The 7 Best Baby Food Makers for Speedy Meals and Snacks

The Béaba Babycook is the baby food maker — it can prepare just about any food, from fruits and veggies to meat or fish, all under 20 minutes. (That includes things like raw chicken — seriously!) It boasts a 4.5-cup capacity, more than most baby food makers, which means you can easily make large batches to have for the week or even month. It also comes with several helpful extras like a mixing lid, spatula, steam basket and recipe booklet.

“I loved that the Babycook made it possible to steam and puree foods quickly and in one device, so that I didn't have to get a lot of pots, pans and blenders dirty," says Robin Hilmantel, Senior Director of Editorial Strategy & Growth on the What to Expect team, who used the Babycook to make food for her children. 

Despite all the functions, it's fairly compact, measuring around 9 inches across and 9 inches high, so you can likely leave it on your counter (the super-sleek, aesthetically-pleasing design doesn’t hurt, either!). Parents also appreciate that the steam basket and cooking container are dishwasher-safe. And because the lid locks securely in place, you only need one hand to operate it — a definite perk if you're holding a baby.

From the popular brand that offers adult-sized blenders comes a smaller, 32-ounce version meant for baby food that’s incredibly convenient, affordable and easy to use. In addition to providing both blend and puree functions, the NutriBullet Baby comes with a lidded freezer tray for storing leftovers, as well as six refrigerator storage cups. What’s more is that the fridge storage cups have dials on them that tell you how long they’ve been stored, so you use them before they expire. And, the two blend cups allow you to make small or large portions for further customization. 

Keep in mind, however, that this device can’t steam, so you’ll have to do that first.

A portable masher, in my experience, is a must when traveling with babies. Specifically, this OXO Tot food masher. The non-slip base ensures it won’t move around as you use the handheld masher to press and separate steamed veggies, fruits, cooked meats and more. And the bowl — which you can give right to your baby — has ridges on both the interior and on the masher to make smashing food quick and efficient. When you’re done, simply toss everything in the dishwasher.

As my boys grew, I used the bowl to lightly mash up entire meals we were eating as a family — think roast chicken with carrots and potatoes — instead of cutting or dicing things up, to make life easier. It will likely stay in heavy rotation in your kitchen through early toddlerhood, which makes it a versatile item. And, because it’s microwave-safe, you can use it to heat up leftovers, which isn’t the case for most other baby food makers.

Of course, because this is a manual masher, you’ll have to do everything by hand. But it’s a great, cost-effective option that’s easy to figure out and can be taken on-the-go.

If you already have a blender or food processor, the Nutribullet Baby Turbo Steamer is a smart addition: It steams, defrosts and even sterilizes. With five steam settings and a nifty built-in timer, you can transform fresh, whole fruits and veggies into baby-ready food to toss in a blender or hand mashed. You can also use it to defrost frozen baby meals for easy and thorough reheating.

“It doesn't take too much space, and it's easy to clean,” says Tika Fender, What to Expect Senior Art Director, and mom of an 8-month-old. “I like that it's not too pricey, and I use my own blender if I wanna do purees.” 

In addition to its handy baby food-making abilities, this powerhouse also doubles as a sterilizer for bottle nipples, pacifiers, toys and utensils (although some reviewers note it may not fit larger bottles). Bonus: The included egg cooking tray can quickly make up to six hard-boiled eggs for added versatility — you’ll probably use this gadget for more than just baby food! Although it’s not dishwasher safe, everything included comes clean easily with warm, soapy water and there are few parts to wash.

Though not specifically designed for baby food making, the Cuisinart Smart Stick is a favorite handheld blender option for parents who make homemade purees. The powerful 300-watt design seamlessly transitions from low to high speed, so it’s great for managing exactly how smooth you make your baby’s food — because we all know every baby has their own preference, and it can always change! 

This hand blender has a comfort-grip handle and convenient push-button for continuous action, making it easy to use. The stainless steel blending shaft is perfect for pureeing, emulsifying or whipping to achieve that perfect consistency for your little one's meals. Parents in our What to Expect community love the convenience of the included BPA-free mixing cups that attach to the bottom of the blender stick. Though it’s a bit pricier than some handheld blenders on the market, you’ll likely use it for way more than just making baby food, so you can factor that into the cost as well.

Baby food pouches are quite popular, as they are ridiculously easy to feed to your child no matter your location. This Infantino Squeeze Station allows you to prepare your very own snack pouches so you can get homemade food in convenient on-the-go packaging. Added perk: Bigger kids enjoy them, too, so you’ll get plenty of use out of this gadget. You could pack a smoothie for yourself in one, too, for your own on-the-go treat. 

“I bought this to make pouches for daycare and love it,” says Tika. “I needed an option to send [my son] with homemade purees instead of always buying premade stuff. And, they had to be disposable because they will absolutely get lost at daycare.”

Just know that this machine doesn’t actually make baby food itself, but rather, packs it up well. The system comes with 10 disposable pouches, but you can purchase more or buy reusable pouches that parents say work well with this device.

Looking for a do-it-all baby food maker that won’t take up too much precious counter space? Parents in the What to Expect community absolutely rave about the EVLA’s Baby Food Maker. It’s a multifunctional gadget that can steam and blend food to create a super smooth texture, effortlessly preparing meals in just three simple steps — and all within one compact device. Parents rave about being able to have a device that can steam, blend and puree without taking up a big portion of their countertop. Some also say it’s small enough to easily store in your cabinets between uses.

Its intuitive touch screen is customizable, with options for temperature, blend speed and cook time, plus a self-cleaning function for incredibly easy clean-up. Parents also love that the handle on the blender bowl makes it easy to pour and portion purees. It’s made from high-quality, BPA-free materials, and comes with six reusable food pouches for added versatility.

Some parents note that it’s on the loud side when blending, and, like the Béaba Babycook, it’s a pricey option.