Choosing the right baby food maker can be overwhelming, considering the many brands and models available. Plus, there are many factors you might need to think about. For example, do you want a deluxe, all-in-one food maker with both a steam cooker and blender or just a food processor for making purées? BÉABA baby food makers are among the most popular kitchen tools for preparing homemade baby food. You can use any of these kitchen tools to prepare your baby’s first solid foods, but which BÉABA Babycook is the best baby food maker? Are these kitchen tools worth your money, and are they dishwasher safe? Learn more about them below.
Are Baby Cookers Worth It?
Yes, baby food makers can be worth your money if you regularly prepare your baby’s foods. These kitchen tools can make food prep easier and quicker for you. High-end, more expensive baby food processors usually have a steam cooker and a blend feature, but budget-friendly ones might only offer blending or puréeing options. Kitchen gadgets like baby food makers can be a great addition to your countertop. You might have peace of mind knowing that your baby is eating freshly prepared healthy foods with no additives, preservatives, or other questionable ingredients. As many as 95% of commercial baby food products can contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals. Yet despite being called out for their toxic content, baby food recalls weren’t issued for most of these products. (1)(2) Regular exposure to these toxic chemicals can cause IQ decrease, antisocial behavior, cognitive and reproductive problems, diabetes, and other health problems. (1)(2)
Is The BÉABA Babycook Worth It?
The answer depends on your needs, mama. But if you plan on regularly preparing your little one’s food, then the BÉABA Babycook can be worth your money. Although veggie prices can vary, it can be cheaper to prepare homemade baby food. For example, a 3-lb bag of sweet potatoes can cost around $3-4. In contrast, a jar of 2.5 oz Gerber baby food costs around $1 while organic baby food meals (4 oz) from Little Spoon BabyBlends start at $2.75 per meal and Yumi at $3.00 per meal. You could save money if you prepare your baby’s food. All the BÉABA Babycooks cost over $100 up to $250, but they can steam and blend your baby’s food in minutes, with minimal inputs from you. No wonder they’re best sellers on BEABA USA’s online store. That kind of convenience can be a huge deciding factor in choosing these products for many moms, even if these might be more expensive than regular kitchen appliances. Aside from making purées, these baby food processors can also steam fruits and vegetables for making finger foods. So, they can be handy even if your child is past the purée stage in traditional weaning or doing baby-led weaning.
Are BÉABA Baby Food Makers Dishwasher Safe?
Yes. All the non-electronic parts of BÉABA baby food makers are dishwasher safe. For many time-strapped moms like us, this feature is heaven-sent. Still, after washing, be sure to double-check for foods stuck in nooks and crevices to reduce the risks of contamination or possible food-borne illnesses. Residual food can build up in these hidden crevices, possibly leading to mold build-up or other safety issues. However, it’s something that can happen to any baby food processor, not just to this brand.
Common Features
All the BÉABA Baby Food Makers have the following features:
Capabilities: Each one is a 4-in-1 baby food processor that can steam cook, blend, defrost, and reheat baby food or warm stored breast milk and formula. Meal stages: They’re designed to help you make any stage of baby or toddler food from purées to solids. Quick meal preparations: You can use these food makers to prepare fresh and healthy meals for babies and toddlers in around 15 minutes. Cooking from raw: All of these gadgets can make cooked and puréed baby foods from raw ingredients, including fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish. Advantage of same-container steaming and blending: The leftover nutrient-rich liquid from steaming can be used to make the purée. Safety: All the food makers are free from BPA, lead, and phthalate (toxic chemicals that can affect your baby’s reproductive organs, brain development, or might cause cancer and other health issues). (3)(4) Cooking timer: These products have an automatic shut-off timer that makes a signal tone at the end of each cooking cycle. Warranty: One year Graduated bowls: These come with levels in mL/cups to help you check the amount of baby food you’re preparing. Included accessories: Spatula, multilingual recipe booklet, mixing lid, and instruction manual
This brand has been producing all-in-one baby food makers, marketed under their BÉABA Babycook line, for over 25 years. They also have other baby gear and products, including high chairs, insulated jars, feeding sets, baby spoons, baby food containers, and bibs.
Main Differences: BÉABA Baby Food Makers
BEABA Babycook Neo
$249.95 Glass jar It might have the safest jars of all these baby food processors because the rest have BPA-plastic jars. Glass is a safer option than plastic because it doesn’t contain toxic chemicals that can contaminate food. It can also be safely washed and sterilized at high temperatures. (5)
BÉABA Babycook Original
$109.95 Smaller, budget-friendly option If you prefer a baby food processor for preparing smaller batches, then the BÉABA Babycook Original can be ideal for you. It’s also the cheapest of all these baby food makers.
BÉABA Babycook Solo Baby Food Maker
$154.95 Mid-range option It has more features than the Original and is similar to the Duo but with half the capacity.
BÉABA Babycook Duo 4-in-1 Baby Food Maker
$209.95 It has two jars that you can use for simultaneously preparing different batches of your own baby food. It has the highest capacity (9.1 cups) among the BÉABA Babycooks.
Learn more about each BÉABA Babycook below.
BÉABA Babycook Neo
Price
$249.95
What Makes It Special?
It has a glass jar that can be safer than plastic. (5) It features easier accessibility to the water reservoir compared with the other BÉABA Babycook models. It also has a large reservoir opening for easy cleaning.
Key Features
Material: Glass jar
Capabilities: Steam cooks, blends, defrosts, and reheats
Cup Capacity: 5.2 cups
Portability: Not portable
Timer: Yes, automatic switch-off with a signal tone at the end of each cooking cycle
Dishwasher-safe: Yes, all the non-electronic parts
Safety Features
It features a double safety lock on the bowl to ensure that all the parts are properly locked before any operation starts.
Other Specifications & Special Features
Dimensions: 14.37 x 11.85 x 10.67 inches
Available Colors: Cloud gray, midnight blue, and eucalyptus green
Product Recall
BÉABA recalled the Babycook Neo steam cooker and blender combo (midnight blue and cloud gray colors) for potential injury or laceration hazard in 2019. (6) The company received as many as 300 consumer reports of the product’s detachable glass bowl shattering. Three of these shattering incidents led to minor injuries. The recalled products have the following UPCs (universal product codes): 812995013206 and 812995013213. (6) Affected customers were told to check for this 12-digit code located under the barcode on the bottom of the product box, under the “North America” section. The code can also be found on the purchase receipt or the order email for online purchases. The reference codes 912645 and 912646 can also be used to identify the models that might be affected. These reference codes are only a part number that indicates the unit’s color. This recall only affected products sold in the United States and Canada from July 2018 and February 2019. (6) This recall is no longer active or in effect. The company has replaced at least 5,000 units of the affected product. BÉABA assures customers that the current Neo baby food makers have a new and improved glass bowl. They claim that it’s designed for increased strength and resilience. There hasn’t been any new recall of BÉABA Babycook products. These baby food processors are still on the market.
Cons
It had a recall over safety issues. It’s the most expensive of all the BÉABA baby food processors.
What Customers Say
Positive Reviews “I also love that the glass and metal doesn’t get stained or just worn down like maybe plastic would so it def worth the upgrade. Thank you!” – Reviewer on BEABA USA’s website. Negative Reviews
BÉABA Babycook Original
Price
$109.95
What Makes It Special?
It’s the smallest (only 3.7 cups) and costs the least among the BÉABA Babycooks. This food maker can be a good choice if you prefer cooking your own baby food in smaller batches.
Key Features
Material: BPA-free PP (polypropylene) plastic
Capabilities: Steamer, blender, warmer, and defroster
Cup Capacity: 3.7 cups
Portability: Not portable
Timer: Yes, automatically shuts off
Dishwasher-safe: Yes, top-rack for bowl and basket
Safety Features
It features a safety lock on the bowl to ensure it’s properly locked in place before the operation starts.
Other Specifications & Special Features
Dimensions: 7.8 x 7.8 x 2.2 inches
Available Colors: Gray and white combination
Product Recall
None
Cons
Unlike the other BÉABA food makers, this one isn’t designed for a one-handed operation. It’s made of plastic. Although it’s BPA-free, studies show that even BPA-free alternatives can leak toxic chemicals which might still affect your baby’s development, reproductive system, or cause cancer. (7)
What Customers Say
Positive Reviews “I was so stupid to not have gotten this sooner! It takes 15 mins-20- it’s so so easy with a newborn and 2 kids. If you are thinking of buying this, stop thinking and buy it asap!” – Reviewer on BÉABA USA’s website. Negative Reviews
BÉABA Babycook Solo Baby Food Maker
Price
$154.95
What Makes It Special?
It’s a medium-sized, mid-range BÉABA Babycook with a BPA-free plastic jar. It’s designed for one-handed operation. It features a removable power cable for easy storage. It has a double safety lock on the bowl to ensure that all the parts are properly installed before you can use them.
Key Features
Material: Stainless steel water reservoir and BPA-free plastic jar
Capabilities: Steam cooks, blends, defrosts, and reheats
Cup Capacity: 4.5 cups
Portability: Not portable
Timer: Yes, auto shut-off cooking timer
Dishwasher-safe: Yes, steam basket and cooking container
Safety Features
It features a double safety lock on the bowl to ensure that all the parts are properly locked before any operation starts.
Other Specifications & Special Features
Dimensions: 10.75 x 10 x 7.83 inches
Available Colors: Cloud gray, eucalyptus, charcoal gray, pine green, black, navy blue, rose gold, and white
Product Recall
None
Cons
It only has one jar for food preparation. It’s made of BPA-free plastic. Although BPA-free is often considered safe, studies show that even these BPA-free alternatives might still leak toxic chemicals. If that happens, then they can still affect your baby’s growth and development, reproductive system, or cause cancer. (7)
What Customers Say
Positive Reviews “I was so excited when the pediatrician gave us the go ahead to start introducing solids to my daughter, because that meant I could finally use the babycook! The first meal I made her was a sweet potato and carrot purée. She LOVED it! Making it couldn’t have been easier.” – Reviewer on BEABA USA’s website. Negative Reviews
BÉABA Babycook Duo 4-in-1 Baby Food Maker
Price
$209.95
What Makes It Special?
It has similar features as BÉABA Babycook Solo Baby Food Maker but has double the capabilities, thanks to its two jars.
Key Features
Material: BPA-free plastic jar with a stainless-steel water reservoir
Capabilities: Steam cooks, blends, defrosts, and reheats
Cup Capacity: Up to 9.1 cups of food
Portability: No
Timer: Auto shut-off cooking timer
Dishwasher-safe: Yes, steam basket and cooking container
Safety Features
It has a double safety lock on both bowls to ensure that all these parts are properly locked before any operation starts.
Other Specifications & Special Features
Dimensions (in inches): 14.5 x 9.5 x 7
Available Colors: Eucalyptus green, white, charcoal gray, rose gold, and cloud gray
Product Recall
None
Cons
It’s made of plastic. According to studies, the materials from these BPA-free alternatives can still leak toxic chemicals. These might affect your baby’s reproductive system or cause cancer. (7) Some customers complain about leaking containers.
What Customers Say
Positive Reviews Negative Reviews
Summary & Recommendations
Which BÉABA Babycook Is The Best?
Each of these baby food makers has its strengths and weaknesses. You can choose the best BÉABA Babycook, depending on your needs and budget. Here are our recommendations: Most Efficient If you want the most efficient option, the BÉABA Babycook Duo 4-in-1 Baby Food Maker might be the best choice. It has two jars that let you simultaneously prepare different batches of your own baby food with the highest capacity (9.1 cups) than the other BÉABA Babycooks. Safe Jar Made of glass, the BEABA Babycook Neo might have the safest jars of all these baby food processors. The rest have BPA-plastic jars. Smaller, Budget-friendly Option If you prefer a baby food processor for preparing smaller batches, then the BÉABA Babycook Original can be ideal for you. It’s also the cheapest of all these baby food makers. Mid-Range Option The BÉABA Babycook Solo Baby Food Maker has better features than the Original and is similar to the Duo but with half its capacity.
Other Baby Food Makers
The following are other baby food makers to consider:
Multi-Function Food Makers
Babymoov Duo Meal Station Food Maker Baby Brezza One Step Baby Food Maker (Glass) QOOC Mini Baby Food Maker Pro
Budget-Friendly Baby Food Processors
NutriBullet Baby OXO Tot Mash Maker Baby Food Mill
Baby Food Pouch Makers
Squooshi Filling Station Baby Food Pouch Maker Infantino Squeeze Station
Baby Food Storage Containers & Accessories
Baby Bliss Eco-Friendly Silicone Baby Food Freezer Storage Tray OXO Tot Baby Blocks Storage Containers Kiddo Feedo Baby Food Storage Container & Freezer Tray QOOC Baby Food Freezer Storage Container Mumu & Bubi Solids Starter Kit Sage Spoonfuls Glass Snack Pack
REFERENCES (1) http://www.healthybabyfood.org/sites/healthybabyfoods.org/files/2019-10/BabyFoodReport_FULLREPORT_ENGLISH_R5b.pdf (2) https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/heavy-metals-in-baby-food-a6772370847/ (3) https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/documents/Pubs/210-090E_BPAandPhthalates.pdf (4) https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/features/leadpoisoning/index.html (5) https://www.usgbc.org/articles/why-glass-better-plastic (6) https://beabausa.com/recall/ (7) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4063249/
