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Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup review: a great silicone sippy for learning to drink from a cup
Looking for a smooth transition from breast or bottle to an open cup? The Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup could be just what you need. Mum Laura put it to the test with her 22-month-old to see if it lives up to its promises.
By Laura Westerman | Last updated Feb 22, 2024
Price: £13
3-in-1 - transitions from free-flow straw cup to sippy cup then open cup
Great size for a baby and toddler
Two handles each for gripping
Made of food-grade silicone
Not spill-proof when tipped or dropped
Small capacity for older toddlers
Capacity: 180ml | Recommended age: 6 months+ | Material: Food-grade silicone
Safety: 5/5
Design: 4.5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Ease of cleaning: 4.5/5
Value for money: 5/5
If your child isn’t quite ready to transition from the breast or bottle to an open cup like the Doidy Cup, the Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup is a good transitional option. Made from food-grade silicone, this light, minimalist training cup is suitable for little ones from six months.
My 22-month-old daughter got to grips with it straight away and loves experimenting with sipping from the open cup part as well as the straw.
Unlike traditional spill-proof sippy cups with spouts, the Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup has a free-flow design, but with the option of a straw. It guides children through learning to sip, starting with a straw, transitioning to a lid with a recessed rim that allows comfortable lip closure, and finally progressing to an open cup.
With its easy-to-grab handles, an anti-topple base and lid, this cup offers added spill protection whilst your child is drinking. However it’s not leakproof, especially if tipped, held upside down or thrown on the floor. The good news is that the cup has a 180ml capacity, so even if half the liquid ends up on the highchair tray, cleanup isn’t too much of a hassle, but it’s not ideal for drinking on the go.
After trying it out for a week, I like that the Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup is simple to use and clean (it comes with a straw brush to clean the straw thoroughly), plus its microwave-safe design accommodates both hot and cold drinks - perfect for bedtime milk rituals.
How we tested the Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup
I tested the Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup out with my 22-month-old toddler alongside other sippy cups, including the Tommee Tippee Essential Free-Flow First Cup, Munchkin Miracle 360° Sippy Cup, the open Doidy Cup and the Klean Kanteen Kid Classic Sippy Cup.
We used the Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup for a week and scored it on five different criteria to see how it performed for families day to day. These criteria were: safety, design, ease of use, ease of cleaning and value for money.
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How does the Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup look and what age is it suitable for?
Designed with the help of Stacey Zimmels, a speech therapist who specialises in feeding and swallowing, the Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup is unique in that it transitions from a free-flow straw cup to a transition cup without the straw and then to an open cup. This allows your baby to develop their sipping skills while progressing to eventually using an open cup.
It’s suitable for use from six months, which is when you’ll typically start weaning, and will last long into the toddler years.
Available in three colours (grey, blue and pink), this sippy cup looks both stylish and minimalist. It’s also made of silicone so is soft to the touch and feels lovely to hold, although you should be aware that its capacity is relatively small for older toddlers.
Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup: is it BPA-free?
Yes! As well as being made from bacteria-resistant food-grade silicone, the 3 Way Trainer Cup is both BPA- and phthalate-free.
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How easy is the Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup to use?
The Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup is a good size for both babies and toddlers, and it’s one of the easiest sippy cups to use.
As my daughter is 22 months old, she was able to immediately and confidently use the cup in all of its configurations. She loved using the open cup but most preferred it in the transition cup stage where a lid with a recessed rim is used to help your child get used to drinking from an open cup but with fewer spills.
It’s simple to take the straw out and put it back in again should you need to. However, both Tum Tum Tots and dentists advise against extended straw use, as it could increase the chance of tooth decay. Dentists worry that children using no-spill cups with spouts or straws frequently expose their teeth and gums to sugary, acidic drinks, potentially leading to decay.
Compared to sippy cups like the Munchkin Miracle 360° Sippy Cup and the open Doidy Cup, this one feels much more user-friendly for babies just starting weaning (it’s as easy as the popular Tommee Tippee Essential Free-Flow First Cup to use), and parents will like that the 3 Way Trainer Cup will grow with their child.
The two handles make the cup really easy for small hands to grab and the anti-topple base provides extra reassurance against spills. You can also measure the amount of liquid you're putting in by using the handy measurements on the inside of the cup.
I like that this cup is microwave-safe and that you can use it with both cold and hot drinks - ideal if your child likes a warm cup of milk before bed.
Is the Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup spill-proof?
No. The 3 Way Trainer Cup will leak if tipped upside down or dropped, whether you use it with a straw or not.
I tended to empty it out and pop it in my changing bag when out and about with my toddler, and used it alongside the leakproof Klean Kanteen Kid Classic Sippy Cup. The 3 Way Trainer Cup is nice to have with you so that your child can practise sipping from a free-flow or open cup if you’re out for lunch, but isn’t ideal for use when on the move.
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Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup: how easy is it to clean?
Very easy. The lid and straw are both easy to remove, and you can wash the 3 Way Trainer Cup by hand, on the top rack of your dishwasher or in a steriliser. It comes with care instructions as well as a straw brush so that you can properly clean the straw after each use.
Is the Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup good value for money?
Absolutely. While it’s more expensive than other sippy cups like the Tommee Tippee Essential Free-Flow First Cup and Doidy Cup, its 3-in-1 capabilities and longer-term use make the Tum Tum 3 Way Trainer Cup excellent value for money.
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.