Kelly Raymont-Osman: Tommee Tipee Perfect Prep™

The central premise of the Tommee Tipee Perfect Prep™ machine is that it allows tired, and often harried parents in their endless race to produce bottles of formula for their new-borns. The Perfect Prep automatically controls the quality, volume and temperature of water in making up a formula feed. Once the water is in the hopper, it passes through a unique filter to remove bacteria and other impurities in the water. The Ultra Filtration membrane inside has openings that are smaller than bacteria, creating a physical barrier. Once the water is filtered, the machine is ready to make up the feed. It starts with a ‘hot shot’ of over 70°C to kill bacteria which may be in the formula powder and completes the feed by dispensing the correct amount of water to deliver the right volume of feed at body temperature. Styled to look like a high-end coffee maker, the aesthetics of this product stand out against the typical lack of styling which typically dominates many baby-related products. In cyan blue, our machine fitted seamlessly into our carefully styled kitchen.

Before falling pregnant, I had always known that breast-feeding was not for me. As a naïve twenty-something, I was completely unaware however of the implications of this preference, and how problematic this decision could be in the reality of parenthood. ‘Wet behind the ears’ does not come close to describe us as prospective parents and, in the run-up to the birth, Tom and I spent some time with some friends of ours – a same-sex couple who had adopted a baby boy. With no option but to formula-feed, the Perfect Prep™ machine had been put through its paces in this household and I remain eternally grateful for its recommendation.

Upon arrival of our daughter in May 2017, this product well-and-truly justified its fairly hefty price tag! Over ten times faster than boiling a kettle and waiting for it to cool (which I’ve been reliably informed can take up to half an hour!!), the ability to make bottles within 2 minutes flat saved my sanity – and possibly my marriage! As parents of a ‘colicy’ baby with a cry that could cut glass, the idea of waiting for water to cool seems incomprehensible.

With its latest rebrand – the Tommee Tipee Perfect Prep™ Day and Night machine – recently being awarded a coveted Mother and Baby 2021 Silver Award, it is clear that I am not alone in my appreciation for this life-changing product!