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Is a baby food maker worth it? An honest answer

From a mum who uses hers every single day, and whose boys are now 3 and 6.

By Karen · Kiddo Kitchen · 7 min read

Between bottles, bibs, sippy cups, and all those little onesies that your little one outgrows so soon, it is fair to ask: do I really need a baby food maker, too? Some days it feels like babies come with more gear than a camping trip. It would not make sense to spend hundreds of dollars on a gadget that lasts about as long as a veggie puree left on the countertop in summer. So let's talk honestly about whether a baby food maker is something you actually need.

Baby food maker vs blender: what actually works?

Here are a few things we have heard (and thought ourselves). Can I just use my blender? Isn't this just for three months of pureeing? Do I really want another thing to clean? These are solid points. You absolutely can steam veggies on the stove, mash them with a fork, or blitz them in your regular blender. If you are all set with your kitchen basics and your baby is not a puree fan, you might get by just fine without one. But here is where baby food makers start to shine.

The reality of busy parent life

Picture this: it is dinner time. You are exhausted, but the kids still need to eat and have a bath. You put the steamer on the stove, walk away, and bath time takes longer than expected. The bottom of the pan runs out of water and turns black. The food smells burnt.

If you can relate, know that I have burnt the bottom of my pan many times and ruined dinner. And don't get me started on having to start over and the super annoying cleaning job afterwards.

I know that feeling very well. And once Theo was in the highchair, there was no going back to just figuring it out. Because all those days of prepping, washing dishes, pots and pans, dismantling blender parts and sterilising everything? Those things add up little by little.

The real pros (and honest cons) of a baby food maker

When I started my solids journey with my first son here in Brisbane, I was also running a business and working full-time. But I still wanted to feed my children the best food I could offer. My father gifted me a baby food maker, and it absolutely changed my life.

The difference is mostly about time and dishes. Being able to steam and blend in one bowl means you are not juggling pots and processors. Chop, press a button, and walk away. Most baby food makers have auto-timed functions and beep when they are done, so you can actually do something else while the food cooks.

Batch cooking becomes genuinely easy. Steam a few portions at once and freeze in individual portions so you are not labouring in the kitchen so often. Fewer dishes, no transferring hot food from pan to blender, no miscellaneous parts to clean. If you want ideas for what to make, our 10 easy baby puree recipes are a good place to start.

The mental load shifts too. There is way less to worry about, which frees up your mind for more important things. Baby's food becomes less of a chore and more of an easy habit.

The big win? You get wholesome, homemade food for your baby, with a fraction of the time and effort.

So do you need one?

Nowadays, when my friends ask, I always say the same thing: you do not technically need one. And you absolutely need one. Those two things are both true. Once you have one, you will wish you had it sooner. I know that firsthand.

How the KiddoKook Pro fits into real life

If you are a busy parent with so much going on, it can be hard to balance everything. But feeding your baby well does not have to mean spending evenings chopping, steaming, and scrubbing pots.

When we started this business, I knew what our baby food maker, the KiddoKook Pro, was meant to do: reduce overwhelm.

Even with baby-led weaning, there are those moments where all you want to do is steam two little pieces of broccoli. I used to drag out a steamer, end up making more than I needed just to justify the effort, and end up wasting half of it anyway. Now? I pop those two florets in, hit steam, and it is done in minutes.

It is also the little things: chopping fruit or veg, tossing them in, pressing a button and walking away. Using real, fresh ingredients from the fridge, not shelf-stable pouches that somehow last longer than your baby's age. No additives or preservatives, and less use of the microwave too. We use it to reheat all the time.

I also don't worry about over-prepping, because it is so easy to make things fresh in small, practical portions, without the mess and stress. And it is dishwasher-safe, thank goodness.

Despite our busy lifestyle, it is a load off my shoulders to know how easy it is to consistently make healthy, wholesome, homemade meals for my sons.

I knew what the KiddoKook Pro was meant to do: reduce overwhelm. It has done exactly that, every single day, for years.

Looking past the puree stage

Families have told us the same thing constantly: "I thought I wouldn't use it, but now? It lives on my counter." Or: "It saved me on the days I had zero energy but still wanted to give my baby something homemade." And that's just the first year. The question I get more often these days is what happens once you're past purees.

I still use my KiddoKook Pro every day, and my sons are 3 and 6.

Smoothies are probably the most frequent thing I make now. A quick blend of banana, yoghurt, oats, or frozen mango takes two minutes, and it is the easiest way to sneak something green past both boys without a negotiation. Most evenings I will also steam a bit of broccoli, zucchini or carrot as a side, or blend it into a creamy sauce for pasta. If you want inspiration, our toddler meal ideas are worth a look.

I also use it to build everything into sauces. Our pizza sauce is tomatoes, carrot, spinach, zucchini, and whatever else is on hand. The boys have no idea, and honestly, neither do I half the time because I just throw things in. Reheating is another daily habit now: muffins, quiches, small frozen snacks, all warmed without the oven. And when I have leftover veg at the end of the week I will blitz it and fold it into fritters or meatballs, which are reliably popular even through picky phases.

So yes, it is a baby food maker. But it is also my no-mess steamer, my mini blender, my quiet little helper in the kitchen long after puree days are over. It is definitely an investment that has paid for itself many times over.

The bottom line

You don't need a baby food maker. Plenty of families make it work with what they already have.

But if you are a parent who wants to keep things homemade without losing your mind (or your sink under a mountain of dishes), the KiddoKook Pro can make that part of the day feel surprisingly easy. We have loved ours, truly. It has been part of our daily routine since our first puree days, and we still use it all the time.

Because like most things in parenting, it is not about doing everything perfectly. It is about finding little ways to make life smoother, meals fresher, and days a bit less chaotic, one puree at a time. And honestly? You won't regret it.

See it for yourself

The KiddoKook Pro steams, blends, reheats, defrosts and self-cleans in one appliance. 30-day risk-free trial. Same-day dispatch on orders before 11am.

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