The Best Anti-Colic Baby Bottles: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)

RBE top pick

Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Anti-Colic Options+ Narrow Bottle

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Dr. Brown's Options+ is the bottle to reach for when colic, gas, or reflux is the actual problem, because its venting is the most consistently effective. Comotomo is the runner-up and the better pick for breastfed babies and parents who prize easy cleaning over maximum venting.

Anti-colic bottles all promise fewer bubbles, less gas, and calmer feeds, but they get there in very different ways, from Dr. Brown's multi-part internal vent to Comotomo's soft silicone body. We drew on maker specifications and owner reports to sort the genuinely effective designs from the ones that trade colic control for cleaning headaches. Two of these earn a clear buy, one depends on your baby, and one we would skip for colic specifically.

RBE top pick

Dr. Brown's

Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Anti-Colic Options+ Narrow Bottle

Buy it

Anti-colic venting built around an internal vent system, if you can tolerate the extra parts.

Best for: Babies with real gas, reflux, or colic where venting performance matters more than convenience.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• Dr. Brown's describes its internal vent system as clinically proven to reduce colic, and it is widely praised for cutting gas and spit-up
• Dr. Brown's says the vent can be removed as baby's feeding develops, so the bottle keeps working long-term
• Nipple delivers a genuinely slow, steady flow that suits newborns and paced feeding

Know before buying

• The internal straw and insert mean more parts to wash and reassemble than most bottles here
• The extra pieces can leak if the collar is over-tightened or the vent is seated wrong

Check price on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

Comotomo

Comotomo Natural Feel Silicone Baby Bottle

Buy it

A silicone bottle that is easy to clean and often accepted by breastfed babies.

Best for: Breastfed babies transitioning to a bottle, and parents who hate scrubbing narrow bottles.

$$$ · premium

Why we like it

• Soft, breast-like silicone body and wide nipple win over many bottle-refusing, breastfed babies
• Ultra-wide neck lets you clean the whole bottle by hand without a brush
• Dual anti-colic vents on the nipple are simple, with far fewer parts than vented-straw designs

Know before buying

• The squat, wide base may not fit some bottle warmers, sterilizer racks, or cup holders, so check your gear against Comotomo's compatibility list
• Owners note nipple flow can speed up or drip if the collar seal is not seated just right

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Philips Avent

Philips Avent Anti-colic Bottle with AirFree Vent

It depends

Solid venting with fewer parts than Dr. Brown's, but the AirFree vent is a mixed bag.

Best for: Parents who want anti-colic help and upright feeding without Dr. Brown's full parts count.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• Fewer pieces than internal-straw bottles while still reducing air intake during feeds
• AirFree vent keeps the nipple full so babies can feed more upright, which some reflux babies prefer
• Wide, ridged nipple is widely accepted and the range is easy to find and expand

Know before buying

• Reviewers report the AirFree vent can leak or overflow if the bottle is tipped or filled too high
• Some owners find the nipple flows faster than expected, which does not suit every newborn

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We'd skip it

MAM

MAM Easy Start Anti-Colic Bottle

Skip it

Clever self-sterilizing trick, but owners often report leaks from the vented base.

Best for: Parents who value the microwave self-sterilizing feature over best-in-class colic control.

$ · budget

Why we like it

• Self-sterilizes in the microwave in a few minutes with just a little water, which is genuinely handy for travel
• Soft SkinSoft nipple has a high acceptance rate with babies
• Affordable and widely stocked

Know before buying

• The multi-piece vented base is a common leak complaint in owner reports if not assembled perfectly
• Anti-colic performance is reported as less consistent than the dedicated venting leaders

See our pick instead See it on Amazon anyway Read our detailed assessment ↓

How we judged the field

We do not run our own lab. Instead, we drew on maker specifications and aggregated owner reports to see where each bottle actually earns its keep. For an anti-colic roundup, the criteria that mattered most were: how effectively the venting reduces swallowed air, how the nipple flows and whether babies accept it, how many parts you have to wash and reassemble, how well the bottle resists leaks, and whether it fits real-world gear like warmers and sterilizers. We weighted venting effectiveness and leak resistance heavily, because those are the whole point of buying an anti-colic bottle rather than a plain one.

A note on flow: these bottles generally come in slow-flow versions for newborns, and matching nipple flow to your baby’s age matters as much as the brand. We judged each on its slow-flow starting point.

This is the bottle reviewers and owners reach for when colic, gas, or reflux is a genuine problem rather than a marketing worry. Its internal vent system channels air away from the milk, and Dr. Brown’s describes it as clinically proven to reduce colic. The honest trade-off is parts: the internal straw and insert give you more pieces to wash than most bottles here, and if you over-tighten the collar or seat the vent wrong, it can leak. The saving grace is that the vent is removable, so as your baby grows out of colic you can simplify the bottle instead of buying a new one. For the job of controlling air, it is the most purpose-built design here.

Comotomo solves a different problem: acceptance and cleaning. Its soft silicone body and wide, breast-like nipple win over a lot of breastfed babies who reject firmer bottles, and the ultra-wide neck means you can wash the whole thing by hand without a brush. Its dual nipple vents are far simpler than a vented straw, so there is very little to reassemble. Two caveats keep it from being the outright winner for colic: the squat, wide base may not fit some warmers, sterilizer racks, or diaper-bag pockets, and owners note the flow can drip or speed up if the collar is not seated cleanly. As a naturalness-and-convenience pick, though, it is excellent.

The Avent sits between the two leaders. Its AirFree vent keeps the nipple full of milk so babies can feed in a more upright position, which some reflux-prone babies tolerate better, and it does this with fewer parts than Dr. Brown’s. Whether it is right for you genuinely depends on your setup: some owners report the AirFree vent leaking or overflowing if the bottle is tipped or overfilled, and some find the nipple flows faster than they want for a newborn. Used carefully and filled sensibly, it is a capable anti-colic bottle; used casually, the vent can frustrate you.

MAM has real strengths, a soft, high-acceptance nipple and a clever base that self-sterilizes in the microwave in a few minutes, which is genuinely useful for travel. But for anti-colic specifically, its multi-piece vented base is the part owners most frequently report leaking when it is not assembled just right, and its venting performance is described as less consistent than the dedicated leaders. If self-sterilizing is the feature you care about above all, it is defensible. If you are buying primarily to control colic, the other three do that core job more reliably, so we skip it here.

Dr. Brown’s Options+ vs Comotomo: which should you buy?

These are the two we would actually put on a registry, and they suit different households. Dr. Brown’s is the choice when the symptoms are real: its internal vent is the design most aimed at reducing the swallowed air behind gas, and you accept more washing-up as the price. Comotomo is the choice when your baby is fussy about the bottle itself or you simply cannot face scrubbing narrow bottles at midnight: it is easy to clean, breast-like, and often accepted by nursing babies, with simpler venting. Put simply, buy Dr. Brown’s if colic is the problem, and Comotomo if acceptance and cleaning are. If you only want one bottle to cover most babies, start with Dr. Brown’s and keep a Comotomo on hand as backup.

What to look for

• Venting that matches the problem. Internal-vent designs aim to control air most; simpler nipple vents trade some performance for far less cleaning.
• Parts count. Every extra piece is another thing to wash, lose, and reassemble at 3 a.m. Be honest about your tolerance.
• Correct nipple flow. Start with slow-flow for newborns; too-fast flow causes gulping and gas no matter how good the bottle.
• Leak resistance in the real world. Read owner reports on leaks specifically, since many vented bottles leak only when assembled or filled wrong.
• Gear fit. Confirm the bottle fits your warmer, sterilizer, and bag before you commit to a full set, especially with wide-base silicone bottles.
• Material preference. Silicone feels soft and is easy to clean; plastic and glass options fit more accessories and warmers.

Our final take

For an anti-colic bottle, buy for the job first and convenience second. Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow Anti-Colic Options+ is our pick because its venting is the most purpose-built for the one thing you are paying for, and the removable vent means it stays useful after the colic passes. Comotomo is the runner-up and the smarter buy for breastfed babies and cleaning-averse parents who can live with its bulky base. Philips Avent is a reasonable middle path if you want fewer parts and upright feeding, provided you fill it carefully. MAM’s self-sterilizing trick is neat, but its leak-prone base and softer colic control put it last for this specific purpose. Start with the bottle that fits your baby’s actual struggle, and you will not need to rebuy.

Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Anti-Colic Options+ Narrow Bottle vs Comotomo Natural Feel Silicone Baby Bottle.

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