Formula Dispenser

Munchkin Formula Dispensers: Do You Need To Get One?

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Overview

Munchkin baby milk powder formula dispenserscan be a handy storage container if you’re bottle-feeding your baby.

Some of the advantages of picking Munchkin infant formula dispensers:

  • These products work with different baby bottles and formula brands.
  • They’re fairly easy to use.
  • They’re lightweight and compact to fit your diaper bag easily.
  • They offer easy formula accessibility, so you don’t need to constantly measure how much you need each time your baby is hungry. Instead, you can prepare ahead of time.
  • They can make formula preparation easy for home or daycare (preschool) use.
  • They’re also great for use as travel formula dispensers.
  • They can also double as containers for baby cereals or other baby food.
  • You have options in choosing a single-serve or multi-compartment formula dispenser.
  • They can be less expensive than similar items from other brands.
  • They’re top-rack dishwasher safe.

These baby products can make formula preparation easier, but do you really need to get one? Which Munchkin infant formula dispenser should you choose, and how long can you keep your baby’s formula in one? What are the advantages of getting a formula mixing pitcher?

You can find answers about these baby feeding essentials in the review we prepared below.

Munchkin Formula Dispensers

  • Munchkin Formula Dispenser Single Container Pack ($4.50) – three compartments for preparing 9 oz bottles, with a flexible seal to prevent formula spillage to the other sections
  • Munchkin Formula Dispenser Combo Pack ($3.50) – two containers (a single-serve and a three-compartment dispenser) for preparing 8 oz bottles

Continue reading to learn more about each formula dispenser.

Munchkin Formula Dispenser Single Container Pack

(source: munchkin.com)

Price

  • $4.50

What Makes It Special?

  • This dispenser has three divisions, with each able to hold pre-measured formula needed to prepare up to 9 oz bottles.
  • Munchkin claims that this formula dispenser can offer superior performance because of the flexible seal that ensures your baby’s formula powder remains securely in each section.
  • The snapping lid can keep your baby’s formula secure from leaks.
  • The cover rotates to let you pick which section to get the formula.
  • It’s available in six different colors (you pick the one you want before checkout).

Key Features & Product Details

  • Material: Plastic
  • Safety Features: Latex-free and BPA-free (bisphenol-A)
  • Compartments: Three
  • Stackability: No, it isn’t stackable
  • Dimensions (in inches): ‎4.5 x 8 x 6
  • Dishwasher safe: Yes, top-rack dishwasher safe

Other Specifications

  • Capacity: Three sections that can be enough for formula scoops to prepare up to 9 fl oz bottles
  • Warranty: Not indicated
  • Quality & Safety Certifications: CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) and ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials International)

Product Recall

  • None

Cons

  • According to the brand’s website munchkin.com, these formula dispensers aren’t meant to be boiled, microwaved, or placed in a steam sterilizer because they can melt or warp.
  • Some parents complained that it could be difficult to pour the formula from the dispenser into the baby bottle.

What Customers Say

Positive Reviews

So convenient to carry around premeasured formula and we pre-measure the water in the bottle so it’s super easy to dump and shake! Perfect for family gatherings or sitters when other people are around helping with the kids too. Foolproof.” – Reviewer on Target.

Love these! So great for travel. It is a little bit difficult to get all of the formula out of each section, but doesn’t really bother me. I just tap it extra hard on the bottle to make sure I get it all out. I do 4 oz worth of formula per section. There are 3 sections.” – Reviewer on Amazon.

We have two of these and use them all of the time. I like that the top snaps when you fold it back to keep the lid out of the way while you dump the formula.” – Reviewer on Target.

Negative Reviews

Tried this over the others because of the silicone top dividers. It stores formula well but fails at the other main function of dispensing. You have to bang it around a lot while trying to dispense or keep flipping it upside down and right side up over and over. The other main problem is the cap is only kept attached to the top part of the container by tension that is not very tight. This is exacerbated after opening the cap and bending it as it will want to stay in a slightly bent position. The cap over the hole is much more snug and stays in place better. So the ring part that attaches to the center of the white/opaque cap will start to not stay in place.” – Reviewer on Amazon.

The hole is too small and the formula takes forever to get out. Or you can’t get it all out at all. Takes longer to use than it does to scoop the formula.” – Reviewer on Target.

It has 3 ports and it states each can hold enough formula to make 9 oz bottles, however I wouldn’t go over 3 scoops per port as it’s quite full at that point. My main complaint is it is difficult to get the formula out of the spout. You have to knock it against the bottle to get the formula out. I think a bigger spout could eliminate this as I have another formula dispenser with a bigger spout and it is easier to dump the formula out of. Good quality plastic and the lid stays closed so those are some positives.” – Reviewer on Amazon.

Munchkin Formula Dispenser Combo Pack

(source: munchkin.com)

Price

  • $3.50 for the two pieces

What Makes It Special?

  • It costs less than the single-pack Munchkin formula dispenser (with three compartments) but can be used to prepare a total of four bottles.
  • The snapping lid is designed to keep your baby’s formula secure from leaks.

Key Features & Product Details

  • Material: Plastic
  • Safety Features: Latex-free and BPA-free (bisphenol-A)
  • Compartments: One container has three compartments, while the other is a single-serve container
  • Stackability: Not stackable
  • Dimensions (in inches): ‎‎6 x 4 x 8
  • Dishwasher safe: Yes, top-rack dishwasher safe

Other Specifications

  • Capacity: Each compartment or chamber can hold enough formula to prepare an 8-oz bottle
  • Warranty: Not indicated
  • Quality & Safety Certifications: ASTM and CPSC

Product Recall

  • None

Cons

  • These formula dispensers are not meant to be microwaved, steam-sterilized, or boiled because they can warp or melt.

What Customers Say

Positive Reviews

This Munchkin Formula Dispenser Combo Pack is great for feeding on the go and in the middle of the night! I have used these with 3 of my kids. I love the little single serve one and carry it in my small diaper bag/purse when we go out on quick trips, and I keep the larger 3 sectioned one in my large diaper bag that I take when we are going to be out for several hours or traveling. These are also a lifesaver for feeding a newborn in the middle of the night when you are dead tired and want to fix a bottle really quickly.” – Reviewer on Walmart.

They work great. No spilling from compartment to compartment or from the lid. Easy to fill and easy to dump. Some people complain that you have to shake it to get it out but sometimes it comes right out and sometimes you have to give it a little wiggle but it isn’t a big deal at all! The extra single serving container is a wonderful extra that other products didn’t come with that is very handy for little quick trips out or if you need 4 servings. The lid is a little hard to get off but that is a good thing as far as I am concerned and it may get easier over time. Very easy to clean too. Great product!!” – Reviewer on Amazon.

Bought this for anytime we are away from home for at least half a day so I don’t have to worry about already-made formula going bad. I only tested it out. It was easy to clean, easy to fill with formula powder, and easy to dispense the powder from each slot. I like how there’s sort of a small stopper so you don’t accidentally move to a different slot while pouring. It was also easy to hold the pouring lid back. The hole is also a good size to make sure you get all the powder in the bottle.” – Reviewer on Amazon.

Negative Reviews

The 3 section container doesn’t keep the formula separated if the container isn’t kept straight all the time. There is gap in lid and container in the middle, which mixes up the formula in the 3 sections. So, you are left with disproportionate ratio of formula in each section.” – Reviewer on Walmart.

The small single dispenser works great but the larger one with 3 divided parts is awful! I’ve bought 4 of them trying to get them to work for me. The first couple of uses they are awesome but after that the top will not stay on.” – Reviewer on Amazon.

I have been using these dispensers for the past 4 months and I thought they worked well until today. I had noticed before that the formula would look like it was different levels in the seperate compartments even though I had carefully measured each serving to contain the same amount. I thought maybe I had gotten distracted and missed a scoop here or there but I now know this was not a user mistake. Today one of the compartments clearly had much more than the other 2 even though I know I put exactly the same in each! This means the container is not secure and formula can transfer into the other parts! This is not ok!!! I am so upset about this because I have been feeding my son wrong amounts of formula sometimes!!” – Reviewer on Amazon.

Summary & Recommendations

Munchkin offers two affordable formula dispensers with different designs and options for you to choose from:

Choose the Munchkin Formula Dispenser Single Container Pack ($4.50) if:

  • You need a dispenser with three compartments for preparing 9 oz bottles
  • You prefer a container with a flexible seal to prevent formula spillage to the other sections
  • You don’t need a single-serve container

Choose the Munchkin Formula Dispenser Combo Pack ($3.50) if:

  • You prefer having two different containers (a single-serve and a three-compartment dispenser) for preparing 8 oz bottles
  • You don’t mind that the containers don’t have a flexible seal

How Do You Use A Munchkin Formula Dispenser?

Always wash baby products like formula dispensers that come in contact with formula or baby food before first use, even if they look clean in the manufacturer’s packaging.

It’s also important to wash each item after each use to avoid harboring bacteria and other dangerous pathogens.

You can put Munchkin formula dispensers in the dishwasher (top rack only) with similar items, but never place them in a sterilizer because they can melt.

Once you’re done cleaning your dispenser, let them dry in a clean place. It’s best to keep them away from high-traffic areas in your house.

Here are the steps to using the Munchkin dispensers:

  1. Before using them, check to make sure that the dispensers are dry, including the lids and snaps.
  2. Carefully measure enough formula in each section to prepare one bottle. Repeat the step until you fill in all the compartments or just enough for what you need.
  3. Secure the lid tightly and put the snap on.
  4. Your formula dispenser is ready for putting inside the diaper bag or on your baby’s nursery table.
  5. You can also pre-measure water in your baby’s bottle.
  6. When you need to prepare your baby’s formula, simply open the dispenser’s snap and pour its contents into the baby bottle. Close the bottle’s lid and shake. Check the temperature before giving the bottle to your baby.
  7. You can rotate the dispenser lid to the section containing powder so it will be ready for the next feeding.

FAQs

Can You Sterilize The Munchkin Formula Dispenser?

No. The manufacturer specifically warns against putting these baby products into a sterilizer because they can melt.

Is A Formula Dispenser Necessary?

A formula dispenser isn’t required. However, it’s a handy tool for pre-measuring your baby’s formula and getting it ready for quicker bottle preparation when your little one needs to feed.

How Long Can I Keep Baby Formula In A Dispenser?

It’s best to use the baby formula in the dispenser within 24 hours to reduce the risks of bacterial contamination.

How To Choose A Formula Dispenser

  • Safety (BPA-free)
  • Good value for your money
  • Airtight with less migration
  • Number of compartments
  • Versatility
  • Ease of use
  • Ease of cleaning

Which Formula Dispenser Is The Best?

These are some of the best formula dispensers you can pick:

  • Tommee Tippee Formula Dispenser
  • Philips Avent Powder Formula Dispenser & Snack Cup
  • Dr. Brown’s Formula Dispenser
  • Skip Hop Easy-Fill Baby Formula Dispenser
  • Oxo Tot No-Spill Formula Dispenser
  • Joovy Boob Formula Dispenser
  • The Baby’s Brew Portable Bottle Warmer Pro & Formula Dispenser Set

Munchkin Smart Blend Formula Mixing Pitcher

Aside from formula dispensers, you can also get a formula mixing pitcher to help you prepare and store large quantities of pre-mixed baby formulas. This can be quite useful for nighttime feedings and even throughout your busy day.

By using the Munchkin Smart Blend pitcher ($11), you only need to prepare baby formula once every few hours.

Other advantages of getting this formula mixing pitcher:

  • It’s BPA-free.
  • It lets you prepare and store up to 24 oz of baby formula at a time.
  • It’s designed to mix your baby’s formula and break clumps easily.
  • Using a formula pitcher can reduce air bubbles than shaking the bottle; this might help reduce colic.
  • The rotating mixing handle seals the lid and helps keep your baby’s formula fresh when stored.
  • There’s an adjustable time ring to help you keep track of when the formula is prepared.

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