Anti-colic baby bottles do one job — they reduce the air your baby swallows during a feed, which means less wind, less spit-up, and (if you’re lucky) more sleep. We’ve tried most of the popular brands across two of our team’s babies, and the ones below are the picks that earn shelf space. All are widely available on Amazon AU and Amazon US.
What "anti-colic" actually means
Every brand has its own approach. Roughly:
- Internal vent system (Dr Brown’s) — a separate vent inside the bottle that channels air around the milk rather than through it.
- Anti-colic teat valves (Tommee Tippee, Philips Avent) — valves at the base or in the teat that release air as baby drinks.
- Wide-neck angled designs (MAM, Comotomo) — designed to reduce air bubbles by shape and orientation rather than venting.
- Disposable liner systems (Playtex Drop-Ins) — a soft pouch that collapses as baby feeds so there’s no air gap.
Best overall: Dr Brown’s Natural Flow Options+
Dr Brown’s are the bottles paediatricians recommend most often for a reason — the internal vent genuinely works for reflux-prone and gassy babies. The Options+ version lets you remove the vent once colic isn’t an issue, so the same bottle grows with you. The downside is more parts to wash — if you’re not into multi-piece bottle cleaning, scroll down.
Check Dr Brown’s Options+ on Amazon AU → | Shop on Amazon US →
Easiest to clean: Comotomo
Comotomo’s wide-neck silicone bottles look like nothing else on the market — a soft squeezable body that mimics a breast. Two parts, dishwasher-safe, anti-colic vents in the base of the teat. They’re the bottles we’d hand a sleep-deprived parent who wants to wash everything in 30 seconds.
Check Comotomo on Amazon AU → | Shop on Amazon US →
Best for breastfed babies switching: Philips Avent Natural Response
The Natural Response teat only releases milk when baby actively sucks — the closest thing to breastfeeding mechanics we’ve tested. Babies who refused other bottles took these. The shape of the teat is wider and softer than the older Avent design, so latch transfer is genuinely easier.
Check Avent Natural Response on Amazon AU → | Shop on Amazon US →
Best for travel and bag-throwing: Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature
Three parts, easy assembly, a wide soft teat, and the bottles seal genuinely well — we’ve thrown them in a change bag with a fresh feed and arrived 40 minutes later with no leaks. The anti-colic valve is in the teat itself rather than a separate part, so cleaning is faster than Dr Brown’s.
Check Tommee Tippee on Amazon AU → | Shop on Amazon US →
Best premium / glass: MAM Easy Start Anti-Colic
MAM bottles use a vented base — the bottom unscrews so you can self-sterilise in the microwave with a splash of water. The teat is broad-based and well-loved by older babies who refused other shapes. Available in glass too if you’d rather avoid plastic for hot feeds.
Check MAM bottles on Amazon AU → | Shop on Amazon US →
How many bottles do you actually need?
- Exclusively breastfeeding, occasional bottle: 2–3 small (160 ml) bottles is plenty.
- Combination feeding: 4–6 bottles, a mix of small and large (260 ml) sizes.
- Exclusively bottle feeding: 6–8 bottles — one feed in the bottle, one in the steriliser, one being washed, repeat.
- Don’t bulk-buy a single brand before testing. Babies have strong opinions about teats — buy one of two brands first, see what works, then commit.
What we’d skip
- Vintage/heirloom plastic bottles. Old polycarbonate (pre-2010) can leach BPA. Modern bottles are BPA-free, but the secondhand chain is uncertain.
- "Self-feeding" bottle holders. Choking and ear-infection risk. Babies should always be held during a feed.
- Generic teats sold as universal replacements. They almost never fit properly and the flow rate is unpredictable.
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