Milton Steriliser (6 bottles) review
Milton Cold Water Steriliser (fits up to 6 standard baby bottles)
By Tom Calder
A simple, well-proven bucket-and-tablet system that keeps working when the electricity doesn't — used on UK maternity wards for decades. It needs a little more hands-on prep than a steam steriliser, but it never fails you when the power's out.
- Best for
- Parents who want a no-power backup for sterilising bottles and dummies during a power cut, or as their everyday steriliser.
- Skip it if
- You already have a working steam or microwave steriliser and only want backup cover
as of 4 Nov 2026, 19:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.We earn a commission if you buy through the retailer links on this page. It doesn't change our verdict. How we make money →
Researched, not used. We haven't used this product. This review is built from the maker's specifications, owner reports and our own sizing.
What we like
- Works with no electricity — genuinely useful in a power cut, not just a marketing line
- Solution stays sterile for 24 hours, so you sterilise once a day rather than per feed
- Cheap to run — tablets or fluid cost pennies per batch, and the unit itself lasts for years
Worth knowing
- Needs cold tap water and about 15 minutes' wait before first use, and some parents dislike the faint chemical smell
- Bulkier to store than a compact steam steriliser if it's not your everyday method
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Our review
The Milton Cold Water Steriliser is a 5-litre lidded tub with a weighted grid that keeps bottles and teats under a solution of cold water and a Milton tablet or fluid. It needs no electricity, which makes it the dependable way to keep sterilising baby feeding kit through a power cut, or every day.
What it is
Milton's UK page lists a 5-litre tank that holds up to six standard baby bottles or five wide-neck ones, with a lid and a submerger to hold everything under the surface. It is made in France from BPA-free plastic and was redesigned in 2024 without the old large handle. It uses no power at all; tablets or fluid are sold separately, and starter packs include some.
How to use it
Wash bottles, teats and dummies in warm soapy water first and rinse them. Add one Milton sterilising tablet, or one 30ml capful of Milton fluid, to 5 litres of cold water. Put everything in with no air bubbles trapped inside, press it under with the submerger, and close the lid. Milton says items are sterile after 15 minutes and can stay in the solution for up to 24 hours; make a fresh solution every 24 hours.
The NHS guidance on cold-water sterilising says to follow the manufacturer's instructions and change the solution every 24 hours, but asks for at least 30 minutes in the solution, longer than Milton's 15. Allowing 30 minutes satisfies both. The NHS also advises sterilising feeding equipment until your baby is at least 12 months old.
Safety points from Milton
Keep the solution out of reach of children, use only Milton tablets or fluid with cold water and never mix with other products, because that may release chlorine gas. The lid does not lock, so do not move the tank when full. Do not sterilise metal items in it. The solution can seriously irritate eyes and may discolour fabrics. Milton's own pages differ on whether to rinse items after sterilising, so follow the instructions on your pack.
In a power cut
A cold-water steriliser keeps working when steam and microwave units cannot. The harder part is clean water: you still need safe water to wash bottles and to make up formula. Keep stored water and a pack of tablets with the tank, and a bottle brush and washing-up liquid, because sterilising only works on items that have already been cleaned of milk. A solution made in the evening covers the night and the next day's feeds. Our power cut with a baby guide covers feeding, warmth and light.
How it compares
On the baby and child emergency kit page, Milton's sterilising tablets on their own are the cheapest backup if you already have a lidded container large enough to keep everything under the solution. The white Milton tank listed there is the same idea. Electric steam sterilisers are quicker for everyday use but stop with the power.
Our verdict
A simple, well-established way to sterilise feeding kit with no electricity at all, good as an everyday method or as a backup in the cupboard. Skip it if you already own a suitable lidded container and only want emergency cover; a pack of Milton tablets does the same job.
A researched review, built from the maker's specs, manual and UK listings; facts checked 2 Nov 2026. Sources: Milton: Cold Water Steriliser; Milton: the importance of sterilising; NHS: sterilising baby bottles.
Who shouldn't buy this
You already have a working steam or microwave steriliser and only want backup cover — a few sachets of Milton tablets and a clean lidded box (or even the bath) will do the same job without buying another unit.
Key specs
| Age range | Birth until sterilising is no longer needed |
| What it is | Cold-water sterilising tub (no electricity) |
| Shelf life / expiry | Made-up solution stays sterile for 24 hours |
| Pack / size | 1 unit |
This is a Researched review: we haven't used this product. We check every specification against at least two independent sources, re-check the UK price on a schedule where we can track it automatically, and say plainly who it isn't for. Commissions never change a rating.
If this isn’t the one
Best for Parents who cold-water sterilise day to day, or anyone who wants a power-cut backup to an electric steam steriliser.
in stock when checkedas of 4 Nov 2026, 19:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best for Parents who need both hands free while evacuating with a baby, and want a carrier that earns its keep as everyday babywear too
as of 4 Nov 2026, 19:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best for Families who want fast, hygienic in-ear readings for newborns through to older children, with fever tracking in an app.
as of 4 Nov 2026, 19:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.Questions
How long does Milton take to sterilise bottles?
Milton says 15 minutes in its solution. The NHS asks for at least 30 minutes for cold-water sterilising, so allowing 30 minutes meets both.
How often do you change Milton solution?
Every 24 hours. Items can stay in the solution until you need them during that time, according to Milton and the NHS.
How many bottles fit in the Milton Cold Water Steriliser?
Up to six standard bottles or five wide-neck bottles in the 5-litre tank, Milton says.
Does the Milton steriliser need electricity?
No. It uses cold water with a Milton tablet or fluid, which is why it works in a power cut.
Until what age should I sterilise bottles?
The NHS advises sterilising bottles and feeding equipment until your baby is at least 12 months old.
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