Best bottle brushes

The best bottle brushes will get into every corner of your bottles to clean them thoroughly and remove any nasties that build up over use. A bottle brush is a washing up essential for a number of household items such as vases, champagne flutes, blenders or anything with hard-to-reach angles which require some extra attention when washing up. 

Many reusable water bottles can’t be put in a dishwasher and often baby bottles are needed in quick succession, which makes washing by hand a necessity. That’s why the best bottle brushes including our top pick, the OXO Tot Bottle Brush come with smart designs which will tackle the nipple of baby bottles and hit those hard-to-reach spots where you can't reach with a sponge. When shopping for a bottle brush it’s a good idea to evaluate the specific tasks you need it for. Some bristles are fantastic for busting grime and buildup in a hurry, but may scratch the inside of glasses and vases. To some, this won’t matter as long as your bottle brush can reach the most tricky spots of bottles. There’s also sustainability to take into account. Some may not want to buy a plastic bottle brush, others will want one which will stand the test of time, and for tired moms and those who just want to get the job done, some bottle brushes come in multipacks so you can easily replace them.

The OXO Tot Bottle Brush has everything you need for the vast majority of cleaning tasks. It sits upright in its stand which allows it to dry and will keep it from sitting at the bottom of your sink. It’s also dishwasher safe, so you can go longer without replacing it. Inside the handle of this bottle brush is a silicone nipple cleaner which is designed to clean the inside of baby bottles. The cleaner has a non-slip grip and the brush head has two types of bristles. The firmest bristles sit at the top, for those hard to reach corners and any tough stains which may sit there.  

Dr. Brown's Bottle Brush isn’t your most long lasting bottle brush option, but if you’re buying to clean your baby’s bottles, you won’t want to use it for prolonged periods of time anyway. Designed by Dr. Brown’s, which also has a line of popular baby bottles, it’s not surprising that this bottle brush has been custom designed for cleaning nipples and the grooves of baby bottles. The sponge and bristle combo makes sure that every inch of the bottle is cleaned thoroughly, and lets you scrub off anything that’s stuck inside. What’s more, the no-slip handle will help you achieve this quickly and the brush holder which attaches adjacent to the sink will allow you to keep your brush handy at all times.  

First things first, the Boon Cacti Bottle Cleaning Brush Set is designed to replicate an adorable cactus terrarium. It’ll look amazing next to your sink and also makes storage easy. The set comes with four bottle brushes in a variety of sizes and shapes, which will easily tackle bottles and vases of all shapes and sizes. There are smaller brushes suitable for bottle nipples, too. The nylon bristles are durable and sturdy, so they will stand the test of time. Just be sure to drain out the pot which holds your brushes after use, otherwise nasties will begin to build up. 

The Turbo Microfiber Bottle Brush Cleaner 5 Pack gives you five durable bristle brushes for the price of some bottle brushes alone. These brushes are designed to last, and they span from nine inches to 15 inches long and are up to eight inches wide (starting at one inch), meaning you can scrub the inside of anything from reusable straws to blenders. This set doesn’t come with storage to go alongside your sink, but the brushes are compact enough to sit neatly wherever you need.

If you want a bottle brush for cleaning your reusable water bottle, including its lid and mouthpiece, the OXO Good Grips Water Bottle Cleaning Set is the best option for you. It has three brushes attached with a ring, so you won’t lose even the smallest brush. Included in this set is a straw cleaner, which is narrow enough to fit inside a reusable straw, as well as a detail cleaner. This will clean the lid of your bottle and any other fiddly spaces. The long bottle brush is able to reach to the bottom of even the deepest bottle, and the narrow handle can reach into the bottle neck with no problems. 

Silicone is a great bottle brush material because it has antibacterial qualities and won’t scratch glass or plastic, but it’s still sturdy and firm enough to scrub away the toughest of grime. This bottle brush has a smaller brush head, but it has a long handle which can reach into bottles, vases, or blenders with no difficulty. The Kitchiny Silicone Bottle Brush can also be hung up and stored. Its ribbed handle can be used for smaller spaces where the brush head won’t fit.

The verdict

The best bottle brush overall is the OXO Tot Bottle Brush, which is suitable for baby bottles and other bottle types. If it's just baby bottles you're looking for, check out Dr. Brown's Bottle Brush, and if you're only concerned with water bottles, we suggest the OXO Good Grips Water Bottle Cleaning Set. The Kitchiny Silicone Bottle Brush also has a long neck, and antibacterial silicone. You can also get sets of bottle brushes, such as the Boon Cacti Bottle Cleaning Brush Set and Turbo Microfiber Bottle Brush Cleaner five Pack.