Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Day & Night bottle making machine review

A little research will show you that although there are a few other brands selling bottle-prep machines (Beaba and Burabi), Tommee Tippee have been doing it longer than anyone else and they have a reputation for doing it well.

With this machine, preparing a feed with powdered formula is much easier and quicker than using a kettle – it hygienically and safely produces a bottle of feed that’s ready for your baby to drink in just two minutes. Impressive stuff.

Now Tommee Tippee has brought out a new, updated version of the original machine – the Perfect Prep Day & Night - which has won an MFM Gold and Silver award.

Tested by:

Elizabeth Bleakley lives in Essex with baby Aidan and husband Steve. The Perfect Prep machine was tested at home for Aidan’s feeds and kept on the breakfast bar for easy access.

What does Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Day & Night do?

Its key function is to make a bottle feed at ready-to-drink temperature, in just under two minutes, for parents keen to feed their hungry babies without delay. This it delivers on. However, so does its cheaper predecessor.

How does the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Day & Night compare to the original version?

The first difference is the price: it is £55 more expensive than the original Perfect Prep (£70 on Amazon).

Although it is more compact, a feature that has been admired by both our home tester and some Tommee Tippee parents, the machine is almost exactly the same, with a few welcome updates.

The manual dial has been replaced by a digital display, and you can convert from ml to fluid ounces. You can also increase or decrease the feed size – although a small number of Tommee Tippee parents were disappointed that the smallest feed is 4oz, saying it meant that some formula was wasted especially with young babies.

There is also a backlight so there’s no need to switch on a light during night feeds. And after the previous model was criticised by parents and our MFM reviewer for its loud notification beeps, the new version has volume control so you can turn these right down – a feature welcomed by 15 per cent of Tommee Tippee parents.

Another difference is that the method has changed – the new Perfect Prep asks you to put the formula in first.

An advantage of the new version is that the digital screen gives you step-by-step instructions on what and how to do everything, so you’re very unlikely to go wrong. Great if the grandparents are doing some babysitting as you should be able to leave the house knowing they can make up a feed with confidence.

One change disliked by a fair number of Tommee Tippee parents is that with the new model, you have to press a button multiple times while making a feed.

Lastly, the Day & Night uses the same filters as the original machine.

How do you use the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Day & Night?

Once you’ve ‘primed’ your machine for first use and the filter has spent 10 minutes ensuring that the water is clean and ready for use, then it’s plain sailing.

The instructions both in the manual and on the screen are clear and concise.

• Select the size of feed you want to prepare
• Place your bottle onto the tray with your formula already added
• The 70°C hot shot is delivered – this kills any bacteria in the formula – and once it’s done you need to gently shake your bottle with the lid on
• Then, with lid removed, let the machine know that you’re ready for the rest of the water and it fills it to the desired quantity
• The feed is now at body temperature (like breast milk) and is ready to drink straight away

At each step the machine makes you confirm that you’ve completed the previous action, so it’s fairly foolproof – even if it is the middle of the night.

How long does it take to make a feed?

It takes less than two minutes to make a feed that’s the right temperature for your baby to drink – a 4oz feed takes little over a minute – incredibly quick compared to making one with a kettle and cooling it down afterwards.

How effective is the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Day & Night?

I have used the previous model, and although I wouldn't say that this model is a lot more effective, I really can't fault this product, and neither could our home tester. She says, “It’s an absolute must-have for all parents that are bottle-feeding. Before using this product, it has often been a struggle to get a bottle ready in time for a screaming and hungry baby! This is now a thing of the past. Perfect Prep is easy to use and set up and makes up a bottle of formula at the correct temperature within minutes.”

Other parents seem to love the new Perfect Prep, too, with 82 per cent of Tommee Tippee parents, and 84 per cent of Argos parents, giving it 5 stars.

Is it easy to use?

Yes, and 30 per cent of Tommee Tippee parents, a quarter of John Lewis parents and nearly a quarter of Argos parents think so, too.

The digital screen which gives to step-by-step instructions on exactly what to do means there’s little room for error.

How many bottles can the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Day & Night make up at once?

The machine, like the original, can only prepare one bottle at a time. The tank does hold a fair amount of water, though, so you’ll get a couple of feeds from a full tank.

Can you use it for all types of bottles and formulas?

One of the best things about the Perfect Prep is that you can use pretty much any bottle and any formula. The brand has avoided going down the route of making their products incompatible with competitors to ensure brand loyalty and as a result have most likely got more loyal consumers because of it.

What are the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Day & Night’s best features?

The best feature, for me, is knowing that the bottle will be made quickly and at the right temperature, because a hungry baby does not take kindly to waiting for a bottle to cool! Its speed was many parents’ favourite feature of the Perfect Prep, too, with almost a third of Tommee Tippee parents, a quarter of John Lewis parents and nearly a quarter of Argos parents giving this aspect the most praise.

Our home tester particularly liked that it gave her peace of mind that the feed had been prepared hygienically and safely for her baby, saying “The temperature has been perfect and consistent each time, which is reassuring and one less thing to worry about. I really like the first initial hot shot which kills bacteria and also dissolves formula fast.”

How noisy is it?

The volume control only applies to the beeping on the machine and it’s worth knowing that the actual bottle prep itself is pretty noisy too – only slightly quieter than your average kettle. If you’re buying the machine because you don’t want to wake your household during night feeds, then you might want to consider this.

What did you think of the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Day & Night’s ‘night-time glow’ feature?

Perhaps my expectations are too high, but if a product has a digital display screen, then you’d expect it to be backlit. It’s nice to have, certainly.

How large is the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Day & Night?

The machine measures 21.6cm x 30.6cm x 33 cm and is a similar size to a toaster, if a little taller. It fits nicely into a kitchen and doesn’t take up a huge amount of room. It’s definitely more attractive in black than it is in white, though.

How portable is it?

This product isn’t designed for travel. You can’t use it out and about because it relies on mains electricity and it’s too large to slip into the changing bag ‘just in case’. In fact, the instructions say that it’s for use in a kitchen only.

Is it easy to clean?

Cleaning the machine takes about 10 minutes and it’s really easy as the machine tells you what to do.

Tommee Tippee recommends that you clean your Perfect Prep Day & Night before you first use it, and then every four weeks, when you replace the filter, or if it hasn’t been used for a week.

To clean the Perfect Prep:

• Enter settings menu
• Select ‘Clean unit’
• Press the select button and then follow the directions on the screen

Although the digital display doesn’t tell you how long is left, it does let you know when it’s halfway done because you need to empty the receptacle you’re filtering into.

Tommee Tippee also advises regularly wiping down the machine’s surfaces including the dispenser spout with an antibacterial cleaner and a cloth.

As well as cleaning, you’ll also need to descale the machine every now and then to remove calcium and other minerals that might affect its performance – don’t worry, the machine will tell you when it needs to do this. Tommee Tippee recommends that you use food-grade white/clear vinegar for this.

To descale the Perfect Prep:

• Enter settings menu
• Select ‘Descale unit’
• Press the select button and then follow the directions on the screen

The descaling process can take up to 30 minutes.

What’s in the box?

You get one filter, the machine itself with a removable bottle tray, a Tommee Tippee feeding bottle (150ml with slow flow teat) and one filter cap.

Is the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Day & Night easy to put together?

Putting this together really is simple. Between the instruction manual and the digital display giving you step-by-step instructions as you do each part of assembly and prep, you quite literally cannot go wrong

What did you think of the design of the product?

The plastic feels a little bit cheap, but I think in black – it also comes in white or grey – this can be overlooked. For the price, I think the materials should feel more premium, but 72 per cent of John Lewis parents rated it “Excellent” for style, and our home tester gave it the thumbs-up, too saying “The quality of this product is very high. From the sleek design to the digital display to the different mode settings, I highly rate it.”

What would you have wanted to know before buying the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Day & Night?

If I’d spent £130 on a new machine, then I’d definitely want to be aware that I’d need to spend an additional £11.99 on it every three months for a new filter. It’s not a huge amount, but nearly £48 a year adds up.

Are there any design elements you found particularly useful?

The Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Day & Night is a good product. It’s not miles ahead of the original Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep, but from using and researching its predecessor, I think that the step-by-step cleaning instructions provided by the digital display are particularly useful.

Is the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Day & Night value for money?

I think this depends on how much you value your time – and at 3am in the morning, you can't put a price on it! Our home tester agrees, saying “Yes, it is absolutely worth the money as I have used this item every day for all bottle feeds. Feeding time is so important as is having the right temperature of bottle. This product helps overcome a HUGE hurdle by delivering the perfect bottle of formula every time.”

The number of five-star reviews from Tommee Tippee, Argos and John Lewis parents also suggests they are willing to pay for the convenience and speed this machine offers, as it means (hopefully!) less crying and stress at feeding times as well as a speedier return to sleep after night feeds.

However, having been bottle-feeding for six months, we have managed fine sterilising water and making our own bottles without this machine. So although I think this machine is fantastic, not having one did save us £130. I think I'd be more inclined to consider it if it was half the price, since bottle feeding and formula can cost a lot on their own without the addition of expensive machinery.

It’s also worth knowing that the machine only comes with one filter and you’ll need to buy replacements every three months. That’s an extra £11.99 (or £21.99 for two), four times a year which bumps up the cost of the machine considerably.

Where can I buy the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Day & Night?

It’s available from Tommee Tippee, Amazon and John Lewis.

MadeForMums verdict:

The Perfect Prep machine is easy to use and it really takes the pressure off parents because it makes a ready-to-drink bottle so quickly. Every parent I know is keen to save time, while being reassured that what they’re giving their baby is safe to consume. There aren’t many household name brands offering such a simple solution to bottle-feeding and Tommee Tippee really does seem to have thought of everything.

That said, although I'd recommend the product to mums who plan to bottle feed, I perhaps wouldn’t specify this particular model as I think some of the previous models are cheaper and just as effective. However, plenty of parents did think the new model was an improvement on the old one – especially with the addition of a volume button!

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