NaturalFit Digital is faster at warming than its brother with a heat time of 5:30 minutes versus 9:30. However, it isn't as efficient, earning it a mediocre score. The final temperature at shut-off for the NaturalFit Digital is 82F, while the non-Digital temperature is closer to body temps at 97F. If you want to heat a second bottle, you need to let the unit cool completely, which can take 15-30 minutes, making this warmer a poor choice if you have multiple babies.
Never give your baby a bottle until you check the temperature of its contents. Swirl the bottle a few times before testing to avoid the chance of any hot spots. Always test on the inside of your wrist as the skin is more sensitive than your finger.
Ease of Cleaning
The NaturalFit Digital scored slightly below-average for ease of cleaning, the lowest score among all metrics. This unit is easy to keep clean daily by wiping it dry and emptying the water after each use. However, regular descaling is where things get a little tricker. The Digital requires a water and vinegar solution and running the warmer through a heat cycle and soaking overnight. Overnight soaking means you'll be without a warmer at least one night a month, which could be a problem if you rely on it for nighttime feeding.
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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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