We scored 11 pacifiers on what they're made of, what parents and testers report, and value. Our top pick is Philips Avent Soothie Pacifier, with a Cradle Score of 89.
Highest Cradle Score of the 11 we scored. The one-piece hospital pacifier: cheap, easy to sterilize and low on nipple confusion.
Materials & safety score of 86. Danish natural rubber pacifiers with excellent bite resistance in Consumer Reports' tests.
Parent consensus score of 86. Sizes from newborn to 18 months, durable, and sold with a sterilizer case.
Value & longevity score of 92. One-piece silicone with a butterfly shield that stays off the nose.
| # | Product and Cradle Score | Materials & safety | Parents | Value | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 89Philips Avent Soothie PacifierAbout $2 each | 84 | 90 | 96 | Medium |
| 2 | 84Itzy Ritzy Sweetie SootherBudget | 84 | 84 | 86 | Medium |
| 3 | 84MAM Original Matte PacifierBudget | 82 | 82 | 90 | Medium |
| 4 | 83Medela Silicone Orthodontic PacifierBudget | 80 | 86 | 84 | Low |
| 5 | 82Dr. Brown's HappyPaciAbout $2 | 82 | 78 | 92 | Medium |
| 6 | 82NUK Orthodontic / Timeless Comfy PacifierUnder $2 each | 80 | 80 | 92 | Medium |
| 7 | 81BIBS Natural Rubber PacifierPremium | 86 | 82 | 70 | Medium |
| 8 | 79FRIGG Natural Rubber PacifierMid-range | 82 | 78 | 74 | Medium |
| 9 | 79Chicco PhysioForma One-Piece PacifierBudget | 80 | 76 | 84 | Low |
| 10 | 79Tommee Tippee Breast-Like Nighttime PacifierBudget | 80 | 74 | 86 | Low |
| 11 | 75WubbaNub PacifierMid-range | 70 | 82 | 70 | Medium |
Scores out of 100. Materials & safety and Parents each count 40%, Value 20%.
Nice to have Many babies find them soothing, and the AAP notes a pacifier at sleep time is linked to lower SIDS risk. Some babies refuse them entirely.
Secondhand: Buy new. Buy new and replace any that crack or tear.
Tip: Babies have strong preferences. Try a couple of shapes before buying multipacks.
One-piece silicone pacifiers are easiest to clean and can't separate. Never tie a pacifier to your baby's neck or crib, and replace any that are cracked or sticky.
4 have a safety or materials point to know about, noted in the reviews below.
The one-piece hospital pacifier: cheap, easy to sterilize and low on nipple confusion. It can trap water after boiling and pops out as babies get stronger.
One-piece food-grade silicone in fun colors, dishwasher safe, and passed Consumer Reports' tests.
Symmetrical silicone nipple with an anti-slip surface and a sterilizer case. Passed every Consumer Reports test.
Sizes from newborn to 18 months, durable, and sold with a sterilizer case. Clear styles are easy to lose.
One-piece silicone with a butterfly shield that stays off the nose. The loop handle can get yanked out.
NUK's silicone pacifiers were the strongest silicone performers in Consumer Reports' bite tests, and they're cheap.
Danish natural rubber pacifiers with excellent bite resistance in Consumer Reports' tests. Latex wears faster and costs more; the warning label is hard to spot.
The natural rubber version topped Consumer Reports' bite tests. FRIGG's silicone Classic and Daisy were recalled in 2022 for nipples that could detach.
An orthodontic one-piece with no crevices that rarely pops out. Collects lint when wet.
A breast-like nighttime pacifier that passed every Consumer Reports lab test.
A Soothie-style pacifier attached to a small plush, which makes it easier for babies to keep. Hard to clean, and Consumer Reports found the warning only online, not on the package.
Philips Avent Soothie Pacifier has the highest Cradle Score of the 11 pacifiers we scored, at 89 out of 100 (Excellent). The one-piece hospital pacifier: cheap, easy to sterilize and low on nipple confusion.
BIBS Natural Rubber Pacifier scores highest on materials and safety among the pacifiers we scored.
Philips Avent Soothie Pacifier has the strongest parent and tester consensus, based on the praise and complaints that keep coming up in hands-on reviews and parent communities.
Philips Avent Soothie Pacifier (About $2 each) scores highest on value and longevity among pacifiers with a Good or Excellent score.
None of the 11 pacifiers on this page has an open recall in our latest check. Always check the CPSC recall database (or NHTSA for car seats) before you buy or use a product.
There's no legal definition of "non-toxic", so we score specific things: materials, certifications, ingredients and independent test results. Of the 11 pacifiers we scored, BIBS Natural Rubber Pacifier has the highest materials and safety score, at 86 out of 100. Each product page lists exactly what we checked.
Each score is 40% materials and safety, 40% parent and tester consensus, and 20% value and longevity. Every product page lists its sources and when we last checked it, and brands cannot pay for placement.
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