In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician

NUK Learner Review

Interesting handle design that is easy to clean but hard to drink from
gearlab tested logo
nuk learner sippy cup review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $14 List
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Manufacturer:   NUK
By Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz  ⋅  Jun 1, 2018
65
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#6 of 13
  • Leakage - 35% 10.0
  • Ease of Use - 25% 4.0
  • Ease of Cleaning - 20% 7.0
  • Eco-Health - 20% 3.0

The Skinny

The NUK Lerner Cup is an interesting leak-free cup with handles for little ones to grasp. The parts are easy to assemble and clean, and the soft spout helps prevent injuries related to hard spout sippys. Unfortunately, many testers found the spout challenging to drink from, which may make it a better choice for breastfed babies who are used to a more powerful sucking process. Although this difficult valve could be the reason it performed so well in our tests for leaks with a perfect score and not a drop missing during testing. The NUK is also plastic which isn't our favorite given the potential for plastic to leach chemicals into their contents. However, the reasonable price point and soft spout could make it a good match for parents who need an on-the-go option that is inexpensive and leak-free.
REASONS TO BUY
Soft silicone spout
Nice handles
Totally leak-proof
REASONS TO AVOID
Made of plastic
Difficult to drink from

Compare to Similar Products

 
nuk learner sippy cup review
This Product
NUK Learner
Awards Top Pick Award Editors' Choice Award Best Value Award   
Price $14.00 List
$7.00 each at Amazon
$16.00 List
$15.75 at Amazon
$10.00 List
$5.00 each at Amazon
$7.40 List
$6.82 each at Amazon
$5.00 List
$5.00 each at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
65
81
68
67
61
Star Rating
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Pros Soft silicone spout, nice handles, totally leak-proofStainless steel, insulated, cup-like edge, no plastic contact with contentsInsulated, lightweight, kid-friendly graphicsLightweight, handles, cup-like experienceBudget-friendly, decently leak-proof, stackable, fits most cup holders
Cons Made of plastic, difficult to drink fromHandwash leakproof top, might lose hard lid coverPlastic, the valve needs special cleaning, hard spoutPlastic, some leaking when tossed, includes no coverPlastic, offers no frills or extras, hard spout
Bottom Line Interesting handle design that is easy to clean but hard to drink fromA stainless steel sippy that is simple to assemble, leak-proof, and provides a cup-like experience that prepares little ones to use actual cupsA budget-friendly, lightweight, and insulated plastic sippy cup with a hard spoutA lightweight plastic sippy cup that features handles for little hands and offers a cup-life experienceWhat you see is what you get with this minimal, non-insulated, plastic sippy cup, but it does offer decent leak-proof abilities and a budget-friendly price
Rating Categories NUK Learner Munchkin Miracle 36... Tommee Tippee Insul... Munchkin Miracle 36... Re-Play No Spill
Leakage (35%)
10.0
9.0
10.0
7.0
8.0
Ease of Use (25%)
4.0
7.0
9.0
8.0
6.0
Ease of Cleaning (20%)
7.0
8.0
1
8.0
8.0
Eco-Health (20%)
3.0
8.0
4.0
3.0
1
Specs NUK Learner Munchkin Miracle 36... Tommee Tippee Insul... Munchkin Miracle 36... Re-Play No Spill
Manufacturer Age Recommendation 6 months+ 6 months+ 12 months+ 6 months+ Not specified
Available Capacities (ounces) 5 & 10 oz 10 oz 12 oz 7 oz 10 oz
Volume Markings No No No No No
Includes Cover? Yes Yes No No No
Drinking Mechanism Soft Spout Soft Silicone Edge Hard Spout Soft Silicone Edge Hard Spout
Insulated? Manufacturer Specification No Yes
15 hours
Yes No No
Top-Rack Dishwasher Safe Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Body Materials Tritan Plastic Stainless Steel Polypropylene Plastic Plastic Plastic
Origin of Manufacture USA & Germany China China China USA

Our Analysis and Test Results

The NUK family includes the Gerber brand as well. NUK has been in business for over 50 years, creating innovative products for healthy and safe development. NUK makes every effort to meet and exceed safety standards and the standards of real-world moms.

nuk learner sippy cup review - the nuk has a soft spout, easy to grip handles and a design little...
The NUK has a soft spout, easy to grip handles and a design little ones are drawn to.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Performance Comparison


This straightforward sippy is a good transition cup that little testers seem to like.

nuk learner sippy cup review - we like the cool bumpy handles on the nuk and little ones found them...
We like the cool bumpy handles on the NUK and little ones found them easy to hold.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Likes


This cup is leak-proof in both the upside down and sideways leak tests making it a good option for on-the-go adventures. Being leak-proof is a primary concern for this type of cup, so this is a big plus. We like the smaller size, shape, and nubbly grips the NUK sports that make it easy for even the youngest sippers to hold and use.

nuk learner sippy cup review - the nuk learner cup is easy to clean and assemble and can be used...
The Nuk Learner Cup is easy to clean and assemble and can be used without the handles if you need to fit it in a cup holder.
Credit: Micah James

This cup is also easy to clean, take apart, and assemble and it doesn't require special tools to clean beyond the standard bottle brush. The NUK's spout/valve could be cleaned with a straw brush but it isn't 100% necessary. The silicone spout is soft and nicely shaped. We like that it is silicone, not plastic and that the shape is nicer for transitioning.

nuk learner sippy cup review - the valve on the nuk prevents leaks but it is so powerful it can...
The valve on the NUK prevents leaks but it is so powerful it can also be difficult to get liquid out of when drinking.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Dislikes


The NUK's spout/valve is harder to use than most of the competition. Even adults could barely get the liquid to come out. For a transition cup intended for babies, this seems counter-intuitive, but for breastfed babies who regularly use more sucking action than bottle-fed babies, it could be no big deal. However, the valve difficulty means it does not meet the American Dental Associations "no valve" preference. Given that the main concern about valves is the amount of sucking a child needs to do, we feel that the excessive sucking required for this sippy is further from the ADA ideal than we would like.

nuk learner sippy cup review - the nuk is plastic which is not our favorite choice for babies or...
The NUK is plastic which is not our favorite choice for babies or the environment.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

This cup is BPA-free plastic which is not an inert material like stainless steel. However, being BPA-free does not necessarily translate to being 100% healthy.

nuk learner sippy cup review - the nuk could be a good transition cup for breastfed babies with...
The NUK could be a good transition cup for breastfed babies with strong sucking abilities.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Conclusion


There are lots of things to like about this cup, including the thoughtful handle design, silicone spout, leak-proof valve, and easy cleaning. On the flip side the cup is difficult to drink from and it is plastic. However, if the plastic doesn't worry you and you avoid letting any liquid sit in the cup for long periods, you may find the lower price and tough valve operation meet your on-the-go needs with style.

Worried about this valve?
Purchasing this cup through a retailer like Amazon means you can test it for yourself and return it if it is too hard to drink from. Save the packaging and test your cup right away to avoid return hassles.

Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz
 

Honest, objective reviews. Led by a Pediatrician.

BabyGearLab was founded by a Pediatrician Mom with a mission to provide a reliable, independent, source of information to new parents. Our experts have tested thousands of baby and kids products to share key performance, health, and safety findings. We spend tens of thousands of dollars crash testing car seats to inform our ratings. And, we combine our review work with gobs of expert parenting advice. To assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing by people who care.

Learn More