Are Pigeon Bottles Worth It According to Reddit?

Pigeon bottles are one of the more consistently recommended bottle options across parenting Reddit, especially for breastfed babies who need to move between breast and bottle.

What stands out is that parents rarely rave about the bottle itself. Most of the enthusiasm centers on the Pigeon nipple shape and slow-flow options, which many users credit with helping babies accept a bottle without disrupting breastfeeding.

There are still some drawbacks. The PPSU bottles are expensive, some parents have reported chipping with the glass version, and Reddit discussions have raised concerns about lead in exterior paint on some older glass bottles.

We went through the discussions to see which Pigeon bottles parents actually like, what problems come up repeatedly, and where there may be cheaper alternatives.

The Good

Pigeon is especially popular with breastfed and combo-fed babies
- “This exact combination helped us switch between boob and bottle for 12+ months with no issues or preferences.” (3 upvotes)
- “Babies have preferences but mine loves the pigeon ones.” (12 upvotes)
- “Our baby hated bottles and this was the only one she would take.” (3 upvotes)
- The strongest case for Pigeon seems to be families who want to continue breastfeeding while introducing bottles.
Lactation consultants and midwives recommend them too
- “Third time mom & lactation consultant and I’m a big fan of the glass pigeon bottle with the SS nipple.” (9 upvotes)
- “Pigeon slim neck — as recommended by my mum friends, midwives, maternity child nurse and lactation consultant.” (8 upvotes)
- Pigeon came up repeatedly alongside Lansinoh and Evenflo Balance+ as a breastfeeding-friendly option.
The SS nipple gets a lot of love
- “You start with zero. Always. Newborns can’t handle high flow too fast.” (2 upvotes)
- Parents repeatedly recommended beginning with Pigeon’s SS / Super Slow nipple, particularly for newborns and breastfed babies.
- Several users also advised against sizing up just because the age range on the packaging says to. If feeding is going well, they generally leave the flow alone.

They’re easy to clean
- “My baby loved the pigeon bottles best. And I did too! So easy to clean!” (1 upvote)
- “I cleaned mine in a dishwasher for 1 year+ and didn’t have any issues.” (54 upvotes)
- Compared with bottle systems that involve extra vents and multiple small parts, Pigeon’s relatively simple design seems to be a major practical advantage.
Most long-term users say they hold up well
- “We have 8 of these and used them for 1 year including overseas travel and dishwasher and haven’t had this issue.” (16 upvotes)
- “Have 10 glass Pigeon bottles that we used for 15 months and only washed in dishwasher — no issues at all.” (11 upvotes)
- The majority of durability feedback in the discussions was positive, although glass chipping came up often enough to deserve its own caveat.
Some parents keep using Pigeon into toddlerhood
- “I’ve been using the 12mo one for my 16 month old and it’s been brilliant. I send him to daycare with it and he now feeds it to himself.” (3 upvotes)
- For some families, the system continues working beyond the infant stage rather than requiring an immediate switch to another brand.

The Not So Good

Some parents reported chipping with the glass bottles
- “Every one of my 6 Pigeon glass bottles has chipped within a 4 week period. Also, never again!!” (1 upvote)
- “I’ve had two chip on the threads for unknown reasons. I haven’t dropped them or anything.” (1 upvote)
- Other users reported using the same bottles for months without a single chip, so this wasn’t universal.
- One commenter suggested: “This sounds like a batch issue. I’ve used daily for 9 months and dropped them on tiles without chips. Definitely report to pigeon.” (11 upvotes)
- Based on the Reddit discussions alone, there isn’t enough evidence to say this is a systemic defect — but it’s worth inspecting glass bottles around the threads and rim regularly.
Older glass bottles raised lead-paint concerns
- “Pigeon paint has lead!” (1 upvote)
- “Pigeon was WAY above any safe limits.” (1 upvote)
- These comments referred to third-party testing of exterior decoration on some glass bottles.
- I’d treat this as a reason to research the specific current bottle version you’re considering rather than assuming every Pigeon glass bottle has the same issue.
The PPSU version is expensive
- “PPSU. I love that PPSU has the same durability and heat resistance as glass but light weight like plastic. Side note…They’re so expensive!” (2 upvotes)
- PPSU seems to solve many of the concerns people have with glass — but you pay for it.

The SS and S nipples may drip
- “I didn’t really like how the SS and S nipples both drip without being sucked on.” (0 upvotes)
- This was a relatively minor complaint compared with the positive nipple feedback, but it may matter for babies who are particularly sensitive to passive flow.
The 12m+ valve doesn’t work for every toddler
- “The 12m+ version has a valve that requires biting and he couldn’t get anything out.” (3 upvotes)
- This seems very child-dependent: some toddlers handled it easily, while others struggled with the biting mechanism.

Which Pigeon Bottle Seems Most Worth Buying?

PPSU — probably the best all-around option
- Reddit users liked the combination of glass-like durability and heat resistance with a much lighter bottle.
- It also avoids the breakage and chipping concerns associated with glass.
- The drawback is straightforward: it’s expensive.
- Best for parents who want Pigeon’s nipple system and plan to use the bottles heavily enough to justify the higher upfront cost.
Glass — good if you specifically prefer glass
- Long-term owners frequently reported excellent durability and dishwasher performance.
- But the glass version also generated the most safety-related discussion because of chipping reports and concerns around exterior paint on some older bottles.
- If you choose glass, I’d inspect the threads and rim regularly and research the current version before buying a full set.
Slim neck — potentially the smartest budget option
- “Heads up for those that may be unaware — narrow neck Pigeon teats can fit cheaper brand narrow neck bottles… The bottle is just a vessel, what is more important is the teat part.” (5 upvotes)
- This is one of the more useful Reddit discoveries: you may be able to get the feeding experience parents like without paying for an entire Pigeon bottle system.

How It Compares

Lansinoh — probably the most interesting alternative because Reddit users repeatedly noted compatibility between the two systems.
- “Did you know you can buy Lansinoh glass bottles for like half the price and Pigeon nipples fit them? Pigeon is the mother company for lansinoh and the fanciest bottle.” (2 upvotes)
- If the nipple is the main reason you want Pigeon, this may be the best cost-saving workaround mentioned in the discussions.

Dr. Brown’s — commonly recommended, particularly when parents are concerned about gas or colic, but users frequently complained about the number of parts, cleaning, and leaking.
- Pigeon’s advantage here is simplicity.

Evenflo Balance+ — another bottle frequently recommended by lactation consultants for breastfed babies.
- The main drawback mentioned was availability rather than performance.
Comotomo — generally positive feedback for breast-to-bottle transitions because of its soft, wide design.
- Pigeon seemed to receive more specific praise for its slow flow.
MAM — another option that worked well for some picky or bottle-refusing babies.
- Users also liked the self-sterilizing feature.
Philips Avent Glass — feedback was mixed.
- Some users liked the durability, while others raised complaints around nipple flow and occasional chipping.

Tips From Reddit

Start with the SS nipple
- “You start with zero. Always.” (2 upvotes)
- Particularly for newborns and breastfed babies, Reddit users overwhelmingly favored starting with the slowest flow.
Don’t automatically move up nipple sizes
- Parents generally recommended watching your baby rather than following the age printed on the nipple.
- If feeds are going well and your baby is comfortable, there may be no reason to change the flow.
Try Pigeon nipples on compatible bottles
- Users reported compatibility with Lansinoh and several other bottle systems.
- This can significantly reduce the cost of building a bottle setup.
Buy one or two before committing to a full set
- Bottle preference is highly baby-specific.
- Even a bottle with excellent Reddit feedback may not work for your baby, so buying eight upfront probably isn’t the best first move.
Inspect glass bottles regularly
- Given the chipping reports, pay particular attention to the threads and rim.
Avoid rapid temperature changes with glass
- Users referenced Pigeon guidance warning against suddenly moving glass bottles between very hot and cold temperatures.
Look for sales
- Reddit users mentioned Amazon Prime Day and occasional retailer promotions as opportunities to bring down the price.
Report defects directly to Pigeon
- Users who experienced chipping said contacting the company was worthwhile, with some reporting refunds or other support.

Final Verdict

Reddit’s verdict on Pigeon bottles is strongly positive, particularly for breastfeeding and combo-feeding families.

The recurring theme is that the nipple is what makes Pigeon special.

Best for — breastfed or combo-fed babies, bottle-refusers, and parents who want a relatively simple bottle system.
Best all-around version — PPSU, if the higher price fits your budget.
Best budget strategy — use Pigeon nipples with a compatible Lansinoh or other lower-cost bottle.
Most caution needed with — the glass version, because of the chipping reports and questions raised around exterior paint on some older bottles.
Potential skip for — families who want the cheapest possible bottle system or babies who simply don’t respond well to the Pigeon nipple.

The most useful Reddit insight may be that you don’t necessarily need to buy the Pigeon bottle to get the part everyone is recommending.

For some families, Pigeon nipple + a compatible cheaper bottle may be the smartest setup of all.