NoseFrida the Snotsucker Review

The NoseFrida nasal aspirator is a highly effective and parent-friendly tool for clearing your baby's nasal congestion. I’ve been using it on my 23-month old daughter for well over a year and it comes in particularly handy in the winter months when snotty noses are almost a given.

Due to the tube’s wide, pencil-shaped design, this nasal aspirator creates a safe and strong suction that pulls mucus from deep inside the nostril, reaching all the way to the back of the nose. It works better than bulb-shaped aspirators with thinner tubes in my opinion.

Although the filters are great at trapping mucus (and subsequent germs) in the tube, so there’s no chance of it reaching your mouth, the brand advises replacing the filter after each use which is an extra cost to factor in. However, I still believe the NoseFrida offers great value for money overall as it’s easy to use and clean and, most importantly, it works.

How we tested the NoseFrida

I’ve used the NoseFrida with my now 23-month-old since she was born. It was the first nasal aspirator I tried and the one I’ve used consistently throughout the newborn days and beyond.

The NoseFrida has been used to clear mucus during severe colds as well as general nasal congestion.

During testing, I scored this nasal aspirator on five different criteria including: ease of use, comfort, effectiveness, ease of cleaning and value for money.

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How easy is the NoseFrida to use?

The NoseFrida is a pencil-shaped tube with a thinner tube attached for sucking mucus out of your baby’s nose, with filters to make sure it’s 100% hygienic. Simply place the large tube against your baby’s nostril (not inside) to create a seal. You then suck the mucus out using the mouthpiece.

Compared to bulb-shaped nasal aspirators like John Lewis ANYDAY Baby Nasal Aspirator and the NUK Nasal Decongester, the NoseFrida initially seems more intimidating to use, but is just as easy. The only difficulty was keeping my daughter still enough to place the tube against her nose as she would occasionally move her head from side to side.

How effective is the NoseFrida?

After over a year of testing, I found the NoseFrida to be more effective than the bulb-shaped nasal aspirators like the John Lewis ANYDAY Baby Nasal Aspirator and the NUK Nasal Decongester.

While it was occasionally tricky to keep my child still enough to place the tube against her nostrils, especially as she got older, the NoseFrida managed to clear her nose of mucus within a few seconds. The amount of mucus extracted does depend on the suction power used, but I found that even a little suction removed mucus straight away- which is a game-changer for me as my little one is a wriggler!

The brand advises that you put saline solution in your child’s nose before using the NoseFrida to increase its effectiveness, but I found it did its job well without having to use any.

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How comfortable is the NoseFrida?

As a non-invasive nasal aspirator, the NoseFrida is generally comfortable for babies, including newborns.

While my daughter was sometimes reluctant for my husband and I to use it when her nose was congested, mostly due to the unusual feeling of mucus being sucked out of her nose, I felt more comfortable using this type of nasal aspirator with her during the newborn days.

The tip of the main tube is wide enough so that you can’t insert it inside your baby’s nose (yet it creates the seal you need for adequate suction) and the rubber mouthpiece is comfortable for parents. Plus, the pencil-shaped tube is long enough to ensure you never get mucus near your mouth. There’s also a filter to prevent that.

Is the NoseFrida easy to clean?

Yes, for the most part. The NoseFrida can be separated into two parts for cleaning and it’s dishwasher-safe. If you wash by hand, I find that it’s best to rinse with soapy water, then use a thin brush to scrub inside the pencil-shaped tube for a thorough clean.

One downside of the NoseFrida compared to similarly designed nasal aspirators like the Snufflebabe Nasal Aspirator is that the filters aren’t reusable and should be replaced after each use to maintain its suction power.

Is the NoseFrida good value for money?

Yes. The NoseFrida is one of the cheaper nasal aspirators you can buy, retailing at around £7.

While my NoseFrida didn’t come with a travel storage case, it often does if you buy it from retailers such as Boots. You’ll also receive a small pack of four disposable filters, although you will need to buy replacement filters eventually, which will set you back around £5 for a pack of 20. Depending on how often your child experiences nasal congestion, this could become costly over time.

About the author

Laura Westerman is an editor, writer and Deputy Head of Editorial Content at Mumsnet. Mum to a one-year-old, she is fully invested in discovering the best and most affordable baby products on the market, and sharing her knowledge and findings with other parents.

With over seven years' experience as a full-time editor, five of which have been spent writing, commissioning and editing pushchair product reviews and round-ups, Laura has a keen eye for what parents love and likes nothing more than putting together honest reviews to make parents' lives that little bit easier.

In addition to her work as a writer and editor, she has also appeared in a number of baby product videos for Mumsnet's YouTube channel.