Every parent that ever needed to soothe a baby knows how important baby pacifiers are. These devices are made of either silicone or rubber and are designed to satisfy the baby’s suckling instinct—which in turn helps to soothe them. That’s why every parent, or soon to be parent, should have several of them in their home for their baby.

As is the case with anything a parent gives their child, they want to make sure that it’s the best quality possible, and it won’t harm them. And ascertaining those two things can be difficult for parents because there are so many different brands of these devices currently being sold. That’s why we’ve decided to write this article on the top ten baby pacifiers available.

Best Pacifiers – Reviews

10Philips Avent Orthodontic Pacifier

Unlike traditional soothers, orthodontic pacifiers are designed to respect the health of maturing teeth and gums and are designed for babies 18-months old and older. This product is made with a bite-resistant silicone nipple that’s thicker than traditional pacifiers and is harder for children to bit through. This product is also easier to sterilize than other products because it can be boiled for 5-minutes to sanitize it. Another feature found on this soother model is air holes in its nipple shield that allows air to get to the child’s skin, which helps to prevent rashes from developing.

9Chicco PhysioForma One-Piece Pacifier

This baby pacifier is made out of 100% silicone and is one-piece, so parents don’t have to worry about it coming apart as the child uses it. This product is 100% latex and BPA-free, has an inclined nipple shape that helps to guide the baby’s natural tongue placement, and it has a lateral curve that ensures that internal pressure caused by suckling is distributed over the tongue equally. It’s a product that’s been thoroughly tested by leading pediatricians and orthodontists, and it helps to support the child’s proper palate and teeth development. And because it has built-in ventilation holes, air can get to the child’s skin, and saliva is allowed to escape, so it doesn’t pool against the child’s face.

8BIBS Natural Rubber Baby Pacifier

This pacifier is manufactured by BIBS, a company that was launched in the town of Esbjerg, Denmark, and a company that still designs and manufactures their products in Denmark. These high-quality soothers have been used by discerning parents for over four decades now, and that’s because they’re made to exacting standards. They’re free of not only BPA and phthalates, but they’re also free of PVC. They have a design that’s easy for babies to suckle, are extremely safe to use, and have a nice shape to them. In other words, these are great pacifiers for any baby up to the age of 6-months old.

7Nanobebe Orthodontic Pacifiers

This pacifier is often designated as one of the best pacifiers for breastfed babies for a reason, and that reason is that it has all of the features that make it a great binky. This product is contoured to comfortably rest against the baby’s face as they suckle on it and its special shape helps to promote healthy gum and teeth development. Since it’s a one-piece binky, it also won’t come apart like some other products tend to do, which makes it generally safer than compound or 3-piece pacifiers. And because its tip is extra-soft, breastfed babies are unlikely to confuse this binky with their mother’s breast.

6Tommee Tippee Closer To Nature Soother

These infant pacifiers not only are symmetrically shaped for proper tooth and gum development, but they’re also BPA-free, so parents can use them for their baby without worry. They’re also phthalate-free and are ideal for infants or toddlers of any age. Another thing to like about these pacifiers is that they glow in the dark, so they can be used for night-time soothing. And because these pacifiers have reversible nipples, it’s easier for babies to insert the pacifier themselves, so they can self-soothe themselves with it. That makes it a great binky for any parent to use for their child.

5NUK Sensitive Orthodontic Pacifiers

Just about every parent has heard about NUK, which isn’t surprising considering that they’ve been making quality baby products for over six decades now. And this pacifier is one of the best ones that they make. It’s a silicone binky that’s designed to gently contour to a baby’s face and has a nipple shape that’s designed with the health of the baby’s teeth and gums in mind. It’s also equipped with a heart-shaped nipple-shield that fits perfectly under the baby’s nose and makes it more comfortable. And because it’s top-rack dishwasher safe, it can be easily sterilized whenever the parents think it should be.

4Philips Avent BPA-Free Soothie Pacifier

Pacifiers come in a variety of different shapes and sizes, but this one is a little bit different than most. That’s because it’s not latex and BPA-free, but it also has a light vanilla scent that provides a little bit of extra comfort to the child as they suckle. This product is made from hospital-grade silicone and has a one-piece construction that makes it extremely durable. Another thing that makes it a great product is that it’s dishwasher safe, so it can be easily sterilized as needed. And finally, this product is designed with the health of the baby’s teeth and gums in mind, so it’s more orthodontic than other types of binkys.

3Ryan and Rose Cutie PAT Pacifier

Anyone who takes a good hard look at this pacifier will realize that it’s a little bit different than most of the other binkys out there. It’s a product that’s both a teething toy and a pacifier made into one quality product, so the nipple can be put away as needed. It also has a design that most closely mimics breastfeeding, so it encourages healthy teeth growth and won’t cause gum issues down the line. This soother is made from medical-grade silicone that’s FDA-approved and US CPSIA compliant and is free of BPA, latex, PVC, and phthalates.

2Itzy Ritzy Sweeties Silicone Soother

Available in 2-packs that include such great color combinations as grey/yellow, green/white, light-blue/dark-blue, or light-pink/dark-pink, there’s one of these pacifiers for just about any baby. Each one of them is made from food-grade silicone that features a nipple guard that has vent holes that allow for proper air circulation. Each of these binks has been tested to meet ASATM safety standards, and they have a one-piece design that makes them safer to use than 3-part pacifiers. And because this product’s nipple is soft, it’s ideal for every baby from the age of newborn up to 6-months old.

1MAM Pacifiers Unisex Baby Binky

These binkys are some of the best pacifiers available because they’re designed with a variety of quality features that make them safer and more comfortable than comparable brands. These soothers are designed for babies 6-months or older and they’re designed in a way that makes them feel more like their mother’s breast. They’re also symmetrically designed, so the baby can insert it into their mouth in any way they want. That means the parent doesn’t have to constantly adjust it while the baby is using it. Other features found on this pacifier include air holes in its inner shield that allow for airflow, a curved shield that’s comfortable to use, and it’s made from quality BPA-free silicone.

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A Parent’s Guide To Pacifiers

As anyone can see from looking at the above list, there are a lot of different pacifiers out there. And we’ve only covered the absolute best ones. There are dozens of different models available, and it seems like new ones hit the market every week. How can a parent decide which of the pacifiers are right for their baby? Well, in this article, we’re going to attempt to answer that very question.

A good place to start with buying a new baby pacifier or soother is to choose one from the above list. We took great pains to find the absolute best pacifiers out there, and all of the ones we’ve listed are top quality and are widely approved of by both parents and babies. However, we understand that you might want one that’s not on our list, so we decided to give parents a guide on how to buy infant pacifiers. The following suggestions will help any parent buy a soother that’s safe to use and will help to soothe the baby.

The Anatomy Of A Pacifier

Even though there are untold numbers of different pacifiers currently being sold, all of them are made up of three different parts: the nipple part, the shield part, and the ring part. The nipple is usually made out of silicone or latex rubber and is designed to be comfortable for the baby to suckle on. The shield part of the pacifier, also known as a guard, is designed to prevent the child from choking on the pacifier. Most of the guards designed today are also designed with ventilation holes that allow the egress of saliva, so it isn’t held against the child’s skin, which could cause skin irritation. The final part of the pacifier is the ring, which makes the pacifier easier to remove from the child’s mouth. Some parents attach a special pacifier holder to the ring, which helps prevent it from falling to the floor if the child spits it out.

The Different Pacifier Types

There’s a lot of different pacifiers available, but they can easily be categorized into only a small handful of categories. Let’s examine each of these different categories so that we can better understand the differences between them and we can find the best pacifiers available.

One-Piece Pacifiers

These are the most common, and the safest, of all of the pacifier types. These pacifiers are usually made of latex, rubber, or silicone, but there are a few of them that are made out of plastic. These soothers are safer than most other types of pacifiers because they’re one piece, so most of them can’t come apart. However, we do have to suggest that parents avoid plastic pacifiers because those pacifiers can crack and come apart. So, if you’re shopping for a one-piece pacifier, then choose one that’s latex, rubber or silicone.

3-Piece Pacifiers

These pacifiers are also fairly common. Instead of being molded from just one piece of silicone or rubber, these pacifiers are three separate parts that are attached. Although these soothers are usually very durable, they do tend to come apart after a while, so parents should be extremely careful with them and make sure that they inspect them regularly.

Feeding Pacifiers

Feeding pacifiers are relatively new, but they are becoming increasingly popular. These pacifiers are designed for infants who are getting started with eating solid foods, and they’re a great way for parents to introduce new foods to their children. If you’re buying one of the feeding pacifiers, make sure that its base is permanently attached to the base and that it’s dishwasher safe.

Some Additional Pacifier Types

When parents choose an infant pacifier, they will most likely choose one from one of the three categories above. However, those aren’t the only pacifiers available. There are quite a few other categories, which we’ll list below.

Other Pacifier Types

  • Glow-In-The Dark Pacifiers
  • Stuffed Animal Pacifiers
  • Novelty Pacifiers

Choose The Right Pacifier Size

The last thing that you’ll want to consider when choosing a new baby pacifier is its size. Although some new parents don’t realize it, different size soothers are intended for children of different ages. Therefore, parents need to choose a size that’s appropriate for their child. Below are the most common sizes and the recommended ages for those sizes.

Small Pacifiers: Babies up to 6-months of age

Medium Pacifiers: Babies from 6-months to 18-months of age

Large Pacifiers: Babies over the age of 18-months

Some Final Tips

Now that we’ve covered some of the basic criteria needed for shopping for a new soother, it’s time for us to leave you with a few additional tips. The following tips will ensure that the pacifiers you give your children remain as safe as possible.

  • Never use pacifiers past the age of 2-years old
  • Test the pacifier’s nipple before each use
  • Make sure pacifiers are BPA-free
  • Never attach a pacifier to a tether that longer than 6-inches
  • Clean the pacifier regularly
  • Keep several pacifiers in the home